«Should have aimed for the head.»
He regretted, because nothing had dropped from the War Shadow. And that was due to his mistake.
Without hesitation, he began to ascend, sinking into thoughts about how to find a party, because he was a beginner who had only descended into the dungeon a month ago. It seemed to him that a dead weight like him could only become a weapon, but Kopii immediately cast aside these anxious thoughts: if he became as sluggish as them, his growth in his adventuring career would certainly slow down, and he needed to avoid that at any cost.
After some time, Kopii ascended, and, exiting the tower, he suddenly felt a fresh wind on his face, which seemed to give him wings. The sun was already setting, painting the city rooftops in wonderful crimson hues, creating an atmosphere of magic.
Kopii quickened his pace and headed to the guild, where he also wanted, as always, to exchange his magic stones for valis. The guild was always bustling, like an anthill. Adventurers of all trades scurried back and forth, exchanging fresh news and boasting about their loot. Kopii, despite the crowd, squeezed through it to the exchange counter, where a familiar girl with a kind smile accepted the adventurers' trophies.
«Hello.» — she exclaimed, nodding at his full bag.
Kopii, without hesitation, laid out several magic stones on the counter, and some inner warmth enveloped him, for this day had clearly been a success, he thought with excitement. Kopii smiled broadly, accepting the valis, showing his gratitude.
– Thank you! — He said to the girl, feeling a surge of energy and joy from his luck. He wanted to ask Rose for advice on which familia he could team up with, but at that very moment Kopii decided not to distract her from her work, understanding that she already had plenty to do. He was confident that he could handle finding his own party. However, glancing out the window, he saw that it was already quite dark. Kopii did not linger in the guild and headed home. He sped up, for he wanted to make it in time for a shower before the day finally gave way to night.
Entering the Blue Pharmacy, he saw a familiar scene.
— Oh, Naaza, you're diluting potions again! — Kopii said, rather brusquely.
He did not like what Naaza was doing; mixing already weak healing potions with water was too much in his eyes. But no matter how much he disliked it, they had no choice, for they were completely in debt. So he simply accepted this fact, despite not liking it at all.
— Kopii, I've already explained to you why we need to do this. — Answered Naaza, without even paying much attention to him, continuing her alchemical manipulations.
— Yes, yes, you don't have to explain, I understand everything. I just don't like deceiving people, that's all.
Naaza sighed, set aside one of the flasks, and finally turned to Kopii.
– Kopii, you're a good guy, but in this harsh city, sad as it may be, the one who is most adaptable survives. If we sold potions at their true price, who would buy them? This way, at least we have some income. And besides, it's not fatal, just a slightly weaker effect. Nothing terrible is happening.
Kopii involuntarily pressed his lips together, but did not argue, because he understood: Naaza was right in her own way. But still, Kopii, without a second thought, gave all the money he had earned from the exchange to Naaza.
— Well, alright, I'm off to rest, don't stay up too late. Good night, — he said finally, casting one last glance at what she was doing.
— Good night, Kopii, — she responded, continuing her work without even paying attention to the money.
Kopii sat down on his bed and pondered the past day. The harvested magic stones gave hope for the better, but the thought of a party, which still tormented him, gave him no peace. He understood that he would not be able to advance alone for now. Kopii sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, reflecting on his next steps. He needed to find a way to convince someone to take him into their party, despite his modest and meager experience.
Kopii cast these thoughts aside and lay down to sleep, hoping for the change of night and a new morning. Morning greeted Kopii with bright sunlight breaking through the gaps in the shutters of his window. He woke up with a feeling of determination and freshness. Once again ready for new achievements, Kopii stretched, feeling how his tired muscles pleasantly ached after yesterday's outing into the dungeon.
– Today I'll definitely rest. — He muttered to himself, but the thought of a party still drilled in his head, giving him no peace. He knew he couldn't sit idle for long, for valis would not earn itself. And earning from these goblins was not all that effective. And descending lower was dangerous; if there had been two War Shadows there, he would have died.
But at the same time, Kopii understood that rest was also very necessary, and he decided that he would not think about a party or anything connected to the dungeon. He would probably take a walk.
On the street, Kopii saw Miach surrounded by girls who were clearly using him — so Kopii thought, but he did not want to meddle in the god's affairs.
«I'm not jealous?»
Deciding not to get distracted, he inhaled the fresh air, burning his lungs, and set out on a walk along the central streets of the city, where it was always crowded and noisy. He examined the bright shop signs, watched the street vendors offering their wares, and listened to fragments of passersby's conversations.
Then he stepped into a small shop where various sweets and treats were sold. Having bought himself a few sugar candies, Kopii continued his walk, enjoying the sweet taste and observing what was happening around him. He found a cozy bench in a park and began feeding pigeons, which, as soon as they saw him, flocked to him in anticipation of a treat. Kopii smiled, looking at these little birds that so trustingly pecked crumbs from his hand, and enjoying the simplicity of the moment.
Looking at the birds, he involuntarily asked himself what it would be like to fly? Restrained by nothing, they could set off to any point in the world. But they still stay here, even having that opportunity. How foolish.
Meow.
– Ah!? Hey!
Before he knew it, a cat had attacked a pigeon.
«... The birdie is gone...»
Watching as the cat dragged the lifeless body of the pigeon into an alley.
After the park, Kopii headed to a bookshop, where he spent some time. He had always loved reading, but due to constant outings into the dungeon, he rarely had time for this activity. Having spent several hours examining the bookshelves and weighing his preferences, he settled on a collection of myths and legends, hoping to find something inspiring or useful for his future adventures. Having bought the book, Kopii left the shop and headed to the river flowing through the city. Sitting on the bank, he began to watch the flow of the water, reflecting on his life and what awaited him in the future. The sun had already begun to set, painting the sky in bright, triumphant colors, and Kopii admired this spectacle with interest, feeling the fatigue gradually leaving his body, as if it were about to mock him.
In the evening, when it grew dark, Kopii returned to the "Blue Pharmacy". He chatted a little with Naaza and Miach, then went up to his room. He took the purchased book out of his bag and settled comfortably on his bed. Reading allowed him to relax and distract himself.
Having finished reading several chapters, Kopii felt his eyes beginning to stick together from fatigue. He set the book aside, extinguished the candle, and closed his eyes. Before sleep, he thought once more about a party. He knew that sooner or later he would have to find like-minded people to advance further into the dungeon properly. But for today, he decided not to worry about it. Tomorrow would be a new day, and he would surely find a way to realize his dream, no matter how difficult it might seem.
Walking towards the guild, he pondered his pros and cons. There were more pros than cons, so he was confident that finding a party would be no trouble at all.