In the campsite, people were talking about the last attack and why they were attacked.
Most of the citizens of Skyrim knew about bandits and raids. It was their life, and they were accustomed to such events.
But they never heard or found it rare that a bandit group would target a caravan of their size.
Most bandits were only about ten to thirty low-lifes and outlaws that are not accepted in most of the cities and prefer to take whatever they get from the others.
If their money is paid when they confront an unlucky traveler or a caravan, they prefer not to kill.
But of course, there are also many other bandit groups that are just out for blood and have their reasons to kill, and the septims and drakes are just a bonus for them.
Marcus sat down alone by one of the fires that were burning, and Oneila, who had seen him, came to his side with a bowl of hot food.
Some potatoes and small pieces of meat, nothing fancy but still great enough to fill up a hungry man.
He looked at Marcus for a moment and then said it.
"Was it your first time?" Marcus turned to him and smirked, saying nothing.
Oneila then added.
"It is nothing to be ashamed of."
"I remember the first time I killed somebody; I felt sick in my stomach too."
"And that was a fight with blades."
"Your start is something that is pretty extreme."
Marcus nodded.
"I guess it is." He took a spoonful from the bowl.
Oneila then added.
"So, what is your story?"
Marcus looked at the man and understood that he was sincere, not just talking to talk.
"I do not have much of a story."
Oneila smiled.
"Everybody has a story, but I get it if you are not keen to share it."
Marcus added.
"I am just an alchemist that would like to research in peace."
Oneila shook his head looked around and then added.
"If you are looking for peace, being in Skyrim is not the best thing one can do."
"In the end, there is a civil war ongoing."
"The loss of the Great War against the Aldmeri Dominion changed many things."
Marcus thought for a moment and then said it.
"I just want to not be bothered by those things as much as I can."
Oneila nodded.
"I get it."
"As an alchemist, you will be sought by everyone, and everybody will respect you."
"As you are able to create potions that heal them and cure the sickness with your knowledge."
"You need to know."
"In a place like this, people like you are sought after."
Marcus nodded.
"Yes."
"That is what I heard too."
Oneila then nodded.
"I leave you alone for the time being."
"I get that you are not used to talking and eating," he pointed out the bowl.
Marcus nodded.
"Thank you."
Oneila then went to talk with others as Marcus ate his food.
"I need to tread carefully."
"I have researched about how the world works but did not looked much how the world and laws of this place interacts with me."
"Do I have any protection against Daedre?"
"Can I hide my nature and existence from them?"
Marcus thought.
He finished his food and then focused on the campfire as he kept on thinking.
"From a logical perspective as I seek CHIM."
"But I should already have it, as I know for a fact that this world, the lore, and everything are just game lore."
"But this realization does not cause me to be zero-sum but also does not give me direct control of everything. I am not a god with just this knowledge."
"Maybe it is too different here."
"I have time to know it."
"I need to be careful what I write and how I take actions." Marcus thought.
"If I am too interested in 'knowledge' and keep seeking those with not a great mental capacity and power to back it down."
"I know Daedra would find me and try to get in contact with me."
"I would be in big trouble if those Daedra found out about my reality."
"I think if they were capable of doing that, from the moment I came to this world, something would have already happened."
Marcus thought about everything. His fear and his anxiety did not come from bandits, dragons, or those types of dangers.
Even dragons he was not scared of much. But Daedric Princes and deities, these things were the real danger.
Especially for a being who is from a world that their world considered just a role-playing game. Such knowledge should not be found out by them.
It may cause everything to break down.
He is not zero-summing due to his nature, but it may not be for them. If they know and reach the point of two choices of "CHIM,"
While, he thought about all of these things. The caravan master Maxfer shouted that they should get ready as they needed to travel as the morning sun was about to shine up.
It was a silent night, and there were no ambushes or attacks.
"I will have a lot of time at Winterhold College to think about these things."
"I should be practical for the time being and have great power to keep on surviving and protecting myself."