It had been a week since I started my preschool life.
Yes.
Preschool.
I still couldn't believe it.
And somehow, against all odds, I was dominating it.
For the first time in my life, I could confidently say I was the top student in class.
Take that, you little brats.
You couldn't compare to a grown man who already knew how language worked.
Of course, it wasn't perfect. I still tripped over pronunciation, mixed sentence structures, and occasionally froze when words refused to come out right. But compared to the other kids, who were still struggling to connect letters and sounds?
Yeah. I was way ahead.
That realization alone made my head feel light.
When I looked around the classroom more carefully, something else became obvious.
None of these kids were poor.
There were no nobles here, no fancy clothes or arrogant attitudes, but these weren't starving commoners either. Shopkeepers' children. Merchants' kids. Maybe the sons and daughters of skilled craftsmen.
People who could afford education.
I let out a quiet breath and nodded to myself.
"…Figures."
After class ended, I didn't head straight back to the inn. Instead, I decided to walk around town again, this time with better language skills and a clearer sense of direction.
That was when I finally understood why this place was called Water Ridge.
A massive river flowed along the eastern edge of town, wide and calm, reflecting the sky like a polished mirror. Smaller waterways branched off into canals that ran neatly through the streets. The drainage system was surprisingly well thought out.
Fish.
That explained everything.
Water Ridge lived off the river.
Thinking back, I realized I'd only eaten meat once, on my first day at the inn. Ever since then, it had been fish. Fish with potatoes. Fish with bread. Fish soup.
Not that I was complaining.
Food was food.
And I wasn't exactly in a position to be picky.
I wandered without a clear destination, letting my feet guide me while carefully memorizing landmarks. Getting lost again wasn't something I wanted to experience twice.
For a "town," this place was bigger than I expected.
At least people weren't staring at me anymore.
That was thanks to my new clothes.
Cheap ones.
Plain fabric. Muted colors. The kind of thing a regular peasant would wear.
I'd sold my modern clothes earlier for a few silver coins. The shop owner's eyes had lit up the moment he touched the fabric. I was almost certain I'd been scammed.
But I didn't have much choice.
Standing out was dangerous.
Blending in was survival.
As I continued walking, I stopped in front of a large, old building.
Stone walls. Tall windows. A weathered wooden sign.
Library.
"…Well, well," I muttered. "Jackpot."
In a world of swords and magic, knowledge wasn't flashy, but it was real power.
For a brief moment, I considered learning swordsmanship. Maybe archery.
Briefly.
Then I dismissed the thought.
Melee fighters were usually the first to die.
And I liked my life.
A lot.
Call me a coward if you want. I didn't care. History was full of brave idiots who died gloriously. Cowards survived.
I wanted to live.
I pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside.
The air smelled of old paper and dust.
Behind the counter sat a man quietly reading.
Short black hair. Sharp black eyes. Straight posture. His clothes were simple but refined, like a noble's attendant. Everything about him felt composed, controlled.
Without looking up at first, he spoke.
"How may I serve you?"
His voice was calm, smooth.
"Do you wish to buy, rent, or read?"
…Even his tone was elegant.
I swallowed.
Buying or renting sounded expensive.
"How much… for renting and reading?" I asked carefully.
He closed his book, placed it neatly on the counter, and finally looked at me.
"Renting is five silver coins per book for one week," he said.
"Reading inside the library is five copper coins."
That was… cheaper than I expected.
"I'll read here," I said, placing the coins down.
He nodded once and gestured deeper into the library.
I started browsing.
Maps. History. Geography.
One book immediately caught my eye.
The Veltherra Continent.
According to it, the continent was divided into five regions: North, South, East, West, and Central. Politically, it was split the same way: four kingdoms surrounding a neutral territory.
The City of Magic.
That city acted as a deterrent. As long as it existed, no kingdom dared openly declare war.
For now.
Peace never lasted forever.
People were greedy by nature. Give them land, and they'd want more.
Tracing the map with my finger, I found Water Ridge.
Western border.
Beyond the town lay a dense forest… and beyond that, the sea.
So that forest explained the adventurers and mercenaries I kept seeing.
Monsters.
The book confirmed it.
Veltherra itself was a massive landmass, surrounded by water. No one knew what lay beyond.
Many expeditions had tried to find out.
None succeeded.
Survivors spoke of colossal sea creatures, large enough to swallow ships whole. Endless storms. Starvation. Madness.
Leaving the continent wasn't exploration.
It was suicide.
Everything beyond was simply called
The Unknown World.
I closed the book slowly.
It was already getting dark.
Carefully, I returned it to its shelf, memorizing the location. I'd be back tomorrow.
As I turned away, another book caught my attention.
Thin. Plain cover.
The title made my fingers tense.
"Introduction to Magic and the Four Basic Elements."
My hand hovered over it.
…So this was where things really began.