Theo remained motionless, his right hand gripping the hilt of his sword, observing the figure that had just materialized under the shade of the oak tree. The girl identified herself as Chris in this world, although he knew that behind those purple eyes hid the Goddess Eris herself.
She gave him a wide, radiant smile, one that overflowed with a youthful and carefree energy.
"Well, well! I didn't know the lucky rookie was so dedicated".- she exclaimed as she approached with a skipping step, waving a hand in the air. - "I've been watching you for a bit. Good job with that sword! For a rookie, you've got quite the perseverance"
Theo resorted to his usual mask of observant coldness. His brown eyes scanned the girl's figure: the short green cloak, the rebellious lock of hair, and that scar on her cheek that gave her a touch of a roguish adventurer. Mentally, Theo was on high alert.
'Why is she here? Is it a coincidence, or does Seleneia have something to do with the goddess of this world taking notice of me?' - he wondered.
"Thanks... I guess" - Theo replied, narrowing his eyes with a feigned but necessary distrust. - "And may I ask who you are? It's not very common for someone to appear out of nowhere in the middle of a clearing to comment on a stranger's training."
Chris let out a light giggle, seemingly unoffended by his tone.
"Ah, right! Where are my manners? I'm Chris" - she introduced herself, placing her hands on her hips. - "I was at the guild the day you signed up. I stayed nearby when Luna read your stats. What you said about luck... well, it spoke to my heart. As someone from the Thief class, I know that luck is an incredibly important stat."
Theo nodded slowly, relaxing his shoulders and letting his guard down slightly, at least in appearance. He knew he gained nothing by being hostile toward someone who was, technically, a deity—and in her avatar form, a fairly strong adventurer, even if she didn't know he knew that. Furthermore, his previous analysis told him that if she wanted to rob or attack him, she would have done so already.
"I see. So you found my theory interesting" - Theo commented, sitting back down on the rock. - "And is that why you've been following me?"
Chris scratched the back of her neck, looking a bit embarrassed but maintaining that honest and direct vibe that characterized her.
"Well, don't put it like that, it sounds horrible!" -she said with a playful pout. - "I saw you leave the city a few days ago and I got curious. I thought, 'What's the rookie doing in the woods?'. I followed you and saw you were training alone. I wanted to approach that same day, but I had some business to attend to and wouldn't have had time to talk properly. Yesterday I finished my errands, and today I decided it was a good day for official introductions."
Theo shot her an inquisitive look, arching an eyebrow.
"You've been watching me without me noticing, and today you decide to show up. What do you really want, Chris? I don't think you came just to give me a pat on the back for my sword technique, which, to be honest, is quite basic."
Chris became a bit more serious, though her expression remained friendly. She observed Theo with analytical eyes. 'He's a strange kid,' she thought to herself. - 'His gaze is too mature for his age; it looks like he's always calculating something, but at the same time, you can tell he's a total rookie. But his determination is real; he's not like those guys who just want easy money.'
"Look, I'll be honest" - Chris said, crossing her arms. - "You're a rookie 'Adventurer' with average stats, except for your luck. In this town, no one is going to want you in their party. The veterans will see you as a nuisance, and the other rookies will prefer someone with a flashier class, like a warrior or a mage. You're going to stall, and with winter approaching, that's a sentence of starvation"
Theo remained silent. She was right, and he knew it better than anyone.
"I liked your attitude at the guild" - she continued. - "So I thought about lending a hand. I'm an experienced Thief, and my class depends a lot on luck, just like you. If we form a party, I can help you level up fast and, most importantly, I can teach you some skills from my class. - 'Sensing Enemy' or 'Lurk' would be perfect for not dying on your first real mission"
Theo stared at her. The offer was almost too good to be true, but knowing Eris/Chris's personality, he knew she was genuinely a "good person" within the spectrum of this crazy world. Besides, for his dimensional system, leveling up and obtaining skill points in this world was fundamental before the mandatory missions began.
"It's a proposal that's hard to refuse" - Theo admitted, softening his expression. - "But I'm new and I have almost no funds. I don't have a way to pay you for being my mentor right now."
Chris let out a mischievous laugh and winked at him.
"Oh, don't worry about that! If you really want to pay me... let's say I'll keep 75% of the rewards from the missions we do together for now. I provide the experience, and you provide the effort. Deal?"
Theo couldn't help but smile slightly. 75% was highway robbery in any other situation, but for him, money was secondary compared to the knowledge and safety she offered.
"I accept. The money doesn't matter to me as much as not ending up in a toad's stomach during my first week."
"That's the spirit!" - Chris gave a thumbs up, satisfied.
"So, it's settled: we start tomorrow. Wait for me right here first thing in the morning. I'll take care of bringing a suitable mission for us. But before I go..." - she looked at him with curiosity. - "Have you ever killed a monster? I need to know if you're going to freeze up when you see blood."
Theo took a moment to respond, remembering his previous life.
"I don't have experience" - he said truthfully. - "but I have killed some small monsters."
'My grandfather had a supply and food store; sometimes he bought live animals and told me to kill them to, according to him, forge my character'- I thought, remembering those times. Fortunately, I have no problem with blood or organs.
Chris nodded, satisfied with the answer. -
"Well, it's a start. That saves us a lot of time. Perfect! See you tomorrow, partner!"
With a quick movement, Chris turned around and began walking away toward the city, disappearing among the trees.
Theo remained alone in the clearing, looking at the spot where she had been. A narcissistic thought crossed his mind for a second: 'Could it be that she fell in love with me at first sight?'. But he quickly shook his head, mocking his own stupidity. 'Yeah, right, Strange. A goddess falls for a 6/10 guy who barely knows how to swing a sword. Sure she does.'
Finally, silence returned to the clearing, interrupted only by the faint hiss of the wind. He let out a long sigh, feeling the weight of the day finally settling on his shoulders.
"Tomorrow will be a long day," he murmured, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm.
He decided that physical training for today was enough. He didn't want to risk a muscle cramp or be too fatigued when he had to face his first real mission. With methodical movements, he gathered his belongings and set off on the way back to the city of Axel.
The sunset landscape was postcard-worthy. The sky had turned a deep orange streaked with violet, and the city walls stood out against the horizon like a bastion of security. As he walked, Theo couldn't help but feel strange. His previous life felt like a blurry dream, and this new reality—with goddesses disguised as thieves and game systems—was becoming increasingly vivid.
Upon arriving at the residential area, the first thing he did was head to a small public bathhouse near his apartment. The hot water was a blessing. As he soaked, he observed his hands; they were starting to develop calluses from handling the sword. "Growth and freedom" - he recalled Seleneia's words. Certainly, he felt freer than ever, even if that freedom came at the price of having to fight for his life.
Once clean and dressed in fresh clothes, his steps naturally led him toward the Adventurer's Guild.
The guild at night was even noisier than during the day. Oil lamps bathed the place in a warm, yellowish light, and the smell of beef stew flooded the air. Theo headed to the reception desk before looking for a table.
"Good evening, Luna!" - Theo greeted with a nod.
Luna looked up from some papers, and her face lit up upon recognizing him. In these two weeks, Theo's greeting had become a constant. At first, his introverted self found it agonizing to force that interaction, but over time he had realized that maintaining a good relationship with the receptionist was vital for any adventurer who wanted to prosper.
"Good evening, Theo!" - she responded with her usual energy. - "You look tired. Another day of intensive training?"
"Something like that. It looks like I'll finally head out on my first mission tomorrow" - he replied, trying to sound casual even though his nerves were dancing inside.
"Oh, that's excellent news!" - Luna clasped her hands, genuinely pleased. - "Make sure to eat well and rest. You wouldn't want a monster to catch you off guard because you didn't rest properly."
Theo nodded and headed to the tavern area. He ordered what he called the "Rookie Adventurer's Menu," which was the cheapest thing on the menu: a plate of stew with more potatoes than meat, a piece of hard bread, and a glass of berry juice.
He sat in a secluded corner, watching the others from the shadows. His observant nature delighted in analyzing the groups. He saw boastful warriors, mages who seemed lost in thought, and some rookies who looked as scared as he felt inside.
As he chewed the bread, his mind returned to Chris. 'She said her class depends on luck... but her true nature is much more complex.' Theo knew that having Eris on his side, even if she didn't know he knew her identity, was the greatest advantage he could ask for.
'I have a dimensional System, weapons from another world, and now the protection of the goddess of fortune of this place. If I die here, I really will be the most useless Isekai protagonist in history,' he thought with a grimace of irony.
He finished his meal, put the tray back in its place, and said goodbye to Luna with a gesture before stepping out into the fresh night air. The walk to his apartment was short. Entering his small room, he took off his boots and collapsed onto the bed.
His System counter continued to tick down in his peripheral vision. There were a little over two weeks left before Seleneia's experiment officially began with missions from other worlds.
"Tomorrow the real game begins" - he whispered to himself as he closed his eyes.
Darkness quickly enveloped him, but this time it wasn't the cold darkness of the alley where he died, but a deep and restorative sleep, preparing him for the dawn in Axel.
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After the conversation with Luna about his great luck, the AI took it literally and started mentioning his incredible luck in almost every paragraph of the conversation. It even made Chris nickname Theo "Lucky Boy" or something like that. So I have to keep adjusting that in the chapters whenever it exaggerates, remembering that Theo has incredibly high luck that just keeps getting better. It uses it less now, but it still comes up sometimes.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.