1 A boy and a girl
Where should we start?
It all began in a small village of New Herbal situated at the far end of the rural region of the Anterllen kingdom.
The villagers from New Herbal were slowly expanding their fields taking. Still, the main product they would trade with the traveling merchant arriving once a month would be the medical potion restoring Health Points (HP) made out of the herbs foraged in the surrounding forest.
"Vernlily~!"
A black-haired boy nearing his twelve birthday was running through the village with a bright smile on his face and a small basket in his grasp, calling out someone's name.
The village boy wearing the simplest linen shirt and pants with no sheas was running at full speed, and it seemed that he would crush into the palisade surrounding the New Herbal, but he somehow managed to stop himself in front of the shabby gate.
"...Zorey, I told you to not bother me when I'm on duty..."
Before anyone showed up, a female voice sighed, and a guard walked from behind the gate to peek back inside the village and shake her head at the boy.
The guard in question looked just as shabby as the gate she was guarding – a helmet that at best was a repurposed pot, a rusty chainmail over a worn-out gambeson, thick leather gloves which were a hand-me-down from the only blacksmith in the village, pants that have once belonged to one of the hunters, and high boots that had their soles nailed back on so many times they could not keep on.
The best part of her attire was the sheathless shortsword she stuck behind the cracked leather belt, tightening the rusty chainmail around her waist – and even though the weapon was polished, the old blade had more than half a dozen chinks alongside its edge.
The guard wearing all of that was a young woman that celebrated her eighteen birthday not too long ago.
Both she and the boy who came to visit her had black hair and faces common for that part of Anterllen, although they had uncommon eye colors.
The guard's – Vernlily's - eyes could be mistaken for brown, but in the light, they revealed themselves to be of a deep burgundy color similar to that of well-aged wine.
The boy, – Zorey - on the other hand, had eyes so intensely green they made anyone who saw them think of the fresh spring meadows.
"Zorey, I understand that you can't wait for the merchants to arrive. Going into Grand Herbal to get registered in the World System and receive your Character Class is a big deal, but showing up every hour isn't going to make them show up faster."
The guard rolled her eyes and was about to move back behind the gate where she stood guard for any monsters or unwanted guests that could have bad intentions.
"That too! But I'm here to give you this! It's almost lunchtime, and I bet you forgot to bring your own again!"
Zorey smiled brightly while nodding his head without any shame and then reached out his hands, bringing up the basket.
*grgrgrgr*
"...ghh...!"
The mere mention of food made Vernlily's stomach let out a grumble akin to that of a low-level monster's growl, which caused her to grab her helmet and pull it over her eyes while blushing...
"...thanks..."
...but even though she was embarrassed, she took the basket and muttered words of gratitude before hurriedly hiding behind the gate.
Zorey's smile became even bigger at her reaction, and after waiting for a few moments, he took a few steps and leaned behind the gate where Vernlily was sitting on a makeshift shield made by nailing a few planks to one another with her legs crossed in a very unladylike manner – cradling the basket between her thighs as she was eating the sandwiches with much appetite while her helmet and gloves were abandoned on the ground by her side.
"Tehehe~!"
"Mpfh...! Waht...! What are you still doing here?! I will give back the basket to your mom after my shift is over!"
Zorey giggled while peeking at Vernlily, who flinched and combed her hair with her hand to hide her face and used her other arm to wipe the crumbs from the sides of her mouth.
The boy reached out and grabbed the older girl's hand, sitting back and lowering it.
"..."
Vernlily didn't stop him and even let him brush her hair to the side as she looked away.
She just didn't want to look at the expression he would make when he saw a new scar that she got while guarding the village against stray monsters wandering in.
A fresh jagged scar crossed her jaw diagonally, dangerously close to her neck and an important artery.
"It was just a level 2 lesser giant rat; I was an idiot and hesitated to finish it off because it looked so miserable, and I felt pity... then it jumped at me. Go on"
Vernlily grumbled, taking a bite and chewing on the sandwich, trying to act as if she wasn't bothered at all.
"My Clsss is a Bound Guardian Knight, and the place I am assigned to protect is this village. I get a 50% buff to all of my stats as long as I am within the New Herbal territory, but the moment I step outside the borders approved by the kingdom, I get a debuff of 75% instead. I am unable to learn any household Skills that would be suited for a woman and instead get combat Skills and a bonus to Experience Points for killing monsters trying to enter the village. That's why despite the last time I left the vicinity of New Herbal was six years ago, and I face a stray monster once or twice a week at most, I am already level 12... even though my basic physical Attack (ATK) is 14, my basic physical Defense (DEF) and basic Magic Defense (MDF) are 25 and 20 each. So, seriously. You can laugh at me for getting wounded like an idiot by a monster even a non-combat class level 5 could with moderate effort."
The girl Finished the first sandwich and instantly grabbed another one.
"With scarce quests appearing, the only bonus stats I get are defense-oriented, so I am weak and have to rely on the +1 to all stats upon leveling up and this old thing."
At that point, Vernlily couldn't even stop the words coming from her mouth as the bitterness she harbored started to spill out.
"I train diligently, but the only things I get to show it off are the calluses on my hands and thick skin on my fingers, unsuited for delicate jobs. I am not girly enough, and as it is, my body gets more and more ugly scars as time goes by. I am not even getting compensated enough to buy myself proper armor, so at least I would look like a cool knight! It's always this ridiculous setup! My family tried to find me a husband, but every request was rejected! I can't leave the village because I will become even more useless than I already am! So go on and laugh at...!"
She stuffed her face with not one but two sandwiches and chewed on them desperately as if they were the source of her problems and was raising her voice more and more...
*plap*
"... eh...?"
Until the hands of the boy next to her couped her puffed-out cheeks and guided her head so she would face him, making her let out a surprised voice.
"Is the food I brought you tasty?"
Zorey asked with a bright smile.
"Eh...? Wha... I mean... yeah... it is. I will make sure to thank your mom properly."
Vernlily's eyes widened, and she stuttered, becoming flustered and in an attempt to move her face away – but not trying very hard to accomplish it.
"Why would you thank my mom when I was the one to make it? I even baked the bread!"
"EH?!"
The boy tilted his head and asked while grinning, causing the older girl to let out a shocked gasp.
"That's right! I can cook and clean. Mom is even teaching me how to sew so I can fix or even make clothes!"
Her reaction made the boy puff out his chest proudly and declare.
"Hmph! I see. So instead of just laughing, you decided to go that far to poke fun at me!"
Vernlily became grumpy and pulled away from the boy.
The food was already gone from the basket anyway, so she stood up, grabbing and putting on the gloves and the helmet she discarded before the meal and picking up the shield she used as a seat.
"Pfft! As if! Of course not!"
"..."
The cheerful boy snorted and waved his hand dismissively, earning himself a grumpy glare from the older girl with crumbs in the corner of her mouth.
"...then what...? You just wanted to boast...?"
She mumbled while pouting, but her glare softened quite a bit.
"Well, you see..."
Zorey smirked and leaned down, picking up the basket and holding it on his arm while also taking out the handkerchief and making a gesture implying he wanted Vernlily to lean down so he could clean her face.
"...hmph..."
The girl blushed, and she hurriedly wiped her face, but after a moment of pouting, she looked around to make sure that no one was watching them, then blushed even harder and actually leaned down.
"I am not boasting. I am making sure that you know there is nothing to worry about."
"...hmm...? Because...?"
Zorey explained delicately, brushing the handkerchief against Vernlily's face as his words made the older girl furrow her brows and ask.
"Because when I'm old enough, I will be the one to ask for your hand and take care of you as my cute wife! Tehehe~!"
*chuuu~*
The cheeky boy declared confidently and kissed the surprised girl on the cheek before dashing away laughing.
"!!!"
Vernlily straightened her back and took a step back, putting one hand to her face in the place where the boy's lips touched as she stared at the gate behind which he disappeared.
"G-geez...! Don't get my hopes up...!"
The girl got flustered and grumbled while all fidgety because of the warm feeling inside her chest, similar to a tiny sun chasing away the bitter rainclouds.
"...hmph... we shall see if you keep the same mindset after being registered in the World System, seeing your Status Window for the first time, and getting assigned a class. I bet you will forget all about me!"
Vernlily shook her head, trying to regain her composure, but ended up mumbling to herself with a pouty expression as if she was already jealous.
*TA-DING*
"...!"
The sudden sound of the System pinging her
made Vernlily flinch and face the direction of the road connecting New Herbal with the rest of the Anterllen kingdom.
A group of people entered the area, and the bound guardian knight of the New Herbal was notified.
With her senses sharpened, Vernlily rushed forward to confirm the identity of the travelers and stopped with relief, seeing the familiar caravan.
It was the usual group of traveling merchants coming to trade with their village.
"...ah..."
But the relief was soured by the realization that made her look back towards New Herbal.
The merchants would stay in their village for two, three days, and two nights at most – it was possible that even less than that.
After that time, they would leave and take Zorey with them so he could be registered in the World System at the Temple in Grand Herbal.
The boy would be gone for a whole month, during which he would study the basics of the Class he would be bestowed and return together with the caravan...
...if he wanted to...
There was a chance that he would get a really impressive Character Class and be scouted by the adventurer's guild or recognized by a noble.
"..."
Vernlily really didn't want to get her hopes up just to get cast aside once more, but...
