Chapter 2: Thoughts!!
The broken mirror reflected his short, lightly tousled ash-gray hair, red eyes, and fair skin tone...
For someone living in a village, possessing a mirror regardless of whether it's broken can be considered to be a wealthy individual, especially in such a dangerous era where death could occur at any moment.
This death occurrence can be in the form of a monster stampede, a monster seeking flesh, being killed by a maniac, or being killed and robbed by some notorious bandits.
Whether they were in a forest, village, town, or city, no one was free from danger. All one could do was stay vigilant, pray to live another day, or take a risk to grow stronger and alter their fate.
In such a dangerous world, sometimes pain and suffering are the tolls we pay to survive... Recalling the remarks from his father, Orion snapped back to reality as he shook his head with a wry smile.
Just the broken mirror alone reminded him of prior knowledge, and while his family wasn't genuinely wealthy, it can be said that they were not poor either since his father was a former hunter, a profession rife with danger and unpredictability.
Only a few can survive, and only a few brave individuals are willing to take a risk.
When one becomes a 'Hunter,' depending on their strength, they could effortlessly earn money and live a common or wealthy life.
Of course, it depends on one's own personality and choices since some hunters, according to his father, were used to living a life of 'one-day millionaire,' knowing their lives were on the plank of unpredictability between life and death.
One wrong choice means death, or if luck is on their side, they might escape with only severe injuries... So, depending on whether hunters are married or single, they decide whether to spend or save earnings.
As for his father's choice, he chose to both spend and save in the sense that he spent money on daily necessities and equipment and when his mother died, his father retired and moved to the Crimsonleaf village, an unknown village, to settle down and raise him, saving some money and taking the duty as the guardian of the village.
Their status was considered to be a middle-class family.
"Close the kitchen window first... kitchen, table, ten steps to the left."
Orion mumbled, walking towards the worn kitchen table position near the window, carefully pacing ten steps from the table, counting in his mind as he moved until he reached the spot he was looking for on the wooden floor.
He crouched down, running his fingers over the floorboards until he found a slightly loose plank, with a practiced push. Orion applied pressure to one end, and the board lifted just enough for him to pry open.
Inside was a small, hidden compartment lined barely big enough to hold a drawstring leather pouch that contained the money his late father had left him.
He then checked the coins from the pouch.
Each coin has a bronze shimmer with a combination of copper, silver, and gold, giving it an ancient look. The coin has a diameter of about 1.5 inches.
The front side of the coin was engraved with a portrait of the crescent moon surrounded by stars. Beneath it was a majestic beast like a stag or wolf. On the back of the coin was the portrait of a gigantic tree, its roots and branches sprawling across the surface, and around the coin was the Lunaris language, composed of flowing syllables.
The Gold Luna has the highest denomination, used for significant purchases such as land, livestock, or luxury goods. The Silver Luna was the second highest and most standard currency for transactions, while the Copper Luna had the smallest denomination, used for minor purchases like daily necessities or small services.
1 Gold Luna=100 Silver Luna
1 Silver Luna=100 Copper Luna
1 Copper Luna=0.01 Silver Luna
The Crimsonleaf Village falls under the jurisdiction of the Lunaria Kingdom, where the official currency was known as Luna's/Luna coins.
Counting the coins, Orion knew his father had considered his future, whether he embraced a comfortable life as a villager or stepped on the path of hunters.
There were at least 3 golds, 201 silvers, and 60 coppers in the pouch, totaling 561 copper Luna—enough to support a family for a few years or for a hunter to cover his equipment and needs for an entire year.
"Thank you... Father." Orion couldn't help but mumble his appreciation to his father, knowing and experiencing a memorable life with him.
With that said, he closed the compartment carefully, pressing the floorboard back to its place until it was flush with the rest before sitting in the chair.
At this moment, Orion had prepared everything—his weapon, cloak, a bag of clothes along with the broken mirror, a bottle of water, and some fruit—enough to last a long journey. He already bid farewell at his father's tomb, and now he held the money he once ignored.
Now, his only problem was how to persuade the caravan currently resting in the village, as he didn't dare to travel alone knowing the dangers.
Orion understood that joining the caravan was his only safe option to reach Crimson City, the closest city to the Crimsonleaf village, as it could navigate the dangerous Creep forest filled with lurking monsters.
This also means there were experienced and strong individuals guarding the caravan.
"Uncle Sam mentioned that the caravan doesn't accept passengers... Paying a fee isn't an option, which means the cargo is more important," Orion contemplated, his expression calm while tapping the table. "If I sign up as a guard, surely the caravan owner would gladly accept since he's so concerned about protecting his goods."
In this kind of environment, if a merchant loses their goods while traveling, it means the end of their business and their life.
A guard costs money, and a free guard means free labor and additional safety, increasing chances of returning and continuing business.
"Let's give it a try. If he refuses, then I'll just follow them from a distance. No matter what, I'm going to leave and become a hunter."
Orion stood with resolve. Yet, his knees gave out, forcing him to collapse onto the floor as burning and freezing sensations washed over his body, interchanging every second.
'What?' Just now he was still preparing, planning, and actively thinking about hunters.
Then, in the blink of an eye, this happened.
Losing his strength, Orion felt the inactive 'orb' in his body as his soul shuddered in rhythm. This was the same 'orb' that killed his predecessor.
He thought he digested the orb or it had disappeared along with his predecessor's death, but reality hit him hard. His conclusion all these years was wrong, and now he's going to die.
"Benevolent Sleeping Ember save me," Orion prayed for mercy. His frustration and unwillingness were obvious as everything turned dark.
.
.