3. Ready to Go?

All right, I’d finished confirming my abilities.

Just as I thought, the Appraisal Loupe was a handy item. I was lucky enough to get... no, I should say I was lucky to have been able to "borrow" it.

Wondering if there was anything else useful, I searched the rest of the shack and found a mysterious bag. Inside were clothes for a child, a knife, a small amount of jerked meat, and—incredibly—twenty silver coins!

This is meant for me, isn't it?

It seemed my former master had prepared it all beforehand. He really was a good man. For someone like him to get involved with illegal slave trading, he must have been backed into a corner. I truly hoped his daughter would get well soon.

I would gratefully accept the contents of the bag. And yeah, I’d return the loupe. Eventually.

I changed my clothes and stepped outside. It was still light, but the sun would be dipping below the horizon before long. Ideally, I wanted to secure something to eat before nightfall. Having the jerked meat put my mind at ease, but I wanted to save the non-perishables for as long as possible.

Water was another necessity. It would be great if there was a watering hole nearby, but I could probably manage if I found some fruit.

The only weapon I had was the knife. It didn't provide much comfort when it came to the prospect of fighting. If I encountered a monster, running away would be my best bet—though that would be difficult, given that my right leg didn't move properly.

Monsters and Dungeons were common in this world. It was exactly like the games I used to play in my previous life. There were skills and there was magic. Just thinking about it made my heart race, but the world was also incredibly dangerous. I already knew that firsthand. When I’d been used as a decoy in a Dungeon, I’d been certain I was going to die.

But still.

I really did long to be an Adventurer!

Besides, monsters weren't the only threat here. Public order was nonexistent, and Bandits were a common sight. Considering all that, I wanted to at least learn some basic self-defense. I wondered if there were training centers for Adventurers? If I reached a town, I’d have to take a look.

While exploring the forest with these thoughts in mind, I spotted red berries in the bushes. I checked them with the Appraisal Loupe: Sweet Berries. Thankfully, they were edible. Talk about lucky.

I picked one and popped it into my mouth. It was sourer than I’d expected, but there was a faint sweetness beneath the tartness. More than anything, it was juicy and delicious!

I lost myself in the rhythm of picking and eating. Once I was reasonably full, I managed to calm down. I intended to stay at the shack for a few more days, so it wouldn't do to eat everything at once without a plan.

However, that worry turned out to be unfounded. This area seemed to be a cluster for Sweet Berries. There were so many growing that I couldn't possibly finish them all, even if I stayed for a week. At the very least, I wouldn't have to worry about food for a while.

I wondered if I’d get tired of a berry-only diet. Probably not. I was a former slave, after all; fresh berries were a luxury meal to me.

Four days had passed since I decided to stay at the shack. I had opened every last one of the Pandora Gifts. Fortune had smiled on me; I’d received an item every single time. I suspect the effect of 【Destiny God's Smile】 might have triggered once or twice.

The first item I obtained was—a Maimed Limb Healing Potion!

A normal Healing Potion can close up wounds, but it can’t regenerate lost body parts. That’s where this potion comes in. It was exactly what I needed. Naturally, I used it immediately.

And just like that, I was back to a hundred percent!

My missing eyeball was restored, and my right leg moved smoothly again. Perhaps because of that, my ability scores had gone up slightly when I checked them with Appraisal.

The second item was—a Storage Ring!

This was a magic item that could store objects in a pocket dimension. I wasn't sure exactly how much it could hold yet; there wasn't much in the shack to test it with. Since its quality rank was C, I doubted it had infinite capacity.

Apparently, there are two types of Storage Rings: those where time passes for the contents and those where it doesn't. This one was the latter. The berries I kept inside for three days stayed perfectly fresh. It was an absolute lifesaver.

It was also incredibly convenient for someone in my position. In a world where public order was this bad, carrying valuables was like putting a target on your back. Being able to hide them in a ring was perfect. The only problem was that the Storage Ring itself was a rare item. Since it was a bracelet-style ring, I didn't think I had to worry about pickpockets... but surely no one would chop off my whole arm for it, right?

I was worried enough that I wrapped the rags I’d worn as a slave around my wrist to keep it hidden.

The third item was—a Magic Whetstone!

Sharpening a blade with this whetstone supposedly increases its sharpness. It wasn't a dramatic boost, but when I tried it on my knife, the quality rank jumped from D to C. It definitely worked. Since I hadn't actually used the knife for anything yet, I didn't know how much of a difference that really made, though.

Finally, the last item I got was a Fruit of Talent!

These fruits allow a person to awaken hidden traits in their status. This specific one bloomed the 【Magic Aptitude Lv2】 trait. Of course, I ate it immediately.

Finally, I can use magic too!

...Or so I thought, but it seemed having the aptitude wasn't enough on its own. I would still need to find a way to actually learn some spells. It seemed 【Magic Aptitude】 was the magic equivalent of my 【Cooking Talent】. It would increase my growth speed and precision, but it didn't mean I’d just wake up knowing how to throw fireballs.

My current status looked like this:

――――― Name: Tort Race: Commoner Age: 12 Level: 1 Vitality: 15/15 Mana: 13/13 Strength: 6 Stamina: 7 Agility: 12 [4 up] Dexterity: 13 [1 up] Magic Power: 12 Spirit: 10 Luck: 100

Skill: 【Destiny God's Smile】

Traits: 【Cooking Talent Lv1】【Great Luck】【Dexterous Fingertips Lv1】 【Magic Aptitude Lv2】 [New] ―――――

All right.

The Pandora Gifts were all open, and I’d stockpiled plenty of Sweet Berries in my Storage Ring. I’d done everything I could do at this shack.

Tomorrow, I’m leaving this place and heading for the nearest town.