Morning sunlight seeped through my closed eyelids, disturbing my sleep. I let out an annoyed grunt. This is why I hate sunlight—it always wakes me up.
I dropped my feet onto the floor and noticed that Darkhan and Dralius were already outside. They were probably eager to meet the new team assigned by the king. Meanwhile, I was still sitting on my bed alone. Not that I minded—I preferred small, close-knit friendships over large crowds any day.
Stretching my back as I stood up, I thought, Stretching is always the best! Then, I quickly showered and dressed. My outfit resembled something from the medieval era—a white, slightly yellowed tunic with strings instead of buttons, paired with dark brown pants that stopped just above my ankles.
As I stepped out of my room, a guard blocked my path.
"Sup, I guess you're my guide?" I asked cheerfully, eager to meet my teammates.
The guard simply nodded.
"What's our first task, then?" I questioned.
"You've been given 100 gold coins to buy armor and weapons," the guard said, pulling out a surprisingly small pouch of coins. Still, I figured I could stretch my funds by buying cheaper materials.
"Sweet, thanks!" I replied excitedly and started walking, only to realize the guard wasn't following me. I turned back. "You're not coming?"
The guard shook his head. "The king trusts that you know what to do. You don't need protection—you're strong enough to handle yourself."
That seemed a bit sketchy. Since morning, I had been left alone. And now, the guard—not the king himself—was giving me the money? Still, I shrugged it off and chose to think positively. Maybe I was just overanalyzing things.
"Okay then, thanks for the coin, soldier," I said, saluting him out of respect before heading off.
Navigating out of the palace was easy; the path was distinct and recognizable. As I stepped outside, my heart raced with excitement. It felt like receiving a surprise birthday gift.
The world I had reincarnated into was classic medieval fantasy—typical isekai stuff. The capital was bustling with shops, street performers, and even poet battles. The aroma of grilled meat filled the air, making the city feel like a never-ending festival. It was oddly similar to my old world—just with different architecture, roads, and fashion.
Despite the temptation of street food, I focused on my mission. Soon, I found a blacksmith shop named Jack 'O' Blacksmith. The building was made of stone, with a wooden roof and a simple signboard. I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
"Hello there! What can I get ya?" A large, bald man greeted me from behind the counter, chewing on a stalk of wheat. His voice was deep and gruff.
I walked up to the counter, holding my pouch of gold. "I want to buy quality armor and weapons, please!" I said eagerly, placing the bag of coins on the counter and opening it to show him.
The blacksmith chuckled. "Sure thing, young man. Let me grab some armor for ya."
He disappeared behind a curtain, leaving me to admire the various weapons and shields on display. When he returned, he was carrying a full set of armor.
"Ooh, nice! I bet this armor can withstand anything!" I praised, carefully inspecting the pieces. Then, I straightened my posture. "Hmm, for now, I'll take just the forearm and leg pieces—I don't want to blow all my gold."
"Come on, young man, I'll give you a discount for the whole set. How about 20 gold coins?"
"Eight, just for the forearm and legs."
"Ten."
"Seven."
"Ugh, fine! Seven it is," the blacksmith groaned.
I smirked. I might have been lazy in my past life, but I knew how to negotiate. Then, my eyes landed on a small bamboo bow lying on the ground.
"Hey, why is that bow just lying there like trash?" I asked, curious.
"No one wants it. It's not powerful," he shrugged.
Even so, something about it intrigued me. Without waiting for a response, I grinned and offered three gold coins for it.
The blacksmith sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine, take it."
After handing him the coins, he smirked. "You know, that bow was free. No one wanted it, but you just paid me three gold for nothing!"
I stared at him, realizing I'd fallen into his trap.
"Name's Jack, by the way," he added.
"Ahmad," I replied, chuckling. "So, you're the Jack from the sign?"
He nodded, and I laughed. "Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you. Lucky for you, I'm the hero summoned to this world, so I'll probably be back often!"
Jack let out a hearty laugh. "You're funny, kid. Ambitious too."
I pouted but let it go. After a short conversation, I left the shop and returned to the palace—only to be met with the king's wrath.
"YOU IDIOT! YOU DARE TO STEAL MY COINS!? WHO LET YOU TAKE MY GOLD, YOU COWARD!?" the king roared.
I blinked in confusion. Since when did I steal anything? I glanced to my side and saw Darkhan and Dralius struggling to hold back their laughter. My chest tightened. Was this a setup?
"Your Highness, I think there's a mistake—"
"YOU DARE TALK BACK TO ME, BOY!?" the king bellowed. "LOOK AT YOU! YOU ALREADY HAVE ARMOR, A BOW, AND ARROWS!"
Before I could protest, Darkhan stepped in. "Give him a chance, my king. Maybe he can learn his lesson."
Dralius nodded in agreement.
The king sighed. "Fine. But if you ever cross the line again, you will be exiled."
I exhaled in relief and muttered a thank you to Darkhan.
"As you know, the new team members are waiting outside. Are you three ready?" the king asked.
We nodded, excitement building up. The doors opened, and the room filled with whispers as adventurers chose their assigned heroes. After 20 minutes, everything settled. I turned around and—
Nothing.
No one had chosen me. Darkhan and Dralius had full teams, but I was left alone.
"Your Highness, how can I defeat the demon without comrades? I demand a companion from the Adventurer's Guild—"
"YOU DARE COMPLAIN TO ME WHEN YOU'RE STILL A SUSPECT!?" the king cut me off angrily.
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to swallow my pride. "You're right, my king. I apologize."
The king finished his speech and dismissed us. Darkhan and Dralius, now surrounded by their teams, walked over and mockingly patted my shoulder.
"Ahmad, you're so dumb. If I were you, I'd have just shut up and listened," Dralius mocked.
Darkhan smirked. "The adventurers didn't pick you because, well... let's just say your appearance isn't exactly 'heroic.'"
My blood boiled. "You two were supposed to help me!"
Their smug expressions faltered. Scoffing, I shoved their hands off my shoulders and stormed out of the palace, gritting my teeth in anger.