Chapter 9: Port Town

*kotsun**kotsun*

Footsteps can be heard far away.

A small white figure with shining red eyes started coming closer——

“…….uooh!?”

Shit! Did I just lose consciousness for a moment!?

I quickly stand up and scan the surroundings. I can’t feel any other presence. What came to my ears was not the footsteps of the white girl but the sound of the river flowing close by.

“Wh, what the hell happened….?”

I had unhesitatingly jumped into the well that was in the place where the spiral staircase ended. I could hear the sound of water flowing below the well, and hoped that there might me an underground channel that might connect outside.

That plan was brilliantly successful, and now I was standing on ground.

However, I was afraid that it might continue infinitely underground, and when I jumped it was completely dark as well, the water was very cold too. As I flowed I almost lost heart due to fear and anxiety.

But luckily, the dark underground waterway (maybe I should call it a cave) finally opened up somewhere sunlight could reach, and fainted after barely making to the riverbank.

“Aah, I’m outside.”

The sun was shining right above me in the sky, a river flowed beside me, and the surroundings were covered with thick trees and beyond them towering mountains could be seen. I am completely between nature and greenery.

“I did it. I am finally free—-“

With a rustling sound the thicket nearby shook.

For a second, my heartbeat became faster and I started sweating unpleasantly.

What came into my mind was the indifferent white face of Sariel.

“…….”

What appeared was an animal very similar to a deer. It probably came to drink water at the river. On looking closely, in that direction many other bodies were also there.

By the way, the reason I intentionally used the expression ‘similar to a deer’ was because I was certain that it was not a deer. This deer-like animal had 3 brilliant horns which were green in colour. A fantastic animal like that didn’t exist in my world.

Well, if they evolved in this world, maybe such deer might be born as well. After all, this is a world of magic where even a fire breathing dragon exists. In the first place, does Darwin’s theory of evolution even apply in this world?

“Wait wait, before that, I should run far away from here first.”

I am somewhat tired but the wounds give by Sariel have more or less healed, so moving around is not a problem. At times like these, I was thankful for this modified overly sturdy body.

But still, even with a body like this there a beings above monsters against whom I can do nothing.

Maybe, guys like that might exist all over the world. If that is so, then it will be dangerous to overestimate my abilities. If a bunch of similar guys come to search for me, I am finished.

Where is safe? Where should I go? That is still unknown but at least I need to go as far as possible from that facility.

“Time to leave.”

Without any guide or directions, I decided to go downstream from here.

The fear of the fact that I might be still chased after by Sariel, kept my legs moving even when my stamina had run out.

I kept walking for 3 days and 3 nights straight through mountains and forests. I only stopped for toilet and to drink water from the river.

I thought I might upset my stomach like this, but to me who had been living on shit-like soup, the clear water of the river was way too delicious. In the end I did not upset my stomach. Though, it did become a bit flabby because I drank too much. And at times when I was attacked by dog or wolf like monster, I chased them away with buckshot and rifle, but didn’t chase them too far.

And on the evening of the fourth day,

“…….lights.”

In front, I saw lights of people living. As I saw it I started running with joy. But, in the middle I thought.

“Wait, it could be people connected to those masked men.”

Maybe researchers, in the worst case, Sariel herself could be there.

I don’t know anything about this world except that it has monsters and magic. On top of not having common sense, this ragged look would definitely catch attention.

Catching attention meant standing out in public, as a runaway I want to avoid that at all costs.

And this might be negative thinking, but there is a chance that I have already been put on the wanted list.

As an experimental subject, I didn’t know how much value I held for those masked men. If this was a country wide large scale project, they would go through any lengths to search for me. Basically, it was dangerous for me to carelessly come in contact with the people of this world.

As I thought that, the town had come into my view. Enduring my want to see other people, I held my breath and decided to infiltrate the town.

This was a port town surrounded by a stone wall. A salty breeze floated in the air.

I came to this conclusion after watching the people come and go through the gate and going all around without getting noticed by any soldiers.

And, I confirmed that this world’s civilisation level was at the Middle-ages level.

The stone wall might have been left due to cultural reasons but it was actively being used. The roads were not made of asphalt, people in armour with lances, the light at night was due to fire lamps, etc. There was not even a single modernistic thing familiar to me.

From the time I was in that experiment facility, I had expected that it might be so as there was no electritown, and monsters were equipped with swords and bows. But after seeing this typical town, my expectations were right it seems.

“It really is a different world………”

I felt a bit of despair creeping in, but right now I didn’t have the time to be worried due to the anxiety in my heart.

I’ll look for a way to get back to my world after I have settled somewhere far away from here. Once again, I return my thoughts to the town in front of me. The fact that this is a port town might be favourable for me.

Rather than going by land, I could go farther and faster through the sea. At least, in a world where aeroplanes don’t probably exist, ships are the fastest means for moving.

Of course, that’s only if there is no magic device through which you could warp or teleport.

Anyway, for me who has no other objective other than going as far away as possible, a ship is an attractive existence. Here, by any means possible, I want to board the ship that is going the farthest from here.

Of course, I, who can’t come into contact with other people and without any money, have no will to properly board a ship.

Basically, I’ll smuggle myself.

“Alright, now that I have decided my objective, I should go to the town now.”

Making sure that there are no people in the vicinity, I put my hand on the wall.

On the precisely crated vertical wall there is no place to place my legs. That means it’s the turn for the reliable black magic. I convert the black magical energy into sharp material in front of my hands and legs.

If I try hard I can even cut through the scales of a dragon, cutting through a stone wall is a piece of cake.

And thus began my first ever wall climbing challenge.

The strong claws unified with my fingertips cut through the stone wall as if cardboard was cut with a knife. Similarly, my legs also pierce through, and easily fix into the wall.

The height of the wall is about 5 meters. It’s not really a wall climb with the life on the line but if it’s my body, I’ll probably be unscathed even if I fall from the top. The ground is pretty soft as well. And, thus while grasping the essentials of wall climbing, I steadily quickly climbed the wall.

“ooh, I’m like a ninja, aren’t I?”

And thus, while feeling like those who melt into the night, I finished the climb.

If is stood up on the wall to make a pose, I felt that I would be seen after all, so while crouching I viewed the interior of the town.

“ooh, although I had expected, it really is amazing……”

There, the townscape similar to that of ancient Europe only seen in movies and anime could be seen.

Along with stronger eyesight, I had also become able to clearly see at night. So, I could perfectly see the town even in this dark night.

Rows of white coloured houses, the biggest main road was made of stone, and stores with lamps releasing light could be seen. During the day, the roads must be filled with carriages with goods moving around.

And at the centre of the town stood a church with the tallest roof. Moving further down the main street, you would arrive at the port where many ships were currently anchored.

It’s currently night, so not many people can be seen other than on the main street. The residential area has already become quite after putting out the lights.

“Moving towards the port along the wall sounds good.”

After memorizing the panoramic view of the town and deciding a rough route to the port, jumped down from the stone wall.

Height like the spiral staircase would be dangerous but a height of around 5 meters isn’t much of a problem.

With a *dotto* dull sound, I landed on the ground and quickly moved away from there. While at maximum attention, I quickly ran through the alleys of the residential area.