It's been three days since I got pulled into this ridiculous fantasy world. And in those three days, I've discovered three very important things.
One, raw deer meat is disgusting unless charred to a crisp.
Two, fire magic is way more convenient than I ever imagined.
And three… the forest does not want me to sleep.
I survived on nothing but fruits and easy prey—deer, wild boars, anything unfortunate enough to wander near me when I was hungry. I wasn't some wilderness expert, but I had decent hand-eye coordination and a newfound arsenal of magical firepower that made things slightly more manageable. Hunting with a fireball? Game-changer. Cooking meat with a snap of my fingers? Absolute win. The only thing missing was a bowl of hot rice and a slice of buttered bread.
But while fire magic solved most of my culinary woes, it couldn't fix the nightly horror shows. Every time I tried to sleep, some prowling nocturnal creature decided I looked like a midnight snack. Wolves, creepy glowing-eyed rodents, and something I swear looked like a sentient tumbleweed with teeth—they all made it impossible to get more than a couple hours of shut-eye.
After days of wandering, bruised, sleep-deprived, and beginning to question my sanity, I finally stumbled upon something that didn't look like endless trees. The forest opened up into a wide dirt path lined with the battered remains of wagon wheels and hoof prints.
Then I heard it.
"Grab your weapons!"
A human voice. A real, actual human voice!
With hope flaring in my chest, I peeked through a thick patch of bushes and saw what looked like two merchant carriages under siege. Surrounding them were swarms of ugly, dark green midgets with oversized heads and way too many teeth. Goblins.
Their high-pitched screeching and gleeful cackles echoed through the trees. It was like watching evil garden gnomes on a sugar high. Five humans were desperately trying to hold them off—three with swords and shields, one wielding a staff (a mage, perhaps?), and two unarmed figures who were probably the merchants.
And it didn't look good.
Two particularly nasty goblins emerged from the treeline. Taller, darker-skinned, and swinging spiked wooden bats like they were baseball pros. Definitely the leaders of this little party.
The defenders were already being pushed back. Panic was written all over their faces. It was only a matter of time before someone got torn apart.
And me?
I just stood there, watching.
I could have stayed hidden. Could've waited until the chaos died down and scavenged from the wreckage. But... damn it, I'm not that kind of person.
"Here goes nothing," I muttered, stepping out of the bushes and conjuring a ball of fire in my hand.
I charged in.
My flames cut through the crowd of goblins, scorching the foul creatures with every swing and blast. They squealed and scattered like rats in the light, but I didn't stop. Fireball after fireball flew from my hands, lighting up the dirt road with bursts of orange and red.
My main target? The big guys.
The small goblins could be taken out with a flick, but the leader-types? Those needed a little more... persuasion.
I poured more magic into my attack, concentrating on the two tall goblins. The flames roared from my palm, engulfing them in a blaze so hot it turned them to cinders in seconds. The fire crackled, the goblins screamed, and just like that, the rest of the horde lost their nerve.
They ran.
The woods trembled with their retreat, and for the first time in days, I exhaled in peace.
When the smoke cleared, the five remaining defenders stared at me like I'd just sprouted another head.
To be fair, I probably looked like a lunatic—some half-dressed guy covered in soot, waving fire around like a lunatic sorcerer.
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "I hope I didn't, uh... interrupt something?"
The man closest to me, sword and shield in hand, lowered his weapon and gave me a shaky smile. "Interrupt? You saved our lives! We couldn't have taken down those goblin leaders ourselves."
So he was the talker of the group. Probably an adventurer. They looked the part—ragged gear, tired eyes, and the unmistakable aura of "we've seen some stuff."
"Was that kind of goblin attack normal?" I asked, brushing ash off my pants.
The swordsman nodded grimly. "Unfortunately. This road cuts through a goblin-infested zone. Attacks are frequent, but this one... was different. Two leaders? That's a bad sign."
As he spoke, two younger people rushed over to us—a blonde boy and a girl about my age. Both wore travel-worn cloaks and had the look of amateur merchants: hopeful, tired, and covered in more dust than gold.
"You saved us," the boy said breathlessly. "Thank you. Truly. My name's Ross, and this is my little sister, Ann. We're merchants."
Merchants, huh? Ross looked about eighteen—same as me—and Ann wasn't much younger. Kind of young to be wandering through monster-infested forests, but who was I to judge?
I nodded politely. "Troy Hercules. Just a... traveler."
"A traveler in those clothes?" Ann tilted her head and smiled mischievously as she gave me the once-over.
Right. I was still wearing that cosplay outfit from the office-themed costume party—complete with a torn horn headband. I looked more like a demon warlock on laundry day than a respectable traveler.
I scratched my head. "Yeah, it's a long story."
A very long story that involved getting summoned mid-workday by some shady cultists and being nearly executed for simply existing.
I kept that part to myself.
No need to raise red flags.
"Ann," Ross scolded gently. "That's no way to speak to someone who just saved our lives."
"Sorry!" she apologized quickly. I waved it off with a smile.
Ross stepped forward again. "Please, allow us to repay you. We're headed to the nearest kingdom—it's only a few hours from here. Would you join us? You'll be safer with us."
I didn't even have to think twice.
I needed food, shelter, money—and some new clothes. I couldn't keep wandering the world dressed like a half-baked anime villain.
"I could use a few things," I said. "Currency. And a shoulder bag. Something... practical."
Ross blinked, then smiled. "That's all? Consider it done."
He didn't even hesitate.
Later, as we rode side by side on the back of one of the merchant carriages, I rummaged through the leather shoulder bag Ross gave me. Inside were several silver and copper coins, a waterskin, and just enough space for essentials. I tucked the broken horn headband Mom gave me back home inside—one of the few things I had from my world.
I still didn't know what kind of currency they used or how much I'd need to survive. But at least now, I had something.
Something real.
"Thanks again," I said to Ross.
"No, thank you," he replied. "You're welcome to travel with us as long as you want."
I glanced ahead at the path winding toward the distant kingdom, the sun setting in hues of orange and pink over the horizon. The wind carried the faint scent of smoke and pine. And despite everything—the monsters, the fear, the blood—I felt... calm.
I looked around at the group. The adventurers who'd fought bravely beside me, the brother and sister merchants who'd welcomed me like an old friend.
Yeah.
This is definitely my new life now.
And maybe, just maybe...
It won't be so bad.