My Demons

As usual, I settled down in front of the computer, ready to unwind after a long day at work. However, a sudden wave of confusion washed over me. Did I actually go to work today? Or was it the weekend?

On the monitor, the low-level blood knight was engaged in a frenzied rampage. He moved autonomously, slaughtering enemies, drinking blood, and reveling in his own chaos.

It was utterly bewildering.

Click, click, thud, thud.

No matter how much I pressed the keyboard and clicked the mouse, the blood knight continued to move on his own accord.

What’s going on?

Sensing something amiss, I lifted the mouse to examine its underside.

To my astonishment, my shoulders jerked in surprise. The distinct LED light of the optical mouse glowed a dark red, stained with sticky blood.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the hand gripping the mouse was rough and calloused. Was this my hand? No, it couldn’t be mine.

…Who am I?

After further examination, it became apparent that it was indeed my hand. Familiarly drenched in blood, but mostly belonging to someone else.

Suddenly, screams erupted all around me.

Roar!

Woooo!

Oh no, what was I thinking? I was in the midst of a war!

I swiftly raised my shield and, utilizing the blood coating my hand, cast a spell.

Wuwuuu.

The blood-soaked blade shimmered with divine light, growing in size. It elongated, thickened, becoming monstrous.

Just then, a line of pirates charged towards me. At first glance, it seemed like a single person, but no, there were many.

But they weren’t pirates, were they?

“Ellen? Who are those people behind you?” I asked, but received no response. An Indian, a Hollywood actor, a track athlete, a naked skeleton, a black and white film heroine, an idol, a white-haired old man, a monk. Silence prevailed.

I extended the elongated blade, reaching far beyond the horizon. The pirate split into two with a sinister laugh, creating a sudden sense of distance.

Kim Seung-soo, the office worker, the murderer, the blood knight, K-2 410997, the dutiful son, NuclearWar Starter, the pervert, Ji-won’s uncle, the President of the Wild Grass Club, Phoenix. They all clenched their teeth, attempting to suppress something.

I tried my best to hold it back, but I failed.

Buoyed by the death of hundreds of pirates, the lord of South Harbor rallied his fleet. Their mission was to oust the remaining pirates and break the naval blockade.

Despite the great victory, the lord’s forces were still outnumbered. Therefore, he sought cooperation from the civilian ships docked at the harbor.

The docks had been assaulted, numerous naval vessels had been set ablaze, and many sailors had lost their lives. It was an inevitable situation that required immediate action.

Numerous archers and sailors embarked on the navy ships, hoisting the sails as horns blared and drums resounded. The large sails unfurled one by one, creating a spectacle on the open sea.

Although there were only about twenty navy ships, they were joined by dozens of pirate vessels and thirty commandeered civilian ships. Additionally, nearly a hundred smaller boats, each manned by less than thirty crew members, contributed their strength to the fleet.

As this event hadn’t occurred during gameplay, I watched the fleet’s sortie with a mixture of anticipation and worry. I hoped that lifting the blockade would bring peace back to the city, yet I was concerned that the unfolding scenario might deviate from what I knew.

The naval battle commenced, and initially, the South Harbor side gained a significant advantage. The leading naval ships, carrying skilled wizards, broke through the strait’s entrance, swiftly expanding the fleet’s position.

I wasn’t certain if it was the lord’s command, but the civilian ships took their place at the rear, forming the left wing of the formation. It resembled how the mercenaries had been entrusted with the left wing during the dock battle.

However, the situation on land and sea differed greatly.

Recalling the dock battle, the city had been under siege, leaving no escape for the mercenaries, including myself, or the guards positioned on the walls.

If they fled and the army was defeated, they would be captured by the pirates and forced into slavery. And if the army emerged victorious, they would be imprisoned by the lord’s command.

Their only option was to fight to the death.

However, the circumstances were somewhat different for the civilian ships. Unlike on land, once they escaped the narrow harbor entrance, the vast ocean stretched before them, and the pirates’ encirclement surprisingly loosened.

In the end, some merchant ships chose self-preservation, even if it meant being labeled as cowards, rather than fighting for the besieged city and facing certain death.

As the navy ships engaged the pirate vessels, the latter promptly fled to the west.

Initially, only a couple of ships managed to escape, but even that was enough to shake the fleet. Moreover, the pirates cunningly opened a path for the fleeing merchant ships, leading other civilian vessels to throw the messengers sent by the lord into the sea and follow suit.

Around the navy ships, the remaining fleet fought valiantly. However, in the end, the South Harbor fleet was nearly wiped out, and the pirate blockade remained firmly intact.

Consequently, a sense of gloom gradually descended upon the city.

“Huh!”

Startled, I opened my eyes and suppressed a scream, holding my breath. In that state, I shifted my gaze, surveying my surroundings.

A faint blue light filtering into the room indicated that dawn was approaching.

I took note of the rag and straw sticking out from the bed, the decaying wooden floor, and the snoring mercenaries sleeping nearby. It was a completely different place from the one I had seen in my dream—a familiar yet unfamiliar four-person room in a budget inn.

A profound sense of relief, difficult to comprehend, washed over me, and I let out a deep sigh.

“Hoo.”

What was it? I couldn’t quite remember, but it seemed like I had an exhilarating dream…

I rummaged through the bag placed next to my bed.

Due to the battle a week ago, I had to leave all my clothes behind at the bathhouse. They were completely drenched in blood, and no matter how much I washed them, the stains persisted. Having spent every last penny on necessities, I left without collecting them.

While my laundry was underway, I couldn’t wander around naked, so I bought two sets of clothing from a second-hand store. They were simple garments made of cloth, not sturdy leather attire suited for adventuring.

Ideally, I would have liked to acquire a variety of options, but suitable choices were scarce to begin with.

The body of Phoenix was gigantic, towering over ordinary people by a whole head’s length.

Naturally, the clothing in this realm was completely different from what I wore on Earth. The undergarments resembled white shorts, albeit with a string tied at the bottom, making them surprisingly comfortable. They didn’t bunch up inside the pants.

However, the pants themselves were a bit peculiar.

I wasn’t sure if this was the norm throughout the Middle World or specific to the people of the Millanol Kingdom, but the socks and pants were combined into a single piece. It may sound like stockings, but it was merely a cloth garment that fit generously, offering comfort.

There were strings attached that could be tied around the ankles, knees, thighs, and waist, allowing for adjustments to fit the body. While it was a bit inconvenient to put on and take off, it wasn’t too bothersome once worn.

The top, on the other hand, consisted of a cloth garment extending to the thighs, secured with a belt.

The front had a rather open design, which could be considered a bit crude… Well, it didn’t really matter. After all, I had a good physique.

Still, it was a shame that there were no fluffy socks.

Oh, and I selected two sets of upper and lower garments, along with underwear and a belt, and it only cost me five small coins.

It was surprising how inexpensive it was considering the lack of clothing factories or similar establishments. Of course, the low price was also due to it being second-hand.

Thanks to these affordable clothes, I decided to stop comparing the value of the currency used here to Earth.

During my stay, I had been paying for accommodation and meals, attempting to roughly convert the value of one coin to Korean won… but I couldn’t make sense of it.

The value of goods and services was so vastly different from my understanding that I couldn’t even begin to calculate it.

Lost in such thoughts, I began getting dressed in my armor.

“Ugh.”

The man on the neighboring bed groaned as he sat up, rubbing his face.

His countenance, adorned with a scruffy beard and various scars, appeared even more wrinkled due to the effects of a hangover.

…As if he wasn’t ugly enough already, he now resembled an orc child.

“Heh, up already?”

“Get a bit more sleep, old man. Your alcohol breath is unbearable.”

” …Is it?”

The man then covered his mouth and snorted, attempting to smell his own breath.

This alcoholic man’s name was Gillius, a fellow mercenary.

During the battle at the docks, he had shielded me and struck up a conversation when I was overwhelmed with panic.

The other two young men sprawled across the remaining beds were Gillius’ companions. Originally, there had been one more comrade, but he was reportedly slain by a pirate’s spear.

“Why did you get so drunk right after recovering from your injuries, old man?”

“Did I get drunk? What did I do?”

“Don’t you remember? If you keep this up, you’ll either die from alcohol or syphilis.”

“You cheeky brat, picking a fight first thing in the morning.”

The old man opened his drowsy eyes and groped around the head of his bed.

Ah, what a futile effort.

“Old man, here.”

The old man accepted the water bottle I handed him and eagerly guzzled it down, smacking his lips afterward.

“Are you going to fight with the captain again today?”

“It’s not fighting, it’s sparring. It’s training!”

“Damn, what’s the point of training? You’re as strong as a bear. A bear should fight like a bear, not like a fox.”

“Ah, stop talking nonsense and go back to sleep.”

I snatched the water bottle from the old man’s hand and left the room.

While Gillius seemed like a decent person, half of what he said was nonsensical or the ramblings of a drunk, so there was no need to pay attention to him.

Just as I was about to head to the backyard, the door across the hall swung open.

Emerging from the doorway was a little girl, Ellen, whose head barely reached my chest.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“Yes. Good morning.”

She rubbed her eyes and greeted me with a sleepy voice, her face marked by exhaustion.

Seeing her tired state, yawning and taking small steps, I couldn’t help but worry. So I quietly followed her and asked.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“You look like you’re on the verge of collapsing. You should get some sleep.”

She had been deeply immersed in meditation for the past week.

Meditation to clear the mind was considered an essential practice for wizards, but she had taken it to an extreme lately. She slept for only about two hours a day and spent the rest of her time in meditation.

Despite my concerned advice, she shook her head with half-closed eyes.

“I’m better than I appear. And as for the sewer, don’t worry, I’ll go to bed early tonight.”

It had been approximately a week since the battle at the docks ended.

Neither Ellen nor I were at ease, but it was a bit frustrating that our planned exploration of the sewer had not yet taken place.

We were scheduled to descend into the sewer tomorrow… but if she continued in this state, I might have to reconsider.

“About the sewer? What if you collapse?”

“It’s not like that.”

She avoided my worried gaze and pretended not to care.

In truth, I had an inkling as to why she was pushing herself so hard.

She seemed bothered by the fact that she couldn’t participate in the battle at the docks.

There was a hint of resentment toward me for tricking the military officer into believing she was a student rather than a wizard when we were on the verge of getting caught.

I felt a tinge of guilt, but I tried to maintain a stern expression and said,

“Regardless, don’t act recklessly and take care of yourself. You’re still young…”

“Ah, there you go with your lecturing again. Go warm up your body. Grania should be out soon.”

“Really? Then I’ll head out first.”

At her words, I picked up my pace and made my way to the backyard.

However, before I completely turned away, I glanced back and saw Ellen yawning, her face still drowsy.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Ah, enough already.”

“Oh, alright.”

She must be fine.