“No problem,” I said. “I was lost, so she helped me out, too.”
“I’d like to thank you,” said Mr. Gentz, “but this is my job, so I’ve got to give you the normal amount for buying those off you, if that’s fine.”
“That’s alright.”
The man checked the wolf mats.
“Uhh, meat and pelts, huh. This is what I can pay for this much.”
Mr. Gentz put some coins down in front of us. I couldn’t tell if it was a fair price or if he was lowballing us.
“Yes, please.” Fina looked pleased, though. She tried to give me half of the money she had accepted.
“Fina, I don’t need that money, but could you show me the way to a good inn? I don’t know where to go. I guess you’ve gotta take the herbs to your mom quick, though, don’t you?”
“It’s okay,” she said. “There’s an inn on the way to my house, so I’ll take you there.”
“Thank you.”
“Fina!” said Mr. Gentz. “You better not put yourself in danger again. You tell me when you need any herbs.”
“Okay, I will,” Fina answered, then turned and left.
“Do you know that man?” I asked.
“Yes, he’s always taking care of me. Sometimes he has me help with the butchering when there are a lot of monsters brought in.”
Ah-hah, I thought, so that was why she was so good at butchering corpses.
“And he knows my mom is sick, so sometimes he gives me herbs and medicine for cheap—or for free, once in a while. Still, I can’t go around asking him for medicine every single day.”
So that was why she went out alone into the woods to pick herbs this time. I wanted to do something to help her, but it would probably have to wait, especially considering my current situation.
The inn was about a thirty-minute walk from the trade-in shop, and of course, I was showered with stares the whole time we were walking.
“This is it,” said Fina. “Everyone says their food is good, too.”
“Thank you. Well, you hurry up and get those herbs to your mom.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Yuna.”
Fina ran off. An amazing aroma drifted past me as I stood outside the inn, watching her leave. The sun started to sink; it was time for dinner. For decorum’s sake, I tried to batten down my glee at the prospect of a tasty meal as I headed in. A girl in her late teens waiting tables stopped mid-stride and gave me a perplexed look. I didn’t know what to do with everyone giving me the same exact reaction every single time.
“W-welcome?” the girl said as she stared.
“I heard I could stay here?”
“Yes, you can. It’s one silver coin every day, morning and evening meals included. It’s half a coin without the meals.”
“In that case, I’d like a ten day stay, with meals.”
“The bath is open from six in the evening until ten at night.”
“You have a bath?!”
“Yes, indeed. Rest assured that the men’s and women’s areas are also properly separated.”
That was a happy accident. I never expected an inn with a bath.
“Can I get a meal right away?”
“Certainly.”
After I was done listening to her explanation, I pulled ten silver coins out of the white bear’s mouth. When she took the money, the girl squeezed the black bear.
“Whoa! I’m sorry. It was so cute. So that was ten days with meals, right? I’ll get the meal prepared right away, so please take a seat and wait. Oh, I’m the innkeeper’s daughter, Elena. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Yuna. I’m looking forward to my stay.”
Chapter 4:
The Bear Agonizes
after Seeing Herself in the Mirror
AFTER I POLISHED off my meal, I was led up to room on the second floor. Fina was a lifesaver—I’d need to make sure I thanked her properly.
“The bath is open, so you can go in,” said Elena, “but please don’t take long, because there will be others waiting.”
“Got it.”
“Breakfast is from six to eight. Please be warned—we can’t serve you if you’re late.”
After explaining more or less everything, Elena went back downstairs, leaving me alone with the room. It was just a one-person room, so it wasn’t all that big—just a bed and a small desk. But my things were all in my inventory, so it was more than big enough for just me. While I was looking around the room, I noticed that there was a mirror on the wall. I checked myself out again.
It was embarrassing. There was no doubt about it—I was dressed in the kind of loungewear girls would sometimes wear at home. I was so embarrassed that I’d been walking around outside looking like this that I thought about not doing it tomorrow.
I worked up my courage and looked at myself in the mirror again. There was something uncanny about my reflection.
“That’s my actual face…”
In WFO, player avatars all had the same outlines for their faces, but you could change their hair colors and hairstyles. My avatar had silver pigtails, but right now, I had long, straight black hair that reached my hips. A hermit like me wasn’t exactly going to bother going to the salon, so my hair had just gotten longer and longer. Fixing it up was too much of a bother, so I’d just left it down.
The mirror reflected my real face, my real hair color, and my real hairstyle. I remembered my avatar was ten centimeters taller than me, but when I checked again, I was definitely the same height that I was in real life.
But I’m not short. I’m just a tiny bit shorter than average, really.
Really.
Much as I didn’t want to admit it, I knew this really couldn’t be the game world if I was physically myself here. The confirmation that it was real made me begin to panic—until I realized there was nothing to panic about.
I didn’t have great parents or friends; nobody I would miss. The only thing I’d left in the real
