Chapter - 2
Keller lowered his head as he neared the gate to Ganesha's domain. Unfortunately he had to pass by the guards at the front, already taking note of the frown of the guy closest to him.
"No luck I gather?" the guard asked
Despite the question being almost neutral Keller knew the guard held his sneer underbreath. He couldn't fault him for it, he couldn't fault anyone for it. He shook his head looking at the ground.
"Tsk, next time then."
Yeah... next time... He quickly passed through and made his way inside the building, making sure to avoid any contact with anyone as he made his way to his room. Inside he dropped his satchel on the ground and took off his shoes before sighing deeply. He then went and sat at his work desk looking at the little stones that sat on the table.
In the beggining the hours turned to days... The days turned to weeks and the weeks turned into a month. A month had passed since he entered this reality and things were not looking great. In the beginning it wasn't hard to settle in, learning about the world and how things worked was actually fun but then he hit a wall. There was one thing that he couldn't understand and it boogled his mind.
He couldn't understand how magic worked... And the entire city ran on these damned stones! His inability to learn has blocked him from working in his desired domain and now the effects were seen with the naked eye.
At first no one in the familia minded when he started to live with the Ganesha familia, it was their god's desire after all but as he learned how busy their organization was in maintaining order as they were practically the law enforcers in the city he was mostly left to his own devices. The only social contact that he had nowadays was the familia's captain and their god and still those were rare instances.
Miss Varma was a very rare sight anyways, constantly working and running jobs for her god while sir Ganesha still occasionaly checked up on him and tried to give him some pointers to places that might employ him... 2 people in the largest organization in the city that still weren't looking at him as if he was extra baggage wasn't sitting well with him.
He couldn't fault them though... for one month he sat at the same table as them, ate the same food as them but brought nothing to that table. Despite the god saying it wasn't that much of a big deal it mattered too much for him. It was despicable... He was a liability... a burden... That couldn't stand.
One more day... If I can't find something tomorrow i'll stop these bothering these people. Better to be homeless than to be a leech.
He went to sleep without eating that night. He didn't want to see anyone give him those underhanded looks...
When he woke up in the morning he wasted no time, got ready as fast as he could and took off into the city. There was one last place that he hadn't gone to, a water purification and distribution plant that the god suggested. It wasn't really what he wanted but it still was better than any other thing and sure as hell he wasn't going to work as some gutter rat somewhere for table scraps or become an adventurer... His pride wouldn't allow him that.
The interview started off alright. He already knew the basics of how the pipeline infrastructure traveled into the city. Apparently this plant supplied most of the western part of the city. Things hit the wall like always before when they got into the technicalities as he simply couldn't comprehend these machines. The purification system, a weird contraption that brought waste water from a pipe that was powered by magic stones and trapped it into a large tank. The weird contraption which was like 60% magic stones then activated and for some reason he couldn't understand the waste water was purified just like that and then another magic mechanism pulled the water from the tank with no effort or resistance whatsoever and sent it into the main storage tank where yet another magic machine would operate and pump it into the myriad of pipes that supplied the city with water...
He was going to be need to maintain this system... How the hell was he going to maintain these machines when he couldn't even comprehend how they functioned! The whole thing fell through in the end.
This is it, time to tell the god and his familia that I'm done. Keller thought to himself as he walked dejectedly towards Ganesha's domain and yet despite his failures he felt good for some reason. He felt good because he wasn't going to continue being a parasite to those people. They wouldn't have to waste any more resources on him and would instead use them for something better probably...
As for himself... he would have to find a way. Find a way to survive.
Find stones...
The fuck?
He froze as he looked around. There wasn't anyone talking to him, most people going about their day as if nothing happened. He must've imagined that voice... That must be it!
He continued his way to the eccentric god's domain, once again stopping by the guard in the front and once again seeing that disgust in the guard's eyes. What ever... it wasn't like they'd see each other anymore after today.
"No luck Keller?" That question again... At the beginning it wasn't thrown around so often but now everyday it was being thrown at him.
"Nope."
"Tsk, you have some knack not finding something to do huh." The guard looked like he wanted to say more but didn't
Keller didn't respond, there was no reason to. It woudn't be long before he left for good.
"Get lost." The guard ordered to which Keller complied
He quickly made his way into the mansion shaped like the patron god which owned it. He looked all over the place for said god but couldn't find him and so resorted to asking, finding the closest member of the familia.
"Excuse me, I know you're busy but can I ask where sir Ganesha is?" Keller asked
The woman looked like he was the last thing she wanted to see in their house but replied anyway.
"And why do you wanna know where he's at?"
"I have to tell him something."
"Too bad, he out in the city working. Unlike someone."
Oof, that was underhanded.
"Well then, can you at least tell him something when he returns?"
"That depends, what do I get out of it?"
Keller smiled.
"The knowledge that you will never see my face in this place again."
The girl did a double take before frowning.
"So you're leaving huh? Was our 'hospitality' not enough for you?" She said with a sneer
"No need to get agressive. My inability to find work has been weighing down on me since the beginning."
"Oh so you ARE concious about yourself. At least you've got that going for yourself."
"Are you gonna tell him or what?"
The girl smirked "Oh he'll find out no worries. Now how about you scram out of our house blueberry boy."
He wasn't going to argue and left. He didn't even look back as he left the building shaped in the form of their familia's god, there was no reason to. It stung that he couldn't say his goodbyes to the one who took him in but he also felt relieved that they would no longer waste resources on him.
At least he no longer was a burden...
As to what he would do now he had no idea. He wasted all of his options, had nothing to his name other than the clothes on his back and the small satchel the god gave him a little while after he came to this world. Maybe he would swallow his pride and work some underwhelming job or something...
Find stones...
Again that voice... he was alone walking aimlessly through the city and there comes this voice clear as day... He was going insane that's for sure...
"Alright...? And what do I do with them?" Keller asked no one
Give them shape...
"For what reason..." He whispered
Set yourself free...
He stiffled a laugh. That was the dumbest thing he could think of... How was that going to help him? How would some stupid stones make him money or give him shelter? This was nothing but crazy thoughts in the back of his mind telling him to go nuts and he wasn't going to listen to them. What he was going to do was wander aimlessly until he found some back alley in which he could sleep for the night.
He walked and walked and walked some more and those thoughts kept repeating in the back of his mind so much that it was driving him insane... Perhaps he was... Perhaps this was some psychotic episode from the realization that he made a grave mistake in leaving the safety of Ganesha... Perhaps if he went back... Nah, that would be a very bad thing...
Worse off his stomach made itself known. He hadn't eaten anything since the day before and now the day was in full swing...
Find stones...
Keller growled "FINE!"
His outburst brought attention to him from the few people that were around him. Embarrassed but not dissuaded he continued on his way, picking any large rock he came across and stuffed it into his pockets.
It was insane. He was insane for doing this but still didn't stop and when he had a couple of them he retreated to some back alley and got to knapping. He knapped and knapped and was actually surprised at the strengh he had in chipping the stones. When he was done with the first rock he deeply sighed.
He did it! He did what his mind asked him! He found the stones and gave them shape! He went from a stupid rock to a stupid sharpened rock woooooh! Look at him and how much free he was!
Keller chucked the stupid rock at the wall in disgust. He was soo stupid... soo stupid to look forward to this world. For but a brief moment he longed for the void between the worlds... There was no change there, it was constant. No hunger nor fatigue plagued him there, no expectations from random people or the need to show his accomplishments as some adventurers liked to brag.
None of those... He simply existed. Sure as hell didn't live but at least-...
Enough of that, you do not want to follow that line of thought. Focus on what you need right now. Keller thought to himself.
Food... that was his most important task... He needed to get food. He had no valis whatsoever... Scrounging in the trash it is...
The experience was degrading... going from back alley to back alley to search through peoples trash gave him a new perspective on the poor... He realized he pitied them more than he pitied himself... Unlike him those people didn't have a choice... He had one in the very beginning and chose to kick it away even if he was told he could've returned any time.
No, going back would've meant he was desperate... Which he was...
Look at him, reduced to scrounging in the trash from day one on the streets... He failed huh... Hunger banging on the door while the day slowly but surely bled into night he found no luck. These people were not wasting food apparently... That was until he smelled something good... Cooked food... It was only after he approached the location that he realized what it was...
The 'Hostess of Fertility', a very popular pub among adventurers for a few very good reasons. The food was apparently very good, the waitresses were eye-candy and the location was very close to the entrance to the dungeon.
This all screamed danger if he would be discovered... A popular location like this would almost always have customers and most definitely if he was discovered he would be beaten to a pulp... Still that hunger was no longer banging on the door... It instead started kicking it...
Slowly he made his way over to their trash... Hating every moment of it... Still he didn't stop as he started rummaging through...!
FOOD!
True enough there were leftovers that the staff threw away. He did the only thing he could, he started munching... He didn't care that it was from the trash, food was food in the end. He froze when something he dreaded happening happened.
The back entrance to the pub swung wide open.
"-otta be nyaike that Syr-chan! It was nyour turn today to throw the trash!" A girl was whining to someone in the background
He heard her take a step outside before she stopped. He dreaded turning to look at her but did it anyway. She was standing in the doorway trash bag in hand looking over at him. Short stature with brown hair and eyes and a pair of cat ears... He was thankful that he was standing in the dark but realized immediately it didn't matter. The girl was a catgirl... She probably was seeing him perfectly...
He fearfully locked eyes with her and regretted immediately... The moment he looked her in the eye his flight response started wailing... Chills ran down his spine as his instincts were screeching that this fragile little thing could easily end his life.
"Hey Anya! What's taking you so lon-" another voice came from the doorway and another girl came outside to stand next to the catgirl
Gray hair and eyes and just as cute as the other girl. Her face was weird though... She looked like she was looking right through him for a second there... It didn't matter, he was caught...
"What are nyou doing in ny-our trash mister!" The cat girl called out
Keller bolted out of there. He didn't know how long he ran or how far. He just kept going as fast as he could until he felt safe. Thankfully no one gave chase... 100% sure he was never going to show his face anywhere near that place...
He also realized something else. Despite his stomach still screaming for sustenance he felt no exhaustion even if he sprinted for a good 15 minutes... this wasn't the first time it happened and he was slowly rationalizing that this was some kind of power that he had... He kinda liked it...
He went and curled up in some backalley way in the random part of town that he was... He didn't even know where he was now... Everything went to shit I guess...
He tried to sleep but couldn't. The constant reminders from his stomach kept him away as he layed on the ground. At least it wasn't cold outside, it was summer season at the very least so he got that going for him.
Find stones...
AAAHHHHH! He mentally screamed Not this shit again!
"Excuse me?" A new voice called out
Keller jumped to his feet in record time and looked at the newcomer with manic eyes. The man looked like a peasant, ragged clothes and all but his face was beautiful... Handsome features with blue hair and eyes... Was there a trend with people having the same colour for their hair and eyes?
Regardless, the man had a bag with various things in it... there was food...
"Can I... Can I help you?" Keller asked uncertain
"No, not really but are you alright? I saw you running just a little bit ago and you looked scared. Are you alright?" the stranger asked concerned
"OH I'm alright! Nothing to worry about..." Keller sheepishly replied rubbing the back of his neck
His stomach decided that in that very moment it wanted to make itself known screeching for sustenance. The stranger noticed right away...
"Oh, oh my!" the stranger reached into his bag
Keller reacted accordingly.
"No, don't... There's no need to!"
"I insist! Please, have this."
It was a loaf of bread that the kind stranger offered. Keller was torn on what to do. Continue being a parasite that only consumed or starve to death...
With a shaky hand he accepted the bread while looking at the ground... He couldn't look the kind samaritan in the eye...
"Its alright." The stranger reassured as he turned around to take his leave "I know its not easy but you have to accept every gift that life gives you."
"... Thank you ..." Keller barely muttered
With that the kind stranger left and he was once again alone. He went and sat back down and devoured the bread almost instantly. It aleviated the demon that was named 'stomach' but not by a lot... It hungered for more...
Find stones...
Oh not again!
Why is this stupid thought continuously repeating in the back of his mind! He did what it demanded! He got that stupid stone, he gave it shape and nothing happened! What was he supposed to do with it!?
Hunt...
How... How was he going to do that? He never wielded a weapon before! And now his mind was telling him to go out into the wilderness and hunt for food? That was ridiculous!
Set yourself free...
And what about predators outside? What about monsters that has the chance to spawn? Goblins and kobolds are bad enough for outsider adventurers as it was. He wouldn't stand a chance against them!
Hunt...
GAAAHH! Okay... I'll do it... I'll hunt outside the city and try to survive, even if I know its insane... At least when I die I won't stink up the place...
Keller barely managed to get any sleep unfortunately as the demon that lived inside him kept screaming for food... Food... He'll get that food alright...
First thing in the morning he took off towards the southern exit of the city. The plains to the south should be the most safe to travel in comparison to the other more mountainous regions. The exit checkpoint was unfortunately manned by a member of the Ganesha familia... Thankfully the man wasn't as hostile as he would imagine and let him out without problem.
Here he was, out in the wild even if it was like 20 minute walk away from the city...
He got started.
Keller was surprised... No, that wouldn't be the word... Shocked at how easy he found food in the plains to the city's south.
Berry bushes... Soo many berry bushes across the land.
He devoured everything he came across and before long the demon that resided in him was finally silenced... at least for now.
Find stones...
Again this command... What does it want!? Why does it keep repeating itself over and over again?!
Find stones...
Fine! he was going to find those stupid stones!
Once again he went and collected some large rocks off the ground and knapped them. He gave them shape and all that...
"What now?!" Keller asked no one aloud
The voice didn't respond... How fucking useful...
Hunt...
And there it goes again... Hunt with what?! All he had was a stupid sharpened stone!
"Am I supposed to make a spear out of this?!" He shouted again... at least he was alone in the middle of nowhere now
Craft...
"Fine... I'm gonna make a stupid fucking spear out of this... I'll go full cave man if my own mind demands it..."
Finding a stick wasn't that easy as there really weren't any trees close by. The closest forest was about 2 kilometers to the south and it would take him too much time to get there and he didn't want to go back in the city to take a tree branch as it would be too much of a hassle to wait in line with the others and then to argue with the guard at the checkpoint to let him back in...
He went around checking the berry bushes for any branch that was big enough and found his luck still intact. Now with the stick secured he needed something to fasten the sharp stone to it. The tall grass that was everywhere was good enough.
Behold!
The stupid cave man spear! Made by combining a stupid stick with a stupid sharpened rock and all of it binded together by stupid tall grass!
Keller wanted to die... Still, primitive sharp stick in hand he could try his luck at hunting and knew just where to look for targets. The plains were filled with so many critters. Thanks to the close proximity of the city predators were not something that one encountered around these parts as the Ganesha familia regularly patrolled the trader and civilian routes.
That meant that prey was abundant and the prey he was going for was a small group of wild chickens that dwelled close to him. He stopped at a decent distance from them as to not scare them off and readied his spear. He was going to try his luck at throwing and hopefully nail one of the hens. He slowly creeped forward with the spear ready to be thrown. If he had been wearing nothing but a loincloth it would've been easy to see him as just a simple cave man...
Unfortunately the chickens saw him coming and started to run away. He threw the spear after the closest one but unfortunately the spear fell short. The little critters got away but thankfully they were too stupid to keep running and stopped a short distance away.
Well, time to try again!
He repeated the process over and over again, slowly getting used to throwing the primitive weapon. In the end he managed to achieve his goal. He impaled one of the hens square in the back but ended up breaking the tip of his spear.
Dinner secured.
Getting a fire going wasn't hard. Piling whatever dry grass he found with plenty of twigs from berry bushes and then lighting it with a cave man graded fire starter kit made of dry grass and a lot of twigs.
He ate like a king.
For the rest of the day he spent making a couple more spears and setting a little camp around his campfire. It wasn't hard, simply laying his primitive tools on the ground. He set up a bed that was just a big pile of grass and that was it. His little campsite, a 20 or 30 minute walk from the city and surrounded by enough food and animals that were definitely not that dangerous.
With that out of the way he had to make a plan for the future. Despite today ending well he knew this was not a lifestyle that was sustainable. When the seasons changed and the cold would roll in he wouldn't be able to survive...
He had to get money and get started...
Get started... Started doing what?
This question was a hard one. Start suviving? Living? And what did it meant to live? It was the same as surviving right now, live to see another day... No, he didn't want to just survive, he wanted to truly live and to accomplish his dream. But what was his dream? To bring to life all the knowledge that he had... Easier said than done...
Almost all the knowledge he had was incomplete... Lacking a certain something... The thing that gave his creations life... Without that certain thing none of his work would be complete...
From the smallest machine to the grandest... If he had the resources and tools required he could build the chassis of the machines very easily but they would never work... How would a little locust drone come to life if the 'Something something essence' was not placed in the 'something something parallel energy distributor'...
What if he used magic instead?
Keller chuckled, he didn't know how magic worked. A month spent trying to understand it had yielded no results... What if he had more time though... What if he had the time to study magic without time limits? What if he built his life to be self sustaining in order to study the magic element of this world?
It was a wild idea... But ideas were nice to have in the end... He dreaded to dream of a life like that, how much work he had to put in to achieve it. Having his own resources, growing his own food while relying on no one...
It would pay off in the end though and maybe, just maybe if he succeded in his tasks and did learn how magic functioned he could make his knowledge come to life. He liked the sound of that.
There were many things this world lacked that he knew better alternatives to. Chainsaws and wood cutter tools to help lumberjacks, mining drills to ease the pain of miners across the world... Not to mention the machine variants of those tools. Sawblade locusts could autonomously take over the work of cutting down trees with only supervision being required while miner locusts equipped with mining drills and lightbulbs on their backs could crawl, prospect and mine in the most inhospitable holes in the earth...
If only he could bring them to life...
Keller smiled as he layed down on his grass bed and stared at the night sky. Such a nice dream to have... but what if it wasn't just a dream. What if he made it a reality? It would take probably years but he had nothing but time in the end.
Sure he had to achive resource freedom but it wasn't something that couldn't be done. All he had to do was find the materials but that would result in a journey far away and he lacked the tools to prospect.
A plan was starting to take shape in his mind. Gather money, buy the required tools and go out into the world and find what he required to get started on his dream.
But not now, not in this moment, he wanted to sleep. He needed to sleep, there was so much to be done now that he had a plan and he needed all the rest he could get. Tomorrow will be a big day after all.
Author's note:
For those of you who are put off by the weird shit I've written:
Don't worry, it'll get weirder.
And as for the weird schizo voices in the back of Keller's mind. Its my interpretation of Vintage Story's tutorial in getting started.
It might not be step by step but ohh well. At least the hobo phase ended almost instantly.
Now comes the cave man phase...
Unrelated greentext like meme
'Be me, Anya Fromel'
'Having a pretty full day working at the pub'
'My friend and colleague Syr shirks her duties and I end up having to take out the stinking trash.'
'Find a 2.2 meters tall blue skinned freak munching on our trash.'
'Before we can ask him if he wants some food he bolts out of here reaching terminal velocity.'
'Confusion.'