Upon entering the village, a sense of desolation greeted the eye.
Carne Village was small, its entirety visible at a glance, with roughly thirty houses.
A few patches of ground were paved with gravel, relatively clean, but most areas were overgrown with weeds.
The varying heights of the weeds suggested occasional clearing efforts.
All the houses were single-story, low structures. A few better ones were built of stone bricks, but their gray-white walls betrayed their age.
"Our village is small, but we have a few vacant houses. If you don't mind, you can rest in that one up ahead." The chief said, his thick gray-brown beard trembling as he spoke.
"Thank you, Chief." Adam replied, glancing at the house indicated and nodding gratefully.
"Heh, it's no trouble. We haven't had guests in a long while." The chief chuckled warmly.
As they spoke, curious eyes and heads peeked from doorways and windows of nearby homes.
Carne Village was tiny; any disturbance quickly drew attention.
With a brief thanks, Adam entered the vacant house under the villagers' gazes.
Carne Village was unremarkable, with little to capture Adam's interest.
If anything stood out, it was Enri, the girl who, with a mere magic item, the Horn of the Goblin General, summoned an entire army.
Adam half-suspected she had an Talent like "Goblin Affinity."
For now, though, she was just an ordinary girl.
CREAK!
Pushing open the wooden door, the hinges groaned with age.
The vacant house was sparse, containing only a wooden bed, the floor dusted with a thin layer of grime.
Broken cobwebs clung to the ceiling beams and corners.
The wooden walls near the floor were darkened, likely from dampness.
Adam hadn't expected much from a poor frontier village. He'd come to Carne Village because it was the closest settlement to the Great Forest of Tob.
As part of the Wise King of the Forest, Hamusuke's territory, it was surprisingly safe.
The journey from E-Rantel to Carne Village took about a day, meaning a round trip required at least two.
Though Adam had stocked supplies, he needed a base to retreat to in case of emergencies or depleted resources.
Carne Village was ideal.
"Should've bought a Clean scroll." Adam muttered, eyeing the dust and cobwebs, shaking his head.
Even with the adventuring tips from the "Rock" Team, he'd overlooked some preparations.
Resigned, he cleaned the room himself, clearing a tidy space.
From his Item Box, he retrieved a basketball-sized ceramic pot, placing it on the floor. He broke off chunks of smoked meat, dropped them in, and poured water from his skin.
"Warm."
Adam touched the pot with a finger.
In less than thirty seconds, the water began to boil, transforming into a fragrant meat soup.
"Not much else to say, but this spell's handy for heating food." Adam remarked, a faint smile crossing his face as the salty aroma filled the air.
A minute passed, and the simple soup was ready.
He ladled a portion into a bowl and paired it with dark bread.
Even after boiling, the smoked meat retained a heavy saltiness, but it complemented the hard bread well.
Smoked meat was a staple for adventurers in the wild. Heavily salted, it was nearly inedible raw.
It was often used for soups or as a salt substitute, vital for adventurers to replenish salt lost through exertion.
The faint, savory aroma of the soup wafted out the window.
It sparked a small stir in Carne Village.
The village's economy relied on growing wheat and gathering herbs at the forest's edge.
Hunting beasts?
For villagers averaging level 1, that was far too dangerous.
Adam recalled a hunter in Carne Village with the Ranger basic class, likely level 2 at most.
Glancing at his attribute panel:
Genius 1Lv + Sword Saint 6Lv = Total Level 7Lv
The experience from killing the two Eight Fingers members, combined with slaying goblins and small magical beasts en route, had pushed Adam up another level.
His progress wasn't slow.
He estimated a few days would suffice to max out his mid-tier Sword Saint class, after which he'd focus on leveling Genius.
Shalltear and Death Spreading Brigade's Priest class were both level 10.
Uncertain if this was a prerequisite for Valkyrie, Adam figured reaching that level for consistency couldn't hurt.
The next day, June 2nd, at dawn, Adam packed and left Carne Village.
Before departing, he visited the chief, paying 5 copper coins for his stay.
The villagers were honest folk; the chief hadn't intended to charge, but Adam insisted.
He might return, so building goodwill was a small investment.
Five copper coins were no burden.
…
The air carried the jungle's distinct blend of leaves, earth, and faint decay, wafting from the Great Forest of Tob.
Rustle!
Adam's steps crunched on thick layers of leaves and moss, each one producing a soft shh of crushed foliage.
From the forest's depths came sporadic calls of animals and birds.
Iron sword in hand, Adam moved along the forest's perimeter, heading east.
Of the three Forest Rulers, the Wise King of the Forest, Hamusuke, was the strongest and most dangerous. At Adam's level, escape would be impossible.
Despite Hamusuke's cute anime depiction from Ainz's perspective, but for him it was a fearsome magical beast.
The other two rulers.
The Demon Snake of the West, Naga, was highly intelligent and a magic caster, equally perilous.
Only the ogre, Guu, while formidable, was less cunning, a straightforward brute.
A warrior class, Guu relied on immense regenerative abilities and physical attacks, lacking other means.
If encountered, escaping Guu was far more feasible than fleeing Naga or Hamusuke.
Towering, verdant trees surrounded him, sunlight filtering through dense canopies, casting dappled patterns on the ground.
***
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