I Awakened My Game System! Now Three Great Houses Want Me Dead!-Chapter 104: Home

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║RUNE RANKED UP!║

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[Second Rune: Wise Fool (Rank 4)]

[Description: He who knows that he knows nothing. The bearer may channel Divinity directly through his weapons and armor, bypassing all Runes. Effectiveness is determined entirely by Luck. It may yield nothing... or an effect belonging to an item of much higher class.]

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Xenos had done it.

He actually did it.

He’d truly just made a ’bug’ real once more.

Though the description read the same, he could feel the difference, just how much stronger it had gotten and how much smoother it flowed from his Soul into and through his body.

Earlier, he needed to use Acid against that Daemon to end it because its regeneration was off the charts, but with this, if he hacked at it enough, he could eventually kill it with just a sword... only if his Luck smiled, of course.

Though it was going to ’smile’ more, as the higher the Rank of the Rune was, the lower the chance of it failing would be.

"Now this feels right."

Xenos exhaled deeply, the glow around his arms fading as he slumped back against the forge wall. The blacksmith gave him a look that screamed, "Get out before you break something," but Xenos just waved.

’Satisfied?’

Eris teased, Her voice light in his head.

’Yeah. I’m ready to Dive now.’

’You’re going right now?’

He yawned while stretching his arms.

’No, I need proper sleep first. I might be crazy, but I’m not stupid. Traveling through the dark sounds like a good way to get stabbed by something with too many teeth, and besides, I’m all out of Divinity.’

Xenos also didn’t know what assassin might come after him; he had had enough interruptions.

’Wise choice, for once~.’

Ignoring Her, he walked out of the forge.

Night had fallen, and the small village had gone quiet.

Again, Xenos wasn’t in the mood for another ambush, so he went looking for an inn, but there wasn’t one, just a few farmhouses and a tavern that looked like it doubled as a stable.

So he did the next best thing: knocking on a random door and offering to pay for a place to crash. Many rejected him, finding him suspicious, giving him that half-tired look of a villager who’d seen one too many strangers, but eventually Xenos met one who hadn’t looked at him with hostility from the get-go.

"So are you asking to sleep in for the night?"

The man seemed suspicious as well but was willing to listen.

Though when Xenos dropped a few silver coins in his hand, suspicion quickly became hospitality.

"Come in, dear traveler!"

He stepped aside, gesturing him in.

Inside, the warmth hit Xenos instantly.

The smell of stew followed, and the crackling of a fire.

Over it, a woman stirred a pot, and a small girl peeked out from behind her apron.

He was about to just nod at them, go to the free bedroom, and leave it at that—transaction done—but the wife looked at him for a few seconds and smiled, making him pause.

"I’ve heard you from the door. You should stay for dinner."

Her kind words were surprising, as was the little girl.

She curiously approached and tugged at his sleeve. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Xenos was a tall man; he already felt like a giant when standing next to the husband, but now, when this little one approached... he couldn’t help but be reminded of how weak the normal folk were.

"You fight monsters, mister?"

Xenos lowered himself and chuckled.

"Sometimes."

And that was how he found himself sitting cross-legged at a tiny wooden table, way too undersized for someone like him, eating stew that tasted good for how simple it was.

It was warm and peaceful, almost weirdly peaceful.

The father talked about the "harvest," and about foxes raiding their chicken coop.

The mother complained about the cost of salt these days, while the little girl told him about her cat, who she claimed could talk but only when nobody else was around.

"Uh-huh..."

Xenos nodded seriously.

"You should check if it’s a God in disguise."

The girl gasped.

"You think so?"

"Could be. Cats are suspicious creatures."

Her mother laughed while hiding her mouth.

"Don’t fill her head with stories."

Xenos just smirked and spooned more stew.

It was strange; he’d faced many stronger than himself, many that could curb stomp him into an early grave, but somehow this little table talk was what felt most... grounding.

Xenos had realized how rare it was for him to just be somewhere, without fighting or scheming or nearly dying.

He found himself listening more than talking or acting.

These three weren’t heroes, monsters, or players in any grand game.

To put it plainly, they weren’t interesting at all.

Though rude to say, that was objectively true.

They were just... people.

Normal, fragile, fleeting people.

Ones that he’d never ever talk to.

And for once, that wasn’t boring.

’It’s the first time you’ve done this since you’ve come here, isn’t it?’

Eris asked, and he slowly nodded.

’Yes, maybe that’s why it feels different.’

They had Runes in their Souls, sure, but none had ever taken the step to awaken them.

Too dangerous and costly, so they were content living small lives, and somehow, that felt impressive in its own way.

"So, traveler...

The father eventually leaned back, asking him:

"What do you do?"

Xenos paused, thinking of how to answer.

"...a bit of everything."

"Oh? A mercenary?"

"Something like that."

The wife smiled kindly.

"Be careful out there. My distant cousin went out with mercenaries once... he never came back."

Xenos nodded at her.

"I won’t die easy."

"Good. The world’s cruel enough as it is."

He almost said something cynical but stopped.

These people deserved better than his normal act.

"Yes. I guess it is."

The rest of the dinner passed quietly.

Xenos helped the husband stack firewood, teased the little girl about her ’Divine cat,’ and even washed the dishes after dinner, much to the mother’s protest, who wanted to do everything by herself, something that he found hilariously typical.

By the time he finally laid down on the straw mattress they offered him, tiredness had claimed him.

His last thought before sleep was simple.

’...this is nice.’

...

Morning came fast.

Sunlight shone through wood, and birds chirped.

After bidding Eris good morning, Xenos stretched, yawned, and stepped outside to find the family already awake.

He thanked them sincerely, handed the man an extra silver coin, much to his wholesome surprise, and turned to leave.

"Mister!"

The little girl waved from the doorway.

"Goodbye, mister!"

He waved back.

"Keep an eye on your God-cat!"

Her giggle followed him down the path.

’You seemed to enjoy yourself back there.’

Xenos nodded at Eris as he walked toward the hills.

"Hm... The days since I’ve come here have been crazy fun, but sometimes living quietly is nice too."

Eris had nothing to say about that.

Xenos had answered Her honestly and directly with no vague nonsense.

That was...

’...good.’

Indeed, it was.

As was the speed of them finding the entrance Xenos fell into last time.

By noon, he’d reached the twin hills, where the massive hole in the ground sat.

The wind brushed through the grass, carrying that familiar smell of Corruption from below.

"Lucky day."

It seemed that Lady Luck had blessed him; no one had covered it yet.

Dropping down willingly and being seen by someone would have him immediately branded as Debter of Oath, but that risk mattered not to Xenos. He was sure he needed to Dive to create this overpowered build he had in mind.

"Yes... I’ve got a build to finish."

That was enough to hold up in court.

Materializing his Stranger’s Mask, he adjusted it over his face.

Xenos stepped closer to the edge and leaped.

Wind roared past his ears...

Darkness swallowed him whole...

"I’ve returned~!"

And his laughter echoed all the way down.

"WELCOME ME HOME!"