One year old! My first birthday in this new world is coming up, and man, what a way to celebrate! Dad came in one day with a kinda forced smile and announced, "Family! And noisy extras!" (this last part aimed at Borin and Kael) "We're going on a trip! A few weeks of fresh air, camping, picnics... mandatory family fun!"
Mom raises an eyebrow. "Mandatory, Garen?"
Dad scratches the back of his neck. "Well, the mayor... uh... insisted I take a vacation. Said something about 'a hero is also a father and husband' and practically kicked me out of the office."
Borin bursts into laughter. "Hahaha! The little mayor put you in your place, Captain!"
"Quiet, Borin!" Dad grumbles, though he can't totally hide a small smile. The idea of a real break, away from responsibilities (even minor ones), seems to be growing on him. Mom is beaming; she's making food lists, checking maps, and packing baskets with frightening efficiency. Mom's food for several weeks! Now that is a birthday present!
On departure day, a pretty beat-up but sturdy vehicle rolls up in front of our house. It's a kind of closed carriage, dark wood and worn metal, with big, tough wheels. Pulled by what look like two huge jet-black unicorns (twice the size of normal horses), their bodies like dark smoke, big red eyes with no irises, horns almost as long as their limbs, and armored to match the carriage.
It's definitely seen better days, but it gives off this vibe of... reliability. The details on the door catch my eye—a simple cross symbol, with the letters G (red), L (blue), B (brown), and K (light gray) filling the spaces between each quarter of the glyph. Referring, I guess, to these characters right in front of me.
Not wanting to stay wondering, I ask, "What... that?" pointing with my chubby finger. My speech has improved a lot; I can form short sentences and ask questions, though pronunciation is still a challenge.
"Ah, the 'Intrepid'!" Borin booms proudly, slapping the side of the carriage hard enough to make the whole thing shake. "This old beauty took us through scorching deserts and frozen mountains! Official transport of the Four Greats!"
"F-four... Gr-greats?" I repeat the word, though it's kinda hard; sounds important.
Kael smiles nostalgically. "That's what they called us back in the day, little guy. Garen here was the muscle and the shield, Borin the unstoppable force, Lyra the sharp eye and true arrow, and me... well, I made sure we found the secret doors and that the purses were never empty."
Lyra, who looks focused checking the straps on those horse-beasts, nods. "We explored countless dungeons together. Like nature defying fate in the very crevices of reality itself," she smiles to herself, gazing toward the distant forest, then looks up at the now slightly cloudy sky and continues, "They used to say there wasn't a challenge the Four Greats couldn't overcome."
Dad looks a little uncomfortable with the praise. "Just doing our job. Different times." But I see the warmth in his eyes, the memory of camaraderie and adventure. So these weren't just "adventurer friends," they were a legendary team. And I get to travel in their old carriage. Sweet! Means I can sleep more!
We settle inside. And I gotta say... it's cozy. Smells like old leather, road dust, a bit of sweat, and something vaguely metallic. Padded benches on the sides, enough room for all of us and Mom's mountains of food. The journey begins. The constant rattle of the carriage becomes the background noise of our lives for the next few days.
We talk a lot. I try asking in my baby way, pointing at stuff we see out the window: wheat fields that soon give way to wooded hills, deep winding rivers. They happily tell me stories (censored kid-friendly versions, I suspect) of battles against goblins, negotiations with grumpy dwarves, and exploring ancient ruins. My [Fast Learner] is working overtime, absorbing geography, history, and anecdotes.
"Papa, big bear?" I ask, seeing a rock formation that vaguely looks like one.
"No, champ, that's just a rock," Garen laughs. "But one time, Borin tried to fight a real bear over a salmon..."
"It was a magnificent salmon!" Borin interrupts. "And I won fair and square!"
"The bear left 'cause it got bored of your yelling," Kael retorts dryly.
In quiet moments, while the others sleep or talk softly, I close my eyes and focus on my core. That 90% feels... denser. More potent. I keep gently pulling at the surrounding energy, refining it, trying to weave together that last 10%. Still no major breakthrough, but I feel a deeper connection, a greater sensitivity to the mana flow around me, maybe heightened by being outside the familiar village environment.
Decide to check my status, curious if the trip and constant interactions have changed anything.
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[Lexo]
Level: 0.90
Age: Almost 12 months
HP: 22/22 (+2)
MP: 30/30 (+2)
STR: 3
VIT: 4 (+1)
INT: ?? (Functional Linguistic Comprehension, Basic Reasoning)
WIS: ?? (Sharp Environmental Observation, Basic Social Analysis)
DEX: 4 (+1)
MAG: 3
Core: 90% Formed (High Density)Skills: [Fast Learner (Passive) Lv.1]
Preliminary Elemental Affinities Detected: Air (Weak), Light (Vestigial)
Status: Conscious Mind, Self-Teaching (Practical Skills/World Knowledge), Traveling, Active Core Refinement.
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VITALITY and DEXTERITY went up! Probably from the constant rattling and having to keep my balance in the carriage, plus my practice sessions with Dad's friends. INTELLIGENCE and WISDOM reflect my improvement in language and understanding my surroundings/social cues. The core now says "High Density," which confirms what I was feeling. Now that's progress!
I keep watching the journey, perched with Mom, enjoying the scenery as we go deeper into the forest. At the same time, I start to notice in the distance how our village is starting to look like just a blur in the mist we're being swallowed by. I feel calm, trusting all of them and believing in their combat skills. Hope when I wake up from my nap, we'll already be camping.