Chapter 9: Starting The Grind [2.]
As Elias stepped back into the house, he was greeted by the scent of wood and earth but he ignored it as he finally gave the interior a proper look.
He hadn’t had the chance to before—not when he’d just woken up, then dealt with the system, then Alia, and after that, the system’s daily quest.
Now, as his eyes slowly scanned the room, he started to notice more details.
In one corner lay a bed made from dried Ashveil Grass, with a thin, worn cloth thrown loosely on top. It didn’t look comfortable—but it had worked. That was where he’d woken up earlier.
Nearby stood a crooked table and a rough-looking chair, both clearly handmade.
On the table sat a chunk of dry bread and a water gourd—medium-sized, made of rugged leather, and clearly old.
That must’ve been what the original owner of the body had been living on for the past few days. Elias stepped forward and gave the gourd a little shake, only to realize there was barely anything left inside. He sighed and shook his head.
"No wonder this body felt so weak," Elias muttered. "Living on dry bread and almost no water..."
He turned again, and his eyes landed on a corner he hadn’t noticed earlier—and finally spotted what he’d been looking for.
Leaning against the far wall were some tools.
Elias couldn’t help but smile when he saw the pile of worn gear resting there. It felt oddly familiar.