Chapitre 6: Staying in the Inn
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange glow across the forest clearing. The sounds of the surrounding wildlife softened as the cool evening air began to settle in. It had been a long, exhausting day of fighting goblins, with Alex feeling the weight of each swing more than the last. His body ached, his muscles sore from the intense combat, but he had pushed through. The effort was paying off—after hours of fighting with Princess Selene, he had finally leveled up.
Level 3.
It wasn't much, but it was progress. He had gained a few more stats, his Strength and Agility still lagging behind, but it was a step in the right direction. And while Selene's magic had dealt with the majority of the goblins, Alex had still managed to land a few blows, which felt like small victories.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing heavily, his sword feeling like it weighed twice as much now. Selene stood a few feet away, her expression unreadable as always, her arms crossed beneath her chest.
"Well, well," she said, her voice light but carrying an edge of amusement. "I must say, Alex, I'm impressed."
Alex looked at her, confusion crossing his face. "Impressed? For what?"
Selene smirked, her ruby-red eyes glinting in the fading light. "For managing to stay on your feet for this long. I thought you might collapse after the first ten minutes."
Alex forced a laugh, though it sounded strained. "Yeah, I'm... I'm tougher than I look, I guess."
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharpening as she regarded him. "Are you really? I didn't see much of that toughness when you were struggling to land a hit earlier."
His face flushed with embarrassment.
'Great, here we go again.'
Selene seemed to have an uncanny ability to find his weakest moments and turn them into playful jabs. But it was hard to stay angry with her. She was, after all, the only one who had stuck by him throughout this mess.
"I'm still getting used to it," Alex muttered, wiping his hands on his pants. "This is nothing like the games I've played."
"Obviously," Selene remarked with a raised eyebrow. "If it were, you'd have leveled up by now and been slaying goblins with ease. It seems you've got a lot of catching up to do, hero."
Alex gritted his teeth but didn't respond. There was no denying it—his stats were below average, and his progress was slow. But it wasn't like he wasn't trying. The exhaustion from the day weighed heavily on him, and he found it hard to keep his mind focused, especially with Selene's teasing.
"By the way," she continued, "I think you should be grateful to me. Without me, you'd still be struggling to kill a single goblin."
"I know," Alex said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "I'm grateful. Really."
Selene's lips curled into a sly smile, as if she were savoring the moment. "I'd like to think I'm your greatest asset, Alex. But don't get too comfortable. You'll need to keep up with me if you want to survive here."
Alex nodded absently, his thoughts drifting back to his slow progress. He was still so far behind everyone else. His Strength stat was abysmally low, and his Agility and Endurance were no better. The only reason he'd leveled up to 3 was because of Selene's support. He couldn't help but feel like a burden to her.
"Why are you helping me so much, anyway?" he asked, his voice quieter now. "You don't have to do this. I'm just a liability. I'm no hero."
Selene's smile faltered, her gaze softening for a brief moment. It was a rare sight—something that might have been considered almost... kind. "It's not about you being a hero. It's about surviving."
She paused for a moment, her usual sharpness returning as she flicked her pink hair over her shoulder. "And besides, you're not entirely useless. You're just... inexperienced."
Alex was about to respond, but Selene cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Enough with the whining. You've made progress today. That's all that matters for now."
He let out a breath, unsure of how to feel. The day had been a mix of frustration and small triumphs, but he was still far from where he needed to be. He looked at the sky, noting the deepening shadows of night. It would soon be impossible to continue traveling.
"Speaking of which," Selene said, her voice taking on a more practical tone, "it's getting late. We should head to the nearest inn. The castle is too far to reach before nightfall, and it's unwise to camp here."
Alex didn't argue. The idea of a bed, even a simple one, sounded like heaven right now. The day had been long, and sleep was starting to tug at him.
"I'll follow your lead," he said, moving to gather his things.
The walk to the inn was relatively uneventful. The roads in the kingdom of Galdor were well-paved, the trees of the forest giving way to well-kept fields. A slight breeze carried the scent of fresh grass, and the stars above began to twinkle in the clear night sky. The journey was peaceful enough, but Alex could feel the weight of the day on his shoulders.
As they reached the inn, a small, rustic building with a warm glow spilling from the windows, Selene led the way to the front door. She opened it with ease, her expression as composed as ever, and they stepped inside.
The interior was simple but cozy—wooden beams stretched across the ceiling, and a fire crackled merrily in the hearth. The innkeeper, a burly man with a thick beard, looked up from behind the counter and nodded as the two of them entered.
"Good evening, your highness," he said with a respectful bow. "And... you must be the heroes?"
Alex gave him a small, awkward wave, his discomfort palpable. The innkeeper didn't seem fazed by his awkwardness, though. He turned and led them to a private room at the back of the inn. It wasn't anything luxurious—just a small table, two chairs, and a modest bed. But after a day like today, Alex couldn't care less about the accommodations.
Selene immediately took a seat at the table, her eyes scanning the room with a critical gaze. "This will do," she said, her voice carrying a note of finality.
Alex nodded, still feeling somewhat out of place. He sat down across from her, the tension between them thick in the air. They hadn't spoken much since arriving at the inn, and the silence felt strange.
"So," Alex said after a long pause, trying to fill the awkwardness, "what's the plan for tomorrow?"
Selene leaned back in her chair, her fingers idly tracing the edges of the table. "Tomorrow, we continue your training. But don't expect things to get easier. If you can't even handle goblins, you have a long way to go before you'll be ready for anything tougher."
Alex sighed, staring down at the table. He had no illusions about his situation. He was weak, and the reality of this world was harsh. But the sting of Selene's words hit harder than he expected. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.
Then, Selene's voice broke through his thoughts.
"You should rest now," she said, her tone softer than usual. "We've both had a long day."
Alex blinked, surprised by the sudden change in her demeanor. But he didn't question it. He was too tired to argue.
"Thanks," he muttered, standing up to prepare for bed.
Later that night, as the inn grew quieter and the sounds of the world outside faded into nothing, Alex lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The room was dim, but he was too exhausted to care. Sleep was finally beginning to claim him, but his thoughts were still racing.
What was Selene really after? Why had she decided to stick by him? Her kindness—if that's what it was—seemed so out of place in the cold, unforgiving world of Eldoria.
'Was she just playing me?'
As the night wore on, Alex's mind drifted into uneasy sleep, unaware of the plans that were already beginning to take shape.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone