C17 The Silly Girl Dorothy

"Who am I? That's not important. What's important, brave warrior, is that you have the courage to roam the perilous plains at midnight, yet you hesitate to come a bit closer to me?"

The girl's voice was accompanied by a crisp smile, her teeth a dazzling white, radiating a vivacious charm.

"Come closer? Why do I suddenly feel like singing?"

Rinn, being from the modern world, was quite open-minded.

He cleared his throat and took a seat next to the girl, carefully choosing his position to better admire the pristine view.

"Beautiful, isn't it about time you shared your name with me?" Rinn asked with a coaxed smile.

"I'm Dorothy. And you, warrior?" The girl returned the smile with grace.

"I'm Rinn."

"And where might you hail from?"

"With Snakefield so nearby, where else could I come from?"

"Snakefield, you say? We're fellow townsfolk then!" Dorothy's smile took on a note of surprise.

"Hmm? You're from Snakefield too? Your name rings a bell, though."

Rinn scrutinized Dorothy's features more intently, her beauty striking him as exceptional, surpassing even Jennie's.

He was just an average Joe; he shouldn't know such a beauty.

So why did she seem so familiar?

"Rinn, you don't seem too thrilled about our little hometown reunion," Dorothy teased, her hand resting on the sword lying on the ground.

"Uh..."

Snapping back to reality, Rinn offered an embarrassed grin, "Sorry, I was lost in thought. Your name just sounded familiar."

"Maybe there are just too many Dorothys out there."

She laughed it off generously and then inquired, "So, brave Rinn, what brings you out here in the dead of night?"

"To level up," Rinn almost let slip.

But realizing she wouldn't grasp the concept, he corrected himself, "I'm on a quest. My dream is to become someone great! So I'm here to rid the plains of its menaces for the townspeople."

"I wondered why I stumbled upon so many wild beast carcasses. They were your doing?"

Dorothy was initially taken aback but quickly looked at him with newfound respect, "Your ambition is impressive. Just so you know, I aim to be the greatest swordswoman ever. My journey tonight is part of that lifelong pursuit."

"What a coincidence," Rinn exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.

The young woman before him had a lithe frame, long, slender fingers, and porcelain skin. She was the picture of nobility, yet she aspired to wield a sword as a swordsman? If his memory served him right, the world they inhabited was steeped in feudal traditions. Women were expected to stay home, composing poetry and tending to gardens, while the men dominated the realms of combat and conquest.

Yet here was Dorothy, harboring lofty ambitions in such a society—she was nothing short of a feminist icon. Rinn couldn't help but regard her with newfound reverence.

A wry smile crossed his face as a thought struck him. "So, fair Dorothy, if I clear out all the wild beasts, doesn't that leave you with no chance to gain experience?"

"That's true," Dorothy replied with a gracious smile. "But it's of no consequence. The beasts on these plains are too weak to offer any real challenge. Training here wouldn't test my limits."

Rinn raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Her tone suggested she knew of a more formidable place to hone her skills. "So, where do you intend to venture next?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Beast Valley," Dorothy answered, her face taking on a grave expression as she gazed into the night.

Beast Valley!

Rinn's face tensed at the mention. Intelligence reports had painted Beast Valley as a perilous locale not far from Snakefield. True to its name, the valley was teeming with over a hundred species of wild beasts, including the fearsome Devil Beasts. It was a no-man's-land.

He had considered exploring Beast Valley himself, but his calculations warned him off. If the rumors of its inhabitants were accurate, the monsters there would be formidable, likely level 10 or higher—prime hunting grounds for the experienced. At a mere level 2, wouldn't venturing there be tantamount to suicide?

Was this young woman truly prepared to take such a risk?

Unable to contain his concern, Rinn cast an exploration spell on her.

"Dorothy, human, level 8, Swordsman Apprentice, Strength 8, Agility 10, Intelligence 8..."

As the data streamed before his eyes, Rinn stood there, gobsmacked.

Holy smokes!

A level 8 powerhouse?

Dorothy was a level 8 force to be reckoned with? Rinn had assumed she was a novice like himself.

It turned out they were leagues apart in ability; she was far more formidable than he was!

Rinn, with his strong pride, felt as though he'd been dealt a heavy blow.

Am I really no match for a gorgeous girl with curves in all the right places?

What a travesty!

"But if he's truly at level 8, my exploration spell shouldn't be able to access this information due to the vast gap in our levels. So why can I?" Rinn pondered, only for the system to promptly respond, "Because you are currently teamed up with Dorothy."

"???" Rinn was utterly bewildered.

Teamed up?

Since when did I form a team with Dorothy?

"Dorothy initiated the team-up without the host's knowledge."

"…"

Rinn gazed at Dorothy as if she were some kind of enigma.

Is that even allowed?

When did you decide to team up with me, girl?

"Warrior, why do you blanch at the mention of Beast Valley? Are you frightened? And here I was, hoping to take you there for some joint training!" Dorothy's dark eyes locked onto Rinn.

"Is that so? I'm actually quite keen on the idea!" Rinn responded, his excitement palpable.

If this sword-wielding girl is the powerhouse, then this trip to Beast Valley is a must!

After all, if we're a team, she'll tackle the monsters, and I'll get to level up, right?

"Fantastic!"

Dorothy's laughter boomed as she brandished her sword, chest out, eyes fixed on a point to the west. "Beasts of Beast Valley, are you prepared to quake before the blades of Dorothy and Warrior Rinn?"

Rinn felt a surge of panic.

Why does Dorothy seem to be in such a fantasy world?

Caught up in the moment, he responded with equal fervor, "Sorry, I wield a hammer, not a sword."

Dorothy glanced at the Chaos Hammer lying on the ground, coughed awkwardly, and said, "Ah, my mistake. But no matter, the beasts of Beast Valley are as good as dead!"

With that, she discarded her gear and sprawled out unceremoniously, devoid of any ladylike demeanor.

"Gurgle gurgle..."

As she settled down, an odd noise emerged.

Rinn patted his stomach, puzzled. "Hold on, I was full just a moment ago. Why the rumbling now?"

But it wasn't long before Rinn snapped his head up, noticing Dorothy's flushed face as she sat there, fidgeting uncomfortably.

Holy smokes, was it her stomach making all that racket?

"Dorothy, have you had dinner yet?" Rinn inquired, his voice tinged with concern.

"Ahem, not yet. I was so rushed to get on the road that I skipped eating," she confessed.

Dorothy's response elicited an eye roll from Rinn.

Yeah, right, I'll believe that when pigs fly!

He thought to himself, noting she had nothing with her but her sword.

Where could she possibly stash any food?

"Dorothy, I've got half a roast chicken left over. It was meant for breakfast tomorrow, but if you're okay with it..."

Before Rinn could finish, he reached into his bag and pulled out the chicken.

In the blink of an eye, a swift breeze whisked by, and the roast chicken vanished from his grasp.

There was Dorothy, voraciously tearing into the chicken, her manners out the window, resembling more of a highway robber than a lady.

"This..."

Rinn was dumbfounded.

Her eating habits were a sight for sore eyes, even worse than his...

Way over the top!