​

Zarin walked alongside the adventurer and the goblin through the forest, still trying to get his bearings after the chaotic encounter with the Faceless. The chicken he had summoned during the battle clucked behind them, content to follow him. Zarin glanced back at it, wondering how long it would stick around.

Out of curiosity, Zarin decided to test the chicken’s potential. When the goblin wasn’t looking, he leaned down and whispered, “Hey, chicken, attack the goblin.”

The bird blinked its beady eyes up at Zarin, clucking softly before suddenly waddling toward the goblin with clumsy determination. Zarin tensed, watching the scene unfold as the chicken closed in on its unsuspecting target.

Without warning, the chicken leaped toward her with an awkward flap of its wings, aiming its beak at her legs. The goblin, still unaware of Zarin’s whispered command, reacted instinctively. She raised her leg and kicked the bird mid-flight in one swift motion, sending it tumbling back with a startled squawk.

The chicken hit the ground, flapping wildly, but to Zarin’s surprise, it wasn’t hurt. It clucked and stood back up, dazed but seemingly unharmed.

‘Well, at least it can take a few hits,’ he thought, somewhat amused. ‘Still useless in combat, though.’

As they continued walking, the adventurer spoke up. “We should set up camp soon. It’s getting late, and we’ll need a fire.”

Zarin nodded. “Good idea. And, uh, about dinner…” He glanced at the chicken still following him. “I think we’ve got our meal right here.”

The adventurer raised an eyebrow, looking at the chicken with interest. “You plan to eat your summoned creature?”

Zarin shrugged. “Might as well. It’s not like it’s doing anything useful. Better to roast it than let it go to waste.”

The goblin chuckled. “Fair enough. A summoned meal is better than no meal.”

---

The three of them found a small clearing sheltered by trees and close to a stream. It was an ideal spot to set up camp. Zarin and the adventurer gathered some firewood while the goblin, now more relaxed and pleased with Zarin’s presence, prepared a space for the fire.

Once everything was set, Zarin gave the chicken a last command. “Okay, chicken, time for you to be useful.”

The chicken clucked innocently, oblivious to its fate.

With the adventurer’s help, they swiftly handled the chicken, and soon it was roasting over the fire. The smell of cooking meat filled the air, and for a moment, Zarin felt a small sense of victory. ‘At least my first dice roll wasn’t a complete waste.’

As the fire crackled and the three settled down to eat, Zarin realized they still hadn’t exchanged names.

“So, what’s your name?” Zarin asked the adventurer, breaking the silence as they enjoyed their meal.

The adventurer wiped his mouth and sat up straighter. “Oh, right! I’m Halric.” He smiled sheepishly. “Guess I got too focused on surviving back there to introduce myself.”

Zarin chuckled. “Yeah, I get it. I’m Zarin, by the way.”

The goblin, who had been nibbling on her portion of the roasted chicken, glanced up and smirked. “And I am Jorra, daughter of the great goblin chief.”

Zarin gave her a polite nod, trying to keep things casual despite the earlier awkwardness. “Nice to meet you both… officially.”

As they continued eating, Zarin’s curiosity grew. “So, Halric, why are you out here in the forest?”

Halric nodded, leaning back against a tree. “I’m on a quest for the Lionhead’s Guild. I’m trying to join, but to get in, they gave me a quest to test me.”

Zarin’s curiosity ignited. “What kind of quest?”

Halric explained, “They sent me to kill a Dire Wolf terrorizing nearby farms. I had to bring back proof of the kill, which I’ve already done.” He patted a small pouch on his belt. “I’ve got its fangs as proof. I was returning to town when I ran into that Faceless thing and Jorra.”

Zarin raised an eyebrow. “So you’ve already completed your quest?”

Halric nodded. “Yeah, though the Faceless wasn’t part of it. That was just bad luck, I guess.” He chuckled awkwardly. “Or maybe good luck, considering you showed up.”

Zarin grinned. “Yeah, I guess it worked out for both of us.”

“So, you’re trying to join a Guild?” Zarin asked, changing the subject.

Halric nodded. “Yeah, anyone can try to join, but you have to pass a recruiting quest first. It’s a way to prove yourself. The quest varies depending on your skills—some people gather herbs, others slay monsters. It’s different for everyone.”

Zarin nodded thoughtfully. “And there’s a Guild nearby?”

“Yeah,” Halric said, pointing in a direction. “The town of Brellin is about a day’s walk from here. They’ve got one branch of a top Guild. That’s where I’m heading.”

Zarin’s mind raced. Joining the Guild sounded like an excellent way to get stronger, learn about the world, and possibly make some allies. “And anyone can try to join?”

“Exactly,” Halric replied. “Though it’s difficult. Many people fail the recruiting quests. You’ve got to prove you can handle the work the Guild offers.”

Zarin’s curiosity grew. This sounded exactly like how guilds worked in the stories and games he used to enjoy back on Earth. It made sense—fantasy worlds often had structures like this. “So, what do you think my odds are?” he asked jokingly.

Halric raised an eyebrow. “Well, you took down a Faceless, so you’re pretty strong. What are your stats like?”

Zarin froze. “Stats?”

“Yeah, your stats—strength, agility, Mind, endurance. You know, the basics. You don’t check your stats?”

Zarin blinked. He hadn’t even thought about stats since arriving in this world. There must be a Status Window if this world was like a game. He quickly focused, thinking, ‘If there’s a way to see my stats, it should pop up… right?’

Sure enough, a translucent window appeared before him, displaying his stats and other information.

————————————————————

Status Window

Name: Zarin

Class: Gambler of Fate (Lvl. 4)

HP: 100/100

MP: 50/50

SP: 50/50

Stats

Strength: 10

Agility: 11

Mind: 10

Endurance: 10

Luck: 46

Skills

Combat Insight (Lvl. 5)

Pain Resistance (Lvl. 1)

Fate Dice-d6 (Lvl. 2)

Innate Traits

Fortune’s Favor

————————————————————

Zarin stared at the numbers, his initial reaction being disappointment. “Uh… I guess I’m not as strong as I thought,” he muttered. His stats seemed incredibly basic. Only his Luck stat stood out, which was absurdly high compared to everything else.

Curious, he shared his stats with Halric. “My strength is 10, agility is 11, Mind is 10, and endurance is 10. And… my Luck is 46.”

Both Halric and Jorra froze, their expressions shifting from confusion to outright shock.

“Wait… what?” Halric stammered. “That can’t be right. Those stats are really low.”

Zarin frowned. “What do you mean? Aren’t those just… normal stats?”

Jorra crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing as she studied him more closely. “Those are extremely low, even for a human. Some human children would have higher stats than that.”

Zarin’s stomach dropped. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No, she is not,” Halric said, looking baffled. “Any rookie adventurer would have higher strength and agility than that. Or at least their Mind would be higher if they were more on an arcane path. And your endurance is barely above what a sickly person would have.”

Zarin felt a sinking feeling in his gut. “But… I took down a Faceless!”

Jorra chuckled softly. “Perhaps your class allows for… unique abilities. But your stats alone wouldn’t have carried you through that fight. I assume you would be dead if it weren’t for your Luck.”

Halric nodded, his expression serious. “Luck is one of the hardest stats to increase. Most people barely have any—maybe 0 or 1. You having 45 is… disturbing. That’s incredibly high.”

Zarin swallowed hard. “So, what does that mean?”

“It means,” Jorra said with a grin, “you’re surviving by luck alone, hero.”

Zarin sat back, letting the information sink in. His basic stats were meager, but his Luck was off the charts. It was probably the only reason he’d survived the fight with the Faceless at all.

“So I’m… just lucky?” he asked, his voice full of disbelief.

Halric chuckled. “Seems like it. But with a high Luck stat, maybe that’s all you need.”

Zarin sighed, feeling both relieved and unnerved. “Great,” he muttered. “Just my luck.”