I'm The Wrong Guy In The Wrong World : It's An Otome Game?

Afternoon. In the backyard garden, the gentle scent of red roses drifted into my nose. The air was comfortably warm, and the distant chirping of small birds could be heard beyond the bushes. I sat leisurely under the shade of a tree, enjoying a cup of hot tea while munching on a sandwich prepared by Bernicia.

But—this time, I wasn't alone. Master Eldrin, the eccentric old mage, sat across from me, calmly sipping his tea.

"Keh, you really look like a zombie," he said flatly, placing his teacup on the small table beside the bench.

Earlier, when I tried to shoo this annoying old man away, he caused a scene at the front gate. In the end, to avoid disgracing the Lucien family name, I gave in and brought him to the backyard to talk.

"Congratulations, old man. You're now the third person to call me a zombie." I answered while chewing a sandwich. "So, what's this important thing you wanted to talk about?" I asked, leaning back in the garden chair, one leg crossed over the other.

Eldrin had previously claimed to be a former Archmage of the Tharsaros Kingdom's royal court. In short, he was someone with a high rank—probably equivalent to a royal minister.

[ Eldrin | LV: 83 ]

Well, judging by his high level, it might actually be true. Although... sometimes, this old man looked more like a beggar than a retired royal Archmage.

"Well, I did retire and try to live a peaceful life here in the Lucien territory—"

"Alright, that's enough, old man." I cut him off, raising a hand. "If you're looking to vent, find someone else willing to listen to your complaints," I added with a shake of my head.

"Hey, kid! Stop being so rude to your elders!"

"Hah, you're the one being rude... Suddenly showing up and forcing a meeting with a noble without any appointment."

"You! If this were the palace, nobles would bow their heads the moment they saw me. But you? You curse so freely!"

"Oh sure. This is what nobility looks like in the countryside... or rather, I just don't care about such formalities." I sipped my tea again calmly.

"Young master, please, calm down..." Behind me, Bernicia's gentle, nervous voice echoed.

The old man sighed. "Damn kids these days, no manners." He shook his head slowly while sipping his tea. "I heard you've become a Tier 1 Mage, haven't you?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's right."

"Not bad," he muttered, sipping his tea. "Previously, you only showed basic magic. But now... you've become a full-fledged Tier 1 Mage."

I flinched slightly at his words. Before, I had only shown him a few basic spells. But… if someone could use basic magic, wasn't that already considered a Tier 1 Mage?

"Old man, is there a difference between a Tier 1 Mage and someone who can just use basic spells?"

"You didn't realize it?" He looked at me incredulously, then puffed out his chest like he was lecturing a child. "Just using basic spells like Ignite doesn't make you worthy of being called a Mage."

"Fine, whatever. I don't care." I sighed and stood up. "If that's all you wanted to discuss, old man, I'm heading back to my room."

"Here, take this." He held out a book to me.

I turned, slightly hesitant. The book looked old yet luxurious—thick, with golden embroidery on the cover. I took it instinctively and read the title on the front.

Advanced Magic Grimoire

I looked back at his face, narrowing my eyes slightly.

"Consider it a small gift from a retired Archmage," he said lightly, with a faint proud smile on his wrinkled face.

"Alright... I've got nothing more to say." He turned. "If you ever need something, come to my shop." With slow steps, he waved and left the garden, leaving me and Bernicia in silence.

Once he was gone, I quickly made my way back to my room.

"I'm going straight to bed," I mumbled.

Without bothering to change clothes, I collapsed onto the bed.

"Bernicia, if you go out, make sure to lock the door. And don't let anyone disturb me."

"Yes, young master." Bernicia nodded, then quietly stepped out and closed the door gently.

I closed my eyes. The world around me slowly faded… until only calm darkness remained.

---

Tak! Tak! Tak!

The sound of horse hooves struck the stone path as we traveled eastward, toward the mountains on Lucien's eastern border. The destination was clear—an expedition to an old iron mine at the mountain's foot.

Normally, the trip would take around three days. However, this time, it seemed we'd only need two. Most of the monsters in the surrounding area had become Genesis' meals. With the reduced number of aggressive monsters, wild animals and smaller, less dangerous monsters had started to reappear.

And here I was—inside the carriage with Bernicia. Meanwhile, the front carriage was driven by Alric and Elyra, accompanied by mounted guards and a group of adventurers who seemed quite experienced.

The adventurer group was actually additional support from Elyra. As part of her initial investment, she had sent them to assist with this expedition. So far... I hadn't even spoken to Elyra directly.

"Bernicia, I'm bored," I murmured lazily.

"Young master, please be patient. If you're hungry, I brought some sandwiches," Bernicia replied gently.

A few hours later, we finally stopped to set up camp. The adventurers suggested a strategic location for the tents, while the soldiers began preparing the equipment.

Among the adventurers, a few stood out. A hunter-looking man with a large bow, always accompanied by a giant dog—or perhaps a wolf. Then there was a fighter wielding a massive shield and longsword, a robed mage with a classic pointed hat, and a thin, nimble man who climbed trees to scout the area.

Apolo's voice broke the silence as I observed them.

"More like a classic RPG party combo, if you ask me."

"Young master, what are you talking about?" Bernicia asked, sitting beside me.

"Nothing important, Bernicia. We're just commentators today," I replied casually, waving a hand.

"Hmm..." Bernicia murmured, not entirely convinced.

Once the tent was set up, Bernicia and I walked to the one prepared for us. For some reason, a few adventurers glanced at us with hard-to-read expressions.

Bernicia looked a little nervous under their gaze. Understandable… with her graceful demeanor and looks, Bernicia's beauty rivaled any noblewoman's. Even in maid attire, her gentle aura still stole attention.

"Bernicia, what's wrong? You seem nervous," I asked as I sat on the edge of the foldable bed inside the tent.

She turned slowly. "Young master, isn't this journey going to be too dangerous?"

I shrugged casually. "Relax. There's nothing to worry about. If anything goes wrong, the protagonist Alex will handle it."

Apolo chimed in, his tone dripping with sarcasm and drama.

"Eh..." Bernicia looked surprised, her eyes widening slightly. "Young master… can this artifact really talk like that?" she asked, tilting her head, her expression a mix of confusion and wonder.

"Obviously." I smiled faintly. "Apolo isn't just any artifact. He can think, analyze, even complain like a human."

Then I leaned in slightly and lowered my voice, "But please keep it a secret. I don't want to draw too much attention. Just treat Apolo like a normal navigation artifact in front of others."

"Hehe… our little secret?" Bernicia smiled sweetly.

"Exactly."

"Of course, young master. I'll keep our secret… for life."

"Good. Clever girl." I reached out and gently patted Bernicia's head. Her blue-brown hair felt soft between my fingers.

"Excuse me, young master, are you inside?" Alex's voice called from outside the tent.

"Yes, Alex. What is it?" I got up and stepped outside. Alex stood tall with his chest puffed out, as always.

"Sir, dinner has been prepared."

"Hmm..." I thought for a moment. "Alright, go ahead and eat without me," I said with a casual wave.

"Young master, you're not joining them for dinner?" Bernicia asked softly.

"No. I'll cook my own meal," I answered with a small smile.

"Eh...?" Bernicia looked a little surprised.

I walked toward the edge of the campsite, gathering twigs and firewood to make a campfire. We chose a spot a bit away from the soldiers and adventurers, but still within a safe distance. Bernicia followed quietly, as if used to my odd behavior.

Once the fire was burning steadily, I set up a simple grill over the embers. The blazing fire chased away the chilly evening air.

From my Inventory, I took out some ingredients: fresh vegetables and premium cuts of beef. Bernicia sat across from me and began helping skewer the meat.

"I'll handle the sauce," I said.

I mixed thick molasses—one of my recent experimental successes—with a few local aromatic herbs and a bit of rock salt. As the sauce thickened perfectly, a sweet and savory aroma filled the air.

While Bernicia grilled the skewers slowly over the coals, I began brushing the molasses sauce onto the meat as it browned.

Ssshhh!

The sound of hot sauce hitting meat instantly made mouths water. A fragrant, sweet, spicy herbal aroma rose into the air, overpowering the scent of food from the main kitchen.

Bernicia gave a small smile. Her eyes watched the skewers as they cooked.

Once they were ready, I handed one to her. She eyed the cooked meat hesitantly, then glanced at me as if seeking permission.

"Go ahead," I said casually, brushing a final layer of molasses sauce onto one of the skewers.

Carefully, she brought the piece of meat to her mouth—biting into the tip slowly.

Ssshhh!

Her eyes widened slightly at the first bite. She covered her mouth with her hand, as if hiding her surprise. Then she slowly chewed, trying to savor the explosion of flavor.

"Mm... This is... amazing..." she said softly, full of wonder. "It's sweet... there's a warmth from the herbs... and the marinade... it really sinks in."

I just glanced at her and gave a faint smile.

Glad you liked it.

Yeah... this is how it should be. Moments like this, camping... it really felt like being an adventurer. Sitting under the night sky, warming up by the fire, cooking your own food out in nature.

A little—just a little—reminded me of memories from my past life.

Silence. Only the crackling of wood in the fire and the breeze of the night wind kept us company.

Apolo's voice shattered the silence.