Chapter 26: The Rise of Cayton

“They say he’s completely transformed in just a few days, right?”  

People were whispering about Cayton. 

It seems he’s gained quite a bit of fame in my absence.  

The announcer stepped into the center of the arena.  

“Let the adventurer qualification exam begin! All participants, please enter the arena.”  

About twenty aspiring adventurers walked in, Cayton among them.  

“This exam will test your basic stamina and agility!”  

The arena fell silent for a moment, tension hanging in the air.  

“Ready!”  

Bwooo!  

Dada dada.  

The trumpet blared, filling the arena, and the aspiring adventurers sprinted forward, kicking up dirt. 

Cheers and shouts erupted from the stands.  

“Run!”  

“Keep it up!”  

“You’ve got this!”  

The first challenge was log dragging.  

Each participant shouldered a large log tied with rope and dragged it along.  

Ughhh.  

“Why won’t this thing move? Is it caught on something?”  

“Ugh! This is weird. It moved fine yesterday!”  

Some struggled with the logs, eventually bursting out in frustration. 

Dropouts started piling up right from the first challenge.  

Meanwhile, the leading group made their struggles look trivial, dragging their logs effortlessly and even running with them.  

“Look over there! That’s the guy I was talking about!”  

“He’s in the lead group, as expected. But was he really that frail just a week ago?”  

“No kidding. Hard to believe even seeing it, right?”  

As they said, Cayton was neck-and-neck in the top ranks.  

Now that I think about it, everyone in the lead group was at the training field that day.  

They must have benefited from the vitality drink too.  

The announcer shouted,  

“They’ve already reached the second challenge! Can they overcome this obstacle?”  

The second challenge tested balance.  

Participants had to cross a narrow log bridge while carrying buckets full of water in both hands. 

Spilling water or falling off meant disqualification.  

This is where a lot of people will drop out. Can Cayton handle this challenge?  

Cayton had focused his training on stamina. Balance and agility are hard to improve in a short time.  

I watched him nervously as he reached the second challenge.  

Whoosh.  

Cayton lifted the heavy water-filled buckets.  

After a deep breath, he dashed forward without hesitation.  

“He’s running on a narrow log bridge? With buckets in both hands?”  

“He’s barely spilling any water!”  

“That’s impressive!”  

Unexpectedly, he was agile. 

It could only be natural talent. 

The lead group pulled further ahead here.  

“Finally, the last challenge!”  

The final challenge was a long-distance run, testing endurance and agility.  

“Look at that. He’s smiling.”  

“No kidding. Doesn’t he ever get tired?”  

“He’s going to pass with ease.”  

Those who enjoy what they do and work hard are formidable. 

Combine the two, and they grow at a terrifying pace.  

“And now, the first to pass!”  

Cayton crossed the finish line at a blazing speed.  

“Incredible! He’s set the fifth-best record in history! A fearsome rookie has emerged!”  

The announcer spat with excitement.  

Clap clap clap.  

I applauded Cayton. 

The crowd around me joined in, soon erupting into cheers.  

“Amazing!”  

“So cool!”  

A new “rising star” was born.  

Most of the audience had heard of Cayton’s efforts through rumors.  

“This is a true human triumph.”  

“I got choked up just now.”  

“How did he train that frail body?”  

“He must’ve put in unimaginable effort.”  

The vitality drink’s effects are indeed remarkable. 

It turned someone who could barely train an hour a day due to stamina limits into someone who could train all day.  

But the vitality drink only aided his recovery. 

His achievements were purely the “fruits of his effort.”  

I went to the waiting area to meet Cayton.  

“Congratulations, Cayton!”  

Cayton was startled to see me, then broke into a wide smile.  

“Fabir? You were watching the exam?”  

“You’re officially an adventurer now. And fifth-best record ever? That’s incredible!”  

“It’s all thanks to you, Fabir.”  

“Did you hear those cheers? Your popularity’s through the roof!”  

Cayton scratched the back of his head.  

“It’s a bit embarrassing. It all feels so sudden.”  

“You’ll get even more famous, so you’d better get used to it. I’m counting on you to promote the shop! Thanks to you, it’ll grow quickly.”  

“I’m the one who should be asking for your support. I’ll take this responsibility seriously and step up.”  

Cayton grinned brightly, but I noticed his lips were cracked and bleeding.  

He must’ve pushed himself hard for the exam.  

“Speaking of, your lips are chapped. We just got a new item at the apothecary that works wonders for mouth ulcers.”  

“Really? I’m heading there now. If it’s your product, I trust it completely!”  

***

“Elenia, I’m back.”  

“Welcome back. Why all the fabric?”  

“Sleeping on the bare ground keeps hurting my back. I’m going to make a mattress for now.”  

I spread the fabric I got from the market on the ground and took out a needle and thread.  

“You’re making it yourself? Do you know how to sew?”  

“It’s basic stuff. At the orphanage, we patched up holes in our clothes ourselves.”  

I folded the fabric in half and started stitching the bottom and sides.  

“It’s all crooked. If you’re not careful, it’ll tear quickly.”  

“I know. I need to focus, so be quiet.”  

I carefully stitched, one step at a time. The length was considerable, so stitching just the bottom took thirty minutes.  

“My eyes are going to pop out.”  

“You’re making this harder than it needs to be.”  

“I want to use cotton grown on the Floating Island. I saw bedding at the market, but nothing’s as soft as this.”  

The cotton growing on the Floating Island was unlike anything on the ground. 

It was so fluffy it safely cushioned my fall from the sky, didn’t it?  

“Done. Now to stuff it with cotton.”  

I filled it with cotton harvested from the field and quickly stitched up the remaining side.  

“Finally finished!”  

The stitching was rough, but the fluffiness rivaled any high-end hotel’s.  

I flopped onto the mattress.  

“This is it! So comfortable. I’m going to sleep like a baby.”  

“Let me try lying on it!”  

Elenia plopped down by my head.  

“Oh! It’s so soft and comfy!”  

“Want me to make you one?”  

“No need. I’m more used to Dorori’s feathers.”  

Elenia flew to Dorori, who was resting in the shade of a tree.  

Time to make dinner.  

I picked up a potato for the first time in a while, peeled it, and grated it.  

“What are you making?”  

“Potato pancakes. I had them as a side dish in the eastern continent, and they were delicious. They’re super easy to make too.”  

I squeezed the grated potato in a cloth to extract the moisture, then let it sit until the starch settled at the bottom.  

I mixed the starch back into the grated potato, added flour and salt, and stirred well.  

“Now just cook it.”  

I heated a pan on the stove, coated it with olive oil, and scooped a ladleful of potato batter onto it.  

Sizzle.  

The sound of it cooking tickled my ears.  

“What a beautiful sound.”  

“Time to flip it.”  

When I flipped the pancake, the lightly browned underside revealed itself, glossy and fragrant.  

Gulp.  

“My mouth’s watering so much it’s hard to hold back.”  

“Just a bit longer. It’s almost done.”  

After enduring the wait, I plated the cooked potato pancake.  

“Let’s eat!”  

“That was torture waiting!”  

“Piiit!”  

I tore the pancake into pieces and took a bite.  

Crunch.  

The golden-brown exterior was crisp, almost like it was fried, while the inside was soft, moist, and perfectly chewy.  

“It’s delicious! The crispy, chewy texture is amazing! It’s a whole different flavor from boiled potatoes.”  

“Right?”  

“It’s the same potato, but the cooking method makes such a different taste. So fascinating!”  

“I was shocked the first time I tried it too.”  

“It’s not enough.”  

“Want me to make another batch?”  

“Sounds great!”  

“Piiit!”  

We kept cooking, making two, then three more batches of potato pancakes.  

Elenia rubbed her belly.  

“Ugh, I’m so full. It was so good I overate.”  

“Me too.”  

“Piiit.”  

“It’s a shame to eat something this tasty alone. Why not sell these in the Elf Forest? The elves would love it.”  

“Oh! That’s a great idea.”  

Since expanding to Alburton, I stopped supplying the inn, so potatoes were piling up.  

I should grate some potatoes tonight for tomorrow’s sales. Grating hundreds of potatoes is just a light workout for me.  

The next day.  

“Wow, I slept so well.”  

***

Sleeping on a comfy mattress after a hard floor felt like lying on a cloud, no exaggeration.  

Thanks to the restful sleep, I woke up refreshed even at dawn. 

Is this why they say beds are science?  

I should make potato pancakes before it gets late.  

I started cooking at the crack of dawn, sitting by the stove.  

“Something’s missing… Oh, right! I forgot the pepper garnish.”  

I quickly picked some peppers from the garden, sliced them thinly, and placed one on each pancake as it cooked.  

“Oh! That looks even tastier.”  

“Right? The elves are going to go crazy for this.”  

The pancakes piled up in the basket. Everything was ready.  

Then—  

Boom!  

The Floating Island shook again.  

“This! Is the dragon back?”  

“Let’s go check!”  

We hurried north. As expected, the Red Dragon was coiled up there.  

“Perfect timing! I made some new eastern continent food. Want to try it?”  

Shake shake.  

The dragon shook its head.  

Oh right, it came to use the bathroom.  

“You’re already full? Let me know whenever you want to eat.”  

“Grr.”  

The dragon acknowledged me, but its voice lacked strength.  

“Are you sick?”  

“Now that you mention it, it doesn’t look good.”  

Do dragons even have expressions? I couldn’t tell, but I could sense its discomfort.  

“Grr.”  

“You ate something bad and feel bloated? Indigestion?”  

A dragon with indigestion from overeating?  

It was surprising that a top predator, capable of devouring monsters and beasts whole, could get indigestion.  

“You always eat meat, so that’s probably why. How about eating some fiber-rich, digestion-aiding radishes?”  

“Grr.”  

The dragon shook its head at Elenia’s suggestion.  

“You can’t eat anything?”  

It looked pitiful, unable to relieve itself and fidgeting restlessly.  

“Rest for now. I’ll look for something to help.”  

The Red Dragon thanked me and coiled up, closing its eyes to sleep and aid digestion.  

A dragon with indigestion? 

That’s unacceptable. 

It means I can’t get my golden droppings!  

This was a serious crisis for both the Floating Island and me. 

I had to find a solution.