Wizard: Start with Biological Transformation to Grind Experience novel Chapter 64

Chapter 64: 004: Disheartened Sailor

Grupa was a dockworker in River Town, loading and unloading cargo since his teenage years. Now, it had been over a decade.

Dock work was anything but easy; it was pure physical labor. Though the pay was decent, many found it too grueling and quickly switched jobs. A worker like Grupa, who had stuck with it for over ten years, was truly rare.

Most dockhands would spend their wages indulging in debauchery, wasting it on women. But Grupa was different—he meticulously saved every coin, spending not a penny beyond necessary expenses.

"Why so diligent, Grupa? Are you planning to save up for a wife?"

Multiple acquaintances had asked him this, and a few widows, aware of his savings, even tried to arrange a match through intermediaries.

But to all these inquiries, Grupa always gave the same response:

"No!"

His explanation was straightforward: "I can’t waste my money on things like that. I’m saving up to buy a ship someday so I can sail west along the Rhine River, to the sea, to seek out the legendary Wizards and embark on thrilling adventures with them!"

Those familiar with Grupa knew that this wasn’t the first time he’d said so.

It seemed as if he were spellbound by the tales he’d heard—dreaming of things that existed only in fantasy: Wizards, sea demons, magic. He constantly fantasized about embarking on a dazzling and exciting adventure.

"Life is short—just a few decades. I refuse to let my life be so dull and ordinary!" he often declared, and when he said this, his eyes would shimmer with light.

"Fool!"

"Dimwit!"

"Idiot!"

That was the consensus among those who knew him.

After all, everyone knew that Wizards, magic—those were all just figments of legend, stories concocted by Minstrels. They were nothing but fantasy. Only a fool would immerse himself in such dreams and believe them to be true.

Once, there had been some young men who, like Grupa, enjoyed fantasizing. They would gather, share their whimsical visions, and imagine their fantastic journeys.

But as the years passed and they grew older, those young men gradually let go of their illusions, returned to reality, got married, and settled down. Only Grupa remained unchanged, clinging to his dreams as ever. _{fɾēewebnσveℓ.com}

Yet, fantasy is, after all, just fantasy!

Time flew by, and over ten years had elapsed. Grupa was now over thirty, with half his life already gone.

Despite all this time, he had yet to embark on a single adventure. While his wages were sufficient for sustenance, saving enough for a seafaring ship was nothing more than a hopeless pipe dream.

Maybe... I should give up?

As his physical strength waned and the wrinkles on his face deepened, Grupa began to reckon with reality. At times, he hesitated—should he abandon his absurd and laughable dream, marry, and settle down?

But he simply couldn’t resign himself to this. After all, this dream had been his lifelong pursuit—the meaning he’d ascribed to his existence since childhood. If he gave it up, Grupa didn’t know how he’d carry on afterward.

On one side lay his dream; on the other, reality. Grupa found himself deeply conflicted.

These days, he drank more and more frequently. Tonight, for seemingly no reason, he got into trouble at the bar—mostly because of these gnawing worries, seeking chaos as an outlet for his frustrations.

Bar fights were common occurrences. When people got drunk or simply felt dissatisfied, they’d find an excuse to brawl. It was entirely normal in a tavern setting, and come the next morning, everyone would still laugh it off.