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"Get that bastard!"
A middle-aged man with a face full of scars roared viciously. Beside him stood half a dozen men who looked just as unsavory.
He sprinted through the dense forest with a single-minded determination to catch his prey at any cost. However, the man being hunted seemed far too used to this sort of thing; he navigated the treacherous woodland paths with ease, slowly pulling away from his pursuers.
"I'm telling you to stop while I'm still being nice!"
I paid no mind to the threatening shouts echoing behind me. I just snapped the reins and pushed the horse faster.
That's right. I'm currently being chased by bandits.
Bandits? In the 21st century?
Well, as fate would have it, I ended up inside Skyrim—a game I used to enjoy. Worse yet, I've been transmigrated into the body of the Courier. You know, that guy whose only job in the entire game is delivering letters.
Why are the bandits after me?
Skyrim is famous for its terrible public security. You can't even walk near a village without tripping over a monster or a group of bandits at least once.
If I were the Dovahkiin, I might have stayed to slaughter them all, but with this fragile Courier's body, that's out of the question. Running is my only option.
Still, it's been a month since I dropped into this freezing wasteland. I've gotten pretty good at losing bandits by now.
My riding skills have improved so much I could probably give a professional jockey a run for their money.
—Clip-clop, clip-clop.
Before long, the shouting faded, replaced only by the steady rhythm of galloping hooves. I risked a glance over my shoulder.
As expected, those bandits had zero patience. They'd already given up the chase and turned back.
"Phew..."
I let out a long sigh of relief and pressed on toward my destination.
After crossing Dragon Bridge and following the mountain path, the massive city perched atop the stone arch over the river finally came into view.
"Ugh... it's so damn far."
I grumbled as I stared at the main gates of Solitude. I was complaining, but deep down, I was just glad to have finally arrived.
I left my horse at the stables outside the city for a moment and walked toward the gate. A guard recognized me immediately.
"Ah, Courier. It's been a while. How's the job? Still keeping you busy?"
"Oh, it's wonderful. I just got finished playing a thrilling game of tag with some bandits a few minutes ago."
"Gah ha ha! Always a pleasure talking to you."
The guard chuckled at my sarcasm and opened the gate. Unlike the game, entry into cities now requires a mandatory identity check, but there are exceptions for local residents or couriers like me who visit frequently enough to be on friendly terms with the watch.
"Let's see... Octieve San, was it?"
Checking the recipient's name, I activated my 'ability.'
Skyrim is a harsh place for an average Joe to survive, but whoever sent me here must have had a shred of a conscience. They didn't just throw me in here empty-handed.
Appropriate for my profession, I was granted skills related to being a courier.
The first ability is 'Courier's Detection.'
It's exactly what it sounds like. By spending a tiny bit of Magicka, I can pinpoint the exact location of whoever I have a delivery for. Naturally, it's great for business but doesn't help one bit in a fight.
"Ah, there he is."
Octieve San is a man anyone who's done the Solitude Thane quest might recognize. This old man is a drunk and a gambler, currently drowning in debt to another resident named Irnskar Ironhand.
Since becoming a Thane requires helping five citizens, helping this old man usually counts toward the quest.
I found out later that you can even marry into his family, but I couldn't care less about that. I just wanted to hand over the letter and get paid.
The delivery system in Skyrim involves partial payments from both the sender and the receiver. Apparently, it's a system designed to prevent couriers from running off with the deposit without finishing the job.
The initial fee varies by distance and can be haggled, but the fee received upon arrival is fixed at 30 Septims.
I spotted Octieve San and approached him with the letter.
"I have a letter for you."
"I... I don't have the coin right now..."
True to his reputation as a broke drunkard, he immediately tried to stiff me on the delivery fee.
Since I already knew his wallet was as empty as his bottle, I just took 20 Septims and let it slide. Maybe I'm too soft-hearted because of my 21st-century upbringing.
After confirming the payment, I gave my body a long, satisfying stretch.
"Ugh, I'm exhausted."
With the sun beginning to set, I headed to the Winking Skeever to find a bed for the night.
I walked up to the innkeeper, paid for a night, took the key, and went to my room.
The standard rate was 20 Septims, but I managed to haggle it down to 16.
In the game, a room was always 10 Septims, but since this world became reality, many things have changed. For instance, the market prices, the sheer scale of the cities, the sheer number of new residents, and the existence of items that were never in the game code.
I wouldn't be surprised if the price to assassinate the Emperor has gone up too.
The price of a loaf of bread is still 2 Septims—same as the game—so I use that as a baseline to measure how much everything else has inflated.
Meat is the prime example. It's been hit so hard by inflation that I've only eaten proper meat twice since I arrived in Skyrim. To save money, I supplement my protein with fish or cheese.
—Thump.
I collapsed onto the bed and fell into thought. I stared quietly at the quest window that told me to save the world.
The moment I woke up in this world, I heard a voice telling me to focus my mind. When I did, this window appeared.
"What am I supposed to do about this?"
Save the world? With this weak body, I'm busy enough just working all day to keep myself fed. I once tried to quit the courier business to get stronger; I picked up a sword and tried to fight a wolf, only to get mauled. I ended up spending all my savings just to treat the wounds.
Because of that, I've been trying to raise my level slowly through Archery and Alchemy—things that allow for relatively safe training. But as I get used to this delivery life, my motivation is starting to flag.
'Normally, don't you get some kind of overpowered cheat ability?'
In most novels, the protagonist gets a legendary power and starts dominating. Why is my life such a struggle?
Just as I was wallowing in self-pity, a familiar notification chimed.
—Ding!
This sound meant someone nearby wanted to hire a courier. It was a secondary feature of 'Courier's Detection.'
Usually, if I just loiter around the area, they'll recognize me and approach with a request, but I was too exhausted from the bandit chase. I decided to pass.
I'd had the first ability since I arrived, and more are unlocked every 10 levels.
Currently, I'm only Level 3. I won't know what the next ability is until I hit the level cap, and it'll cost 1 Perk Point to unlock it.
Leveling up is hard enough as it is. I'm not sure I want to waste a precious Perk Point on a courier skill, but I figured I'd cross that bridge when I get there—it might turn out to be something useful.
For the record, all the stat points I gained reaching Level 3 went straight into Stamina. You might wonder why I didn't invest in Health, but there's another 'reality' factor here. In this world, increasing Stamina also increases physical strength.
I chose it so I could handle emergencies or combat situations with more stability. (Though, to be fair, I mostly use that stamina to run away.)
If you increase Magicka, spell potency increases slightly. If you increase Health, your body's durability and natural regeneration improve. Health might sound better, but the regen is so pathetic you still need medical attention anyway. I figured it was better to just not get hit in the first place, so I went with Stamina.
As for Perks, I put one point into Speech (Haggling) and one into Archery (Overdraw).
Better profit from trades and more sting in my arrows are vital early-game perks in this realistic version of Skyrim. I've heard that as your level rises, your proficiency increases even further.
"Yawn... alright, time for sleep."
Drowning in fatigue, I fell asleep, dreaming as I always did of going back home.
The next day, I ordered half a loaf of bread, a wedge of cheese, and a bowl of cabbage soup—the cheapest meal in Skyrim—and sat down at a random table.
"Ha ha! I once hunted a troll with this very axe!"
"Is that so?!"
The Winking Skeever was bustling with travelers and adventurers boasting of their exploits. Some were alone like me, but most were with friends or companions.
Watching them only made my loneliness sting a little more. The food tasted like cardboard, too. I really missed the flavors of Korean home cooking.
Once I finished my meager meal, I remembered the notification from last night. I got up, returned my room key, and began walking the streets.
After about five minutes, a man approached me. His hood was pulled low, casting his face in deep shadow.
'Was there someone like that in Solitude?'
New residents had been added to the world, but I'd been to Solitude several times since I arrived. I'd never seen someone dressed like that.
He held out a letter and gave me his instructions.
"Just tell them it's from a friend."
That was all the mysterious man said before handing over the envelope and vanishing into the crowd.
I felt a strange prickle of unease, but a job was a job. I opened the letter to check the contents and froze in shock.
My hands shook as I read the words over and over, unable to believe what I was seeing.
The letter read:
'To Choi Ha-neul,
You caused quite a stir in Riverwood when you used your Thu'um. Not everyone is anxious for the return of the Dragonborn.
But I, for one, wish to see you grow and develop your talents. Skyrim needs a hero.
I believe you should head to Volunruud. I have word of a source of power there that fits a Dragonborn's needs.
Sincerely,
—A Friend'