Chapters 3 through 12 of the light novel detail the early adventures of Mart, a young adventurer with past life memories of a Manticore. Orphaned and raised by traveling performers, Mart was nicknamed "Cat" due to his sharp senses and agility. After the troupe disbanded, he became an adventurer in Lily Town, excelling at difficult collection quests due to his keen senses and night vision, despite his low adventurer rank of C.
Mart's primary goal in these chapters is to earn money and survive. He takes on a quest to collect a rare snail, a key ingredient for medicine, which leads him to venture deep into the Batten Forest. While there, he encounters and rescues Harrison, a merchant's son, and his bodyguard, Redley, from a wolf pack. This encounter leads to a lucrative contract for Mart: escorting Harrison and his companions to McGigan City within two days for a substantial reward. During this journey, Mart demonstrates his resourcefulness by using bear feces to mask their scent from predators and navigates the treacherous forest with expert precision. Upon reaching McGigan City, Mart is paid handsomely by Harrison's father, Watkin, who also requests discretion regarding the incident.
Following this, Mart visits the Adventurer's Guild in McGigan City to sell the snails he collected. He learns about and decides to purchase a Status Card, a magical item that records an adventurer's abilities and status. Upon activating it, Mart is shocked to discover his "Past Life Memory" is that of a Manticore, a fact he chooses to hide by setting these specific entries to private. He also learns about his various skills and magic aptitudes, particularly a high potential for elemental magic.
Mart then returns to Lily Town and is recruited by Anise, a fellow member of the "Black Eagles" adventurer clan, for a caravan escort mission to Flower Capital Johnson for the annual Flower Festival. The mission involves protecting a large shipment of goods for the merchant Finlay. Mart is assigned to the escort team alongside Anise, the scout Quincy, and the warrior Granville, with whom he anticipates rigorous training. The escort team also includes other adventurers, such as the mage Frankie and the warrior Jesse.
The journey to Flower Capital Johnson is fraught with unexpected challenges. Heavy rains cause the wagons to get stuck, requiring constant assistance. More alarmingly, the group faces an unusual number of goblin attacks, both during the day and at night, disrupting their rest and raising suspicions for Anise. Mart, eager to test his newly acquired skills, uses his "Pain" curse and "Poison Needle" magic against the goblins, proving effective but with limitations regarding range and consecutive use. He also experiments with his "Physical Enhancement" and "Flight" skills, discovering their potential and drawbacks. Despite Anise's concerns and attempts to investigate the increased monster activity, their superior, Steve, dismisses her worries, prioritizing the timely arrival of the caravan and offering only a small bonus as compensation. The chapter arc concludes with the escort group facing continued hardship and the looming threat of further goblin encounters as they press on towards their destination.
