Sleep in the small inn room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Rei lay on a thin mattress spread across the wooden floor. A pillow supported his head, his bag rested beside him, and the dim glow from the street lanterns outside barely reached the room through the curtains.
The bed belonged to Lumi.
Rei had insisted on it.
The arrangement made practical sense.
The floor wasn't uncomfortable. He had slept in far worse places during academy.
For a while, the night passed peacefully.
Then—
THUD.
Something crashed directly onto his chest.
All the air in Rei's lungs vanished instantly.
For a brief second his brain completely shut down.
The first thought that flashed through his mind was strangely specific.
Professor Hale.
Training.
A heavy object falling from above.
The sudden crushing weight.
For one confused moment Rei almost expected to hear Hale's voice telling him to run another ten laps.
Instead, he heard quiet breathing.
Rei forced his eyes open.
The weight on top of him shifted slightly.
He looked down.
Lumi.
Still asleep.
Her elbow was pressed directly into his ribs, and one arm had somehow wrapped halfway around his neck.
Rei stared at the ceiling.
Processing.
Then he slowly inhaled.
Air returned to his lungs.
Barely.
He carefully moved Lumi's arm off his neck.
She didn't wake up.
Not even a little.
Rei sighed quietly.
He slid one arm under her back and lifted her up.
She was lighter than expected.
Still asleep.
Completely unaware that she had just launched herself off the bed like a falling brick.
Rei placed her gently back onto the mattress.
She rolled slightly to one side and continued sleeping without a single complaint.
Rei stood there for a second, staring at the situation.
For the briefest moment, a strange thought crossed his mind.
How did I end up here?
A few weeks ago his biggest concern had been passing academy training and surviving Hale's exercises.
Now he was catching falling children in the middle of the night.
Life was unpredictable.
Rei returned to the mattress on the floor.
He closed his eyes again.
Sleep returned eventually.
Though not as peacefully.
Morning arrived with the usual sounds of the city waking up.
Merchants shouting.
Carriages moving through the streets.
Someone downstairs arguing loudly about breakfast prices.
Rei sat in the chair near the window.
His eyes looked slightly red.
Not from emotion.
Just lack of sleep.
That elbow had made sure of it.
Behind him, Lumi slowly woke up.
She stretched slightly.
Then noticed Rei sitting in the chair.
"…Good morning."
Rei glanced at her.
"Morning."
She blinked a few times.
Then tilted her head.
"…Did something happen?"
Rei shook his head.
"No."
Lumi looked at him again.
The red eyes.
The slightly tired posture.
Then she slowly sat up.
"…Wait."
Her expression changed.
"…Did I fall off the bed?"
Rei answered immediately.
"No."
Lumi stared at him.
"…Are you sure?"
"Yes."
She crossed her arms.
"That used to happen when I was little."
Rei said nothing.
"I used to fall off the bed a lot."
Still silence.
Lumi narrowed her eyes.
"…Did I fall on you?"
"No."
Rei's answer came a little too quickly.
Lumi kept staring.
The room stayed quiet for a moment.
Then she sighed.
"…You're lying."
Rei rubbed his temple slightly.
This conversation was becoming inefficient.
Lumi continued.
"That definitely happened."
Rei remained silent.
"…Right?"
Another pause.
Then Rei finally spoke.
"…Yes."
Lumi covered her face with both hands.
"Oh no…"
Rei leaned back in the chair.
"It's fine."
She peeked through her fingers.
"…Did it hurt?"
"Yes."
Lumi groaned softly.
"I'm sorry…"
Rei waved it off.
"You were asleep."
Which was technically true.
Lumi looked embarrassed but also slightly relieved that Rei wasn't angry.
Rei stood up.
"Get ready."
Lumi blinked.
"For what?"
"Breakfast."
Then he added calmly,
"And today we buy those clothes."
After Lumi finished getting ready, the two of them followed the same morning routine as the day before.
Which meant Rei standing outside the women's bath again.
Arms crossed.
Waiting.
Looking exactly like someone who had made several questionable life decisions.
The inn attendant passed by at one point carrying a stack of plates.
She slowed down, glanced at him, then at the bathhouse door.
"…You again?"
Rei didn't respond.
She tilted her head.
"You know people are starting to think you really like that spot."
"I'm waiting."
"Outside the women's bath."
"Yes."
She sighed dramatically and walked away.
"…I'm adding this to the list of things I pretend I didn't see."
A few minutes later Lumi came out, hair slightly damp again.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
Rei pushed himself off the wall.
"Then let's go."
The city was fully awake now.
Shops had opened along the streets, merchants calling out prices while arranging their goods. Fabric stalls displayed bright rolls of cloth that fluttered lightly in the breeze, while tailors argued loudly with customers about measurements.
Rei walked through the streets with Lumi beside him, scanning storefronts with quiet calculation.
He wasn't looking for the best clothes.
He was looking for the best price.
Those were rarely the same thing.
They checked several shops.
The first one had dresses covered in expensive stitching.
Too expensive.
The second had clothes that looked like they would fall apart after two washes.
Too cheap.
The third shop had decent quality but prices that made Rei quietly step back out the door.
Eventually they reached a smaller shop near the edge of the market district.
Simple wooden sign.
Clothes hanging in the window.
No ridiculous decorations.
Promising.
Rei pushed the door open.
The bell above the entrance rang softly.
Immediately a large shadow appeared in front of them.
The shop owner.
He was tall.
Very tall.
Broad shoulders filled half the doorway behind the counter, and his thick beard and enormous mustache made his face look even larger. His arms were crossed, and he looked like someone who could easily lift a barrel with one hand.
Rei looked up slightly.
"Is this your shop?"
The man stared down at him.
Then slowly nodded once.
Behind Rei, Lumi quietly grabbed the back of his shirt.
She had moved fully behind him.
Only one eye peeked out from the side.
The shop owner noticed immediately.
His thick mustache twitched slightly.
"She hiding from me?"
Rei answered calmly.
"Possibly."
The man let out a low chuckle.
"Relax kid," he said, glancing toward Lumi. "I'm not going to eat you."
Lumi didn't look convinced.
The man turned and pointed toward a hallway inside the shop.
"Kids section. First corridor."
Rei nodded.
"Thanks."
They walked inside.
The shop was bigger than it looked from outside. Wooden racks held rows of neatly folded clothes, and shelves along the walls displayed boots, coats, and travel gear.
Lumi slowly stepped out from behind Rei once they reached the children's section.
Now the serious work began.
Lumi picked clothes based on color, patterns, and how soft the material felt.
Rei picked clothes based entirely on the price tag.
More than once Lumi held something up excitedly only for Rei to quietly shake his head after checking the cost.
"Too expensive."
She would sigh dramatically and put it back.
Eventually they found a balance.
A few simple shirts.
Two pairs of pants.
A thicker jacket.
Clothes that looked decent without destroying Rei's wallet.
Lumi held the small pile happily.
"I'll try them!"
She hurried toward the changing room.
A few seconds later her voice came from behind the curtain.
"Rei!"
"Yes."
"Come see if they look good!"
Rei stared at the curtain.
"No."
"…Why?"
"Because I'm not doing that."
A small pause followed.
"…Okay."
Rei leaned against a nearby shelf.
He didn't need to check.
He had already estimated the sizes while picking them.
They would fit.
So instead of waiting around awkwardly, he walked back toward the counter.
The shop owner was already there, leaning on the wooden surface with both arms.
Rei placed the coins down.
The man counted them quickly.
"Fifteen copper."
Rei paused slightly.
That was… a lot.
For him.
Still, it wasn't outrageous.
His entire day's earnings from yesterday's missions disappeared instantly.
Rei watched the coins for a moment.
Then asked,
"Standard price?"
The shop owner scooped the coins into a drawer.
"Yeah."
He leaned back.
"Cloth's not cheap these days."
Rei nodded slightly.
Fair enough.
Behind them the curtain rustled as Lumi stepped out wearing one of the new outfits.
Clean.
Properly fitted.
And far less oversized than the hoodie she had been living in.
The shop owner glanced over.
"…See?"
He said casually.
"Didn't eat her."
Rei didn't react.
But Lumi finally stepped out from behind him completely.
Which was probably the closest thing to approval the shop owner was going to get.
The clothes had taken care of one problem.
Two more remained.
Shoes.
And a bag.
Which meant more walking.
Rei and Lumi left the clothing shop and continued moving through the market streets. The morning crowd had grown thicker now, vendors shouting over one another while customers haggled loudly about prices.
For the next hour, Rei walked through shop after shop.
Looking.
Calculating.
Rejecting.
It turned out finding decent equipment without draining his remaining coins was far harder than hunting wolves.
At one point he quietly muttered to himself,
"…Training was easier than this."
Lumi didn't hear him. She was busy staring at every interesting thing the market had to offer.
Eventually they found a small cobbler stall tucked between two larger shops.
The old woman running it barely looked up when Rei asked about children's shoes.
A few measurements later Lumi had a pair of simple leather boots.
They weren't fancy.
But they were sturdy.
And most importantly…
Affordable.
The bag took longer.
Most travel packs were built for adults and far too large. After searching several stalls they finally found a smaller satchel that Lumi could carry comfortably across her shoulder.
When Lumi slung the bag over herself, she looked extremely pleased.
The new clothes fit properly.
The boots were comfortable.
And the bag made her look like a very small adventurer.
Rei looked at the coin pouch on his belt.
It was noticeably lighter now.
His expression didn't change much.
But internally the math was… painful.
Lumi noticed none of this.
She was too busy walking around with quiet excitement.
After finishing the purchases, they stopped at a nearby food stall for breakfast.
Bread.
Eggs.
Something resembling soup.
Simple.
Cheap.
Rei ate quietly while reviewing his remaining coins again.
Then he stood up.
"Guild."
Lumi nodded immediately.
The Adventurer Guild was just as loud as ever.
The moment the doors opened, the receptionist noticed them.
Immediately.
Her eyes lit up.
"Well well."
She leaned forward on the counter.
"My two cuties are back."
Lumi smiled shyly.
Rei didn't.
Not even slightly.
He walked toward the mission board.
The receptionist tilted her head slightly as she looked at Lumi.
The girl stood straighter now.
New clothes.
Proper shoes.
And the satchel across her shoulder.
"…Look at you," the receptionist said approvingly.
Lumi smiled again.
Rei was already staring at the mission board.
No time to waste.
Today he needed four missions.
One more than usual.
C-rank was close.
And he wanted to reach it before leaving the city.
The thought crossed his mind briefly.
His parents.
It had been a while since he visited them.
Once he hit C-rank, the guild would offer better contracts and longer assignments.
Travel would become easier.
So today he needed four missions.
Efficient ones.
Behind him, Lumi stood beside the board now, carefully scanning the papers like a professional assistant.
Rei glanced at her.
"D-rank missions."
She nodded seriously.
"Okay."
Then she began searching.
Two adventurers.
One mission board.
And somewhere among the dozens of requests pinned to the wall…
Four jobs that would push Rei one step closer to C-rank.
Monster hunts.
Escort jobs.
Material gathering.
Rei scanned them quickly, eyes moving with practiced efficiency.
Lumi stood beside him reading the requests slowly.
Then she tugged lightly on his sleeve.
"…Can we not do the wolf thing today?"
Rei glanced down.
"What wolf thing?"
"…The wolf thing."
Her face clearly said the part where he violently dismantled them.
Rei looked back at the board.
Logical.
Reasonable even.
So today's missions shifted.
Instead of hunts, they took four gathering requests.
Herbs.
Roots.
Medicinal leaves.
Things that didn't involve screaming monsters and blood on tree bark.
The receptionist raised an eyebrow when they brought the requests to the counter.
"No hunting today?"
Rei answered simply.
"Herb collection."
She smirked slightly.
"…Trying to keep the little one from seeing more wolves?"
Rei didn't respond.
She stamped the mission slips.
"Well, good luck cutie."
He walked away before correcting her again.
The jungle was quiet when they entered.
Sunlight filtered through thick branches, insects buzzing lazily in the humid air.
Rei already knew the area well enough.
Herbs should have been easy.
They weren't.
As unbelievable as it sounded, this took longer than killing wolves.
Rei crouched beside a patch of plants, examining the leaves carefully.
Not the right one.
Next patch.
Close.
Still wrong.
Lumi followed him closely, watching curiously as he checked the ground again and again.
After twenty minutes she asked,
"…Is this harder than fighting wolves?"
"Yes."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"But the plants aren't even moving."
"Exactly."
She blinked.
Rei stood up and moved deeper into the forest.
Herb gathering required patience.
And patience was not something Rei enjoyed when faster solutions existed.
At one point Lumi pointed excitedly at a cluster of green leaves.
"Those!"
Rei looked down.
"…Poison ivy."
She quickly stepped away.
They continued searching.
Slowly.
Carefully.
One herb at a time.
By the time the fourth request was complete, the sun had shifted noticeably in the sky.
Rei stared at the small bundle of plants in his bag.
"…This took longer than expected."
Lumi looked relieved though.
At least nothing had tried to eat them.
And more importantly…
No wolves.
Which she clearly appreciated.
Rei adjusted the strap of his bag.
"Guild."
Lumi nodded.
Then the two of them began the long walk back toward the city.
The return trip through the jungle was quieter than the morning.
Rei walked ahead as usual, moving through the forest with steady steps while Lumi followed just behind him carrying the small satchel of gathered herbs.
The plants filled most of the bag now.
Lumi carried it carefully, trying not to crush anything.
Rei, meanwhile, was deep in thought.
Herb gathering.
Slow.
Tedious.
Unpredictable.
He mentally compared it to wolf hunting.
Wolves: locate, observe, eliminate, collect materials, return.
Efficient.
Herbs: search, inspect, double-check, search again, realize the plant was wrong, repeat.
Inefficient.
Rei concluded quietly in his head:
He should probably stop taking herb missions entirely.
While he was reviewing this deeply important career decision, Lumi suddenly froze.
A few meters ahead in the trees…
Two wolves.
They stood between the trees, sniffing the air.
Lumi's eyes widened immediately.
Her first instinct wasn't fear.
It was calculation.
If the wolves noticed them…
Rei would kill them.
Very efficiently.
And Lumi had already seen enough of that for a lifetime.
So she slowly stepped closer to Rei and lightly grabbed the back of his shirt.
Rei stopped walking.
"…What?"
Lumi whispered.
"…Wolves."
Rei turned his head slightly.
His eyes scanned the trees.
Yes.
Two of them.
The wolves hadn't noticed them yet.
Rei looked at Lumi.
Lumi shook her head quickly.
Her expression clearly said:
Please don't.
Rei watched the wolves for a moment.
Then he calmly turned and walked slightly around the trees instead of toward them.
The wolves never even noticed.
Lumi let out a small breath of relief.
Behind them, the forest returned to quiet.
Rei continued walking as if nothing had happened.
Internally, however, he was still thinking about herbs.
By the time they reached the city again, the afternoon crowd had begun filling the streets.
Soon the familiar wooden doors of the Adventurer Guild appeared in front of them.
Inside, the usual noise greeted them.
Rei walked straight to the counter and placed the herb bundles down.
The receptionist immediately looked up.
"Well look who's back."
Then she noticed Lumi carrying the satchel.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Oh?"
She leaned forward.
"Did you help him today?"
Lumi nodded proudly.
"I carried the herbs."
The receptionist placed a hand dramatically over her chest.
"Look at that."
She pointed at Rei.
"Your assistant is doing better work than you."
Rei ignored the comment.
She continued counting the materials.
Then she glanced back at him.
"And what's this?"
She flipped through the request slips.
"Four missions?"
Rei nodded once.
She leaned back with a grin.
"Well, well."
She tapped the counter.
"Look at that."
She turned slightly toward Lumi.
"Today is also the first day your friend here didn't slaughter wolves."
Lumi smiled proudly.
Rei remained completely neutral.
The receptionist finished checking the requests.
Then she reached beneath the counter and pulled out Rei's guild card.
A small metallic stamping tool followed.
CLACK.
The card glowed faintly for a moment.
She slid it back across the counter.
"Congratulations."
Rei picked it up.
C Rank Adventurer
The symbol had changed.
The receptionist rested her chin in her hand.
"Took you long enough, cutie."
Rei looked at the card briefly before placing it back in his pouch.
"Thanks."
It was a short response.
But it meant something.
C-rank opened better opportunities.
Better pay.
Longer assignments.
And more freedom.
Before leaving, the receptionist gave Lumi a small approving nod.
"You did good today."
Lumi smiled again.
Then the two of them left the guild.
They stopped at a small restaurant nearby for a quick lunch.
Nothing special.
Just enough food to recover after the long day.
This time Lumi talked a little more.
Mostly about the market.
And the wolves they didn't fight.
Rei listened quietly while eating.
Once the meal ended, they walked back toward the inn.
The city was calmer now as afternoon slowly drifted toward evening.
y the time they returned to the inn, the evening crowd had begun settling in.
The dining area downstairs buzzed with the usual noise—travelers finishing meals, a few adventurers loudly discussing missions, and the counter attendant moving between tables with practiced efficiency.
Rei and Lumi passed through without stopping and headed upstairs.
The room felt quieter than the streets outside.
Lumi placed her small satchel beside the bed and stretched slightly before sitting down.
Rei walked toward the chair near the table and sat down, resting one arm on the wooden surface.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Rei pulled his guild card from his pouch and looked at it again.
C Rank Adventurer.
The promotion had come faster than expected.
Which meant the next step could begin.
He placed the card back into the pouch and leaned slightly back in the chair.
"My parents live about half a day from here."
Lumi looked up.
"Oh."
Rei continued calmly.
"If we leave early in the morning, we can reach their place before midday."
Lumi tilted her head slightly.
"Why early?"
"The sun."
He gestured vaguely toward the window.
"Walking half a day in the heat isn't efficient."
She nodded slowly.
That made sense.
The roads outside the city were exposed for long stretches, and the summer sun could turn a simple walk into something exhausting.
"So we leave early," Lumi said.
Rei nodded once.
"Before sunrise."
Lumi seemed fine with that.
She leaned back slightly on the bed.
"Okay."
Rei glanced toward the window.
The city outside had begun dimming as lanterns replaced daylight along the streets.
Tomorrow would be different.
Instead of guild missions…
They would be heading toward the countryside.
Toward his parents' house.
Rei rested his chin lightly against his hand for a moment.
Half a day's walk wasn't far.
But it had been a while since he last visited.
Behind him, Lumi had already curled up on the bed again.
The long day had drained most of her energy.
Rei stood up and moved the small mattress back into place on the floor.
Same arrangement as yesterday.
He lay down and closed his eyes.
Tomorrow they would leave the city early.
Before the roads filled with travelers.
And before the sun decided to turn the journey into something unpleasant.