Volume 2: Different Perception of Life
Two months later.
Inside a busy inn filled with the constant sounds of clattering dishes, footsteps, and noisy conversations, customers sat crowded around wooden tables while workers hurried back and forth carrying food and drinks.
Near one of the tables, a customer frowned impatiently and raised his voice.
"How much longer for the food?"
A young boy wearing a worker's apron quickly turned toward him and answered politely,
"Ten minutes, sir."
The customer clicked his tongue lightly before waving his hand impatiently.
"Bring it quickly."
"Yes, sir."
The boy immediately moved back toward the kitchen area of the inn.
Even amidst the noisy atmosphere and constant movement around him, his actions remained quick and practiced, showing that he had already grown used to working in the inn over the past several days.
A few minutes later, he returned carrying the customer's meal carefully in both hands before placing it neatly onto the table.
The customer looked at the food briefly before giving a satisfied nod.
"Good. Faster than before."
The boy lowered his head politely.
The customer casually tossed a small iron coin toward him.
"Take it."
The boy quickly caught the coin before it fell and gave another light bow.
"Thank you, sir."
Several hours later, the inn gradually became quieter as night deepened.
Most of the customers had already left, leaving behind only a few people quietly eating or drinking near the corners of the room. The loud atmosphere from earlier had finally calmed, and the workers inside the inn began cleaning the remaining tables and putting things back in place.
The boy finished wiping the final table before walking toward the owner of the inn.
"Sir, my shift is over," he said respectfully.
The owner, an old man who looked nearly sixty years old, briefly lifted his eyes toward the boy before reaching into a small wooden box beside him. After counting the money casually, he handed over two bronze coins.
"Your one day salary," the old man muttered. Then he narrowed his eyes slightly and added, "Come early tomorrow. If you are late again, I will deduct the money from your salary."
The boy accepted the coins carefully and bowed his head slightly.
"I will be there on time."
The old man simply waved his hand dismissively, already turning his attention elsewhere.
The boy quietly left the inn afterward.
After leaving the inn, the boy first passed through the brighter parts of the city.
The streets there were lively and colorful even at night. Shops remained open while merchants loudly advertised their goods to passing people. The roads were clean, lanterns illuminated the surroundings warmly, and groups of well-dressed citizens continued moving through the streets without worry.
Warriors wearing armor regularly patrolled the area, maintaining order while merchants and travelers carried on with their business peacefully.
Compared to the isolated forest village, the city felt enormous and full of life.
But as the boy continued walking farther away from the main streets, the surroundings slowly began to change.
The street he entered afterward looked completely different from the cleaner and livelier parts of the city.
The area was crowded, dirty, and poorly maintained, clearly a place where the poorer people of the city lived. Beggars sat along the sides of the streets, some asleep while others stretched out their hands toward passing people hoping for coins.
Trash and muddy water covered parts of the ground, and the narrow pathways between buildings felt cramped and unpleasant. Many of the buildings looked old and worn down, their walls cracked from age and neglect.
An unpleasant smell lingered constantly in the air, making the atmosphere of the area feel even heavier.
Yet the boy walked through the streets calmly as if he had already grown familiar with the surroundings during the past few days.
Eventually, he stopped in front of a small three-story cottage squeezed tightly between several other old buildings.
Without hesitation, he climbed the narrow stairs leading upward toward the third floor before finally stopping in front of a wooden door and knocking lightly.
A moment later, the door slowly opened from inside.
The boy quietly stepped into the room, and the door immediately closed behind him afterward.
The small room was simple and cramped, containing very little furniture besides two beds, a small wooden table, and a few neatly arranged belongings placed near the corner. Compared to the lively streets outside, the room felt quiet and isolated.
The boy walked toward one of the beds before sitting down heavily, finally letting out a tired breath after the long shift at the inn.
Then a familiar voice spoke nearby, "Are you tired, young master?"
The boy slowly nodded before raising his hand and removing the mask covering part of his face, finally revealing Arthur's appearance beneath it.
---
"I am hungry, Charlie," I said tiredly and quietly looked toward Charlie and asked, "Any news from Bora?"
Charlie shook his head lightly. "Not yet, young master."
I gave a small nod before leaning back onto the bed quietly.
It has already been fifteen days since we arrived in Elysis. The thought crossed my mind slowly as I stared at the ceiling above.
After reaching the border of Elysis, we secretly crossed into the Elysis Federation without going through the normal checkpoints. After entering the Elysis, Bora used the support of the underworld to secretly bring us into Astravia, the capital city of Elysis.
Using those same connections, Bora arranged fake identities for both Charlie and me so we could move around the city without drawing suspicion.
Because of the danger surrounding my life, Charlie also asked Bora to arrange special face-altering masks for us. With Charlie's knowledge and caution, he did not want even the slightest chance of someone recognizing me.
After that, Bora and Tara stayed with us for the first two days while helping us settle inside the city properly. During that time, they explained a few things we needed to know about the city and arranged this small place for Charlie and me to stay quietly without attracting attention.
Afterward, the two of them left, saying they needed to investigate certain matters related to the mission. Before leaving, Bora told us that they would contact Charlie and me once the time finally came to act on the mission.
Since then, the two of them had been somewhere within the city handling matters related to the mission while Charlie and I remained hidden and waited quietly for further instructions.
As per Bora's instructions, Charlie and I found an inn and started working there so we could earn money for our daily expenses such as food, water, and other necessary items while staying hidden inside the city.
Charlie handled the morning shift, while I worked during the evening until late at night. Although the work itself was tiring, it allowed us to move naturally within the city without appearing suspicious.
Life in Elysis felt completely different from the isolated forest village.
The city was crowded, noisy, and chaotic in ways I had almost forgotten existed. Merchants, warriors, nobles, beggars, travelers, and countless other people filled the streets every single day, making the city feel constantly alive no matter the hour.
As I lay there quietly lost in thought, a sudden movement from the side of the room caught my attention.
I slowly turned my head toward the corner near the wall.
At first glance, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary wooden rod resting carelessly beside the room.
But then I noticed something unusual, a pair of eyes blinking from what appeared to be an ordinary wooden rod. A faint smile slowly appeared on my face as I continued staring toward it.
"I can see you, Camose."
The moment I spoke, the camouflage covering the little serpent immediately disappeared, revealing Camose's slightly larger translucent body tangled around the wooden rod where the ordinary piece of wood had seemingly been just moments earlier.
Camose happily slithered toward me after its camouflage disappeared before climbing onto my body and rubbing its head affectionately against my chin.
I gently petted the little serpent while letting out a quiet breath.
Camose had finally awakened shortly after we arrived in the Elysis Federation. During its hibernation, its body had grown slightly larger than before, though it was still small enough to comfortably rest around my shoulders or arms.
After awakening, it also gained the same camouflage ability its mother possessed, allowing it to blend almost perfectly into its surroundings. If I was not paying close attention, even I would have trouble noticing it sometimes.
Thankfully, however, it had not grown into an enormous monster like its mother. For that alone, I genuinely felt relieved.