When I arrived at the Adventurers' Guild, it was still lively. Some adventurers were just arriving like me, while others were laughing together, eating, and drinking beer.
"Oh, Renji, you're here," she said with a smile.
"Here are 15 potions, and the monster cores," I said, placing everything carefully on the table.
"Wow, you have a magic bag?" she asked, watching as I started taking the cores out one by one.
"That's a lot, Renji… w-wait, aren't you done yet?" she said, surprised.
I pulled out the last one, and her eyes widened. "Amazing, Renji! You've killed this many monsters?" she said in shock.
"Ahem, I'll start counting," she said, organizing the cores.
A while later, she looked up. "26 goblin cores, 13 kobold cores, and 11 wolf cores," she said.
"Here are 7 gold coins and 24 silver coins," she added, handing them to me.
"Thank you," I said, picking up the coins.
I thought to myself, I've earned a lot today.
"And by the way, Renji, can you give me your adventurer card?" she asked.
"Sure," I said, handing it over.
"Since you're improving faster day by day, your rank will increase again," she said, placing the card on a glowing crystal. It changed color, shining brightly.
"Congratulations, you're now a C-rank adventurer," she said, handing the card back to me.
I felt amazed as I took it. "T-thank you," I said, holding it carefully.
"Well, I'll get going now," I added, a satisfied smile spreading across my face.
When I came back to my room, Morvash was still sleeping.
"This guy is still sleeping," I muttered, looking at him.
I slowly approached and shook him lightly.
He made a soft sound, his eyes slowly opening. "Yoo, how's your day, Renji?" he asked.
"Good," I replied.
"Good to hear," he said, stretching a little.
"Hm, why are you touching me? Don't tell me you miss me already," he teased.
"N-no, I'm just waking you up because we're going to eat outside," I said.
"I'm still sleepy, but since you're inviting me, I'll join," he said with a small smile, slowly getting up and fixing his clothes.
A while later, we stepped out of the room and made our way outside.
The streets were lively, filled with adventurers, merchants, and townsfolk. Stalls lined the road, selling fresh fruits, baked bread, and small trinkets. Morvash stayed close to me, walking quietly by my side as we moved through the crowd.
As we walked through the streets, Morvash stayed close to my side, his presence calm and steady.
"Renji," he called softly.
"Yes? What is it?" I asked, glancing at him.
"Where are we going?" he said, looking around as if taking in the busy town.
"We're going to the restaurant," I replied. "They have a lot of different types of food there."
"I see," he said, nodding quietly.
I looked at him for a moment. I'm a bit taller than him, but the thing he was carrying—
When we arrived at the restaurant, the warm glow from lanterns on the walls welcomed us. The smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, and herbs drifted through the air, making the place feel cozy despite being modest. A few other diners chatted quietly, and the soft clinking of dishes created a comforting background. The staff greeted us with polite smiles and guided us to a wooden table near the window, giving us a clear view of the streets outside.
Once we were seated, the waitress came over and asked, "What would you like to order today?" I scanned the menu, picking a few dishes that seemed good for both of us, then handed it to her. She nodded and hurried off to prepare our food.
While we waited, I glanced at him. He was watching the street outside. I felt a little self-conscious under his gaze but tried to focus on the menu instead.
Not long after, our food arrived, placed neatly on the table. The aroma was irresistible—steaming bowls of stew, roasted vegetables, fresh bread, and a few small pastries for dessert. We set a few coins aside for payment before picking up our utensils.
"I like this one," he said softly, taking a bite while glancing at me with smile.
I felt my cheeks heat up slightly. "I see… good for you," I mumbled quietly, concentrating on my own food, trying not to let him see how awkward I felt.
Despite the quiet tension, the atmosphere was comfortable. We ate at a steady pace, the sound of our forks against the plates blending with the low chatter of the other diners. Occasionally, he would steal a glance at me, and I couldn't help but notice the warmth in his eyes.
After a while, when the last bites were eaten and the plates mostly cleared, I leaned back slightly and murmured, "That was really good."
"It's getting dark now. We should head back," I added, stretching a little. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the town was beginning to glow with lanterns and lamps.
"Yeah… I'm sleepy now, so that's probably a great idea," he said, letting out a small yawn and rubbing his eyes.
"What… you're still sleepy even after sleeping all day?" I asked.
"Hmm… yeah," he replied simply, smiling faintly.
We left the restaurant and stepped back onto the cobblestone streets. The soft glow from lanterns lit our path, casting long shadows behind us. People were still walking about—some finishing errands, others heading to their homes—but we barely noticed, focused more on the quiet of the evening and each other's presence.
As we walked, his hand brushed lightly against mine a few times. I caught myself glancing at him, unsure if he expected me to react, but he simply smiled. The air was cool, and the faint smell of the nearby bakery mixed with the scent of evening rain settling into the stone streets. I could feel the rhythm of our steps syncing together.