After nearly an hour of traveling, Lysera felt Ren tighten his grip around her waist a little more.
— Ren… you’re squeezing…
Ren immediately realized it.
— Ah, sorry.
He loosened his arms a little.
Lysera remained silent for a few moments before asking:
— That night at the tavern… when you and Mirelya were in the room…
Ren looked at her.
— Huh?
Y-you saw that?
Lysera hesitated.
— What did you two do?
Ren blinked.
— Huh?
Ah, Mirelya…
Then he remembered the transparent pajamas she had been wearing that night.
He immediately fell silent.
Lysera noticed the change.
— What is it?
You were about to say something…
Ren looked away.
— A-ah, hahaha… i-it’s nothing, seriously.
Heh.
Lysera narrowed her eyes slightly.
— You’re acting weird.
— Are you sure nothing happened?
Ren answered quickly:
— I-I am!
The two remained silent for a few seconds.
Then Ren decided to change the subject.
— That day, at the Lions Guild…
Lysera looked over her shoulder.
— Why did you want to eliminate those goblins so badly?
Lysera remained silent for a moment.
— I…
She lowered her gaze slightly.
— I just wanted to join someone.
— I’d been at the guild for a few weeks, but nobody wanted me around.
Ren understood.
— Ah… because of your class?
Lysera answered quietly:
— Probably.
Ren looked ahead.
In the distance, a few lights were beginning to appear.
— I can already see some lights ahead.
Lysera smiled.
— We’re almost there.
At Lena’s clinic…
Mirelya was applying a weak healing spell while Garrick agonized on the bed.
His breathing was heavy, and his body trembled slightly.
Lena paced back and forth, worried.
“I’ve already given him a serum to calm him down…”
“But it’s not helping.”
“We need the antidote.”
Mirelya looked at her.
— How much time do we have?
Lena narrowed her eyes slightly.
— About ten hours… maybe.
She took a deep breath.
— I-I’ve never seen someone reach this stage and still be alive!
Mirelya looked back at Garrick.
She held his hand.
— They’ll make it.
Her voice trembled slightly.
— Don’t worry…
— They’ll make it.
Suddenly…
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
The two looked toward the door.
Lena walked over and opened it.
— We’re busy…
She stopped.
— Oh… it’s you!
Mirelya watched the shadow of a man approaching through the hallway.
The figure slowly walked toward the room where she and Garrick were.
Then a male voice echoed:
— I spoke with Sszarik.
They’re here, aren’t they?
Mirelya’s eyes widened slightly.
“Where do I know that voice from?”
Meanwhile…
Ren and Lysera finally arrived in the city of Kar’zul, in Drakthar.
As soon as they entered the city, Ren was impressed.
The streets were completely bustling, even at night.
There were lizardmen carrying goods, dog-men talking in groups, beastwomen selling food and handicrafts, as well as several other humanoid races Ren had never seen before.
The streets were illuminated by lanterns hanging from the façades of the buildings and by small lamps scattered throughout the various establishments.
Stalls lined the sides of the streets.
Some vendors offered exotic fruits, while others sold roasted meat, spices, weapons, clothes, and magical objects.
The smell of food spread through the air as people moved from one place to another.
Ren looked around.
“It’s really different…”
“There are so many races…”
Despite all the activity, there was a sense of freedom in the city.
There were no soldiers patrolling every corner.
People simply walked around, traded, and talked with one another.
Ren and Lysera made their way to the location indicated on the paper Lena had given them.
They began asking several people.
Ren approached a cat-man.
— Excuse me.
Do you know where this place is?
The man answered in a completely different language.
Ren stared at him.
— Ah…
I didn’t understand.
Lysera realized what was happening.
— Ah…
She put a hand to her forehead.
— I forgot about that.
Ren looked at her.
— What?
— They have their own language.
The two continued searching.
Ren watched some of the shops while trying to get information on one side of the street.
On the other side, Lysera hurried past a clothing stall when she heard a dog-man calling out:
— Strange and cheap clothes!
Come take a look!
Lysera stopped and looked at the clothes on display.
Among them, a black dress shirt caught her attention.
She approached, holding the garment with some hesitation.
— Y-You speak my language?
H-How much is it?
The dog-man smiled.
— Welcome to my shop!
These clothes here?
Five copper coins each.
Lysera picked up the black shirt and held it up in front of her eyes.
— I-I like this shirt…
The dog-man tilted his head, examining the garment.
— That one… looks like it’s for a man.
— That’s not a problem.
Lysera placed five copper coins on the stall.
— Thank you very much!
She then took the opportunity to ask:
— Do you know where there’s a clinic around here?
The dog-man scratched his head.
— Ah…
I only came to this area recently.
I’m still learning my way around.
Then he pointed toward a lizardman passing by on the street.
— But I can ask him.
While waiting, Lysera noticed several women discreetly looking in Ren’s direction.
She frowned slightly and, without thinking much about it, grabbed the shirt.
— I-I’ll be right back, okay?
Then she ran toward Ren.
— Ren!
Put this on!
Ren barely had time to react before the shirt was placed in his hands.
— Huh?
He unfolded the garment and widened his eyes.
— Wow…
I didn’t know dress shirts existed here…
Lysera looked away for a moment.
— It’s black… like mine.
Ren looked at her and smiled.
— Then we’ll match.
— H-Haha…
Lysera’s cheeks became slightly flushed.
It was visible even beneath her mask.
She quickly pointed at the shirt.
— G-Go try it on!
Ren looked at her in confusion.
— N-Now?
We’re looking for information, remember?
Lysera snatched the paper from his hands.
— I’ll look for the information!
You put the shirt on!
— What?!
Before he could argue, Lysera had already begun looking for someone to ask for information.
Ren sighed.
— Hmph…
Fine.
I’ll go into that alley over there.
I’ll be right back.
He walked away with the shirt in his hands.
Lysera then turned her attention back to the dog-man’s stall.
But…
She stopped.
The stall had disappeared.
— Huh…?
Lysera looked around, completely confused.
— Where did his stall go?
She took a few steps forward, looking for any clue.
— I’m not crazy…
It was right there!
For a few moments, she remained staring at the empty space in disbelief.
Then she felt someone touch her shoulder.
— Lysera.
She quickly turned around.
It was Ren.
He was wearing the new shirt.
The garment was a black long-sleeved dress shirt, made of a light and elegant fabric.
The cut fit Ren’s body well, with a folded collar and dark buttons aligned down the center.
The sleeves ended just above his wrists, giving the outfit a simple yet sophisticated appearance.
The black fabric softly absorbed the light, giving the shirt an elegant look that contrasted with the simpler clothes he usually wore.
Ren slightly spread his arms.
— So… how do I look?
Lysera’s eyes lit up.
She remained silent for a few seconds, looking at him.
— H-Handsome…
Ren smiled awkwardly.
— T-Thanks for the shirt.
Lysera looked away, her cheeks still slightly red.
— Y-You’re welcome…
A woman with pointed ears was sitting at a wooden table on the street, calmly smoking.
Ren watched the woman for a few moments.
She was also staring directly at him.
Lysera noticed.
— She looks like an… elf.
Ren looked at her.
— Who?
Lysera discreetly pointed.
— The woman you’re staring at.
Ren became embarrassed.
— I-I wasn’t staring…
— I-I just noticed she was looking at us.
Lysera then approached the woman.
— Hello.
Do you understand our language?
The elf took a drag from her cigarette before calmly answering:
— We don’t open for another thirty minutes.
She slowly exhaled the smoke.
— Couples pay less.
Ren frowned.
— What is she talking about?
At that moment, he noticed that Lysera was completely red as she looked at a sign.
Ren was confused.
The elf looked at the two of them and asked:
— Is it your first time?
Lysera immediately grabbed Ren’s arm.
— L-let’s go, Ren!
Ren pulled his arm back.
— Ah, wait.
He took out the paper and handed it to the elf.
— Do you know where this place is?
— We’ve been trying to find out, but we don’t speak the local language.
The elf took the paper and looked at it seriously.
— Who sent you?
Ren immediately answered:
— Ah…
Lena.
Lysera added:
— Doctor Lena.
The woman nodded.
— Ah, right.
She handed the paper back.
— Wait here.
I’ll be right back.
The two waited.
Lysera watched Ren for a few moments.
Then she asked:
— Ren…
He looked at her.
— Since you came from another world…
She hesitated.
— Do you plan on going back?
Ren frowned for a moment.
— I…
He remained silent.
— I don’t know if I could.
Then he thought about it for a moment.
— Come to think of it…
— I must have died from the fall when I got hit by that truck anyway.
Lysera remained silent.
— And did you have a family?
Ren nodded.
— I did…
His gaze became distant.
— My little sister, Matsuda Touka.
— Just her.
He took a deep breath.
— My parents passed away when I was in college.
— My sister is twenty-five years old… at least she was at the time of the accident, and it feels like it was only a few days ago.
Lysera lowered her gaze slightly.
— Oh…
— I’m sorry, Ren…
Ren smiled faintly.
— Ah, it’s okay.
Lysera became curious.
— What is college?
Ren opened his mouth to answer.
— Ah, college is when…
Before he could finish, the doctor returned.
He was carrying a small bottle that had been carefully protected.
— Ah, this is the batch she requested.
Ren looked at the bottle.
— The antidote…
The doctor handed him the container.
— Sylthara Essence.
Ren carefully held the bottle.
— Thank you.
Really.
He turned to Lysera.
— Let’s go, Lysera.
Lysera gave a small bow.
— Thank you.
See you later!
The two ran outside.
They quickly returned to the place where they had left the horse.
Lysera mounted first again.
Then she looked at Ren.
— I’ll teach you another day, okay, Ren?
Ren nodded.
— Yeah, and another day I’ll finish explaining what college is.
He climbed onto the horse.
— We need to hurry now!
The two then began riding back, and Ren handed the antidote to Lysera, who placed it inside her small bag.
After several minutes of traveling…
Suddenly, a hooded person appeared in the middle of the road.
Lysera’s eyes widened.
— Aaah!
Get out of the way!
The horse continued charging forward.
Just as it was about to run over the person, the hooded figure leaped over the animal.
In one swift movement, the figure grabbed the collar of Ren’s shirt and pulled him off the horse.
Lysera continued forward alone with the animal.
— Reeen!
She looked back for a moment.
Ren fell to the ground.
The hooded person landed in front of him.
Then they spoke:
— I finally found you alone, hero!
Ren’s eyes widened.
Beneath the hood, two glowing scarlet eyes stared at him.
Ren immediately realized that the person wasn’t human.
He looked at Lysera.
— Go, Lysera!
She looked at him.
— Ren…
— Take the antidote to Garrick!
Ren clenched his teeth.
— He’ll die!
For a brief moment, Lysera’s eyes filled with tears.
She clenched her teeth.
— I’ll come back, Ren!
Then she turned the horse around and began riding away.
The hooded person turned their eyes back to Ren.
— My name is Lioren.
He paused briefly.
— I need you to come with me, hero.
Ren continued staring at those glowing eyes.
— Who are you?
— What do you want with me?
Lioren calmly replied:
— Come with me first.