(What should I do…? Maybe I can hide somewhere and take it out?)
On his way to the Adventurers’ Guild, Ren glanced into a dark alley. At that moment, he saw a shadowy figure shift inside the darkness.
“Eek!”
Startled that someone was there when he thought the place was empty, he immediately ran off.
(No way! That’s too scary!)
His footsteps echoed against the stone pavement as he sprinted, out of breath, and rushed through the doors of the Adventurers’ Guild. Perhaps because it was around lunchtime, the building was bustling with activity.
From the attached dining hall came the rich smell of stew and freshly baked bread, mixed with rough laughter and the clinking of wooden mugs.
(What should I do…)
Inside the small box were two horn rabbits and one three-eyed eagle, all stored away in a burlap sack.
Out on the plains, everything had gone well. Being able to store the heavy prey in the box had been a huge help.
But the gatekeeper had pointed out that he wasn’t carrying anything. He had considered taking the items out in an alley, but the thought of someone lurking in the shadows had scared him.
Besides, the gatekeeper had clearly seen him return empty-handed. What if he mentioned it to someone?
If Ren, who supposedly came back with nothing, suddenly brought horn rabbits to the guild’s buying counter, wouldn’t that seem suspicious?
He glanced toward the purchasing counter. A few boys who looked slightly older than him were lined up, chatting cheerfully with their companions. Behind them stood a burly man in thick leather armor, carrying a large burlap sack over his shoulder.
(…Yeah, I really can’t bring out the “small box”…)
Even Ren himself thought the “small box” skill was strange. The thought of summoning it in front of others and being mocked—”What the heck is that?”—made him uneasy.
He turned away from the counter and headed toward the dining area. Sitting down at an empty table, he took a deep breath.
Even though he had returned empty-handed, none of the adventurers around him seemed to care. No one mocked him. They were simply drinking, eating, and talking about their jobs.
“One bowl of mixed stew, please…”
(First, I need to calm down.)
He spoke to an older waitress.
“Want some bread?”
She asked, and Ren hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.
After she headed back to the kitchen, he quickly reached into his leather pouch to grab his money.
Before long, a wooden bowl was placed in front of him, steam rising from it. The waitress casually scooped up the large copper coin and smaller coins he had placed on the table and slipped them into her apron pocket.
The stew contained scraps of vegetables and small bits of meat of uncertain origin. It was salty, but to his empty stomach, it was a blessing.
Ren scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and brought it to his mouth.
“…Ahh…”
A sigh escaped him—partly from the taste, partly from relief.
He glanced around.
Men with large axes on their backs laughed loudly, while a woman in leather armor spread out a map with her companions.
No one was looking at him.
No one mocked him for returning empty-handed.
Yesterday, he had been tense in this space full of adults and rough voices.
But today was different.
Sitting here with the same kind of bowl, surrounded by the same noise, he felt just a little less out of place.
Even if he was only an apprentice, he had his registration tag. He had gone to the plains on his own and defeated magical beasts with his own strength.
(…Yeah. This feels like being an adventurer.)
A warm feeling spread through his chest.
At home, no one had expected anything from him. The moment they learned his skill, they sighed, and he was told he wouldn’t be allowed to attend the academy in the royal capital. His younger brother, Royce, had even looked at him with smug satisfaction.
Even so—
Ren tightened his grip on the spoon.
(The “small box” might be considered a dud skill… but I think it’s actually pretty good.)
It could light up like a lamp, store items, and even help defeat magical beasts.
He didn’t know if it would make him strong, but he felt like he could at least earn a living here at the guild.
By the time the bottom of the bowl came into view, Ren quietly lowered his gaze.
(What should I do about what’s inside the box…?)
Should he go back to the plains in the afternoon and bring them out as if he had just defeated them?
But that would make the load heavy again. And what if he encountered more horn rabbits? Would he carry those too?
He didn’t know the best answer—but strangely, excitement outweighed his anxiety.
His own secret.
His own weapon.
Holding the empty bowl in both hands, Ren looked around the lively dining hall once more.
For now, he’d head back to the plains in the afternoon.
He would keep practicing with his bow and get better.
And—
He would learn to use the small box even more effectively.
Ren’s resolve was still unknown to anyone else.
But it had certainly begun to take root, quietly, within his small chest.
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