A light rain fell on the city, sliding down the wooden rooftops and soaking the dusty ground.
Wrapped in his dark cloak, Kaito walked at a slow pace. The lowered hood hid most of his face, revealing only the reflection of his brown eyes.
In front of him stood a crowded inn. From inside came a constant clamor of voices and laughter.
(An inn, huh... This should do.)
Kaito pushed the door open and stepped inside.
A wave of warmth hit him as he crossed the threshold. The interior was packed with people drinking, laughing, and talking loudly. The medium-sized hall was dominated by a long counter, behind which the bartender moved busily. Nearby, a staircase led to the upper floor. The smell of alcohol mixed with that of food, making the atmosphere heavy but lively.
Kaito walked up to the counter, ignoring the curious glances from some of the patrons.
"Hi. I'd like a drink."
His voice was flat, emotionless.
The bartender, a man in his fifties with a stained apron and strong arms, raised an eyebrow at him.
"A bit young to be in here, aren't you, kid?"
"...I just want water."
The bartender stayed silent for a moment, then sighed and handed him a glass of water.
Kaito lowered his hood, revealing his face: slightly messy black hair, dull eyes, and a gaze far too dark for someone his age.
The bartender studied him closely.
(This kid... has a strange look for a seventeen-year-old.)
Kaito pulled out two brish — a common coin in that world — and dropped them on the counter.
"Here. Thanks."
"Take care, kid."
Kaito gave a slight nod and turned to leave. But he stopped.
In a corner of the inn, a group of men were bothering a girl.
"Leave me alone. Get lost."
Her voice was firm, but her eyes showed a flicker of tension.
One of the men, stocky with a scar on his cheek, smirked.
"Come on, dressed like that, you're just begging for attention, aren't you?"
The others laughed. One of them grabbed her wrist.
Kaito clenched his fists. A wave of disgust rose in his chest.
The bartender stepped forward, clearly tense.
"Leave her alone and get out of my inn."
The man with the scar glared at him, then grinned.
"And who the hell are you to give us orders, old man?"
A sudden punch to the gut sent the bartender doubling over in pain.
"Now come with us, sweetheart."
"Don't touch me!"
The girl tried to pull away, but the man tightened his grip.
Then he stopped. Something held him back.
A hand had closed around his arm. Strong. Unmoving.
He turned sharply.
Kaito stared at him with cold eyes.
"Let go of the girl."
"And who the fuck are you, kid? Looking for trouble?"
Kaito didn't answer right away.
"I won't say it again."
The thug burst out laughing.
"Listen to this punk! I'll teach you a lesson—"
The punch missed.
Kaito ducked smoothly, grabbed the man's arm, and threw him to the ground.
Silence fell across the inn.
The patrons stared, stunned.
The man got back up, growling.
"Bastard... get him, boys!"
The other two joined in. Kaito sighed.
He jumped between them, used one of their backs as a stepping stone, and landed behind them. With a few sharp blows, he knocked them all down.
They staggered back to their feet.
"You still wanna keep going?"
Kaito's voice was cold, sharp.
One of them lowered his gaze.
"Let's get outta here."
"Damn brat... this isn't over!"
Limping, they left the inn.
Silence hung for a moment longer, then everything slowly resumed.
Kaito turned to leave.
"Wait!"
A hand grabbed his wrist.
He turned. The girl stared at him. Long black hair, soft bangs on her forehead, intense violet eyes.
"Please... don't go."
Kaito looked at her, puzzled.
(What does she want from me?)
"You helped us... let us return the favor."
Kaito hesitated, then sighed.
"...Fine. I'll stay for a bit."
The girl smiled.
"Thank you."
The bartender, clearly grateful, offered Kaito food and lodging, assigning him one of the best rooms.
Kaito followed the girl up the stairs. The wood creaked under their steps. The voices below grew distant.
"This will be your room while you're here. I hope you like it."
The girl — the bartender had called her Yume — watched him with uncertainty.
(She can't be older than eighteen...) Kaito thought.
He turned the handle and stepped inside.
The room was simple but cozy: a bed, a nightstand, a small TV. Nothing fancy, but better than other places he'd stayed in.
"Do you like it? It's the best one we've got."
Yume sounded nervous.
"It'll do," Kaito said, placing his cloak on a chair. "A less fancy one would've been fine too."
"We just wanted to show our gratitude."
Silence fell for a moment.
Then Yume stepped forward, eyes downcast.
"And... I'd like to know your name."
Kaito stared at her for a moment, then answered:
"My name's Kaito."
Yume smiled.
"That's a nice name."
"...Yume, right?"
"Yes?"
"I was wondering... there aren't any Spirit Users in this town, are there?"
Yume looked surprised, then shook her head.
"No. As you probably noticed, we're really poor. Unlike the bigger cities, we don't have money to fix the streets or buildings. There's no reason for Spirit Users to come here."
Kaito noticed she said it without resentment.
(It doesn't seem to bother her much...)
"I see. I figured as much."
He sat down on the bed, arms crossed.
"Alright then... good night."
Yume watched him for a moment, as if she wanted to say something else, then nodded.
"Good night, Kaito."
She closed the door behind her.