A Peculiar Morning

Morning light tickles through the small window of the room. A gentle breeze swings the red curtain, bringing in the scent of the flowers from the inn's small garden. Outside, an early bird sings boldly, its voice echoing through the quiet streets. My eyes open naturally from these sensations. I reach out with my hand instinctively to grab my phone from the bedside table. But it's empty.

"So it wasn't just a dream," I say, rubbing my eyes.

It's been a while since I woke up without an alarm, though...

I look to the other side of the room. Sylvienne, in a light pajama dress, is curled up in the corner bed, sleeping safe and sound on the soft wool sheet. 

She's still asleep...

Her hair, normally well-combed into a ponytail, is all tangled up into silver curls. Her armor pieces are tossed into the corner, looking like a messy pile of metal.

The elf suddenly flips to the other side, clutching her stomach with a weary expression.

"Kaito..." she mumbles painfully.

Eh? What's up with her?

"My stomach hurts."

"You gluttonous elf! Why did you insist on eating thirds?!"

She turns her head away, hiding her embarrassed frown under the cover.

"Because it was so good. Besides, who knows when I'm gonna eat here again..." she answers honestly.

She's acting like a child again. 

Her stomach lets out a loud, aching growl.

"We can't continue our journey like this," she states.

She turns back to me, pulling the cover on tighter, like a baby. I sit down on the edge of her bed, patting her head gently out of pity.

"It's fine, you'll recover quickly. A stomach upset doesn't last for long," I say, trying to calm her.

"About that," she replies awkwardly, slightly looking away. "Our bodies are used to eating only berries and oats, so the digestion of meat is difficult..."

I collapse onto the bed. My face sinks into the soft sheet.

"Then why did you eat so much meat?" I mutter against the bedsheet.

Sylvienne sits up, raising her hands into the air angrily.

"Don't blame me! As a warrior, I need to make sure my nutrition level is decent, so I need to eat meat from time to time!" she says poutingly, but quickly falls back onto her pillow with a painful groan.

"You didn't have to eat thirds, though."

"I'm sorry, Kaito. I suppose, my appetite got the better of me this time..." the elf finally admits, her ears turning beet red.

"Ah..." I stand up. "So what do we do now?"

"We can't stay in this city for long without an official permit."

Sylvienne sits up again, yawning. Then she looks at me, her face devoid of expression as she continues.

"You need to get it in the Residence Office..."

"Huh? Me?!" I say, losing the relative calmness I had so far.

"Uhn," she nods. "It's in the main square, not so far from here. If you go back to the main road, it's just a few minutes walk from there. Getting the permit shouldn't be difficult, either."

"Gosh, and I thought my world was bureaucratic..."

"I get how annoying this might feel for you. I had to go through this process many times throughout my journey," she looks down. "But it's an essential process for the city to sort out potential vampires."

My heart starts beating faster as I hear the word. She did mention vampires before... Are they such a threat?

"Kaito," she looks deep into my eyes, her voice filled with seriousness. "There aren't many vampires around. They probably account for two or three percent of Terra Magna's population. They aren't necessarily bad people, like humans say. Vampires are technically immortal, but they die if they do not extract blood for a certain period. That said, I understand their reasons for why they are feared so much. So... Please be careful."

I nod, acknowledging the task and the risk of meeting a vampire in the city. Two or three percent? That's way too high a chance for my comfort. I look at Sylvienne. Well, not like I have any other choice, I'll come and go. Twenty-minute adventure!

"Alright, I'll head out then," I say as I reach for the doorknob.

"W-wait!" Sylvienne rises from the bed suddenly.

I raise an eyebrow.

"What again?" I ask nervously.

She reaches out with her hands awkwardly. As she opens her palms, a small pouch is revealed.

"M-maybe I'll heal faster if you get me some sugar herb syrup to chew on... Or firefly's honey. Or... Anything sweet and elf-friendly will do. Please!"

I hesitantly take the pouch.

"Gosh, you sure like sending me on side quests, huh?" I sigh as I press the doorknob. "Gotcha, anything sweet and elf-friendly.

The door shuts behind me. I stand alone in the empty bar. I still have no idea what time it is. Is it too late, or too early?

"Did you sleep well, Traveler?" The voice of the barman hits me from behind.

Its depth resonates within the empty room, making me jump.

"Oh, Mr. Volk..." I turn to greet him. "Y-yeah, it was an amazing night. I've never slept so well in years!"

Come to think of it, that's true.

"I'm glad our small room served you well. And how about Miss Sylvienne?"

I glance back at the door.

"Well, she just needs to rest a little more..."

Mr. Voll squints his eyes with certainty.

"She got sick, didn't she?"

He knows!!

I nod.

"Well, that was expected. The elven stomach can't bear so much meat at once," he runs his hand over his ginger beard. "But you may stay in the inn until she recovers."

Mr. Volk's generosity is incredible. I shed a tear, as I bow in gratitude.

"By the way," he says as he measures me with his eyes. "I do not recommend walking around in the city in such formal clothing. I'll get you something less eye-catching."

Now that he mentions it, I don't really fit into this world with this outfit.

The barman walks into the room behind a counter and comes back in about the passing of three minutes.

"Here, it's more suitable," he hands me a piece of fabric.

I unfold it. It's a complete set—a pair of soft cream-color trousers and a brown leather tunic. As I look back at him, he grabs a pair of boots from the ground.

"Try it on," he winks as he signals with his left hand towards the room behind him.

It only takes a few minutes to get changed, and I step out. The pants and the tunic fit surprisingly well, taking up the shape of my body. My feet feel relaxed inside the boot compared to my flat sneakers I've worn before. Mr. Volk brings out a mirror and places it in front of me.

My eyes widen. I indeed look less like an idiot who got summoned from another world now.

"Hmm, not bad..." he says. "Humble, but neat." 

I start posing as if I am a model in the mirror. The barman looks at me weirdly at first, but he soon starts playing into it.

"Whoa, great fit!"

Suddenly, a rough, manly voice resonates through the room. I freeze. 

"Mr. Volk!" it calls out.

A tall, muscular man enters the bar. His body is covered in chainmail armor. The shape of his skull has all the typical masculine attributes, with an outstandingly sharp chin. His face is filled with scars, with the blood still clotting in some places. His mouth is a straight line, curling down like a hook slightly. He turns his head and looks towards us, squinting menacingly. 

This guy is a menace!

He comes closer, halting before me. His body covers everything in my sight. He looks down at me with an intimidating gaze, making my body freeze as it is. Suddenly, his attitude changes.

"Whoa, nice pose!" he says loudly.

"Langwar!" Mr. Volk calls out to him.

"Mr. Volk," he says with a wide smile. "Good to see you again."

The barman starts laughing deep from his throat. Langwar stands next to him, punching his shoulder with his palm as they both laugh out loud.

Eeeeeeh?!

"Hmm, looking clean." he takes a better look at me, and then looks at Barman Volk suggestively. "But something's missing."

"That's right!" Mr. Volk agrees.

Without hesitation, he runs back into the room and brings out a dark blue piece of clothing. Langwar snatches it up, stepping behind me. He then folds it around, moving his fingers quickly and skillfully, letting the rest of it drape down my back in a smooth way.

Waaah! It's a cape!

"There you go!" Langwar speaks, amused by the sight. "What's your name, buddy?

"Kaito Michinaga, sir!" I answer as I salute like a soldier.

"Kaito, the Legendary Warrior, hah!" he laughs out.

"Hmm, he does look like the Legendary Warrior now," Mr. Volk agrees, then turns to me, winking. "Let's see who would pick a fight with you now, hah!"

I raise my hand, clenching it into a fist mid-air as I shout heroically.

The legendary warrior? I scan my body in the mirror and stick out my chest proudly.

"Yeah, I'm the legendary warrior, the great, the almighty... Kaito!" I shout and burst into laughter.

What the hell, this is stupid! 

Suddenly, the image of the sick elf appears in my mind. Right. I should head out now.

"Sorry," I say, making my way to the door, "I have some paperwork to do."

"Right. You've gotta take care of Miss Sylvienne," the barman nods knowingly.

"I see! Of course! You gotta take care of your woman, hah!" Langwar says, grinning.

She's not my lover, though!

"I'll be back, Mr. Volk," I say, waving a hand behind me as I step out.