Now I actually belong here

I sat there staring at the silver coins, the weight of everything starting to hit me. The adrenaline crash was making my hands shake again.

"So what now?" my echo asked, materializing beside the table. "We've got money, but we can't exactly stay here forever."

I nodded slowly, pocketing the coins. "First things first," I muttered under my breath. "I need food. I'm starving."

My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since... 'When was the last time I ate? Before the stream? That feels like a lifetime ago.'

I looked around the guild hall and spotted what I was looking for, a serving counter along one wall where a middle-aged woman was ladling out bowls of something that smelled incredible. 

A small chalkboard listed prices: "Stew - 8 copper, Bread - 2 copper, Ale - 5 copper."

I stood up, my legs still a bit unsteady, and made my way over to the food counter. The woman looked up with a tired but friendly expression.

"What'll it be, dear?"

"Stew and bread," I said, handing out a silver coin. 

She raised an eyebrow at the silver but didn't comment, ladling a generous portion into a wooden bowl and adding a thick chunk of brown bread on the side. 

"Ten copper total. Here's your change."

I pocketed the rest of the ninety copper coins and took the tray and headed towards the table.

After sitting down, I clasped my hands for prayer, before the food.

Yeah. Old habit, since was a kid, mom used to scold me whenever I forget to pray and began eating instead. Well, enough with that, let's focus on what was in front of me.

The stew was hot and hearty chunks of meat and vegetables in a rich broth that tasted like actual food instead of the instant ramen I'd been living on back home. 

The bread was dense and filling, nothing fancy but good enough to soak up the gravy.

My echo watched me eat with a mixture of curiosity and what might have been envy. 

"Wish I could taste that," it said quietly. "I remember what food used to be like, but it's... distant now."

I paused mid-bite. 

'Right. It's stuck watching me live while it can't experience anything physical.'

"Sorry," I mumbled around a mouthful of bread.

"Not your fault." The echo shrugged. "Just weird being... this."

After finishing the food, I stood up and stretched. The guild staff was changing shifts around me – day workers heading home while the night crew took over to handle the evening crowd of returning adventurers.

'Time to figure out where I'm sleeping tonight.'

Then I stepped outside into the cool evening air.

 The moon hung full and bright overhead, casting everything in silver light. 

The streets of Millhaven looked different at night, narrower somehow, with deeper shadows pooling between the buildings.

I started walking, trying to look for an inn to stay at the night. But I kept catching people staring at me.

A group of men outside a tavern watched me pass with calculating eyes. A woman pulling laundry off a line stopped what she was doing to track my movement down the street.

'What the hell is their problem?'

"What are they trying to do?" my echo asked, noticing the same thing. It had started shifting nervously, staying closer to my shoulder.

"No idea," I muttered under my breath. "But I don't like it."

Whatever it was, I needed to blend in better. The clothes I'd been wearing during my stream, jeans and a t-shirt – were definitely not helping me fit in here.

I needed to stop looking like a lost tourist with a target painted on his back. And I hurried my pace. 

Just as I was scanning the shops for something that looked like it sold clothes, a familiar voice called out.

"Oh! Good evening, Mr. Kaito. Fancy meeting you here."

I turned to see the silver-haired clerk from the guild walking toward me, a small basket of what looked like groceries in her hand. She'd changed out of her uniform into a simple blue dress that made her look younger and more approachable.

"Oh, hey," I said, feeling oddly relieved to see a familiar face.

"Didn't expect to run into anyone I knew."

She smiled. "How did your first job go? You're back earlier than most new adventurers, they usually stay out celebrating their first successful mission until the early hours."

'Celebrating. Right. Because nearly getting eaten by giant rats is totally party material.'

"It went... well, I think. Still getting used to everything." I gestured vaguely at the shops around us. "Actually I was trying to find somewhere to get some proper clothes. These aren't exactly fitting in."

She looked me up and down, taking in my jeans and t-shirt with an amused expression. "I can see that. Those are... certainly unique. What material is that?"

"It's, uh, from up north. Different weaving techniques," I said lamely.

"Hmm." She didn't look entirely convinced though, but she didn't press the issue. "Well, if you're looking for clothes, there's a decent shop just around the corner. Marta's place, she stays open late." 

I nodded. "Alright, um... can you tell me the direction?"

She turned and pointed to a front and opened her mouth to say something, but then stopped and turned to face me.

"Would you like to go together?" she asked, tilting her head with a friendly smile. "I was just finishing my shopping anyway, and Marta can be... intimidating to newcomers."

I hesitated for a moment. 

'Is this some kind of trap? Why would a guild clerk want to help some random new guy?'

But her expression seemed genuine enough, and honestly, I had no idea what I was doing.

"Sure," I said finally. "That'd be helpful, actually."

"Wonderful!" She adjusted her basket and started walking. "I'm Aria, by the way. I don't think I properly introduced myself earlier, too busy with paperwork."

"Kaito. Though you already knew that."

My echo drifted along beside us, occasionally making comments I couldn't respond to. "She's being awfully nice. Think she wants something?"

But for now, I chose to ignore it.

Aria led me around a corner to a shop with warm light spilling from its windows. A wooden sign hung above the door reading "Marta's Outfitters."

Inside, the shop was cramped but well-organized, with clothing hanging from every available surface. A heavyset woman with graying hair looked up from behind the counter, scowling.

"We're closing soon," She grumbled without looking up from her ledger.

"Just one customer, Marta," Aria said cheerfully. "He needs a complete outfit."

The shopkeeper finally looked at me, taking in my strange clothes with obvious distaste. "Foreign traveler? Those are the ugliest pants I've ever seen."

'Well, she's charming.'

"Show him something practical," Aria said, already moving toward the clothing racks. "He's an adventurer, so nothing too fancy." 

Then she started pulling clothes off racks, creating a growing pile in my arms. "Try these first," she said, handing me a brown tunic and black pants. "The fitting room's back there."

And for the next twenty minutes, I found myself in a constant cycle of changing clothes and stepping out for Aria's assessment. The first outfit got a shake of her head. The second one she frowned at. The third made her wrinkle her nose.

"No, no, that makes you look like a merchant's son," she said, waving me back to try again.

Finally, she handed me what felt like the twentieth combination. When I stepped out this time, she clapped her hands together.

"Perfect!"

I turned to look at myself in the polished metal mirror. 

The black cloak hung well over my shoulders, matching my dark hair, and underneath, the red tunic fitted properly without being too tight. The black pants were tucked neatly into brown leather boots with sturdy straps, and matching brown gloves completed the look.

'Now I actually look like I belong here.'

"That'll be six silver," Marta said, finally showing some approval.

"You should get some armor too," Aria said as I was counting out the silver for the clothes. 

"Basic protection at least. You can't rely on just dodging forever."

'She's got a point.' The memory of those rat claws coming way too close to my face was still fresh.

Marta perked up at the mention of armor, probably smelled more money. 

"Got some decent leather pieces in the back," she said, already moving toward another section of the shop.

She returned with a set of light leather armor, a chest piece with shoulder guards, bracers for my arms, and reinforced sections that looked like they'd actually stop claws or teeth. Nothing fancy, but functional.

"Try it on over the tunic," Aria suggested.

Then I began wearing them.

The armor fit surprisingly well, snug without restricting movement. When I flexed my arms and bent at the waist, everything moved with me naturally.

"Good fit," Marta admitted, adjusting one of the straps. "This set will stop most basic attacks. Won't help much against a sword, but for monsters like rats or wolves, it'll keep you alive."

"How much for everything?" I asked, dreading the answer.

Marta calculated on her fingers. "Clothes and armor together... normally fifteen silver." She glanced at Aria, who gave her a meaningful look. "But since Aria brought you here, call it eleven."

'Eleven silver? Fucking eleven?' 

But looking at myself in the mirror again – properly dressed and armored – I realized this was an investment in not dying.

"Deal," I said, handing over the coins. Though invisible tears were practically streaming down my cheek as I watched almost all my hard-earned money disappear.

'That's almost everything I made today.'

My echo whistled softly beside me. "You actually look like an adventurer now. Less like someone pretending to be one."

'Thanks for the vote of confidence.'

Then after the purchase, Aria and I stepped back out into the cool night air, my old clothes bundled under my arm. The black cloak felt good against the evening breeze.

"There's a decent inn just down this street," Aria said, pointing ahead. "The Silver Hart. It have clean rooms, and they fair prices. Let's go."

We walked in comfortable silence until we reached a two-story building with warm light glowing from its windows. A wooden sign showed a silver stag.

"You should probably head home," I said. "Thanks for all the help today."

"Oh, my place is just around the corner from here anyway," she said with a smile. "This was on my way."

"Ah!" I nodded.

Then she waved goodbye at the inn's door and disappeared down a side street, leaving me standing alone in front of the entrance.

I opened the door and stepped Inside.

The inn had that cozy tavern atmosphere, low wooden beams, a crackling fireplace, and the smell of ale and roasted meat. I approached the counter where a middle-aged man was wiping down mugs.

"Need a room for the night," I said.

"Twenty copper," he replied without looking up. "Includes breakfast. Room's upstairs, second door on the left."

I handed over the coins and took the iron key he offered. The stairs creaked under my boots as I climbed to the second floor.

Reaching the door, I twisted the door and entered.

The room was small but clean, a narrow bed, a washbasin, and a small window overlooking the street. I closed the door behind me and immediately collapsed onto the bed.

"My money," I groaned, covering my face with my hands.

My echo sat beside me, looking sympathetically at me. "Could be worse. At least you're not sleeping in the forest."

"Easy for you to say. You don't need to eat." I sat up and pulled out my remaining coins, counting them with growing dismay. "Seventy copper. That's it. That's all I have left."

I started removing the leather armor, setting each piece carefully on the small table. The swords went beside them.

Finally down to just the tunic and pants, I flopped back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Tomorrow I need another job. And it better pay better than today."