Yuki paused, his hand halfway to brushing aside the curtain at the entrance. The voice that called out to him was calm yet carried a presence that made him turn reflexively.
From the back of the shop emerged a tall man with sharp gray eyes and a neatly trimmed beard. His aura felt different from that of an ordinary merchant. Even his presence made the room feel heavy.
The shopkeeper instantly straightened her back. "Master Rick.."
The man ignored her and walked toward Yuki, eyeing him up and down. Not with contempt, but with curiosity.
"You said you're getting your Hunter License in two days?" he asked smoothly.
"Yes, Sir. I just passed the exam today," Yuki replied politely, keeping his tone humble but his posture straight.
Rick rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then glanced at the sword Yuki had pointed to earlier.
"Hmm. I can lend it to you. But on one condition."
Yuki blinked. "Condition?"
The man nodded. "Come back after 3 days. If you return and show your hunter license, we'll consider it paid in goodwill. If you can't, then you will owe double the cost."
Yuki's eyes widened slightly. This was unexpected. A small gesture of trust.
"Why would you trust me that much?" he asked, not hiding his suspicion.
Rick smiled faintly. "You passed the entrace test. You showed no greed. And you didn't beg. Besides we have your name on your ID. That's more than enough credibility than most of the newcomers lately."
The female shopkeeper looked surprised but said nothing. She just silently watched.
Yuki lowered his head slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, Sir. I'll come back within 3 days and show you the licence."
Rick gestured toward the counter. "Go on. Lira will prepare the sheath and wrap."
Lira, the shopkeeper, silently fetched the silver sword and packed it with a faint nod, though her expression said she still found it odd.
Moments later, Yuki stepped out of the shop with the F-Grade Silver sword, which was made of metal. True silver is really expensive, even here. He strapped the sworf to his back, a quiet sense of accomplishment warming his chest.
His steps felt lighter as he returned to the path toward his temporary home. For now, he had his first weapon. It was time to prepare.
"Master Rick, why did you trust the boy? He could be lying about his test results as well," Lira asked casually, her tone light yet inquisitive.
Rick shook his head with a faint smile. "No one can lie to me, Lira. I can tell for certain that the boy is an awakened one. And in business, if you never take risks, you never truly win. The same applies to real life. Who knows, perhaps by offering him this small favor, we've unknowingly aligned ourselves with something far greater."
He ended with a quiet, mysterious chuckle that made Lira sigh inwardly.
Her boss's cryptic instincts were acting up again.
---
Yuki, on the other hand, was beginning to feel the sting of hunger just minutes after leaving the shop. But he didn't slow down. Instead, he picked up his pace. Time was running out.
"This transformation skill is such a hassle," he muttered under his breath. "I really need to increase my Mana soon. Otherwise, I'll stay trapped in this constant cycle of worry."
Arriving at the rental home, Yuki saw a woman drying laundry in the lawn. Her sleeves were rolled up, and beads of sweat glistened on her forehead.
As soon as she noticed him, she offered a warm smile and wiped her brow with the back of her hand.
"Your name is Yuki, right?"
"Ah, yes, Madam. You're right," he replied politely.
"You must be hungry. Go on upstairs. I've already sent up some lunch for you. My husband mentioned you don't have money at the moment, so I thought..."
"Thank you for being so thoughtful, Mrs. Versalon. I really needed it. I'm very grateful," Yuki said, bowing slightly.
The woman smiled even more warmly. "My name is Evangeline. You can call me Aunt Eva if you prefer. Or just Eva is fine too."
"Haha, how could I be disrespectful to my benefactor? Aunt Eva it is. That suits the tone perfectly."
"Hehe... what a sweet boy. I always wished for a son like you. But alas, God wasn't on my side. After Venus, we weren't able to—"
Yuki's smile stiffened as a wave of restlessness hit him. If she kept chatting, his transformation might wear off at any moment.
So he quickly interrupted, "Sorry, Aunt Eva. I need to use the toilet. Let's talk more in the evening!"
Without waiting for her response, he bolted like lightning toward the stairs.
Eva paused, blinking in surprise. Watching his retreating back, she murmured to herself, "Does he have constipation? If so, I should sent some fruits to him."
While muttering to herself, she also went inside the room.
Right after she left, her daughter, Venus, came in from the street.
Venus stepped into the yard as if she had descended from a painting touched by sunlight. Her yellow and blue uniform fluttered with the breeze, its crisp folds dancing around her like petals caught in the wind.
Strands of chestnut hair escaped her braid, framing her youthful face with careless grace. The sun, slipping through clouds above, cast a golden hue upon her shoulders, as though the heavens themselves took delight in her return.
With each step across the cobblestone path, her polished boots struck rhythm with quiet resolve. A book sat tucked beneath her arm, its leather edges worn from use. It was a quiet proof of her discipline. The scent of fresh parchment and spring soap clung to her like whispers of diligence.
She paused beneath the shadow of the second floor, her gaze narrowing ever so slightly as her eyes fixed on the windows above.
She recalled the secret conversation from last night. Her parents had praised the new tenant they had just met, noting how he had awakened at such a young age, unlike her. They even said they would have been proud to have a son like him.
Gender discrimination was nothing new.
But the cruel comparison sparked jealousy and ignited her competitive nature.
Clenching her delicate fist with quiet fire, she murmured beneath her breath, "What a man can do, I can do better."
The wind tugged gently at her uniform as if urging her onward. Her presence was like a growing spark, the kind that waits patiently before setting the world ablaze.