"Kurono, will you stay here?" Lily asked as they left the Chief's office.
"Yes, we'll stay for a while. And it's all thanks to you. Thank you, Lily."
Kurono smiled and leaned down to give the adorable fairy a gentle hug.
Lily giggled, her wings fluttering with joy as she allowed the contact without hesitation.
"Thank you, Lily," Shirou added, his tone noticeably warmer than before. The stiffness in his posture had faded, replaced with a more open attitude. He had realized he'd been too guarded since arriving and that it wasn't helping them blend in.
"You are welcome," Lily beamed, then turned her attention back to Kurono. It was clear she liked the big teddy bear of a man.
"Don't worry, Lily. I'll come visit you every day—and I'll bring you sweets. Do you like sweets?"
"I like strawberries and honey," she replied with innocent cheer.
"I'll bring you something different. Something just as good."
"What is it?" she asked, tilting her head.
"It's a surprise," Kurono teased.
"Muu, I want to know," Lily pouted adorably, puffing her cheeks.
"Does Lily not like surprises?" he asked, suddenly worried.
"No, I do not like surprises. Surprises are scary," she huffed with a serious nod.
"Oh—sorry! I was just thinking of making some apple candy or ice pops."
"Apple candy? Ice… pop?" Lily echoed, blinking in confusion. She'd clearly never heard of them before.
"They're treats from my hometown," Kurono explained, grinning. "You'll love them."
"They look like this," Shirou added helpfully, forming an illusion with his mana—two shimmering images appeared mid-air: a glossy red apple candy on a stick, and a translucent blue ice pop sparkling under an imaginary sun.
Lily's eyes widened in awe. "Oooh…"
Her delighted expression was so pure that Shirou couldn't help but smile. It was rare for anything to lift the weight off his shoulders these days, but somehow, Lily's happiness had that effect.
Before their light-hearted conversation could go on further, they arrived at their destination.
The Adventurers' Guild stood as a modest two-story structure, plain and unadorned. The wooden sign above the door was slightly faded, but still legible. Irz Village was a small, peaceful place, so it was only natural that the guild wouldn't be grand.
Upon entering, they found the interior just as humble.
There were a few simple tables and chairs scattered around—mostly empty. Only one group sat nearby, gathered around a table: a harpy, a lamia, a lizardman, and a catman were deep in conversation.
At the far end of the room was the reception desk. The receptionist, a young woman with dark circles under her eyes, was dozing off in her chair. A fat orange cat lounged lazily on the counter beside her, purring contentedly.
The walls were decorated with worn shields, swords, and mounted monster heads, adding some rugged character to the place. A set of wooden stairs led to the second floor—most likely where the guildmaster or protector of this branch resided. Probably the one, aside from Lily, responsible for Irz Village's defense.
Shirou, Kurono, and Lily ignored the seated adventurers and walked straight toward the counter.
"Excuse me," Kurono called out, his voice breaking the stillness of the room. He was trying his best to be polite, but something about the cat-girl in front of him made him slightly uncomfortable. She wasn't like the Kuroneko they had met at the entrance of the village—no, this one was different.
Her appearance was striking: completely covered in calico fur, her skin a blend of browns, oranges, and whites, with faint streaks of black that formed delicate patterns across her arms and legs. Her face, too, resembled that of an actual cat, but not in a monstrous or unsettling way. It was almost... charming, if a little odd. Her eyes were large and round, bright green, and they shone with an intelligent gleam. She was walking on two legs, just like a human, but with the posture of a feline—a subtle reminder that she belonged to the so-called beastman race.
Her hair, unlike the rest of her fur-covered body, was human-like—shoulder-length and a soft, light brown. This, combined with the cat features, gave her a strange, almost ethereal appearance. It was easy to see how someone might mistake her for a hybrid between human and animal, and yet, she carried herself with a quiet grace that suggested she was used to her unique form.
She blinked, almost as if surprised to be spoken to, before straightening up and offering a polite smile.
"Welcome to the Irz Village Adventurer's Guild," she said in a soft, melodic voice. "Are you looking for a request?"
Kurono shook his head slightly, trying to shake off the sensation that he was talking to a cat that could speak. "No, I'm here to register as an adventurer."
Her eyes flickered with interest, though her tail—fluffy and sleek—flicked from side to side, betraying a slight sense of restlessness.
"I see," she said, nodding slowly. "So you're a newcomer!"
Kurono, ever the polite traveler, gave a humble bow before replying. "Yes, I'm just a novice who doesn't know anything. I'll be counting on you to guide me."
The cat-girl blinked at him, her ears twitching in mild disbelief. "You're too polite."
"Is that so?" Kurono asked, a bit surprised by her response. He had meant to be respectful, but now he began to question if his formality was perhaps a bit much.
"Yes," she replied, her voice dropping slightly, her eyes narrowing in amusement. "The only one who talks so politely with someone like me is the village head." She gestured around her, indicating the guild and the other adventurers scattered across the room. "Most others are rude adventurers, after all."
Kurono paused, taken aback. He had noticed the Chief's kindness earlier, but now that he thought about it, it seemed like a rare quality here. The thought lingered—Is the village head like that with everyone?
Before he could lose himself in that thought, the cat-girl continued, her voice slightly more relaxed now. "So, ah, I haven't asked for your name yet." She extended a hand in greeting, her claws neatly trimmed but still visible in the soft light. "I am Nyarko."
Kurono, caught off guard, blinked at her. "Nyanko?"
Her tail flicked sharply in slight irritation. "It's Nyarko!" she corrected him, her tone teasing yet stern. "You're rude, it seems!"
He blinked in embarrassment, quickly clearing his throat. "Ah, sorry. Um, Nyan—no, Miss Nyarko. My name is Kurono."
"Yes, yes. So, Mr. Kurono..." She waved a hand dismissively. "There's no need to be so formal with me. You'll get tired, right?"
"Ah, you realized?" Kurono chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
Nyarko's eyes gleamed with a knowing glint. "Yes, it shows." She paused, as if considering him carefully. "Still, using formal speech with others... It seems Kurono has received some proper education. Which school did you go to?"
"Ahahaha..." Kurono laughed awkwardly, raising both hands in defense. "I'd be glad if you didn't ask too much about my circumstances." He shifted a little, trying to keep his composure. "I came here because I heard anyone could become an adventurer, even without identity proof."
"I see," Nyarko said, her tail flicking in contemplation. "So you have some special circumstances."
"That's right," Kurono replied, keeping his answer vague.
"Understood." Nyarko gave a small nod, seemingly satisfied with his response. "Then neither I nor this guild will ask any further." She slid a paper and pen toward him. "Now then, please fill out the details on the application form."
Kurono glanced at the sheet, noticing it was simple enough—name, age, and sex were all required, but there was one more thing that caught his eye.
"What is this 'class'?" he asked, pointing to the blank space under the section labeled 'Class.'
"That is where you write whether you're a swordsman or a magic warrior, basically your fighting style," Nyarko explained matter-of-factly. "This will be important for making parties, as well as assessing your elemental compatibility with monsters." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Of course, adventurers are not like an army, so we aren't divided by strict classes. Most people just write what they feel best fits their style. If you can't think of something, just use your specialty weapon as your class."
Kurono thought for a moment, his mind wandering. "I see, so it's self-styled names, then—"
He trailed off, his hand hovering over the pen. The idea of giving himself a class name felt like a strange exercise in self-definition. How would he describe his fighting style? "Wandering Warrior?" "Untrained Swordsman?" No, those didn't feel right.
"Black Magician and Mage, is it?" Nyarko mused, her green eyes twinkling with curiosity. She leaned back against the counter, her tail flicking thoughtfully. "It's quite rare to see two mages together, especially in this place. Though, I haven't seen anyone with dark magic before."
Kurono furrowed his brow, his mind racing. "Yeah, are black magical energy users rare?"
Nyarko's ears twitched as she nodded. "Yes, they are." She hesitated for a moment, then continued, her voice lowering a touch as though imparting a secret. "Black magic holds many old, hidden secrets. There are few who wield it, and those who do rarely reveal themselves as adventurers."
Kurono nodded, intrigued but still confused. ""I see. So, magicians—or rather, most magic warriors—use primary color magic like fire, ice, etc.?"
"Rather than saying 'most', I'd say pretty much everyone who uses magic falls into that category," Nyarko explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "Even those who specialize in summon magic or healing magic typically have at least one primary color magic in their repertoire."
Kurono scratched his chin, piecing it all together. "I see. I can't use primary color magic. In the first place, I'm not even well-acquainted with magic itself."
"Well, if you were to go to larger towns, there would be plenty of opportunities for you to attend magic lectures," Nyarko said. "But here, we only cover the basics for adventurers."
Kurono glanced over at Shirou, who gave a small nod of agreement. Both of them were eager to learn more about this world. This seemed like the perfect opportunity.
"Will you give the basic explanations for adventurers now?" Kurono asked, his voice hopeful.
Nyarko nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "Yes, only the simple rules for now. If you want more detailed information, you can file a request to listen to an extended lecture."
Kurono scratched the back of his head, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Ah, my other companion is waiting, though. If it's going to take some time, would it be alright if she listens along with me?"
Nyarko raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "By companion, you mean Miss Lily?"
"You know her?" Kurono asked, his eyes widening in surprise. "Lily really is famous."
Nyarko chuckled softly, her tail swishing behind her. "There's no one who doesn't know her. After all, she's been selling fairy miracle medicine at ridiculously cheap prices for the past thirty years."
Kurono's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Ooh, Lily's medicines are that amazing? Wait... did you just say thirty years?"
"Yes, that's right." Nyarko nodded, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Lily-san will be 32 this year, if I'm correct."
Kurono's eyes grew even wider. "32 years old!? Seriously!?"
Nyarko's amusement deepened as she watched Kurono's reaction. "I'm serious."
Kurono blinked in complete shock, his thoughts scrambling. Thirty-two? But she looks like she's only... ten or twelve! His mind raced, still struggling to comprehend. What the hell?
Noticing his confusion, Shirou stepped in, trying to smooth over the situation. "No need to be that surprised. Fairies live very long lives, after all. Their appearance doesn't change as they age. For them, age doesn't hold the same meaning it does for us."
Kurono blinked, now trying to process the new information. "I... I see. So, basically, she has the same mental age from the time she was born?"
"Exactly," Nyarko confirmed, nodding. "But they have excellent memories, so they know a lot. Especially Miss Lily, who came from the Fountain of Light, has vast knowledge about this area. She's even familiar with the head of Kuar village."
Kurono, still a little shaken, turned around and spotted Lily sitting casually in the lobby. Her green eyes met his, and upon realizing he was looking, she waved at them with a wide grin.
"Well, whatever her age is, it doesn't change the fact that she's Lily," Kurono muttered under his breath, shaking his head to clear the disorientation.
"Ah, so you two will be taking the elementary-level lecture with Lily-san?" Nyarko asked, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "By the way, the price is 100 silver coins. I won't charge Lily-san for her share."
"Please," Kurono said, not hesitating for a moment. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a large silver coin from a hidden pocket in his shadow, where he could store items. With a simple flick of his wrist, the coin appeared, and he handed it to Nyarko.
Nyarko accepted the coin with a graceful nod. "Well then, I'll do some preparations. Please wait in the lobby with Lily-san." She gestured toward the seating area where Lily was waiting.
Kurono gave a polite nod, glancing back at Shirou before heading toward the lobby. As he moved, he couldn't help but think to himself: This world is so much more complicated than I imagined. But somehow, I'm starting to feel like I'm part of it. Maybe I can learn enough to survive here after all.
As they made their way over to Lily, Kurono still couldn't quite get the image of her as a young girl out of his head. He'd have to keep reminding himself that appearances were deceiving in this strange new world.