Ajin gasped waking up. “Master, please wake up, we need to head into town.” Riki said. Ajin’s eyes opened, “Huh..” Ajin groaned and sat up.

“I’m up..”

“Good, we need to head into town master.”

“Sorry, I just had a horrible dream… WHERE’S AKIMATSU???" Now conscious.

“He is laid down next to you master.“ Riki answered, motioning to Akimatsu.

“Oh thank the gods…“ Ajin sighed. “What was the dream about?”

“Akimatsu woke up and well- he teased me? And well, in the end we went to the castle in the kingdom and there were people dancing and guards, in my dream I questioned little things that Akimatsu said, and what I caught on to at first was that a guard said the seamstresses made me the robe I had been wearing- and well I remembered they were no longer with us.“

Riki stared at Ajin baffled. “Oh, do you feel alright, master?“

“I’ll be fine.“

Ajin stood up and rubbed his eyes, “Did my hair get messed up?” Ajin grabbed his long ponytail and brought it to the front to look at it. “Not at all master, your hair still looks good.”

“That’s good.” Ajin replied, letting go of his hair. “Riki, where are the robes?” He rummaged through the fruit basket, placing his coin pouch in a pocket.

“Hanging on that branch master.” Riki said, pointing to the robes that hanged on a high branch. “Don’t worry I’ll get them down and put them in the basket, you get Akimatsu.”

Ajin turned to Akimatsu, sat him down and picked him up on his back. Riki then placed the fruit basket that contained the robes on his arm, and handed him the paper Miss Urano gave to him. Riki floated into Ajin’s chest with a flash. 

On the path he had taken the day before, Miss Wakumi and Miss Urano came into view.

“Good morning Mrs. Aine, as well to you, Mrs. Aine.” Ajin greeted with a bow. “Good morning.” Miss Urano smiled, “Good morning to ya kid!” Miss Wakumi shouted, approaching Ajin then patting his shoulder. “No need to show the slip, my dear made it, and I was here to see it.” Miss Wakumi added, backing up to stand on her post. “Thank you.”

“You know that Miss Hano’s shop doesn’t open till ten in the morning right? It’s around eight.” Miss Urano informed him. “Oh, really? I forgot to ask her what time I should be there.”

“Well, I’d recommend maybe showing up at nine thirty just in case, but eight is too early.” Miss Wakumi advised, Miss Urano nodded.

“I guess I’ll look around for now, I still need to purchase breakfast and look around for homes to purchase, any around being sold?” Ajin asked, feeling his tummy rumble, and knowing he needed a home.

“Oh, there are new homes being built at the end of the town, so perhaps some might be on sale, there should be someone outside of those homes trying to get people to purchase them.” Miss Urano said, reaching into Miss Wakumi’s pocket. She pulled out a folded piece of paper, she unfolded it and it become bigger, she looked at it and then turned it around, “If you go straight from here, on the main road, you should eventually reach where the homes are built.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Miss Urano replied, “Don’t mention it, if you need some help, come to us Ajin.” Miss Wakumi added. Ajin bowed, his goodbye, they tapped their polearms and bowed at the same time as Ajin walked through the entrance. “Good day Miss!” The boy from the day before shouted. “Oh- hello!” Ajin said, startled. “My name is Teru! What’s your name?” The boy asked motioning Ajin to come to his stand. “Oh see- my name is Ajin and I’m actually a boy.” Chuckling nervously as he walked to the boy.

His hair, jet black, his eyes dark brown, and his skin light brown belonged to people of this area, such beauty Ajin thought. “Why didn’t you say so! You are so pretty I thought you were a girl!” Teru laughed, seeming unbothered. “Oh- I just forgot to say so yesterday.”

“Well, are you gonna buy from me today? My offer still stands.” Teru added, with a fruit in hand. “…Sure, I’ll have four plums and six mangos.”

"That’ll be twenty coins!” Teru smiled. Ajin handed him twenty six coins. “Oh here, you gave me six more on accident.” Teru said, holding out the six coins, “No keep them, consider them a tip.” Ajin pushed Teru’s hand with the coins back to him, “I usually do not take tips, but I don't want to waste this blessing, so thanks a lot.” Teru exclaimed putting the money into his pocket. Ajin bowed, “I’ll see you another day, I have work today and have an errand to run, have a good day.”

“Oh! Good day to you too!” Teru beamed, quickly bowing too. Ajin waved goodbye. “Are you able to eat while inside me?” Ajin asked Riki. “Yes I can, why master?”

“Please eat, which one do you like more? Plum or mango?”

“Mango.”

“Ok here.” Ajin put one of the mangos near his chest and looked around, no one was there to see. Riki took it.

“Thank you master.”

“Of course.”

Ajin ate, reaching a circle of homes that were being built. Five homes were in the circle, one started, two being built, and two fully built. “Hello?” Ajin asked, hoping someone would pop up. “Hellooo?” Ajin asked louder, no answer. “Hello? Is anyone here?” He stayed quiet to see if anyone would answer, no answer. “Hello, I came to purchase home!”

Ajin turned around to head over to Miss Hano’s shop instead. A man appeared walking in the direction of the homes looking at a huge scribe. “Hello sir, do you happen to know what time sellers will arrive to sell those homes?”

“Huh?” The man muttered, confused.

“Sorry, I wanted to know if you knew when sellers would come, I want to purchase one of those homes.” Ajin informed, pointing at the direction he had been. “Oh, I’m the seller, which home are you interested in?”

“Oh, I didn’t take a good look, can I check them out?” Ajin queried, “Sure, let’s go.” The seller agreed, walking ahead of Ajin, Ajin followed. 

“Well these two are done right?” Ajin asked, pointing at the two fully built homes. “Yes they are, just need to put in pipe for the water source and done, for both.” The seller answered, “Alright, may I ask how many rooms do these two homes have?”

“The one on the left has three, and the one on the right has two.” The seller answered, first pointing to the light green painted home and then to the grey painted home.

“Oh, may I see inside of the grey home then?”

“Sure, come this way.”

Ajin followed the seller to the door step of the home. He opened the door with a key and motioned Ajin in. “May I walk around?”

“Of course.”

Ajin strolled in the halls, two bathrooms and two rooms. When entering there was a small path forward, straight forward was a couple chairs gathered together, and turning left was a hall, the two bathrooms and one room were there. And going back to the entrance, heading right, there was the other room. There was a door as well, that led to a fenced back yard, and a nice humble kitchen with a new aroma. “This home is perfect! How many coins for it?”

“Nine hundred and sixty coins.”

“Ok! Let me get them.”

“Hold on little boy, I can’t sell it to you yet, you’ll have to come tomorrow.”

“Oh? Why?”

“The pipes need to be put in first.”

“Can you please reserve this home for me?” Ajin handed him fifty coins.

“Of course, come back tomorrow around this time.”

"Thank you.”