Wrapped in his dark cloak, Kaito walked at a slow pace. His hood was pulled down, hiding most of his face and leaving only the glint of his brown eyes visible; at his waist were two sheaths—inside them lay two peculiar blades.

Ahead of him stood a crowded inn. A constant clamor of voices and laughter spilled from inside.

(An inn, huh... should be fine.)

Kaito pushed the door and went in.

The warmth of the room hit him immediately. The inn’s interior was full of people drinking, talking and laughing loudly. The hall was medium-sized, and toward the back was the bar counter.

Near it there was a flight of stairs leading to the upper floor. The smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of food, creating a heavy atmosphere.

He moved up to the bar, ignoring the curious glances of some patrons drawn to his solitary figure.

"Hello, I'd like something to drink."

His voice was flat.

The bartender, a man in his fifties with a dirty apron and strong arms, looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"You're a bit too young for these places, kid."

"...I just want some water."

The bartender was silent for a moment, then sighed, filled a glass with water and set it down in front of him.

Kaito lowered his hood, revealing his face: slightly tousled black hair, dull brown eyes, and an expression that seemed too bleak for his age.

The bartender stared at him for a moment, noticing something.

(This boy... there's something strange about his look.)

Kaito took out two brish — the currency used in this world — and let them drop onto the counter.

"There. Thanks."

"See you, kid."

Kaito barely nodded and turned to leave. But something made him stop.

In a corner of the inn, a group of men were bothering a girl.

"Leave me alone and go away."

The girl's voice was firm, but there was tension in her eyes.

One of the men, a burly type with a scar on his cheek, sneered.

"Come on, if you dress like that you want the attention, right?"

The others laughed. One of them reached out and grabbed her by the wrist.

Kaito felt a slight irritation rise within him. A mix of annoyance and... disgust.

The bartender stepped forward, his face tense.

"Leave her alone and get out of my inn."

The thug with the scar looked at him, then grinned.

"And who do you think you are to give us orders, old man?"

His hand shot out and struck the bartender in the stomach, making him double over.

"Now come with us, pretty thing."

"Don't touch me!"

The girl tried to pull away. The man tightened his grip.

But something stopped his movement.

A hand closed around his wrist.

The man spun around.

Behind him, Kaito stared with cold, lifeless eyes.

"Let the girl go."

The murmur of the crowd died.

"And who the hell are you, kid? Looking for trouble?"

Kaito didn't answer at once. His expression did not change.

"I won't say it again."

The thug burst out laughing.

"Well, listen to this! I'll show you, runt!"

The punch came fast — but it hit only air. Kaito dropped with a fluid motion and, in a single move, leveraged the man's arm, throwing him to the ground.

The patrons watched the scene, stunned.

The thug got up with his face twisted in anger.

"Bastard... let's kill him!"

The other two men nodded and lunged at Kaito.

He moved in a flash. He used their shoulders as a spring, landed behind them, and with a few sharp strikes sent them sprawling to the floor.

The three men, hurt, struggled to their feet.

"Want to keep going?"

Kaito's voice was low, cold.

One of the men ground his teeth.

"Let's get out of here."

"I don't know who you are, but I'll remember you."

They left, limping.

Calm fell over the inn.

Kaito remained silent, then decided to go.

"Wait!"

A hand grabbed his wrist.

He spun around.

In front of him, the girl looked at him. Long black hair with bangs slightly covering her forehead and violet eyes.

"Please... don't go."

Kaito looked at her, confused.

(What does she want from me?)

"You helped us — let us repay you."

Kaito didn't seem interested, however...

"All right... I'll stay a while."

He agreed reluctantly, not even knowing why himself.

A small smile opened on the girl's face.

"Thank you."

The bartender, equally pleased, offered Kaito food and lodging for the duration of his stay, giving him one of the inn's nicer rooms.

Kaito followed the girl up the stairs. The wooden floor creaked under their steps as the din of the patrons faded.

"This will be your room while you stay here. I hope you like it."

The girl, whom the bartender had called Yume, stopped in front of a door, looking uncertain.

Kaito watched her a moment. She looked younger than he had imagined.

(She can't be older than eighteen.)

He turned the doorknob and stepped into the room.

The interior was simple but cozy: a bed, a nightstand and a small television. Nothing special, but definitely better than other places he'd slept recently.

"Do you like it? It's the best we have."

"It'll do," Kaito replied, placing his cloak on the chair beside the bed. "A less luxurious one would have been fine too."

"We wanted to show you our gratitude."

For a moment silence reigned. Then Yume stepped forward, lowering her gaze.

"And... I'd like to know your name."

The light rain fell over the town, sliding off the wooden roofs of the houses and wetting the dusty ground.

Wrapped in his dark cloak, Kaito walked at a slow pace.

The lowered hood hid most of his face, leaving only the reflection of his brown eyes visible.

He carried two sheaths fastened to his belt; inside them were two peculiar blades.

In front of him stood a crowded inn.

A steady din of voices and laughter came from inside.

—An inn, huh... should be fine.—

He pushed the door and went in.

The warmth of the room enveloped him immediately.

The interior of the inn was full of people drinking, talking, and laughing loudly.

The hall was of medium size, and at the far end stood the bar counter.

Near it, a flight of stairs led to the upper floor.

The smell of alcohol mixed with that of food, creating a heavy atmosphere.

He approached the bar, ignoring the curious glances of some patrons.

«Hello, I would like something to drink.»

His voice was flat.

The bartender, a man in his fifties with a dirty apron and sturdy arms, looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

«You’re a bit young for places like this, lad.»

«... I only want water.»

The bartender fell silent for a moment, then filled a glass with water and set it in front of him.

Kaito lowered his hood, revealing his face. Slightly messy black hair and brown eyes.

He brought the glass to his lips and drained it.

«How much do I owe you?» he asked.

«Two coins.» The bartender raised his index and middle finger.

He produced two brish and let them fall onto the counter.

«Here. Thanks.»

«See you, kid.»

Kaito barely nodded and turned to leave.

But something made him stop.

In the corner of the inn, a group of men were bothering a girl.

«Leave me alone and go away.»

The girl's voice was steady, but there was a certain tension in her gaze.

One of the men, a burly type with a scar on his cheek, sneered.

«Come on, have a drink with us, you'll have fun.»

The others laughed.

One of them reached out and grabbed her wrist.

The bartender stepped forward, his face tense.

«Leave her alone and get out of my inn.»

The scarred thug stared at him, then grinned.

«And who do you think you are to give us orders, old man?»

His hand flew and struck the elder in the stomach, doubling him over.

Then he turned to the girl.

«Now come with us.» He moved closer.

«Don't touch me!»

The girl tried to pull away.

The man stretched out his hand.

But something stopped his movement.

A hand had closed around his wrist.

The man spun around sharply.

It was Kaito who had grabbed him.

«Leave the girl.»

A murmur cut through the crowd.

«And who the hell are you, brat?» the thug spat.

Kaito didn't answer immediately. His gaze did not change.

«I won't say it again.»

The thug burst out laughing.

«Listen to this one! I'll show you, runt!»

A punch came fast.

But it hit only air.

Kaito dropped with a fluid movement and, in a single motion, leveraged the man's arm and threw him to the floor.

The customers stared at the scene, unbelieving.

The thug rose with his face contorted in rage.

«Bastard!»

The other two men lunged at the boy.

He moved in a flash.

He leapt, using their shoulders as a springboard, landing behind them.

With a few quick strikes he sent them to the ground.

The three men, aching, got up with difficulty.

«You want to keep going?» Kaito's voice was low.

One of the men ground his teeth.

«Let's get out of here.»

«I don't know who you are but I'll remember you.»

They left, limping.

Calm settled over the inn.

Kaito remained silent, then decided to leave.

«Wait!»

A hand gripped his wrist.

He turned sharply.

In front of him, the girl was staring at him.

Long black hair with bangs that slightly covered her forehead and violet eyes.

«Please... don't go.»

Kaito looked at her, puzzled.

—What does she want from me?—

«You helped me; let us repay you.»

«You seem to need lodging,» she added.

Kaito did not seem interested.

However—

—I could use a place to rest— he looked at his dirty clothes.

«All right... I accept.»

He said it reluctantly.

A small smile opened on the girl's face.

«Thank you.»

The bartender, equally pleased, offered food and lodging without hesitation.

He gave him one of the inn's most comfortable rooms.

Kaito followed the girl up the stairs.

The wooden floor creaked beneath their steps as the patrons' voices faded.

«This will be your room as long as you stay here. I hope you like it.»

The girl—whom the bartender had called Yume—stopped before a door, looking at him with an uncertain expression.

Kaito watched her for a moment.

She looked younger than he had imagined.

—She can't be more than eighteen.—

Then he turned the doorknob and entered the room.

The interior was simple but cozy: a bed, a nightstand, and a small television.

Nothing special, but definitely better than other places he'd slept recently.

«Do you like it? It's the best one we have.»

Yume seemed nervous.

«It will do,» Kaito replied, laying his cloak on the chair next to the bed. «A less luxurious one would have been fine, too.»

«We wanted to show our gratitude.»

For a moment there was silence.

Then Yume stepped forward, lowering her gaze.

«And... I'd like to know your name.»

She said it with a hint of embarrassment, as if she were unsure whether to ask.

Kaito hesitated, then answered:

«My name is Kaito.»

Yume smiled slightly.

«That's a nice name.»

«... Yume, right?» the boy asked for confirmation.

«Yes?»

«I wanted to know... in this town you don't have spirit wielders, right?»

Yume looked surprised, then shook her head.

«No. As you may have already guessed, we're very poor here,» she explained. «Unlike other towns, we don't have enough money to fix the roads or modernize the buildings. As a result, spirit bearers aren't interested in living here.»

Kaito noticed she said it without anger or sadness in her voice.

—She doesn't seem to care much about it...— he thought.

«I understand. I expected as much.»

He turned toward the bed and sat down, folding his arms.

«Well then, good night.»

Yume stared at him for a moment, as if she wanted to say something else, but in the end she nodded.

«Good night, Kaito.»

She closed the door and left.