Yūma entered his room. It was small, but everything necessary was there: a bed with white sheets and a green quilt, a wooden writing desk, and a wardrobe - all simple but complete. From the window drifted the noise of the city. Merchants shouted. Children laughing. Somewhere, the laughter of drunken men drifted upward.

On the desk stood a lamp and a writing quill. Yūma tried turning on the lamp, and it lit up, even though light bulbs hadn't been invented. Is this a magical artifact? he wondered, feeling keenly aware of how little he understood about this world.

He pulled out a notebook and a pen from his schoolbag. His diary wasn't with him, so the notebook would have to be its replacement. Sitting at the desk, he began to write.

Friday, November 27. I'm in another world. Nothing like my own. People travel by horse and magic instead of technology, and architecture from the past. The map of the world may be similar, though I 'm not entirely sure. It seems people don't know much about faraway lands - at least that's the impression I got from the merchant who gave us a ride to the inn.

The Ravens... I'm unsure what to think. I've only seen them in visions, not in person. The knowledge shown to us by the one we call God is terrifying. Fear of death will consume anyone.

Safari... Potions that supposedly gave us superpowers? I don't feel any different in my body. I suppose we'll have to test them and discover how they work. But the knowledge of an ability considered rare and powerful excites me as never before in my life.

To return home, we must kill the Ravens, which means I need to work with others. I don't want to, and I don't like it, but what choice do I have? I'm not strong. I don't have a cheat skill. I can't do this alone. But how am I supposed to trust them? I know nothing about them. That's why I'm thinking of becoming the leader of our group. I need them to trust me, not the other way around.

Yuna... I think she has potential. She's confident enough, though she hides her fear from others.

Yūma's writing was interrupted by a knock at the door. He closed the notebook, slipped it into his bag, and went to the handle. When he opened the door, Riko stood there, fidgeting with her fingers as if searching for the right words.

"Sazanami... Yuna asked me to call you to our room. She wants to talk about something," Riko said, voice hesitant.

"Now?" Yūma asked, resting a hand against the doorframe, voice doubtful.

Riko only nodded, lowering her gaze.

Yūma sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Riko took a step back to give him space, then walked ahead down the corridor. At the end of the hall, another magical lamp burned, giving off a warm golden glow.

Riko opened the door, and inside, Subaru and Yuna sat waiting on the bed. Their room was similar to Yūma's, the only difference being that it had three beds arranged along the walls. The same kind of magical lamp on the desk cast its light against the wooden walls.

"Sit down," Yuna said, pointing at the empty spot by the table.

Yūma walked to the table and sat down, and Riko nervously took the seat beside him, glancing uncertainly at the others.

"What's this about?" Yūma asked, leaning an elbow against the table.

"I want to talk about our situation and what we'll do next," Yuna answered, her tone serious.

Subaru sighed, stood, and leaned against the wall.

"Good question. God told us to fight some gang, but right now we don't even know where to start."

Riko lowered her head. "I don't know if we're even capable... They sound far too strong."

"We don't have a choice. If we want to return to our world, we have to try," Yuna replied, her sharp eyes fixed on Riko.

"We've got rooms for seven days. That's all the money we have. We'll need to find income as soon as possible," Yūma said, glancing toward Subaru.

"Also, we need new clothes. We stand out too much in these uniforms," Yuna added, running her hand over her sleeve.

"I suggest we split up. Subaru and I will look around and see what we can find. Yūma and Riko can buy new clothes. Riko knows our sizes."

Subaru gave a small smile, leaning back against the wall.

"In every story where magic and monsters are involved, there's always an adventurer's guild. We might be useful there, thanks to God's potions."

Riko lifted her head, her eyes uncertain.

"If there's a guild, it'll be near the market. I heard prices shouted from the windows on this side-the crowd was thick there."

They're working quite well together. Yūma realized, watching the interaction between the others with a sense of relief.

"Alright, but before that, I'd like to spend a few days testing our abilities. See how they work and everything," Yūma said.

"I completely forgot about that. Yeah... good idea," Subaru answered eagerly.

"Do you want to go now?" Riko asked.

Yūma turned and looked her straight in the eyes. Truthfully, he didn't feel like going at that moment. He was exhausted. But he needed them to trust him.

"Yes. Wait for me downstairs. I'll be down in a minute."

A few minutes later, they left the place together and headed toward the market.

The streets of Parin pulsed with life. Horse-drawn carriages clattered past elegant women in corseted silk dresses, while men in black coats and top long hats walked with canes clicking on cobblestones.

What caught the students' attention most were the quiet traces of magic brought into their daily routine.

A baker's oven glowed faintly blue, flames steady though no wood was fed inside. A street lantern lit itself as the sun dipped lower, its crystal core humming softly. A young boy carried a bucket of water that floated an inch above his hands, guided by a faint shimmer, while an older woman scolded him for showing off.

But it wasn't only the colourful stalls and the magic that drew their attention. In the shadows of buildings and alleys, people lay under dirty blankets. Filthy, thin children ran barefoot, while others sat with hands outstretched.

"Please... just a piece of bread..." whispered a woman in rags, sitting by the entrance of a small bakery. The shopkeeper only shook his head and kicked her aside with his foot before shutting the door.

Riko stopped for a moment, her face filled with visible frustration.

"This is horrible..." she whispered.

A few steps later, a small boy, maybe ten years old, approached them. He was thin, his hair tangled, and his eyes wide and gleaming.

"Please, sir, miss... some food... or a coin..." the boy said, holding out his hand.

Yūma crouched down so he was level with the boy and met his gaze directly.

"What's your name? Where are your parents? Are you alone?"

"Bernard," he whispered. "Mom's gone. Never knew my dad. Been on the streets since."

Yūma waited for five seconds.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his pouch of coins. He opened it and took out a silver coin, the kind that could buy three loaves of bread. Taking the boy's right hand, he placed the coin on his palm and covered it with his other hand.

"Go buy yourself something." 

The boy froze, staring at the coin, then at Yūma. In front of him was a warm, genuine smile that for a moment reminded him of his mother - a smile long gone from his world. Tears welled in his eyes, not from sorrow but from sudden, overwhelming relief.

"Thank you..." he whispered, his voice cracked.

He quickly turned and ran toward the bakery. Moments later, he came out holding a piece of bread. He bit into it hungrily, and for the first time in a long while, hope shone in his eyes.

Riko watched silently, her hand pressed to her chest. The sight caught her off guard. For a moment, her chest tightened, as if she had seen a different person entirely. A warm, genuine smile, so different from the cold gaze he usually turned on people.

"Every child deserves love... and someone to raise them," Yūma said quietly, more to himself than to her.

Riko smiled slightly and turned her head toward him.

"You're... more sentimental than I thought," Riko said softly. "You must really love your parents."

Yūma stopped for a moment, looked at her, and his smile didn't fade. In fact, it grew wider. "Very much."

Then Yūma and Riko continued their way toward the market.

As they disappeared into the crowd, across the city, Yuna and Subaru followed their own path. They went out into the city, hoping to find the adventurer's guild or any information about this world. The thought of gathering information and the possibility of finding work pushed them forward, but at that moment, the subject of their conversation was Yūma.

"What do you think of him?" Yuna asked, glancing at Subaru from the corner of her eye.

"Yūma? ...Ah, I don't know. He seems like a decent guy," Subaru responded casually, putting his hands into his pockets and looking around at the crowd.

"Maybe he seems that way, but there's something about him. Like he's hiding something," Yuna added, her brows furrowing.

"Everyone hides something. You, for example, gained three kilos."

The hit to Subaru's right shoulder came fast and hard. "Ow!" he groaned, then burst into loud laughter, drawing the people's attention.

"Not three. Two," Yuna said irritably, lifting her chin with pride.

Subaru rubbed his shoulder, shaking his head. "Fine, fine. But see? Everyone hides something."

A faint smile touched Yuna's lips.