In the early morning, I woke up, got ready, and went down to the inn's restaurant for breakfast and bought some snacks to take on the train. After that, I checked out and started walking toward the station to buy a train ticket to the capital.
The ticket price to the capital is 15 silver coins.
That's quite expensive.
Well, it's not surprising given the distance.
I have 25 gold coins plus the mission payment yesterday of 2 gold coins. And I received pocket money from Uncle Gord of 30 silver coins.
If I may say, he gave me quite a lot of pocket money.
100 bronze coins equal 1 silver coin, 100 silver coins equal 1 gold coin, and 100 gold coins equal 1 platinum coin.
An ordinary person needs at least 5 gold coins to survive for a year.
And here he gave me 30 silver coins for free.
The train is about to arrive for the departure to the Capital Lunaris.
"Ahh please, can you stop talking?!"
"Hehe, why are you so sensitive today?"
"It's because you're too noisy in the morning, you jerk!"
As I stood up from my seat, I listened to the conversation of two men.
One of them had black hair and golden eyes, a glint of cruelty clear on his face. He wore a white shirt covered by a black winter coat, black pants, and black boots.
Meanwhile, the other had blond hair and cherry-red eyes. He wore a black turtleneck with a beige coat, black pants, and black boots.
Feeling my gaze, the black-haired man glanced at me briefly, seeming uninterested, then returned to waiting for the train to arrive in front of the yellow line.
I pulled my hood lower to cover my bangs and entered the train as it arrived.
My ticket indicated carriage number four and seat A11.
Right now, I'm in carriage number six, so its two carriages ahead.
I walked to my intended carriage and immediately sat in the seat I had reserved.
I placed my snacks beside me and opened my book. The gentle rocking of the train and the rhythmic sound of the wheels on the tracks created a soothing atmosphere.
All I have to do now is wait for this train to reach the capital while I relax by reading, snacking, and napping.
.
.
.
Or it should be—
But here we are now, facing those two guys.
Well, if it were just a face-to-face encounter, it might not be a problem—but one of them is staring at me intensely!
Why? Did I do something wrong?
I raised my book to cover my face, hoping to avoid that gaze.
Maybe sensing my discomfort, the blond guy immediately scolded his friend.
"Stop that!"
"What?"
"You're making her uncomfortable!"
"I'm just looking at her."
"And that's why she feels uncomfortable!!"
The black-haired guy who was staring at me looked annoyed and turned his gaze to the train window, as if searching for something else to focus on.
"Sorry, he's a bit intimidating, but he's actually a nice guy," said the blond guy, smiling in a way that tried to ease the situation.
I lowered my book and nodded in response, feeling a bit relieved.
"Etto, my name is Joshua Anderson and this is Arion Hart. What about you?"
"Eira."
"Just Eira?"
"Yes."
"I see, nice to meet you, Eira."
"Nice to meet you too."
With that introduction, the atmosphere became a little more comfortable.
"By the way, Eira, where are you from?"
"I'm from Luzern. How about you, Mr. Anderson?"
"Ahh, just call me Joshua. I'm from Venice."
"Venice, huh? If I'm not mistaken, it's a famous city in the east that the Arno River flows through, right?"
"Yes, that's right! You know a lot."
"I read about it in a book."
After exchanging such conversation, I was surprised to find out that he was a friendly person.
Our conversation flowed effortlessly, like a calm stream, and before I knew it, it was already midday.
The sunlight streaming through the train window seemed to warm my body. Yet, in the midst of that warmth, something suddenly felt different. A chill ran down my spine—a discomfort I couldn't explain. It was like a faint premonition of something unseen, making me feel as though something was lurking behind the calm.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing."
I wanted to brush off the uneasy feeling that had been haunting me, but my instincts kept screaming otherwise. There was something—some dangerous entity on this train. Could it be a Blightwalker?
If that's true, then these people are in danger. Should I walk around and check?
Alright. I have to do this.
As I began to stand, the sound of footsteps reached my ears. Though the surroundings were bustling with passengers chatting and moving about, that particular sound seemed to cut through the noise, echoing clearly.
I turned and saw a middle-aged man, appearing quite ordinary. Yet as he passed by my seat, I caught a faint whiff of an unusual floral scent coming from him.
The black-haired man in front of me—Arion—opened his eyes, which had been closed moments earlier. He studied the man carefully, then looked at his companion, Joshua, and gave a slight nod.
"Sorry, Eira, we have some important business. We have to leave," Joshua said calmly.
The two of them rose from their seats and began to follow the mysterious man.
They were most likely both Finire. I could leave this matter to them, but the uneasy feeling kept haunting me.
I touched the two short swords hanging at the back of my waist. Without a second thought, I followed their footsteps from behind.