After handing in the day's quest, Nico and Lila made their way to the Adventurers Guild's main hall, where a gruff clerk pushed over a small bag of coins as payment for dispatching the flower monsters.
"Nice job, you two," he grunted, giving them a nod of approval. "We'll need capable adventurers like you with the latest news goin' around."
"What news?" Lila asked, looking curious.
"Just some talk of a beast headin' this way from the mountains," the clerk replied, lowering his voice. "Should be fine, but keep your ears open."
Intrigued, Nico pocketed the coins, and they decided to stop at a nearby tavern for dinner. The cozy inn they chose had sturdy wooden tables packed with adventurers sharing tales of quests and drinking hearty ales. Nico and Lila found a spot at the edge of the room and ordered a meal, their voices lost amid the lively din around them.
As they ate, Nico noticed a group of adventurers at a nearby table glancing nervously toward each other, voices barely above a whisper.
"Did you hear?" one of them muttered, leaning in. "A B-rank monster, a flying serpent, was spotted coming out of the northern mountain range. Headed straight for Dawnspire."
Another adventurer, a tall man with a scar running across his jaw, scoffed but looked uneasy. "That thing's going to take all of us if it gets close. Even a B-rank flying serpent can rain fire on a village in minutes. We need the high-ranking adventurers to help us fend it off."
"A-rank adventurers are scattered across the region, though. All of 'em stick to the S-rankers' orders and roam wherever they're sent," a woman replied, a worried frown on her face.
Nico listened carefully, glancing at Lila. "A B-rank flying serpent… is that as bad as it sounds?"
She leaned in, her expression serious. "Yes, they're tough monsters. B-rank is nothing to mess with. Flying serpents are fast, they can breathe fire, and they're relentless in their attacks." She hesitated, glancing back at the adventurers. "And it's true about the higher ranks. We have a handful of A-rank adventurers, but they usually work as teams under S-rankers. The S-rankers are in another league altogether, though. They take on legendary monsters and rarely stay near the city."
"So Dawnspire's basically on its own?" Nico asked, frowning.
Lila nodded, sighing. "Pretty much. With our current adventurers, we'll have to rely on everyone in the guild to make sure we're prepared. But if this serpent is as fierce as they say…" She trailed off, looking worried.
Nico finished his meal, a sense of resolve building within him. He'd grown close to Dawnspire in his short time here, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd want to defend it with everything he had if the serpent attacked. And if this world could see me as more than a level-one adventurer, he thought, maybe I'd finally be able to show my true strength.
After their meal, they decided to head back to the inn for the night. The walk was quiet, the distant sounds of music and laughter fading as they moved further from the main street. Nico was deep in thought, his mind racing with what he'd heard. If Dawnspire really was about to face a B-rank monster, he knew he'd be ready, even if no one else was.
When they arrived at the inn, Lila let out a long yawn. "I'll take a quick bath before heading to bed. Meet you in the morning?"
"Sure," Nico said, giving her a small wave. He headed upstairs to their room, figuring he'd clean up afterward. But as he reached his door, he realized he'd left his bag downstairs. He hurried back, grabbed it from where they'd left their things, and then made his way to the bath area.
As he approached the bathing room, he heard the sound of water splashing and froze, realizing with sudden clarity that Lila was still inside. He was about to turn around when his foot shifted on a loose floorboard, making a slight creak.
"Is someone there?" Lila's voice called from behind the half-open door.
Nico instinctively moved forward to respond, glancing through the open door to see if she was all right—just in time to catch a full view of Lila stepping out of the bath, water glistening across her bare skin. She had one foot out of the tub, her long hair wet and cascading down her shoulders as she reached for a towel, seemingly unaware of him standing there. Nico's face went red as he took in the sight, and he instinctively looked away, heart pounding.
But his reaction hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Nico?" Lila's voice was laced with surprise, her cheeks going pink. She quickly wrapped herself in the towel, narrowing her eyes at him in a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. "Enjoy the view?"
"S-sorry!" Nico stammered, turning away quickly. "I didn't mean to— I thought you were finished!"
There was a moment of silence, then a soft laugh. "Well, next time, maybe knock?" she teased, her voice lighthearted despite the blush on her cheeks. She pulled the towel around herself a bit more tightly, her tone growing softer. "It's… fine. Just don't go telling everyone, alright?"
"Promise," Nico said, feeling the heat in his face as he turned away. He hurried back to his room, flustered and embarrassed but with a lingering smile. Despite the awkwardness, there was something about Lila's reaction that left him feeling closer to her, the memory of her laughter echoing in his mind.
Later that night, Nico lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling as he replayed the events of the day. The image of the B-rank serpent loomed in his mind, filling him with a strange sense of purpose. He'd come to this world with unimaginable strength, and maybe now was the time to finally use it to protect others. The thought filled him with both excitement and a newfound resolve.
Just as he was about to drift off, a loud, blaring sound erupted from the street below, jolting him awake. He shot up in bed, adrenaline already rushing through him. The inn's alarm bell clanged loudly, echoing through the hallways and sending a rush of voices throughout the building.
Footsteps thundered outside his room, and the faint sound of people shouting drifted up from below. He quickly pulled on his boots and grabbed his gear, racing to the door just as Lila came back to the room, her face pale with worry.
"Nico," she said, her voice tight with fear. "It's the alarm. The serpent… it's attacking the city."
Nico's heart pounded in his chest, and his hands clenched into fists. "Then let's go," he said, nodding firmly. He met her eyes, the two of them sharing a determined glance before they turned and dashed down the stairs into the chaos below.