Ren finished his dinner, feeling somewhat satisfied with the meal despite the oddities of the place. He made his way toward the counter, where Olivia's assistant was busy handling the transactions. The elf glanced up as he approached.
"Excuse me," Ren began, trying to keep the tone casual, "do you have any empty rooms for the night? I'm still trying to get my bearings around here."
The assistant gave him a polite nod, then glanced back over her shoulder. Before she could answer, a soft voice interrupted from behind.
"It's my pleasure, Mr. Ren," Olivia said, appearing from behind the counter with a welcoming smile.
Ren turned to face her. "Right now, I'm a bit new to the city and... to everything, really. Can I stay the night?" he asked, his voice a little more uncertain than usual.
He wasn't sure what kind of hospitality he could expect in this new world, but he was hoping it would be as simple as paying for a room.
Without hesitation, Olivia nodded. "Of course, Mr. Ren," she said warmly. "We'd be happy to accommodate you. Please, make yourself at home."
Ren couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. He had no idea what else to do, and it seemed like staying at the inn for the night was the best option until he figured things out.
"Thank you," Ren replied, his smile returning. "I'll take you up on that offer."
Olivia turned to her assistant, who quickly handed Ren a small key. "Room number four," the assistant said, still polite but focused on the task at hand.
Ren took the key, then turned back to Olivia. "I appreciate it. You're very kind."
Olivia gave him a slight bow, her eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and genuine kindness. "It is my pleasure, Mr. Ren. If you need anything, feel free to ask."
Ren paused before heading up the stairs, then turned back to Olivia with a thoughtful look.
"Actually," he said, "I have a... friend, uh, Peanut. He's outside, waiting for me. He's my horse, and, well, he's not exactly the most comfortable being tied up in one spot for too long." Ren scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Would it be alright if he stays outside? I can pay extra for the trouble, if that's needed."
Olivia raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the request but maintaining her composure. "A horse?" she asked, glancing out toward the entrance as if expecting to see some strange, creature standing there.
Ren nodded with a grin. "Yeah, a horse. He's pretty well-behaved, though. I promise he won't cause any trouble." He gave her an earnest look, hoping she wouldn't think he was being unreasonable.
Olivia tilted her head thoughtfully, her long, pointed ears twitching slightly. "I suppose... if he's well-behaved, it should be fine. We do have a stable area out back where he can rest for the night." She smiled reassuringly.
"I'll have someone bring him around to the stable, and you can visit him whenever you wish."
Ren breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."
Olivia gave him a warm nod. "It's no trouble at all, Mr. Ren. We're here to make your stay comfortable. I'll let the staff know."
Ren smiled in return, feeling much more at ease now. "Thanks again, Olivia. You've been a big help."
With that, Ren gave a small wave before heading upstairs to his room. He could only imagine how Peanut would enjoy the stable more than being tethered to a post outside all night. The thought of his trusty steed resting comfortably, just like him, made Ren's weary mind a little lighter.
As he entered his room and closed the door behind him, Ren took a moment to sit on the edge of the bed, letting the quiet of the room wash over him. It wasn't the most glamorous start to his new life, but it was certainly a good one. A horse in a stable, a bed to sleep in, and hopefully some answers tomorrow.
"Alright, Peanut," Ren muttered to himself with a chuckle. "We'll get through this together."
The night was still young, but Ren was already looking forward to the peace and quiet of a room to himself.
At least he could rest for now and plan his next move—whatever that was going to be in this world that was starting to feel less like a story and more like his new reality.
____________
Ren stretched and yawned as he woke up in the unfamiliar but surprisingly comfortable bed. Morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow over the room. He pulled on his boots, splashed some water on his face from the basin, and headed downstairs, eager to start his new life.
After a quick breakfast, he made his way to the counter, where Olivia was tidying up.
"Good morning, Mr. Ren!" she said, beaming. "Did you sleep well?"
"Better than I expected. That bed beats sleeping in a forest, that's for sure." Ren flashed her a grin, and she tilted her head slightly, as if weighing the literal truth in his words.
"Glad to hear that," she replied simply.
"By the way, Olivia," Ren said, leaning over the counter. "If someone—hypothetically, of course—was new around here and didn't exactly have a… stable income, where might they, uh, find some cash flow?"
Omylia blinked in confusion at his phrasing but then nodded understandingly. "The Adventurer's Guild would be perfect for you. They're always looking for new recruits, and you can earn good coin completing tasks for the town."
Ren perked up. "Adventurer's Guild? Sounds right up my alley."
"Just head straight down this road, turn left at the blacksmith, and you'll see a large building with a crest of a shield and sword on the sign."
"Thanks, Omylia! I'll be off then." Ren gave her a wave as he headed for the door, his eyes bright with excitement.
Stepping out into the city's bustling streets, Ren was greeted by a whirlwind of sights and sounds. The air was filled with the hum of morning chatter, horses' hooves clopping along cobblestone roads, and vendors loudly advertising their goods.
As he walked, Ren spotted a vendor selling strange, brightly-colored fruits. He slowed down to inspect them, and the merchant caught his gaze.
"Interested, young man? This one's a Nightshade Melon, rare in these parts!" The vendor held up a small, dark fruit that looked more dangerous than delicious.
"Nightshade Melon, huh? Sounds… deadly." Ren raised an eyebrow, half expecting it to explode or something.
The vendor chuckled. "Just a name! It's sweet as sugar but don't bite the seeds, or your tongue will go numb."
Ren shook his head with a grin. "Tempting, but I'll pass for now. Need to keep my senses about me."
Further down the street, a couple of children ran by, squealing with laughter, as a gruff older man carrying a sack of grain muttered about "young troublemakers." Ren flashed him a friendly smile, but the man just raised an eyebrow and grunted.
Ren chuckled to himself. "Nice to meet you, too."
Finally, he took a left at the blacksmith's, where a towering, muscular woman was hammering away at a blade. She glanced up as he passed, wiping her brow.
"You need a sword, pretty boy?" she asked, her tone half-joking, half-challenging.
Ren laughed. "Not yet, but I'll keep you in mind if I ever need one."
The blacksmith grinned, her arm flexing as she returned to hammering. "You look like you'll need it sooner than you think."
"Great. Thanks for the encouragement," he said sarcastically, continuing on his way.
Eventually, he spotted the Adventurer's Guild—a large, fortress-like building with the crest of a sword and shield emblazoned on the sign above the door. It was lively, with people coming in and out, many of them clad in armor or carrying well-worn weapons. Ren hesitated at the entrance for a second, taking it all in.
"Alright, Ren," he muttered to himself. "This is it. Time to level up in real life."
He stepped inside and was immediately greeted by the buzz of conversation. The guild hall was spacious, with tables and chairs scattered around, a bulletin board filled with quest notices, and a long counter at the back where several guild clerks assisted adventurers. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the kind of energy Ren had always imagined in the stories he'd read.
A friendly-looking clerk waved him over. "Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild! Looking to sign up?"
Ren nodded. "Yep, I'm fresh off the boat—er, road. New to the whole… adventuring thing."
The clerk smiled warmly. "No worries! We've got work for adventurers of all levels. Just fill out this form, and we'll get you registered."
Ren paused, "Wouldn't it be a bit… suspicious if I just listed all my elements?" he muttered to himself, recalling all the manga and novels he'd read.
"Rule number one in every hero's journey: never tip your hand to everyone. No need to be that guy, right?"
After a moment's contemplation, he scribbled down Fire, Water, and Nature—just enough to seem capable without revealing his full potential. "Normal elements, totally average," he whispered, chuckling at his own cleverness.
Ren filled out the form with the bare minimum, just enough to get by—and He handed it to the clerk, his usual cocky grin plastered on his face.
"So, I'm a big deal now, huh? I mean, adventurers always have the best stories, right? You know, like saving towns from monsters, collecting rare treasures, and—" Ren trailed off, already lost in his own rambling.
The clerk, who had long since perfected the art of tuning out nonsensical chatter, gave a quick glance at the form, stamped it, and handed it back. "You're good to go."
Ren blinked, slightly surprised at how fast it went. "Wait, that's it? No more paperwork? No awkward questions about my background or... I don't know, a test to prove I'm not just some random guy who wandered in?"
The clerk simply shrugged. "Nope. You're an adventurer now."
Ren stood there for a moment, processing. "Well, I guess it's just that easy... Guess I'll go save the world or something."
With that, Ren made his way out of the guild hall, a bit lighter in his step. Well, I'm officially an adventurer. Let's see what kind of chaos I can stir up now.