By the time the sun began to set, I finally arrived at the town at the foot of the mountain.
After explaining to the gatekeeper that I was from the nearby village, I was allowed entry.
To continue my journey, I'd need to get an identification card issued by the local lord.
Without it, I wouldn't be able to enter other towns.
But for now, I was exhausted from walking all day.
Finding an inn came first.
Since my funds were limited, I needed something cheap.
However, I'd heard that cheap inns could come with risks.
As a half-trained mage who hadn't even turned ten yet, my options for self-defense were limited.
As I scanned the row of signs, someone suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Looking for a place to stay, kid? How about ours?"
The voice belonged to a woman from the catfolk tribe.
The catfolk were a race of women with feline ears and tails, but otherwise human-like in appearance.
Curious, as I'd never seen a catfolk before, I asked how much a night would cost.
"A private room's one silver coin per night, nya."
"Then I'd like to stay for three nights, please."
"Got it, nya. By the way, how old are you, kid?"
"I'll be ten soon."
"…You're not even ten yet, and you're traveling alone?"
"Yes. My father, my only family, passed away. His will instructed me to go to the royal capital."
"I see… that's a tough journey, nya. I'll tell the innkeeper to include breakfast and dinner for you, on the house."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Any kid under ten is someone we look after, nya."
"Thank you very much."
"My name's Mia, nya. What's yours?"
"I'm Matthew."
Mia led me to the inn, which was modest but clean.
The sign outside read The Perching Sparrow Inn.
I didn't know much about room rates, but for one silver coin, this place seemed pretty good.
Mia handed me a key and showed me to my room. It was small, with a neatly made bed.
The fact that meals were included made it feel like a bargain.
"Do you need hot water, nya?"
"No, I can use Cleanliness, so I'll be fine."
"Oh! That's impressive, nya. You can use high-level life magic? That's amazing, nya."
"Well, I am a mage."
"A mage, nya? I thought you were a swordsman since you've got a sword at your waist."
"This was a gift from my village. They said I needed to look armed so I wouldn't be underestimated."
"That's true, nya. Traveling without a weapon is dangerous."
Mia nodded thoughtfully and said, "I'll call you when dinner's ready. Rest up until then, nya," before leaving the room.
After locking the door, I set my pack down on the floor and collapsed onto the bed.
I must have fallen asleep.
By the time I woke up, the sky outside was dimming into twilight.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway told me it was time for dinner.
I decided to wait until Mia came to get me.
Soon, there was a knock at the door.
"Matthew, dinner's ready, nya."
"Yes, I'll be right there."
I opened the door, noticing there hadn't been any footsteps before the knock.
Mia was standing there.
"The dining hall's on the first floor, nya. You saw it when you came in, right?"
"Yes, thank you for coming to get me."
"Make sure you eat lots and grow up big and strong, nya!"
With that, Mia walked away silently, heading off to her next task.
Her ability to move without a sound was impressive.
Maybe it was a skill unique to the catfolk, beyond just having ears and a tail.
Pondering this, I made my way to the dining hall on the first floor.