Arlo stumbled into his room, his breath coming in heavy gasps as he took in his surroundings. The familiar sight of his belongings scattered across the floor confirmed that the transportation spell had worked flawlessly, bringing him back to the safety of his own space. Exhausted, he navigated through the clutter and collapsed onto his bed, burying his face in the pillow.
"Haa... I'm back," he muttered, his voice muffled by the soft fabric. "That was tiring..."
He shifted, trying to find a comfortable position, but the coin pouch tucked in his tracksuit pocket dug into his side, making it nearly impossible to relax.
With a groan of annoyance, Arlo rolled over and glanced at his alarm clock. The glowing digits read 9:52 PM. He had left for the other world around 9:30 PM, and despite spending several hours there, a mere twenty minutes had passed in this reality.
"That confirms it... time flows differently there," he mumbled, his face once again pressed against the pillow. "Ah, how I've missed this sensation. This feeling of relaxation... I should go to the hunter's association, but it's late. Why not sleep and go tomorrow?"
Arlo laid there for a few minutes, contemplating his options. Suddenly, the words he had spoken at the dining table to his sister echoed in his mind, and he sat up before slamming his hands against his cheeks to regain his focus.
"I'll do it tomorrow... those are some of the most dangerous words a NEET like me can say. Everyone's working hard; I don't have time to be resting."
With that realization, Arlo pushed himself off the bed and made his way out of the room, leaving the coin pouch behind on his desk.
As he stepped into the hallway, the sound of music drifted from his sister's room, a clear indication that she was home and enjoying her free time.
'Looks like Sylvia still isn't home,' he noted, observing the lack of any sound coming from her room. She was likely still at work.
This only fueled Arlo's resolve, as he descended the stairs, determined to change their situation.
As Arlo descended the stairs, the door to his sister's room suddenly swung open, and Serena emerged, dressed in her pajamas. Fatigue etched on her face, she rubbed her eyes and called out, "Arlo, is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. I'm heading out," Arlo replied, pausing on the steps.
"Again?" Serena questioned, her brows furrowing. "Where did you go earlier? I thought you went into your room, but you weren't there."
"Ah, I went out for some fresh air. Maybe you misunderstood?" Arlo offered, his tone casual.
Serena fixed him with a skeptical gaze, her eyes narrowing as she pointed at him. "Alright, let's go with that. But where are you heading out at this time? It's almost 10."
"I have a few things to sort out. Don't worry and go to sleep, alright?" Arlo reassured her, a caring smile gracing his features.
"...Fine. But you better not be planning on doing anything stupid," Serena warned, her voice firm. "About what we spoke about at the table, you really don't have to worry about taking care of us. We're doing just fine, alright?"
Arlo met his sister's gaze, finding strength in her reassuring smile, just as he always did. "Alright, don't worry. I won't do anything stupid."
"Do you promise?" Serena pressed, still unconvinced.
"I promise."
"...Okay. I'm going to get ready for bed since I have work early tomorrow. Make sure you call me if you need anything," she reminded him before turning to head back to her room.
Arlo nodded and made his way to the exit. Once outside, he quickly called for a cab on his phone and waited silently by the entrance, his breath forming misty clouds in the chilly air.
"It's cold... far colder than it was in the other world," Arlo muttered, his body shivering from the biting cold. "Well, I guess that's what you can expect from England."
Arlo and his family had moved to England after the 'gates' started appearing, seeking refuge in one of the most secure habitation zones developed by the country. While England was a great place to live, Arlo's only complaint was the frigid temperatures it often subjected him to.
"Should I use a spell to heat myself up?" he pondered, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "Ah, but that might not be a good idea.'
Arlo remained resolute in his decision to keep his ability to use magic a secret from the world. The risk of being caught using magic in public was too great, especially considering the fact that every time he cast a spell, a magic circle materialized, making it easily detectable.
'Isn't there a way for me to use magic without a magic circle manifesting?' Arlo pondered, his mind drifting back to his encounter with the vampire girl in the guild. 'Wait, didn't she cast a spell that blocked out sound when we were speaking? I didn't see any magic circles appear then.'
The realization struck him, and he made a mental note to ask her about it the next time their paths crossed. However, the uncertainty of when that would happen weighed heavily on his mind.
Time flowed differently between his world and the other world, and while only a day or two might pass for him, there was no telling how many days or even weeks would elapse in the other world. The time conversion remained a mystery to Arlo.
As he lost himself in these thoughts, the cab he had summoned arrived, its yellow exterior gleaming under the streetlights. The driver, seated at the front, glanced at Arlo through the rear-view mirror as he entered and asked, "Good night, sir. Where would you like to go?"
"The London Hunter's Association," Arlo replied.
"Understood," the driver acknowledged, and with that, the car pulled away from the curb, carrying Arlo towards his destination.
The smooth motion of the car and the gentle hum of the engine had a soothing effect on Arlo. As he sat in the backseat, clutching his grimoire tightly, he found himself fighting the urge to drift off to sleep.
As the drive stretched on, Arlo seized the opportunity to redeem the reward from his recently completed quest. A notification chimed, and four blank cards materialized in the air before him, hovering expectantly.
[Please select a card of your choice.]
The cards, devoid of any markings or hints, offered no indication of their contents. Arlo, however, wasn't particularly concerned about the specifics of his reward, as long as it didn't involve ability points, which held little value for him at the moment.