Dim, pale light filtered through the gaps in the wooden planks, painting stripes across the dust motes dancing in the air. The scent of dried hay mingled with the cool, damp fragrance of timber, announcing a quiet morning.

  Yu opened his eyes. The first thing to fill his vision was Rize, sleeping amidst the tangled ruin of the blanket. Her white skin seemed to glow with a faint luminescence, like the embers of moonlight left behind by the dawn. The fabric had slipped low, leaving the smooth curve of her back and the slope of her shoulders completely exposed.

  "…Kh." Heat flooded Yu's entire body. He jerked his face away, panic seizing his chest, but his eyes betrayed him, drawn back to her by a force like gravity. Bad… calm down…His head swam. The thudding of his own heart beat against his eardrums, loud enough to shame him.

  A rustling sound broke the silence as Rize stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes still hazy with the remnants of a dream.

  "Nn… Yu?" As she shifted, the blanket slid further.

  "N-nothing! It's nothing!" Yu slapped his hands over his face in a frantic motion.

  "What is 'nothing'?" Rize smiled thinly, her eyes heavy with sleep but glinting with amusement.

  "Because… well… I’m just not used to seeing your… body…" As he stammered out the excuse, Rize paused for a beat.

  "Hum… What are you saying? You’ve already seen much more more amazing parts of me than this." Then, her shoulders shook with a silent laugh.

  Yu choked on his words, the blood rushing to his ears until they burned. Without a shred of hesitation, Rize pushed the blanket aside and stood up. Her slender form was silhouetted against the morning light, ethereal and unapologetic. Yu’s breath stopped in his throat. But Rize paid him no mind. She knelt by her pack, the sound of her movements casual and efficient as she retrieved her clothes.

  Rize pulled a linen shirt over her head, the fabric sliding down to obscure her skin. Next came the trousers, pulled up over her hips, followed by the sharp clack of a leather belt tightening. Finally, she strapped on her breastplate and secured her sword to her hip. In a matter of seconds, the town girl vanished, replaced entirely by the Adventurer.

  "Come on, wake up," Rize said, her voice crisp, as if the previous moment had never happened. "We’re going to the Guild today."

  Yu scrambled out of the blankets, fumbling to pull his clothes on. The heat in his face refused to recede. The gap between Rize’s utter indifference and his own chaotic fluster made his chest tighten with a complicated mix of emotions.

  Outside the hut, the chirping of birds blended with the rustling of the forest wind. Pushed forward by the sounds of the morning, the two finished their preparations. A new day was beginning.

  ?

  When they returned to the city, the morning clamor washed over them. The savory aroma of baking bread warred. And the rough shouts of peddlers crossed with the rattle of wooden wheels on cobblestone. The weight of reality clung to Yu’s skin. For him, everything was still painfully fresh. Every sight, every smell updated the realization: I am in another world.

  They pushed open the heavy doors of the Guild. The interior was already sweltering with the body heat of adventurers. Wooden request boards were plastered with parchment, and a line had formed before the reception desk. In the back of the tavern, men laughed loudly—perhaps a continuation of last night’s revelry—while others slept with their faces buried in the wooden tables.

  "Let’s go." Rize moved with practiced ease, stopping before the board. Yu followed, feeling small amidst the raw energy of the room.

  "We’ll take this one." The tag Rize plucked from the board read: [ Herb Gathering - Designated Forest Area ].

  "Herbs…?" Yu tilted his head.

  "It’s not combat, but it’s a vital request. Without these, the apothecaries and clinics would be in trouble," Rize explained casually, handing the tag to the receptionist.

  "Just the two of you?" the receptionist asked, blinking.

  "Yes," Rize nodded.

  "…Oh. You two are quite close, aren't you?" The receptionist giggled softly.

  "N-no… I mean, no, wait, that’s not wrong, but…" Yu felt the heat rise instantly to his ears.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  "Why are you getting shy?" Rize poked him in the ribs, whispering, causing Yu to avert his gaze in defeat.

  Acceptance complete, the pair left the Guild.

  "This quest is safe enough for you, Yu. We just enter the forest and pick herbs. A few dangerous beasts might appear, but I will protect you." Walking down the main road, Rize spoke with a lighter tone.

  "…Thank you." Yu said.

  "That is why you need to watch and remember." Rize continued.

  "Watch and remember? What mean?" Yu asked Rize.

  "The work of an adventurer. If you are going to stand here in the future, I will teach you from the very beginning." Her gaze was straight, unwavering. Yu felt pierced by it. She spoke of a future where he lived in this world as if it were a predetermined fact.

  Yu was still bewildered by the temperature difference between her certainty and his own lack of reality—but strangely, he didn’t find the thought unpleasant. Beyond the road leading to the forest, the morning sun pierced the canopy. They walked side by side. Let this daily life continue forever. Yu couldn't help but wish for it.

  ?

  The entrance to the forest stood silent, the trees soaked in the damp silence of morning. Every time Yu brushed past a branch, cold dew dripped onto his shoulder, the chilly sensation a sharp reminder of reality.

  "This is the designated area." Rize checked the request tag and looked deeper into the woods. The trees grew dense here, the path dissolving into a slope of exposed soil.

  "…It definitely has an atmosphere." Yu said his honest, vague impressions.

  "Forests are always like this. As long as you don't let your guard down, you'll be fine." Saying that, Rize pulled a small cloth pouch from her waist pouch. "Put the herbs in here. The mark is—leaves with edges dyed red. If you pull up the root, it ruins it, so pluck only the leaves."

  Yu nodded and began scanning the undergrowth at his feet.

  "Is this… it?" He pinched a leaf with his fingertips. The edge was red. However, his clumsy touch caused the leaf to tear slightly.

  "That's right. …But, be more gentle." Rize’s hand came from behind him. Her fingers wrapped over his, encompassing his hand to guide the movement. "Do it like this."

  "…Ah, yeah." Yu’s ears turned bright red. Her voice was flat and professional, but her body temperature was far too close.

  "Are you okay?" Rize peered into his face.

  "I-I’m fine." He stammered in response.

  "Your face is red." She grinned even more and walked closer to him.

  "…It’s hot in the forest." He answered nonchalantly.

  "Hum. OK." She let out a laugh.

  Eventually, the pouch began to fill with herbs. The sound of wind shaking the trees and birds flitting between branches echoed around them. It wasn't the tension of battle, but a quiet, rhythmic labor.

  "Yu." Hearing his name, Yu turned.

  "Doing this… it’s strange. I never imagined I would be picking herbs with someone like this." Rize was looking up at the sky.

  "…Really?" He tilted his head and waited for more words.

  "Yeah. I was always alone, finishing requests. Even when I had a party and team. I was always alone." Her words trailed off. After a pause, she smiled. "But now, it’s different." That smile looked somewhat shy, yet undeniably proud.

  "…Rize." Yu’s chest grew warm. Coming here, spending this time—it was starting to hold real meaning. He searched for words, but nothing followed. Rize simply tilted her head, saying nothing.

  They continued picking herbs in the depths of the forest until the bag was sufficiently swollen.

  "…It’s actually pretty tough work." Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled deeply.

  "Yeah. Requests are mostly like this, you know." Rize held the bag, giving it a light shake. "Swinging a sword isn't the only part of adventuring. In fact, plain work like this is the majority."

  "I see…"

  "Hey, Yu."

  "Mm?"

  "Walking side by side like this, working together… is it fun?"

  "It’s fun. Really." The sudden question confused Yu for a moment. But he nodded immediately.

  "Good. I’m… having fun too." Rize’s expression softened, and she hugged the bag to her chest as if it were something precious. A short silence fell. The bird calls and the rustle of leaves sounded pleasant in the quiet air.

  "You know… I kind of wish times like this could just continue." Yu spoke softly.

  "…I hope they do." Rize lowered her gaze, lightly kicking at the grass at her feet. Her voice was gentle, but it held a resonance that felt far away.

  Yu searched for something to say, but found nothing. He could only watch her profile as he walked beside her. A gust of wind blew through the forest, making the herbs inside the bag rustle dryly.

  ?

  They exited the forest, and the rooftops of the town came into view.

  "See, we're almost there." Rize, carrying the weight of the herb bag over her shoulder, looked back.

  "…We walked quite a bit." Yu caught up, sweat beading on his forehead, and let out a long breath.

  "I told you. Herb gathering is surprisingly hard work." Rize spilled a smile. Beyond the path, the cobblestones resumed, and the figure of the gatekeeper became visible. The traffic of adventurers increased, and the bustle of the town began to reach their ears. I have a place where I can say 'I'm home.' That sensation spread through Yu’s chest.

  "Yu." Called by name, he looked up. "…Today was fun." Rize was looking straight at him.

  "Eh?"

  "Going out on a request together. It felt so natural… so normal. It’s been a long time since I had that." At her words, Yu’s heart gave a single, strong thud. Normal. For him, who had only been connected through a screen, that single word carried more weight than anything else.

  In the instant their voices overlapped, the town bell rang out a low, deep toll.