Nero sat in his room, resting in the chair.
Knock.
He reached for the jacket with a hood he had taken from his backpack earlier and slipped it on over his shirt.
Another knock.
He stood, walked to the door, and opened it.
Elena stood outside.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir," she said.
Nero shook his head lightly.
"Don't worry about it. I'm the one taking up your time."
Elena shook her head in return.
"It's not a problem. I had errands to run anyway."
Nero stepped out and locked the door behind him.
"Alright then. Let's go."
Elena took the lead.
As they stepped out of the inn and into the street, Nero pulled the hood over his head.
Elena noticed.
"I don't like people staring," Nero said simply.
She nodded—no questions—and kept walking.
The streets were alive.
Vendors calling out prices. Coins exchanging hands. People moving in steady flows.
Nero watched everything.
Prices.
Bargains.
Behavior.
He listened.
Jobs.
Adventurers.
Monster sightings.
Taxes.
Nobles.
The king.
Patterns forming.
They stopped at a vegetable stall.
The shopkeeper smiled as soon as he saw Elena.
"What'll it be today? Got fresh carrots and cabbage."
Elena returned the smile.
"I'll take those. And some potatoes."
As the man gathered the vegetables, his eyes drifted past her—landing on Nero.
"Do you know him?" he asked.
Elena glanced back briefly.
"Yes. I'm guiding him. Gareth brought him to our inn."
The man studied Nero for a moment.
"…He looks suspicious."
A beat.
"You might want to take that hood off."
Nero raised it just enough to reveal a glimpse of white hair.
"I appreciate the concern. I'll keep it on."
The man held his gaze for a moment—then nodded.
"Fair enough."
He packed the vegetables and handed them over.
"That'll be one copper and three iron."
Elena paid without hesitation and took the bag.
They resumed walking.
After a few steps, Elena spoke.
"Is there somewhere specific you'd like to go, sir?"
"No need to be that formal," Nero replied.
A brief pause.
"…But I never got your name."
Nero blinked.
"…You didn't?"
Elena shook her head, smiling faintly.
He stepped forward slightly to match her pace.
"Nero Angelo. You can call me Nero… or Angelo."
Elena nodded.
"Then Mr. Angelo, it is."
Nero exhaled quietly.
"Just Angelo is fine."
She shook her head.
"I couldn't. You're Gareth's guest."
A small pause.
"…Alright," Nero said. "If that's how you're comfortable."
His eyes shifted to the bag in her hands.
Heavy.
Her grip tightened slightly with each step.
"You should let me carry that," Nero said.
"It's fine," she replied. "It's not that heavy."
"I'm the one making you guide me," he said. "Let me carry it."
A pause.
She considered it—
Then handed it over.
Nero took it.
"…Yeah. This is heavy."
Elena didn't respond.
But her pace eased.
They walked in silence for a while.
Then—
"You didn't answer earlier," Elena said. "Where do you want to go?"
Nero nodded slightly.
"Gareth suggested I become an adventurer. So—the guild."
A pause.
"…And I need a weapon."
Then, without thinking—
"So we should go to a gunsmith."
Elena stopped.
Turned.
"A… what?"
Nero paused.
Right.
Wrong world.
"... A blacksmith," he corrected.
A beat.
"... A sword."
Elena studied him for a moment—then nodded.
"That makes more sense."
Then she added,
"You'll need guild registration first. You can't purchase weapons freely without clearance."
"Alright," Nero said.
"Lead the way."
As they walked, Elena stopped in front of a butcher shop.
"I need to get some meat for the inn," she said.
"I'll wait outside," Nero replied.
She nodded and stepped inside.
Nero stood by the street, the grocery bag hanging from his hand.
Watching.
People moved. Talked. Laughed.
His gaze drifted—
A boy.
A dog.
Playing.
The stick flew. The dog chased. The boy laughed.
Simple.
Light.
People nearby smiled without realizing it.
Nero watched.
For a moment—
It felt… normal.
Elena's voice broke the moment.
"What are you looking at?"
He nodded toward them.
"Just that."
She followed his gaze briefly—
Then turned back.
"Let's—"
The stick flew again.
This time—
Too far.
It landed near an alley.
The dog ran for it—
And collided with a man stepping out.
A bottle slipped from his hand.
Shattered.
Liquid spread across the ground.
Nero exhaled lightly.
"…Unlucky."
But Elena didn't move.
"…This is bad," she muttered.
People nearby began to step away.
Space opened.
Silence crept in.
The man stared at the broken glass.
Then—
Kicked the dog.
Hard.
"Fucking mutt!"
The dog yelped, thrown across the ground.
Nero's eyes narrowed.
"…That was unnecessary."
"Who's paying for this!?" the man shouted, words slurring.
Drunk.
Unstable.
He stepped forward—
Raised his leg again—
But the boy rushed in.
"Please! Don't hurt him! It was my fault—I threw it! Please!"
The man stopped.
Looked down.
"…You?"
He grabbed the boy by the hair—
Yanked his head toward the spilled alcohol.
"Look at this."
The boy cried out.
The grip tightened.
"Who's paying for this, huh!?"
A slap.
Another.
The sound cracked through the street.
No one moved.
Nero turned slightly.
"…Why isn't anyone stopping him?"
Elena's voice came low.
"…He has ties to the nobles. No one wants trouble."
Angelo's voice cut in—
Cold.
"Ridiculous."
The dog lunged.
Teeth sank into the man's hand.
A scream.
"Bastard!"
He swung—
A punch.
The dog was thrown aside, whimpering.
Blood.
Fear.
The boy crawled back over it—
Shielding it with his body.
"Please—stop—"
"Hold this."
Nero placed the bag in Elena's hands.
And moved.
The man grabbed a jagged piece of glass.
"I'll kill you—"
A stone flew.
Sharp.
Precise.
Cracked against his wrist.
The glass fell.
Before he could react—
Nero was already there.
Close.
Too close.
His hand shot forward.
Knuckles pressed into the man's ribs.
A crack.
Air left his lungs in a broken gasp.
Arms locked around his neck.
Chokehold.
Tight.
Efficient.
No wasted movement.
The man thrashed.
Kicked.
Clawed.
Nothing worked.
The grip didn't loosen.
Didn't shift.
Didn't hesitate.
The crowd watched.
Silent.
A black figure.
Ending it.
The movements slowed.
Weaker.
Sloppier.
Then—
Nothing.
Nero released him.
The body dropped.
Unconscious.
Breathing—
Barely.
No words.
No warning.
No hesitation.
He stepped back—
Turned—
And vanished into the alley.