The forest was still. The fight long finished, there was only the scent of damp earth and the faintest wisps of woodsmoke curling lazily into the cooling air. The last orange embers of the campfire glowed softly against the deepening dusk, casting soft, uneven light over Yukio's sleeping face.
Michibiki sat cross-legged beside him, the hem of her robe stirring in the light evening breeze, her eyes reflecting the flicker of dying flames as she watched over him in silence. For once, the reckless boy who joked his way through life wasn't moving, wasn't talking-just breathing, slow and steady.
She leaned forward, her fingers lightly brushing against his cheek.
"Look how peaceful you look,"
She murmured, a soft smile pulling at her lips.
"You're so cute when you're not acting like a lunatic."
Her touch must have startled him; his eyes blinked open, dazed, and immediately locked onto her face hovering above his. Michibiki's grin widened like she'd been waiting for that very moment.
"Hey there, sunshine. Enjoy your nap?"
Yukio turned beet red as he sat bolt upright, rubbing at his face as if he could scrub the scene away.
"Wha— don't—! Why are you so close?!"
Michibiki laughed-the sort of bright melodic sound that could have belonged to a completely different person than the woman who'd just flattened a horde of monsters hours prior.
"Relax, hero. I was just checking if you were still breathing. Can't have you dying again."
Yukio scowled and rubbed his face.
"Yeah, thanks for the concern. It's getting dark; let's grab the loot and go before something eats us."
Michibiki rose smoothly, dusting her robes with practiced grace. A flick of the wrist later, a swirl of black–purple light spun into existence as her pocket inventory. One by one, the spoils scattered in the aftermath of the Goblin Chieftain fight shimmered and disappeared into the vortex.
Michibiki stretched, her back popping in a very un-angelic way.
"There. Efficient and stylish."
Yukio snorted.
"You sound like a merchant trying to sell me a broom."
"Please,
She said, patting his shoulder.
"If I sold brooms, you'd still find a way to lose them in a card game."
He couldn't argue with that.
They broke out of the treeline just as the sun slipped below the horizon. The sky was ablaze with shades of gold and rose, bleeding into a deep violet as the first stars appeared. Yukio squinted up at the colours and groaned.
"Man, I'm spent. That quest was a pain in the ass."
Michibiki gave a light tap to the back of his head.
"You forgot? You're the one who got us into that mess."
A teasing smile curved her lips.
"Besides, you still lack combat sense. You should thank me for keeping you alive."
He shot her a side-eye glare, half-playful and half-exasperated.
"And whose fault is that? You haven't taught me one spell yet! You keep saying I can use all the elements, but I can't cast a single one. It's like I'm card-dead."
Michibiki ceased walking and faced him fully, so for a moment she just studied him, the twilight catching in her eyes. Then her smirk returned.
"Okay, Mister 'Teach me magic."
She took a step forward, her voice dropping into mock seriousness.
"Tomorrow morning, training begins. Let's see if your mouth can keep up with your skill."
Yukio grinned, some of his energy coming back.
"Heh, try me."
---
Noise filled the guild hall: laughter, clinking mugs, the shuffle of armor and boots. The smell of ale and sweat hung heavy in the air. The moment Yukio and Michibiki walked in, the receptionist, Emera, looked up from her counter, relief spreading across her face.
"Thank the heavens you two made it back alive!"
She said, her tone equal parts warmth and worry. Her gaze fell to Yukio's battered clothes and dented armor.
"Your gear's a mess. You should get it reforged — or better yet, enhanced. What were you two even doing out there?"
Yukio scratched the back of his neck, laughing sheepishly.
"Yeah, maybe I overdid it. But hey, at least we got rid of your goblin problem."
Michibiki stepped forward, posture straight and calm. Her voice was all business as she gave a crisp account of the mission before summoning her pocket inventory once again. With a flash, several large heavy bags of loot and a collection of monstrous teeth and ears clattered onto the counter.
Mission accomplished. Cleared the goblin nest. Eliminated chieftain.
Emera's pen froze mid-air.
"You took down a Chieftain?"
A few minutes later, she set a heavy tray down upon the counter: shining stacks of 200 gold, 95 silver, and 87 copper coins; it glinted in the light of the chandeliers like some sort of hoard from a dragon's lair.
"Here's your reward. Excellent work, both of you."
The sound of that much coin hitting wood drew every pair of eyes in the guild. Conversations died down. Someone muttered,
"No way they made that much in one day."
A bulky man with a square jaw stomped forward, arms crossed.
"You two think you can just waltz in and make more coin than the rest of us?"
Michibiki didn't even look at him. Yukio cast a lazy glance in the man's direction before looking back at the door.
"Guess we can."
Yukio and Michibiki didn't even break stride. They simply walked right past him, without even a glance. The man's anger faltered into silence as they left him standing there, looking foolish in front of the crowd.
---
Steam drifted lazily above the inn's open-air baths, curling into the night. Michibiki leaned back on the smooth stone edge, her hair floating like silver threads on the water's surface, the starlight turning the surface silver. She closed her eyes, letting tension melt. The future's going to be troublesome, she thought, the faintest hint of a smile touching her lips. But nothing we can't handle.
Downstairs, Yukio sat at a table, a half-empty mug beside him. The faint hum of the dining hall and the comfort of a Day's work settled over him like a warm blanket. This world isn't bad at all, he thought. We've got work, gold, and Michibiki to bail me out when I screw up. Could be worse.
The door opened and Michibiki came in, her hair still damp and caught by the candlelight, in a simple white night robe.
"That was a great bath,"
She said with a relaxed sigh.
"Now, let's eat."
It felt like a celebration dinner: roasted griffin legs glazed with forest herbs, a spicy stew that tingled the tongue, and a glowing berry tart that shimmered faintly in the lamplight.
They returned to their room and stopped inside the door, staring once more at the single bed. The same unspoken thought occurred to each of them: We really need two beds.
Michibiki let out a soft sigh and extinguished the mana lamps. Starlight poured in through the window, outlining the room with gentle silver.
"Stay on your side of the bed this time,"
"Yeah, yeah,"
Yukio muttered, half-grinning.
"Goodnight, idiot,"
She mumbled, too embarrassed to talk back, simply pulled the covers up higher.
The silence that followed wasn't awkward, just comfortable.
For the first time in a long while, Yukio smiled in the dark. Maybe, just maybe, this world wasn't such a bad deal after all.