The rich aroma of stew filled the air as the plate was set down on the table.
Steam rose from the thick sauce, carrying hints of herbs and something that smelled like leaves...
What was it again?
Ren couldn't quite recall the names of vegetables or spices like these… he didn't get to eat them often.
Using a spoon, he gently scooped out a few shredded leaves and tried to catch the scent... That's it… they were called bay leaves.
Beside the stew was a slice of slightly burnt toast, simple, yet a quiet promise of warmth and fullness.
Ren whispered a soft thank you, even though the innkeeper had already returned to the counter. He picked up his spoon, stirred the broth lightly, then brought a piece of meat to his mouth.
Hot. Tender. Just sweet enough.
It wasn't a refined dish, but it had the flavor of honesty. The kind that reminds you, you're still alive.
Still breathing, still eating, still sensing the world, not through stats or health bars, but through a body that could feel, even if it was only an avatar in a game.
He ate slowly, one spoonful at a time, letting the warmth sink into his chest, driving out the chill that had settled into his bones. His eyes slowly drifted half-shut, not from sleepiness, but from the peace of this moment.
It felt like the whole world could stay like this and it would be enough... the weariness combined with the burst of flavor and the comfort of a filling stomach brought an unexpected sense of joy that almost erased his drowsiness.
Then...
"Ren!"
The voice came from the entrance, clear and sharp in the quiet inn. Not loud, not rushed, but there was something in it that made him stop mid-motion.
Ren looked up.
Yuna.
The girl with tea-colored hair, her signature short cloak, and eyes that were confident yet cautious, stood just at the edge of the lantern's glow.
Beside her was Nautilus, the boy with greenish-brown hair. His face was calm, but his eyes burned with a quiet, flickering worry.
Their chests rose and fell slightly, like they'd just finished a short run. They must've come in from outside.
Ren had no idea where they'd been. If it was the concert in the village center, that should've ended an hour ago.
He froze a little, his hand still holding the spoon. In that brief moment, a strange emotion flickered across him, not panic, but hesitation.
"…You haven't rested yet?"
Yuna shook her head, her voice small but straightforward, with a trace of tension behind her eyes.
"Nautilus and I were waiting for you to come back. It's already this late and you still hadn't returned, so…"
"We searched everywhere for you," Nautilus added, slow but clear.
"South gate. Quest board. Even the market. We thought maybe you got ambushed by monsters on your way back."
His voice trembled slightly with each breath, even though he was trying to stay calm. His hand still gripped his sword hilt, like he'd be ready to run out again the moment he heard bad news.
Ren was stunned. Under the dim yellow light, his eyes softened, partly from fatigue, partly from an emotion he couldn't name. He lowered his head and gently placed the spoon down.
He hadn't expected them… to wait for him. His eyes drifted toward the two of them, filled with a warmth and guilt that stirred deep inside.
"…I was just at the training yard."
The words melted into his breath.
"All the way until night?"
Yuna asked, not accusingly, but with an unhidden worry.
"We thought… something might've happened."
"It's nothing. I just… needed a bit more training."
Ren paused, as if he wanted to say more, but then shook his head. No need to explain. The truth was—he didn't want anyone to worry about him.
But now, standing here, looking into their eyes and seeing the concern shining through, he couldn't pretend it didn't reach him.
A soft smile touched the corners of his lips, not a forced smile, not one to dodge the moment. But… a quiet thank you without words.
He leaned slightly to the side, nudged the plate away a little, then patted the empty seat next to him."If you don't mind the smell of simulated sweat, have a seat."
Yuna looked at him, then turned to Nautilus. They didn't need to say much. A beat later, both stepped forward, pulled out chairs, and sat down at the table.
Silently, as if the three of them understood, there was no need for words. Just being here was enough.
An old wooden table, a cooling plate of stew, and three people sitting not as a guide and his learners, not as the one ahead and those following behind.
But just… people. Tired. Worried. And quietly relieved to see each other safe.
In a world where anyone could vanish at any time, this moment, quiet, honest, and untouched by any system, was the most precious thing.
They had just sat down, hadn't even spoken a word yet when...
"Grrrgle…"
A small sound, but loud and clear in the delicate silence between them. Like a stone tossed into a still pond, it drew every gaze toward the same point.
Yuna froze as if someone had pressed her pressure point, both hands flying to her stomach in reflex, her small shoulders curling in embarrassment that she couldn't hide.
Her face flushed quickly, especially when she caught Ren's dazed gaze turning toward her.
She mumbled, eyes glancing to the side, her voice so soft it was nearly drowned out by the clinking of cutlery around them:
"Um… I haven't had dinner yet…"
Before she could even finish her sentence, a second sound rang out.
"Grrrgle…"
This time, it wasn't from Yuna. The sound came from Nautilus.
There was no mistaking it.
The green-haired boy sat upright, trying to maintain his usual calm demeanor as if nothing had happened.
But when his hand withdrew from the hilt of his sword and rested lightly on the table, his fingers curled slightly in an awkward, clumsy gesture, completely out of sync with his composed exterior.
Ren looked at the two of them, his gaze shifting from surprise to something softer. He dipped his head slightly, lips curving into a gentle smile, an expression that hadn't graced his face in a long time, not since the day he stayed behind in the Starting Town, letting the past walk away.
"…You two waited for me before eating, didn't you?"
Yuna nodded lightly, as if admitting something that made her a little embarrassed, "Yeah… we thought we'd wait… eat together. But… you were gone for so long, so…"
Nautilus didn't speak right away. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded slowly, his voice low but steady.
"We thought you'd be back soon. Didn't expect… you'd be training until nightfall."
Ren looked at them in silence for a few seconds. His eyes didn't hold any blame or frustration, only something quiet, an emotion slowly spreading through his chest, like the lingering warmth of the stew from earlier, except this time, it wasn't just from the food.
"…Sorry."
Just one simple word, no explanation or excuse.
But for Ren, that was enough. It wasn't a polite nod or some learned social grace.
It was a rare and sincere apology from someone who had grown used to carrying everything alone.
Yuna shook her head instantly, almost panicked:"No! It's not your fault! I just… I was worried, that's all…"
Ren said nothing more, just gave a small nod. A tiny gesture, but behind it lay a quiet tangle of unnamed feelings.
Then he raised a hand to signal the innkeeper, who had been drying a glass behind the counter, quietly observing the trio from afar.
She walked over, glanced at the three young people seated together, then smiled:"The same dish as him, right?"
She pointed to the nearly empty plate of stew in front of Ren.
Yuna nodded quickly, as if afraid she might change her mind, while Nautilus added:"The same, but… I'll have extra bread."
Before long, two fresh plates were brought out, still steaming and fragrant, making both their stomachs growl again despite having already stirred before.
The scent of herbs spread through the small room, wrapping around the three of them in a rustic peace, as if the storm from earlier had never happened.
They began to eat. No one rushed, and no one urged the others on.
The first bites were a little clumsy from hunger, but they gradually slowed, as if each of them wanted to savor the gentle sweetness melting on their tongues, not just the flavor of the stew, but the feeling of presence, of sharing, of companionship among three people who were no longer strangers.
No longer a guide, a follower, or an outsider watching.
Just three souls, searching for something to give meaning to their place in this strange world, and perhaps, by chance, finding one another in the exact moment they needed it most.
Outside the window, the night wind swept through the treetops.
But inside the small inn, the lights remained on.
And in that moment, the three of them sat together, amid the soft clinks of spoons on plates, the crunch of breaking bread, and quiet sighs of relief, like a wordless song rising from deep within their chests.
After the meal, they didn't rush to leave.
They lingered a while, listening to the wind rustling the thin curtains by the window. Outside, the moon had risen high, casting a pale silver glow over the tiled rooftops and cobbled streets of Medai Village.
Yuna leaned on her hand, eyes half-lidded, looking like she might doze off at any moment.
Nautilus sat upright still, his gaze lost in the darkness beyond the window, but the hand resting on the table had loosened, no longer tense with caution like before.
Ren, in the end, was the first to stand. He didn't say anything, just lifted his chair gently so it wouldn't make a sound.
But just as he turned to leave, Yuna's voice called softly from behind:
"Ren…"
He stopped but didn't turn around, only tilted his head slightly, waiting for her to continue.
"…Are you going to train again tomorrow?"
Ren was silent for a moment. Then he nodded."Yes."
Yuna smiled, not a bright grin, but a soft one, with a trace of quiet relief.
"Then we'll come with you tomorrow."
This time, Ren turned around. He looked at Yuna, then glanced over at Nautilus. The boy only shrugged, but nodded.
"…Up to you," Ren replied, a rare smile tugging at his lips once again.
They left the little inn after night had fully settled.Each went in a different direction, but the feeling of being alone was no longer there.