Ren woke up to the sound of screaming—not the usual screams of street kids or a thief being chased, but screaming soaked in magic, smoke, and a seriously bad mood.
He opened his eyes to find Istar on top of him, lying protectively over his body, her eyes blazing, and her tail fluttering behind her like a war banner.
"What's going on?" Ren asked as he tried to shift without dumping her on the floor.
"A bunch of armed idiots stormed the inn... they're demanding the gem."
"Hmm... Did we tell anyone we had the gem?"
"No."
"...So the gem talks? Annoying."
The window shattered, and a man in a black cloak leapt in, his eyes glowing purple. He pointed a sword at Ren and spoke in a voice that sounded like a haunted toilet.
"Give me the Dragon's Eye, slacker."
"Wow... Do you rehearse your lines or write them on your mirror every morning?"
The man growled and lunged at Ren, tearing through the air—but Istar moved first. Her arm shot out and slapped him so hard he spun like a carnival ride and crashed into the wall.
He screamed in pain as he dropped to the ground, groaning.
"I told you," Istar muttered, adjusting her hair, "Don't wake Ren up like that."
---
Ren stood, stretched, and stepped over the groaning man. "I'm going shopping... I need a new pillow. This one's got horns."
"I'm your pillow!" Istar shouted, trailing him like a shadow.
---
Outside, the city was buzzing with gossip.
— "They say a guy showed up yesterday and beat Bakra with one arm!"
— "They say he's got the legendary gem!"
— "They say his companion isn't human... but a noble-class demoness!"
— "Oh... and they say he loves sleeping!"
Ren walked through the rumors like a man in a dream. He stopped suddenly in front of a fruit stall.
"Do you see that guy?" he asked Istar.
"The one selling apples?"
"No. The one who's been watching us from the corner for ten minutes without blinking."
Istar sniffed the air.
"Oh... hidden spells... nervous... dagger in his shoe. Assassin."
"Oh, how classic."
Ren turned into a narrow alley. The assassin followed—only to find himself face-to-face with a living wall, rising from the ground like a hungry jaw.
"Hi," Ren said, sitting on a crate, playing with the gem.
"Give me the gem and I'll give you a quick death!" barked the assassin.
"Can I pick a slow death? I'd like to nap first."
The assassin lunged—only for Istar to appear behind him, bite his neck gently, and knee him so hard he vomited enchantments before collapsing unconscious.
---
By the end of the day, Ren threw himself onto the inn's bed while Istar cleaned her horn in the mirror.
"The gem attracts trouble," he sighed.
"Yeah... but it's beautiful. Like you," she said as she curled around him from behind.
"Life is exhausting."
"But I'm here to carry all your exhaustion," she whispered in his ear.
He smiled, eyes half-closed.
"If this keeps up... I might become energetic someday... That's terrifying."