Ishi walked out of the trees and stood at the edge of the village.
Lemnia was simple. Wooden houses stood in rows, with dirt paths between them. People were farming, carrying baskets, or chatting near the well. Smoke rose from chimneys, and kids played with sticks in the open.
He glanced around. "This is it?"
"Yep, welcome to Lemnia," Sia said cheerfully. "It's a peaceful farming village. Don't worry, we won't be here long."
Ishi looked at the big pillow still in his hands. "Do I just… carry this around?"
Sia giggled. "Nope! Try using your item box. Just say Store Pillow in your head."
Ishi nodded. Store Pillow.
With a little sparkle, the pillow vanished. "That's… actually cool."
"Super useful. You can store items and take them out later. Just don't throw a sword at someone by accident."
He chuckled. "Noted."
They moved quietly through the village. A few people looked at him, but no one stopped him. Ishi didn't plan to stay long. He just needed supplies, food, or maybe a map. Then, he'd be on his way.
"Alright," he whispered. "Let's keep moving."
Ishi stepped into a small shop with creaky wooden walls and a strange smell—kind of like herbs and old socks.
Behind the counter stood a man with messy hair, a crooked smile, and narrow eyes that didn't look friendly. He leaned forward.
"What do you want?" the man asked in a low voice.
Ishi smiled politely. "Uh, I'm new around here. Just wondering where I can buy some food… maybe some basic equipment… or find a place to nap for the day?"
The man squinted, then nodded slowly. "Food's at the stall near the well. Equipment? Try the blacksmith—third house on the left. Place to nap…" he pointed out the window toward a small building with a sign of a bed, "…that's the inn."
Then the man leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"If you're looking for some pleasure though…" he smirked, pointing to a shady back door with a flick of his finger, "you come right back here."
Ishi's eyes widened. "Ah… r-right. Got it. Thanks."
He awkwardly backed out of the shop, turning quickly down the road.
"Not going there anytime soon," he muttered to himself, face red.
Ishi continued down the street, trying to shake off the awkward conversation from the shop. But of course, Sia wasn't done.
"You know, you should head to that back door," Sia nudged. "That's a good place to earn some EP fast."
Ishi stopped in his tracks, eyes widening. "What? You want me to go there? Not happening."
"Aw, come on. You're not gonna earn EP slowly, are you? Just so you can summon my mother later?" Sia teased.
Ishi's face turned red as he flustered. "What the hell are you even talking about?! I'm not trying to summon your mother!"
A few villagers walking nearby glanced at him, clearly hearing his half of the conversation. Ishi quickly turned his head away, trying to act casual, but his face was burning with embarrassment.
He straightened up, muttering under his breath. "I'm just here for food..."
Sia giggled. "Good choice. Food is important."
Ishi took a deep breath and walked toward the food stall, desperate to get away from the uncomfortable situation. He really didn't want to be seen talking to himself like this.
As he reached the stall, he looked at the food options, hoping to just focus on something normal for a change.
Ishi muttered to himself, feeling a little more relaxed after buying some food. "Thanks to EP, I can buy copper, silver, and even gold coins..." He clutched the food he'd bought in his hands as he walked toward the inn.
The smell of freshly cut grass and the sound of goats bleating filled the air. Chickens clucked nearby, giving the village a peaceful vibe. But then, something strange caught his eye.
By the edge of the field, hidden in the grass, was a strange creature. It looked like a black-violet octopus, its tentacles twitching as it lay on the ground. Its body was bruised and battered, like it had been through some kind of fight.
Ishi stopped in his tracks, squinting. "What the hell is that?"
Just then, Sia spoke up. "Ishi, that's...that's a rare monster. An extinct species, actually."
"Extinct monster?" Ishi repeated, confused. He'd never seen anything like it. "But it looks so...beat up. What's the deal?"
"It's in its baby stage," Sia explained. "But it's still dangerous. If it grows to its full strength, it could be a huge problem. Powerful, too."
Ishi hesitated for a moment, glancing down at the injured baby octopus monster. It was small, its tentacles twitching weakly, but it didn't seem dangerous. Without thinking too much, Ishi quickly picked it up and tucked it into the folds of his top, hiding it away carefully.
Just as he did, an old man's voice cut through the air.
"What are you doing in my yard?" the man called, his tone gruff.
Ishi looked up to see a wrinkled, old man walking toward him with a cane. The man's sharp eyes narrowed as he approached. "This is my yard. My land. My property," the old man continued, glaring at Ishi. "You can't just go around taking things from here."
Ishi stood up quickly, holding the octopus against his chest, trying to hide it as best as he could. He wasn't looking to get into trouble, but the old man didn't seem happy.
Before Ishi could apologize, Sia's voice rang out in his head.
"Give him a gold coin," Sia suggested casually.
"A gold coin? Seriously?" Ishi muttered under his breath.
Without waiting for his agreement, the system pushed him to pull out a gold coin. Ishi did as he was told, holding it out in front of him toward the old man.
The old man's eyes went wide when he saw the coin. His angry expression quickly faded into a grin as he snatched it out of Ishi's hand.
"Gold, huh?" The old man chuckled. "Well, I suppose you can go on your way then. Just don't go messing with my things again."
Ishi breathed a sigh of relief, nodding awkwardly. "Thanks..." he said, backing away. He didn't wait around to see if the old man had any other complaints.
With the octopus monster still tucked safely inside his top, Ishi hurried away, not looking back.
Ishi finally reached the small inn near the end of the village. The place looked old but clean, with a wooden sign gently swinging in the wind. He stepped inside and was greeted by an old woman behind the counter.
"One night?" she asked, eyeing him from head to toe.
"Yes, just one night," Ishi replied politely.
"That'll be 2 copper and 1 silver coin," she said with a toothy smile.
Ishi didn't argue. He pulled out the coins and handed them over.
After he paid, Sia's voice echoed in his mind, annoyed.
"What a scam," she muttered. "You just paid triple what that room is worth!"
Ishi sighed quietly and headed up the stairs. "Let me guess," he whispered back, "you want me to sleep in a tree next time?"
Hmph," Sia pouted, clearly still annoyed about the overpriced room.
Ishi ignored her and gently pulled the little octopus-like creature from under his shirt. Its black-violet body was soft and slightly warm, with tiny glowing spots along its tentacles. It let out a weak, squeaky sound as he placed it on the bed.
"Poor thing," Ishi muttered, brushing off some dirt from its head. "You really got roughed up."
The creature squirmed weakly, one eye barely opening.
Sia's voice softened, "Be careful. That little guy might be rare, but it's still a monster."
"I know," Ishi said quietly, watching it with concern. "But something about it... it didn't feel dangerous."
He covered it with part of the blanket and sat beside the bed, arms crossed. "Just rest, little guy."
As Ishi tucked the creature in, he sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the softly glowing tentacles.
"…Hey, Sia. What exactly is this thing?"
Sia popped up in the corner of his vision, arms crossed and eyes scanning.
"It's called a Nokuto. Extremely rare. Most thought it was extinct."
"Nokuto…?" Ishi repeated, staring at it with wide eyes.
"Yeah," Sia nodded. "It's a nocturnal-type monster known for psychic abilities and bonding with one person in its lifetime. In baby form, it's helpless. But if it trusts you, it can grow… really powerful."
Ishi looked down at the little Nokuto, who let out a soft hum and curled up tighter in the blanket.
"It trusted me that fast?" he muttered.
Sia smiled. "Maybe it knows you're a softie."
"Shut up," Ishi said, flustered, as he glanced out the window. "I just didn't want it to die."