“Ugh…” I groaned, my shoulders slumping as I dragged my feet forward. We had been walking for hours, and I could feel every single step weighing down on me. My legs ached, my tail drooped, and the midday sun wasn’t helping at all. I was starting to regret not taking more food from Viola’s mansion. My stomach grumbled again, as if to remind me how much of a mistake that was.

  Despite my misery, Yuzu walked beside me with the same bright, carefree energy she always had. Her tail swayed with every step, and she practically bounced as she moved. Even after walking for so long, she didn’t seem tired in the slightest. Instead, she looked around curiously, taking in the scenery with her usual wide-eyed wonder.

  “Yuzu bery happy! Walk bery fun!” she chirped, flashing me a big, toothy grin.

  I stared at her in disbelief. “How do you not feel tired?” I asked, barely holding back a whine.

  Yuzu tilted her head, her ears twitching. “Mashiro bery weak?” she asked innocently.

  I groaned again, rubbing my face. “I was not built for this…” I muttered under my breath.

  The dirt road stretched endlessly in front of us, flanked by tall grass swaying gently in the breeze. The occasional tree provided sparse patches of shade, but for the most part, we were completely exposed to the harsh sunlight. Every now and then, the sound of rustling bushes or distant bird calls would break the silence, but otherwise, it was just the two of us and the road ahead.

  But then, just as I was about to complain again, something in the distance caught my eye.

  Far ahead, beyond the rolling hills, I could see the faint outline of stone walls. They weren’t towering like the grand walls of a fortress, but they were sturdy and well-built, marking the edges of civilization. Wooden watchtowers stood at intervals along the perimeter, their silhouettes small but noticeable against the bright sky.

  I blinked, my tiredness momentarily forgotten. “Wait… is that?”

  Yuzu followed my gaze and let out a happy gasp. “Village!” she cheered, clapping her hands together. “Mashiro, we bery make it!”

  Relief washed over me like a cool breeze. After everything that had happened, the shrine, the weird teleportation stuff, and all the exhausting walking, we were finally here. The village we were originally supposed to reach, before everything went horribly off track.

  With renewed determination, I straightened my posture, shaking off the fatigue. “Alright, let’s hurry up,” I said, picking up my pace.

  Yuzu beamed and eagerly followed. “Hom, hom~!”

  Suddenly, Yuzu stopped in her tracks. Her tail, which had been swaying playfully, went still as her ears perked up. I barely had time to react before she spun around to face me, her expression oddly serious for once.

  She reached into the air and, as if pulling something from thin air, produced a neatly folded piece of dark fabric. The way it materialized so effortlessly made me blink in surprise. I was getting used to the idea that inventory magic was a thing, but it still threw me off sometimes.

  “Mashiro bery wear this!” Yuzu declared, holding out the fabric toward me with both hands.

  I hesitated for a moment before taking it from her. The cloth was soft but thick, and as I unfolded it, I quickly realized it was a cloak, similar to the one Yuzu was already wearing. The deep black color was simple, unassuming, and most importantly, it covered everything.

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  “It bery important when go to human village!” Yuzu added, pulling up the hood of her own cloak. She spun around in a playful twirl, letting the fabric billow slightly before coming to a stop. “See? Bery hide ears and tail!”

  I glanced at her, then down at the cloak in my hands. I immediately understood what she meant.

  “I see,” I muttered, gripping the cloak a little tighter. The last thing I wanted was to cause trouble the moment we stepped into town.

  Looking at Yuzu again, I noticed how naturally she wore hers, as if this was something she had done countless times before. It was strange, seeing her so casual about it. It made me wonder, how many times had she needed to hide herself just to blend in?

  Still, there was no time for hesitation. With a small sigh, I draped the cloak over my shoulders and pulled up the hood, letting it cover my ears. The fabric was warm, and it felt slightly heavier than I expected, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I reached back to adjust it, making sure my tail was fully concealed beneath it.

  Yuzu clapped her hands together, nodding in approval. “Mashiro bery good! Now no one bery suspect!”

  I wasn’t sure if that was entirely true, but at the very least, it was better than walking in as an obvious fox girl. With that settled, we continued toward the village, the stone walls growing closer with each step.

  The queue had been long, long enough that my legs were aching, and my stomach was starting to protest louder than before. But finally, we stood at the front of the line, just a few steps away from entering the village. The gates loomed ahead, sturdy and reinforced with iron, standing as the barrier between us and the bustling life within.

  A young guard, probably in his late teens or early twenties, stood at his post, gripping a spear with a certain nervous stiffness. His armor wasn’t particularly grand, just the standard leather and chainmail issued to low-ranking city guards. Despite his somewhat fresh appearance, his expression remained stern as he sized us up.

  “Card and identification?” he asked, his voice flat but laced with a hint of impatience.

  I froze. My mind went blank.

  “Uh—”

  That was all I managed to say before my mouth shut itself. I hadn’t thought this far ahead. I didn’t have an identification card. The only time I had seen one was when Catherine showed me hers back in the village, but I had no idea how to get one for myself.

  I awkwardly shifted my weight, my fingers clenching at the fabric of my cloak. The guard’s gaze narrowed slightly, his eyes flicking between me and Yuzu as if already sensing that something was off.

  Before the situation could get worse, Yuzu stepped forward, moving between me and the guard. Without a word, she reached into her cloak and pulled out a small, rectangular card. She held it out to the guard with a casual flick of her wrist, her expression unreadable.

  The guard took the card hesitantly, examining it closely. The moment his eyes landed on the details, his posture immediately stiffened.

  “An A-rank adventurer…?” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes darted from the card to Yuzu and then back again, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. A hint of sweat formed on his brow.

  “I—I’m sorry, ma’am!” he stammered, straightening up and quickly handing the card back. His entire demeanor had shifted, from casual authority to something bordering on outright deference.

  Yuzu took the card back with a slow, deliberate movement. Her black eyes locked onto the guard’s face, utterly devoid of her usual playfulness. There was no teasing smirk, no bery-speak. Just a cool, unwavering gaze that sent a subtle shiver down my spine.

  “Let her in. I’ll pay for the no-ID penalty,” Yuzu said, her voice calm, precise.

  There was something unnervingly sharp about the way she spoke, a tone that left no room for argument. It was a complete contrast to the cheerful, mischievous Yuzu I had gotten used to.

  The guard swallowed hard. “O-of course, ma’am!” he answered quickly, nodding as if his life depended on it.

  Yuzu reached into her cloak again, this time pulling out a few gold coins. She placed them into the guard’s palm without hesitation. The guard didn’t even bother counting them, he simply pocketed them and gestured toward the gate, stepping aside.

  “Hope you two enjoy your time here in Rasta Village!” he said, his voice a little too eager now, as if trying to smooth over the awkwardness.

  As we stepped past the gate and into the village, I glanced at Yuzu. She had already slipped back into her usual demeanor, humming softly as if nothing had happened.

  I swallowed, making a mental note:

  Never underestimate Yuzu.