When Ren returned to the inn, his steps halted in front of the door to the room he had rented on the second floor. A strange feeling crept into his mind—a subtle pressure in the air, an indistinct presence that seemed to be waiting in silence.
Carefully, he reached for the doorknob. He didn't open it right away; instead, he pressed his ear against the old wooden surface. Silence—except for the sound of his own heartbeat and... something that couldn't be explained. Slowly, he pushed the door open just a crack and peeked inside.
Kumara was standing with her back to the door, gazing out the window. Her posture looked calm, but Ren could feel that the atmosphere in the room wasn't quite right. He stepped inside, and at that moment, the strange presence that had been cloaking the room suddenly vanished—as if it had evaporated into the air.
"Kumara?"
Kumara turned around quickly, briefly startled, but then smiled. "Ah… Master, you're back!"
