Kai walked through the cobblestone streets of Rubery with what he believed was well-deserved confidence. After surviving a week of Juno's brutal training and managing to hold his own in actual combat, he figured winning over some friendly villagers would be simple by comparison.
*How hard could it be?* he thought, adjusting his baggy Lichtritter pants and preparing to charm the locals with his newfound competence. *I'll just walk up to people, ask about the woman Juno-san described, maybe demonstrate some of my sound magic if they seem impressed by that sort of thing. By tonight, I'll probably have a dozen new friends and a comfortable place to stay.*
His optimistic planning came to an abrupt end the moment he approached his first group of potential allies.
"Excuse me," Kai said politely to a middle-aged woman carrying a basket of what appeared to be magical fruits. "I'm looking for someone who—"
"BEGGAR!" the woman shrieked, backing away from him like he was carrying some kind of plague. "Get away from me, you filthy vagrant!"
"What? No, I'm not—" Kai tried to explain, but the woman was already shouting to everyone within earshot.
"There's a beggar harassing people! Someone call the town guard!"
Within seconds, what had seemed like a peaceful evening market transformed into something resembling a mob scene. People emerged from shops and stalls, all of them pointing at Kai with expressions ranging from disgust to outright hostility.
"Look at him!" someone yelled. "Half-naked and wearing stolen clothes!"
"Probably a thief too!" another voice added.
"Is that a Remmani?" a third person asked, using a term that made the crowd's anger intensify noticeably.
Kai had no idea what a 'Remmani' was, but based on the way people were now picking up stones and looking for improvised weapons, he suspected it wasn't anything good.
"Wait!" he called out desperately, backing toward what he hoped was an escape route. "I'm not whatever you think I am! I'm just looking for someone!"
"Remmani always have excuses!" the fruit vendor shouted back. "Get out of our town before we make you regret it!"
What followed was the most humiliating chase sequence of Kai's life. Despite all his training in forest combat and magical awareness, he found himself completely unprepared for the challenge of escaping an angry mob of shopkeepers and merchants. His sound magic, so effective against mana beasts, proved utterly useless against people who were motivated by righteous indignation and social prejudice.
He dodged thrown vegetables, leaped over market stalls, and ran through increasingly narrow alleyways while a growing crowd of angry townspeople pursued him with the dedicated fury of people who'd found an acceptable target for their daily frustrations.
*This is not how heroes are supposed to be welcomed!* Kai thought frantically as he vaulted over a fence and landed in someone's vegetable garden. *Where are the grateful villagers? The warm hospitality? The recognition of my obvious protagonist potential?*
By the time he finally managed to lose his pursuers, Kai was exhausted, demoralized, and seriously questioning whether Juno's confidence in his abilities had been drastically misplaced. He found himself in a quieter part of town, slumped against the wall of what appeared to be some kind of inn or tavern.
*Maybe I should just give up on finding this mystery woman,* he thought miserably. *How am I supposed to locate someone based on 'blue eyes and orange hair' when I can't even have a conversation without getting chased by an angry mob?*
The sound of laughter and music drifting from the building behind him provided a sharp contrast to his current misery. Whatever was happening inside sounded warm and welcoming—exactly the opposite of his reception from the townspeople.
Curiosity eventually overcame his reluctance to face more potential rejection. Kai peered through one of the inn's windows and found himself looking at a scene that could have come straight from a fantasy adventure.
The interior was filled with people who looked like they'd stepped out of some heroic tale. Men and women with arms like tree trunks arm-wrestled at wooden tables while others cheered them on. Groups of travelers shared drinks and stories, their weapons propped casually against walls or hung from belts. The air buzzed with conversation, laughter, and the kind of camaraderie that Kai had only seen in stories.
What struck him most, however, was the incredible diversity of hair and eye colors on display. Brilliant reds, deep purples, silver that seemed to shimmer with its own light, blues that ranged from sky-pale to ocean-deep. On Earth, such variety would have required hair dye and colored contacts, but here everyone's appearance seemed completely natural.
*It must be the mana,* Kai realized, remembering Juno's explanations about how magical energy affected everything in this world. *The magical atmosphere actually changes people's physical characteristics over time. That's pretty amazing, actually.*
Near the back of the inn, he spotted a discarded brown robe hanging over a chair. After a week of being perpetually shirtless, the prospect of actually covering his upper body was almost irresistibly appealing. A quick glance around confirmed that no one was paying attention to the forgotten garment.
*Technically, this is probably stealing,* Kai thought as he carefully reached through the window and grabbed the robe. *But I prefer to think of it as emergency requisitioning of necessary supplies.*
The robe was rough and smelled faintly of whatever its previous owner had been doing for work, but to Kai it felt like the finest silk. Finally, he looked like something resembling a normal person instead of a refugee from some kind of disaster.
Feeling considerably more confident with his upper body covered, Kai made his way around to the inn's front entrance. The moment he stepped inside, he was struck by the warmth and energy of the place. This was clearly where the town's more adventurous residents gathered to unwind after long days of whatever passed for normal work in a world filled with magic and monsters.
Most of the patrons were focused on a young man near the center of the room who appeared to be the evening's main entertainment. He looked to be roughly Kai's age, with brown hair and black eyes, wearing a simple blue shirt and holding a violin that seemed to shimmer with faint magical energy. The crowd around him was clearly familiar with his performances, calling out encouragement and requests like he was a beloved regular.
"Tell us the old prophecy!" someone shouted. "The one about the shadows and the light!"
"Yeah!" another voice added. "Give us that famous story!"
The young performer grinned and raised his violin, drawing his bow across the strings to produce a haunting melody that seemed to resonate with something deeper than just sound. As the music filled the inn, conversations gradually died down until everyone was focused on the bard and his tale.
"Oh lads, so you want the same local fun again, it seems! So here we go!" the bard called out with a theatrical flourish.
When he began to speak, his voice carried perfectly throughout the room, somehow managing to be both intimate and grand at the same time:
"When light's last ember starts to fade,
And dusk breaks through the wall once made,
The Sealed Howl rises from the deep,
As echoes wake the world from sleep.
A storm of silence cracks the air.
The Strongest Ray grows faint and still,
Its warmth consumed by shadow's will.
The chosen one may lose his flame,
As dark and light forget their name.
The Seventh Silence calls the heir.
The Children rise, their hearts alight,
To face the never-ending night.
With water's voice and light in hand,
He shines through shadow's broken land.
As the sound of echo shines yet bright."
The words sent chills down Kai's spine that had nothing to do with the inn's temperature. Something about the prophecy felt familiar, especially the part about "the chosen one may lose his flame."
*Wait... the chosen one?* Kai's heart began to race. *Could that be referring to me? I mean, I was summoned here, right? Maybe I really am some kind of chosen hero destined to save the world!*
But as quickly as the excitement came, reality crashed down on him like cold water.
*Wake up, idiot,* he told himself harshly. *You're a guy who got chased out of town by fruit vendors and had to steal a robe just to cover yourself. You're not some legendary chosen one. Stop getting carried away with fantasy nonsense.*
The only thing that really stuck with him was the mention of a wall in the prophecy—something about "dusk breaks through the wall once made." That reminded him of what Juno had said about the great barrier, but beyond that, the rest was probably just typical prophecy gibberish that sounded important but didn't mean anything specific.
When the performance ended, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause. People pressed forward to drop coins and small trinkets near the bard's feet, clearly appreciating both his musical skill and his storytelling ability.
"That was incredible," Kai said as he approached the young performer, trying to project more confidence than he actually felt. "Your storytelling ability is really impressive."
The bard looked up from collecting his tips, studying Kai with curious black eyes. When he smiled, it was with the easy friendliness of someone who spent their life meeting new people.
"Thank you kindly," he replied, extending a hand in greeting. "I'm Elias Mathew, though most folks around here just call me the wandering minstrel. I don't think I've seen you before—are you new to Rubery?"
"I'm Kai," he replied, shaking Elias's hand and finding himself oddly relieved to have a normal conversation with someone who wasn't trying to chase him out of town. "Kai Atsuya. And yes, I just arrived today."
"Kai-kun it is then," Elias said with a grin. "So what brings you to our little corner of the world? Most travelers are either passing through to somewhere more important or running away from somewhere more dangerous."
Kai hesitated, remembering Juno's warnings about revealing too much about his circumstances. "I'm looking for someone, actually. A woman with starry blue eyes and orange hair. I was told I might find her in this area."
Elias's expression shifted to something more thoughtful. "Blue eyes and orange hair, you say? That's quite specific." He paused, seeming to consider something. "Kai-kun, I think I know exactly who you're looking for. If she's who I think she is, you'll find her near the Rubery waterfall, just outside of town. Can't miss it—it's the only major water source in the area."
"Really?" Kai felt a surge of hope. After the disaster of his initial reception in town, the possibility of actually accomplishing his mission seemed almost too good to be true. "Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure," Elias replied, packing away his violin with practiced efficiency. "Fair warning though—she's got a bit of a reputation for being... intense. Don't take it personally if she seems suspicious at first. She's not exactly the trusting type."
"What do you mean by intense?" Kai asked, but Elias was already gathering his belongings and heading toward the inn's exit.
"You'll find out soon enough, Kai-kun! Good luck—hope you find what you're looking for!"
Left alone with this new information, Kai felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness. After the chaos of his arrival in Rubery, the prospect of finally meeting the person Juno had sent him to find was both thrilling and terrifying.
*There's only one way to find out,* Kai decided, standing up and adjusting his newly acquired robe. *Juno-san sent me here for a reason. Time to see what that reason is.*
The inn's warmth and chatter faded behind him as Kai stepped back out into the cool evening air. Somewhere beyond the town's borders, near a waterfall he'd never seen, waited someone who might hold the answers to questions he was only beginning to understand how to ask.
*Finally,* he thought, *I might actually find this mysterious woman and figure out what Juno-san wanted me to do.*
The streets grew quieter as he moved away from the market district, but Kai's determination only grew stronger with each step. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt like he was moving toward something instead of just running away from danger.
Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever this mysterious woman with blue eyes and orange hair might demand of him, Kai Atsuya was ready to face them head-on.
The waterfall was calling, and he intended to answer.