A New Guard Arrives at Wolf Lodge – Kagura Cry Introduces Herself
The Courtyard of Wolf Lodge – A New Applicant Appears
In the imperial merchant city, Wolf Lodge was no longer the small, family‑like inn it had been in Young Wolf's time.
Under Noelle and Ersi, it flourished: new staff, new guests, new life.
Two porters were carrying barrels in the courtyard when a girl appeared at the gate.
She was young, perhaps fifteen.
Her long black hair reached her waist, and her eyes glowed red like embers.
Her clothes were simple, but a sword hung at her waist — not decoration, but a weapon.
Her movements were light, yet disciplined.
The girl stopped at the gate, bowed, and spoke in a clear voice:
"I am Kagura Cry. I apply for the guard position at Wolf Lodge."
Ersi, who was sitting on the steps eating an apple, snapped her head up.
Ersi Recognizes Her – And Immediately Starts Teasing
Ersi looked the girl up and down, then grinned.
"Wow… a warrior maiden.
From the far eastern part of the Empire, right? From the Island of Warrior Maidens."
Kagura blinked in surprise.
"Yes… how did you know?"
"Because you're not wearing armor," Ersi replied. "The four merchant guilds probably rejected you for that. Warrior maidens never wear armor. Only swords."
Kagura lowered her gaze.
"True. All the guilds refused me. But… I need work. Immediately. I'll take anything."
Ersi's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Anything?"
"Yes."
"Then… we'll hire you as a waitress."
Kagura bowed.
"Thank you very much! I'm truly grateful!"
Behind her, Ersi whispered with a grin:
"(We actually wanted her as a guard, but whatever… she'll figure it out later.)"
Kagura Asks – Ersi Answers
Kagura stepped into the inn, but before going further, she turned back to Ersi.
Her gaze was cautious, but sincere.
"Ersi… may I ask… how your face was burned like that?"
Ersi froze for a moment.
Her smile widened — almost too wide.
"A dragon sneezed in my face."
Kagura's eyes widened.
"A‑a dragon?!"
Ersi shrugged.
"Yeah. From very close. Very warm."
Kagura bowed respectfully.
"Then… you must be very strong."
Ersi turned away so her grin wouldn't show.
Because the truth was:
as a child, she had played with fire and lost control of her own fireball.
The scar had reminded her ever since how thin the line was between play and responsibility.
But Kagura didn't know that.
And Ersi didn't intend to tell her.
Noelle Appears – And Immediately Senses Kagura's Power
Noelle stepped out of the inn, adjusting her apron.
"Ersi, who is this girl?"
"Kagura Cry. She applied as a guard. But I hired her as a waitress."
Noelle raised an eyebrow.
"She came for a guard job, and you hired her as a waitress?"
"Well…" Ersi shrugged. "She didn't catch on. And she needs money urgently. We'll tell her later that she's actually going to be a guard."
Kagura bowed to Noelle.
"Thank you for employing me. I won't disappoint you."
Noelle smiled.
"Welcome to Wolf Lodge, Kagura. Everyone gets a new chance here."
Kagura's eyes lit up.
And in that moment, Noelle felt it:
This girl was special.
Not just a swordswoman.
But someone whose fate would intertwine with Wolf Lodge itself.
The New Guard of Wolf Lodge – Who Still Doesn't Know She's a Guard
Kagura happily headed toward the kitchen to begin her "waitress" duties.
Ersi leaned against the stairs and sighed with satisfaction.
"This will be good. Very good."
Noelle glanced sideways.
"Ersi… why do I feel like Kagura Cry is going to cause a lot of trouble?"
Ersi grinned:
"Because you're right."
Kagura Cry's First Day – The New "Waitress" of Wolf Lodge
Kagura Cry's First Day as a Waitress – Where She Learns the Sword Is Easier Than the Tray
The Morning Rush – Kagura Steps Into Chaos
During breakfast rush, Wolf Lodge looked like a battlefield:
shouting guests, running porters, clattering dishes, and Noelle's quiet but firm instructions in the background.
Kagura Cry stood in the kitchen doorway, holding a tray with three mugs of beer and two plates of steaming scrambled eggs.
She took a deep breath.
"This… can't be harder than a sword duel," she whispered to herself.
The tray trembled in her hands.
Ersi watched from behind the counter, grinning widely.
"Go on, warrior maiden. Show us what you've got."
Kagura nodded and stepped into the dining hall.
The Tray's Enemy: Gravity
She reached the first table without trouble.
The second as well.
But at the third, a guest suddenly leaned back in his chair.
Kagura reacted instinctively:
with a graceful half‑turn worthy of a warrior maiden, she leapt over the chair, balancing the tray mid‑air.
The guests fell silent.
The tray…
remained perfectly stable for one glorious moment.
Then gravity decided it wanted a role in the scene.
All three mugs of beer tipped forward at once.
Kagura drew her sword on reflex —
and with a single lightning‑fast motion, sliced all three mugs in half mid‑air so that not a single drop hit the guests.
The beer splashed onto the floor.
The mugs fell apart in two neat pieces.
The guests stared in shock.
Ersi burst out laughing behind the counter.
"That's it! You're already doing better than the last waiter boy!"
Noelle massaged her forehead.
"Ersi… we hired her as a guard."
"We'll tell her later," Ersi waved dismissively.
Kagura bowed deeply, face red.
"Sorry… I'm still practicing the tray."
The guests began to applaud.
In the Kitchen – Noelle Teaches, Kagura Learns
Noelle guided Kagura back into the kitchen.
"Kagura… you're very skilled. Just… you don't need to defend the tray with a sword."
Kagura lowered her gaze.
"On our island, every object is a potential weapon. Even a tray."
Noelle smiled.
"Here at Wolf Lodge, we mostly use it to carry food."
Kagura nodded.
"I'll learn. I promise."
Noelle gently patted her shoulder.
"It's okay to make mistakes. Everyone did on their first day. Even me."
From the background, Ersi shouted:
"Not me!"
Noelle looked back.
"Ersi, you set the kitchen on fire."
"That was… an experiment."
Kagura's New Question – And Ersi's New Lie
Later, Kagura turned to Ersi again.
"Ersi… did you really smack a dragon on the neck?"
Ersi nodded proudly.
"Yes. From very close. Very warm."
Kagura bowed respectfully.
"Then… you must be very strong."
Ersi turned away so her grin wouldn't show.
Noelle whispered quietly to Kagura:
"Don't believe everything she says."
Kagura blinked in confusion.
"Why not?"
Noelle sighed.
"You'll find out."
At the End of the Day – Kagura's First Victory
By the end of the day, Kagura had:
dropped three trays,
broken five mugs,
drawn her sword twice by reflex,
and once accidentally threatened a guest who asked for his beer too loudly.
But…
The guests loved her.
The staff laughed.
Noelle was proud.
And Ersi already saw the potential in her.
Kagura collapsed into a chair, exhausted.
"This… is much harder than sword fighting."
Ersi sat beside her.
"Relax. Tomorrow you'll work as a guard."
Kagura snapped her head up.
"A guard? But… I thought I was a waitress."
Ersi grinned:
"You are. But you're also a guard. At Wolf Lodge, everyone has multiple roles."
Kagura nodded slowly.
"Then… I'll do my best."
Noelle smiled.
"Welcome to the family, Kagura Cry."
Kagura Cry's First Day as a Guard – When She Learns Wolf Lodge Is More Than an Inn
Dawn at Wolf Lodge – Kagura's New Duty
The first rays of sunlight had barely crossed the rooftops when Kagura Cry was already standing in the courtyard of Wolf Lodge.
Her sword at her side, her hair tied up, her gaze alert.
Noelle and Ersi watched from the top of the stairs.
"Are you ready?" Noelle asked.
Kagura nodded.
"Yes. Waitressing… well, that was difficult. But guard duty… this is my world."
Ersi nudged Noelle with a grin.
"Told you she'd be good. She can't hold a tray, but she sure can hold a sword."
Kagura didn't understand the remark, but bowed.
"Thank you for trusting me. I won't disappoint you."
The Area Around Wolf Lodge – More Dangerous Than One Might Think
Wolf Lodge was not just an inn.
It stood at one of the busiest points of the imperial merchant city, where:
merchants,
mercenaries,
adventurers,
and sometimes shady figures passed through.
Kagura's first task was to walk around the building and check the back alley, where drunk guests or thieves sometimes tried to sneak in.
The girl stepped quietly, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
The alley was dark, but Kagura's eyes adjusted to the dim light.
A metallic smell lingered in the air.
Then she heard it.
A faint scraping sound.
Kagura stopped.
Her body tensed.
"Who's there?" she asked softly, but firmly.
A shadow moved along the wall.
Kagura drew her sword in an instant.
The blade glowed red — the sign of the fire element.
The shadow stepped forward.
It was a man.
Ragged clothes, stubbled face, a rusty dagger in his hand.
"I just… just wanted a little money…" he muttered.
Kagura didn't yield.
"This is private property. Leave. Now."
The man assessed the situation.
The girl's gaze was cold, her stance perfect, and her sword clearly not decorative.
He backed away.
"Fine, fine… I'm going…"
And disappeared at the end of the alley.
Kagura slowly lowered her sword.
Noelle and Ersi Watching
Two figures watched from the rooftop.
Ersi and Noelle.
Ersi nodded with satisfaction.
"Told you she'd be good. She handled it without a single move."
Noelle smiled.
"She's very disciplined. And… I have a feeling she won't just be a guard."
Ersi looked sideways.
"What then?"
Noelle answered softly.
"Someone the future of Wolf Lodge can rely on."
Kagura Returns – And Asks Again
Kagura returned to the courtyard, where Ersi was already waiting.
"Well?" Ersi asked. "Did you meet anyone?"
"A thief. But he left. I didn't need to fight."
Ersi nodded.
"Good. There will always be something around Wolf Lodge. But you… you were born for this."
Kagura smiled.
"Thank you. And… Ersi?"
"Yes?"
"The dragon… did it really run away crying from you?"
Ersi's face tightened, then she smiled broadly.
"Yes. A huge red dragon. Its name was Firestorm."
Kagura bowed respectfully.
"Then… you must be very strong."
Noelle sighed quietly in the background.
"Ersi… one day you'll tell her the truth."
Ersi shrugged.
"One day. When she's strong enough not to laugh at me."
At the End of the Day – Kagura's Place at Wolf Lodge
By the end of the day, Kagura had:
stopped a thief,
scared off two drunk mercenaries,
and helped the staff close the inn.
The girl was tired, but happy.
Noelle stepped up to her.
"Kagura… you worked very well today. I'm proud of you."
Kagura bowed.
"Thank you. Tomorrow I'll do even better."
Ersi joined them.
"Tomorrow you won't just be a guard. You'll be…"
Her eyes sparkled mischievously.
"…part of the Wolf Lodge family."
Kagura's eyes lit up.
And in that moment, she knew:
She had found her home.