Juna stood beside the vibrant marketplace stall, shifting her weight awkwardly while tugging at the snug hem of her new clothes.
Hajin counted the remaining bronze coins inside his worn leather pouch, calculating the clothing purchase against his pending fifty silver debt.
"How does the new gear feel?" he asked, looking up from his thin pouch with an amused smirk. "Better than that dusty burlap blanket, at least."
The merchant sold them standard traveler attire, consisting of durable dark shorts and a snug sleeveless top that left her toned midriff exposed to the breeze.
The lightweight fabric offered full mobility for rapid melee combat, fitting her athletic frame without restricting sudden acrobatic maneuvers.
"It is fine... fits well enough," Juna mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes while tugging stubbornly at the cloth.
She pulled persistently at the lower hem with both hands, trying in vain to stretch fabric that possessed zero natural give.
The pointed tips of her ears flushed a delicate shade of bright pink, betraying the acute embarrassment she fought so hard to conceal.
'She is flustered by how much skin it shows... which makes complete sense after spending weeks trapped inside an iron cage.'
Hajin secured the coin pouch back onto his travel belt, giving her an honest, approving nod under the bright morning sun.
"It suits you well," he said with a calm, genuine half-smile. "You look great in it, Juna."
Her ears snapped straight upward in shock, while a vivid crimson blush spread instantly across her cheeks and down her neck.
She stared intensely at a cracked cobblestone near the tips of her shoes, desperately avoiding eye contact while her claws worried at her cuffs.
"I did not ask for your opinion!" she snapped, crossing her arms defensively as her tail tucked tight against her thigh. "Keep your unwanted commentary to yourself, human!"
[ CringeSlayer91: he said it. he actually dropped the direct compliment in broad daylight ]
[ LurkerNoMore: yes hajin, compliment her again, your charisma stats are finally rising ]
'Prickly as ever... but her flushed cheeks confirm she appreciated the words nonetheless.'
He turned toward the crowded stone avenue with an amused grin, while she trailed half a pace behind him with her arms tightly folded.
Lupine demi-humans possessed exceptional physical reflexes and heightened senses, granting them unmatched practical advantages during close-quarters wilderness combat.
Hajin observed her fluid posture in the reflective glass of an apothecary window, noting her natural predatory balance and rapid footwork.
'If her combat instincts hold up in the wild... teaming up outside the walls will accelerate our bounty collection significantly.'
The morning sun hung low above the slate rooftops of the commercial district, leaving plenty of daylight hours for hunting outside the city perimeter.
He deliberately slowed his steady stride along the cobblestones, waiting until her brisk steps brought her level with his right shoulder.
"Want to hunt outside the city gates today?" he asked, glancing over at her with an inviting tilt of his head. "We can clear some bounties and make it back before the portcullis drops at dusk."
She kept her eyes fixed upon the ground, maintaining a stubborn silence while considering his sudden hunting proposal.
They passed three merchant stalls displaying fragrant spices and polished ironware before a single syllable escaped her pressed lips.
Hajin prepared to drop the topic without pressure, unwilling to force his newly summoned companion into dangerous combat assignments against her will.
"Fine... I will go," she muttered under her breath, her quiet response barely carrying over the ambient noise of the surrounding stalls.
Hajin stopped abruptly on the cobblestone walkway, pivoting around to face her with genuine surprise brightening his features.
"Really?" he asked, his eyebrows lifting in pleasant astonishment. "You are actually willing to come with me?"
She jumped backward at the sudden enthusiasm in his voice, her ears pinning flat against her dark hair as she raised two defensive palms.
'What is wrong with this unpredictable human... one second calm, the next second grinning like an eager child?'
"Step back a bit!" she hissed, swatting at the empty air between them. "Give me some breathing room, you annoying human!"
"Right... my bad," he chuckled sheepishly, taking two deliberate paces backward with raised palms. "Got a little carried away by your answer."
He cleared his throat to regain his professional composure, hooking his thumbs into his travel belt with renewed purposeful focus.
"We need to clear contracts quickly," he explained, nodding toward the distant city ramparts. "Fifty silver will not pay itself, and the plains have plenty of roving beasts."
"Local farmers post notices for razor boars and horned rabbits at the gate boards," he added, adjusting the strap across his shoulder.
"Unregistered hunters can claim those bounties directly from the farm overseers without waiting for a full guild examination."
She offered no verbal retort, but adjusted her walking pace to match his long strides rather than lagging behind his back.
Her eyes darted across the surrounding merchant displays with quiet curiosity, inspecting polished daggers and sturdy leather bracers.
Hajin flicked his index finger in a subtle downward arc, summoning the translucent system interface before his vision while they navigated the pedestrian traffic.
'Time to figure out what this system actually does... nobody handed me an instruction manual when I was summoned.'
[ Stream Status: Active ]
[ Viewers: 24 ]
[ Soul Energy: 18 ]
[ Fragment Recovery: 0.001% ]
Twenty-four concurrent viewers represented a humble digital audience, yet the continuous stream generated a steady trickle of radiant Soul Energy.
Small golden indicators pulsed gently beside the primary metrics, signaling an encouraging upward trajectory across his public broadcasting profile.
'Viewers are climbing at a steady pace... which means the energy reserves are replenishing without interruption.'
He tapped the glowing Soul Energy metric with his index finger, expanding the informational submenu directly before his eyes.
[ Soul Energy increases with active viewers, positive engagement, and gifts. ]
[ Current trend: Rising ]
[ Effects: Feeds directly into the Goddess Fragment Recovery. ]
[ NewViewer_02: just got here, what is that bottom percentage counting toward ]
[ ShadowMage44: bro is doing spreadsheets and accounting in a fantasy world ]
[ LurkerNoMore: he needs to grind monster cores to pay off that fifty silver guild fine ]
'The core mechanics are straightforward... higher viewership accelerates the divine restoration of the slumbering Goddess.'
'Furthermore, audience gifts convert directly into universal credits, allowing me to purchase essential survival gear from the system shop.'
The current energy trickle remained modest, but consistent progress provided a reliable foundation for his long-term survival in this unfamiliar realm.
Higher viewership meant faster divine recovery for his patron deity, preventing him from scraping by on meager guild scraps forever.
'Keep moving forward and keep streaming... this divine channel represents our greatest path toward true strength.'
He dismissed the floating window with a quick swipe of his wrist, returning his full focus to the crowded stone thoroughfare.
A harsh voice echoed loudly across the open roadway from behind them, cutting through the chatter of the merchant stalls with violent urgency.
"Clear the road! Move aside, commoners!"
A mounted vanguard of royal cavalry charged down the central lane, their iron-shod hooves striking bright sparks against the cobblestones.
The lead knight rode straight toward Hajin's blind side, paying zero heed to the pedestrian commoners standing along the road.
Before he could react, Juna's slender hand clamped firmly onto his coat sleeve with remarkable swiftness.
She yanked him forcefully toward the walkway curb, clearing the open roadway just as the galloping destrier surged past his shoulder.
Hajin regained his balance instantly against a pillar, watching the disciplined formation of armored horsemen thunder past them in a cloud of dust.
An ornate noble carriage rolled smoothly behind the cavalry vanguard, flanked by two elite royal guards on massive black chargers.
The lead knight reined his armored warhorse around, glaring down at Hajin with arrogant disdain from his elevated stirrups.
"Watch where you stand, trash!" the knight barked, resting an armored hand upon his pommel. "Next time a royal blade takes your foolish head off!"
Hajin kept his head lowered with practiced composure, drawing upon years of harsh survival experience in the dangerous southern slums of Ouro.
A foolish street brawl with an arrogant mounted soldier yielded zero practical benefit, serving only to invite swift and lethal retribution from the crown.
'Got completely distracted by the floating interface... I owe Juna for that swift save.'
"Apologies, Sir Knight," he replied smoothly, keeping his gaze respectfully lowered to the cobblestones. "Honest mistake... it will not happen again."
The mounted guard held his harsh glare for another tense heartbeat, then spurred his mount forward toward the retreating carriage without another word.
The loud clopping of iron horseshoes echoed down the stone thoroughfare, accompanied by the steady creaking of oiled carriage springs.
Hajin exhaled a slow, controlled breath as the thunderous hooves receded into the distance, turning his gaze toward the passing noble carriage.
The thick velvet window curtain parted slightly, revealing a pair of sharp, luminous eyes observing him intently from within the carriage cabin.
The noble passenger possessed flowing silver hair that framed an elegant, youthful face set with intense aristocratic poise and chilling serenity.
The polished bronze crest of the royal house was embossed upon the lacquered door panel, gleaming brightly beneath the morning sunlight.
She did not avert her piercing gaze, studying the calm black-haired youth who stood completely unruffled beside the road curb.
Hajin met her intense eyes without flinching, sensing an extraordinary aura of authority and grim burdens surrounding her presence.
He felt no petty hatred toward her elevated noble status, recognizing only the formidable depth of a powerful kingdom ruler.
The silent exchange lasted merely two seconds through the polished carriage glass, carrying an unspoken weight between two calculating strangers.
[ CringeSlayer91: ooooh, new top tier waifu unlocked on stream ]
[ DarkBlade: episode twelve and we already encountered an important royal beauty ]
[ ShadowMage44: that silver hair and cold stare screams royal bloodline from ten miles away ]
'Who is that young noblewoman behind the glass... and why did she scrutinize me with such piercing interest?'
The velvet curtain fell back into position, concealing the silver-haired royal as the carriage rolled smoothly around the distant street bend.
Juna tugged firmly at his sleeve, her pointed ears twitching with obvious suspicion and faint irritation.
"Let's get off this road before another squad of mounted bullies tries to run us down," she grumbled, her brows knitting together in a frown.
"Agreed," he chuckled, giving her shoulder a light nudge. "The city gate is just around this corner."
They navigated through three quiet residential streets in silence, as the bustling commercial market gradually faded into the background behind them.
Juna marched close beside his shoulder, her eyes darting repeatedly toward his calm and unbothered face with growing impatience.
"Who was that girl in the carriage?" she asked suddenly, crossing her arms as she gave him a sharp sideways glare. "You stared right at her window like a frozen statue."
"Never saw her before in my life," he replied with a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "And I was not staring... just sizing up an obvious potential threat."
"That is literally what staring means in wolf terminology," she retorted, puffing her cheeks with a sour pout. "You looked at her with intense fascination, human."
"Bounties come first today," he pointed out, stifling an amused smirk as her bushy tail swished from side to side in agitation. "You can conduct your detailed interrogation while we march along the western road."
"I am not interrogating anyone," she huffed, turning her chin upward with proud, feigned indifference. "I simply ask the same question twice until I receive the actual truth."
Hajin smiled quietly at her sharp retort, following her brisk pace toward the grand western city gate archway looming ahead.
The archway rose sixty feet above the thoroughfare, guarded by a disciplined squad of halberd-bearing sentries in royal tabards.
Hajin displayed their temporary travel slip to the gate sergeant, receiving a dismissive wave through the timber turnstile without delay.
Beyond the fortified portcullis, the sprawling western agricultural plains unfurled beneath the vast morning sky, smelling of wet loam and wild wheat.
Hajin glanced down at the notched hunting knife sheathed at his belt, noting the jagged teeth worn into the cheap, dull metal.
The battered blade barely survived the forest trial, and clashing against thick monster hide would surely snap the worn spine in two.
'I have thirty universal credits in the system wallet... time to check what basic gear the shop offers before we engage any wild monsters.'
Juna crouched beside a weathered granite milestone near the edge of the ditch, her ears pivoting toward the distant wind sweeping across the farmland.
"The wind carries the scent of crushed cedar fencing and fresh dung from the south pastures," she reported, her nose twitching as her eyes sharpened.
"Then that is where our hunt begins," he said, tightening the strap of his travel pack with a sharp, determined grin.