Kazuki stepped out of the guildhall, arms raised in a casual stretch. The sun was dipping behind the skyline, casting long golden streaks across the street. He gazed up at the clouds, muttering under his breath.
"Ten thousand credits... barely covers two days of food."
His stomach growled like a monster that just missed a meal. He slid his hands into his pockets, walking lazily down the stone path of the city, eyes scanning for something else—a place to crash.
Then, like fate teasing him, he saw it:
A crooked wooden sign dangling from rusted chains that read:
"Room for Rent – 1,000 Credits/Month"
Kazuki raised a brow. "Cheap. Hope it's not haunted."
He pushed the creaky door open without knocking. Inside, he heard voices. Heated, sharp.
"I told you, mother, I'm not marrying for money!"
"And I told you, elegance won't pay rent in this town!"
The argument stopped as Kazuki stood awkwardly in the doorway, one hand raised halfway like he forgot how to knock.
"Yo."
The younger woman spun around, her expression regal yet tense—long raven-black hair, sharp eyes like cold steel, and a voice smooth as silk but coiled with annoyance.
"...Who are you?" she asked, eyebrows knitting.
Kazuki blinked, then shrugged.
"Guy looking for a cheap place to sleep. Hope I'm not interrupting some royal family drama or anything."
The mother scowled. The woman crossed her arms. Silence brewed between them.
Kazuki smirked.
"Nice place. I'll take the room."
As Kazuki turned to leave, the woman suddenly lunged toward him, grabbing at his arm—which remained buried lazily in his pocket.
"W–wait!" she said, tugging at him with surprising force. "You can't just—"
Kazuki halted, his eyes sliding toward her with a flicker of amusement. He tilted his head, unbothered.
"Desperate already?" he muttered coolly.
She pulled again, her hand gripping his coat sleeve tightly. In the motion, her chest pressed against his side, causing her to flinch in flustered realization.
Kazuki looked down at her. "Doing that won't change my mind, you know," he said dryly, voice low and teasing.
Her face flushed red. "I'm not doing that on purpose!" she snapped, raising a hand to slap him.
But Kazuki was faster.
He caught her wrist mid-air, smooth and unfazed. In his other hand, he flipped a credit chip into her palm.
"2,000 credits. I'll be staying for two months," he said. "Now, are you going to show me my room, or are you going to keep making a scene?"
She stood there, stunned—silent, tense—eyes flicking between him and the chip glowing in her hand.
"…Right this way," she finally said, voice quieter now.
Kazuki followed, the corner of his mouth twitching up in a smirk.
"Here is your room," she said flatly, stepping aside to reveal a small but tidy space. It wasn't luxurious, but it was quiet, clean, and had a decent bed.
Kazuki took one look and nodded. "This'll do," he said casually.
The woman crossed her arms with a little huff. "Grrrr... Hmph!" she grumbled, spinning on her heel. "I'll come back and call you when it's lunchtime!" she shouted down the hall as she stomped downstairs.
Kazuki chuckled under his breath, clearly amused.
He stepped inside, rotated his shoulders to loosen up, and then let himself fall back onto the bed. The mattress gave a soft thump as he hit it.
"Not bad," he muttered, eyes already half-closing.
In seconds, he was out cold—resting like a man who hadn't just wiped out a gate full of monsters hours ago.
Two hours later, Kazuki's peaceful slumber was interrupted by a voice from downstairs. "Yuki, wake up our sleeping duck upstairs," her mother called from the kitchen.
Yuki groaned and rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mom..." she muttered, heading up the stairs.
She pushed open the door to Kazuki's room, only to freeze in her tracks. There he was, sprawled out on the bed, his hands resting on his abs, completely at ease. His toned body—abs defined like a sculpted work of art—was on full display. Eight packs, perfectly sculpted.
Yuki's eyes widened in surprise, then slowly started to trace the lines of his abs. A part of her wanted to reach out, but her hand hung in the air, unsure.
Before she could make up her mind, Kazuki's voice broke the silence. "What are you doing?" he asked, eyes still closed, a hint of amusement in his tone.
Yuki froze, caught off guard, then snapped her hand back, a deep blush creeping across her face. "I—I wasn't doing anything!" she stammered, quickly retreating to the doorway.
Kazuki smirked, still laying there. "Uh-huh. Sure," he said lazily, clearly enjoying her reaction.
Downstairs, Yuki's mother had just finished preparing the meal. As Kazuki sat down at the table, the atmosphere was unexpectedly calm. She glanced at him before speaking with a smile. "I hope you enjoy the meal. The portions might not be enough for someone like you, but it's what we have for today," she said, her voice warm yet laced with an undercurrent of concern.
Kazuki looked up at her, his expression softening slightly. He replied in a tone that was unexpectedly beautiful—polite, but with a hint of sincerity that caught both women off guard. "I appreciate it," he said, his voice rich with gratitude. "Thank you for the meal."
Without missing a beat, he lowered his head, his posture straight, and bowed his head in a quiet prayer. His hands were pressed together in front of him, as if he were paying his respects to the food, a gesture of deep reverence. It wasn't an act of formality but something Kazuki did instinctively, as if he truly cherished the food he was about to consume, no matter how simple it might be.
Yuki and her mother exchanged a glance across the table, both silently acknowledging the gesture. Yuki's mother smiled softly, a warmth in her eyes. "It's rare to see someone with such appreciation for even the smallest things," she thought, a quiet pride swelling in her chest.
Yuki, on the other hand, watched him for a moment longer than necessary, her expression softening as she noticed his sincerity. Kazuki's gesture had an almost serene quality that she hadn't expected. She smiled faintly, her earlier tension melting away.
Kazuki, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, looked up and gave them a casual but genuine smile. "I'll eat well," he said before taking his first bite, enjoying the food in a way that was unexpectedly graceful.
The two women shared another knowing glance, their smiles now matching. It was clear that there was something different about this stranger who had entered their lives, something that went beyond appearances and first impressions.
The warm atmosphere at the table shattered with a loud, splintering THUD as the front door cracked open and slammed against the wall. The hinges groaned. Dust scattered. Five figures walked in, their presence heavy and confident—not thuggish, but unmistakably Hunters.
All eyes shifted toward the intruders.
Leading the group was a tall, clean-cut man in designer armor—gleaming white plates trimmed in silver, with a symbol of a prestigious guild engraved at his chest. His posture screamed nobility, entitlement... and money. His gaze scanned the room for one person.
Yuki.
He didn't speak immediately, but the smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth said enough. His eyes lingered on her, not with lust, but with assumption. Like she was already his.
Kazuki, still seated at the table, leaned back slightly, eyes half-lidded but watchful. He quickly assessed them without expression—Four D-Ranks. One C-Rank.
The D-Rank Hunters spread into the room casually, each one armed, but relaxed. They greeted the mother and Yuki like they'd been here before.
"Yo, Yuki," one of them said with a grin. "Didn't expect you to have a guest."
Another smirked. "Your taste got better."
Yuki tensed. "What... are you doing here, Ryo?"
The rich C-Rank Hunter finally stepped forward, hands folded behind his back like a noble surveying commoners. "I thought I'd check if you've made up your mind."
His words were calm, charming even. But the undertone was sharp.
He wasn't here to force her. Not directly. But pressure? Expectation? That hung thick in the air like smoke.
Kazuki's eyes locked on Ryo. No movement. No hostility. Just silent reading.
He could already tell—this guy didn't fight much himself. He let his rank and money do most of the talking.
Still, Kazuki didn't act.
Not yet.