As Shirou stepped into the village, the change in atmosphere was immediate. The buildings, though humble, gave off a warmth the cities never could. His cloak billowed slightly in the breeze as curious eyes followed him. Most of the villagers stared at him with curiosity, their expressions neutral. Some, however, carried looks of suspicion or caution.
Math, the man who had brought him here, noticed it too. "First, you'll have to meet the village head. He's the one who decides whether you can stay or not."
"Village head?" Shirou asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. Even though this part of the Forest of Ferudden falls under Velgrath's territory, the Highlord rarely interferes with our lives. We're practically our own little world here. Each village has a head who governs local matters. Of course, for anything major, final approval still comes from the Highlord."
"Ah, makes sense." Shirou nodded, then paused. "By the way, what's your name? You never told me."
Math laughed. "You're right, I didn't. Name's Math. And you?"
"Shirou."
"Well, Shirou, the village head's name is Gaden."
As they continued walking through the village, Shirou asked, "And what if he doesn't let me stay?"
Math shrugged. "Honestly? I wouldn't worry. We don't turn away people seeking food or shelter. Not like the Kingdom."
Shirou looked around, taking in the simplicity of the place. "But what about bandits? Aren't there a lot hiding in this forest?"
"Actually, no. They don't gain much from robbing us. We don't carry many aether coins."
He noticed the confused look on Shirou's face and added, "Oh, we don't really use those coins here. We mostly trade goods, though aether coins are still used occasionally, just not as much."
He shrugged. "The only things worth stealing are herbs and other materials. But even then, they don't know how to process them or which ones are valuable. If they did, they wouldn't need to rob us. They could just harvest them directly from the forest."
Shirou chuckled. "Fair point. So the thugs use the forest for hiding, but most of their crimes happen inside the kingdom?"
"Exactly."
Soon they reached a larger building that stood slightly apart from the rest, at what looked like the village's centre. While the materials were the same, wood, mud, and forest stone, the structure was clearly more important.
Math turned to the few people still following them. "Unload the supplies at the back. I'll speak with the village head."
The others nodded and went around the building. Math gestured for Shirou to follow him inside.
As they stepped into the house, Shirou noticed the pleasant scent in the air. Calming, earthy, and unfamiliar.
They walked through a hallway into a wide room with a large chair at one end, flanked by several simpler seats arranged in front of it. Math motioned for Shirou to wait, then moved to a small bell-like object and gently struck it.
The soft chime echoed briefly, and then they waited.
Soon, footsteps approached. An older man stepped in through a side door. He was aged, but stood tall and confident, his back straight and his presence calm. His face carried the kind of kindness that came from wisdom, not naivety.
"Another traveller?" he asked, his voice deep but gentle.
"Yes," Math said. "He was lost. I figured he could stay the night."
The old man's gaze shifted to Shirou. "My name is Gaden. I'm the village head. What's yours, boy?"
"Shirou," he answered respectfully.
Gaden nodded and looked back at Math. "If it's fine with you, he can stay at your place. Otherwise, we'll find someone else."
"It's fine," Math replied.
"Then that's settled. You may go."
Math gave a small bow and motioned for Shirou to follow. They exited the house and began walking through the village once again.
"So, is he always that direct?" Shirou asked as they moved.
"Gaden? Pretty much," Math replied. "But he's a good man. He may seem stern, but he cares about everyone here."
After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived at a modest house near the village's edge. It was slightly smaller than the others, with a simple wooden door and small windows.
"Hey, I'm back," Math called as he opened the door.
Shirou stepped in behind him. The interior was clean and simple, with a central hall, two side rooms, and a small kitchen. On the floor sat two young boys, both under the age of twelve. From one of the rooms emerged a woman with kind eyes and a warm smile.
"That's my wife, Thena," Math said. "And those two troublemakers are Ebin and Ellan."
Thena looked at Shirou. "You must be the traveller."
Shirou nodded politely. "Yes, ma'am. My name is Shirou."
"Well then, welcome. The bathroom is out back. Go freshen up. We'll eat soon."
"Thank you," Shirou said, bowing slightly.
"No need to thank us," she smiled.
Shirou walked to the back and found the small, clean bathroom. He removed his cloak, examining the tears and frayed edges. "Definitely need a new one soon," he muttered.
After washing up, he pulled out fresh clothes from his inventory. To keep up appearances, he had brought a simple cloth bag out earlier and pretended to dig into it, as if the clothes were packed inside.
He returned to the main room and placed the bag beside a wall. Thena, seeing him, walked into the kitchen and returned shortly with warm plates of food.
They sat on the floor, and soon all of them were eating together. The food was simple but delicious, full of forest-grown herbs and cooked with care.
Night had fallen by the time they finished. Shirou was given one of the two rooms, despite his protests. It was small, with a wooden bed and a handmade blanket, but it was more than enough.
The kids tried chatting with him, but Shirou, still lost in his thoughts, gently declined the conversation. They didn't push.
After a brief chat with Math and Thena, Shirou retreated to the room. The bed creaked under him as he lay down.
Staring at the ceiling, he thought to himself, "It might not be much, but... this place… it feels real."
And with that final thought, his eyes closed, and he drifted into sleep, already planning his next steps.