Night gradually deepened.
The train—whose destination had remained a mystery—finally arrived at its intended stop.
Orsaga swayed slightly as he stepped off the platform.
Just as he was about to leave the station, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura approaching from nearby.
He stopped in his tracks and turned to glance at another passage behind him.
Amidst the bustling crowd, three figures stood out prominently—their attire and bearing exuded an air quite unlike that of ordinary people.
They were three women. Two of them appeared to be in their twenties—youthful and beautiful. The third was an elderly woman with silver hair. Despite her age, she radiated vitality and carried an air of unspoken nobility.
And it didn't take long for those three to spot him as well.
Though the station was crowded, Orsaga remained unmistakably conspicuous.
The two young women's eyes lit up with delight, and they greeted him with bright smiles.
"Orsaga! What a surprise seeing you here!"
"Just wandering around," Orsaga replied with a smile. "It's been a while. Didn't expect to run into you here."
He truly hadn't expected to bump into acquaintances just by randomly hopping on a train.
After chatting for a short while, Iris gestured respectfully to the elderly woman beside her and introduced her, "This is my and Kayla's mentor—a renowned linguist, paleographer, and astrologer. Her name is Evelina Lockwood. You can just call her Madam Evelina."
Seeing how familiar they all seemed with each other, the old woman smiled and exchanged a few polite words with Orsaga. Then she pointed toward the crowd and then at a nearby taxi.
"Let's get out of here and find somewhere to sit down. I know a great café."
Perhaps because of their striking appearances and unusual aura, quite a few passersby had begun secretly observing them.
While Orsaga had long since learned to ignore such attention, Iris and Kayla weren't as immune. Their expressions showed a trace of discomfort.
It felt a bit like being stared at like some rare zoo exhibit.
So, Orsaga didn't refuse the offer. He simply nodded and said, "Sure."
---
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a café with an old-timey charm in its decor—a place that evoked a sense of time's quiet passage.
The moment they walked in, a pretty waitress who clearly recognized Evelina greeted her with a familiar smile and led the group to an outdoor garden seating area.
"It's been a while, Madam Evelina. You'll be having your usual Coffee with fresh milk, yes?"
Evelina responded courteously, "Yes. And bring me a slice of the special cake as well."
She then turned enthusiastically to the others and said, "It's not just the coffee—this place has amazing desserts too. You must try some!"
She looked like a passionate fan of the place.
Orsaga, who had always had a soft spot for good food, didn't stand on ceremony. He glanced at the menu and made his choices.
"Is that so? Then I'll have a Carolla Coffee and two cream rolls."
Iris and Kayla also picked out what they liked.
When the coffee was served, Evelina took a gentle sip of the steaming brew and spoke warmly to Orsaga.
"Young man, I've heard Iris mention you a few times before. I've always been curious about what kind of person you are. I never expected to meet you like this by chance."
Hearing those words, Orsaga—who was, in truth, far older than all three of them combined—felt a bit awkward at being called "young man."
Still, in the spirit of staying low-key, he chose not to correct her. He simply smiled and said,
"Let's just call it fate. With dozens of countries across the continent, running into each other like this is no small coincidence."
All three women nodded in agreement.
It really was just a bit more likely than winning the lottery.
Most people wouldn't get that lucky even once in a lifetime.
"But I must thank you," Evelina continued. "If you hadn't stepped in that day, I may never have had the chance to meet such a good student as Iris. She may be a little impulsive, but she's also kind-hearted and passionate. Truly a joy to teach."
At those words, Iris's cheeks turned faintly red as she recalled the events of that day—feeling more than a little embarrassed.
She, who once prided herself on being a close-combat expert, had nearly fallen to her death from a two-story height. A total black mark in her personal history.
To this day, Kayla still brought it up just to tease her.
She always felt it was so humiliating, yet had no rebuttal.
Even though both of them now understood that the incident probably wasn't as simple as a random accident...
It didn't change the fact that it had been seriously embarrassing.
So, Iris could only awkwardly sip her coffee.
"It was nothing," Orsaga replied calmly. "Just a simple gesture. It would've been a pity to see such a beauty perish like that."
He said it plainly—without the slightest attempt to hide his thoughts.
Straightforwardly driven by beauty.
Had it been a tank about to fall on him, Orsaga would most likely have responded with a spinning kick—and sent it flying before it hit the ground.
He couldn't care less about saving some ugly woman.
But his honesty was misunderstood by the three women.
They interpreted it as a sign of his kind nature and unwillingness to see life lost needlessly.
Especially Iris—her heart skipped a beat when she heard him refer to her as a "beauty." Her face instantly flushed with bashful delight.
Beside her, Kayla looked completely disgusted and muttered inwardly,
'Tch… tomboy gets called pretty once and turns into a blushing mess...'
After mentally rolling her eyes, Kayla turned to Orsaga and asked,
"So, what brings you to Cinderreach City?"
"Nothing in particular. Just wandering," Orsaga replied truthfully. "To be honest, I didn't even check the train schedule. I picked a train at random, and it wasn't until I got off and looked at the station sign that I realized where I was."
His answer left all three of them slightly stunned.
They were momentarily speechless.
That's a bit too casual... like blindfolded wandering...
Kayla looked at him blankly.
"Uh… okay, then. Do you at least have any plans while you're here?"
Shaking his head, Orsaga replied honestly,
"Not really. I suppose I'll try some local specialties, check out a few scenic spots, then move on."
He looked every bit the carefree tourist.
Which, in truth, he was.
Iris sighed and gave him an exasperated look.
"You really live an easy-going life, huh?"
"I remember when we first met, you were doing the exact same thing—wandering around with no purpose at all."
She didn't exactly dislike his laid-back lifestyle, but neither did she admire it. She personally preferred exploring mysterious places and feeding her endless curiosity.
In her view, life should be vibrant and colorful.
Only then could one say they'd truly lived.
____
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