The atmosphere froze instantly as a fierce roar echoed through the building like a bolt of lightning.
The trio of bald adventurers flinched. Their eyes went wide, barely keeping their mouths from dropping.
Tension spread in the silence, whispering the birth of a conflict between a newcomer and veteran adventurers.
However, as far as the people knew.
Those three men with menacing faces didn't seem to be what they appeared to be.
The bald leader scoffed, crossing his arms.
"Heh, looks like we've got one courageous brat! Don't we?"
Yuto frowned, his face filled with disbelief upon hearing the man's tone soften.
One of the bald, lanky men on the right stepped forward, shrugging his shoulders.
"Don't be so tense, kid. We just need fair compensation."
'Compensation?'
The boy turned toward Gonzo, who scratched his cheek awkwardly.
'What the Hell happened here?'.
"Yeah, but hey, you made it back safely at least."
Another bald man, with a slightly plump build. He scratched his gleaming bald head, which for some reason reflected light even in the dim room.
After glancing at them, Yuto shifted forward, locking eyes with the leader. His eyes narrowed, then he let out a long breath, loosening the tension in his body.
"Alright then, sorry for my offensive words."
The three of them shook their heads and replied in unison.
"Nah, don't you worry about it, brat."
"Excuse me, then."
Remembering he had something important to do. Yuto nodded and strode over the counter to meet the same female receptionist.
"I want to submit my quest results."
Hearing his overly blunt tone. The woman's eyebrow twitched, but her blank smile remained on her face.
"Adventurer Yuto, right? If I recall correctly, your quest was..."
Without letting the prickly woman finish. Yuto took out a small pouch that his senior had left behind.
He opened it and reached inside. His arm submerged into its small mouth.
The other adventurers and the woman choked. They hadn't expected the boy to possess a storage item.
As the name suggests, storage items allow a person to store objects in an alternate dimension.
These items come in various capacities:
A small one, the size of a wagon.
Medium: the size of a house.
Both were commonly used by experienced adventurers or anyone for their affordable price.
Then there are premium items, usually used by wealthy merchants or even nobles.
An advanced one that had the capacity of a castle.
Then last, a special one, a storage dimension the size of a mountain.
Yuto placed several bouquets of Luminous herbs—a sweet scent spread through the air, masking the smell of alcohol.
It wasn't over yet.
Next, he took out several goblin ears: twelve regular goblins, two hobgoblins, and one goblin chief.
It was a scene that left the entire hall speechless.
"T-This!?"
The woman was flustered seeing the ears.
Throughout her career in this field, she had seen so many materials brought by various people that she could recognize them with a single glance.
"...A Goblin Chief and two Hobgoblins."
Hearing her trembling voice sparked the curiosity of the other adventurers.
A wave of murmurs spread like wildfire, and all eyes were immediately fixed on the boy's back.
Everyone, except the bald trio, who grinned and knew exactly how dangerous the boy was.
"Everyone, calm down!"
The receptionist's sharp voice slammed into the murmuring crowd like a hammer. She bit her nails with furrowed brows until she sighed and opened her pink lips.
"Are you selling all these materials?"
"Yes."
Her brows twitched again every time she heard his flat tone. The woman quickly collected the materials and went to the back.
Yuto snorted and waited for a while until she returned, carrying a silver tray filled with coins.
"Thank you for waiting. Your reward is four gold and two silver."
"Alright."
He took the reward and tucked it into his pouch. The boy turned around and left the building.
Yuto had something urgent to attend to.
'I need to find an inn'.
"Yuto, wait!"
Hearing Gonzo's voice, he stopped midway and turned to the side.
"Gonzo? Oh right, is this about my reward?"
"Yes, let's head straight to my house."
Yuto paused as he gave the old man a scrutinizing look, examining the old man's motive.
After a few seconds of tension, he nodded.
"Okay, let's go then. Time is of the essence."
They walked across the bustling city centre, passing the loud stall owners who never stopped marketing their products.
Despite dangerous rumours spreading around. The people still buzzed with energy to live out their day.
They had a firm belief in the Empire's might.
Yuto's steps often stopped, catching the sweet scent of a freshly baked loaf.
But Gonzo always came to pull him away.
Their antics attracted the attention of many people, who giggled seeing their family-like behaviour.
With a soft blush on his cheeks. Yuto glared at the old man, and they continued their journey.
"...Right. Yuto, where have you been all this time?"
The boy scratched the back of his head, unsure how to explain his experience.
"Well, it's kinda hard to say..."
"It's okay. Take your time."
Yuto glanced sideways. He didn't know why, but his mouth started to share everything in the past few days.
"...".
Gonzo fell silent, his expression changing every moment. Sometimes dark, then red, and calm.
They were immersed in a shared comfort and never stopped talking as they wandered along, unaware of their location.
Eventually, the two reached a quieter street away from the city hustle.
A place where luxurious houses stood in rows as far as the eye could see. But in front of them stood a modest white house with a spacious yard.
The old man opened the gate and walked along a path of brown marble stones.
Neatly trimmed grass bordered each side. On the right side was a simple flower garden bursting with colour.
As if sensing their arrival, the front door opened, revealing a graceful woman with wavy brown hair cascading down her back.
Her melodious voice welcomed their arrival.
"Welcome home, dear."
"I'm home, Marni."
The woman turned towards Yuto and smiled.
"Nice to meet you. You must be Yuto, am I right?"
"Yes, it's nice to meet you, ma'am."
"I've heard so much from my husband and daughter. As their family, I'm deeply grateful for saving them."
Marni bowed deeply, letting her soft hair fall.
Yuto raised his hand and gently patted the woman's shoulder.
"You don't need to thank me. I should be the one thanking your husband for giving me a ride."
She straightened up, her eyes widened, before she burst into a small laugh.
"Fufu, you are truly a good child."
"Ahaha, thanks".
Yuto could only offer her a wry smile, knowing that his first attempt was to abandon her husband and daughter at that time.
From inside the house, hurried footsteps echoed. A small girl with her brown hair tied up in a ponytail emerged and jumped straight towards her father's arm.
"Daddy!"
"Shery, my beloved daughter."
The two hugged for a moment before Shery noticed Yuto's presence.
"Eh!? Big brother, you came?"
"Hi, Shery, it's been a while."
The little girl jumped down and immediately hugged Yuto's legs, welcoming him with a warmth he hadn't felt in ages.
Gonzo and Marni smiled fondly at their daughter. Then, Gonzo invited Yuto to come inside the house.
As the door in the house closed.
The world exhaled a gentle breeze, carrying a rich scent of fertilized soil and the rustling of nearby grass, as if to welcome the guest's presence.