Morning felt far too short for Budi. The boy was still curled up comfortably on the straw bed, refusing to welcome the sun. Tia's call to wake up was ignored—he simply pulled the blanket tighter.
"Just a minute, Tia… I'm really exhausted."
"It's already noon! Wake up!" Tia yanked the blanket away.
"NYAA!!" Tia shrieked and turned around instantly, flinging the blanket away as though it were cursed.
Budi finally sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes. That scream definitely woke him up—no chance of falling back asleep after that. "What was that for?"
"I don't know if this is some kind of weird tradition or what, but that is indecent!" Tia's face was beet-red, both hands glued tightly over her eyes. Budi tried to think through the fog in his brain—until he realized something trapped between his arms. Something soft. Very soft.
He turned slowly… and witnessed a sight he had no preparation for.
"AGH!!"Just as hysterical as Tia, Budi sprang away, freeing Iris' chest from his accidental grip. He even fell backward onto the dirt, covering his eyes with both hands.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! ARE YOU TRYING TO FRAME ME?!" He shouted blindly, refusing to look at the dangerously alluring view in front of him. The white-haired woman blinked, confused—not even bothering to cover herself. She glanced down at her own body, then let out a casual little "Oh." Without an ounce of shame, she calmly slipped on the clothes Tia gave her last night.
"It was cold last night, so I borrowed your blanket," Iris said, as if that explained everything.
"Oh, what a wonderful excuse. And you think I'll believe that?!" Budi snarled, face burning.
Iris smirked. "Don't pretend. You enjoyed it. I know how easily men get weak around cleavage. If I remember correctly…" She paused, then smiled sweetly. "It's fine. No need to deny it."
"Stop talking like I'm some kind of pervert," Budi snapped.
"I should've separated your rooms," Tia groaned.
"Whatever. What's done is done." Iris—now fully dressed in a white collared shirt and a long brown skirt—stood up as if nothing had happened. "Let's get breakfast and dig up more information."
She walked out of the stable with zero shame.
Budi let out a long breath and shot her a glare before turning to Tia. The cat-girl was trembling, shielding her rather generous assets with both arms like she were protecting national treasure.
"No! I told you, I'm NOT a pervert!"
Budi looked around the restaurant interior—surprisingly not too different from a normal diner, just… everything was made of wood. Floors, walls, plates, even the glasses. The cashier counter was neatly arranged with a bucket of beautiful red roses on top. The place gave off that medieval fantasy vibe he'd always loved. The lighting came from scented candles, filling the room with a warm, relaxing atmosphere.
"Roasted bread… and chicken soup," Budi sniffed the air coming from the kitchen behind the cashier desk.
"You two wait here. I'll get the breakfast," Tia said and hurried off.
Budi and Iris sat facing each other, awkward silence stretching between them. They both pretended to admire the room instead of acknowledging each other. Customers came and went, casually enjoying breakfast and chatting with laughter that shook the tables.
"Breakfast is here!" Tia placed wooden plates in front of them. The aroma instantly embraced Budi.
"For Budi—two pieces of bread. Thanks for yesterday." Tia sat beside him.
Budi was touched. Tears threatened to form, but for the sake of his manly pride, he kept them from falling.
"Tia, you're an angel," he said sincerely.
"Eh? I'm a *Feline," Tia tilted her head.
*Feline Race: Descendants of the Ajin (half-human beasts). Felinae look like normal humans but have cat ears and a tail. Some feline instincts remain—fear of water, hatred for mice, and the urge to play with yarn balls.
"Being stupid and being pure are basically the same thing for you," Iris muttered.
"Hey!" Tia clearly took offense—her tail stiffened in irritation.
Iris shrugged and quietly continued her chicken soup. Budi, uneasy with Iris' attitude, tried to calm Tia down.
"Say thank you to the person who gave you food and a place to stay," Budi scolded Iris.
"Thank you, Tia. I apologize for my rudeness. You can make Budi do anything you want as compensation." Iris pointed right at him—mercilessly.
"HEY! You're selling me out again!" Budi yelled.
"Don't act like the victim. Thanks to me, we got a place to stay and free breakfast. You should be grateful." Iris smiled arrogantly, ignoring Budi's rage.
To this day, dragging the giant broccoli still haunted him—heavy and scorching hot. Thank goodness for Tia's Potions that "lightened him a little." Otherwise he probably really would've crossed over to the afterlife… well, technically he already had.
The argument fizzled out, and Budi dove into his food. The rich broth awakened his appetite, paired with sweet bread dusted with powdered sugar. Crispy outside, soft inside—perfect dipped into the soup. His stomach sang and then fell silent in surrender. Even the water—though ordinary—was refreshing down his throat. His exhaustion evaporated.
"Fuah! That was amazing!" Budi patted his full stomach.
Tia giggled. "It may look rundown, but this restaurant is number one in all of Liros." She glanced at Iris.
"I was joking about that," Iris waved her hand.
Tia came back from the counter with a rolled-up map and several books. Budi's curiosity piqued—he examined the covers, though the printed titles made no sense. The letters looked alphabetic but twisted, with consonants scattered in strange patterns.
"All right," Tia said, sitting down. "What do you want to ask first, Iris?"
"First question—explain the current state of this world."