First things first, he needed money from this world.
After that, he wanted to properly understand what kind of place this was. At the same time, he needed to find a chance to learn the written language here.
There was something strange about it. He could communicate with people in this world just fine, but when he visited a bookstore earlier, he realized he could not read a single word of the writing.
Still, that was a small problem.
As long as he had money, learning the language would not be difficult.
After all, he had always been confident when it came to studying, especially memorization.
After a moment of thought, Satoru Gojo headed toward the tavern he had noticed earlier on the street.
He had not gone far when his pace slowed slightly.
The sunglasses on his nose slipped down a bit, revealing clear blue eyes. A teasing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
He did not turn around. With the Six Eyes active, everything around him was already within his awareness.
Not far behind him—
A small figure blended into the crowd, silently closing the distance.
She was a blonde girl wearing a scarf and a short jacket.
She looked young, with a slender build, yet it was obvious she was an exceptionally pretty girl.
At the moment, her pure crimson eyes were fixed on Gojo's pocket, alertness and eagerness flickering deep within them.
Thanks to the royal selection, there've been so many rich idiots coming to the capital lately.
Felt moved through the crowd, using taller passersby as cover as she steadily approached Gojo.
She had noticed this troublemaking guy earlier while he was causing chaos all over the place.
Clean clothes, lazy demeanor, and an air completely different from the slum-dwelling poor.
Especially after everything he had done, he looked exactly like a clueless young noble.
From Felt's experience, someone like that, walking around without guards, was the perfect target.
Even though she already had a big deal lined up—
That did not stop her from grabbing some extra on the side.
Following the flow of people, Felt drew closer and closer.
Soon, she was right beside Gojo.
Like a nimble cat, she sprang into action.
Her small, slender hands looked pale and youthful in the sunlight.
Her fingertips reached precisely toward Gojo's open pocket.
Just as she was sure she had it....
The moment her fingers brushed the edge of the pocket, they were stopped by an invisible barrier.
She could not get in, no matter what.
Felt had survived in the slums for years, living by theft, and had picked more pockets than she could count.
This was the first time she had ever encountered something like this.
It was right there.
So close.
Yet no matter how hard she tried, she could not touch it at all.
After a brief moment of shock—Alarm exploded in her mind.
Having survived in the slums for so long, she was extremely wary of the unknown.
In a world where magic existed, anything that defied common sense could easily be magic.
And anyone who could use magic was far beyond what she could handle.
The best option now was to pull back immediately and get away before he noticed.
With her speed, even if he realized it now, she was confident she could escape.
However, just as she turned—
A teasing voice sounded beside her ear.
"Kids shouldn't steal, you know~"
Felt felt her wrist being caught by a large hand.
The warmth of his palm was unmistakable.
Gojo turned around and looked down at the girl, his voice lazy and amused.
Then, with a smooth motion, he pinched the back of her collar and lifted her up like a kitten, carrying her toward the side of the street.
"Let go of me! I don't know what you're talking about!"
Felt flailed like an angry cat, her legs kicking wildly.
Her palm-sized face was filled with wariness, sharp and aggressive.
At the same time, one of her hands moved toward her lower back, where a short dagger was hidden for self-defense.
She had no intention of hurting him. She only wanted to scare him enough to break free.
After all, theft and robbery were completely different things.
"Looking for this?"
Gojo smiled as he watched her movement, then casually waved a short dagger in front of her eyes.
The moment she saw it, Felt froze.
Then she stopped struggling altogether, relaxing as if she had accepted her fate.
"What, not fighting back anymore?"
Felt clicked her tongue.
For him to take her dagger without her noticing meant his strength was far beyond hers.
In that situation, struggling would only cause more unnecessary trouble.
"I give up."
"But I didn't actually steal anything from you. How about you put me down and we talk about some kind of compensation…"
She put on a defeated, conciliatory act.
Of course, it was all just a front.
Her real goal was to make Gojo let his guard down, then escape.
Having grown up in the chaos of the slums, Felt knew her advantages well.
It was not just her speed and agility.
It was her age.
Most people were not very cautious around a child her age, even if they caught her stealing.
That hesitation created an opening.
All she needed was the slightest lapse.
"That's pretty decisive."
"And your technique's not bad either. Too bad your judgment sucks. You picked the wrong target."
Gojo set Felt back on the ground, speaking lightly.
At the same time, he casually played with several strange-looking coins in his hand.
Ten coins in total.
Three looked like they were made of silver, while the other seven were probably copper.
Intricate patterns were carved into them, with palaces and human figures engraved at their centers.
The moment Felt touched the ground, she was about to bolt—
But her eyes were drawn to the coins in Gojo's hand.
Instinctively, she checked her pocket.
Her eyes went wide as she stared at him.
"You stole my money?!"
"No, no, no."
Gojo raised a finger and gently waved it.
"This is just a small punishment for trying to steal."
His voice remained lazy and unconcerned.