The first priority right now was to get his hands on some of this world's currency.
After that, he needed to get a proper understanding of what kind of world this was, and simultaneously find an opportunity to learn the local script.
One thing was quite strange: he could clearly communicate and exchange ideas with the people of this world, yet when he had visited the bookstore earlier, he found the writing completely unintelligible.
Still, these were minor issues.
As long as he could obtain money, things like learning a language were quite simple. After all, from childhood to now, he had always been quite confident in his academic abilities—especially when it came to things involving rote memorization.
After a moment's thought, Satoru Gojo headed toward a tavern he had spotted earlier on the road.
Before he had walked very far, his pace slowed slightly.
On the bridge of his tall nose, his sunglasses slipped down a fraction, revealing a pair of eyes as crystal clear as jewels. A playful, mocking smile curved his lips.
He didn't turn around; thanks to the Six Eyes, everything in his surroundings was already within his observation.
Not far behind him...
A petite figure was currently blending into the crowd, approaching him silently.
It was a blonde girl wearing a red scarf and a small yellow short-waisted top. Though she looked quite young and her frame was slender, it was easy to see she was an extremely beautiful girl.
However, this beauty was currently using her pure crimson eyes to stare at his pocket, her gaze flickering with both caution and a restless eagerness to try her luck.
'It's really thanks to the Royal Selection that so many wealthy guys have been coming to the Capital lately.'
Felt moved through the crowd, using the tall statures of the surrounding pedestrians to shield herself as she closed in on Satoru Gojo step by step.
While Satoru Gojo had been exploring all over the place earlier, Felt had already noticed this guy who was causing a localized ruckus.
His clothes were clean, his aura was lazy—in every aspect, he was completely different from the commoners living at the bottom of society. Especially given the scenes he had caused earlier, he looked like a young noble who knew nothing of the world.
From Felt's experience, this kind of person—wandering around without a single guard—was the perfect target for theft!
Although she had a major deal to handle right now, that didn't stop her from picking a pocket or two while she made her preparations.
Following the flow of people, Felt drew closer and closer.
Soon, she was right beside Satoru Gojo. Like a nimble cat, she lunged forward.
Her slender, small hand appeared pale and delicate under the sunlight. Her rosy fingertips reached out with precision toward Satoru Gojo's open pocket.
However, just when she thought success was certain, her fingers touched the very edge of the pocket only to be blocked by an invisible barrier.
No matter how she tried, she couldn't reach inside.
Having spent years in the slums, using theft as a means of survival and having picked countless pockets, this was the first time Felt had encountered such a situation. It was right there—right in front of her. Yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't touch it even a little bit.
After a brief moment of stunned realization...
The alarms in Felt's mind went off. Surviving in the slums year after year had made her more than cautious about the unknown.
In this world where magic existed, anything that defied common sense was likely caused by magic. And someone capable of mastering magic was definitely not someone she could handle.
The best move now was to pull back before the other party noticed and make a run for it. With her speed, even if he noticed now, she was certain she could escape.
Yet at the very moment she turned to flee, a teasing voice rang in her ear.
"Little kids shouldn't steal things, you know~"
Felt felt her wrist seized by a large hand. The warmth of the palm was clearly transmitted to her.
Satoru Gojo turned around, looking down at the girl before him. His tone was lazy, laced with a bit of mockery. Then, following the momentum, he gently pinched the back of the girl's collar and hoisted her up like a kitten, carrying her toward the side of the street.
"Let go of me! I have no idea what you're talking about!"
Felt was like a cat with its fur standing on end, her legs kicking wildly in the air. Her palm-sized face was filled with wariness, giving off an aura of frantic aggression.
At the same time, one of her hands reached toward the small of her back, where she kept a short knife for self-defense.
She didn't actually plan on hurting him; she just wanted to pull it out to intimidate him so she could make her escape. After all, theft and robbery were two completely different concepts.
"Are you looking for this?"
Satoru Gojo watched Felt's movements with a smile, then dangled a short knife in front of her, shaking it gently.
Seeing the knife, Felt gasped.
Immediately after, she stopped struggling altogether, relaxing as if resigning herself to fate.
"What, giving up on resisting?"
Felt curled her lip. To be able to take the knife off her person without her noticing at all meant the other party's strength was definitely above hers. Under these circumstances, continued struggling would only bring her more unnecessary trouble.
"I admit defeat."
"But I didn't actually steal anything of yours. Why don't you put me down first, and we can have a nice talk about compensation..."
Felt put on an act of surrender, starting to look like she was ready to compromise.
However, this was all just a surface-level deception. Her true goal was simply to make Satoru Gojo lower his guard so she could escape. Having lived in the chaotic slums for years, Felt knew exactly where her advantage lay. It wasn't just that she ran faster and was more agile than others—it was also her age.
Most people wouldn't be too vigilant or suspicious of a child her age, even if they caught them stealing. This created the space for her to flee. As long as the opponent showed even a shred of laxness, that would be her chance!
"Quite decisive, aren't you?"
"The technique is also quite practiced. Pity your eye for people is so poor; you picked the wrong target."
Satoru Gojo set Felt down, speaking jokingly. Simultaneously, he began to toy with several strangely styled coins in his hand.
There were ten coins in total: three looked to be silver, and seven were likely copper. Patterns were carved onto them, with a palace and a portrait in the center respectively.
The moment Felt hit the ground, she wanted to bolt, but her eyes were drawn to the coins in Satoru's hand.
Subconsciously, she felt her own pockets, then stared at Satoru Gojo with wide eyes.
"You stole my money?!"
"No, no, no."
Satoru Gojo raised his index finger and wagged it gently.
"This is just a tiny punishment for your attempt at theft."
Satoru Gojo's voice was lazy, carrying a hint of nonchalance.