Reinhard pondered for a moment after seriously considering Satoru Gojo's words.
Under the astonished gazes of the knights behind him, he took out two silver coins from his person and held them out to Satoru.
"This money should be enough for you to stay at an inn for two days and cover your meals."
"You really are a generous, good person," Satoru Gojo said, giving Reinhard a thumbs-up in praise.
Then, he accepted the money without the slightest hint of hesitation.
As his fingertips brushed the silver coins, he felt their cold weight. With a flick of his finger, a coin spun into the air before he snatched it back into his palm.
"Thanks~"
Satoru's tone was light as he waved a hand at Reinhard.
"I'll probably be around here for the next couple of days. If you run into any trouble, just come find me."
With that, Satoru turned, ready to leave.
As for whether Reinhard could actually find him, he wasn't worried at all. As members of the local patrol, they were undoubtedly intimately familiar with the area; with the man's network, finding Satoru would be a simple task.
Moreover, the guy in front of him was a rare powerhouse.
That's right. Even Satoru had to admit it. This young man, who looked about the same age as him, was extremely strong.
Although they hadn't fought or interacted further, the perception of "kindred spirits" between strong individuals was very distinct. Satoru Gojo, who stood nearly at the apex of the Jujutsu world, hadn't encountered such an existence in a very long time.
Back home, even some of the so-called "experienced seniors" were nothing special in his eyes. He hadn't expected that shortly after arriving in this world, he'd run into such a powerhouse on the street.
For someone who was virtually invincible in the Jujutsu world, this was excellent news. Compared to being powerful in isolation, the existence of other strong individuals made things far more interesting.
After taking just two steps, Satoru seemed to remember something and looked back, adding a final remark to Reinhard.
"Oh, right. If you encounter any particularly troublesome 'monsters'—you know, the kind that won't die and keep regenerating—just come to me. I'm an expert at handling that sort of thing."
These words made Reinhard pause slightly.
Regenerating monsters? Is it because of the Royal Selection period?
He wanted to ask more, but Satoru had already waved goodbye, his figure vanishing briskly into the crowd, showing none of the distress of someone who was "homeless" just moments ago.
Reinhard watched his back, a trace of contemplation flashing in his blue eyes. He could feel a powerful strength hidden within Satoru Gojo, yet that strength seemed peculiar, carrying an indescribable "flavor."
Behind him, the knights were still discussing the interlude, their eyes filled with curiosity and confusion as they looked in the direction Satoru had disappeared.
"Sir Knight, that guy..." a nearby guard said, perplexed.
"Don't worry about it." Reinhard shook his head and withdrew his gaze. "He harbors no ill will; he's just an interesting traveler."
Satoru Gojo walked down the street in a good mood, clutching his borrowed funds. Though it wasn't much, he clearly had a place to stay tonight.
Based on his impressions from earlier that day, Satoru quickly located an inn. He walked inside and slapped a silver coin onto the counter, his tone lazy.
"Give me your best room. With the change, help me get some berry cakes from the shop on the corner—make sure they're the freshest ones."
The innkeeper's eyes lit up at the sight of the silver. He nodded quickly in agreement: "Right away! Please wait a moment, guest!"
As the Royal Capital of Lugnica, the cost of lodging was naturally not low. Although there were cheaper rooms, Satoru had no intention of making himself suffer. To him, this world was like a vacation; since he was out to have fun, there was no need to be overly frugal.
Led by the owner, Satoru reached his room. While it couldn't compare to modern society, it had a certain exotic charm. Satoru took a bath in the inn's bathhouse and then lay down on the bed, feeling refreshed.
"According to that 'prompt,' the so-called protagonist should be arriving tomorrow, right?"
"I'm actually looking forward to it. I wonder what kind of guy gets to be the 'protagonist'."
Satoru took off his sunglasses, his clear eyes shimmering under the lamplight.
. . . . . .
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, Satoru Gojo woke up ahead of schedule. Back at Jujutsu High, his days were occasionally busy, but generally quite leisurely. Besides, today was the day the "protagonist" descended; he needed to be well-rested.
After a quick wash, Satoru went downstairs to the inn's lobby. The innkeeper had already followed his instructions, bringing back berry cakes from the corner bakery along with a glass of warm milk.
Eating several berry cakes for breakfast in the early morning, Satoru hummed a little tune as he began his pleasant day.
Shortly after finishing breakfast, just as Satoru was wiping his mouth, those familiar pale blue words abruptly manifested in his vision with their signature electronic texture.
[System Notification: The protagonist of this world, Subaru Natsuki, is about to descend. The descent location has been marked. Countdown: 10 minutes. Would the supporting character please prepare for the arrival.]
Unlike before, it wasn't just text this time.
In the upper right of his vision, something like a mini-map from a video game appeared. He could see a triangular arrow representing his own position, and not far away, there was a red dot.
If there were no surprises, that was the descent point of the "protagonist."
"Oh my, is it finally happening?"
Satoru Gojo raised an eyebrow, a defiant smile curling his lips.
"They even marked the location so clearly. Saves me the trouble of searching for him."
He stood up and began walking toward the coordinates on the map. It was mid-morning, and the streets were already bustling, much like when he had first arrived yesterday.
Based on the mini-map and his memories of wandering around the day before, the location was likely a small square with a fountain.
Walking toward the square, Satoru passed by the fruit stall from yesterday. The scarred middle-aged man was busy setting out fresh apples. Satoru walked up, greeted him with casual familiarity, picked up an apple, wiped it off, and began to eat.
Hearing the movement, the middle-aged man prepared to greet a customer, only to look up and see Satoru Gojo. The events of yesterday had left a deep impression of the boy in his mind.