"Mizuki, don't you think it's getting late? I'm hungry," Renji shouted, his voice echoing slightly through the quiet street.
Mizuki, however, seemed completely lost in thought. Her eyes were distant, her mind wandering as she silently calculated how powerful Renji's mana flow might become in the future.
"Mizuki!" Renji called again, louder this time.
She blinked, finally snapping out of her thoughts. "Ah—yes. Let's go back to our hotel room. You can eat properly there."
Relieved, Renji followed her as they headed toward the hotel. The evening air was cool, and the orange glow of lanterns had begun to light the streets.
When they entered the lobby, the receptionist looked up at them with curiosity. "Where have you been since last night?" she asked.
"Oh, we were in a dungeon," Mizuki replied casually.
The receptionist blinked in surprise but said nothing more.
Soon, dinner was brought to their room. The moment the plates were placed on the table, Renji attacked the food as if he hadn't eaten in days. He devoured everything eagerly, barely stopping to breathe.
After finishing, he wiped his mouth and sat cross-legged on the floor, closing his eyes and trying to focus on his mana flow again.
Mizuki quickly appeared beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Stop," she said gently. "You've already used too much mana today. If you force yourself any further, your body could collapse."
Renji opened one eye and sighed. "But I don't have anything else to do…"
Mizuki smiled faintly. Her form slowly began to dissolve into glowing particles. "Sleep for now. Your body needs rest."
Renji nodded. He stood up, extinguished the torch, and lay down on the bed. The soft sheets welcomed him, and within moments, he drifted into sleep.
Morning arrived quietly.
Golden sunlight slipped through the window, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh air into the room. Renji woke earlier than usual, feeling surprisingly refreshed.
After having breakfast at the hotel café, he walked outside with Mizuki beside him.
"Mizuki," he asked as they stepped onto the street, "what are we going to do now?"
She reached into her magical inventory with a confident smile. "First, we'll pay the bill. Then… we're going to buy you a house."
Renji froze mid-step. "Wait—what?"
Mizuki laughed softly. "We have more than enough gold, thanks to the guild master."
They returned to the front desk to settle the payment. The receptionist smiled politely. "Where are you planning to go now?"
"We're going to buy our own house," Renji answered.
The receptionist stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. "You two are the strangest guests I've ever met."
She handed them the bill. The total was ten silver coins—ten thousand yuhan.
Without hesitation, Mizuki placed a single gold coin on the counter.
The receptionist's eyes widened. Skilled adventurers… she thought.
"Did you find some rare materials yesterday?" she asked carefully.
Renji nodded with a gentle smile.
She quickly returned with the change and placed it in Mizuki's hand. "Here are your nine hundred and ninety silver coins."
After leaving the hotel, they walked through the busy streets of the town.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, "There you are!"
Rika hurried toward them, her hands on her hips. "Where were you two last night? I was waiting for you."
"We stayed at a hotel," Mizuki replied calmly.
"You could've at least told me," Rika muttered before handing a small bag to Renji. "Here. Your books."
Renji's eyes lit up as he took it. "Oh—thank you so much!"
Rika smiled, then tilted her head. "So, where are you going now?"
"We're planning to buy a house," Mizuki said. "Can you help us find one?"
Rika's face brightened. "Of course! I know the perfect place for you. Come with me."
"I'd love to see it," Renji said eagerly.
Together, they walked toward a house dealer at the edge of the street. The dealer turned out to be an old friend of Rika's. She whispered something into his ear, and he immediately nodded.
"Oh, that won't be a problem at all," he said with a friendly grin. "I can show them a house right away."
The dealer led them through the town's winding streets until they arrived at a massive brick-and-wood house. Its tall windows glinted in the sunlight, and the overgrown garden hinted at years of neglect.
"Umm… isn't it a bit too big for just the two of us?" Renji mumbled, stepping back to take in the sheer size of the property.
"More importantly, this house needs renovation," Mizuki added, her gaze sharp as she examined the cracked walls and faded paint.
The dealer, a tall man with a neatly trimmed beard, waved his hand and started explaining. "This property is really cheap compared to its size and—"
"This is perfect for you two!" Rika interrupted, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Mizuki's expression turned serious. "This house must be so cheap because it's far from the town, and no one has lived here in ages, right?"
The dealer nodded. "You've got it right, but the house comes with a huge plot of land. You can use it as farmland or whatever you like. All of it is yours."
Renji's eyes narrowed, a hint of confusion and curiosity crossing his face. "And why should we get so much property?"
"It's only 120 gold coins," the dealer replied, his tone calm but firm.
Rika glanced at Renji and Mizuki. "Okay… you definitely have more than enough, right?"
"Yeah, but—" Renji began, only to be stopped by Mizuki placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Sure. Here, take it," she said softly, handing over the coins.
"Eh? But I don't need such a huge house at all!" Renji protested, his voice cracking slightly as tears of disbelief threatened to form.
The dealer wasted no time. He pulled out a property document and pushed it toward Renji. "Sign here, please."
With no choice, Renji picked up the quill and signed.
"Congratulations," the dealer said, handing over a large brass key and the property papers. Without another word, he dashed off, whistling cheerfully as if nothing had happened.
"Huh? What just happened?" Renji muttered, staring after the departing man. "Why is he so… happy?"
Rika chuckled. "No one has bought this house in years. You just made his day."
"DID YOU JUST FOOL US?" Renji shouted, though a small grin was forming despite himself.
Rika ignored him, laughing as she turned. "Oopsie, I'm running late! Bye!" She leapt from one tree to another with surprising agility, like a mischievous monkey.
Once the commotion had died down, Mizuki and Renji stepped inside their new home.
"Aww, Mizuki… what mess is this?" Renji groaned, looking around. The floors were coated in dust, the plaster had fallen from the walls in large chunks, and cobwebs hung in every corner. It was completely unlivable.
Mizuki's eyes narrowed. With a sharp motion of her hands, she cast a purifying spell, followed by a subtle time-reverse enchantment. Dust swirled and vanished, cracks in the walls smoothed over, and the house transformed before Renji's eyes. Within moments, the space looked like a nobleman's mansion: polished wooden floors, gleaming chandeliers, and walls lined with fine moldings.
Renji blinked, unable to tear his eyes away. "Are… you serious?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Together, they began exploring the house. The first floor had a store room, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a toilet, a kitchen and dining area, a library, a workroom, and a huge living room at the center. Sunlight streamed through the wide windows, illuminating the polished wood and spacious interior.
Upstairs, there were four more bedrooms, two study rooms, and a guest room, each decorated with elegant simplicity.
Renji's gaze swept over the empty rooms, and he frowned. "This is huge… and it's completely empty. We need furniture."
Mizuki's expression softened, though a faint glint of determination remained in her eyes. "Today is going to be busy. We need to buy furniture, and we still have quests to complete."
Renji nodded, already feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders.
With that, they stepped back into the sunlight and began making their way to the local furniture shop, ready to turn the empty mansion into a home.
They soon arrived at a large furniture shop near the main street. Wooden chairs, tables, and shelves were displayed outside, shining under the sunlight. Inside, the smell of fresh wood filled the air.
A middle-aged man with a thick mustache stood behind the counter, polishing a chair. When he noticed them enter, he smiled.
"Welcome, welcome! Looking for furniture for your home?" the shopkeeper asked cheerfully.
"Yes," Renji replied, glancing around. "We just bought a house, and… it's completely empty."
"Ah, new homeowners!" the man laughed. "Then you've come to the right place. What do you need?"
Mizuki answered calmly, "Two beds, a dining table, and a shelf for the kitchen."
"Excellent choices," the shopkeeper said, rubbing his hands together. "Follow me."
He led them inside and stopped in front of a row of wooden beds. "These are strong oak beds. Very comfortable. Only forty gold coins each."
"FORTY?!" Renji almost shouted. "That's too expensive!"
The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow. "Young man, this is high-quality wood. It will last you a lifetime."
Mizuki crossed her arms and looked at the bed carefully. "The design is simple, and the carving is rough. Twenty gold coins each is more than fair."
"Twenty? That's robbery!" the shopkeeper protested.
Renji whispered, "Mizuki… are you sure about bargaining this hard?"
"Leave it to me," she replied quietly.
After several minutes of arguing, sighing, and shaking heads, the shopkeeper finally gave up.
"Alright, alright! Thirty gold coins each. Final price!"
Mizuki nodded. "Deal."
Renji blinked. "Wait, we just saved twenty gold coins…"
Next, they moved to the dining tables. A round wooden table caught Renji's attention.
"That one looks nice," he said.
The shopkeeper smiled proudly. "Good eye. That table is only fifty silver coins."
"That's reasonable," Mizuki said. "But we'll take it for forty."
The shopkeeper groaned. "You two are merciless…"
In the end, they bought the table for forty-five silver coins.
Finally, they stopped in front of a tall wooden shelf for the kitchen.
"This shelf is perfect for storing spices and dishes," the shopkeeper explained. "Twenty silver coins."
Renji nodded quickly. "This time, no bargaining. Let's take it."
Mizuki smiled slightly. "Agreed."
The shopkeeper wrote everything down on a small paper and calculated the total.
"Two beds, one dining table, and one kitchen shelf… That will be sixty-five gold coins and forty-five silver coins."
Renji carefully handed over the money. "Can you deliver them to our house?"
"Of course," the shopkeeper said. "My workers will deliver everything by evening."
As they left the shop, Renji let out a long breath.
"I didn't know buying furniture was this tiring…"
Mizuki smiled softly. "Welcome to real life, Renji."
After finishing their shopping, the shopkeeper called out, "Hey, wait! I'm arranging horse carts for you."
Renji's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's really kind of you!"
The shopkeeper smiled warmly. "Not an issue at all. It makes me happy to see such a charming young couple starting their new life."
Renji and Mizuki froze, their eyes widening in shock.
"Umm… Mister, maybe you're misunderstanding things," Renji said quickly, flustered. "We're not a couple!"
A naughty smile tugged at the corners of the shopkeeper's mouth. "I can see that," he replied teasingly.
Renji and Mizuki both shouted in unison, "Stop imagining things!"
By the time they arrived at their house, the sun had climbed high in the afternoon sky. Mizuki had picked up some fresh food along the way. Renji wasted no time and started eating ravenously, while Mizuki had already begun arranging the dining table and shelves.
As she moved on to setting up the beds, she called out, "Renji, come here."
Renji dashed over. "What's up?"
"Which bedroom do you want to use?" she asked.
"The biggest one," he replied without hesitation.
"And the other bed?" Mizuki asked again.
"Put them in the same room for now," he said.
Mizuki's eyes widened in surprise. "For whom?"
Renji shrugged. "I don't know," he answered casually.
By evening, their work was done. The beds were set, the table arranged, and the shelves organized. They even managed to plant some seeds in the front yard, adding a touch of life to their new home. The warm glow of the setting sun reflected off the polished wood of the furniture, and for the first time, Renji felt a small sense of accomplishment.
As the evening deepened, the sun dipped lower, casting long, golden streaks across the yard. The freshly planted seeds glimmered faintly in the soft light, the soil still warm from the day's sun. Shadows stretched lazily across the manicured lawn, blending with the gentle sway of the trees that bordered the property. The house, now fully furnished and restored, reflected a soft glow through its windows, the polished wood and clean walls catching the fading sunlight. A quiet breeze rustled the leaves, carrying the faint scent of freshly baked bread and the earthy aroma of the garden. Birds chirped softly in the distance, returning to their nests, while the distant hum of the town settled into a calm lull. The mansion stood tall and serene, a stark contrast to the chaos and uncertainty of the outside world, embodying a rare moment of peace — a sanctuary that would, for now, be their home.