Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door to the inn. Warmth and the smell of hearty food enveloped me instantly, and my gaze swept across the room. Lisa was behind the counter, laughing with a customer, and Scheon sat at a table near the window, fiddling nervously with a cup of tea.

When his eyes met mine, he straightened immediately, his flustered expression turning into a shy smile.

I waved awkwardly and made my way over. “Sorry if I kept you waiting.”

“You didn’t,” he said quickly, standing up as if to pull out a chair for me, but then realizing I was already seating myself. He sat back down awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lisa approached our table, a knowing smile on her face as she carried a tray. “Good evening, you two! I’ll get dinner started in just a moment. But first—Mashiro, tea for you?”

“Ah, yes, please,” I said, feeling oddly at ease in the warm, lively atmosphere.

As Lisa walked away, Scheon fidgeted with his hands on the table. “I’m glad you came,” he said softly, glancing up at me.

I smiled, finally starting to relax. “I’m glad too.”

Scheon smiled back, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, though—more like a quiet understanding. Lisa returned with our tea, and I wrapped my hands around the cup, savoring its warmth. I took a small sip, letting the soothing heat calm my nerves. The lively hum of the inn wrapped around us like a comforting melody, and for the first time since waking up in this world, I felt almost… normal.

But, of course, that didn’t last.

“You seem relaxed tonight,” Scheon said, his tone lighter now. “It’s nice to see you like this.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the comment. “Huh? Oh, uh, yeah… I guess I’m just—” My words cut off as my mind scrambled for something to say, and then, without thinking, the words came out.

“—just doing my best to embrace the path of light, no matter how treacherous it may be!”

The moment the quote escaped my lips, my brain short-circuited. I froze, eyes wide in sheer horror. That wasn’t just any random line—it was Mashiro’s iconic catchphrase from Luminous Dream. The one she shouted right before doing the final concert in the series!

Scheon looked equally stunned, his teacup pausing halfway to his mouth. “Uh… what?”

My heart slammed against my ribs. “I-I mean… uh…” I stammered, waving my hands frantically in front of me. “It’s nothing! Just… something I heard somewhere! You know, like an old saying or something!”

Scheon tilted his head, his brows knitting in confusion. “It sounded kind of… dramatic.”

“It’s not dramatic!” I blurted, then immediately winced at my own tone. “I-I mean… okay, maybe it’s a little dramatic. But it’s inspiring, right? Like, you know, staying strong in tough times?”

His confusion melted into a soft chuckle. “I guess it’s true. It suits you, actually.”

I blinked, taken aback. “It… does?”

“Yeah,” Scheon said with a genuine smile. “You seem like the kind of person who’d say something like that when things get tough.”

If only he knew the real reason why. I managed a weak laugh, trying to steer the conversation away before I accidentally blurted out more anime dialogue. “Haha, yeah… well, let’s just pretend I didn’t yell that out of nowhere, okay?”

Scheon laughed along with me, his earlier nervousness seemingly forgotten. “Deal. But I’ll remember it. You might have a hidden dramatic side, Miss Mashiro.”

I buried my face in my hands, trying to hide my embarrassment. Why did I say that out loud?

Note to self: never let my Luminous Dream instincts take over again.

I watched as Lisa leaned heavily on the table, her hand pressing against her temple. Her face had lost some of its usual warmth, replaced by a faint pallor. Before I could say anything, Elise rushed to her side, her small frame almost trembling with worry.

“Big sister, please rest! Let me handle these small things,” Elise said, her tone somewhere between pleading and scolding. Without waiting for a response, she pried the plates out of Lisa’s hands and nudged her towards the kitchen.

Lisa chuckled softly but didn’t resist, clearly too tired to argue. Moments later, they both returned, carrying a small platter with a roasted meat dish that looked so tender it practically melted under the faint light of the inn. The aroma alone was enough to make my stomach grumble.

They set the dish carefully on our table, but just as Lisa straightened up, she swayed slightly, her hand shooting out to grip the table for support. Her other hand pressed firmly to her temple.

“Aah...” Lisa winced, clearly struggling to stay composed.

Elise didn’t hesitate this time. “Please rest! I’ll take you to the room,” she said firmly, slipping an arm around her sister’s waist despite her petite frame. “No arguing, big sister.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Lisa opened her mouth as if to protest, but Elise cut her off with a stern glare that was so uncharacteristically fierce I nearly laughed out of sheer surprise

Elise turned her attention to us briefly, her voice returning to its usual politeness. “Please enjoy the night, Mister Scheon and Miss Mashiro,” she said before leading Lisa away, her small figure steady and resolute as they disappeared up the stairs.

“I hope she’s okay…” I muttered softly, glancing toward the stairs where Elise had disappeared with Lisa. My chest felt heavy, but I pushed the feeling aside and focused for a moment. A small shimmer of light appeared in my hands as I summoned Elise’s doll from my inventory—a simple, handmade figure with slightly frayed edges but full of charm. I smiled faintly and handed it to Scheon.

“Fix this… and cheer both of them up,” I said, my voice carrying a mix of hope and pleading.

Scheon took the doll, his fingers brushing against mine as he accepted it. A half-smile played on his lips, though his gaze seemed to wander elsewhere.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said quietly.

The other patrons slowly filtered out, their chatter fading into the distance as they stepped into the cool night air. The inn grew quieter, leaving just the soft clink of dishes being cleared in the kitchen. The empty space around us seemed to make everything feel more intimate, the light from the flickering candles casting soft shadows over the table where Scheon and I sat.

I shifted in my seat, feeling the quiet weigh down on me in an unexpected way. The warmth of the food and the atmosphere around us hadn’t quite settled the unease that bubbled up within me. Something about being alone with him felt different—almost too personal, too revealing.

"So," I said, breaking the silence, my voice coming out a bit more rushed than I intended. "It’s... kind of quiet now, huh?"

Scheon smiled, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "Yeah, I guess we’re the last ones here." He paused for a moment, his gaze flicking to the door where Lisa and Elise had disappeared. "I’m sure they’ll be fine, though. It’s just us now."

My fingers nervously tapped the edge of my cup, trying to distract myself from the strange tightness in my chest. "Yeah... I guess so."

He cleared his throat, his own nervousness showing as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, now that we’re alone,” he said, his voice a little too loud before he caught himself. “It’s… kind of peaceful, though, don’t you think?”

I nodded quickly, clutching the edge of the table to keep my hands from fidgeting too obviously. “Y-Yeah, peaceful… totally.” My eyes darted around the room, searching for something—anything—to distract me from the awkwardness. The flickering light of the lanterns on the walls, the faint creak of the wooden floor, even the roasted meat on the plate between us suddenly seemed like the most interesting thing in the world.

Scheon gave a small laugh, scratching his cheek. “You don’t have to be so nervous, Miss Mashiro. I’m not… uh… that scary, am I?”

I blinked, startled by his words, before quickly waving my hands. “N-No! Of course not! I’m just… uh… not used to situations like this, you know?” My voice trailed off, and I felt my cheeks heat up. I hesitated, then took a deep breath, trying to steer the conversation toward something less heavy. “So, um… uh… I… want to know about you a little better?” My voice trembled, unsure and shy, as if the words were stumbling over themselves on the way out.

Scheon’s expression softened, and he slid the plate of roasted meat closer to me. “You’re cute, you know that?” he said, his tone light but sincere.

A blush crept up my face, and I smiled shyly, picking up the fork and knife to cut the meat into small pieces. As I placed a bite in my mouth, savoring the tender flavor, I noticed him watching me with a warm expression.

But then, the warmth faded.

“Well,” he began, leaning back slightly. “I don’t have much of a story. My father was executed. Same with my mother, my three sisters, and my two brothers.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I froze, the piece of meat halfway to my mouth. “I’m… sorry to hear that,” I managed to say, though the words felt hollow, my voice barely above a whisper.

Scheon’s smile turned bitter. “Ah, you don’t have to do that,” he said with a dismissive wave. “It’s their fault, anyway. They were dumb. Couldn’t even hide the evidence properly. Because of them, I was left with all their mess. They’re gone, but I’m still paying the price.” His voice darkened, and he clicked his tongue in frustration.

The anger in his eyes, the resentment—it was overwhelming. My chest tightened, and a wave of nausea rolled through me. I swallowed hard, trying to keep the food down as my hands began to tremble.

“I… I…” Words failed me. My hands lost their strength, the fork slipping from my grasp and clattering onto the plate. My arms fell limply to the table as my vision blurred. My body felt heavy, my head swimming with a strange fog.

“Ah, but don’t worry,” he added suddenly, his tone eerily calm now. “I just found a perfect solution for my problem.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. My chest tightened, and nausea churned in my stomach. I tried to speak, but my body felt heavy, unresponsive.

No… not now… I can’t… I have to stay awake…

But the edges of my consciousness began to fray.

Save me… someone…