A young woman strolled calmly along a paved road, nibbling on a small sandwich. The sunrise filtered through her red hair, casting a warm glow. She wore a smile, listening to the faint grumbling in her mind.

{— Damn, you could've warned me! What was that? You said you weren't a mage, so you must be a warrior! How can you move that fast? And how did you make that bag disappear?!}

-Calm down, Anna. I'll explain. Since I was six, I trained under my father. Not long after, we noticed I could move much faster than anyone we knew. But it burns a lot of energy, so I need to eat more than most.

She paused, waving the half-eaten sandwich in her hand for emphasis.

- I can run fast, move fast. And if I focus, I can even think faster than an average person. But that gives me a splitting headache, so I avoid it. My father called it my 'gift.' I still don't fully understand what he meant, but the name stuck.

A moment of silence followed as Anna processed the information. Meanwhile, Jane continued walking at a steady pace. She could, as she mentioned earlier, easily run to the next village. But according to the map she "borrowed" from her parents, they were already close to their destination. One important lesson her father drilled into her was to never reveal her gift too easily—especially when people might be watching.

A few minutes passed before Anna spoke again.

{— Okay, I remember people like you when I was alive. People with 'gifts,' like you said. But there weren't many. What about the bag, though? You made it disappear! And where did that sandwich even come from?!}

Jane chuckled at Anna's outburst. Without answering, she raised her hand, palm up. A new sandwich appeared out of thin air. She took a bite, shrugged, and smiled.

- That's my second gift. I can store anything, as long as it's not bigger than me. It's convenient for carrying stuff, but I don't know how much I can hold yet. So far... a lot.

This time, Jane sensed her companion was speechless. She pulled a long black robe with a hood from her storage space, using it to conceal her features. Growing up in a secluded village, she knew she was considered beautiful, and her father always reminded her, "Beauty can attract dangers far worse than monsters."

After donning the robe, she approached the village gates. Despite the early hour, they were open, with two guards standing by. They looked half-asleep, leaning against their spears, but straightened up when Jane neared. They examined her briefly but didn't attempt to block her entrance.

Once past the guards, Anna's voice echoed in her head again.

{— That second gift is insane! Do you know how long mages have tried to master dimensional magic?! If I had tried, I would've mastered it in a heartbeat! But no, fire magic was more fun... Still, you can manipulate dimensions!}

Not wanting to seem like she was talking to herself, Jane responded internally.

[{— I'm not manipulating dimensions. I think I just have one all to myself... Okay, that sounds cool, I won't lie. But if your next question is 'Can you slice dimensions apart?' the answer is no. I didn't try. Maybe. Anyway, let's find a place to sleep. I'm beyond exhausted.}]

Ignoring any response from Anna, Jane quickened her pace, scanning the buildings. She looked like a child experiencing the world outside her room for the first time. Anna, apparently uninterested in discussing Jane's powers anymore, began making comments about every girl they passed.

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{— Oh-ho! That one must be a beast in bed! Look at her curves! And that one—an angel's face! What a thrill it must be—}

[{— ANNA!}]

{— What? Let me have a look! Do you know how hard it is being stuck in that necklace for so long?!}

Jane's face flushed crimson at Anna's bold remarks. She wasn't entirely innocent, but having grown up in the same small village, she never thought about romance, especially with other girls. Shaking off the embarrassment, she entered a small building with a sign that read "Inn."

The room was larger than she expected, filled with wooden tables. A few patrons glanced at her but quickly lost interest since her robe hid most of her features. She walked to the bar, where a middle-aged man polished cutlery. He glanced at her, his voice gruff.

- What do you want, kid? Where are your parents?

Under the hood, Jane's eye twitched at the word "kid," but she maintained her composure and smiled, her voice sweet and clear.

- I'd like a room for one, sir. Does it include breakfast?

The barkeep hesitated, momentarily stunned by her smile and voice. Behind her, Jane sensed the patrons' eyes on her, making her frown slightly. But before she could react, Anna's fury surged in her mind.

{— What do they want? A fight?! I'll burn them to the ground!}

Before Jane could calm her, a strange aura filled the room, smelling faintly of ash and blood. Panic surged in Jane's thoughts.

[{— Anna! Stop! You're drawing too much attention!}]

The atmosphere quickly dissipated, and Jane let out a sigh of relief. The barkeeper, now visibly shaken, handed her a rusty key with trembling hands.

- Y-Yes, the room comes with breakfast. It's one gold for the night, including meals. Dinner too, if you want. You can have it in your room.

Jane initially planned to eat in the common room, but after Anna's outburst, she changed her mind.

- Room service would be appreciated, thanks. Could I get triple the portion, though?

She handed over a gold coin, took the key, and made her way to her room. Once inside, she locked the door and collapsed onto the bed, which creaked under her weight.

[{— Now, explain what that was all about!}]

Anna's voice was meek as she responded.

{— I... I'm sorry. The last time I saw this many people, I was fighting for my life. I just got out of that necklace, and I'm still adjusting. It won't happen again, I promise.}

Massaging her temples, Jane let out a deep sigh before shaking her head. She could understand the reasons behind her new friend's outburst, but now her thoughts wandered to Anna's past—her life before she was killed and sealed inside the necklace. Jane absentmindedly touched the necklace hanging from her neck, bringing it into view as she drifted into thought.

{ - Hmm... Jane? You gave him a gold coin. But what's the currency like in this era? Is it still bronze, copper, silver, and gold? With one gold coin worth one hundred silver, one silver worth one hundred copper, and one copper worth one hundred bronze?}

[{ - Yes, but there's a new one now—platinum. It was introduced about two hundred years ago. It's mostly for the rich since you need a thousand gold coins to get one platinum. I only have a hundred gold coins with me.}]

At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Jane got up and opened it to find a young girl pushing a small cart full of food. The girl looked nervous and avoided making eye contact.

With a gentle smile, Jane lowered her hood, revealing her face, and crouched down slightly to meet the girl at eye level.

- Thank you! What's your name, sweetheart? How old are you?

The girl's eyes widened as she took in Jane's beauty.

- I... I'm Belle, ma'am. I'm fourteen. You're so beautiful!

A soft laugh escaped Jane's lips at the sincerity of the compliment. Standing up again, she reached into her alternate dimension and pulled out a copper coin, handing it to Belle.

- Thank you, sweetheart. Here's something for your help. But don't tell anyone, alright?

- Thanks, ma'am! But... how did you make that appear?

Jane winked and pressed a finger to her lips, smiling mischievously.

- It's a secret, okay?

The little girl's eyes lit up as she clutched the coin to her chest, nodding excitedly before leaving the room with a giggle.

Once Belle had gone, Jane wheeled the cart over to the small table in her room and took a seat. The food was simple—eggs, milk, and some meat. Even though it was basic, there was a lot of it, just as she had requested.

{ - You're really going to eat all of that? There's enough to feed four people!}

[{ - I need a lot of energy, Anna. Let me eat in peace, then I'll sleep. After that, we'll explore the village. Maybe we'll even find the 'mercenary guild' that existed in your time.}]