Arlo tapped at his phone screen, pulling up his bank account details. His eyes widened as he took in the balance.

[Overall Balance: £30,143]

[Last payment received: £22,520 from Hunter's Association.]

He had been expecting the compensation payment from the Guild, but this was far more than he’d expected. Double, in fact.

Vielle leaned over his shoulder, peering curiously at the screen. "That's quite a substantial sum." she remarked.

Arlo nodded. "It'll go a long way. We can stock up on supplies, pay the rent without worry..." He trailed off, doing some quick mental calculations.

Vielle shook her head in wonder. "I know you've explained it before, but it's still incredible to me that such a small device can access that much wealth."

"Yeah, it’s useful." Arlo agreed. Then his expression sobered. "But even this isn't enough, in the long run. To truly guarantee our safety, I need to save up enough to buy a house near central London. A few hundred thousand pounds, at minimum."

Vielle's eyes bugged out. "Hundred thousand? With that much, you could probably buy every product we saw in that supermarket!"

Arlo chuckled at her astonishment. "Yeah. Let’s hope our new business venture is successful. The faster we can reach that goal, the better."

Glancing toward the stairs, he frowned. "What's taking them so long to get ready, anyway?"

As if on cue, excited chatter drifted down from the upper floor. Serena bounded into the kitchen a moment later, beaming. "Arlo, we're all set! Oh, and great news - Sylvia called her jobs and they gave her time off because of what happened. Apparently she's getting government compensation too."

Arlo looked his sister up and down, taking in her white t-shirt, blue jeans, and pristine sneakers. The trendy sunglasses perched on her nose. The bulging suitcase she was lugging behind her, the kind you'd take on an overseas trip.

He pressed his palms to his face with a groan. "Serena. You do realize we're not going on vacation, right?"

She frowned. "Well, yeah, but you said we'd be gone for a while. I need clothes."

"We can buy clothes there," Arlo pointed out. "A backpack would be enough."

"A backpack isn't big enough." she remarked. "Besides, just look at Mom. She’s dressed the same way."

Arlo turned to see Sylvia enter the kitchen, a vision in a flowing white sundress and oversized sunhat. Designer sunglasses completed the look. In one hand she carried a large, black luggage bag.

'At least she packed lighter than Serena,' Arlo thought wryly. 'But seriously, what's with the sunglasses and fashion? Do they think we're going on a cruise?'

Out loud he said, "Your appearances aside, did you have to pack that much?"

Serena frowned. "You don’t understand, Arlo. A lady has her essentials." She glanced slyly at Vielle. "Isn't that right, Vielle?"

Put on the spot, Vielle looked from Serena to Arlo with wide eyes. "Um. I suppose she has a point, Arlo. You did rather stand out when you first came to my world, after all."

Serena shot Arlo a triumphant grin. He heaved a longsuffering sigh. "Fine, if you say so.."

Rising from his chair, Arlo flipped open his Grimoire. "Vielle, would you mind storing their bags in your spatial pouch?"

"Of course." Vielle produced the small pouch from beneath her robes and held it open. Serena eyed it dubiously.

"Uh, Vielle? I don't think my suitcase is going to fit in that tiny-"

Her words cut off in a strangled yelp as Vielle held the pouch up and Serena's bulky luggage vanished into it without a trace. Sylvia's bag quickly followed suit. Both women gaped as Vielle tucked the pouch back into her robes, wholly unconcerned.

"What... How...?" Serena sputtered.

Vielle smiled. "Spatial pouch. It's been enchanted to hold far more than it appears. A very handy bit of magic from my world."

"That's incredible," Sylvia breathed, still staring at the place the pouch had disappeared.

Arlo approached them. "Alright, stay close and keep a good grip on me. Don't let go, no matter what. Understood?"

The women hastened to comply. Vielle laid a hand on Arlo's shoulder while Sylvia and Serena each grasped one of his arms. He took a deep, steadying breath, focusing his mind.

"Here we go…"

Slowly, carefully, Arlo began to chant. As the ancient words flowed from his lips, his Grimoire took on an ethereal glow. The air itself seemed to shiver and warp around them. Pressure built, making their ears pop.

Sylvia gasped as she felt her long blonde hair start to lift and sway, as if gravity had suddenly released its hold. Crackling energy raced over her skin, making the fine hairs on her arms stand on end.

A circle of brilliant violet light with a star in the centre bloomed at their feet, intricate runic designs shimmering to life along its edges. It pulsed in time with Arlo's words, growing brighter with each repetition.

"Heed my call," Arlo intoned, his voice resonating power. "Divine-Class Dimension Magic: World Transportation!"

On the final syllable, a blinding flare seared their vision. The girls squeezed their eyes shut, clinging to Arlo like a lifeline as the sensation of falling swept through them.

And then, between one blink and the next, it was over.

Sylvia and Serena opened their eyes with trepidation, not sure what to expect. They certainly never could have imagined the sight that greeted them.

Gone was the cozy familiarity of Arlo's kitchen. Instead, the two women found themselves standing in the middle of a cobblestone road, the afternoon sun beating down on their shoulders. All around them stretched a bustling medieval town, alive with activity.

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Horse-drawn carriages clattered past, kicking up dust. Merchants hawked their wares from colorful stalls lining the street, crying out in languages Sylvia had never heard before. The air was thick with the mouthwatering scents of exotic foods and spices.

But most incredible of all were the people. Humans mingled with beings straight out of fantasy - cat-eared folk with twitching tails, stocky dwarves, and creatures Sylvia couldn't even put a name to. They all seemed to be going about their daily business, not one of them batting an eye at the strangeness of it all.

"Arlo, this is...I don't even know what to...wow," Serena breathed, drinking it all in with eyes round as saucers. She practically vibrated with excitement, her hands fluttering as she pointed out one wonder after another.

"Oh my gosh, look at those fruits! Have you ever seen colors like that? And over there, that girl, Arlo, her tail is moving! Do you think it's real? Can I pet her? She looks so soft!"

Serena's machine-gun barrage of questions and comments washed over Arlo. He exchanged an amused, knowing glance with Vielle. For her part, Sylvia was quieter in her amazement, but no less affected. She turned in a slow circle, trying to imprint every impossible detail into her memory.

As Arlo watched his family marvel at this new world, a sense of rightness settled into his bones. The anxiety that had been churning in his gut eased its vise-grip on his lungs.

'I made the right call, bringing them along,' he thought, lips quirking in a fond half-smile. 'They needed this.'

He couldn't remember the last time Serena had looked so openly enthused and carefree. And though Sylvia hid it better, Arlo knew his foster mother had been drowning in work and worry for far too long. Seeing the way their eyes sparkled now as they took in the alien sights and sounds, some of the tension bled out of Arlo's shoulders.

''We’ve never gone on a family vacation trip, especially with how hard it is to afford it.' he mused. 'It’s been like that ever since the gates started appearing…’

Lost in thought as he was, it took Arlo a moment to notice the way conversations seemed to hush as they passed. Quick, darting glances and furtive whispers followed in their wake. He frowned, instantly on alert.

"...Look at those clothes..."

"...never seen fabric like that before..."

"Maybe they’re high-ranking nobles?"

Arlo fought the urge to sigh as he caught snippets of gossip. 'It’s just like when I first came to this world, it’s not surprising.'

He glanced down at Sylvia and Serena's awestruck faces, still glowing with innocent wonder, and felt a pang. There was no way he could bring himself to curb their enthusiasm. Not when they were so obviously enjoying themselves, drinking in this strange new world with all the wide-eyed fascination of children.

'I just hope we don't attract the wrong sort of attention,' Arlo thought darkly. 'The last thing we need is for a group of guys to try to rob us like last time.'

Still, he quickened his pace, eager to get his family settled and off the streets. Luckily, Vielle seemed to have the same idea.

"There's an inn not far from here that I've stayed at before," she said, pointing down a narrow side street. "The owner is lovely, and the rooms are always clean and comfortable."

"Sounds good." Arlo said with a grateful nod. Vielle set off at a brisk clip, the others trailing along behind her like a line of bemused ducklings.

-

The inn, when they reached it, was everything Vielle had promised. Arlo felt some of his tension drain away as they stepped into the spacious common room. Lively chatter and the clatter of dishes filled the air, punctuated by warm laughter and the occasional burst of song. Delicious smells wafted out from what had to be the kitchen, making Arlo's stomach rumble.

Vielle wove through the dinner crowd, clearly familiar with the layout. She went straight for the long counter against the far wall, where a matronly woman with graying hair was scribbling on an old piece of paper.

The innkeeper looked up at their approach, a broad smile breaking over her face as she caught sight of Vielle. "Well if it isn’t Vielle!" Her voice was a raspy, but there was no mistaking the fondness in it.

"Hey Bifa, how have you been?" Vielle asked warmly, leaning against the polished wood of the bar.

The older woman sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Same old, same old. Keeping busy wrangling my good-for-nothing drunk of a husband, as usual."

Vielle's brow furrowed in sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear that. I know it can't be easy dealing with him day in and day out."

Bifa waved off her concern. "Eh, don't you worry about me. I'm used to his shenanigans by now." Her shrewd gaze slid over to Arlo, and a sly grin tugged at her lips. "And who's this young fellow? Finally found yourself a husband, have you?"

Vielle flushed, shaking her head vehemently. "No, no, it's nothing like that. This is Arlo. He's my business partner, that's all."

Arlo stepped forward, inclining his head politely. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Arlo. Any friend of Vielle's is a friend of mine." Bifa winked at him conspiratorially. "I look forward to you becoming a regular around here."

She turned back to Vielle, tsking under her breath. "A business partner, eh? Why am I not surprised? You never were the type to let yourself get swept away by love."

Vielle huffed, crossing her arms. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

Bifa chuckled, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Simmer down, girl. I'm only teasing." Her expression turned speculative as she peered around Vielle and Arlo to where Serena and Sylvia waited, taking in the bustling common room with wide eyes. "I'm guessing by the gaggle of companions that you lot are in need of lodging?"

Vielle followed her gaze, smiling fondly at the two women. "Yes, that's right. Do you have any rooms available?"

"You're in luck. I've got two vacant, and they're right next to each other." Bifa tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Might be a tight squeeze for a group your size, though..."

Vielle glanced back at the others, deliberating. "Two rooms, side by side? That could work. Let me just double check with them.”

She turned to Serena and Sylvia. "Bifa says she has two adjoining rooms free. Would that suit everyone, or should we look elsewhere?"

Serena perked up immediately. "Adjoining rooms…? Yeah, that works." She flashed Arlo a saucy grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief as they darted between him and Vielle. "You two can take one, and Mom and I will sleep in the other."

Arlo furrowed his brows. ‘Vielle would obviously be more comfortable staying with one of you…’

He opened his mouth to protest, but Vielle was already turning back to Bifa, her own cheeks suspiciously pink. "We'll take the two rooms, thank you."

‘She’s fine with it…?’ He thought to himself.

"You got it, hon. One week's stay, two rooms, that’ll be 30 silver coins." Bifa reached beneath the bar to pull out a hefty ledger book and a quill pen. She scribbled their information into the musty pages, her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth as she worked.

As she wrote, Vielle reached for her spatial bag to retrieve the necessary payment. Arlo put a hand on her arm to still her, already digging in the pouch at his hip for the coin.

"I've got this one," he said firmly, fishing out a palmful of gleaming silver.

"You paid for everything back in your worl…" she amended quickly, remembering their audience. "Let me return the favor."

Despite her words, he was already pressing the money into Bifa's waiting hand.

"Nah, it’s fine." he said.

Vielle huffed, but there was no mistaking the pleased little curl at the corner of her mouth.

Bifa looked between the two of them, her expression almost unbearably smug.

"What? Why’re you looking at me like that?” Vielle asked, narrowing her eyes at the innkeeper.

Bifa widened her own eyes in patently false innocence. “Nothing~”

Seemingly satisfied, Bifa reached under the bar one last time, producing two worn wooden plaques. Ornate numbers were carved into the surface, with heavy iron keys dangling from attached loops of twine. She placed them on the bartop with a flourish.

"Here you are, then. Rooms are the last two on the left once you get up the stairs. You all get settled in, and remember, my kitchen is open late if you get hungry."

Vielle accepted the keys with a smile. "Thank you, Bifa. You're a lifesaver, as always."

The four of them collected their things and made their way to the staircase at the back of the common room. As they climbed, Serena snagged one of the plaques from Arlo's grip, peering at it curiously.

"What strange symbols," she remarked, running a finger over the carved numbers. "What do they mean?"