We get ready to go out.

"Should we wake up your brother and have him come along?"

"It's fine, let him sleep."

"Yeah, you're right."

Neither of us is particularly concerned about our appearance, so we finish getting ready quickly.

We cover the food for Shahzad with plastic wrap,

And leave a note:

"This is for you, big brother."

Otherwise, knowing him, he’d hesitate, unsure if the meal was really meant for him. (✪_✪)

But after much deliberation, he would end up eating it.

Because if it were meant for him and he left it untouched, he would feel like he was hurting the one who made it.

And even if it wasn’t meant for him, the worst that could happen is he’d embarrass himself.

That’s just the way he thinks.

We leave the house and head to the main streets to look for a Taxi.

Since we live in a convenient location, it takes less than twenty minutes to reach downtown.

Nadia and I wander around the shopping mall.

After looking at various things, Nadia picks out a mug.

A cute one with a small cat illustration on a white background.

"I want to get used to drinking black coffee. This will help motivate me to train for it."

"Coffee isn't something you should force yourself to drink."

"Of course it is. Everyone forces themselves. That black, bitter liquid… Keya, do you really drink it because it tastes good?"

"Um… If you ask me whether it’s delicious…"

"See?"

"But I still like it."

"That’s just addiction talking."

"But really, are you sure something this cheap is okay?"

"Huh? This is 2,000 taka, you know?"

"Yeah, but for a mug, that’s pretty expensive… Still, you got me a coffee machine worth around 40,000 taka for my birthday, remember?"

"But I like this one. Besides, from now on, I'll be using that coffee machine too."

Nadia smirks smugly.

"Well, if you're happy with it, then that’s fine."

Even when it comes to money, we're similar.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

I take the mug to the register and have it gift-wrapped.

Once we're outside the store, I hand it to Nadia.

"Here, happy birthday."

"Thanks!"

"From today for the next three months, you're two years older than me, so keep that in mind and try not to get too carried away."

"I know, I know. This morning was just… unexpected, so I panicked a little…"

"But when you're around your brother, you’ll lose control again, won’t you?"

"Umm… yeah, probably…"

"You can analyze yourself so well, yet…"

"Yeah, it's weird, huh?"

It’s still just past noon.

We leave the shopping mall and stroll around, discussing what to eat.

"I'm not really that hungry."

"Yeah, we had a late breakfast. Should we just go home?"

"Already?"

"Let's wait for your brother to wake up and eat together."

It’s Nadia’s birthday, after all.

Eating together would be best.

Even though we had prepared a meal for Shahzad, he could just eat it tomorrow instead.

(Or… should I let them have time alone together?) (A/N: It's a sibling agle!)

That way, the meal wouldn’t go to waste either.

I consider it for a moment but don’t say it out loud.

Nadia would definitely get mad.

"Yeah, let's go home."

"Okay, let's do that."

If we get back too late, Shahzad might head out for his camping trip before we see him.

We start walking towards the main street road.

The bustling downtown crowd.

I’m so engrossed in my conversation with Nadia that I don’t notice the woman in front of us until the moment we pass each other.

(Such beautiful silver hair…)

I unconsciously follow the woman with my eyes.

And the moment we pass—

She suddenly grabs my arm roughly.

"Huh?"

She forces me to turn around.

A strikingly beautiful woman with Nordic features stares at me intently.

I freeze in shock.

She’s just over 170 cm tall.

I’m taller than her, but she has an overwhelming presence that makes me feel small.

She leans in close and sniffs me.

"Shahzad’s scent…"

Wait.

Does Shahzad actually smell?

Does his scent cling to others that much?

Was it just my nose that had gotten used to it?

If so, I’ve done Shahzad a disservice.

I think of these silly things just to avoid facing the shock.

People around us give us annoyed glances as they move past.

"Hey, what’s with you all of a sudden?"

Nadia steps between us, thinking I’m being harassed.

Then the woman leans in toward Nadia and sniffs her too.

I can’t believe the thing Shahzad did to us this morning is coming back to us like this.

"W-what are you—"

Nadia’s face turns red.

Meanwhile, I must be turning pale.

"Shahzad… and a scent similar to Shahzad’s?"

The woman tilts her head.

"Who are you to Shahzad? Acquaintances?"

"Who even are you?! Sniffing people out of nowhere…"

"Me? I'm Riya."

Her Bangla is fluent, though somewhat peculiar.

"And you two?"

Her phrasing is odd.

It doesn’t sound polite, more like she’s saying "you guys" instead of "you two."

She’s unbelievably beautiful, yet she refers to herself as "Riya"…

Such a strange contrast.

"You know Shahzad?"

"Shahzad is Shahzad."

"That doesn’t tell me anything. It’s a common name. Oh, you mean the dungeon streamer Shahzad? He’s famous, but… why are you asking us?"

"…"

"Excuse us, we have plans. Let’s go, Keya."

"Oh, okay…"

Nadia pulls my arm and starts walking.

"Nadia… Shouldn’t we have pretended not to know him?"

I can hear the tremor in my own voice.

"What are you talking about? Given how famous he is, it would have been weirder if we both claimed not to know him."

"Yeah… You’re right, that makes sense…"

Nadia really is reliable.

It’s not that I’m flustered because a foreigner suddenly spoke to us.

I’m shy, but not to this extent.

(Why is she here…? And Shahzad…?)

"Hey, who was that woman? Do you know her? …Keya, this is seriously bad."

Nadia looks at me with concern.

Her kindness helps me calm down a little.

"She’s not an acquaintance… but I know who she is."

"A foreign actress or something? She was really pretty, but…"

If that were the case, I’d be surprised, sure—

But I wouldn’t be this scared.

Maybe it was just someone who looked similar?

No, maybe she didn’t even look that much alike.

When I watch foreign dramas, I often struggle to tell actors apart.

If they change their hairstyle, I’m completely lost.

(So maybe this is all just my imagination…)

But I know that’s just wishful thinking.

She introduced herself as Riya.

And more than anything, that overwhelming presence…

It’s no surprise Nadia didn’t recognize her.

Nadia only cares about her brother.

But…

"…She’s an S-Rank adventurer. The youngest one ever."

Nadia’s eyes widened.

There are only twelve S-Rank adventurers in the world.

And she’s one of them.