I noticed a thick column of smoke rising into the sky—it was coming from the bcksmith's shop. Steins began to roar loudly, his horn glowing.

  "Steins, what’s wrong?" Mirelle asked him, clearly worried.

  His horn shone brightly toward the sky. (Could it be reacting to something happening at the bcksmith’s shop?).

  Suddenly, Steins bolted toward the source of the smoke.

  "Let’s follow him, Mirelle!" I said. She nodded, and we ran after him.

  When we arrived, I saw a massive Beast nearly the size of the entire bcksmith shop. It had three heads—

  One breathing fire into the sky,

  Another striking the ground with lightning,

  And the third spraying water all around it.

  “Steins, fall back!” I commanded, but he remained where he was, roaring defiantly at the giant creature, despite being at least seven times smaller.

  I spotted an old man and a boy around my age sheltering inside the nearly-colpsed bcksmith.

  "Hey, you two! Get out of there! Run!" I shouted to them.

  They tried to escape and ran toward us, but the force of the water bst from the third head was too strong.

  “We can’t escape! Just hold it off for three minutes—it’ll return to normal after that!” the boy yelled.

  Three minutes against something like this? That’s going to feel like forever...

  But I stepped forward.

  “I’ll do it anyway. Steins, with me,” I said.

  I ran straight toward the Beast and threw my dagger at its second head, which let out a deafening roar.

  “Hey! Look over here!” I shouted, drawing its attention.

  I lured the Beast outside the vilge—thankfully, Meirose’s borders were marked by nothing more than a simple wooden fence. All three of its heads unched attacks at me—fmes, lightning, and bsts of water. I dodged many, but not all... several nded hard.

  Then, suddenly, the Beast stopped. All three heads turned inward, channeling their power into a single, massive glowing orb of energy.

  “What now...?” I muttered, completely thrown off.

  Just then, the boy from the bcksmith sprinted toward me, yelling,

  “HEYYY, IDIOT! RUNNNN!”

  I snapped back to my senses. That thing—

  It was aiming straight at me.

  The Beast fired the energy bst, and just as it was about to hit me...

  Steins leapt toward me. At first, I thought this was the end—

  But then, his body began to shift.

  He grew rger.

  His horn vanished, repced by two sharp antlers.

  His skin thickened, becoming armor-like, with razor cws and two long fangs.

  "Whoaaah! He evolved?!" the boy excimed.

  “Evolved?” I asked.

  “Yes! That’s evolution. Your beast just reached its next form.

  But sadly, evolution doesn’t st forever—it’ll revert once its energy runs out.”

  And not long after—

  The massive beast shrank and returned to its original form.

  Steins, too, reverted.

  Now he looked like a small, fluffy pup again, wagging his tail.

  “Eh? EEEHH? W-what?! How can a creature this cute transform into something that terrifying?!”

  “Well, evolution’s tricky,” the boy said nonchantly.

  “Even adorable creatures can become monstrous for a while. But it takes a lot of energy.

  That’s why I’m researching energy stones for instant evolution. And... yeah, this is the result.”

  “Why are you so calm about all this chaos?!” I shouted.

  “Geez... you’re unbelievable.”

  “Teehee~” the boy replied, sticking out his tongue with a wink.

  We returned to the wrecked bcksmith shop.

  “PLAAK!”

  The old man smacked the boy on the head.

  “Sorry about this apprentice of mine. He always acts before he thinks,” he said to me.

  “I-it’s alright, sir. It’s not a big deal,” I replied.

  “First, let me introduce myself. I’m McNeill, the dwarf who owns this pce.

  And this walking disaster here is Taku,” the old man said.

  “Hey! I’m not a disaster! I’m the greatest researcher in this vilge!” Taku protested.

  “Oh, and young man—take this as a thank you and our apology,” McNeill said, handing me a sword and a kimono.

  “This is a freshly forged sword I just finished, and... this kimono came from gods-know-where.

  It doesn’t fit me, and Taku refuses to wear it. So, I guess it’s yours now.”

  “With pleasure, Mr. McNeill,” I said gratefully as I accepted the items.

  “Well then, I’ve got to start fixing this pce,” McNeill muttered, turning toward the shattered wall.

  “A-alright, sir. We’ll be heading back now. Let’s go, Mirelle,” I said.

  “Yes, Master Maeda,” she replied.

  We returned to the inn as the sky began to dim.

  “Hey Mirelle, what do you want for dinner?” I asked her.

  “Maybe something warm and sweet... like pumpkin soup?” she said.

  “Alright then, let’s find the best pumpkin soup in this vilge. Though it might not be as good as your mother’s cooking.”

  “I don’t really remember what my mother’s cooking tasted like…

  But if you say it’ll be good, I believe it,” she replied with a small smile.

  I went silent for a moment.

  Her words were gentle—but they hit deep.

  “Alright. I’ll get you a big bowl of pumpkin soup tonight. Enough to make you full and warm,” I said as I stood and patted her small head.

  Mirelle looked up at me, eyes sparkling.

  “Thank you, Master Maeda. Today… was a really good day.”

  We walked through the vilge beneath the night sky. Lanterns were beginning to light up, casting a warm glow over the streets.

  That night felt peaceful.

  The sound of vilgers chatting, children's ughter, and the rich aroma of food filled the air.

  “Waaah... It’s so lively, Master Maeda! And there are so many delicious smells,” Mirelle said, tugging on my sleeve.

  “Master Maeda, look over there,” she pointed toward a small food stall from which a mouthwatering scent of thick broth and warm spices drifted.

  The stall was bustling, with many locals enjoying their dinners.

  “Alright then, let’s eat there,” I said.

  Near the entrance, a sign read:

  “Today’s Special: Pumpkin Soup with Honey-Grilled Bread.”

  “I think this will suit us perfectly.”

  “Yes, Master Maeda,” Mirelle replied.

  We entered and took an empty table near the window.

  “Excuse me, sir. May I take your order?” the server asked.

  “We’ll have two of today’s special, please,” I said.

  “Very well. Two pumpkin soups with honey-grilled bread coming right up,” he replied before walking off.

  Not long after, two steaming bowls of pumpkin soup and several slices of honey-grilled bread were brought to our table.

  “Let’s eat,” I said.

  “Let’s eat~” Mirelle echoed cheerfully as she dipped her bread into the soup and took a small bite. A bright smile immediately formed on her face.

  “It’s warm and sweet, Master Maeda... It’s really good!” she said, savoring each bite.

  “Eat as much as you like until you’re full,” I said, patting her head gently.

  “Okay!”

  We enjoyed our meal in a comfortable silence, accompanied only by the sound of our spoons and the soft breeze drifting in from the open window.

  After dinner, I paid the bill and we returned to our room at the inn. In the corner of the room stood a wooden tub, already filled with warm water, steam gently rising from it.

  “You can bathe first, Master Maeda,” Mirelle said, sitting on the bed while hugging Steins.

  “Alright. Just don’t peek,” I joked.

  “Eh?! I-I would never! You weirdo!” she snapped, her face turning bright red as she quickly looked away.

  I let out a small chuckle and took a quick bath. The warm water was soothing, washing away the fatigue from the long day.

  After I finished, Mirelle took her turn. Not long after, she came out yawning softly, her hair still slightly damp.

  “Let’s get some sleep. We continue our journey tomorrow.”

  “Yes, Master Maeda.”

  The mp was turned off, and the room fell into peaceful silence, accompanied by the soft sound of crickets outside the window.