Eze slumped on a bench, exhausted, squinting at the sky above.
It was noon, and half a day had passed since he fled the camp.
In those ten-plus hours, his luck had been surprisingly good.
Not only did he avoid the expected threats, but he also hitched a ride with a village caravan heading to market, arriving swiftly at his first destination—the border city of Tafia.
Now, Eze was in the city’s heart.
A beautiful circular plaza paved with bricks was surrounded by shops and facilities, with roads branching out like veins from this central hub.
Countless residents, merchants, travelers, and guards bustled along these streets, mixed with a few playful children.
It was hard to imagine the human-demon war’s front line was so close.
Only the omnipresent patrols and the towering, sturdy city walls in the distance hinted at any tension.
Historically, Tafia had long been an obscure little town.
But with the largest human-demon war in millennia, as cities fell and the situation worsened, it became a frontline stronghold.
Massive investments and adept management by local nobles turned it into a solid barrier against demon advances, as well as a commercial hub and supply depot.
A warped prosperity born of war.
Of course, ignoring the messy cause-and-effect and the ever-looming threat of demon armies, it was a decent place to live.
Yet, faced with this scene, Eze felt only confusion.
What should he do now?
As he’d said, he didn’t like transmigrating or this world.
He didn’t even understand this world.
For two years, his thoughts and actions revolved solely around team affairs, all to end things quickly so the so-called Goddess might let him go home.
The torturous workload, ignored personal needs, and pressure from teammates felt trivial under the strain of his taut nerves.
But now, that string has snapped.
His drive, goals, everything shattered, leaving him at a loss.
Not that he wanted to go back—that was absolutely out of the question.
But the next step was unclear; his suddenly empty mind was struggling to adjust, unable to process for now.
Like a workaholic on vacation—pathetic and laughable.
The result? He’d been sitting on this bench, spacing out like a dried fish.
“Huff… cough cough cough—”
After a long breath, the dried fish… no, Eze, finally stood and made his first decision since leaving the team—
Eat a proper meal.
A week of intense fighting, capped by yesterday’s all-out battle from dawn to dusk, meant he hadn’t touched food or water.
Then, inconveniently, he’d chosen to flee before dinner, spent the night traveling, and sat here pondering life for half a day.
He was literally starving, chest-to-back.
Whatever came next, he needed to fill his stomach first.
“The commercial street’s to the east, I think… hm?”
As he stepped forward, a flash of black caught his eye.
It was a cat, pure black.
Sitting motionless by the busy roadside, staring at him like a statue, its gem-like blue eyes holding some strange emotion.
“Get lost, think I’m a dried fish or something?”
Eze, in no mood for nonsense, shooed it away and followed the crowd to a bustling, wide street.
The commercial district, Tafia’s liveliest area, was packed, especially on market day—not exactly friendly for someone injured like Eze.
Restaurants and inns were, unsurprisingly, overcrowded and noisy.
Except for one.
In a quiet corner of the street stood an old shop, nearly empty despite its neighbors being packed.
Normally, a place like this might raise red flags, but Eze just wanted a quiet spot to shove food in his face and didn’t care, so he walked in.
The moment he crossed the threshold, a small figure approached:
“Welcome! Just you, big brother?”
A girl… or rather, a little girl, barely twelve by his old world’s standards—definitely child labor.
She was adorable, with smooth black hair and perfectly proportioned features, her striking blood-red eyes standing out.
She wore a cute, maid-like outfit with a matching headpiece, perfectly suiting her appearance.
But on closer inspection, the stitching was uneven, and the fabric looked cheap—likely handmade with low-cost materials.
Eze nodded.
“Yeah, just me.”
“Please sit here, then. What would you like to eat?”
The girl skillfully led him to a corner seat, placing a simple menu before him, her poised demeanor oddly mature for her age.
Eze glanced at it.
“Uh… cough cough, bread, some grilled meat, and water will… cough cough—do…”
Since this was an impromptu runaway, Eze had little money and needed to be frugal.
“Okay…”
The girl nodded, her eyes lingering on Eze’s face.
“Are you feeling unwell, big brother?”
“Uh, a bit…”
Though he wasn’t coughing up blood or looking half-dead like yesterday, the witch’s curse still gnawed at his body—not a good situation.
The girl shook her head.
“Your face says more than ‘a bit.’ You should see a doctor soon. There’s a good one nearby—want me to show you?”
A curse like this wasn’t something any random doctor could fix; it’d be a waste of time—and money.
“No, no need. I’ll deal with it later. Just bring the food quick.”
As if to prove his point, his stomach let out a long, mournful growl.
The girl blinked, then smiled and nodded.
“Got it! Your order’s in, please wait a moment!”
She hurried to the counter, speaking to a man in his thirties, likely the owner, wearing a hat.
Soon—
“Here you go!”
A fresh loaf of bread, a large slab of seasoned grilled meat, and a steaming bowl of meat soup—great presentation and a tempting aroma.
But Eze frowned.
“Uh, I don’t think I ordered soup? And this meat portion looks way more than one serving.”
Given the shop’s oddly low business, Eze couldn’t help but wonder if this was some kind of scam…
But the girl smiled and shook her head.
“Don’t worry, it’s on the house.”
“What?”
“You’re not feeling well and seem really hungry. If a guest comes all this way and leaves unsatisfied, it’d be embarrassing for our little shop”
“Uh—”
For a moment, Eze felt his face heat up, ashamed of his cynical thoughts; this habit of assuming the worst needed fixing.
“Well then, enjoy! Call me if you need anything”
The girl gave a slight bow and went off to tend to other tasks. Eze, after a pause, shook his head, decided not to overthink, and dug in.
Cutting a piece of meat with his knife and fork, he chewed slowly, his expression brightening before sinking again.
“…Tastes great. So why’s there no business?”