"I have to report her!!!"
Tatsumi regained his senses and bolted out of the shop, so fast that Asahi didn't have time to remind him that reporting wouldn't do any good.
And indeed, the local authorities didn't care about such a "small matter." If he had money, they might have glanced at him, but a young man like Tatsumi, now penniless, didn't even get the chance to file a report before being chased away.
Helpless, Tatsumi wandered the streets, his stomach constantly growling. He regretted not eating a little more earlier and letting that scammer eat everything, not leaving a single crumb.
"Those breasts... I mean that woman! When I see her again, she'll pay!"
Tatsumi clenched his empty money pouch, shouting angrily. Then he slumped down, utterly disheartened.
"Damn it."
"In the village, no one would lie so brazenly."
Tatsumi was teary-eyed. His journey had barely begun, and he was already missing his village.
After wandering for a while, he returned to the area near the café. He found a relatively clean spot to lean against. Fortunately, he brought his fur coat; otherwise, tonight would truly be a nightmare.
Even so, cold gusts of wind still chilled him, making Tatsumi shiver slightly. He looked at the still-lit windows of the café, wondering if he should ask to sleep there for a night.
The thought immediately vanished. People in the Capital were too different from those in his village. Although the shop owner looked kind, who knew for sure? After all, the woman who took his money didn't look like a bad person either.
"Guess I'll have to spend the night outside. I can sleep anywhere, after all."
Comforting himself, Tatsumi closed his eyes.
"Hey, kid, don't you have a home to go to?"
Asahi walked out with a bag of trash. What caught his attention first was the young man who had been scammed earlier, now huddled by the roadside.
Tatsumi felt like he had found a kindred spirit and tearfully poured out his troubles.
"I'm from the countryside, sir, how could I have a home? That woman swindled all my money!"
Clop! Clop! Clop!
As Tatsumi was recounting his woes, the sound of an approaching carriage drew near. It was an exquisite red carriage, driven by two men in armor. Stopping in front of Tatsumi, the two soldier drivers turned toward him and spoke to the person inside.
"Again, milady?"
"I can't help it."
A voice answered from inside the carriage. It sounded like a young girl was sitting inside, and a very young one at that.
"It's just the way I am."
A young lady dressed in elegant light blue and white attire stepped out of the carriage. She approached Tatsumi and bent down.
"If you have nowhere to sleep, would you like to stay at my house?"
Being invited home to sleep by a beautiful, gentle, and elegantly dressed young lady on a cold night stunned Tatsumi for a moment.
However, he remained cautious, having just been scammed, and didn't speak up.
"I... I don't have a single coin."
"You wouldn't be sleeping here if you had money, would you?"
The young lady smiled gently. At this moment, the two soldier drivers stepped up from behind to add their support.
"Lady Aria cannot abandon people like you. You should accept her generosity."
"Well, what is your decision?"
Aria looked at Tatsumi. He was deeply moved at this moment. Mainly because he had lost everything and couldn't be tricked out of anything more.
"Well..."
"Wait a moment."
But just as Tatsumi was about to agree, Asahi's voice rang out. He hadn't said a word until now, so why speak up now?
"Thank you for your kindness, milady. But I can offer him a place to stay."
Asahi's words surprised everyone present, including Tatsumi.
"Mr. Shop Owner..."
Tatsumi was bewildered.
"Hey..."
One of the soldiers frowned and was about to step toward Asahi but was stopped by Aria's hand. She maintained her initial composure and said,
"There's no need for that. As long as those in distress are helped, that's enough. So, have you decided?"
Aria turned to Tatsumi. He looked at the young lady, then back at Asahi. After an internal struggle, he stammered,
"Thank you... Lady Aria... but I'll stay with the shop owner."
"It's alright then, I'll be going."
The two soldiers glanced at Asahi and then followed Aria away. He remained calm as usual.
He didn't just feel a sudden urge to let Tatsumi stay; there was something odd about those three. It wasn't that he doubted the young lady's sincerity; she genuinely seemed to want to help others. It was just that the gaze of the two soldiers next to her seemed off.
Besides, he was already planning to let the young man crash here, so it was just killing two birds with one stone.
"Alright, let's go inside. What's your name?"
"Just call me Tatsumi! Please guide me, Mr. Shop Owner!"
"No need to call me Mr. Shop Owner, Asahi is fine."
"Yes, Mr. Asahi!"
The carriage had gone far away, and the two re-entered the café.
"Sit down."
Tatsumi sat down on a stool by the counter. Asahi quickly brewed a hot cup of coffee and placed it in front of him.
"Mr. Asahi, this..."
"It's on the house. Just drink it."
"Thank you very much!"
The drink was truly different from most things he knew. At first, it tasted quite bitter, but as it dissolved and spread down his throat, there were many other indescribable flavors. Tatsumi didn't know what it was, but he only felt it was delicious and extremely warming. The cold he felt outside earlier was completely chased away.
"It's good, isn't it? It's the main drink I sell, though people in the Capital mostly drink wine and beer."
The two talked, and the topic shifted towards Tatsumi.
"You came here to get rich and save your village?"
"Yes."
"The military path? Tatsumi, to be honest with you, that sector isn't looking too good right now."
"It's okay, sir. I'm mentally prepared for it. As long as I can get promoted, I can endure any hardship."
Asahi used his authority to check Tatsumi's strength. He was much stronger than an ordinary person, which explained why he wanted to join the military.
"Asahi, I don't know how to repay you. I didn't expect there to be such a good person in the Capital."
"It's just a favor. If you want to repay me, work here until you can join the military. Of course, I'll pay you fairly."
"Mr. Asahi... that's too kind..."
"I said it's just a favor."
Continuing to talk, Asahi learned that Tatsumi hadn't come to the Capital alone but with two other young people from his village, a boy and a girl named Ieyasu and Sayo, respectively. The three grew up together and were very close friends.
"It's just that we were attacked by robbers on the way here and got separated."
"They're both very skilled, so I'm not too worried. It's just that Ieyasu is unreliable and bad-tempered. It's been a long time since the three of us last met."
Tatsumi even took out a small statue carved from hardwood, a gift the village chief gave him before he left. Now, he had reached the Capital, but he didn't know if the other two had arrived yet.
"Alright, go to sleep. It's getting late."
Asahi got up and went upstairs, with Tatsumi following. There were five or six different rooms, so he let the young man choose freely.
"The restroom is over there. Just call if you have any problems."
"Yes, good night, Mr. Asahi."
Tatsumi arranged his belongings and looked out the window in contemplation. Although he had been completely swindled upon arriving, he was lucky to meet good people like the shop owner Asahi and the young Lady Aria. He felt that the path ahead was no longer as rough as it first seemed. Now, his only concern was where Ieyasu and Sayo were.
"Hang in there, self!"
Whispering a word of encouragement to regain his motivation, Tatsumi drifted into a deep sleep, ending his first exhausting day in the Capital.