Amid the preparations, Aoki was bathing within this steamy, bubbly place with the scrub on his hands, rubbing every scratchy skin and malodorous stains from his sweat. He sat on a convenient round wooden chair and gripped a handful bucket of boiling water, drenching all around his skin without a hesitant bit. He could enjoy the soothing warmth of the water since he accustomed his bodily condition in every winter season of Japan, giving no sign of flinch.

After he finished his session, he wrapped and secured the towel around his waist, stepping out of the bathroom and leaving himself topless. The slippery surface pressured him to stand on his steady feet and walk, so all he could do was ambling to the door for the exit. Once he unlocked and pushed the door, he found Lilith in azure silk halter and damp amethyst hair with her towel wrapping around her neck and collar, standing in front of him to wait—or perhaps combing her hair with her eyes focusing beside him.

“You’re giving me a creep,” he said.

“I was wiping my hair in front of the mirror,” she pointed at the mirror beside him. “Here’s the proof.”

“Eh?” he glanced beside him. “Oh, that makes sense. Convenient for you to place it here.”

“Always check your looks before completing your fresh bath. Whenever I have a dirty look, I always seek any untidy spots and wash it out with gentle scrub and fix. That’s how you can bring smiles every day and night.”

“I do a daily bath twice, so it also brings me a smile to sleep.”

“Sounds like a sweet dream,” she smiled.

After she finished a wipe on her hair and spine, she walked towards her respective room while he stepped in front of the mirror and looked at himself with his new hairstyle by her suggestion, upheaving his head in a bit of vertical angle and rubbing his chin and neck to flex his new looks.

“I still look like a douche, but just decent,” he mumbled.

He then walked away from the mirror, heading towards his room to change his clothes, wearing a suitably light brown blazer.

* * *

Spica nestled on the couch with her crossed arms lying beneath her cheeks, facing sideways. Her sluggish body motivated her to nap from her loads of chores. Every blink caused her to dose herself with a sleepy fade, even if the glitter of daylight surrounded the house through windows.

After Aoki and Lilith finished their preparation for a date, they walked down the stairs and saw Spica with her sleepy pose. Her snores attracted them with a smile on their face; Lilith’s grin was brighter than Aoki, who formed with his sole lips.

“Have you already told her about it?” he asked.

“Yes, since minutes before seeing you,” she whispered to his ear. “... for a second time.”

He nodded as her words provided him a bit of background behind his eyes. He could have nudged on Spica’s head with the whisper of farewell, but he also wanted not to speak like a mere kind fellow who bonded her for an insufficient time.

Lilith patted on his shoulder, “Let’s go. I have a key in my pocket.”

Before going out, she locked every window to secure the house. Then they stepped out from sleeping Spica and exited the house of roses, closing the main door and inserting the key into the lock with a click.

Thus, they headed towards the rental carriage station.

* * *

After Lilith prepared all the process for their carriage, she escorted Aoki into the curved-shaped carriage with hay on the open space while she took herself a role by sitting on the driver’s seat, and she then gripped the rein in two hands, whipping the horse to start their journey towards the Capital City of Dore—across the north of Balc Village. 

* * *

Along the trek through the northern path towards the Capital City of Dore, the warm breeze soothed their chest and hair, and the glitter of sunlight along with the dancing grasses and flapping trees dazzled their eyes with a wondrous smile. The clear blue sky with cottony clouds and faraway mountains matched their breathtaking view around the moving cart carriage. The rumble of wheels and clip-clop of horses disrupted them, although it hadn’t bothered them since it was natural to hear as a daily life.

He looked at her and said, “This reminds me of video games.”

“Vi... dew gems? I have never heard of it.” she replied.

“Pfft~,” he laughed. “That’s not how you mention the word. Have you ever been to a casino before?”

“Casino?” she shook her head. “Never heard of it too.”

“Well, I came from a different place.”

“I know. You don’t have to say that over again,” she giggled. “Describe it for me.”

“It’s a place where you play a gambling game or some… anything else, but I don’t really get involved in such things. I mean....  I was just wondering if you have that kind of job as a prostitute.”

“Oh.... You were referring to gamble. I really despise it since I don’t take and waste many credits that were really worked up too much, but it’s now lost to the hands of the lucky winners with lazy enjoyment.”

“Sounds like a selfish person.”

“Does every person have that?”

Her words caused the pause of their conversation. He turned his head and looked at the outside, marvelling around what his eyes caught with every inch. The wind with the mix of the carriage’s acceleration was gusting, and it gyrated his bowl-cut hair with dancing strands. His thoughts about being selfish clouded his mind of guilt. His lips formed a frown, although her tender voice consoled his view by motivating him to wonder whenever he wanted.

“Do you think I’m also a selfish person?” he asked.

She asked, “What do you value the most?... even if the time before we met each other.”

His palm tapped on his lap as if his mind dared to say with uncanny bother. He thought, Value? Does she mean money?

Thinking about it, the value he meant was a sole marketing term which he viewed as a bothersome hindrance from his dense mind. Had he learned about the term in expandable diction?—or perhaps he didn’t want to mess himself from hearing it multiple times back when he was still in his original world. He used to place his value from his sole “neighbor’s” share for his necessities, so he referred to the word from her advice, but what he didn’t get was the reason to expand his definite view, rubbing his chin to continue reaching the point.

“Is it ‘money’?” he asked.

“Do you value money more? I don’t think a young man like you would think and talk deeply about money.”

“Oh...”

With that, he realized from her coherent words. He tapped his feet on the wooden ground to snap his mind with a definite thought.

He mumbled, “I almost forgot the term. Damn, I feel like sleeping every time in the middle of class,” he raised his voice. “Um... I feel like drawing is my best fit for me.”

She smiled, “Drawing? Can you paint?!”

“I can paint when it has an eraser to it since my hands are kinda slippery.”

“Quite absurd to hear, but I guess you really know how to admit your flaws.”

“It’s not like that,” he paused and frowned, wiggling his fingers while gazing at it. “Thanks for the compliment, though.”

“I want to see you draw and paint.”

“Is there a Strathmore paper? Have you brought the money?”

“Yes, in the Capital City of Dore, and... yes, for the purse in my pocket. Especially the brush. These will add to my list.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Her words triggered him with a bright smile and a brisk wake of his heart, feeling the exciting nerves from the deep of his tingle. He would have brought the pencil even if he came from another world, but his patience could serve him better to think and expand his vision for his contentment. He missed his digital method to sketch and paint on the flat screen with the smooth tip of the pen, yet his failures bothered him with no sign of help—it was the reason to surrender even an inadvertent solution. For now, he was with her who wanted to look forward to his upcoming skill of art. She enthused him to bond more with her presence, but why did she bring him up?

With that, he gazed outside, enjoying the view of nature with a countryside-like vibe while she continued reining the horse to travel towards the Capital City of Dore.

* * *

Passing through the Chapel, she saw dozens of patrols in orange coats; each of them were holding a musket with the strap around their shoulder to secure their leisurely grip. They were scattering altogether to search for any clues of whereabouts to this case. There was also a loaded open-rectangular carriage with stacked, swollen corpses that parked on the side of the road.

“I hope they don’t suspect closer,” she mumbled.

After she glanced at the scene of the Chapel, she turned her head behind and saw him laying down on the hay with his closed eyes and sluggish mouth of gape, sleeping by the usual breeze and clip-clop.

No eyes from the men in orange coats caught them as they were bypassing casually.

* * *

—Capital City of Dore

They finally arrived on the first step in the city of crowded brick buildings and the usual populace with their busy voice. Lilith parked the carriage in the station near the southern gate, going through the return of the rental carriage. The sudden quake within the carriage woke Aoki from his deep, tedious sleep. He then opened his eyes and raised his torso to check the happening.

Getting up from the hay and jumping off the carriage, he gaped his mouth as the fresh view of the peaceful city with suitable traditions such as powdered wigs, frisky walk, frilly coats and gowns, and many more which found it similar to classic European ambience astounded him. His dazzling eyes were panning with a worthwhile stroll.

To her, she smiled over his face of amazement as it was his first time to feel the vibe.

“Aoki!” she called, waving at him. “I have something to give you.”

Hearing her words, he approached her with brisk legs to fulfill his enjoyment. Reaching in front of her, she handed the round-shaped pocket watch from her skirt pocket to him, and he gripped it on his palm.

“Take this as my tracking device on you since this place will soon become a crowded party.”

He put the pocket watch into his coat pocket and said, “Thank you. I will look forward to our date.”

“Sure,” she winked.

Once she clutched his hand and folded his fingers for their sure security, they began wandering beside each other within the Capital City of Dore.

* * *

“What do you want to pick?”

“Um… I want something fried, but I have seen none of those.”

“‘Fried’? Such an unfamiliar word.”

“Ok…. Since I already told you that I came from a ‘different place’, you should’ve ignored a weird feeling about me.”

“Oh, really? How cruel and shameful I am to you.”

“Maybe… I can spread the whole world to cook and eat fried foods.”

“Is that a promise?… or a joke?”

“Just think of it by yourself, if I can find oil on it, although you can use the animal fats with it. You know, something that secretes the juice from roasted meat.”

“Oh… so that’s why it tastes delicious.”

“But I’m afraid that it might lose your shape if you eat so so much, or else you will become fat.”

“Really? Oh, how caring you are.”

“It’s not like that, but I mean… I can let you experience my favorite taste and indulge it like a food tour.”

“Ok, now I’ll proclaim you to be a chef.”

“Sorry, but I don’t know how to cook.”

“… Oh, but I can teach you something best.”

“I may be a bit of clumsy when I grip most cooking utensils, plus I have also shaky hands.”

“He he he… I can fix it despite excuses.”

“How?”

“Relax, or else it doesn’t please you much in your entire lifetime.”

“I’ll thank you in advance for that.”

“You need to battle yourself before you’ll battle others.”

“…. Ok. Cool.”

“Great, the deal’s done. What will you pick then?”

“Roasted chicken with gravy sauce.”

“Oh… my favorite.”

“Really?”

“Hunting chickens and roosters had me a pleasant feeling.”

“Nice. I should remind myself to see how you do it.”

“Don’t fret. I always welcome you to stay our house even eternity.”

“Sounds promising.”

“…. Well, time to indulge ourselves with our lunch.”

“As much.”