The forest gradually grew quiet after the battle.

  The wolf y motionless on the ground, its rge body proof of the fierce fight that had just taken pce. After catching their breath, the group resumed their exploration.

  Aiko, however, seemed more interested in the pnts around them.

  She crouched near a cluster of small green leaves growing beside a fallen log.

  “Ooh… what’s this one?” she asked curiously.

  Ellie walked over and knelt beside her.

  “That?” Ellie gently picked one leaf. “That’s Silverleaf Balm. Adventurers use it to make basic healing salves. It helps stop bleeding and reduces swelling.”

  Aiko’s eyes sparkled.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. It’s one of the most common medicinal herbs in forests like this.”

  Carefully, Aiko picked several leaves and pced them into her small sachet.

  Ellie watched her work and nodded approvingly.

  A few steps ter, Aiko pointed at another pnt.

  “What about this one?”

  It had long thin stems with tiny blue flowers.

  Ellie smiled slightly.

  “That’s Bluebell Root. The root is used for stamina potions. Alchemists grind it into powder before mixing it with other ingredients.”

  Aiko gently dug around the soil and pulled the root free.

  “Stamina potion… amazing.”

  She pced it into the sachet as well.

  The group continued walking while Ellie occasionally pointed out useful pnts.

  “That one is Sunfern,” Ellie said, pointing at a fern glowing faintly in the sunlight.

  “It helps cure fever.”

  “And that?” Aiko asked, pointing to a small pnt with red berries.

  “Bloodthorn Berry. Don’t eat it ra kow. But when processed correctly, it becomes a strong ingredient for healing potions.”

  Aiko carefully gathered each herb she found.

  Silverleaf Balm.

  Bluebell Root.

  Sunfern.

  Bloodthorn Berry.

  One by one, they disappeared into the small sachet hanging at her waist.

  At first, no one paid attention.

  But after several minutes…

  Kaelith slowed his steps.

  Darron eyes widened.

  Rynar blinked.

  Ellie stopped walking completely.

  The tiny pouch kept swallowing everything Aiko pced inside it.

  More herbs.

  More roots.

  More leaves.

  Yet the sachet looked exactly the same size.

  The group stared.

  Aiko noticed the sudden silence and slowly turned around.

  “…What’s wrong?” she asked nervously.

  Ellie pointed at the pouch.

  “That… your bag.”

  “My bag?”

  Ellie stared at it carefully.

  “That’s a magic bag, isn’t it?”

  Aiko blinked.

  “Magic… bag?”

  Ellie sighed.

  “You see, bags that can store rge amounts of items are extremely rare. They only drop in dungeons, and even then it’s uncommon. Most of them are bought by the Adventurers Guild, nobles, or the royal family.”

  “Nobles… and royalties…?” Aiko murmured.

  This was the first time she had heard about them.

  Feeling the group’s intense stares, cold sweat rolled down her back.

  “Ah… well… it was given to me by… an acquaintance,” she said awkwardly.

  Then she looked at the wolf’s massive body and casually added,

  “More importantly… should I put the wolf in here too?”

  She gnced back and forth between them.

  Silence.

  The group looked even more shaken than before.

  Ellie pressed her forehead.

  “A magic bag that can store something that rge…”

  She exhaled slowly.

  “…That would easily cost millions of gold coins.”

  Aiko froze.

  Millions?

  Her mind immediately began calcuting.

  If one gold coin was roughly equal to 10,000 yen from her previous life…

  Then a million gold coins would be—

  “Ten… billion yen…?!”

  Her jaw dropped.

  The completely stunned look on her face made the group burst into ughter.

  Ellie wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

  “It seems you really don’t know the value of what you’re carrying.”

  She crossed her arms and smirked.

  “Your acquaintance must be incredibly generous to give you such a treasure.”

  Then she cpped her hands.

  “Alright everyone! Pack up. We need to get back to the vilge before sunset.”

  The group quickly began preparing to leave.

  They formed a line and started walking down the forest path.

  Aiko, however, remained frozen where she stood, still processing the ridiculous price of her small pouch.

  Ellie noticed and looked back.

  “Aiko! Hurry up! We’re heading back!”

  Aiko looked at their backs as they walked away.

  Then a bright smile spread across her face.

  “Wait for me!”

  She hurried after them.

  The group finished packing and began walking back toward the vilge.

  One by one, they disappeared down the narrow forest path.

  Aiko, however, remained standing where she was, still lost in thought.

  Ellie gnced back and called out,

  “Aiko! Hurry up! We’re heading back!”

  Aiko lifted her head and looked at the group from behind as they walked ahead of her.

  A gentle smile appeared on her face.

  ...Nobles and royalty, huh.

  For some reason, those words sounded like nothing but trouble.

  People like that always bring complicated things with them…

  She scratched her cheek awkwardly.

  Well, it should be fine.

  As long as I never meet them.

  Her smile widened slightly.

  “Wait for me!”

  She hurried after the group, her small sachet bouncing lightly at her waist.

  At that time, Aiko did not know…

  That one day she would become close friends with the princess of this very kingdom.

  But that is a story for another time.

  – – –

  By the time the group arrived back at the vilge, the sun was already dipping toward the horizon.

  The warm orange glow of evening painted the small houses as vilgers slowly finished their daily work.

  The group walked straight toward the vilge pza, their mood noticeably cheerful.

  Standing near the well was Lewis, who looked up when he heard their footsteps.

  “Hey, you’re back already?” he called out.

  Ellie waved a hand.

  “Lewis!”

  Lewis walked over, slightly confused.

  “What’s with the happy faces? Did something good happen?”

  The group exchanged amused gnces.

  Ellie crossed her arms and said casually,

  “Lewis, call everyone to the pza tonight.”

  Lewis blinked.

  “Wait… what? Why?”

  Rynar smirked, leaning slightly on his sword. “You’ll see.”

  Aiko carefully reached into her small pouch. With a flick of her hand—

  Thud.

  The massive wolf carcass appeared on the ground in front of Lewis.

  Lewis froze, jaw dropping as he stared at the enormous beast.

  “Well…” the swordsman said proudly, chest puffed out, “this beauty is tonight’s banquet.”

  Lewis’s eyes widened further. He stared for a moment, completely shocked… then abruptly snapped out of it.

  Striking a dramatic thumbs-up pose, his expression exaggerated like something out of a manga, he grinned and shouted,

  “Leave it to me!”

  Without wasting another second, he hurried off toward the vilgers’ homes, ready to spread the news.

  The group watched him disappear down the pza, ughter bubbling quietly among them. Tonight, the quiet little vilge would be filled with cheer and celebration.

  – – –

  The moment Lewis returned from notifying the vilgers, the pza quickly filled with people.

  Excited chatter, ughter, and the smells of roasting meat filled the air. Children ran around the tables, chasing one another, while the adults carried ptters and mugs brimming with food and drink.

  At the center of it all, the vilge chief appeared, stepping up onto a small raised ptform. A hush fell over the crowd as he straightened his back and raised his hand.

  “Good evening, everyone!” he called.

  The vilgers quieted, turning their attention to the chief.

  “Tonight’s banquet is thanks to our young adventurers here,” he continued, gesturing toward the group. “They caught the massive wolf that will feed us all tonight!”

  The crowd erupted into appuse, cheering loudly.

  Aiko felt her cheeks flush. She looked down at her hands, unsure where to put them, embarrassed by the attention.

  But the others treated it like an everyday occurrence, ughing and nodding casually at the chief’s words.

  The vilge chief cpped his hands together.

  “Now! Let the banquet begin!”

  “Cheers!” the vilgers shouted, raising their mugs and cups.

  “Cheers!” the adventurers echoed, clinking gsses with them.

  And just like that, the feast began.

  Tables groaned under ptters of roasted wolf, vegetables, bread, and steaming pots of stew. The air rang with ughter, stories, and the occasional cheer of delight as someone took the first bite of a particurly rge chunk of meat.

  Vilgers passed mugs and bowls around freely. Some danced to a tune pyed by fiddles and drums, while others sang along, their voices blending into a lively hum of joy.

  Aiko quietly moved among them, tasting the food and observing the happy faces.

  Everywhere she looked, people were smiling, ughing, and enjoying themselves. The warmth of the gathering wrapped around her like a gentle hug.

  Finally, she stood near the edge of the pza and let herself watch the scene unfold.

  A genuine smile spread across her face.

  For the first time since arriving in this world, she felt… at home.

  – – –

  Later that night, after the banquet had wound down and the vilge had quieted, Aiko returned to her room.

  She closed the door behind her and sank onto her bed with a soft sigh.

  “I… I should probably check my status,” she muttered to herself.

  She whispered the word “status”, and the familiar window appeared before her eyes.

  Numbers and information floated in neat rows, just as always.

  …but nothing had changed.

  No new abilities. No new experience points. No surprises.

  A small frown appeared on her face for a moment.

  Then she thought back to the banquet—Lewis dashing around, the vilgers ughing, the lively music, the aroma of roasted wolf filling the pza.

  Her frown melted.

  A gentle warmth spread through her chest.

  Nothing changed… but… today was… really good.

  Aiko leaned back, her hands folded over her stomach.

  The events of the day repyed softly in her mind: gathering herbs with Ellie, the magic bag, the wolf, the cheers of the vilgers.

  A genuine, peaceful smile settled on her lips.

  Tomorrow… something tells me today’s excitement is just the beginning.

  Slowly, her eyelids grew heavy.

  And with the warmth of the vilge and the ughter still lingering in her thoughts, she drifted into sleep.

  – – –

  The next morning, Aiko woke up with a bright, vibrant smile.

  Sunlight streamed gently through the window, warming her room, and a soft breeze carried the scent of flowers and fresh air. The world outside seemed to hum with life, and for a moment, she just y there, enjoying it.

  Finally, she stretched and got ready for the day.

  Downstairs, the smell of cooking greeted her.

  Aiko saw the one of the long tables in the pza, she saw the group eating breakfast together.

  Their heads turned as she approached.

  “Morning, Aiko!” Ellie called warmly. “Come join us for breakfast.”

  Aiko’s face lit up. She nodded eagerly. “Yes! Thank you!”

  She hurried over and took a seat beside them. Quickly, she ordered her favorite dish: rabbit meat.

  When the pte arrived, Aiko’s eyes widened, sparkling with excitement. She gazed at the perfectly cooked meat as if it were the most precious treasure.

  Her expression was so transparent and full of joy that the others couldn’t help but notice—and ugh at how cute she looked.

  The mage tilted his head with a smile. “I didn’t know you liked rabbit meat this much.”

  Aiko’s cheeks flushed, but she happily replied through a mouthful of food, “Yes!”

  Her bright, innocent enthusiasm was so infectious that the group paused mid-bite, mesmerized. For a few moments, no one ate—they just watched her enjoy the meal, charmed by her lively energy.

  – – –

  After finishing her breakfast, Aiko wiped her hands and looked up.

  Ellie approached her, a gentle smile on her face. “Aiko, just so you know, we’ll be heading to the next city today.”

  Aiko’s eyes sparkled. “Understood! I’ll be ready.”

  Ellie nodded, her smile widening. “Good. We’ll be waiting for you at the pza when you’re done.”

  Aiko returned the smile, feeling light and excited for the day ahead.

  – – –

  Aiko arrived at the pza, her footsteps light and eager.

  At the center, the Emerald Pact was already waiting. They noticed her immediately and began waving.

  Ellie raised her hand higher and called out, her voice cutting through the morning bustle. “Hey! Over here!”

  Aiko smiled and hurried toward them, the excitement of joining the group for the journey to the next city filling her chest.

  The members of the Emerald Pact exchanged quick gnces and nods, ready to continue their adventure together.

  Aiko slowed her pace as she reached the Emerald Pact.

  “Have you been waiting long?” she asked, curiosity and excitement shining in her eyes.

  Kaelith shook her head with a soft smile. “No, we’ve just arrived as well.”

  Aiko and Kaelith exchanged a small, knowing smile, and Ellie’s gentle ughter followed. “If there’s nothing more, let’s get going,” she said.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Aiko replied, her voice brimming with anticipation.

  As she adjusted her satchel and fell in step with the group, she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.

  Here I come—the first step into my second life, she thought, her heart pounding with excitement for the adventures ahead.