Finally, I see a town.
Yarrow gazed at the towering buildings in the distance, relief washing over him. After eleven grueling days of travel, he had finally returned to the kingdom. No more sleeping under the open sky. No more choking down bland fish soup. The thought alone made him sigh with exhaustion and satisfaction.
"It's been so long since I've been to a human town."
Tao Hu, the pink-haired fox spirit, floated lazily beside him. Though she lacked proper spells, levitating herself seemed effortless. She drifted along, unbothered by the journey.
Unlike her, Ji Xiaofei was anything but relaxed. The usually lively girl had been quiet since they approached civilization, her fingers twisting together nervously.
"Yarrow..." She tugged at the hem of his clothes. "If someone finds out I'm a delicious little chicken, will they take me away?"
"Maybe," Yarrow replied absentmindedly.
Ji Xiaofei's face paled. Realizing his mistake, Yarrow quickly added, "Relax. I'm here. Even if you haven't transformed into a human, I doubt anyone will rob me of a chicken. Worst case, I'll just grab another one from the market."
That seemed to reassure her. She exhaled softly, stepping closer to him as they made their way toward the city gates.
Unbeknownst to them, a figure crouched on a tree branch nearby, hidden beneath a heavy cloak. Two sharp dragon horns jutted through the fabric of her hood, silver-white hair spilling from beneath it.
Tch. Disgusting humans. Always turning magical creatures into girls and keeping them as pets...
Zen, the Silver Moon Dragon King, glared at Yarrow's retreating back, her golden, slit-pupiled eyes burning with fury.
She had been trailing them for three days. At first, she wanted to confront him outright, but uncertainty held her back. What if he wielded some kind of overwhelming magic? Instead, she chose to observe, waiting for the right moment.
After escaping the ruins, she had sought out a dragon elder to undo the spell. The reaction she got still made her grind her teeth in frustration.
After hours of failed attempts, the elder had simply sighed and said, "This isn't ordinary magic. It's as if your very existence has been rewritten at a fundamental level."
With that, the elder had given up, advising his kin to avoid this mysterious human at all costs. That only deepened Zen's fear. What kind of power had Yarrow stumbled upon?
Returning to the dragon clan like this was unthinkable. She would become a laughingstock, a walking humiliation branded into history. No, she had to find him. If she couldn't reverse the spell, she would at least make him pay.
Know your enemy before you strike.
So she watched, waiting for proof of his terrifying power.
Three days passed. Nothing.
Aside from conjuring a fireball to light a campfire, Yarrow had displayed no extraordinary abilities. He ate, walked, and occasionally complained about his sore feet.
Could it be… that besides this one absurd ability, he's just an ordinary person?
Still, she couldn't be careless. What if she confronted him, and he smirked, saying, "Haha! I've been waiting for you! Prepare to become my emotionless doll, living only to serve me!"?
No. She needed more time.
Meanwhile, Yarrow, blissfully unaware of the dragon shadowing him, led his companions into the bustling city streets.
His first stop was the Adventurers' Guild, where he exchanged the ancient coins from the ruins for a hefty bag of gold. After setting some aside for emergencies, he deposited the rest in the bank.
Then, he handled the last of his business—officially canceling his fallen teammates' registrations and turning in their few remaining relics. If they had families, the guild would arrange compensation, assuming they had purchased such services beforehand.
Not his problem.
With that weight off his shoulders, Yarrow finally allowed himself to relax. He even sold the oversized pot he had been lugging around.
Now, all he wanted was a hot bath, a hearty meal, and a soft bed. Tomorrow, he would take a carriage home, back to warmth and comfort.
"Wow," Ji Xiaofei murmured, eyes wide as she took in the bustling streets. "This city's so much bigger than the last one."
And far more dangerous, if only they knew who was watching.
Walking through the bustling streets, Tao Hu floated leisurely, her pink ears twitching as she curiously scanned the shops and vendors lining both sides. The air was filled with the scent of roasted meat, freshly baked bread, and the occasional tang of alchemical potions.
"Of course, it's big," Yarrow explained, glancing at her. "Haidar City is the fourth-largest city in the Will Kingdom. Even though it's on the border, it's the only major city in front of the Gleaming Mountains, so it thrives on tourism and the adventurer economy."
Unlike Haidar, Yarrow's home was in Alexsted, the capital, hundreds of kilometers away. Still, a carriage or an earth dragon car could get him there in just over a day.
As the three of them strolled down the lively streets, they inevitably attracted attention. Beautiful, delicate beastfolk like Ji Xiaofei and Tao Hu were rare in the kingdom, especially ones with such human-like appearances. Most beastfolk were still covered in fur, large and rugged, more bestial than humanoid. Those with more refined, human features—like these two—typically belonged to high-ranking noble families.
To make matters worse, Tao Hu's ruqun, gifted by the system, was utterly foreign to this world. The flowing silk and intricate embroidery stood out starkly against the local fashion.
Yarrow sighed. This was going to cause trouble. Best to deal with it now.
"Let's get you two some new clothes," he decided.
Ji Xiaofei's eyes lit up the moment they stepped into a clothing shop. "New clothes! New clothes!" She practically bounced as she admired the garments displayed in glass cases, pressing her hands against the smooth surface.
Tao Hu, on the other hand, hovered lazily above the floor, arms crossed. "Do we really need to change? I like this one. It reminds me of my original world."
"You need to change the most," Yarrow replied, side-eyeing her. "That outfit is too different. Besides, you can't wear the same thing forever, right?"
Before Tao Hu could argue, a young sales clerk with freckles approached them with a warm smile. "Hello, how can I help you?"
"Find something for these two," Yarrow said. "Doesn't have to be fancy—just something simple and affordable."
"Of course! Please come with me," the clerk said cheerfully, leading Ji Xiaofei and Tao Hu toward the back dressing rooms.
Yarrow stayed behind, browsing the men's section. He did need a spare set of clothes, after all. As he considered his options, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Yarrow, Yarrow!"
He turned to see Ji Xiaofei peeking out from behind the thick curtain of the dressing room, waving excitedly.
"What is it?" He walked over warily.
"Look! They even have see-through skirts here!" Ji Xiaofei giggled, pulling open the curtain just enough to reveal a sheer, purple gauze dress.
Yarrow's heart nearly stopped. His face paled, then flushed. He yanked the curtain shut in a panic, eyes darting around. Fortunately, no one had noticed.
He exhaled sharply. "What the hell are you wearing? Didn't I tell you to change into normal clothes?!" He hissed through clenched teeth.
"The clerk lady just gave us the clothes and left, but there are a lot of… other things here too," Ji Xiaofei said, looking completely unfazed.
As if to prove her point, Tao Hu's voice came from inside the curtain.
"This… this is underwear? There's so little fabric… I don't understand."
Yarrow dragged a hand down his face. "Stop messing around and just change," he groaned.
"Oh." Ji Xiaofei nodded and slipped back behind the curtain.
Yarrow let out a relieved breath, only to realize he felt a little overheated.
That kind of clothing… It's even more dangerous than being completely naked…
He quickly turned back to the men's section, trying to shove the thought out of his mind.