Chapter 11: The Radiant Welcome

System Notification: [Heir of the Evernight Veil] – A person who has lived within and been recognized by the owner of the forest.

* “Owner of the forest? Who...?” Jin muttered to himself.

His thoughts flickered back to something Lyr once said—a story about a dragon slumbering somewhere deep inside the forest. “Could it be… from that time with the ruined temple and the [Ancient Golem]? Hm… I’ll have to go back and investigate, once I’m strong enough to step inside.”

While lost in thought and chatting casually with the others, Jin slowly approached the town’s gate. From a distance, the wall and gate stood around three meters tall, stretching wide on both sides. Guards stood alert atop the towers, their armor glinting faintly under the sunlight. Though Jin had seen countless medieval towns in Earth’s movies and games, standing in front of a real one gave him a strange, awe-inspiring feeling.

As they drew closer, Jin activated Appraisal (EX) and glanced at the structure.

----------------------------------------

[Willowshade]

A bordering town next to the Evernight Veil Forest

* Affiliation: Radiant Dominion Kingdom

* Overseer: Count Prigith Rhaskel

* Population: ~250,000 Citizens

* Military Power: ~35,000 Personnel

* Economy: Thriving with Trade and Adventurer Commissions

* Status: Peaceful

----------------------------------------

* “Well, that’s useful information,” Jin nodded to himself.

Kaela, leading the group, turned to explain as they joined a line near the gate.

* “This side’s for adventurers returning from their missions,” she said, motioning to the right line. “The other one’s for merchants and visitors from outside towns.”

As they shuffled forward, an older guard suddenly noticed Kaela and walked over with a familiar frown.

* “Miss Kaela? Where in the seven suns have you been the past two days?” he grumbled.

Kaela gave a sheepish laugh.

* “Hehe… we got lost in the forest while picking herbs for the guild.”

* “Lost?” the guard raised a brow. “You lot got lost picking herbs? Bah. You went hunting, didn’t you?” he huffed, giving her a light knock on the head.

* “Nooo! We really did find this super rare herb, so we went a bit deeper to get more, and then—hey! That hurts!” Kaela pouted, rubbing her head.

Watching the scene unfold, a strange warmth welled up inside Jin. He was reminded of moments from his past life—of scolding his grandkids after they’d run off and scared him half to death. They were always such a handful... and he missed them more than he cared to admit.

Eventually, with Kaela’s help, Jin and Lyr were cleared to enter. As they passed through the gates, the vibrant energy of the town hit them like a wave.

People bustled about, laughing and shouting. From his right, a pair of elves strolled by in animated conversation. To his left, human traders bartered with vendors—some of whom were beastkin, others human. The blend of races and cultures gave the place a welcoming warmth.

* “Wow,” Jin breathed. “All the races are here… and they actually seem pretty friendly, too.”

* “Well, we are the Radiant Kingdom, after all,” Thaldrik Ironstep grinned proudly. “Peace and harmony, right?”

* “We should find an inn before checking in at the guild,” Selwyn Vaerion, the elf, suggested. “Jin and Mr. Lyrderu will need rooms before they’re all taken.”

* “Good idea. Thaldrik, Markel, Reene—mind reporting to the guild first? We’ll catch up after getting these two settled.” - Kaela nodded.

* “No trouble at all,” Reene smiled. “We’ll see you both at dinner, right?”

* “Yeah,” Jin nodded. “Once we’ve dropped our things, we’ll come find you.”

Parting ways with the other three, Jin and Lyrderu were led through the streets by Kaela and Selwyn in search of an inn.

* “Well, first off, we’ll head to the Moon Bear. I’m staying there for now with Sir Thaldrik,” Selwyn explained. “It’s not much, but still the best inn in town. Breakfast is included, there’s a bar, and it’s close to the town center, so it’s a favorite among adventurers and traders.”

* “Ah… Sorry I didn’t mention this earlier, but I’ve been living in the forest for quite a while now, so… I… I don’t have…money,” Jin said, a little embarrassed.

* “Oh? So, you really lived in that forest? Not just a wanderer passing through?” Selwyn asked, surprised. “That’s hard to believe. Even we elves keep our distance—except for the lizardfolk, I guess. They like the swamps.”

* “Haha, first time seeing Jin. Lyr too surprised. No softskin lived or passed by before,” Lyrderu chuckled. “But Jin strong—defeated Lyr in duel. Jin built home… beautiful… deep in center of forest.”

* “Wow…” Kaela and Selwyn said at the same time, eyes wide in admiration.

As their chatter continued, the group arrived at the Moon Bear Inn.

* “But strong one… no worry. Lyr got this,” Lyrderu said proudly, revealing a hefty pouch filled with glittering gold and silver coins.

Jin stared at the pouch and muttered,

* “Now this is hard to believe… A Lizardman flashing coin…”

Lyrderu burst into laughter, clearly having caught Jin’s comment.

* “Lizardfolk… beastkin… need money too. We trade. We not monsters!”

* “Yeah, yeah, stop embarrassing me, you old lizard. Thanks though—I’ll pay you back,” Jin grumbled, pushing him toward the entrance.

Inside, the inn had a spacious lobby. A long table stood at the back, seemingly unmanned at first glance. To the left, tables and chairs were scattered about, filled with customers eating and chatting. To the right, a pair of benches and a table appeared to be a waiting area or a space for business talk.

Selwyn walked confidently toward the long table and started speaking to someone Jin couldn’t yet see. As he and Lyr approached, they realized it was a dwarf woman talking with Selwyn from behind the counter.

* “…and yeah—hey, Jin, this is Maela Caskburn, the inn’s lady. Mrs. Caskburn, got a spare room for my friends for the night?” Selwyn asked, nodding toward Jin and Lyr.

* “Hmm, I’ve got one room with two beds, and another single. Will you two share a room?” she asked, giving them a friendly look.

* “Lyr and Jin stay together,” Lyrderu replied.

* “Well then, second floor, first door on the right. Three silver coins per night. Breakfasts included, but if you’re heading out on a mission for more than two days, let us know ahead of time. Don’t like wasting food. If you need meals packed, ask during dinner the day before—we’ll prepare it for you by dawn. Dinner’s served over at the bar, but best come early. Gets slow during peak hours. Baths and stables are out back. If there’s anything else, I’ll be here.”

* “Thank you,” Jin and Lyr said together.

* “Well, let’s part ways for now,” Kaela said. “You guys settle in, maybe explore a bit. We’ll be waiting at the guild’s bar—let’s have dinner together.”

* “Sounds good. See you at dinner,” Jin replied, and Lyrderu nodded in agreement.

As Kaela and Selwyn made their way back to the exit, Jin and Lyr climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor. The room, while simple, felt spacious with just two beds and a small table set for two.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

* “Well… it’s not a double suite,” Jin muttered, remembering his travels on Earth. “And I don’t even have anything to unpack…”

He paused.

* “But at least no one’s yelling at me to hurry anymore…”

That last thought struck deeper than expected.

His eyes stung a little.

He missed her.

Even her nagging voice… even her yelling.

He wished she could be here now—seeing this new world with him, listening to his stories, sharing this moment.

It was the first time in a while he had thought about his past life. Since arriving in this world, there hadn’t been much room for nostalgia. “Was it age? People said older folks got emotional easier. I’d died at 97, and now, nearly a year had passed here… making me 98?”

With a dry chuckle, he wiped his face and went to wash up.

Meanwhile, Lyrderu had been silently watching Jin.

To him, Jin was no ordinary man. Strong, brave, disciplined—like a warrior touched by the gods. Lyr didn’t think much about glory or fame; he simply wished for freedom and a better future for his people. Being with Jin… was never boring.

But something was different since they arrived in Willowshade. Jin wasn’t the same fierce warrior anymore. His pace had slowed. His eyes had softened. He looked at townsfolk, shops, even simple signs, with a kind of quiet wonder.

And now, standing alone in their room… he cried?

Lyr had never seen this side of him.

* “…Strange softskin,” Lyr thought to himself, folding his arms.

* “Strong one… interesting. Keep getting stronger… Lyr will observe closely.”

The guild bar was alive with clinking mugs, sizzling food, and the low hum of conversation. Lanterns cast a warm glow across the wooden beams above, and the smell of roasted meat and spices filled the air.

Jin and Lyrderu stepped in, looking around. It didn’t take long for Kaela to spot them and wave enthusiastically from a table near the back. The rest of her party was already seated: Thaldrik nursed a tankard, Selwyn leaned back in his chair with a half-eaten pie in front of him, and Reene and Markel were caught in a quiet argument over something scribbled on a napkin.

* “There you are!” Kaela grinned. “Come on, we saved seats.”

Jin offered a faint smile and joined them, Lyrderu sitting beside him with his usual heavy thud.

* “Drink? Meal? Or both?” Selwyn asked, raising his mug. “Food here is good, just... don’t ask what meat it is if the cook looks nervous.”

* “That’s oddly specific,” Jin said.

* “He bit into what turned out to be roasted slime-rat. Didn’t talk for a full day.” - Thaldrik snorted.

* “Don’t worry, I ordered something safer. Just meat skewers, roasted root veg, and spiced rice.” - Kaela laughed.

As the food arrived, the table grew more relaxed. Jin listened as Kaela chatted about their last quest—escorting a merchant caravan that turned out to be smuggling illegal potions.

* “I still can’t believe the guy tried to bribe the border guard with the potion he was smuggling,” Reene muttered, shaking her head.

* “So,” Markel leaned toward Jin between bites, “you ever thought about joining the guild?”

* “Huh?” - Jin blinked.

* “The Adventurer’s Guild,” Reene added. “You’ve got skills, obviously. And it’s helpful for travelers.”

* “Like a passport?” Jin asked, curious.

* “Pass...port?” - Kaela confused

* “It’s a word from where I’m from,” he said quickly. “Just means something that proves your identity, lets you cross borders.”

* “Oh! Then yeah, that’s exactly what a guild ID does,” she nodded, understanding dawning. “Most towns recognize it. You show it at gates, and unless you’ve got a bounty on your head, they let you through. Plus, you can take on official requests, stay in guild-affiliated inns, even get discounts on gear.”

* “And free ale if you know the right people,” Selwyn added, raising his mug.

Jin paused, mulling it over.

* “Might be useful, yeah. I’ve... never needed something like that before, but I guess the forest doesn’t have border checks.”

* “No border… just monsters and death.” - Lyrderu let out a deep chuckle.

* “That’s… morbidly accurate,” Thaldrik commented.

* “Jin strong,” Lyr continued proudly. “Guild or not, he beat Lyr in duel.”

That earned a few raised brows and impressed nods.

* “Guess we’ve got ourselves a real wild forest warrior, huh?” Selwyn grinned. “You’ve got the vibe.”

Jin shook his head with a small smile.

* “More like a hermit who forgot how people work.”

* “Well, welcome back to civilization,” Kaela said, lifting her glass. “To new friends—and maybe future teammates?”

They clinked their cups.

After a round of drinks and more relaxed chatter, the conversation shifted.

* “So, how’d you all meet?” Jin asked, glancing between them.

* “Oh, it’s a mess,” Reene laughed.

* “I found Markel hanging upside down in a snare trap in the forest,” Selwyn said. “He was screaming about squirrels.”

* “They stole my rations!” Markel defended. “And Selwyn just watched me for ten minutes before helping.”

* “Because it was hilarious.”

Kaela chimed in:

* “I met Reene in a dungeon. She got separated from her team, and I had to carry her out after she twisted her ankle dodging a mimic.”

* “It looked like a treasure chest!” Reene blushed. “And I panicked!”

* “I joined after I got tired of watching them fumble through missions. Someone had to keep them alive.” - Thaldrik grunted.

* “He says that, but he brings us soup when we’re sick,” Kaela teased.

The table burst into laughter.

Jin found himself smiling without realizing it. He looked around at the group—how they joked, how they understood each other. How natural it all felt.

* “So… Willowshade seems like a good place,” he said quietly.

* “It is,” Selwyn nodded. “Peaceful most of the year. We’ve got trading caravans, a solid mayor, and decent defense. The only thing I hate?”

* “The street’s pitch black after sunset,” Kaela groaned. “It’s like walking through a cave with your eyes closed.”

* “I tripped over a turnip cart last week,” Reene admitted.

* “There’s… no street lighting?” – Jin asked again.

* “There aren’t any proper lamps, really,” Thaldrik said, crossing his arms. “Some parts of town used to have them long ago, but nothing remains now. If folks want to walk around at night, they bring lanterns—or use light magic if they can.”

Kaela added with a wry smile, “The town’s been trying to fix that, placing torches here and there... but open flames and wooden buildings don’t mix well. It’s a fire hazard waiting to happen.”

* “Especially with drunk adventurers stumbling about,” Selwyn muttered under his breath, making the others chuckle.

Jin leaned back in his seat, thoughtful. “Streetlamps, huh…”

As the night wore on and the drinks kept flowing, the table became a chorus of laughter, teasing, and cheerful banter.

Jin, quieter now, gazed out the window at the moonlit town. For the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of belonging... fragile, but warm.

He didn’t need to say much. Just being here was enough.

But maybe, just maybe... he could give something back to this place.