Gardenia’s Heart

“It’s so beautiful~!” 

Lily hummed as she ran her hands over the white fur hood now comfortably resting on her head. 

(I’m glad you like it.) Nia replied. 

Watching how the girl seemed to float in delight as she felt the pleasant texture of the fox fur that kept her ears warm, Nia could feel her body relax. 

After consuming all the ice foxes, the variety of materials Nia could transform into increased. After spending an entire night analyzing them, she created a hood for the cloak that covered Lily, lining it with white fur. 

Having spent most of her life in the fog, Lily had developed a certain resistance to the cold, which had intensified since merging with Nia. However, even though it wasn’t that cold anymore, Lily didn’t plan on taking off the hood anytime soon. 

After walking all day yesterday and resting overnight, the girls had already covered at least several dozen kilometers since leaving the nameless village where they lived. 

(Which village are we heading to anyway?) Nia asked with curiosity. 

“Do you see that small mountain on the horizon?” Lily pointed toward the distant land formation, a small blur within the fog. “Apparently, there’s a town called Stardust Spring there. Since it’s bigger than our village, I’m hoping to get a map with the money we’ve made. The fog is concentrated in the southern part of Anthus, so if we head north, where the capital is, we should eventually reach sunny lands.” 

The idea of blindly heading north without a map crossed Lily’s mind for just a moment. Navigating with the mountain as a landmark had already been incredibly difficult given the fog covering the horizon, so without specific guides, they would surely be lost forever. 

(What is stardust?) 

“It seems that many years ago, a small meteor filled with dense mana crashed into the mountain. The locals still use its materials in their products to this day. I’ve never seen one myself, though.” 

After walking for a few more hours, they could finally see the walls surrounding the town. 

(Is that really a structure?) Nia asked in disbelief as she stared at the five-meter-tall wall, utterly amazed. 

“Believe it or not, it is. The meteor fragments are valuable enough for the town to thrive even within the fog, so the defenses are of pretty high quality.” 

As the town's story suggested, it was nestled against the mountain. A large C-shaped wall stretched far beyond what the fog allowed them to see. Looking upward, Lily noticed a small deformity on the mountain’s side. If she was correct, that’s where the meteor had struck. 

As they approached the city gate, which was open, Lily observed two guards in leather and silver armor protecting the entrance. A small carriage, likely carrying goods, had just entered the town. 

Before getting any closer, Lily and Nia decided it was best to cover her red eye with her hair. Though Lily loved the eye she had received from Nia, she thought it would be safer not to attract more attention than necessary. 

With her icy expression once again on display, having to speak with someone other than Nia, Lily slowly walked toward the entrance. 

“Halt!” A silver spear struck the ground alongside the rough, mechanical voice of a man. “You’re not a local, are you? What’s the purpose of your visit?” 

The man studied Lily from head to toe. Since she was now wearing a cloak that covered her body, Lily could avoid the rude stares directed at her chest and legs. 

“I’m coming from a village to the east. I want to buy some products that aren’t available in my village,” she replied. 

“The easternmost village is five days away. Are you telling me you crossed that entire distance alone?” The man’s voice clearly expressed his suspicion. 

Lily couldn’t help but laugh internally, having made the trip that the man considered dangerous in less than half the time he mentioned. 

“I’m a mage. I can take care of myself.” She lifted the side of her cloak, briefly revealing the two swords at her waist before covering them again. 

The man thought for a few moments. Although Lily was a woman, a mage could survive alone in the misty forest if they had a certain level of power. Concluding that everything seemed fine, he continued. 

“The entrance fee for non-locals is five silver coins.” 

Not even Lily’s icy face could withstand the sudden economic blow she had just received. 

“Why is the fee so high?” she asked, barely containing her complaint. 

“The fee covers the security provided by the city walls against monsters. Of course, if you have a merchant’s card or an imperial soldier’s card, you can enter for free,” the man explained, likely reciting what he told everyone daily, indifferent to the girl’s surprise. 

Sighing internally, she took out five silver coins from her small pouch and handed them to the man. In return, he quickly placed a small hourglass in her hand. 

The object was about ten centimeters tall and consisted of two cones joined at their tips. In the top cone, a small amount of bright blue dust trickled down. Even when Lily turned it over, the dust continued falling into the other cone without returning, seemingly defying gravity. 

“Carry this with you at all times. This is a magical item given to visitors to track time. Your five silver coins have granted you access to the village for three days, and the sand will fall to indicate the passage of time. When it’s running low, you must return to the gates and leave the village. You can, of course, pay to extend your stay. However, if you’re caught inside the city with an expired hourglass, you will be immediately arrested, and you’ll be banned from entering the village in the future.” 

Security wasn't free in this world. Ever since Lily had been paying taxes to the two scoundrels in her village to maintain order, she knew that. However, finding a place with rules as strict as the protection it provided was far from pleasant.

Realizing the explanation had ended and that the three-day countdown for her stay in the city had already begun, she quickened her pace.

(Are you okay, Lily? I'm sorry for being useless when it comes to talking to others.) Nia’s concerned voice reached her mind, filling her with joy.

“Don’t worry about that. Even though I'm not the best at interactions either, let me handle those things,” she whispered, keeping her voice low since she had just entered the city, trying to reassure her companion.

As soon as she passed through the gates, both girls were greeted by a sight that could only be summed up in one word.

Imposing.

The streets were entirely paved with gray stones as far as the eye could see. Looking up, all the houses were built from dark wood and polished stone, neatly aligned to make the most of the available space within the walls.

Unlike her tiny village, the city was dozens of times larger. Many people walked through the streets, buying and selling goods. It seemed the layout was designed with carriage traffic in mind, as the roads were wide and there were dedicated sidewalks for pedestrians. The entire city was relatively flat and level, making walking easy and comfortable.

The silver-haired girl had never set foot in a city before, so naturally, she felt uneasy being surrounded by so many people.

(Lily, what's that building?) Nia's curious voice distracted her from her anxiety, helping her avoid panicking.

Amidst all the medium-sized houses, a few buildings stood out. The largest one, nestled against the mountain, was a three-story structure facing the main street, with an enormous sign bearing carefully drawn letters.

“It’s the town hall, I think. A place where the people in charge of the city work,” she whispered. Speaking with Nia felt like the greatest comfort, so even if she had to keep her voice low to avoid drawing attention, she continued.

Lily observed the stores, many with glass walls showcasing their luxurious clothing and goods, all illuminated not by candles, but by lamps she had never seen before.

Among all the shops, one in particular caught her attention.

“A bakery...”

She felt her mouth water, and before she even realized it, she was already inside. Even though dark mana served as most of her nourishment, she still craved the feeling of food inside her.

Upon noticing the rows of cakes and sweets displayed on shelves, along with the countless types of bread in baskets, Lily truly felt like she had found paradise.

(You really love bread, Lily.) Her beloved’s soft laughter echoed in her mind as she watched Lily excitedly gather several loaves and hand them to the woman at the counter.

“That’ll be 10 copper coins,” the woman said. The price was high, but the intoxicating smell of fresh-baked wheat that filled her nostrils was too powerful for Lily to resist.

After paying and leaving the bakery, she quickly grabbed a piece of bread generously topped with honey and unconsciously split it in half.

“Oh... I guess you can’t actually eat, right?” She sighed, realizing she had instinctively set aside a portion for Nia without thinking.

(Don’t worry. As long as you eat, I can enjoy the taste. Shared senses, remember?)

“Haha, that’s true. So I’ll make sure to eat for both of us.” The fact that the girl who had literally become her organs could still joke about it made Lily laugh heartily, ignoring the reactions of those on the street.

(You sound like a mother carrying a baby.)

“You are my beloved, precious baby, Nia.”

One of the girls laughed, while the other felt her body heat up. Unaware of this, a large piece of bread touched Lily’s tongue. The well-baked dough melted along with the honey, and the harmonious mix stimulated her taste buds, making her salivate even more. Lily silently apologized to the baker from her village —whom she wasn’t sure was even alive anymore—because she had to declare this was the best bread she had ever tasted in her life.

“So good~!”

She hummed happily while taking big bites of the bread, filling her empty stomach.

(Oh...! The taste is truly impressive.)

Nia commented softly, even she could sense how delicious the bread was.

“Right? Right?” Lily asked excitedly as she continued down the streets.

After getting her bread, none of the other shops caught her attention.

(What should we do today?)

The girls didn’t have many coins left. After paying for the city’s entry fee and the bread, their savings had been reduced to 16 silver coins and a handful of bronze ones. If they needed to pay for the city entrance again, they’d be in trouble.

“I think first we should find a place to sleep. After that, we can spend the rest of the day exploring and hopefully find a map.”

Since Lily had promised to make every decision with Nia, she always asked for her opinion on the plan.

(That sounds good to me. I’d also like to get you some new clothes, Lily.)

Nia’s gaze drifted to the brown shirt and pants that were partially hidden under the black cloak. They were now made of the same substance as Nia’s body. Though Lily didn’t mind staying like this, her beloved insisted she should dress better, so she wouldn’t argue with her wishes.

After walking for a bit, Lily reached a building that appeared to be an inn based on its sign. She wasn’t very literate, but she could make out enough letters to understand the basics of writing.

Entering the inn, she was greeted by a tall man in a suit behind a wooden counter. His broad shoulders gave off an imposing, uninviting air, but his posture was professional.

“Welcome, esteemed guest,” he said with a formal greeting. Without bothering to return it, Lily got straight to the point.

"I’d like to reserve your cheapest room for three days."

"Certainly, that will be three silver coins."

Sighing internally once more, Lily handed over the coins to the man, who gave her a key with a number engraved on it.

"Your room is on the second floor, and the number is marked on the key. Would you like me to show you?"

"No, that’s alright."

Turning around, she began ascending the stairs to the right of the modest reception hall.

"Three silver coins for the cheapest room should be a crime," she muttered under her breath as she searched for her room on the second floor.

(We’ll only have to worry about this until we have our own house. After that, we can live however we want.) Nia’s cheerful voice restored some of Lily’s energy.

It didn’t take long for her to find the right room along the narrow corridor. The inn seemed to have three floors, with the top one likely reserved for the more expensive rooms. Unlocking the door, she was greeted by a small three-square-meter space with a bed and a wooden table. As she sat on the bed, she noticed how soft it was.

"It’s not straw?" she questioned while feeling the bed’s soft texture. After a few moments of touching it, she concluded it was wool, then promptly lay down. "Although Nia’s cloak is much more comfortable."

She didn’t even bother to cover herself. The cloak that covered her back expanded, wrapping her whole body like a giant sleeping bag. Soft fibers gently enveloped her neck and head.

"No! I can’t sleep now!" She quickly sat up, realizing how much comfort Nia was giving her. Her eyes were already heavy with sleep, and Lily knew that if she lay back down, she’d fall asleep like a rock until morning.

As she jumped up, she heard a playful, disapproving groan from Nia.

(I almost had you~)

Her voice sounded a little annoyed, but Lily knew she wasn’t really upset. Nia sounded more like a child whose prank had just failed.

Pulling out the hourglass from her pocket, Lily saw that only about a tenth of the sand had moved to the bottom. She got to her feet again.

"Alright, we’ve secured a place to sleep and food. Let’s find a shop that might have a map and maybe some cheap clothes."

Opening the window of the room, a good portion of the city was visible, even through the fog.

"You know, I’ve always liked high places."

Leaning her arms against the window ledge, Lily enjoyed the elevated view of the city. Even if it was only a few meters, it was pleasant to her.

(Then let’s make our home high up. So high it’ll touch the sky.) Nia seemed excited as she envisioned their future home with Lily.

"Yes, and we can even have a hanging garden."

(What’s that?)

The two girls began to happily discuss their future plans. The comfort of talking to her beloved was so soothing that, despite their limited time, they decided to spend the rest of the day simply enjoying each other's company.