Walter and the Inn
"Village... you say?"
I patted the girl's shoulder and said.
"Call it traveling... anyway, I'm kind of drifting right now, so I need a place to crash for a few days."
"R-really? Yes... I can guide you there."
The girl nodded.
We wandered through back alleys littered with trash (people included), chatting about whatever caught our curiosity.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Sofia. I'm fifteen this year."
"So why are you wandering around a dangerous place like this all alone?"
"Well... we have to pay protection money regularly to the cartel guys..."
That part bothered me a bit. A girl like her roaming these sketchy back alleys alone. If she'd run into the wrong vagrant, things could've gone south fast.
Crack!
"Keh... kehk..."
Even as we talked, I'd just taken down a vagrant charging at us.
Sofia led the way to a village that, surprisingly, had a welcoming vibe.
Red brick houses lined the streets, giving off a classic '90s Korean villa neighborhood feel. The facilities were rundown from poor maintenance, sure.
"Halt! Who are you?"
"...Huh?"
There was even a guard at the village gate.
"Ah! Eddie, it's fine. This person's just looking for a place to stay. They're not suspicious or anything."
"Hmph... if you say so. Go on through."
The guard, Eddie, was a middle-aged guy in an old combat suit with a one-handed sword at his hip. The scars crisscrossing his face told stories of battles hard-fought and won.
We passed the sentry and headed into the village.
"This is our village. Dark Rock Village!"
"Hooh..."
Compared to the lawless wasteland outside, it felt surprisingly normal and orderly—like a place where people actually lived.
The residents we passed on the street kept shooting me sidelong glances. Probably because I was the new face, or maybe my outfit stood out.
Whatever. My first priority was finding an inn.
"Sofia, do you know where the inn is?"
"Eek!"
She'd been skipping along ahead, but at the word "inn," she whipped around with wide, startled eyes.
"My dad's the innkeeper! Want me to show you?"
Oh.
Perfect timing. The family of the first friendly face I met runs the inn. Since I'd be sticking around here a while, that was a green light for me.
"Sounds good. Let's head there now."
"Yesss!"
"Dad! We have a guest!"
The inn sat on the village outskirts.
Unlike the other brick houses, it looked well-maintained—probably the owner's personal touch. Neatly trimmed grass and wildflowers in the yard led to a sturdy dark-wood building. A neon sign in cursive script reading 'Inn' glowed by the entrance, and a pumpkin-orange lantern hung from the slightly protruding eaves, casting a serene glow.
It stood in stark contrast to this world's usual decadent architecture, leaving a strong impression on me.
Sofia and I crossed the yard into the lobby, and her call brought the owner out himself.
He was a middle-aged man with graying hair slicked back and a monocle—Walter von Eckhart.
"Ah, a guest. Welcome. I'm Walter von Eckhart, as you see, proprietor of this inn. Make yourself at home."
We exchanged quick greetings and a handshake.
"Nice to meet you. I might need to stay at least a week— that okay?"
"Mmm, of course. Guests are always welcome. Whoa! Sofia! Hold still!"
Walter struggled to steady the excitedly clinging Sofia as he replied.
Clink! He tossed me a room key—don't know where he pulled it from.
"Room 203. Lodging's 50,000 credits upfront."
"Thanks."
50,000 credits for a week? Generous deal. Probably a discount for hanging with Sofia.
"We serve meals too, by the way. Dinner's almost ready, so don't turn in just yet!"
I nodded and climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor.
Glancing back, I saw Sofia waving from afar, so I waved back.
I unlocked the sturdy wooden door to room 203.
A plush bed, soft mood lighting. A boxy TV playing the news.
The room was spotless—clearly kept up regularly. By Korean standards, it'd rate a solid two-star hotel.
Not bad for an inn in the lower districts. Good thing I'd befriended Sofia.
The cozy setup almost relaxed me, but I glanced at the 20,000-credit bills in my hand, snapping back to reality.
I was on the run, flat broke without even enough for a meal. Stuck in a frail teenage girl's body.
The worst combo for surviving this insane city solo.
The silver lining? I had magic—something supernatural on my side.
Anyway.
'Gotta shower first...'
After all the fights, my whole body felt grimy—weird way to put it, but true.
I dispelled my outfit spell, and the witch garb dissolved into purple particles.
'Any shower spells...?'
The Grimoire probably had one— it covered everything. But unlocking it'd need specific materials or conditions, like grinding a skill tree in a game.
Lost in thought, I checked the full-length bathroom mirror.
Yeah... my situation felt pretty unreal.
Staring back was a girl with amethyst-purple eyes gleaming like gems. Her sharp, beautiful features had a serpentine edge to the eyes—intimidating enough to keep most at bay.
"..."
Honestly, from my perspective as a guy just days ago, she was near-perfect. Beyond real idols or celebs—like a gacha game's top-waifu brought to life.
Her figure was the same... but detailing that'd sound pervy, so I'll just say it curved perfectly where it should.
"Fuu..."
Not bad at all. Aside from the gender swap, this was an upgrade from my Earth looks. They say great looks open doors, man or woman.
Might be a liability in this hellhole, but with my power, no biggie.
One downside: height. I was pushing 190cm back then; this body barely hit 160cm, even rounding up.
I stared at the mirror a while longer before reluctantly turning on the shower.
"...Cold."
Post-shower, I perched on the bed's edge.
"...Gonna need pajamas too. Can't lounge in witch gear at home..."
I glanced out at the city's nightscape, now cloaked in full darkness.
A starry river of multicolored artificial lights stretching to the horizon. From afar, it looked dreamlike, beautiful.
Of course, living in the cracks between was pure hell.
'Tragedy up close, comedy from afar...'
Now I had to survive that city.
Part of me wanted to go home to Earth... but that wouldn't be easy. No way it'd be a cakewalk.
With real magic and the supernatural here, who knows? Maybe a way back existed that I just didn't know yet. I'd crossed dimensions somehow, after all.
"...To make that happen, I need to get stronger in every way."
Endgame goal: Power up enough to prove my worth, uncover the world's truths, and find a path back to Earth.
With that resolve, I shelved the grand plans for now. Urgent needs came first.
Money.
In this capitalist dystopia, cash was king for survival.
I had 20,000 credits left—barely a meal. At least I'd secured a bed.
No immediate homelessness, but I needed income fast.
"For that..."
I summoned the Grimoire.
Flipping through the madly spinning pages, I hunted for disguise or perception-block spells.
The TV news confirmed it—my situation was hot.
Disguise was essential for safely earning cash.
Unlock requirements...
[Essence of an Ugly Being]
[A Discarded Shard of Broken Mirror]
[An Old Memory]
"...Hmm."
Abstract ingredients—already daunting.
Makes sense for magic; can't be too easy. Fair enough.
Knock knock knock!
Right on cue, Sofia's cheerful voice rang out.
"Dinner's ready! Come eat!"
Yeah. Time for food.
Koreans run on rice power.
Spooning dinner, I casually asked Walter,
"Any idea where to find work around here?"
"Work? There's an employment office in H Block. Folks post jobs there often. Lots of day labor."
Like a medieval adventurers' guild.
"...Heard there's one notorious quest lately. Something about hunting a monster? Every solver party sent in gets wiped. Headache of a job, but the reward's skyrocketed."
Oh. Intriguing.
"...What's the quest exactly?"
"Some monster in the sewers—apartment folks can't use tap water. Real pain."
Sewer monster...?
That sparked a memory.
[Essence of an Ugly Being]
Maybe I could snag one of those disguise materials right away?
Next day.
I bolted to the employment office first thing and boldly claimed the request.
The chief freaked.
"...You're doing that solo? You out of your mind?"