As dawn stretched its golden fingers across the horizon, Zen slowly opened his eyes. The warmth of the early sun slipped through the curtains of the small tavern room, casting soft beams across the wooden floor. He sat up groggily, only to meet Lyra's gaze. She was already awake, sitting at the edge of the bed with tousled hair and sleep-filled eyes. Their eyes locked, and suddenly, both of them turned a shade redder than the morning sky.
"G-Good morning," Zen mumbled, turning his face away.
"Y-Yeah… morning," Lyra replied quickly, tugging the blanket up to her nose to hide her blushing face.
Zen cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'll go… take a bath."
Lyra blinked. "A bath? In the middle of a city?" she raised a brow playfully. "There's no river here, jungle boy."
Zen froze. "Wait… right." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Then… where do people take baths here?"
Lyra smirked and crossed her arms. "Bathhouse. It's where civilized people go to clean themselves."
Zen frowned. "Stop teasing me already and just say where it is."
She chuckled. "Alright, alright. There's a public bathhouse down the street. But, of course, you need money to get in."
Zen stiffened. "...That's a problem."
As he turned to head out, Lyra called out with a grin, "Hey! Where are you going? You don't even know where it is. And you don't have a single coin."
Zen muttered, "I'll find it eventually…"
Lyra shook her head and laughed. "Wait for me. I'll come too. I need to take a bath as well."
Zen turned red. "W-What?"
She grinned slyly. "Not with you. Calm down, it's a separate bathhouse for males and females. Don't let your jungle mind run wild."
She gave some silver coins to him. "Here. Use these. And yes, you better return them."
"Thanks," Zen muttered.
They left the tavern and headed to the local bathhouse. It stood tall with wooden panels and steam gently rising from its windows. Inside, the scent of herbs and soap lingered in the air. The receptionist took their coins—2 silver per person—and directed them to their respective wings.
Zen relaxed in the warm water, feeling cleaner than he had in weeks. The bathhouse had lavender-scented oils, and small stones lined the floor of the pools. After a peaceful soak, the two met outside, refreshed.
"Feel better now?" Lyra asked.
Zen nodded. "Much."
They returned to the tavern for breakfast. The innkeeper, a jolly woman named Marla with curly auburn hair and an apron stained with gravy, welcomed them.
"Morning, dears. Sit wherever you like," she said cheerfully.
They took a seat at a small wooden table near the window. Marla brought them breakfast—roasted chicken strips, buttered bread, spiced eggs, and warm apple cider.
Lyra dug in happily. "Now this is what I call a real meal."
Zen, chewing, said thoughtfully, "I need to find a job. Just for a few days. Help me?"
Lyra nodded, wiping her mouth. "Sure. Let's think."
They spent the next couple of hours wandering through Velaria's crowded streets, asking at shops, stalls, and even a few taverns. But every place already had enough hands or didn't trust strangers.
By midday, the sun beat down hard, and their hopes began to wilt with the heat. Eventually, they found themselves resting on the edge of a quiet fountain, sharing a piece of bread and laughing at how terribly their first day of job-hunting had gone.
The rest of the day passed slowly-walking through markets, watching street performers, and occasionally stopping to chat with kind strangers. It wasn't productive, but it felt oddly peaceful.
As dusk painted the sky, Lyra stretched her arms and glanced at Zen. "Let's try again tomorrow. We'll find something."
After returning to the tavern, Zen and Lyra sat by the window, the soft moonlight casting a gentle glow across their faces.
Lyra leaned back in her chair, sighing. "So… how was your first proper bath that wasn't in a river?"
Zen glanced away, his cheeks slightly red. "It was fine."
She smirked. "You looked like you didn't know whether to wash your hair or drown in the tub."
"Hey," Zen frowned. "That place had too many rules. And soap. It was slippery."
Lyra burst into laughter. "You're hopeless."
After that they had a simple dinner under the stars—warm soup and a bit of fruit—then returned to their small rented room, where sleep came quickly after a long, aimless day.