Shirou in Another World.

Volume 2: Black and Red Clouds CH5

It was late December, the first month of winter.

Sakura wrapped the coat around her, enjoying the warmth it provided. Something which she wasn't able to experience before. Usually, everyone at the village could only wear a wool cloth over themselves to combat the cold. By that point, everyone would be staying at home keeping warm around the fire.

Hard to imagine that more than a year had gone by since her kidnapping. To Sakura, remembering her memories of the village seemed like that of an old life to her.

Many things had happened since then.

Two years ago, she wouldn't even have known how to read and write, much less know the names for each month.

If she was still in her village, they would've called this month simply as "early winter".

To think each part of a season had names...

Sakura's breath appeared as a frosty mist in front of her.

She and Garamm were walking down an alley of shops. It was the day before winter solstice and her teacher was kind enough to spend their last day enjoying the city.

Tomorrow, they will pass through the Eastern Grand Continental Gate outside the city.

The Gates were created hundreds of years ago, and the city was slowly built near it to accommodate the traffic. The aptly named East Gate City had become the center of commerce in the east. Its central position and connection to the gate was the perfect combination to form a major hub.

Garamm paused in the middle of the street. Around them, people of many nationalities walked, going about their day. Just like the pair, most of the people were foreigners in the city. Foreigners meant business and the locals took advantage of the solstices to boost their profits, in addition to what they earned from the rest of the year.

East Gate City was called the center of commerce in the east after all.

"So, where is this cafe you mentioned?" Her mentor asked.

"It's up ahead, but keep your eyes downward." Sakura answered.

The cafe was easy to miss if you only paid attention to the buildings and shops on the street sides. People were accustomed to looking from left to right, not up and down.

The pair continued walking until they reached an intersection. Garamm raised an eyebrow at the cafe. It was definitely distinctive with its location compared to the others he had seen.

In the middle of the intersection, under their very feet, was a cafe. The paved roads ended and the entire intersection was a transparent layer that separated the shop below and the road above. It was visible, but only some noticed, while others casually walked over it nonchalantly.

Garamm stood there searching for the entrance. His eyes moved across all corners of the cafe roof.

There appeared to be none.

Sakura giggled. The entrance wasn't above the cafe. The last time she came here, she had to look for the entrance. Sakura tugged on Garamm's dark trench coat. He watched her nod to the sidewalk. In the indicated direction was a weird looking doorway that looked like it led to nowhere.

Withholding his question, Garamm opted to follow his protege.

Sakura walked into the doorway, then promptly fell in front of his eyes.

How odd.

Garamm approached the entrance with caution before falling through it himself. It was like he passed through a layer of water, sinking down slowly then landing on some sort of platform. The underwater sensation disappeared once he vacated the liquid passage into the main area of the cafe.