Chapter 161 - Reaching the Coal Town

"I smell something!" A beautiful girl about eighteen or nineteen spoke.

She was wearing a white wide-brimmed hat and a light-skinned desert cloak.

Beside her, a boy of the same age looked average wore the same cloak. He was wearing sunglasses that hid his eyes, "it's sulfur..." He was carrying a giant bag bigger than his body on his back.

The girl's nose twitched, "It seems to be coal!"

The boy walked forward, "I think I can see something."

They walked forward for a while until they saw a metal structure towering over the distance. It was something out of the history books.

When they got closer, the girl let out a breath of relaxation, "although this place is musty, it's much better than the desert!!"

Tatsuya observed his surrounding, the smell of sulphuric waste, the mustiness in the air, a chalky taste on his tongue, "We are finally in the boundaries of Amestris."

There were a few logs tied up with rail tracks laid in front of it. There was no living soul around.

Crossing the tracks, Tatsuya felt he heard a voice, "Miyuki... do you hear anything?"

Miyuki perked up her ears, "Yes, there seems to sound of metal colliding with stones from the right. There should be a mine there. Towards the left... a place of gathering..." She tilted her head, "chewing...swallowing...a hotel of some kind?"

Tatsuya looked at the rays of light shining down on them, they were dying down, "A bath, a bed, and some good food."

"Onii-sama! let's go!" Miyuki held Tatsuya's hand, pulling him towards the direction of the inn with renewed energy.

She couldn't wait to get a good bath. The accursed world, unlike the first one. System store wasn't available. Other than their entry and exit to this world, there weren't many options in the system.

Not even clothes, food, or other materials could be bought. Although there was the item box that was now available in the system. But, they couldn't bring items that weren't of this world out.

The only thing they had was from Xing; those items allowed them to make a luxurious tent in the desert, even have enough water and food. But, there was something different when you didn't have to work hard to enjoy those luxuries.

Sit back and relax while letting others do all the work; that was what she wanted to do the most right now.

Shortly, a few living souls appeared in their views.

Some wore sleeveless vests while carrying the logs, or others wore a light t-shirt; they had muscles but looked a bit malnourished.

"HO-HO!!! We have some guests!!"

"Wow! That side is the desert!"

"Don't tell me you came from the desert?!"

"Hoh!! There is a beautiful young lady too! Crossing the desert by yourself, young lady?!"

Miyuki watched the people surrounding them; a delightful smile appeared on her face. The wind blew, removing the cloak covering her head.

Her smile, her face, her eyes, her hair blowing in the wind hypnotized everyone surrounding them.

Tatsuya uttered a few words to bring their attention, "Is there a place we can stay?"

One of the young men thrust his chest out, trying to stand out with a light blush on his face, "Yes! There is an inn here!! Only one in town!"

Miyuki gazed towards the young man, smiling, "would you mind giving us the direction?"

One of the older men patted the young one's back, "come with us, young lady, YOUNG MASTER, we will guide you to it!" He seemed to be telling the young man to look at the person with her. The young lady was holding the hand of the one with her. Obviously, they were close.

While walking towards the inn, they kept bombarding them with questions, "So the two of you are from Xing?!"

"How did you cross that great desert?"

"Yeah, never heard of anyone coming from that side on foot!"

"Well, it is a long story..." Tatsuya remembered when they first appeared in this world six months ago.

They were at the center of the forest, without any directions, the first thing he wanted to do was use Elemental Sight.

Who could have thought...

Anyway, it wasn't possible to use Elemental Sight in this world. Supposedly that would be cheating... the world wouldn't allow it.

Without Elemental Sight, he couldn't watch Miyuki; considering that, he was allowed to use a portion of his eyes powers that came from Byakugan.

They allowed him to have a near-360º field of vision around him. But, even that was of the lowest of class. It only allowed him to look in the distance; it didn't keep its powers to see through things.

Basically, he and Miyuki were humans, strong ones, but humans. He had enhanced sight, she had enhanced senses.

In return, they got something that allowed them to Alkahestry of this world.

Be it so, there were few things they didn't lose, like Tatsuya's Decomposition and Re-creation and Miyuki's Cocytus.

Although they didn't lose them, there was a steep price for using them.

This was a game, and they couldn't break the rules.

Being fully human for the first time made Tatsuya realize, "This is..."

"Hey!!! We got you some rare customers!"

"Huh! What was that?" A man holding a plate filled with food and a beer in his hand looked over.

His eyes turned to Miyuki and Tatsuya, "We have guests!" He seemed really happy seeing the guests. He had a tall figure, broad shoulders, golden hairs, and a Balbo beard, "Welcome! please have a seat!"

He had an easy-going atmosphere around him, which was pleasant and inviting.

A while later,

Tatsuya leaned back, resting in a relaxing posture, "So inconvenient..." Being completely human... made him feel tired. Before coming to this world, he did get tired, but that was when he pushed himself too far.

Something like crossing the desert wouldn't have been this hard on them.

Miyuki had her face planted on the table, with her hands stretched forward. "Onii-sama...carry me to the room!"

She had no plans to move for a while.

Tatsuya rubbed his eyes, "a room..." Now that they thought about it, the currency for Xing and Amestris would be different.

"Kyle!" Tatsuya called for the child working at the inn.

He was the child of Mr. and Mrs. Halling, the owners of this establishment. This town had a story of its own, but now wasn't the time to know that.

"Yes, Big brother!!" The boy came running excitedly.

Tatsuya sighed, thinking about it, "We don't have any money."

Kyle blinked at them, pointing at them, he shouted, "Father, the piggy bank brother says he has no money!"

Mr. Hailing laughed, "that is all right; they are from Xing after all." He came near, rubbing his hand, "we will take anything rare in exchange!"

Items from Xing would be a rare commodity that could be sold for a lot of Cens. It would be worth it.

Tatsuya glanced at the bag, thinking about the items in it, "how about some rare wine?"

Mr. Hailing rubbed his chin before slapping down his fist on his palm, "Good! that would be enough to pay for the food!"

"Aren't you miners? If there are any injuries or sickness, I can heal them for you."

Miyuki raised her hand, "I can restore all of your old equipment, even make them stronger." her face was still on the table.

"Hoh!!!!! You are a doctor?! And you are an Alchemist?!! Both of you?"

"Doctor?!!"

"Alchemist?!"

"Doc-tor?!"

"Alch-emist?!"

"Al-chemist?"

"Doctor?!!"

Hearing those words, everyone seemed to have stopped. Turning their heads to look towards Tatsuya and Miyuki.

Miyuki turned her head, with her eyes barely open, "It seems you could use a doctor and an alchemist?"

Mr. Hailing gazed towards Tatsuya and Miyuki awkwardly, "Well, this town has been in a bit of trouble."

"I am not being heartless, but the thing is, we are too tired today. Can we rest for tonight?"

Mr. Hailing let out a laugh, "yes, of course! Kyle, show them their room."

"Thank you..." Tatsuya picked Miyuki up in his hands, following Kyle up the stairs.

Watching them leave, every one of them silently followed them with their eyes, some mesmerized, some suspicious, some curious.

"Hey, man... do you really believe those two?"

"What if they are lying?"

Mrs. Hailing, who had been working on the other side of the counter, put her face in her hand, "don't worry... they are good children."

One of the men waved his hand, "I agree...the girl is so beautiful there is no way she is lying."

In the room,

It was a simple room with a double bed, two stands, and a table with a chair.

Tatsuya laid down Miyuki on the bed,

"Ahh..." Miyuki let out a comfortable moan..., "a bed feels so nice."

Tatsuya laid down beside her, taking a deep breath, "it sure does."

"Onii-sama..."

"Hmm..."

"Goodnight..."

"Goodnight, Miyuki."

It didn't take long before they fell asleep. After traveling through the desert for weeks, they were too tired.

Next-Day afternoon,

Tatsuya opened his eyes, feeling the weight on his chest. Opening his eyes, he saw Miyuki's smiling face over his chest.

He gently stroked her hairs, "good morning..."

"Goodmorning...Onii-sama..." She muttered softly.

Tatsuya stared at the roof, "this is the right place?"

"Probably... Hopefully..."