The hot summer sun bore down on the city below. It was only morning and it was already growing hot as Adrian entered one of the shops, sweat beading up on his brow. The bell rang as the door swung open, and the shopkeeper gave him a nod before returning to his work.

Walking amongst the shop floor, Adrian examined various trinkets and potions. It still seemed surreal that he'd been in this world for over a year. He'd made many friends and allies, taken on countless quests, and created lasting memories across the lands. Yet he wasn't tired of it - he still longed for more adventures, to grow stronger with Flora, Damen, and his DPS companion at his side.

After gathering what he needed, Adrian made his way to the counter and counted out the required gold. Once finished, he stepped back into the scorching heat, longing for modern comforts like public pools and air conditioning. While magic kept buildings cool, a handheld fan would have been nice.

He shifted the bag of goods into one hand and checked his remaining gold, wondering if he should do something nice for his hardworking party. A smirk formed as he made his rounds - stopping at the brewery for earl grey tea and coffee beans for Flora, then the butcher shop for jerky and cured meat for Damen.

On his way to the bakery, someone ran into him. "Hey, sorry about that--" Adrian began, then blinked in surprise when he recognized who he'd bumped into.