Kurou's stay at Rush Valley was short-lived and rather grim. That said, he was more than excited to depart from this place. If he had to endure another second of that godforsaken atmosphere, he would have gone crazy. It was a quarter till noon, and Kurou had packed and was ready to go. During his visit, he resided at a shabby tavern on the outskirts of the town. Admittedly, it wasn't the most optimal choice, but given the circumstances, it would have to suffice.

For about a month, Kurou took the time to research the North and Fiore in the hope of better understanding its governance. The town's selection of books was scarce, but he managed to fill in any gaps by conversing with the citizens. Through them, he learned of the raid that took place here before his arrival. It was not what Kurou had expected, but it explained the state of things. Aside from that, the books contained general information about Fiore's other regions.

The East, in particular, stood out to Kurou. It seemed best suited for his work among all the other regions due to traction and profitability. He envisioned making a name for himself there. For that reason, Kurou set his sights on Dahlia. However, unfortunately for him, it would be some days before he arrived.

In case he might've forgotten something, the traveler searched his room one last time before heading downstairs. To his surprise, he found a pink bralette. "Damn it ... not again." he said disappointedly. It wasn't the first time Kurou could not recall the night before due to drinking. "Did I pull out?!"

A young brunette with a big bust worked the bar. As he swung the bralette around his index finger, Kurou approached the woman. "Do these belong to you?" he questioned as he dangled the bralette freely in the air. The barmaid's face turned a bright red. "I think I had way too ..." Kurou began - but before he could get his sentence out, she lost her balance and spilled a drink.

"Argh! Look at what you made me do!" she screamed. Kurou leaned over the bar counter to take a look at the mess. "Yup, that ought to do it." he observed. "That ought to ... ?" she murmured. "I ought to kick your ass out of here." The barmaid began to frantically pace back and forth. "Who even goes around asking women that kind of question? Shame on you, sir."

Kurou's gut feeling was that someone must have seen something. "Well, if it wasn't you," he said lending a hand, "... did you happen to see me with a woman last night?" It took them a moment to pick up the shattered pieces of glass. "Now that you mention it, I did see a red-haired woman by your side." The barmaid pointed at a table nearby. "There she goes now."

The woman in question caught sight of the traveler as he approached her. "You've got some nerve coming up to me after what you did." she said bitterly. Without invitation, Kurou grabbed a seat at the table. "Enlighten me." he said while handing over the bralette. She took her drink and threw it in his face. "I never should have believed a single word you said. This relationship is one big lie. Are you even who you say you are?"

He didn't have the slightest idea of what was going on. So, Kurou sat there silently as the red-haired woman stormed off. Using his hand, he wiped off his face and returned to the bar for his belongings. "I can't remember her name for the life of me."