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~Chapter 19~
How much time had passed?
The frantic pounding of my heart gradually slowed, settling into a steady rhythm.
My trembling eased, and my breathing became calm.
I let out a deep sigh and lifted my head from Lysian’s chest.
He was staring at me with eyes that gave nothing away.
“Ah…”
Finally regaining my senses, I fumbled with my words, unsure how to explain this situation.
As I searched for the right words, Lysian simply smiled softly.
“You okay now? Your face looks calmer than before.”
I blinked at him, a few beats late in responding.
“Yeah… I think I’m okay.”
“We can’t stay here forever, so we should look for somewhere else. Shall I see if there’s a decent inn nearby?”
“…Alright, let’s do that.”
He didn’t ask anything, and I was momentarily puzzled. Didn’t he want to know why I had hidden just now?
Then it hit me. Lysian was letting it slide, deliberately ignoring it out of consideration for me.
“….”
“Muriel, hold my hand.”
He held out his free hand, one shoulder burdened with a backpack and the sack.
I looked at his hand for a moment before slipping mine into it. Lysian intertwined his fingers firmly with mine, as before—but this time, it felt different.
Before, it had been awkward and embarrassing; now…
“The man is gone. No need to worry.”
“…!”
Startled by his words, I flinched, and Lysian turned to me with a gentle smile. It was unmistakably meant to reassure me.
‘Does he know who I was hiding from?’
The question lingered in my throat like rough sandpaper.
I followed slightly behind him, watching his back bathed in sunlight.
Soon, we arrived in front of a tidy three-story building.
A sign read: “Pigeon’s Nest Inn – Travelers Welcome!”
I wondered why pigeons of all creatures, but Lysian pushed the door open and went inside first.
“Welcome~!”
The staff, noticing us, stopped wiping tables and greeted us cheerfully.
The first floor, right after the entrance, seemed to serve as both lobby and dining area.
“It’s crowded…”
“Yes…”
The raucous chatter made me instinctively shrink back, but with Lysian beside me, I didn’t feel overly afraid.
“Hello, traveling, I see?”
A boy, probably around seventeen, approached with a playful smile as we neared the counter.
His freckled face, thin build, and reddish hair gave him a mischievous look.
I exchanged a glance with Lysian and nodded.
“Yes, could we rent two rooms?”
“Two rooms? I thought you were newlyweds.”
“…No.”
“Oh, siblings? Haha, sorry. You two just look so good together!”
Each time I was mistaken like that, my face burned with embarrassment. I averted my gaze, fanning my cheeks as I continued.
“Two single rooms, please. No meals needed…”
“Ha ha, sure! Just a moment.”
The boy pulled a ledger from the drawer, scanning it quickly, then hesitated with a flustered expression.
“Um… all the single rooms are taken right now… there’s only one double room left…”
“…Excuse me?”
“Other inns will be the same. It’s festival season, lots of travelers. If you two are siblings and don’t mind, why not stay here? This is the best inn in town.”
I glanced at the hesitant boy and then quietly at Lysian. He returned my look with a shy smile.
As I pondered what to do, Lysian wrapped an arm around my shoulder and led me to a nearby table. He pulled out a chair for me and said,
“Tired, huh? Wait here for a bit. I’ll check the other inns and be right back.”
“What? No, that’s unnecessary… there are plenty of inns…”
“Don’t worry, just stay here.”
He pressed my shoulder down as I tried to stand and spoke to the boy, apparently asking him to keep an eye on me.
The boy nodded eagerly, clenching his fist over his chest like a silent promise.
Lysian gave me a quick glance, then left through the lobby.
I stared blankly at the closed door. A bustling presence beside me made me turn—
The freckled boy had approached with a warm smile.
“Here, have some tea and bread. It’s on the house, so don’t worry!”
“Ah… thank you.”
“Ha ha, no problem.”
“Hey, Willy! Take an order over here!”
“On it~!”
When another table called, he gave me a polite nod and dashed off, moving with the speed and grace of a squirrel.
‘Such a good kid.’
I watched his retreating back while sipping the sweetened tea.
I had nearly finished the tea and was nibbling the soft bread when a tall figure slid into the seat across from me. I blinked in surprise, staring at him.
He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, with a rough, delinquent-like look.
“Miss, alone? Want to drink with me?”
“….”
I was dumbfounded, staring at him with a mix of shock and disbelief.
He didn’t falter under my sharp gaze and continued his nonsense.
“Got a lover? If not, want to start getting to know me today? You know… I’ve got quite the skills…”
He went on about his abilities and wealth, irrelevant information that made my stomach churn.
From what I gathered, he seemed to belong to an adventurer’s guild specializing in dungeon raids.
Feeling nauseated at his sleazy arrogance, I rolled my eyes.
‘Time to get rid of him.’
Just as I opened my mouth to politely tell him off,
“Hey! James! What are you doing to our guest?”
The inn’s staff, Willy, rushed over, scolding him.
James scowled at Willy and shouted,
“Hey! Willy! Am I not a guest? I’m just trying to bond with another guest―”
“Bond? You’re harassing her! Take it somewhere else!”
“No, but this—”
Willy grabbed his shoulder, trying to lift him, but James slammed his fist on the table and stood abruptly. His size towered over the small Willy, who looked like he could be knocked down with a single nudge.
“What do you think you’re doing? Kid, haven’t you got a clue?!”
“This guest has companions! They’re waiting! Now back off!”
James froze, frowning, and glared at me.
“What…? If you have a boyfriend, you should’ve said so!”
I twisted my mouth into a cold, sarcastic smirk at his ridiculous words.
What an idiot.
The spirit hiding in my pocket spoke in my mind.
―Master, want me to deal with this guy?
‘…Hold on.’
There was no need to draw attention with the spirit’s power.
Just in time.
“This girl’s enough. Hey, Willy! Watch this! I’ll fix his bad habits!”
“What? Fix whose habits? You’re the one constantly bothering women who say no, so maybe fix yourself first!”
“That bastard!”
“…!”
Just as James raised his hand to strike Willy,
Crash!
I pushed back my chair, jumped up, and hurled my teacup straight at James.
It hit his forehead dead-on, shattering on the floor.
Clang!
Shards of ceramic flew everywhere.
James froze for a moment, then glared at me with murderous eyes.
“Do you want to die?!”
As he raised his hand to strike,
“You… you must be insane if you want to die!”
The person I’d been waiting for arrived at the perfect moment, gripping James’ wrist and speaking in a cold, deadly tone.
The very air seemed to freeze, and the previously noisy inn fell into abrupt silence.
