"Thank you," I say with a polite nod.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Emily sneaking glances at my hand where the coin appeared, her brows slightly furrowed. She doesn't ask, but I can guess what she's thinking. Storage rings exist in this world, and expensive ones at that. She probably thinks I'm rich.
I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
Beatrice steps out from behind the counter. "I'll show you the way. Emily, dear, you're taking your usual room, I assume?"
"Yes, please," Emily says, visibly relieved to move on from the awkwardness.
We climb the wooden stairs, the steps creaking softly under our feet. The hallway above smells faintly of lavender and polished wood. Sunlight spills in through the windows, painting golden rectangles across the floor.
Beatrice leads me to the very end of the corridor. "Here we are," she says cheerfully, unlocking the door. "Room four. It's one of our coziest."
She pushes the door open, revealing a simple but well-kept room. A small bed neatly made with clean sheets, a desk with a single candle, a wash basin, and a window overlooking the street below. It's not big, but it's tidy and peaceful.
"This looks perfect," I say honestly.
Beatrice beams. "I'm glad you think so. I do my best to keep things tidy." She hands me the key and steps back. "Dinner will be served at sundown. Feel free to come down early if you'd like something to drink."
"I will, thank you."
She gives a small nod before turning to Emily. "Your usual room is just opposite. I'll leave you two to settle in."
Once she's gone, the hallway feels strangely quiet.
Emily shifts awkwardly, holding her key in both hands. "Um… I'll… I'll see you at dinner, then?"
I smile, soft but genuine. "Looking forward to it."
Her lips twitch into a shy smile before she turns and slips into her room, closing the door behind her.
I exhale, finally alone, and step inside my own.
The door clicks shut, muffling the distant hum of the city. I toss my small pack on the bed and let myself sink into the chair by the desk. For a moment, I just sit there, listening to the muffled chatter downstairs and the faint creak of the old building settling.
It's quiet. Peaceful.
I glance out the window—the streets below glow in the late afternoon sun, and I can see the distant silhouette of the royal castle high above, its towers gleaming like black glass.
Five days. That's how long I can stay here comfortably. Enough time to rest, get my bearings, and prepare for what comes next.
The Royal Academy's entrance exams.
I can already feel the old excitement stirring again, that same electric thrill that filled me the moment I realized I'd been reincarnated in this world.
I rest my elbows on the desk and smile faintly to myself.
From dying under the wheels of a truck to sitting in a cozy inn in a city of magic. Life's funny that way.
I glance at the bed, freshly made and impossibly inviting, and finally allow myself to stretch. My body might be divine now, but exhaustion's still universal.
Dinner's still a few hours away. Maybe I'll take a short nap before exploring the city. The rough journey really did a number on my bones. I feel so sore.
As I lie back, the soft sheets rustling beneath me, I catch myself grinning.
'Yeah. I think I'm going to like it here.'
...
The sunlight had long faded by the time I stirred awake. My eyes blinked against the remnants of sleep that clouded them, and for a moment I wasn't sure where I was. The cozy familiarity of the inn came back gradually—the neat wooden walls, the soft bed, the faint scent of lavender from the hallway.
I stretched slowly, feeling the stiffness from my short nap, and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. The room was quiet, though the faint murmur of voices drifting from downstairs reminded me the inn was still alive. I stood, moving to the wash basin in the corner, and splashed cold water on my face. The coolness cleared my head, making me acutely aware of how surreal my life had become. I dried my face and ran a hand through my hair, adjusting it just enough to keep my silver-gray strands from falling over my eyes.
As I opened the door to leave, Emily was stepping out of her own room across the hall. She froze when our eyes met, and her ears flushed pink as she clutched her key.
"Hello," I said lightly, offering her a calm smile.
Her lips curved into a small, hesitant smile in return. "H-hello," she murmured, glancing quickly away.
I gestured down the stairs. "Shall we go downstairs?"
She nodded, still slightly flustered, and we made our way down together. The smell of cooking reached us before we entered the main room. The inn was busier now than when we had arrived; several tables were occupied by merchants and travelers, the clatter of plates and the hum of conversation filling the space.
We approached the counter, sliding our tokens across the polished wood. Beatrice, the inn's owner, greeted us with a cheerful smile. "Evening! I see you're ready for dinner."
"Yes," I said, handing over my token. I placed it casually on the counter, careful not to look too formal. "I'll have the meat stew, please, with bread and ginger ale."
Emily placed her token next to mine. "Same for me, but just water instead of ginger ale, please."
Beatrice nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, returning moments later with a few steaming dishes, arranging them neatly on a tray. She handed us our food with a polite nod, and we moved to a corner table that was still empty. We sat opposite each other, the warmth from the hearth brushing against my face, making the room feel even cozier than it already was.
I took a deep breath, letting the scent of the stew and baked bread fill my senses. After a moment, I spoke, breaking the comfortable silence.
"So… what do you do for a living?"
Emily's eyes flicked up to mine, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. "Uhm… I'm an adventurer," she said slowly. "My class is healer."
I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Healer? That's… impressive."
She shrugged, as if minimizing it, though the pride in her voice betrayed her modesty. "Healers are rare, always in high demand, so I'm quite well paid. I'm registered as a B-rank adventurer with the guild."