CHAPTER 13
INTERESTING THINGS
The air inside the "Green House Inn" was warm and carried the scents of pinewood and beeswax. It was quiet, far removed from the bustling village market. The wooden floorboards creaked softly under their steps. Kyoichiiro quickly surveyed the surroundings: a simple common room with a few wooden chairs, an unlit fireplace, and a small bookshelf in the corner. Modest, but clean and well-kept.
Kyoichiiro: (flat tone) "Which room?"
Amura: (smiling) "Second floor. Room number six."
Flashback:
Amura stood before the reception counter, speaking with a friendly middle-aged man—the innkeeper.
Innkeeper: "For three people? Hmm... There might be a reasonably spacious room on the upper floor. It has two beds; a rollaway mattress can be added."
Amura: "Alright. I'll rent it for... three days to start."
Innkeeper: (nodding, satisfied) "Good, good. That will be 150 Zeyn per night, including a simple breakfast."
Amura pulled a small pouch from inside his cloak and counted out 450 Zeyn coins—a substantial sum, but one they could now afford.
Amura: "This is for three days."
Innkeeper: (eyes gleaming) "Thank you very much, young sir! The room is on the second floor, room number six. Please go on up."
Flashback ends.
The three of them began ascending the wide wooden staircase. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway. As they reached the top of the stairs to the second floor, Kyoichiiro's gaze inadvertently drifted downwards, towards the common room.
There, in a chair near the window, a young woman sat quietly, engrossed in a thick book she held. The evening light streaming in illuminated her long, loosely tied silver hair and her focused face. An aura of calm and intelligence surrounded her.
Kyoichiiro watched her for a second longer than he should have. Suddenly, the woman lifted her head, as if sensing his gaze. Her deep purple eyes met Kyoichiiro's light blue ones.
Kyoichiiro flinched, swiftly turning his face away and continuing down the second-floor hallway as if examining the room numbers. His heart beat a little faster—not from attraction, but from wariness. The woman looked ordinary, but there was something... something that made his instincts hum.
They turned left in the second-floor corridor. Rooms lined up neatly on the right and left: Room 2, Room 3... They passed Rooms 4 and 5. Finally, they stopped before a wooden door with a brass number plate that read "6".
For a moment, they simply stood there, looking at each other for no clear reason—perhaps a small habit to ensure everyone was ready before entering a new space. Then, Kyoichiiro pushed the door latch. It opened with a soft creak.
The room's interior was exactly as promised: simple, clean, and functional. Two single beds with modest mattresses and woolen blankets sat opposite each other. Two wooden chairs and a small table were in the center. On the right side, there was a small storage closet and a window overlooking the village street.
Amura: (stepping in, tossing his bag onto the left bed) "Yosh! Up to expectations."
Kyoichiiro gave a slow nod, placing his heavy, coin-filled bag on the floor near the foot of the right bed. Aetheria, who looked the most exhausted, could only weakly drop her bag, nearly letting it fall. Her body seemed unsteady.
Kyoichiiro: (noticing Aetheria) "Are you alright, Aetheria? You look completely worn out."
Aetheria: (offering a weak smile, her eyes dazed) "It's... it's okay, Kyoichiiro-san. Just... just a little tired, that's—"
She didn't finish her sentence. Her body suddenly swayed, her eyes fluttered shut, and she began to crumple towards the floor.
Kyoichiiro & Amura: (simultaneously, voices laced with concern) "AETHERIA—?!"
With quick reflexes, Kyoichiiro lunged forward and caught Aetheria's light body before her head could hit the floorboards. Amura immediately knelt beside them.
Aetheria was fully unconscious, but her breathing was even. Her face, usually anxious or blushing, now looked utterly peaceful in sleep. Her rosy cheeks, long eyelashes, and innocent expression made her look like a fragile porcelain doll.
Kyoichiiro and Amura looked at each other, then both let out a sigh of relief. Kyoichiiro couldn't suppress a small smile that touched the corner of his lips—a rare, soft expression. Amura smiled too, shaking his head.
Kyoichiiro: (whispering) "She really pushed herself all day."
Carefully, Kyoichiiro lifted Aetheria's small frame, one arm supporting her back, the other under her knees.
Kyoichiiro: (whispering again, as if to the unconscious Aetheria) "Sorry for being so forward."
He walked slowly to the empty bed on the right, and with the gentlest of motions, laid Aetheria down on the mattress. He even fetched a pillow and carefully tucked the woolen blanket around her.
Standing there, looking down at Aetheria sleeping soundly, an unexpected thought crossed Kyoichiiro's mind:
She really is like a naive child... always wanting attention, easily scared, yet also having the courage to try. It's good to see her growing, making friends...
Suddenly, Kyoichiiro startled. His eyes widened, and with a reflexive motion, he covered his mouth with his hand, turning his face away from Aetheria.
Oi, oi, oi... What was I just thinking? he thought, his mind in turmoil. I unconsciously praised someone? Without any analytical basis? Those words just popped out! Get a grip, Kyoichiiro. Your focus is to understand this world, to find out why you're here. Not... not to get sentimental.
From behind him came a stifled sound. Kyoichiiro turned and saw Amura covering his own mouth with both hands, his shoulders shaking as if suppressing a powerful laugh.
Amura: (whispering, voice trembling with held-back laughter) "What... what were you saying to yourself in your head, Kyoichiiro-san? To make your expression change like someone caught in their own confusion?"
Kyoichiiro: (in a flat but slightly annoyed tone) "Shut up."
Amura: (letting out a small chuckle, then wiping the corner of his eye) "Sorry, sorry. I'm just amazed. Look at you—covering your mouth, face flushed, while staring at the sleeping Aetheria. That's... funny."
Kyoichiiro didn't respond. He just gave a soft snort and walked away from Aetheria's bedside. He sat down on the edge of his own bed, the one opposite. His gaze was fixed on the window beside him. Outside, the twilight sky was beginning to shift into hues of orange and purple, signaling the end of a long, exhausting day. The weather was clear and calm, a stark contrast to the chaos inside the dungeon just hours before.
Amura, after having his fill of (good-natured) laughter at Kyoichiiro's reaction, sat in one of the wooden chairs near the table. He drew his sword and began inspecting it, wiping away the dust and stains from the earlier battle.
Yet, in the silence, his own mind was not at peace. He glanced at Kyoichiiro, who still stared out the window, his profile looking serious and isolated.
Amura: (in his heart, voice full of resolve) "Soon, Kyoichiiro-san... you'll know everything. And I... I have to tell you what I've known all this time. The truth about this world, about the Khaneo family... and perhaps, about yourself. But, are you ready?"
The atmosphere in the room grew quiet. Only the sound of Aetheria's steady breathing in her sleep and the soft rustle of cloth as Amura cleaned his sword broke the silence. The quiet was comfortable, yet beneath its surface flowed an undercurrent of tension and unspoken questions. Their shared journey had passed its first life-and-death test. And now, in this safe room, perhaps it was time to start sharing the secrets each of them had been carrying.