•Thunoa Village Inn•
Ace's POV
As Ray, Philip, and I approached the inn's entrance, I caught Chief Gareth's eye, and His eyes were locked on Khaleed.
"Khaleed, why don't we stay for a bit? Let's play chess for an hour," Chief Gareth suggested, his voice warm yet commanding.
A smile involuntarily crept onto my face at Chief Gareth's words, and I noticed Khaleed's surprised expression flicker between skepticism and curiosity.
"Sure, Chief! I'll grab the chess board from the cabinet," Khaleed replied, enthusiasm replacing his initial shock, a hint of relief in his voice, while Gareth nodded approvingly.
"Really? An hour of chess? If it were me, I'd probably have smashed the board by now," Philip whispered incredulously, a smirk playing on his lips.
