The Inn…
After successfully resolving the recent incident, the four companions decided to rest at an inn in Silvermoon. The warm, cozy atmosphere was exactly what they needed after a long and exhausting day.
"Today was really tough… Let's take a break here," Elena sighed, stretching her shoulders.
They approached the innkeeper to request rooms. As they waited in the lobby, they overheard a conversation at the counter.
A man with sharp, slit-like eyes and a mysterious aura was speaking to the innkeeper.
"Innkeeper, I've heard rumors about an ancient ruin being discovered nearby," the man said in a casual tone. "They say it's quite an interesting place."
The innkeeper nodded. "Yes, Kyle, I've heard the same. They say there's an ancient ruin in the northern mountains, but it's dangerous. You should be careful."
Kyle smirked. "Intriguing. Thanks for the tip, innkeeper."
Merslin and his party exchanged glances, intrigued by the information. Kyle turned toward them and smiled knowingly.
"You all look like adventurers. Have you heard the rumors?" he asked.
Merslin nodded. "Yeah, we've heard a little. We'd like to learn more about it."
Kyle chuckled. "Then I'd suggest heading north to the mountains. A lot of secrets are buried there. I plan to investigate it myself, so if you need help, feel free to find me."
Elena nodded politely. "Thanks, Kyle. We'll look into it."
After exchanging a few more words, Kyle bid them farewell and disappeared into his room.
Merslin turned to his party. "We should check out that ruin. We might find something important."
Lisa smirked. "Sounds like an adventure. I'm in."
Aria nodded. "There might be valuable clues there. Let's go."
Merslin took a deep breath. "Then we'll head out in the morning. Let's get some rest tonight and prepare for what's ahead."
Room Arrangements
As they approached the counter to book their rooms, the topic of sleeping arrangements came up.
"So, how should we split the rooms?" Elena asked.
"Two rooms should be enough," Merslin suggested. "Lisa, Elena, and Aria can take one, and I'll take the other."
Aria shook her head. "That might be too cramped. Maybe we should get another room?"
The innkeeper, overhearing their conversation, smiled. "Two rooms should be fine. One room for a man and a woman, and the other for the remaining two ladies."
Silence.
Merslin, Elena, Lisa, and Aria all froze in place, their faces gradually turning red.
Lisa, ever the bold one, laughed. "Oh, that works! I'll share a room with Merslin then. There are two beds, right?"
The innkeeper nodded. "Of course. Each room has two beds."
Lisa grinned. "Well, even if it was just one bed, I wouldn't mind. I've slept next to men before… though not in that way. Just during training, you know?" She winked playfully.
Elena and Aria exchanged looks, a mix of relief and hesitation flickering across their faces. Elena felt an odd pang of jealousy creeping in, though she wasn't sure why.
"Uh… I guess that works," Merslin said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
Elena, suppressing a sigh, nodded. "Alright, then. Lisa and Merslin will share a room, while Aria and I take the other."
Aria looked relieved. "Okay, let's go rest."
The Girls' Room
Once inside their room, Elena and Aria began changing into more comfortable clothes.
Elena casually slipped off her robe, while Aria hesitated, glancing away shyly.
"You don't have to be so nervous, Aria," Elena teased with a soft smile. "It's just us here."
Aria's cheeks flushed as she quickly changed. "I-I know, but… it's still embarrassing."
Elena chuckled, finding Aria's innocence endearing. "You're really cute, you know that?"
Aria turned an even deeper shade of red. "Elena, please don't say things like that. It's too embarrassing!"
The Other Room
Meanwhile, things were playing out very differently in Merslin and Lisa's room.
As soon as they entered, Lisa began stripping off her armor without a second thought.
Merslin, caught off guard, instinctively turned away and covered his eyes. "Wha—Lisa! Why are you just undressing like that?!"
Lisa smirked, completely unfazed. "What? It's not a big deal. I've done this plenty of times before. No need to be shy."
Merslin peeked through his fingers and immediately regretted it. His face burned as he caught a glimpse of Lisa's toned figure, covered in faint scars from countless battles.
Noticing his reaction, Lisa burst into laughter. "Oh, come on. You act like you've never seen a woman before."
Merslin groaned, quickly moving behind a curtain to change. His shadow was cast against the fabric, making Lisa chuckle.
"You're really going all out with this whole 'modesty' thing, huh?" she teased.
Merslin, still flustered, mumbled, "I just think it's better this way. No need to make things awkward…"
Lisa smirked, shaking her head. "You're such a careful guy."
A Quiet Reflection
Meanwhile, in the girls' room, Aria and Elena were finishing up their preparations for bed.
Aria playfully splashed water at Elena while washing up, making Elena laugh.
"You're adorable, Aria," Elena said.
Aria pouted, blushing. "Elena, stop teasing me!"
Later, as Elena lay in bed, she couldn't shake a lingering thought from her mind—Merslin and Lisa sharing a room.
For some reason, she felt a strange sense of unease.
'Would things have been different if I had taken that room instead?'
The idea surprised her. Why was she even thinking like that?
Lisa and Merslin were just teammates, weren't they? So why did it bother her so much?
Elena turned onto her side, her thoughts drifting back to moments she'd spent with Merslin—his determined expression during battle, his warm encouragement, the way he always put others before himself.
She clenched the blanket slightly.
Lisa was so confident and easygoing about these things. Could she be like that too?
'No, I shouldn't think about this. We're a team. That's all that matters… Right?'
With a quiet sigh, she switched off the bedside lamp and closed her eyes.
Tomorrow, she'd figure out these feelings. For now, she just needed to sleep.
Merslin's Thoughts
In the other room, Merslin lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
Lisa was already fast asleep, breathing softly.
Merslin, on the other hand, felt oddly restless.
Lisa was so casual and confident, completely comfortable in her own skin. It was impressive, but also… distracting.
He turned his head slightly and caught sight of her sleeping form. Unlike earlier, where she exuded strength and energy, now she seemed peaceful, almost fragile.
Yet, faint scars ran across her arms—marks of countless battles.
Lisa had been through so much, yet she remained so full of life.
That thought made him respect her even more.
Still, a different thought crept into his mind—What if Elena had been the one sharing this room instead?
Merslin shook his head, pushing the thought away.
'No. We're a team. That's all that matters… Right?'
Letting out a deep breath, he forced himself to relax.
Tomorrow, he'd have to be focused. For now, he just needed to sleep.
A New Day
The next morning, Merslin woke early and stepped outside. He found Elena already waiting in the hallway.
"Morning," he greeted.
"Good morning, Merslin," Elena smiled. "You're up early."
"Couldn't sleep much," he admitted. "How about you?"
"Same," she said quietly.
For a brief moment, they just looked at each other—a silent understanding passing between them.
Before the moment could linger too long, Aria came bouncing down the hallway.
"Good morning, everyone!" she chirped. "You're both up early!"
Elena smiled. "Yeah, let's go get some breakfast."
Merslin nodded. "Sounds good."
As they walked together, Elena stole a glance at him.
She wasn't sure what had changed, but… something definitely had.