As they made their way toward the inn, Valerius took in the sights of Vihadi. The streets glowed under the warm light of colorful lanterns, casting a lively atmosphere over the bustling town. Children ran past them, their laughter ringing through the air, while merchants enthusiastically called out their wares to eager customers. Even at this hour, business thrived. Among the sea of civilians, armored knights stood tall, their polished plate shining under the flickering lights.
The city certainly has its charm, Valerius mused.
"So, what did you guys do while I was gone?" Serephina asked, snapping him from his thoughts.
Grimwald was the first to answer. "Me? I was looking around for monster-related artifacts and souvenirs. Thought I could pick up something interesting but, turns out, I'm not rich enough to even look at them," he grumbled, crossing his arms.
Serephina chuckled. "I could've told you that."
"What about you, Draven?"
Draven straightened slightly, his expression unnaturally stiff. "Oh, me? Uh… well, I checked out a few blacksmiths, talked to some knights to get a sense of the current affairs. Nothing much happening in town, really. Yep, that's it." He nodded to himself, looking way too guilty.
Valerius, who had been watching him anxiously, finally exhaled in relief. At least he didn't spill the secret.
"How about you, Valerius?" Grimwald turned to him.
Valerius blinked, caught off guard. "Oh… me? Ah… nothing interesting." He rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, just the usual."
Draven narrowed his eyes slightly.
Valerius cleared his throat. "I did grab a piece of meat from a nearby shop. Pretty tasty, I have to say."
Draven sighed internally. Yeah, right. A piece.
After walking for a while, they arrived at their destination a grand inn with elegant wooden beams and warm lanterns glowing at the entrance.
"Welcome!" The receptionist greeted them with a cheerful smile as they approached the counter.
Serephina leaned in, whispering, "Let me do the talking."
The men exchanged glances but ultimately let her handle it.
"Hello!" Serephina said brightly. "We'd like two rooms the best ones you have available."
Valerius frowned. He quickly counted in his head. Two rooms?
"Hey, Serephina," he whispered. "There are four of us. Why only two?"
"Don't worry about it," she replied casually. "I and those idiots will share a room, and you'll get the other one."
Valerius was stunned.
What does she mean, 'those idiots' will share a room? She's a girl! With two guys?!
His face grew hot from secondhand embarrassment just thinking about it.
Draven noticed. "You okay, Valerius? You're turning red."
"What do you mean, am I okay?! Of course I'm not okay!" he hissed. "You're telling me you three are just going to share a room? Aren't you even a little ashamed?!"
Draven blinked, then let out a small laugh. "Oh, that. Don't worry about it. We all grew up in the same orphanage we've been sharing rooms since we were kids. It's normal for us." He clapped Valerius on the back.
"I… see." Valerius coughed, regaining his composure. "Well, if that's what you prefer, I don't mind. I could pay for four rooms if needed."
Grimwald waved him off. "Nah, we can't impose on you more than we already have."
"Alright then." Valerius let the matter go and turned back to the receptionist.
Serephina returned from her negotiations. "All set! Two rooms 20 silver per night for each. That makes it 40 silver per night total," she said, looking at Valerius expectantly.
"Alright, let me get the money." Valerius reached into his pocket and pulled out a single platinum coin, handing it to the receptionist.
She froze.
For several seconds, she just stared at the coin, her brain seemingly struggling to process what had just been placed in her hands.
"S… Si… Sir… We cannot accept this," she stuttered.
Valerius frowned. "What do you mean? This is a platinum coin."
"That's exactly the problem, sir!" the receptionist said, suddenly looking very nervous. "There isn't a single inn in this town that would accept that kind of coin! It's too valuable for something as simple as room fees. And if word got out that we were holding even one of these, we'd be a prime target for thieves! A single platinum coin is enough to fund this inn for six months! Please understand!"
Valerius blinked. "Oh… I didn't think about that." He scratched his head. "The thing is, all I have are platinum coins. I have ten of them."
The receptionist's eyes widened in horror. "T-Ten platinum coins?!"
Her voice echoed through the entire inn.
The room went silent.
Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at them.
Murmurs broke out among the guests.
"Did I hear that right? Ten platinum coins?!""That's insane! Who even carries that much?!""He must be a noble… or something else."
Even the trio was stunned, staring at the receptionist.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Serephina snapped, lowering her voice. "What if someone follows us now to steal it?!"
The receptionist immediately clamped her hands over her mouth, looking horrified. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to shout! It just slipped out!"
Valerius sighed. "It was an honest mistake. Forget it." He folded his arms. "So what now? Is there a place I can exchange these for gold?"
The receptionist, still flustered, quickly nodded. "Y-Yes! You can go to the local bank and request a conversion. It might take them a day or two to process, but they're trustworthy. They've been operating for over a hundred years."
"I see. Thanks for letting me know."
Draven rubbed his chin. "In that case, we don't have a way to pay right now. How about we cover the cost when we check out?"
The receptionist hesitated. "Well… that's a bit "
"Oh, come on!" Serephina groaned. "After what you just did, don't you think we deserve at least that much? We're not even asking for a discount!"
The receptionist immediately folded. "I-I understand! I'll allow it! Please enjoy your stay. Your rooms are numbers 2 and 3, on the first floor. Just take the stairs to your left."
With that settled, they grabbed their keys and headed toward their rooms.
Valerius took room 2, while the trio took room 3.
Draven stretched as he turned to Valerius. "Alright, it's almost dinner time. Let's freshen up and meet at the restaurant in two hours."
Valerius gave him a thumbs-up. "Got it."
As Draven closed the door behind him, Valerius finally exhaled.
Between secret feasts, shouting receptionists, and outrageous room arrangements, it had been a long day.
Valerius stepped into his room and let himself fall back onto the bed with a sigh.
"Oh… that hits the spot," he muttered, stretching his arms out. "Sleeping on hard forest floors with nothing but a thin mattress has been hell lately."
His body sank into the comfort of the sheets, exhaustion washing over him. I'll just catch some sleep and wake up in time for dinner, he thought before closing his eyes.
A loud banging on his door woke him up.
"Hey, Valerius! You there? It's dinner time."
Valerius groggily opened his eyes, still half-asleep. Oh, is it time already? His stomach let out a loud growl, answering the question for him. Yeah… definitely dinner time.
Then, another realization hit him. How am I supposed to eat my usual amount in front of them?
He had managed to keep his appetite hidden for most of the day, but now? Now he was in trouble. If he waited for them to finish and leave, the restaurant would close, and he'd be left starving all night. He had no choice he'd have to eat, and they'd definitely notice.
Sighing in defeat, he sat up, wiped his face, ran a hand through his long, messy hair, and made himself look somewhat presentable before heading to the door.
As he opened it, Draven raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you were asleep? Sorry about that, but the receptionist said food won't be served after dinner hours, so I had to wake you up."
Valerius shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I was just about to wake up anyway. Let's go."
They made their way downstairs to the inn's restaurant. Most of the tables were empty now, the dinner rush long gone, leaving only a few lingering customers finishing their meals. They found an open table and sat down, settling in as Draven flagged down a server.
"Good evening, sirs and madam," the server greeted them politely. "What would you like to order tonight?"
Grimwald leaned forward. "What's the best dish you've got?"
"I'd say the boar and beef meats are the highlights tonight," the server replied. "We did have some predator-class monster meat earlier, but it sold out an hour ago. Apologies for that it's quite rare, after all."
As the others deliberated on their choices, Valerius was locked in his own internal struggle.
Alright. No way around it. I just have to accept it I'm going to look like a glutton tonight.
His stomach growled again, the rich aromas around him making it unbearable to resist. He sighed, accepting his fate.
"Hey, server," Valerius said, motioning the man to come closer.
"Yes, sir?" The server bent down slightly to hear him better.
Valerius leaned in and whispered, "Bring them whatever they order… but for me? I need everything you have."
The server blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Shh! Keep it down!" Valerius quickly pulled him back and whispered again. "Just bring me everything, but not all at once, bring it out gradually."
The server hesitated but eventually nodded. "U-Understood, sir," he said before walking off toward the kitchen.