Silence crept across the room. The trio stared at Valerius, their eyes wide in shock. They exchanged glances before looking back at him, as if waiting for him to laugh and tell them it was all a joke.
But Valerius only kept smirking, watching their tense expressions with amusement.
"Y-You're kidding, r-right?" Serephina stammered, her earlier confidence stripped away, leaving only uncertainty and fear in her voice.
"Tell me you're joking," Grimwald added, his face pale.
Valerius sighed and slowly let the smirk fade.
"Well… isn't it obvious?" He leaned back and chuckled. "Ha ha ha! What kind of idiot would announce he's going to kill the queen if he actually meant it?"
Grimwald let out a loud, nervous laugh. "Ha ha! Damn it, brother! Don't joke around like that I almost pissed myself for a second!"
Draven, however, wasn't laughing. His instincts screamed at him that something was wrong. His gut told him that Valerius hadn't been joking at least, not entirely.
What if it's true? Draven thought. What if he really does plan to kill the queen?
A man who could kill a Lycan with his bare hands, a man who has insane mana reserves, a man who is blessed with all the elemental attributes, wouldn't have much trouble tearing through the capital's defenses if he wanted to. If Valerius chose to, he could absolutely try it. The best challenge he could face is the captain commander of the Royal Guard Tiberius, who is said to be the strongest knight in the continent.
But why?
"Well, sorry, sorry. I was joking," Valerius continued casually. "I'm actually going to meet a friend in the capital city, Velmora."
Serephina relaxed slightly. "I see. Well then, since we're all heading to the same destination, how about we accompany you? Traveling with people is more fun than going alone, don't you think?"
Draven's body tensed. Oh, Serephina, what have you done? He wanted to stop her, but the words were already out. This guy is bad news. He swallowed hard, hoping praying Valerius would decline.
Valerius, of course, noticed Draven's tension.
He chuckled. "Well, I don't see why not! It was pretty boring traveling alone. Should be fun. Besides… you don't even have money."
Draven clenched his jaw. Damn it.
"So it's decided, then?" Grimwald grinned. "When do we leave?"
"Let's see…" Valerius rubbed his chin. "I still need to visit the bank and exchange my coins. The pretty receptionist lady said it would take two or three days, so we'll leave after that."
Draven inhaled slowly, trying to think of a way out of this. "Is that really okay? It's your money, after all. I'd feel bad if you had to support three freeloaders."
Valerius waved him off. "Nah, it's fine. Like I said, I don't mind."
Draven exhaled through his nose. I hope we don't get caught up in anything dangerous.
As far as he could tell, Valerius had no ill intentions toward them. If he had, they wouldn't be here. He saved them, paid for their stay, and had shown no hostility. But…
If what he said earlier was true… we might be walking straight into a storm.
"Haa… it's getting late," Valerius said, stretching. "How about we get some rest?"
"You're right. I'll ask the receptionist for some extra mattresses," Serephina said, standing up. "The bed isn't big enough for the three of us."
Valerius raised an eyebrow. So if it was big enough, you three would have just slept together?
"Well, do as you please. I'm calling it a night. See you all at breakfast." Valerius waved and started climbing the stairs.
The trio waved back, and Serephina walked over to the counter.
Inside his room, Valerius threw himself onto the bed with a groan. "Why did I say that?" he muttered to himself. "Now Draven's suspicious of me. But… the other two aren't exactly bright, so I guess it's fine?"
He sighed and rolled onto his side. "Well, we'll see what happens."
Reaching toward the table lamp, he removed the mana crystal, dimming the room to darkness.
The next morning, Valerius was greeted by another round of loud banging on his door.
"Valerius! Wake up! It's already morning time for breakfast." Draven's voice was firm.
Valerius groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. These guys are always up early. Do they not need rest?
"I'll be out in a minute," he called back.
"Alright, we'll be in the restaurant. Don't take too long."
As their footsteps faded, Valerius yawned, stretched, and went to freshen up for the day.
By the time he made his way downstairs, the rich scent of food filled the air. His long yellow hair was neatly tied back, and a subtle fragrance of rose and vanilla clung to him. As he entered the restaurant, heads turned his presence drawing quiet attention.
Serephina was the first to speak. "Oh, you finally came down? You took so long I think we aged waiting for you."
"Ah… sorry. I was just freshening up a bit," Valerius said, sitting down.
Draven smirked.
"Welcome, sir. What would you like to have today? The usual?" the server asked.
"Yes, please," Valerius said confidently, now that his secret was already out.
"So, when are you heading to the bank?" Draven asked.
"Hmm…" Valerius thought for a moment. "Probably after breakfast. Might look around town for a bit first, though."
"I see. So, how long do you think it'll take to reach the capital?"
"Well, we're not exactly in a rush," Valerius said, tearing into his meat. "I'd say a month, maybe. Let's take our time, enjoy the scenery. We've got plenty of money, so there's no need to hurry."
"That's true," Draven said, leaning back. "And who knows? We might even pick up some jobs along the way. That way, you can finally get rid of us."
Valerius smirked at the hidden message in his words but didn't respond.
"Hello!"
A soft, melodic voice interrupted their conversation. It was a woman's voice gentle, almost angelic.
Valerius turned, his gaze landing on the source of the voice.
A woman stood before them, her presence almost ethereal. She had soft, cascading hair that framed a delicate face, and her bright green eyes shimmered like polished gems. Her beauty was breathtaking enough to make Draven and Grimwald momentarily forget how to breathe.
"I couldn't help but overhear," she said with a polite smile. "You're heading to the capital, correct?"
Valerius narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yeah, that's right. What of it?"
"I'm Coleen. Coleen Kanner," she introduced herself, pulling out a chair and sitting down without waiting for an invitation. "I have business in the capital as well. I'm traveling alone, so I was wondering would it be alright if I accompanied you?"
Draven and Grimwald were still too entranced to answer.
Serephina, on the other hand, rolled her eyes before pinching both of their thighs.
The two men yelped in unison, snapping out of their daze.
Valerius, unfazed, kept his gaze on Coleen.
"You don't even know us," he pointed out. "And yet, you're asking if you can join us? Doesn't that sound a bit suspicious to you?"
"It is true that I may seem a bit suspicious approaching you like this, but I do have a good reason," Coleen said, looking directly at Valerius. "I want to get to Velmora safely, and I originally planned on hiring mercenaries. But… as a young, beautiful woman traveling alone, I can't exactly trust random sellswords, can I?"
Valerius cringed internally. It's true she's pretty, but calling herself a damsel in distress is a bit…
"Well, I don't mind, as long as you can pull your weight," he said nonchalantly.
"Yay! Thank you so much for your consideration, Mr…?" Coleen tilted her head.
"Oh, I'm Valerius. Valerius Darkridge." He motioned toward the others. "And these guys are Draven, Grimwald, and Serephina."
The trio gave small waves in the order of their names, still processing how quickly Coleen had inserted herself into their group.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I hope we can get along on our journey," Coleen said politely.
Before anyone else could speak, she continued, "I actually have a proposal. Yesterday, I overheard you talking to the receptionist about exchanging your platinum coins at the bank since you don't have enough gold on hand. How about this? I'll cover all your food and lodging while we're here as a token of thanks for letting me travel with you."
Valerius chewed slowly, his expression unreadable. That's a lie. She wasn't here yesterday. More importantly, her mana was dense easily that of a Master-level wielder. But for some reason, he didn't recognize it. Normally, he had a sharp memory for the mana signatures of powerful people he had encountered, but hers was completely unfamiliar.
Still, he didn't let any of his thoughts show. "I don't mind," he said casually, swallowing his bite. He glanced at the others. "What about you guys?"
"What about us? It's your money you should decide," Serephina said.
"Alright. Then I'll accept. Thanks it saves us a lot of time. Since we don't need to wait for the conversion, we can leave as soon as we're ready," Valerius said, licking the last of the stew from his fingers.
Can you be less disgusting? the trio thought in unison.
"Guys, I think we're overlooking something," Grimwald said, raising his hand.
"What is it, Grim?" Draven asked.
"How exactly are we getting to the capital?" Grimwald said, his face blank.
"Isn't it obvious? We'll go by hor " Serephina started, then stopped herself mid-sentence.
"Exactly." Grimwald sighed. "We don't have horses. We were supposed to buy them after working in Vihadi, but… well, that plan's gone now."
Draven let out a deep breath. "So what do we do? Should we part ways here?"
"That won't be necessary," Coleen interjected. "I have enough money. A decent horse costs around two gold, so three would cost six. I'll cover the cost, and you can pay me back when we reach the capital."
The trio stared at her.
What's with all the charity lately? They thought in unison.
"If you're fine with it, I don't mind," Valerius said, leaning back. "It'd be faster if we all had our own horses."
"Ms. Coleen, you really saved us today," Draven said, his voice unusually sincere. "I won't forget this favor. I'll make sure to pay you back every coin and more."
Meanwhile, Valerius finished his breakfast, which, while not as excessive as last night's feast, was still far heavier than a normal person's meal.
"Server," Valerius called out.
A staff member hurried over. "Yes, sir. How may I help you?"
"Can you pack enough food for ten portions by this afternoon?"
The server blinked. "T-Ten portions?"
"Yes. Is that possible?"
"Y-Yes, sir! I'll let you know once it's ready. Thank you," the server said before rushing off to the kitchen.
Valerius turned back to the others. "You guys should order what you want, too."
Serephina tilted her head slightly, watching him. Was that entire order just for him? It wasn't surprising at this point, but it was still funny.
The group ordered two or three portions each, but as the server left, Valerius turned to Coleen. "I feel bad putting everything on your tab. Do you have a hundred gold coins?"
"Yes, I do, but why? I told you I'd pay for everything," Coleen insisted.
"You can cover for them, but let me pay for myself," Valerius said, his tone firm.
Coleen smiled. "No, let me pay for you. You can get your coins exchanged in the next town, and if it really bothers you, you can pay me back then."
"It's not that it bothers me, but I do feel a little guilty…" Valerius sighed, then gave a small shrug. "Alright, fine. Have it your way."
"Great," Draven said, standing up. "Let's split up for now. Valerius, you and Serephina wait here for the food. Grim and I will go with Ms. Coleen to buy the horses."
"Sounds good," Valerius said, getting up. "I'll be in my room. Knock if you need anything," he added, looking at Serephina as he climbed the stairs.
She waved lazily. "Got it."
Draven, Grimwald, and Coleen left the inn and made their way toward the horse stables.