"This is all I have…" Sera said, handing me a small leather pouch.
I peeked inside. Eleven silvers. She tilted her head, those puppy eyes stabbing at my guilt.
"Will this be enough for rooms tonight? We can earn more tomorrow if we take jobs from the Adventurers' Guild."
Damn. Money. Of course, I forgot. Should've sold the dead monsters from the dungeon instead of rushing out.
Shit.
I rubbed the back of my neck and glanced at the inn's wooden board swaying in the evening breeze.
"I'm sorry… I didn't bring any."
Sera smiled softly, though her eyes betrayed the struggle. "It's okay. You wouldn't have any left anyway, not when Vorrak's lackeys strip it off you with force."
My jaw clenched. Maybe I should go back and pay those lackeys a visit too…
I pushed open the inn's door. The warm glow of lanterns spilled over the counter where an old woman, mid-fifties, sharp eyes, sat scribbling in her register.
"How much for a room?" I asked.
"Eight hundred coppers," she said flatly.
From behind, Sera tugged my shirt and whispered, "We don't have enough for two…"
I smiled and set eight silvers on the counter. "One room. For the night."
The old woman's eyes flicked past me to where Sera stood, pink-faced, wide-eyed, practically melting into the floorboards.
Then the innkeeper looked back at me.
"I'll need her to say it."
I raised a brow. Not bad. She's making sure no woman gets dragged into a room unwillingly. Respect.
I turned to Sera. She fumbled, eyes darted, "umm.." then finally exhaled and nodded.
The old woman's pen scratched across the register before she handed me a key.
"Room 302. Third floor."
"You're not going to ask our names?" I asked, half-joking.
"Don't need them," she replied, closing the book.
"Tch. I even prepared fake names," I said with a grin.
She smirked and flipped the register back open.
"Don't worry. I took care of them for you."
I leaned over, and froze. Written under Room 302: Silver Lady and Virgin Potato.
A vein popped on my forehead. My hand instinctively reached for my sword. Sera grabbed my arm, stifling a laugh that came out as a squeaky chuckle.
Nexar, I am killing this hag.
[Don't make a scene, you don't want to wander around in the dark. Do it tomorrow.]
I shot the old woman a glare but picked up our luggage anyway.
Mine weighed heavier. The Etherium crystal inside.
"Food's included," the innkeeper called out as I trudged up the stairs.
Sera bowed politely behind me.
"Keep your noises down," the old hag added. "Can't have my customers complaining."
"W-What noise?!" Sera squeaked, darting up the stairs after me.
By the time we reached the third floor, my irritation had cooled into a sigh.
I unlocked Room 302 and pushed the door open.
Not half bad for 800 coppers. Bed, table, lounge, even a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, softly glowing with mana stones.
The bathroom was spacious, too. Cozy enough.
I placed our luggage on the table just as the door clicked shut behind me.
Sera fidgeted with a strand of her white hair, eyes darting to the bed.
"The bed is big enough… isn't it?" she murmured. Then she looked at me and asked,
"Umm… what are you doing?"
I glanced up, halfway through rolling out my sleeping mat on the floor.
"Huh? It's already past eleven. We walked for an hour straight. I figured we should sleep."
The look she gave me… like I had grown a second head. Disappointment written all over her face.
"I.. I brought this thinking we'd have to camp out. But thanks to you, I can just sleep on the floo—" I stopped. Realization slammed into me.
Beside me, Nexar's words flickered into view: [Heh.]
Don't say it, Nexar.
[Virgin.]
Fuck you.
Sera brushed past me in silence, towards her luggage on the table, grabbing her nightwear.
"Umm, Ser—"
"Don't talk to me." She didn't even look back, just walked into the bathroom.
The door shut, leaving me sighing into my half-rolled mat.
[Hey, Rune… you should secure Sera as your crewmate.]
I adjusted my pillow and frowned. "As my crewmate? We're starting that shit already?"
[She has the second-strongest defensive skill. And her combat ability is well above average for her age.]
I nodded reluctantly. "Yeah… trained in a village and still this strong. Impressive. So how do I do it?"
[Just ask if she wants to join your party. I'll generate the recruitment dialogue.]
I exhaled. "Got it."
The bathroom door creaked open, and Sera stepped out in her white nightgown, matching her hair so perfectly she looked ethereal.
She didn't say a word, just climbed into bed and turned away.
"The bathroom's yours now," she said flatly.
"R-right," I stammered, grabbing my change of clothes and heading in.
After washing up, I returned to the room. She looked asleep already.
I shut the window, fiddling with the ropes that controlled the chandelier.
Shutting two mana stones should dim it enough for the night.
Then came her voice, soft in the dark. "Rune…"
"I'm here," I said, still struggling to pick the correct rope.
[It's the right one,]
Yeah, out of four ropes. I shot back telepathically.
Her voice came again, quiet but clear.
"We shouldn't talk loud… the innkeeper said not to let customers complain."
I looked over at her. Is she… asking me to come closer?
Abandoning the chandelier, I walked toward her.
She had sat up slightly, her back leaning against the headboard.
"Vorrak's father has good connections with the guards from SBV," she said, her voice tinged with unease. "Do you think they'll come after us for revenge? You know… SBV is everywhere. And we made his son a criminal."
Right… that's what I told her.
I sat on the edge of the bed, raising my hand to her cheek.
"Huh?" she whispered, startled by the gesture.
I ignored her reaction, steadying my voice.
"No one knows where we went. And they won't invest too much into revenge. Doing that would only make people remember Vorrak's arrest longer."
[I don't think that's how politics works.]
She doesn't need logic, I shot back in thought. She needs assurance.
[Assurance, is it?]
[I know a way.]
Before I could even ask, a crisp chime echoed in my head.
Ding!
Conditions met. Required mana to use F-class Gift: 10. Mana possessed: 45.
Activating Gift: Soft Touch.
…Huh? Soft Touch? I whispered inside my head. I've never even used that. What does it even—
I didn't get the chance to finish.
"Mmmhh…"
A soft moan escaped Sera's lips as she pressed her cheek harder into my palm.
Her hand rose, delicate and warm, holding mine in place against her skin.
"Wha—"
"Thank you," she whispered, cutting me off. Her voice trembled with something more than gratitude.
"You know… you seem a bit different today."
"D-different?" My throat tightened as I met her eyes. The way she looked at me... cheeks faintly flushed, her expression soft, almost… seductive, it nearly froze me in place.
She rubbed her cheek once more against my palm, making my chest burn with confusion.
"We should… sleep," I said quickly, forcing my voice steady. "We need to wake up early and head to the guild tomorrow." I pulled my hand away.
"Ahh…" she exhaled, disappointed. "Fine." She slid back down onto the bed, pouting faintly.
I turned, half-ready to move to my mat when I felt a tug on my shirt.
"You can use the bed, you know," she murmured, half her face hidden behind the sheet.
"U-umm, I—"
"Unless you don't want to…" she added, her eyes round and pleading, almost puppy-like.
"I would be happy to," I said far too quickly, slipping onto the bed before I could embarrass myself further.
"That was quick…" she mumbled under her breath.
I turned my back to her, my heart pounding loud enough to echo in my ears.
"Something's really different about you today…"
I swallowed hard.
Is she… suspecting me?
Then. thump.
Something soft bumped against my back. Her face. She had buried it into my shoulder.
"H-huh?"
"You seem… reliable today," she whispered. Her breath brushed against my skin, so close I could feel the warmth.
"You don't have to act tough. We'll be fine… just the two of us. I'll make sure of it. I'll earn money tomorrow, hunting mon—"
She didn't finish. I had turned suddenly, facing her.
Her eyes widened, and in an instant she vanished beneath the blanket, pulling it up to cover her whole body.
"What are you embarrassed about… we already kissed," I said, confidence sparking from her flustered face.
The blanket shifted. Just enough for her eyes to peek out at me.
"But… we did that all the time, since the orphanage," she murmured.
Right… Rune's memories surfaced.
The very first time. The two of us hiding in the hallway after catching Sister Seraphina sneak a kiss from a Sinclair guard.
We thought it was just what best friends did. A child's clumsy imitation, never meant to mean anything. But now…
A smile tugged at my lips. Her innocent eyes, shining in the dim mana-light, stirred something far less innocent in my heart.
I placed my hand gently against her cheek, and she caught it instantly, pressing her face into my palm as though my hand had just become her pillow.
She smiled back, a reflection of my own.
"You won't do anything alone anymore," I said firmly.
Her brow knit in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"We'll fight together."
"B-but… you can't fight. You only have an F-class non-combat gift."
"That's why you fight, and I support."
She blinked, baffled, staring into my eyes like I'd grown a second head.
"Did you not know about your title?" I asked.
Sera shook her head faintly. "I didn't find much about Guardian Knight gift in the school's library…"
"Figures." I let out a small chuckle. "Guardian Knights are rare. Most who bear the title are top brass."
Her lips parted slightly. She hung on every word.
"Tell me, Sera... during battles, did you ever feel you couldn't sense what was happening in your peripheral vision?"
Her expression stilled. She thought back… then her eyes widened.
"That's right… The hits I took… they were almost always from behind. I couldn't sense them at all."
I nodded. "That's the weakness of Guardian Knights. Diminished peripheral awareness."
"I see…"
"So…" I leaned closer, lowering my voice, "…leave your back to me."
Her lips parted in shock. "Huh?"
"Don't you remember our promise?" I asked.
Her eyes glistened. She stared at me, breath caught in her throat.
"You got my back… and I got yours." I said.
A tear slid down her cheek, landing on my arm beneath her head.
"W-wha—" I stammered.
"You never spoke about that," she whispered, voice trembling. She rubbed her eyes. "I thought… it was just me who remembered."
My heart clenched painfully. Rune had carved that promise so deeply into his soul, yet never said it aloud. He endured everything in silence.
Sera rubbed her cheek against my hand again, like a cat begging to be spoiled. Her walls had crumbled.
"Let's go hunt monsters together tomorrow," she said softly, closing her eyes, sinking into my touch.
Is this because of Soft Touch? I wondered.
"Sera… will you form a party with me?"
Her eyes blinked open. "Party…?"
Ding!
[Recruiting Sera into the Warlord's Crew. Awaiting response…]
Only I could see the glowing blue screen floating between us.
"Yes, party," I explained, smiling. "We'll fight together, from now on."
Her face lit up instantly. "Yes. I'll be happy to."
Ding!
[Sera is now officially part of the Warlord's Crew under Administrator Nexar — The Warlord's Carnal System.]
Ding!
[Calculating affection points…]
"Wha—" I blinked, caught off guard.
Ding!
[Crewmate Guardian Knight Sera's affection: 87.]
Ding!
[Rewarded affection points: 128.]
Ding!
[Total remaining affection points: 128.]
Blue screens cluttered my sight, glowing and pulsing.
"Rune?" Sera asked, catching my baffled expression.
"N-nothing. I was just… thinking about tomorrow," I said quickly.
"Yes!" she beamed. "From tomorrow, we'll officially live together." She nestled deeper against my arm, as if claiming it.
"Let's sleep," I whispered.
She nodded. But then, before I could pull away, her lips pressed against mine.
Her eyes widened in surprise, but instead of retreating, her body fell forward, pinning me down as her lips sank into mine.
"Mmmphh…" she moaned softly into the kiss, leaning closer, hungrier.
Ding!
[Affection of Crewmate Guardian Knight Sera rose to 88.]
Ding!
[Rewarded affection points: +4.]
Ding!
[Total remaining affection points: 132.]
I barely had time to breathe before Nexar scribbled beside me, smug as ever:
[Hehe… the skill Soft Touch. The only F-rank skill no one else possesses but you.]
Sera's lips glistened as she broke away for a heartbeat, licking them instinctively before crashing down on me again.
She guided my hand to her breast, her body trembling against mine.
"Mmhh…" she moaned into my mouth, her kiss fevered, her gown slipping slightly from her shoulder.
[Soft Touch is ranked F because divine gifts are graded by combat use. But in night battles… it's stronger than even E-rank Aphrodite's Arrow.]
Sera's weight pressed harder against me. "Rune…" she breathed, voice husky.
Stop it, Nexar! I snapped inside my head.
[Tch.]
[ Well.. you need to wake up early tomorrow..]
Ding!
[Deactivating Soft Touch. Remaining mana: 45.]
…It didn't even consume mana? I thought, startled.
Truly a F-rank divine gift.
I pushed Sera, licking my shoulder, away from me. She slumped against me, dazed.
"Ahhhn…" she sighed, her eyes unfocused, body twitching faintly as though waking from a trance.
"Sera!" I shook her lightly.
"Huh?" Her eyes fluttered open, hazy.
"Rune…" She blinked, then froze. Her gown was half-exposed, her body pressed against me, my hand still awkwardly placed.
She bolted upright and slid back beside me, cheeks burning red.
"W-what… happened?"
I let out a long sigh, playing dumb. "I think… you move a lot in your sleep."
Her face twisted with confusion, then embarrassment.
"I… I see." She pulled the blanket up, nearly swallowing herself in it.
"Good night, then," I said, turning away.
"…Good night to you too," she whispered, her back to me.
*****
Rune's exhausted body slowly eased into sleep, his breathing evening out as the tension left him.
Sera, however, stirred. She propped herself up slightly, her silver hair spilling across her nightgown as her gaze lingered on the boy beside her.
A soft chuckle escaped her lips.
"...Liar," she whispered under her breath, fingers ghosting over her own lips, still tingling from their kiss.
Leaning closer, she brushed a tender kiss against his cheek.
"Good night," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
Then, with a faint smile, she rested her head gently against his back, her warmth pressing into him as she slowly drifted back into sleep.