After Ryan and Carlos left the tavern, they had to look for Tala and Til, who were searching for an inn to stay in for the night. They wandered the town's streets looking for them until they arrived at one of the offices and asked:
"Have you seen a boy about eleven years old, looking gloomy and quiet, with a girl about twelve years old, sharp-tempered and with red hair?"
The clerk in the bookstore replied: "Yes, a boy and a girl with those descriptions came to me. They were looking for a hotel, saying they needed a place that was affordable and not expensive."
Ryan responded: "So, where did you tell them to go?"
The clerk answered: "I advised them to go to the street behind the town's main square. There's a hotel there called Rosemary Inn."
Ryan and Carlos looked at each other, then Carlos spoke in a respectful tone toward the clerk: "Alright, thank you, sir."
Then the two left the office, heading to the indicated place.
It took no more than five minutes before they reached their destination. A sign was clearly written: Rosemary Inn.
It was without a doubt the right place.
As soon as they entered, they heard the sound of a heated argument. The two immediately realized what was happening... It was Tala arguing with the innkeeper.
Tala: "Why do we have to wait for those two to arrive before we can get our rooms?"
Til replied: "We're only waiting for them because all the money is in their possession."
Tala addressed the innkeeper again, but this time in a sweet and emotional tone: "Hello, uncle, can't you just give us our rooms now? As soon as our friends come, we'll pay you."
The innkeeper looked at her in surprise: "Is this the same girl who was screaming just a moment ago?"
But he answered firmly: "No, I cannot let you in without paying the lodging fee first."
Tala's expression changed, and she began speaking in a low but terrifying tone: "Are you really determined to stop us from entering our rooms before paying, innkeeper?"
"Yes."
Before Tala could continue, Ryan arrived and said cheerfully: "Hey guys, where have you been all this time? We've been looking for you everywhere."
Before Ryan could notice what was happening, Tala slapped him hard, leaving the imprint of her hand visible on his cheek.
Ryan froze in place, and before he could say or do anything, Tala began shouting at him:
Tala: "Ryan, you idiot! Did you take the money from my bag to gamble with it? Isn't that right? How dare you make some random innkeeper in a northern town treat me like this? This is all your fault! Where is my money?"
Ryan finally opened his eyes wide, and the first thing he said was: "My money? And what right do you have to call it yours? It's my money, I—I'm the one who gathered it!"
Tala replied: "Gathered it? No, you stole it and scammed people to get it! This money belongs to the whole team! How dare you take it with you and try to gamble it away?"
Carlos stepped in and stopped the quarrel: "Enough, both of you! Ryan, where's the money? Hand it over."
Ryan pulled out a pouch from his pocket containing the money and gave it to Carlos.
Before Carlos could approach the innkeeper to book the rooms, another hand reached into Ryan's other pocket and pulled out another pouch of money—it was Til's hand.
Til said: "Hey Ryan, how dare you hide this money?"
Ryan looked at Til with a strange expression, as if trying to silence him.
Suddenly Carlos opened the pouch he held and counted the coins: "Five gold coins and twenty silver coins."
Then he turned his gaze toward Ryan: "Hey Ryan, didn't we have ten gold coins and thirty-five silver coins? Why are there only five gold and twenty silver?"
When Carlos looked at Til, he understood immediately.
"Give it here, Til."
The pouch Ryan had hidden was in Til's hand, and Carlos took it.
Tala then spoke: "Hey Ryan, how dare you steal our team's money?"
Ryan stammered: "N-no, it wasn't stealing! I just wanted to take it, trade with it, and return it tenfold instead of five!"
Tala glared at him: "Trade? This is the first time I've heard you say that.
And then her tone turned to a shout: "You wanted to gamble with it, didn't you? You're truly irresponsible!"
Ryan huffed, turned his head away from her, and went to the innkeeper: "Hey, innkeeper, didn't you hear what we were saying? We want a room for four people at a good price."
The innkeeper replied: "Alright, a room with four beds for four people will cost eight silver coins."
Suddenly, a hand landed on Ryan's shoulder. It was Tala's hand.
Tala: "Hey Ryan, who are those four beds for? Why did you ask for only one room?"
Ryan looked at her, confused, and answered: "For us, of course. Who else? We're four: me, Carlos, Til, and you."
Tala, barely holding her anger: "And why should I have to sleep with you boys?"
Ryan scratched his head, unable to find a convincing answer, and finally said: "It's just cheaper this way. Do you want me to rent two rooms with two beds each? You'd definitely say: you and Carlos take one room, and you and Til take the other."
Ryan said this mockingly.
Tala clenched her fist and punched his face: "Hand over the money! You really are a scoundrel who'll never change!"
She then spoke to the innkeeper in a terrifying tone: "Innkeeper, we need two rooms: one with three beds for these boys, and one with a single bed for me."
The innkeeper replied: "Alright, but the price will be nine silver coins."
He took the coins and handed them the keys: "Go to the second floor. The lady's room is number three, and the boys' room is number four."
The team climbed the stairs, went to their rooms, and everyone slept to prepare for their journey tomorrow to the mountainous region.
Tala slept in her room, and in the next room were Til, Ryan, and Carlos.
Til fell asleep first, then Carlos followed, but Ryan remained awake.
Carlos noticed: "Hey Ryan, aren't you going to sleep? We've got hard work tomorrow."
Ryan replied: "Yeah, I really feel sleepy, but I'm excited and curious at the same time. What if we actually find a laboratory of the Remnants of Erobus? Will we find survivors? How many? Who are they? How old are they? Boys or girls? What abilities do they have? All these questions keep coming to my mind, and they're stopping me from sleeping."
Carlos answered: "Then, to get answers to your questions, you need to sleep and give your best tomorrow."
Ryan said to Carlos: "Hey Carlos, do you still remember the first day we met?"
Carlos replied: "Yes, I remember. It was one of the worst days of my life."
Ryan answered: "You're just exaggerating. For me, that day was the best day of my life."
After that, the two finally went to sleep, hoping to find what they sought—anything related to that organization... Yes, the Remnants of Erobus, that criminal organization that appeared ninety years ago and waged war against the nine kingdoms for seventy years.
But before the kingdoms destroyed it completely, it suddenly stopped for reasons unknown to Ryan and his companions.
And that is what they were determined to do: to destroy the Remnants of Erobus and save the remaining living victims.
With the birth of a new day, and as the sun rose, Til woke up:
"Come on, guys, you need to get up! Morning has come!
Hey Ryan, get up!"
But he found Carlos was not in his bed. Where had Carlos gone?
He opened the room door, and there was Carlos.
Carlos: "Good morning, Til. You're up?"
Til: "Yeah, but Ryan refuses to wake up."
Carlos: "Alright, let him be. Go wake Tala."
Carlos: "Hey Ryan, wake up! Morning's here! We need to leave early so we can reach our destination on time."
Ryan finally woke up, covering his mouth with his hand: "Alright, alright, I'm up. I'll wash my face and come."
After the whole team got up, they packed their belongings, ready for the journey, and headed toward the town gate, moving on to their destination.
End of Chapter