After we left the guild, we asked for recommendations for rooms with meals included. Eventually, we were directed to a place a bit further from the palace. As we made our way, the warm aroma of street-side spices filled the air, mingling with the distant echo of a palace fanfare, creating a lively yet slightly exotic atmosphere.
Apparently, the farther you are from the palace, the cheaper the lodging. Makes sense, I guess.
The building was a little run-down, but manageable. As we walked in, we were greeted by a middle-aged woman at the front desk.
"We'd like to book two rooms for the night, please," Sel said.
The woman gave us a polite but firm smile.
"All the available rooms have been booked. We only have one left."
"Huh? Wait. Hold on… one room?"
I froze in shock. My heart pounded against my ribs as the reality of the situation crashed over me. We'd just met a few hours ago, and the idea of sharing a room left me uneasy. Cold sweat prickled at the back of my neck, and I struggled to comprehend what was happening.
Panic started to build. My palms grew sweaty as anxiety crept in.
I glanced at Sel. Her face looked as if she'd just suffered an emotional blow—eyes wide, mouth slightly open, clearly embarrassed and blindsided.
Was she shocked or embarrassed? Maybe both.
(Oh no, oh no, oh no... this cannot be happening. Me and M-M-Master, one room? Calm down. Deep breaths. In. Out. Keep it together or he'll notice...)
I glanced at her — she was completely frozen, staring straight ahead.
(This is bad. I can't even move. That's it, we're sleeping outside. I give up.)
"Uhm… Mas—Reiji?" Sel stuttered.
"Yeah, Sel?" I replied, doing my best to avoid eye contact.
"I-I think we should slee—"
"It's a double bed," the receptionist interrupted, completely unfazed by the awkward tension suffocating the lobby.
(Phew… I was about to pass out. That could've been so much worse. Especially in front of him.)
Why is booking a room this stressful? It's not like I've done this before… This is literally my first time dealing with something like this.
Oh, right—Sel was about to say something…
"Hey, Sel? You called my name a moment ago. What was that about? Need something?" I asked.
"Who, me?" she said a bit too quickly. "I didn't call you. Why would I call you? I didn't say your name… You must be hearing things."
It was obvious she was panicking; her attempt to deny what happened only made her embarrassment more visible. I could see she realized I'd noticed how flustered she was.
"We'll take that one, please," Sel said, regaining some composure. "And could you fix us up some dinner? We're starving."
The receptionist nodded and gestured to the back.
"Sure thing. Just take a seat at that table — I'll whip something up for you two."
We moved toward the empty table, trying to act normal… but deep down, both of us were still internally screaming.
We took our seats and waited for our meal to be served.
"It was you," Sel said suddenly.
"Huh?" I blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You asked earlier if I was the one who attacked Kael… and I said it was you."
Wait—me? Really? I did that? But… I don't remember doing anything. I didn't even try to attack him. Nothing about that fight made sense. As chaos erupted around us, I recall the edge of Kael's blade whistling past in a blur and the searing heat of a shockwave rushing over me. I didn't move. I didn't swing. I didn't even think about attacking.
"It was your skill in action," Sel explained calmly. "It reflects an opponent's attack back at them. But not just a basic reflection—it amplifies it. Two to several times stronger than the original strike."
Right then, the receptionist arrived with our food, but I was so focused on what Sel had just said that I didn't even notice her.
"Wait, what?!" I leaned in. "Sel, that's insanely overpowered! Why didn't you tell me sooner? I thought I was going to die!"
"I didn't tell you because that skill wasn't activated until the incident with Kael," she replied, casually stuffing her mouth with food like this was the most normal conversation in the world.
"Oh… oka—wait a minute." My eyes narrowed."What do you mean, it just activated? Are you telling me that if it hadn't activated on its own, I would've actually died?!"
What the hell, Sel?! Are you trying to get me killed?
"Calm down," she mumbled through a bite of bread. "Even if I had told you about it earlier, you wouldn't have been able to activate it. It required a trigger—something only you could do."
"And what exactly did I do to trigger it?" I asked. I was pissed, sure—but curiosity was starting to win over.
"Really? You need me to spell it out?" she smirked. "Think back. What happened just before Kael attacked you?"
I closed my eyes and tried to remember.
I was almost about to run—but…
I paused.
"…Bravery," I muttered. "It was bravery… wasn't it?"
"Yup." Sel nodded. "That skill only activates for someone who proves themselves worthy. Someone who doesn't run when it counts. If you'd turned tail instead of standing your ground… You would've lost your chance to ever awaken that skill. It's a heroic skill"
I didn't run. I stood there, terrified out of my mind… but I stayed.
Suddenly, my father's words echoed in my mind:
"There are moments when what you're fighting for matters more than logic or odds."
I won't lie—I thought Sel might step in. A part of me expected her to stop Kael. But by the time that thought crossed my mind, I'd already made my decision. It didn't matter if I lost. It didn't matter if I died. I wasn't going to run.
I let out a faint smile.
I was beginning to understand what my father meant.
"…Thanks, Sel," I said quietly, my voice a little shaky.
She tilted her head. "You're welcome? But… what are you thanking me for? You were the one who awakened your skill on your own."
"Because of you… I didn't run. The odds didn't matter anymore. Logic didn't matter. I didn't care if I won or lost… because I had something to protect."
'Wait... me? Did he mean me? Did he activate his skill to protect me? Oh no... I'm blushing. Stay calm, Sel. Don't explode. Breathe. Wait—he was the one being attacked, right? Why would he think about protecting— Oh... oh. I get it now. He didn't care who was in danger... he just didn't want to run.' Sel quickly brushed her sleeve across her cheek, hiding the rosy hue that warmed her skin, her eyes momentarily avoiding his gaze as she fought to gather her thoughts.
After some time, Sel suddenly burst out laughing.
I blinked. "Did I say something weird?"
She laughed harder, tears in her eyes, and then gradually calmed down.
It seems… you're more like yourself than I thought," she said softly. She paused, her fork hovering mid-air, a peaceful smile playing on her lips. This stillness, this silent revelation, lingered for a moment, inviting him to grasp its significance. "You're always you, I guess."
"…Huh? Wait—what does that even mean? I was being serious, you know."
"Yeah. I know."She smiled — not her usual playful grin, but something different. Something peaceful. For a moment, it felt like the world had slowed down, like I was floating in the air.
Then she pulled me back to reality.
"Eat up, Master, before the food gets cold."
"O-Oh yeah…"(Did… did she just call me 'Master' again?)
And so, we finally ate to our heart's content. Afterward, we headed up to our room for some much-needed rest. Just like the receptionist said, it was a single room with a double bed.
Not ideal. But somehow… not so bad either.
"Reiji," Sel said, her tone suddenly serious.
"Yeah?" I looked up, already guessing where this was going.
"You noticed it too, right?"
I immediately understood what she meant.
"…The Guild Master."
"Yeah," she nodded. "There's something off about the way he talks. I can't shake the feeling that something's… off about him."
"Not just him," I added. "Some of the other guild workers, too. It's hard to believe the Guild Master's up to something shady while the rest of them are completely innocent."
Sel crossed her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "Yeah… for now, we should assume they're all potentially suspicious. But…"
She let out a long yawn.
"…But for now, let's just get some shut-eye. I'm so tired."
"Yeah, sure," I said, trying to shake off the unease in my chest.
But little did we know, outside the inn, cloaked in the shadows, something was stirring.
In the stillness of the night, the subtle sound of muffled boots on wet cobblestone echoed, a chilling contrast to the otherwise silent street. Nearby, a shadowy figure listened intently, their presence almost tangible.
'We're in position, sir. Awaiting orders.' There was a pause, as the tension seemed to thicken the air around.
'Good,' came the mystery voice, calm yet commanding. 'On my signal, execute the plan.' Another pause lingered, stretching time into an unbearable suspense. 'And bring me the heads of those adventurers.'
The last command sent shivers down the spine, as the eerie sound of boots shifted once more, blending into the darkness.