Inside the inn, silence reigned.
Ophelia, Fidelia, and the rest of their party stood motionless, their gazes fixed firmly on the closed entrance.
The flickering lantern light cast long shadows across the wooden floor, but none of them seed to notice. Their attention was wholly consud by what lay beyond the door.
Shock lingered in the air.
So did confusion.
And beneath it all, a deep, gnawing worry.
Ophelia’s lips trembled faintly as she clenched the hem of her robe with white-knuckled fingers, as though gripping it tightly could anchor her racing heart.
Her breathing was shallow, uneven.
Several tis, she had taken a half-step toward the door, only to force herself to stop.
She wanted to rush outside and search for that stingy, infuriating boy.
Yet she didn’t.
With her current strength, she knew the truth all too well. If she went out there, she would not help him. She would only beco a burden.
A weakness he would be forced to protect.
And that thought terrified her more than anything else.
So she stayed.
Waited.
Ti stretched unbearably long.
Each second dragged like an eternity, and with every passing mont, their unease deepened. The air felt heavy, pressing down on their chests, while a creeping chill crawled up their spines.
Then...
Soft footsteps echoed from outside.
Casual.
Unhurried.
The sound was faint, yet it struck them like thunder.
Their breaths hitched.
Muscles stiffened.
Without realizing it, each of them leaned forward slightly, eyes burning with anticipation and raw nerves.
Creak.
The door swung open.
Thoren stepped inside.
The night breeze followed him in, brushing gently against his silver hair, causing it to sway softly beneath the dim lantern light. His deep blue eyes lifted imdiately, locking onto the five girls standing before him.
Behind him stood a hooded figure.
Still.
Silent.
Like a living sentinel carved from shadow and bone.
For a brief mont, no one spoke.
They simply stared at one another, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging thickly in the air, relief, awe, lingering fear, and sothing far more difficult to na.
Finally, Thoren broke the silence.
"Is the inn no longer welcoming ?" he asked lightly, a hint of mock disappointnt in his tone. Though it was a ruse.
"Huh?"
"No—no!"
"Of course you’re welco!"
The girls jolted as if waking from a trance, their voices overlapping in hurried reassurance. He had just saved their lives, how could he possibly not be welco here?
Ophelia stepped forward with asured, careful strides and stopped a few feet away from him.
She stared at his face, searching for injuries, exhaustion, anything, before slowly parting her lips.
"H-How did you do it?" she asked quietly.
"Do what?" Thoren replied, tilting his head slightly, his expression one of practiced innocence.
She knew that he understood exactly what she ant. Yet seeing him play dumb left her at a loss for words, unsure whether to press further or retreat.
Before she could decide, Thoren walked past her.
His gaze shifted to Fidelia and the remaining three girls.
Fidelia stood out imdiately.
She was taller than the others, her presence calm and steady, carrying the natural air of soone accustod to taking responsibility.
Her chest was twice the size of others and her perky ass was enough to give any man a wet dream.
Sensing his attention, Fidelia stepped forward.
"Thank you," she said sincerely. "For saving us."
Her gratitude was genuine, free of hesitation or fear.
"It’s nothing," Thoren replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Besides, you were dragged into that ss because of ."
While that was technically true, everyone present understood the reality.
Most people would have fled.
Few would have dared confront the Ghost Scream Bounty Hunters.
Even fewer would have challenged them knowing the Federation Police stood behind the scenes.
Yet Thoren had done so without hesitation and walked away unscathed.
"Is my room still available?" he asked casually.
Though he spoke as if awaiting an answer, his feet were already carrying him toward the staircase.
"Of course it’s available," Ophelia called after him. "But it costs twenty copper coins per night."
"That’s good to know," Thoren replied without looking back. "Though I wonder who would be brave enough to collect it from ."
The words were spoken lightly.
Almost jokingly.
Yet they struck like a hamr.
Ophelia and the others froze, jaws dropping in unison. They knew she had only been teasing him but his response made sothing painfully clear.
Thoren was no longer the boy they once knew.
With his figure disappearing onto the second floor, the tension finally broke.
Ophelia exhaled deeply, followed by the others, as if they had all been holding their breath without realizing it.
Though none of them had shown it openly, every single one had been tense in his presence. Their words had been chosen carefully, their reactions restrained.
They were terrified.
"I told you," Ophelia said at last, crossing her arms beneath her chest as she looked at the others. "He’s a good person. There has to be sothing deeper going on."
"Is that why you charged him twenty copper coins per night?" one of the girls asked dryly.
Everyone turned to stare at Ophelia.
They all knew how much she loved money but daring to ask for paynt after witnessing what Thoren was capable of?
That was another level entirely.
"Why not?" Ophelia shot back defensively. "Is he not staying at our inn? We’re not running a charity here."
"Don’t push your luck," Fidelia sighed, rubbing her temples. "You don’t want to get on his bad side."
"Of course I know that," Ophelia replied instantly, her tone smooth and unbothered. "I didn’t really an it anyway."
"Tch."
One of the girls snorted and rolled her eyes.
Only Ophelia could say sothing outrageous and retract it the next second with a straight face.
Between her love for money and her shalessness, she was truly one of a kind.
"Alright," Fidelia said, clapping her hands together. "That’s enough for today."
Her voice softened.
"Today was dangerous. We’ve all been through enough. We deserve a good night’s rest."
"We’ll decide what to do next tomorrow."
The others nodded in agreent and slowly returned to their rooms.
Earlier, when they had fallen into the Ghost Scream Bounty Hunters’ hands, they had prepared themselves for the worst.
Now, all they wanted was a cold bath and sleep, real sleep, without fear gnawing at their hearts.
Once everyone had dispersed, Fidelia closed the windows and bolted the door, ensuring the inn was secure.
Only then did she turn and make her way toward her own room.
As she passed by the corridor, her gaze lingered briefly on Thoren’s room.
A monster like that... staying in our inn...
Is this a blessing... or a disaster waiting to happen?
She shook her head slowly, forcing the thought aside.
Whatever it was.
It was already too late to turn back.
With a quiet sigh, Fidelia stepped into her room and closed the door behind her.
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