IOC - 20

A hollow laugh escaped me along with a short breath. Normally, I might have thrown it out already. But I couldn't bring myself to kick out this tiny monster that couldn't even open its eyes properly.

After catching my breath, I brought over a bowl of unseasoned chicken broth.

As if sensing the food, the creature’s eyelids flickered heavily. Its red eyes revealed themselves, glaring at me with lingering hostility.

No, was it hostility? It felt more like it was sizing me up.

"Looking like a true monster."

Despite being injured, its gaze was still that of a predator choosing its prey. It was as if it was contemplating, 'Should I swallow this human in one bite?'

Furthermore, if the food were offered by a suspicious human, it shouldn't have to eat it, yet after a quick taste, it quietly finished the broth and buried itself back under the blanket.

I watched it and chuckled.

"I guess you were hungry."

I soon grew tired as well and leaned back in my chair. I only intended to close my eyes until a customer arrived, but I must have fallen sound asleep. I slowly opened my eyes to the sunlight hitting my eyelids and a damp sensation brushing against my arm.

"……?"

A red tongue flicked over my arm. The monster was lightly licking me. Before I could even feel surprised, my eyes darted to my wound. The scratch that had been beaded with blood just a while ago was now completely closed.

As my eyes met the creature's in that surreal moment, it quickly turned its head away and burrowed into the blanket.

I stared at it blankly for a moment, and then a smile spread across my face.

"I guess this is why people raise animals."

My heart wavered at that one small gesture.

It's actually kind of cute.

***

Was it because I provided such an excessive "scaling service" last time? Lionel hadn't shown his face since then. I waited, sucking my thumb in regret, wondering when he would return.

Just as the tip of my tongue began to ache with a bitter longing, he reappeared after five days. But this time, he wasn't alone.

He was with Theord.

My mouth reflexively watered. What a golden combo! Perhaps noticing my expression, Lionel shot me a sharp, sideways glance and quietly ate his meal without saying a single word before leaving.

"Tsk."

Regrettably, my tongue service didn't seem to have won the Crown Prince's heart. But I suppose the soup tasted good? At any rate, they left money behind, so from a merchant's perspective, it was a win.

Oh, and the monster I picked up, around the third day, its wounds must have healed because when I woke up, it was gone. It was both a shame and a relief. At least I didn't get my throat slit, so I'll take that as a win.

However, there was one strange thing.

For several days, a faint trail of blood lingered in front of the inn. I couldn't tell if someone was loitering or if it was a trace left by the monster.

Suspecting it was lingering nearby, I started leaving a bowl of soup at the door after closing, and every morning, it was licked clean.

Was it trying to repay the favor? Or was it simply a midnight snack thief?

Regardless, I had no time to dwell on it.

Today was my day off.

Which meant it was the day I would meet Geoffrey again.

Ding~

The moment the bell rang, I sat up straight. As he walked through the door, he wore his usual gentle smile. To my eyes, however, even that smile seemed eerily cold.

"Good morning."

After a soft greeting, he scanned the surroundings before continuing.

"Have you grown accustomed to this place yet?"

"I told you, I've lost my memory."

I spat out the same excuse that never seemed to work, but Geoffrey simply curved his eyes as if intrigued.  

He sat down nonchalantly, and I brought over some tea, sliding it in front of him before sitting across from him. Geoffrey slowly lifted the teacup, deeply savoring the aroma before taking a sip.

"The fragrance is lovely."

"It's rosemary tea. I heard it's good for headaches."

I shrugged my shoulders and added, "I heard mages often suffer from chronic headaches."

Actually, I got it for free as a service at the pharmacy. But hey, sweet talk always makes people feel good, right?

"Thank you for thinking of me."

A flash of surprise crossed Geoffrey’s eyes before he settled back into his usual smile.

He then turned his gaze to the old ceiling. Then to the walls, the table. He inspected every nook and cranny of the shabby inn as if flipping through an old book, until his eyes finally rested on the door he had just entered.

"Do you know what the border where this inn sits signifies?"

"It’s a symbol of the end of the war. The boundary that separates monsters from humans."

Geoffrey nodded slowly.

"In the beginning, monsters and humans fought incessantly. To end the war, a Saintess crossed over from another world."

What is this, some cliché 'Otherworld Hero' trope I've seen a dozen times?

As my expression subtly twisted, Geoffrey didn't miss the change. Without losing his smile, he tapped the table with his fingertip.

Tap.

"The Saintess from another world."

Tap.

"The ancestor of the current House of Hardt, and the ancestor of House Latour."

Tap.

"The Chevalier Imperial Family, who carry the blood of the Dragon."

Tap.

"And finally, a single Hero."

His last finger landed on the table. Tap. The sound was short, but it carried a strange weight.

Geoffrey’s violet eyes glittered with a certain dark intensity.

"Upon those five pillars, the current Empire was founded."

I swallowed hard without realizing it. This was a story that appeared nowhere in the original novel. It was described only as "a disturbance that began at the border," but his words were specific, as if explaining the very origin of everything.

My heart thudded, and a chill ran down my spine. I told myself not to get sucked in, yet I was being pulled into the gravity of his voice.

Geoffrey’s violet eyes shone secretly, as if sharing a forbidden tale.

"My ancestor married the Saintess of that era."

Was it that ancestor who supposedly enjoyed spicy food? Was that why his hair was so exceptionally black?

I didn't dare ask those questions out loud. Instead, I hesitated and steered the conversation in a different direction.

"…Then, who was that one Hero?"

Though I was hiding behind the role of the 'Inkeeper' protecting the inn on the border, I was asking as if I were hearing this story for the first time, essentially admitting I was an outsider.

Yet, Geoffrey didn't seem to mind at all. He maintained his composure, continuing his answer with a calm smile. The emotions within that smile were so deep I couldn't begin to fathom them.

"No records remain. It is said a single Hero, who left behind not even a name, gathered them together. Some called him a god, while others whispered he was from another world."

"……."

"The most prominent theories are that he was an outsider like the Saintess. There are two versions. that he returned to his original world after the war, or that he quietly vanished."

He returned……?

My neck went stiff, and it became hard to even swallow.

And as if reading the rhythm of my heart, Geoffrey tapped the table again. Tap, tap.

That steady sound matched the rhythm of my pounding heart with eerie precision, like a slowly subsiding wave.

"Still, seeing as you know about the border, it seems you aren't entirely without information."

"……!"

Suddenly, Geoffrey’s hand reached out. My entire body froze as his cold, firm grip cupped my cheek. Like a small animal caught by a predator, I could only blink, unable to find my voice.

His elegant finger traced my lips and lightly toyed with my lower lip. When my soft lip was pressed down by his finger, Geoffrey gave a short laugh.

"I’ll make you another proposal."

His voice was low, yet it vibrated deep in my ears.

"Instead of seeing me just once a week like this, why don't you come to my side and learn about this place for yourself?"

"……!"

That unwavering attitude and his predatory gaze, which seemed to exploit my confusion to tighten the noose, held me captive.

"It will be a much better offer than before. I tend to be quite kind toward things that belong to me. And who knows? I might even be able to send you back to your original world one day."

Gulp. My throat was parched.

To be honest, it was an enticing offer. Returning to my original world was far better than trying to survive in this one. No matter how much I held out selling soup, there was a limit, wasn't there?

It wasn't just a matter of making a lot of money. This was a world where war was about to break out.

Furthermore, Geoffrey was described as the most powerful Archmage in the original work. If there truly were a way back, it would likely be through him.

Yet, staring into those violet eyes, I was hesitating.

Why?

Because Geoffrey was an unfathomable well. I had no idea how much of his word was truth.

Sensing my internal struggle, Geoffrey leaned slowly toward me. My vision was flooded with violet, and only after our noses brushed did I manage to stammer out a response.

"By your side… h-how exactly?"

At my clumsy question, Geoffrey chuckled. Unlike me, who surely looked like an idiot, his expression was a mix of cold composure and a sweet threat.

"I’m actually quite a decent choice as a bed partner."

A bed partner? Where the hell did that come from?