At that realization, something stirred deep within Theord’s heart.
Suddenly, he found himself missing him.
He wasn't sure if it was because he craved the gukbap the man had cooked, or if the memory of that brightly smiling face welcoming him kept flickering in his mind.
Perhaps it was simply the way the man’s cheerful energy seemed to lift his spirits.
…But more than anything.
“Take care! Come back safe!”
It was a common farewell, yet for some reason, it refused to fade.
Looking back on his life, no one had ever told him to "come back." For him, a departure was always a command, a return was expected only by the Empire, and the only thing waiting for him was his next mission.
Perhaps that was why those short, ordinary words had left such a deep mark on his soul.
A faint smile, one even he wasn't aware of, brushed across Theord's lips.
Whatever the reason, one thing was clear. once this mission was over, the first place he wanted to return to was that inn.
To the inn where the owner, Shion, would be waiting.
***
Damian’s physical affection grew bolder by the day.
Stealing kisses at every opportunity was a given, but now he occasionally cupped my backside with one hand, watching me as if he were measuring something.
Every time he did, I’d press my lips thin and try to slink away. But there was no way I could win against a man of his stature.
In the end, I’d inevitably find myself cornered in the kitchen, our lips crashing together once again.
Chu~ Chuup, chu.
“H-heup… Stop! Don’t use your teeth!”
It was breathless enough having his thick tongue blocking my throat, but every time his fangs grazed the delicate lining of my mouth, goosebumps rolled over my skin like a wave.
When I finally managed to shove against his chest, Damian let out a jagged, heated breath.
Licking the stray moisture from my chin with the tip of his tongue, he spoke in a voice that sounded dazed and heavy with desire.
“Strange. It isn't sweet, yet I keep swallowing. Shion, does your saliva have some sort of thirst-inducing effect?”
“O-of course not!”
As I gasped for air, his thigh brushed against mine. Feeling the searing heat radiating all the way to my stomach, I shouted in a panicked daze.
“Are you in heat or something?!”
“…….”
A sudden silence fell. Damian didn't offer a comeback.
…Wait, why?
I stared blankly at the silent Damian, then let out an awkward cough. This silence felt ominous. Usually, he’d snort or mock me, but this total lack of reaction was unsettling.
Is he actually in heat?
The thought finally hit me. Come to think of it, Damian was a carnivorous monster. It wasn't strange for an animal to have a mating season, and as a monster, he likely operated on a cycle that couldn't be measured by human standards.
Could it really be that time for him?
While all sorts of wild imaginations cluttered my brain, Damian’s red eyes slowly turned toward me. His gaze, flickering with a subtle tremor, locked onto mine.
“How long has it been since I arrived here?”
“Huh? …Uh, about two weeks? If you count the time you spent in your monster form after being injured, it’s been a little over a month….”
Damian’s expression hardened instantly, causing my voice to trail off as I watched him.
After a moment, Damian slowly straightened his body. He paused at the doorway, casting a gaze toward the border beyond the door as if he could see right through it.
“I need to head into the forest for a while.”
“What? So suddenly?”
Reflexively asking if he was finally leaving, Damian turned his head to look me straight in the eye.
“I will return.”
“Can’t you just… go?”
Huk. My true feelings slipped out before I could stop them.
I clapped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late. Whether Damian didn't hear me or, more likely, pretended he didn't, he turned away without any change in expression.
He opened the door and stepped outside without another word.
…Is he really gone?
However, hearing footsteps shortly after, I looked out the window. Instead of leaving, Damian was slowly circling the perimeter of the inn.
What is he doing?
Unable to contain my curiosity, I followed him out.
“What are you doing?”
“Marking.”
“Pardon?”
“Setting a sign that this is my territory.”
Marking?
Isn't that the thing dogs do when they pee during walks?
…Wait, is he looking for a place to go?
My eyes instinctively dropped downward.
I thought of that massive presence that I’d felt whenever we brushed against each other during those kisses.
If he lets it rip, is this building going to collapse?
I had a sudden mental image of Damian casually lifting a leg to pee, only for the entire inn to crumble into a heap of rubble. The mere thought sent a chill down my spine.
I mean, just because it is big doesn't mean the stream is powerful, but you know those urban legends, stories about men breaking down walls with their… flow.
Horrified, I jumped in front of Damian and spread my arms wide.
“Agggh! No! You can't!”
As Damian paused, I screamed almost at the top of my lungs.
“This building is old! If you pee here, the wood will rot and the whole place will collapse!”
“…….”
Despite my outburst, Damian didn't even blink. If anything, he looked down at me with a slightly exhausted expression.
After staring at me in silence for a long moment, he shook his head slowly as if he couldn't comprehend my logic. Then, without a word, he resumed circling the inn.
Feeling uneasy, I followed close behind him, hiding my anxiety as I watched his every move, terrified he might drop his trousers at any second.
After one full lap, Damian returned to his starting point and stopped. He looked toward the boundary for a moment before speaking.
“I will be gone for about a week.”
“…Take care?”
At my reflexive farewell, Damian’s lips pulled back into a grin, baring his teeth as if he were genuinely pleased.
While I stood there blinking stupidly at his reaction, Damian reached out toward me, hesitated for a second, and then poked my cheek with his index finger.
“……?”
The slightly hot tip of his finger touched me and was gone in an instant.
Damian let out a low, rumbling chuckle, then walked toward the border without another word. He looked back a few times as he walked, but eventually, he became a small dot and vanished completely.
I stood there staring at the spot where he disappeared, absentmindedly rubbing my cheek.
“What was that? What did he mean by that?”
He says he’s going back to the monster forest, but why insist on coming back?
And why specify that it would take exactly a week?
It was a feeling I couldn't understand or explain. With a lingering sense of unease in my chest, I shook my head.
“Let’s just get to work.”
With my usual self-muttering, I started my daily chores, but the inn, without a single visitor, was excessively quiet. Now that Damian was gone, the entire place felt hushed, as if it were holding its breath.
“I swear…”
To think that the absence of just one large shadow could leave the place feeling this empty.
Without realizing it, I had grown accustomed to him.
***
The next day, and the day after that, there were still no guests.
Today marked the third day since Damian had left. During my downtime, I tried various things to unlock the secrets of the inn, but I came up empty-handed.
I placed the calculator I had summoned on the counter and stared at it for a long time, letting out a heavy sigh.
“I can’t exchange it for cash, and I can’t sell it. What’s the point?”
The summoning ability was so awkward.
While I could manifest the items I imagined, their size was unpredictable, and if I didn't stop the process, it could turn into a disaster.
Once, I foolishly shouted, “Let a giant hunk of iron fall!” only to see a rift open in the air with something massive beginning to emerge. I’d screamed for it to stop, terrified.
Fortunately, the iron mass vanished into thin air before it could drop. After that, I made a firm vow never to summon things as a joke again.
If that thing had fallen even a little further, this inn would have been turned into dust in an instant.
So, during the three days Damian was away, I focused on tidying up the interior. I organized the old tables, replaced the creaky chairs, and hung cozy lights by the windows.
Today was time to decorate the counter.
I was in the middle of summoning and arranging a few decorative items, including the calculator, when…
Ding~
The bell rang.
Stopping mid-task, I looked up to see the neighborhood vegetable vendor walking in.
“What is all this?”
He looked around the inn, his eyes growing wide. The glittering lights, the polished tables, and the neatly organized kitchen caught his eye.
“The place looks so bright all of a sudden. Did you fix it up?”
“Well, business has been decent lately. I decided to invest a little in the inn.”
At my words, the man narrowed his eyes and smiled proudly, as if he were looking at a young man who didn't waste his hard-earned money.
“You’re a diligent one. It was quiet for a bit, so you did all this while there were no guests?”
“Hahaha….”
I gave him an awkward laugh.
In reality, I hadn't spent a single penny. The inn had simply changed its form in response to my calling.
Even if a situation arose where I had to spend money, I had no intention of getting attached to this place. Because if war ever broke out, this inn would be the very first thing I’d have to abandon.
Comments Box