NPC - 15

Chapter 15

Click.

The inn door opened smoothly. The doorknob was sleek and fit perfectly in my hand. Should we change our inn's doors first?

"Cecil!"

As soon as I opened the door, a welcoming voice rang out. From deeper inside, someone was waving at me with a bright smile.

The man with long, flowing hair and a delicate aura was definitely our inn's regular, Kiheran. But despite his welcoming demeanor, he didn't take a single step away from the counter.

"......?"

Looking closely, he was standing in an awkward pose, as if his feet were glued to the floor.

'Is it magic?'

Did he get hit by a paralysis spell? The situation was easy to grasp. Kiheran must have used the inn and realized he didn't have his wallet when he tried to leave. Even if he promised to go get it and come back to pay, no one would just blindly believe him. Naturally, he was treated like a thief.

'And they bound him so he couldn't move a muscle until I arrived?'

In the game, this kind of thing only happened as a special event, but in reality, there are always customers who try to skip out on their bills. Most places have countermeasures prepared. A paralysis spell seemed like a relatively polite method here.

Rumor has it that some places will attack immediately, hang you in the town square, or even hire assassins if the unpaid amount is large enough.

'I think I actually took on that kind of assassination quest while playing the game...'

Anyway, our inn sometimes let customers run a tab, but we'd never been outright scammed. Mostly because our patrons were villagers. We could always just chase them down to their houses to collect their debts.

'Hmm... Guess I have to step in?'

Looking at Kiheran now, he desperately needed a bailout. Honestly, if something like this happened at our inn, I'd have no choice but to chase them down with my bow.

Putting those worries aside for now, it was best to save the man in front of me first. I hurried over to the counter and flashed a good-natured smile.

"Here, I brought the item you asked for."

"Cecil! Thank you!"

He grabbed my hand along with his bag. His eyes, seemingly on the verge of tears, sparkled as if he were looking at his savior.

"That kid is your errand runner?"

"Ah, hello~ That's right, just an errand runner."

"Oh my."

The woman sitting behind the counter with a bored expression spoke bluntly.

She was in the same industry as me. Running an inn this large meant there was probably a lot I could learn from her. I naturally observed her. Her hair was neatly tied up, and her light-colored clothes didn't have a single speck of dust on them. The same went for the counter. The overall impression was that everything was immaculate. I guess a place with so much foot traffic had to be like this.

"No good will come from following a man like this around."

"Pardon? Ahaha..."

I just let out an awkward laugh, not knowing what to say. I wasn't 'following him around'; it was just a simple errand. But strongly denying it would feel weird too.

"N-No! What are you implying?! Right. It's late, so I should stay another night. Cecil, you'll be staying here tonight too, right?"

Rather, the one who panicked and vehemently denied it was Kiheran. He waved his hands in a fluster before quickly changing the subject.

"I plan to."

"Don't tell me you're bringing him to your room?"

The innkeeper smirked as she counted the money he handed over.

"No! I'll pay for his room too." 

"Well... doesn't matter to me."

He then placed some extra money on the counter. When he didn't play along with her joke, the innkeeper's expression returned to its bored state. When she smiled, she looked mischievous; when she was bored, she looked like everything was a hassle.

Honestly, I wouldn't have minded sharing a room. It wasn't a strict rule that one person had to use one room at an inn. Rooms were often shared, and sometimes multiple people stayed in a single-bed room. It was incredibly common for male and female traveling companions to share a room purely for lodging, with no special meaning behind it.

As long as no crime was being committed, it wasn't the front desk's business.

'I should make sure not to make jokes like that at my counter.'

"Then you can show him to hid room. It's the one to the right of yours."

"Will do. Let's go, Cecil."

I gave a polite bow to the innkeeper, who had taught me a few valuable lessons today, and followed Kiheran upstairs. Come to think of it, this inn didn't have a dining area. Were they partnered with nearby restaurants?

'A place that specializes exclusively in lodging, huh...'

My heart fluttered slightly at experiencing these detailed background elements that hadn't been in the game.

I looked around before my gaze settled on the back of the man walking ahead of me. That reminded me, I hadn't thanked him yet.

"Ah, um... Thank you! But is it really okay? Paying for my room and all..."

"You came all the way here because of me, so of course I should pay~ And here."

He pulled out some more money and handed it to me.

"This is your errand fee for coming all this way. Thank you. You saved my life."

I accepted the money. In game terms, you could call this a quest reward. There was no need to decline it. But paying for the room and giving an errand fee?

'This is too much for a simple errand. Is he surprisingly wealthy?'

No matter how I looked at him, he didn't seem strong. He didn't look like a mercenary who handled rough jobs, and he didn't quite fit the image of a wandering bard either.

"Your room is here, Cecil."

Kiheran stood in front of his room and pointed to the one next door. I walked over to my door, then looked back at him and asked.

"Ah, right. Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Would there happen to be a peddler in this town?"

He traveled through here often. He'd probably know about the peddlers.

"A peddler?"

"Yes. I heard they sell rare items, so I wanted to take a look before I leave."

"Hmm."

I had prepared a mundane excuse for finding the peddler in advance. It was perfectly common for someone who had only lived in a small village to want to see unique items.

He stroked his chin and tilted his head.

"I've seen one occasionally... but I don't think there's one in town right now."

"Ah... Really?"

That was slightly disappointing news. Even back when I played the game, the peddler appeared randomly without any set rules. Some players had tried to figure out a pattern, but it always led to nothing.

'Right. Things wouldn't just work out perfectly like that.'

If anything, this was the expected reality. What were the odds of bumping into a peddler who just happened to arrive at the exact time I coincidentally visited the neighboring village? Multiply that by the chances of it being the exact person selling that specific potion...

'I guess that would be nothing short of a miracle.'

I felt a little down.

"What are you looking for?"

"Huh? A potion..."

I almost spilled everything naturally, but barely managed to swallow my words. I was looking for a panacea potion that could cure anything. No one else knew about this potion's existence.

Even if he was a regular customer, it wasn't a good idea to tell him. Besides, I didn't even know what to call it. In the game, it was simply labeled 'Potion.'

"A potion?"

As I stood there blankly, trailing off, he asked again.

"A slightly... unique potion. My father said he bought it from a peddler in this town, but we just happened to run out."

"Is that so? Then try checking the alleys south of the plaza. The peddlers usually hang out around there~"

He didn't seem to find my story suspicious. He smiled and continued.

"Peddlers have a habit of popping up out of nowhere, after all."

"Thank you."

"I have to leave early tomorrow morning. I'll see you in your village next time, Cecil."

"Okay. Have a safe trip."

Kiheran and I exchanged brief goodbyes at the door before entering our respective rooms.

'Oho...'

The room was quite nice, better than I expected. The innkeeper who looked like everything was a chore clearly had a meticulous personality, just like her appearance suggested. It was simply amazing that laziness and cleanliness could coexist.

I unpacked my bags first and sat on the chair. It wasn't a sofa, just a wooden chair, but there was a thin cushion on the seat so my bottom wouldn't hurt. The backrest was also designed with a slight curve.

"Hmm... A chair like this isn't bad."

But it would probably be quite expensive. Next, I walked over to the window. The barred window didn't open all the way; it only opened just enough that a person couldn't possibly slip through. Not only the window sill, but the curtains hanging next to it were spotless, without a single stain or speck of dust.

"It's not easy to maintain this."

They must clean and do laundry frequently. Our inn was also exceptionally clean, so I guess we were tied in that regard.

I lay down on the bed. I couldn't say the sheets were as crisp as new ones, but they weren't damp and didn't smell. This was quite well-managed too.

I tossed and turned a bit to check the condition of the blanket.

---

"...Gasp?!"

My eyes flew open. Startled by the unfamiliar ceiling, I looked around. Despite the strange surroundings, my racing heart gradually calmed down. Right, this was the neighboring village's inn.

It seemed I had fallen asleep while testing the bed. Still, I must have squirmed around in my sleep, because I was lying properly under the covers.

"I guess instinct really is undeniable."

To think I subconsciously found a comfortable position. Between the rare string of hunting battles and the long walk to the village, fatigue had built up, and my body seemed to be screaming for just a bit more rest.

"Ugh..."

It was hard to get up. I stared blankly at the ceiling with my eyes open, then rolled around a few more times.

"I should get going now."

I forced myself to sit up. Today, I had to look for the peddler and then walk all the way home. Walking at night is dangerous in any era. I couldn't afford to waste any more time.

I got ready immediately and stepped out of the room. I glanced at the room next door, but just as he'd said, there was no sign of Kiheran.

"Oh my, you're up?"

As I descended the stairs, the innkeeper greeted me.

"Your companion has already left."

"I know. I'm heading out now too."

"Right. Take care of yourself..."

She stared at me intently before adding,

"And don't just follow strangers around so carelessly."

"Excuse me?"

"When your errand is done, you should go straight home."

"Ah... Right."

I didn't even have the energy to get mad. Did I really look that young? I was being treated like a total child. But anyway, we exchanged smiles and said our goodbyes, and I stepped out of the inn.

Since I already knew the town's layout, finding the plaza wasn't difficult. Right in the center of the spacious plaza stood a stone statue. Some unknown historical figure stood proudly, grasping a sword.

It was a sight I used to pass by without a second thought while playing the game, but now it felt incredibly majestic. If I had more time, I would have looked around a bit more.

"South of here..."

I looked around.

"...where is that exactly?"

I only knew the general layout; it wasn't like the town map was permanently burned into my brain. Without a compass, finding south wasn't going to be easy.

Where exactly did the peddlers spawn in this town? The fact that nothing came to mind even when I racked my brain was a problem. I ended up just aimlessly wandering the entrances of the nearby alleys. Walking in circles around the plaza might have looked incredibly suspicious, but finding the peddler was my top priority right now.