Chương 33: Gold That Bought Loyalty

Inside the inn, from the walls to the heavy beams and the ceiling, everything was carved from wood, yet arranged with deliberate harmony, as though the carpenter had followed a single aesthetic creed and refused to betray it. Lanterns hung like golden moons from iron hooks, their light pooling softly over polished floorboards. Men laughed over tankards that met tables with dull thuds. Women spoke in hushed clusters.

Waiters navigated the crowd with the fluid confidence of those who knew the rhythm of the place by heart. Into this lived-in warmth stepped something that did not belong. Noa and Vionette walked straight down the center aisle toward the counter, neither rushing nor hesitating. They moved like a calm current cutting through a noisy river.

"Hello," Noa greeted, lifting a hand in a casual wave.

"Are there any rooms left?" It wasn't his voice that stilled the room—it was the contrast. Heads turned slowly, conversations thinning into curious silence. Noa's face was far too handsome and refined, his clothes looking entirely too expensive for the countryside, carrying an air of casual ease that hinted at a background beyond a simple village upbringing. Behind him stood Vionette.

Her white hair shimmered beneath the lantern light, outshining even the sun outside as if it had borrowed brilliance from winter's first snowfall. The high-quality dress she wore was neither flamboyant nor plain; it was simply precise, tailored like nobility disguised as simplicity.

"Yes, sir, we have two rooms left," the brown-haired receptionist replied as her eyes scanned Noa.

"Would you like to take both?" Her posture remained perfect, her tone steady—but inside her mind, that professional composure fractured. Gosh… he's so handsome. Is he a noble? Will I get to speak to him again? She imagined fleeting futures—a longer conversation, perhaps a smile directed only at her. It was foolish, she knew, but fantasies bloom fastest where reality is dull.

"No need. One room is enough for us," Noa replied, looking briefly at Vionette before turning back to the receptionist.

"Just give us the best one." The words fell like a hammer through thin glass, shattering her imagined futures instantly.

"U-Uhh… okay." Her smile trembled slightly at the edges.

"W-we will arrange a room for you."

"How much is it?" Noa leaned forward against the counter, resting one elbow casually on the polished wood.

"Two silver coins per day, sir." Vionette leaned toward his ear, her cool breath brushing against his skin.

"Are we ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go to the room." They turned toward the wooden staircase that spiraled upward like the spine of the building, ascending toward quiet. But just as they stepped onto the first stair— Grab. A thick hand closed around Vionette's wrist. The owner of the hand was bald and broad, muscles layered thick beneath a white shirt stretched near its limit. He was slightly taller than Vionette, but nearly triple her width.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" He grinned predatorily.

"You look way too good to just leave like that." Vionette turned her head slowly, her crimson eyes meeting his with a gaze so cold it could have preserved meat through winter. Instead of frowning, her lips curved upward faintly.

"Ara~ how rude," she muttered, her eyes gleaming. The bald man blinked. The seemingly powerless woman was smiling with amusement, and the man who came with her—Noa—didn't even turn around to rescue her; he simply kept climbing the stairs. Vionette reached calmly into her purse and retrieved a gold coin.

"What the hell are you doing, ya—" His grip tightened around her wrist. Ignoring him, she withdrew another coin. Swoosh~ She tossed both coins, gold flashing beneath the lantern light like twin falling stars. They landed near two other men of similar heavy build who were sitting nearby, watching in anticipation. The men bent down and scooped them up.

"It really is a gold coin."

"A real one!" They examined the engraved symbol, testing the weight in their palms. It was genuine—heavy with both metal and opportunity.

"Two more after he's dead," Vionette said lightly, as if ordering dessert. The two men exchanged glances, wicked grins spreading wide across their faces.

"Consider it done."

"Yeah." The bald man's bravado faltered as his eyes darted around. The receptionist stood frozen with both hands over her mouth, while other patrons stared—not at him, but at the gold. Gold had a way of rearranging loyalties far faster than morality could protest. What the hell? His grip loosened unconsciously as more men stood up—some driven by greed, others simply for the fun of a fight. Vionette slipped free and brushed off her wrist as if dusted by something unpleasant.

"Five more to the one who burns the hand that touched me," she added, tossing another two coins down as she continued up the stairs.

"Well, have fun, you guys~" Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

"Wait—no—" He shoved backward just before two men lunged forward and pinned him to the floor.

"AHHH! MY LEG!" The scream echoed through the tavern as Noa and Vionette reached the upper landing without glancing back. … The room upstairs was modest, yet peaceful. Wooden walls embraced the space in warm tones, and a simple table sat near the window with a small clay pot resting atop it. A single chair stood beside it, framed by curtains through which the city shimmered beneath the fading sunlight.

It was nothing like the royal castle—no marble floors, no chandeliers dripping with gold—yet it possessed a natural charm, as though carved from the forest rather than shaped by ambition. When Vionette entered, Noa was already taking off his jacket and climbing into bed.

"Why are you sleeping so early? Augmented Lifeforms don't even need sleep," she asked, closing the door behind her.

"And aren't you going to take a bath?"

"Just use Aether to clean up. Let's start gathering info tomorrow, okay?" he murmured, closing his eyes.

"It's already getting dark anyway." By enveloping themselves in their internal Aether, a person could repel even the smallest particles of dirt from their body—whether in a single burst or continuously. It was lazy, but arguably cleaner than any bath could ever be. Vionette stood still, watching him for a moment. Then, pulsing Aether around herself, she reached into her purse—which doubled as a dimensional storage item—pulled out a nightgown, changed quickly, and hopped onto the bed beside him.

"Good night, Blackie~" Morning crept in like a cautious guest. Noa stretched, arms reaching upward as golden light filtered through the curtains, painting the room in gentle warmth. He got out of bed and looked back with a low groan. Vionette was still fast asleep, clutching the blanket tightly as if guarding a treasure. I guess after walking around the city, she was exhausted. He smiled faintly, pulling the hem of her nightgown back down where it had ridden up during the night before covering her with the blanket.

Knock, knock!

Noa looked toward the door, smoothed his hair down a bit, and opened it. A gray-haired man in his late thirties stood there, glasses resting over steady black eyes. The receptionist and another woman stood beside him, both holding their hands crossed politely in front of them in a posture that reminded Noa of the castle's maids.

"Please forgive us if we interrupted something important," the gray-haired man said, glancing briefly toward the bed.

"No, no." Realizing what he was implying, Noa shook his head.

"We haven't even kissed yet, so don't jump to conclusions." The receptionist quickly leaned past him to catch a glimpse of the room before straightening up just as fast. Don't lie, you jerk! Her eyebrows furrowed as frustration welled up inside her. Who sleeps in the same bed like that before even kissing?!

"Anyway, what's your business?" Noa's gaze sharpened, assessing their intent. The trio suddenly bowed low before him.

"We apologize for yesterday's trouble in our inn," the gray-haired man said sincerely.

"As the owner, I take full responsibility." Given how casually they threw gold coins around, they must be people of high status, perhaps even nobility, the owner thought, eyes closed tight. We must prevent any further offense or stain on our establishment's reputation. He's the owner? Noa tilted his head slightly.

"It's fine, dude. No one died… well, anyway." He paused as a thought crossed his mind. That bald guy might have, though.

"I've been meaning to ask, why are people leaving the city?"

"As I suspected, you must be foreign travelers," the owner replied, straightening his posture.

"A dragon has reportedly appeared in the forest outside the kingdom. Since that forest is closest to our city, many civilians are evacuating as a precaution." So it's in the forest.

"Well, thanks for the info." Noa began closing the door before the man could say anything more.

"See ya around, I guess."

"What happened?" When he turned around, Vionette sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Just a quick cleanup over that bald guy, and…" Noa reached for his jacket, slipping it back on.

"And?"

"Information about the dragon."

"Information about the dragon, huh?" Vionette stood up and walked toward the mirror, pulling up the fallen strap of her nightgown before fixing her hair in front of the mirror.

"Yawn~ So, where is it?"

"It seems to be in the forest."

"Eh? The forest?" She sighed.

"That place is crawling with monsters. It's going to be a pain in the ass to cut through them all."

"It does sound like a hassle." Noa leaned back against the bed.

"The monsters aren't a problem, but I need to save my stamina for when I fight the dragon. So, what's the plan?"

"We should gather more information first and try to locate it at a later date." While closing his eyes and half-listening to Vionette outline their approach, a sudden thought struck Noa. His eyes flew open, bright and mischievous, like a child who had just remembered where the hidden sweets were kept.

"That means…" He turned his head slowly toward Vionette.

"…we can cuddle again until then." The room fell dead silent. Vionette's hands, which had been carefully smoothing her hair, froze mid-motion. Her eyebrows shot upward, and a faint crimson bloom spread rapidly across her cheeks.

"…You like to cuddle at night?" she asked slowly, as if testing whether she had misheard him. Then her eyes snapped wide.

"WAIT! What do you mean 'again'?!"

"Yeah," Noa blinked at her, confused by the sudden spike in volume.

"You cuddled me tightly last night. Don't you remember?"

"…" HUUUUUH?!! Exaggerated, terrifying scenarios of what she might have done flooded her mind—arms wrapped around him, clinging like a koala, maybe even drooling on his chest. Suppressing her panic, Vionette stood up from the vanity chair with deliberate elegance and walked slowly toward the bed. She leaned forward, placing one elbow against the mattress. Her silver hair cascaded over one shoulder like spilled moonlight. With her other hand, she reached out and gently pressed a single finger against his lips.

"?!!" Noa's eyes widened instantly, his breath catching in his throat as if she had stolen it.

"You like to cuddle that much?" she asked, her tone firm yet laced with quiet amusement, her crimson eyes half-lidded as a teasing smile curved her lips.

"You were the one holding onto me."

"That is not the point." She pressed her finger slightly firmer against his lips, as though physically hushing him would solidify her argument.

"And besides," she added softly, leaning in closer, "why didn't you push me away if you disliked it?" He blinked.

"I didn't say I disliked it." She froze as heat rushed to her face, a deep blush staining her cheeks.

"You—!" she started, but her momentum collapsed halfway through. Thud!

"Kya!" In one fluid motion, Noa rolled and gently pinned her down onto the mattress, bracketing her with his arms on either side of her head. The bed dipped beneath their weight, and her silver hair fanned out across the sheets like frost.

"You blushed while saying that, princess," he murmured, reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face.

"You're embarrassed, aren't you?" Vionette turned her face away immediately, her gaze darting to the side as if the wooden wall had suddenly become fascinating.

"I am not."

"You are~" Noa tilted his head teasingly.

"You know, if you don't want to cuddle… I won't force it." Vionette's eyes flicked back toward him, her face still turned to the side.

"That's not what I said."

"Then what are you saying?"

"You're the one who said I held onto you," she mumbled weakly.

"Maybe you should be a little more grateful." Noa raised an eyebrow.

"Grateful?"

"Yes." She turned her head back to look at him, a small smile breaking through, the embarrassment vanishing from her voice.

"It's not every day you get to be held by someone as refined as me."

"Oh? So it was intentional?" Her gaze softened, melting with warmth and affection.

"Would you be happy if it was intentional~?" Noa laughed softly under his breath—a low, warm sound. As his head lowered, she instinctively reached up.

"Mmm~" He pressed a deep kiss to her lips, neither rushed nor forceful, but slow and deliberate—as if sealing a promise neither of them had spoken aloud.

"We haven't even kissed yet." Vionette recalled the words she had faintly heard while half-asleep earlier. So this is him correcting that… This idiot. Her fingers curled tightly into the fabric of his shirt. Instead of pushing him away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, sinking deeper into the mattress with him. This guy is unbelievable…