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Han stretched out his arms, stepping out of the carriage.

"Thank you for your hard work, Master," Brittany bowed as she held open the door.

Compared to the first time he stepped out of the carriage when arriving at Leaf Village, the night was silent due to many having fled due to the Empire soldiers being spotted. There wasn't any of the chaos he'd seen before he'd left to greet the soldiers.

He felt as though he'd come back home after going to the movie with friends. Patting himself on his stomach, Han still felt full from all the food he had eaten.

"Master, it is getting quite late. Would you like to head to bed?" Helania suggested, following behind Han.

Hearing the suggestion of sleep made his ears perk up.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. With how busy we have been today, the idea of laying on a soft bed with the three of you sounds quite appealing." Han grinned at the idea.

He had always enjoyed sleep, and cuddling with his precious creations would be even better.

Walking through the entrance of the inn, Han noticed that the mood had calmed down by quite an amount. There wasn't the sound of the staff rushing about or people having intense arguments in the dining area.

Han noticed that the same older woman was waiting behind the counter, as though everything was usual, though slightly more disheveled than before things erupted into chaos.

"Welcome back, My Lord," The woman bowed in greeting. "I am glad to see that you are safe. I have been waiting, nervous about your safety."

Appreciating the woman's dedication to her duties, Han said, "I believe it will be announced soon that all is well." He then made his way toward the stairs. Turning his head slightly, he added, "There may be a woman in armor from Illumin searching for me. Lead her to my room since I have business with her."

The woman's eyes widened slightly, her mouth opening and closing like a fish as though she struggled to articulate her thoughts.

Not wanting to argue with a noble, the woman closed her mouth and bowed, "As you wish, My Lord. I will look for the woman closely and direct her to your room immediately."

Brittany and Queen walked by the woman, not bothering to acknowledge the worker as they followed Han.

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Helania stood in front of the counter.

When the woman raised her head, her eyes widened before she composed herself.

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"My Master would like to reward you for the work you have done, going above and beyond," Helania admitted that she also shared her Master's thoughts on the woman.

Her Master's smile and expression indicated his interest in the human. Seeing this as an opportunity, she decided to take it upon herself to do something that would give the human a positive impression of her Master.

Reaching into her coat, Helania pulled out a small black velvet box.

The woman was speechless, seeing the container.

Based on her understanding of the world they existed, Helania knew that velvet wasn't something that was used to cover packaging on top of it being easily recognizable. Considering the types of clients visiting the inn, she suspected that the worker would've seen velvet before and know what it was and its significance.

Placing the box on the table, Helania smiled, "I believe you will find this to be more than enough to compensate you for what you had to experience."

The worker looked at Helania before directing her gaze to the black box. She quickly returned to looking at Helania before saying, "My Lady, I have done nothing to deserve such a priceless item. I am a simple worker."

Helania noticed how the woman's chest began rising faster, clearly, adrenaline coursing throughout her body.

"My Master is generous with those he feels have performed above and beyond their duty. Do not feel burdened and instead think of it as an opportunity." Helania smiled.

The woman brushed back her blonde hair, using it to give herself time to think.

As Helania watched the woman, she also began to asses her, paying attention to her mannerisms -- even the way the woman's eyes behaved upon seeing the item. The way the woman's face slowly reddened was also noted.

"I can see why Master was interested in this woman," Helania approvingly thought.

The woman was indeed attractive, likely the reason why she was assigned to greet clients as they entered the inn, but also her attentiveness to her social position. During the entire time, Helania didn't notice any hints of greed -- an indication of the human thinking of taking advantage of her Master.

Regardless of how her Master felt, if Helania had detected any undesirable traits from the human, she would've discreetly had her removed.

The worker delicately picked up the box and carefully opened it.

Her hands began to tremble upon seeing the contents inside. The worker turned the box to Helania, "My Lady! Please, this is unreasonable!"

Helania looked at the necklace, which had an ethereal design carved into its surface of a star and a moon. Even with the interior lighting, the symbols had a faint glow as though they had energy contained inside.

The attached chain was made from a metal unique to the Stronghold, light but nearly indestructible.

"Put it on," Helania motioned with a hand.

Seeing that Helania wasn't going to listen to her pleas, the woman's shaking hands picked up the jewelry. The chain flowed along the back of the woman's hand as though the metal were liquid.

"Come over here," Helania gently directed the woman.

Nodding obediently, the woman carefully walked around the counter with the jewelry in hand. It was as though she were terrified of dropping it on the ground.

The jewelry glimmered under the nearby light as though absorbing it. Around them, the lobby of the inn felt drab and slightly less colorful in the presence of the unique item. It was as if reality itself bowed before the necklace, acknowledging the beauty the object possessed.

When the woman reached her, Helania held out a hand.

Seeing the hand, the woman gratefully returned the jewelry. She let out a long sigh of relief as though a nightmare had passed and she was freed from a burden.

"Turn around," Helania said.

Panic returned in the woman's eyes as her head jerked to look at Helania.

Wordlessly, Helania used her other hand and drew a circle with her index finger as she smiled at the woman.

The woman's eyes looked at Helania and then turned around slowly as though she were merely a puppet, powerless to resist the order given.

"Raise your hair," Helania ordered.

This time, the woman didn't fight Helania and simply obeyed.