Scene Transition to the Past:

So, there I was—sitting on my now completely uncomfortable throne (seriously, why did I ever think that was a good idea?) and I suddenly had this epic revelation: I’m done. Done with the chaos. Done with the endless “I WILL DEFEAT YOU, CRIMSON LORD!” speeches. Done with trying to rule the world.

Yeah, I’m Kayn, also known as The Crimson Lord, but, honestly? Now, I’m just some random 20-year-old guy with a slim build and black hair who can’t seem to escape the red eyes thing. Like, seriously, they never go away. But don’t worry, I’m not here to cause any world-ending destruction anymore.

So, I packed up my stuff, left a note behind for any unfortunate hero who showed up looking for a fight, and I dipped.

I left my old castle and wrote this little masterpiece of a note:

Dear Heroes,

I, the Crimson Lord (but call me Kayn, seriously), am officially retired. No more evil plots. No more world domination. I’ve moved on to a quieter, more peaceful life.

The castle is vacant and there will be no last battle. You heroes can go home.

Sincerely,

The Crimson Lord (retired)

P.S. My eyes are still red, but let’s not make a big deal out of it.

I left that letter behind and poof—I was out. New life. No more scary title. Just... me. Running an inn. And it felt good.

Scene Transition to Present:

So, here I am. A week has passed since I opened “RESCUE.” It’s been peaceful, no heroes in sight (thankfully), but also... well, let’s just say, no customers either.

Not even one. Not even an unexpected wanderer with an amusing backstory about how they lost their way. Nothing.

I sat behind the counter, staring at the empty lobby. The floor was so clean you could see your reflection in it—though that was probably because I was the only one who’d walked on it this week. The chairs? Empty. The tables? Same thing. I even bought fancy tea for guests, but no one had come to enjoy it.

“Alright, Kayn,” I muttered to myself, tapping my fingers on the counter. “Maybe I should’ve gone with ‘The Demon Lord’s Grand Inn of Doom’ or something catchier, huh? Nah, who am I kidding, that’d probably attract too many customers... or, worse, heroes looking for a ‘final showdown.’”

I sighed, glancing at the clock. The second hand ticked on slowly, almost mockingly, as if it was reminding me that my dream of a peaceful life was, well, not happening.

A full week. A full, agonizing week, and not a single soul had wandered in.

“I swear, if another hero walks by and sees my ‘vacant’ sign, I’m gonna... I don’t know. What do you even do when you’re out of customers?” I shook my head. “Maybe I should’ve advertised. Or, I dunno, hired a bellboy to ring the bell and scream ‘WELCOME TO RESCUE’ like I’m running some kind of magical spa for heroes and monsters.”

I slouched in my chair, letting my head rest on the counter. It was quiet. Too quiet.

A couple of birds outside were chirping. The occasional breeze rustled the leaves. But that was it.

“Maybe I should’ve stuck to world domination,” I muttered. “At least then I’d have a minion to complain to.”

Just as I was about to give up on the idea of peace, I heard something.

The door creaked open.

I instantly shot up, hoping, praying that maybe, just maybe, I had a guest.

I straightened myself out, giving a completely normal, villager-like smile—trying to look like I wasn’t the Demon Lord who retired to run an inn in the middle of nowhere.

The door opened wide, and...

...nothing.

It was just the wind.

I slumped back in my chair.

“Great. Not even wind wants to stay here.”

***After one week of running inn

I was back at the counter, pretending to clean the same glass that had been sitting there for days. The inn was still as quiet as ever. The silence was almost comforting at this point. It was, however, starting to get old.

And then, suddenly—

BANG!

The door crashed open, slamming against the wall with a violent thud. Honestly, at this point, I was less surprised by the noise and more by the fact that the door was still holding together.

“We know you’re in there, run away! Come out now or—”

Before they could finish, a group of thugs barged in. Leather armor, greasy hair, and their usual anime villain look—like they came straight out of some bargain bin fantasy catalog.

I sighed, rolling my eyes, already knowing what was coming. "Great. Just what I needed," I muttered under my breath. "Another group of dumb intruders."

The thug leader, tall and with a scar that looked like it was drawn on by a 12-year-old, pointed at me with a scowl. “You’re harboring a runaway slave, innkeeper! Hand her over or we’ll—”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

I immediately cut him off, my voice dripping with annoyance. “First of all, don’t point at me. Second, you broke my door. You’re going to pay for that.”

The thugs blinked, clearly thrown off by my reaction. Their leader scowled. “You don’t know who we are, do you? We’re here to—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” I said, waving him off. "You're here to catch a runaway or whatever. Don’t really care about your problems. But if you're breaking my door, you’re paying for it."

“What?” The thug leader blinked again, confused.

“Yeah.” I crossed my arms, trying to look as calm as possible—though honestly, inside I was just annoyed. "Premium door repair rates. No discounts. And I don’t do deals with idiots who don’t know how to open a door gently.”

The thugs stood there, utterly dumbfounded. What is wrong with these guys?

I was getting increasingly flustered. It wasn’t the first time some idiot came in thinking they could just break down my door and expect things to go their way. Every hero, every goon, every wannabe villain... all of them. The stupidest part was that they never learned.

“Now, about that gold,” I added, shaking my wallet slightly so the coins rattled. "You can pay for the damage now, or you can deal with the consequences later. Your choice.”

The thug leader hesitated. “What... what are you talking about?”

“Gold, idiot. I said you’re paying for the door. It’s a special rate. Very expensive. And don’t even think about skipping out, or I’ll add extra for the inconvenience of dealing with you.”

They all exchanged nervous glances. I could practically hear their thoughts.

“Are you... seriously this calm right now?” one of them whispered.

“I’ve been dealing with interruptions like this for YEARS,” I muttered, not even noticing I was saying it out loud. “Stupid heroes. Stupid villains. Always barging in, thinking they can do whatever.”

...Wait, was I actually venting? Nah, doesn’t matter. Shook it off.

“Five seconds,” I said, voice getting low. “You’re paying for the door or running away. I’m done.”

The thugs froze. Their eyes got big. Then it hit them—they were standing in front of something way worse than they thought.

I could feel it. My aura, or whatever. It was like a cloud of bad mood. A really heavy, really annoying bad mood.

They started backing up, hands raised like they were facing a bomb about to explode.

I sighed. “Good. Now pay up.”

“W-We’ll... pay... but just don’t hurt us!” one of them stammered.

“Gold. NOW.” I said it like I was talking about something normal, but my voice had that... thing in it. The thing that made people think they were about to be eaten alive.

They threw a sack of gold at me—too quick, too messy, but I took it without blinking.

“Good,” I said, grinning. “You’re lucky I don’t have to deal with more idiots today. Get out.”

And they were gone, running like they’d just seen a dragon or something.

I shook the sack of coins. Nice sound. “That’s more like it. Business is good.”

As they bolted out of the inn, I couldn’t help but grin. It wasn’t even about the gold. It was about the fact that I’d gotten away with it. The nerve of these guys! I grinned, shaking the sack of coins in my hands.

"That’s what I like to see," I muttered, still grinning like an idiot.

I didn’t even care about the runaway slave now. They could have stayed or left for all I cared.

“Anyway, now that the idiots are gone...” I muttered, finally turning to face the corner where the cat girl had been hiding. She was still there, looking like she had just witnessed a natural disaster, her wide eyes locked on me.

“Well?” I said, not even trying to hide my annoyance. “You gonna pay me for that door too?”

She blinked, clearly confused. “I... I don’t have any money.”

“Then you’re paying with your body while working here” I said, rubbing my forehead. “Welcome to RESCUE. Now get to work. You can’t escape your door debt that easily.”

Her eyes got huge, and her tail puffed up like a startled cat. She took a step back, looking like she was about to bolt. “W-what do you mean ‘my body’?” she stammered. “I-I can do anything, I swear! Just please don’t eat me!”

I froze. “Eat you? What the hell are you—?”

She looked even more terrified. “I-I’ve heard the rumors! I-I know what people like you do! You make people work for you... and then... you take... you take them apart!”

I blinked a few times. “Wait, what?! No! I’m not eating anyone!”

She immediately dropped to her knees, hands clasped together in prayer.

“Please! I’ll do anything! I’ll work! I’ll clean! I’ll cook! Just... just please don’t eat me! I’m too young to be eaten! I-I’m still... still cute! Please don’t make me your dinner!”

I facepalmed. “I’m not eating you. What kind of messed-up idea do you have in your head?!”

She looked up at me with wide, terrified eyes. “B-but... you said you’d make me pay with my body! W-what else could that mean...?”

I stared at her. “Body?! I meant you’re working off your debt, you idiot! You’re gonna work in my inn! Work—as in, cleaning, serving, and keeping things running smoothly!”

Her ears flicked, and she froze, processing what I just said. Then, her face went from pure panic to complete relief. “Oh... oh, thank the gods! You’re not gonna—”

“No, I’m not gonna eat you, for the last time!” I rubbed my temples, trying to calm down. “I don’t know what you were thinking, but you clearly need to chill out. You’re working here now. Don’t break anything, and maybe I’ll let you keep your tail attached.”

Her eyes practically sparkled, and she immediately jumped up with newfound energy. “Got it! No eating! Just work! I can do that! I’ll be the best employee ever!”

I sighed and slumped against the counter. “Great. I now have a worker who thinks I’m gonna eat her. This is my life now. Just another day... in paradise.”