"My Lord, Kathleen and Eddy have finally met up with Barren," the woman said as she started approaching the man on the throne. Darkness covered every single inch of the hut, making it feel suffocating. Yet, the sheer size of the throne at the far end of the hut made the entire space feel small and cramped in comparison.

"Oh, Scarlet, what would I do without you?" the man said as he raised his hand.

"It isn’t going to be long until our plan finally moves into motion. Then I can have the one thing I desire most. Is that so much to ask, Scarlet?"

"This time, for sure, I will not fail. With you by my side, surely this time will be different."

"Yes, my Lord," the woman said as she grabbed the man's hand in mid-air.

"---------------"

"Okay, let’s go to the inn," Barren said after paying the entire bill all by himself, as promised.

The inn wasn’t far from the restaurant, so they got there in just a minute.

Upon entering, the first floor opened into a warm and inviting reception area. The air carried a faint scent of polished wood, while a cozy fireplace crackled gently to one side, casting soft shadows across the room. The walls were lined with town maps, various posters, and a few paintings.

At the center of the reception area stood a polished wooden counter, behind which sat a cute young receptionist. She had fair skin and bright, expressive eyes that sparkled with energy. Her uniform—a simple yet stylish tunic with a matching apron—perfectly complemented her cheerful demeanor.

Her voice was soft but lively, welcoming every guest with an infectious smile. As adventurers approached the counter to check-in, she greeted them with an enthusiastic, "Welcome to The Silver Lantern! How can I assist you today?"

To the side of the reception area was a small lounge with comfortable chairs and tables, where adventurers could relax. A staircase at the far end led to the upper floors, where the rooms were situated, each offering a comfortable retreat after a long day’s journey.

"Welcome to The Silver Lantern! How can I assist you today?" the girl asked, bowing.

"Hi, can we get two rooms—one for three and the other for one?" Barren asked the girl.

"Sure, sir. That will be five silvers per night for the two rooms."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Does anyone have any objection to that? Eddy? Kathleen?" Barren asked, glancing at the two.

"I have no objection," Eddy replied.

Kathleen seemed like she was about to say something, but Barren noticed and cut her off. "Okay then. Let’s go to our rooms."

"Here are your room keys for room numbers 7 and 9. They’re on the second floor. Thank you for your patronage," the receptionist said, bowing once again.

"Hey, Kathleen, go to your room and freshen up, will you? Then come to our room—we need to discuses the plan for tomorrow," Eddy said.

"Don’t look so down," Barren said, rubbing Kathleen’s head.

"But—"

"Oh, don’t worry about it. Just do as Eddy said. We’ll talk later," Barren added with a reassuring smile.

"---------------"

Knock, knock.

Theo opened the door and said, "Come in."

"Ah, she’s here! Come on in and join us," Barren said, stepping out of the bathroom, freshly showered and wiping his hair with a white towel.

The room was not as large as Kathleen initially thought, but it was still bigger compared to her own room. It had a double bed on one side and a single bed on the other. The room was well-decorated with flower pots and paintings on the walls.

The lighting was dim, provided by softly glowing magic lamps, giving the room a cozy ambiance.

"Are you feeling okay now? What happened to you at the restaurant?" Theo asked Kathleen as she sat down on the double bed, with Eddy already sitting in the corner.

"I don’t know, but that vehicle—I think I’ve seen it some where, not only that I think i have rode on it too" Kathleen said vaguely.

"What? That’s impossible. Even I’ve never seen a magic train!" Barren said, jumping onto the single bed. The sudden motion made Theo jump in shock, as he wasn’t expecting it.

"Let’s leave it at that for now and decide what to do next," Eddy said.

"Thank you, guys," Kathleen said, lowering her head. "I don’t even know how to thank you properly. You’ve done so much for me. How can I ever repay you?"

"Okay, then, do as I say," Barren said. "There’s someone who wants us to meet so badly."

"And the only thing we know so far is the half-lion, half-human emblem and the cult that uses it as their symbol."

"Let’s go to the guild tomorrow and ask around the guild hall. I think we’ll find some clues about the cult for sure because that’s the location the letters were sent from," Eddy said.

"Okay then, it’s a deal. Let’s call it a day. I know you guys have been through a lot, especially Kathleen," Barren said as he casually pushed Theo off the bed with his hand and started snoring in an instant.

"Why did you push me—" Theo began to say but stopped when he noticed that Barren was already out cold.

"Let it go," Eddy said. "Come here. And as for you, Kathleen, go to your room and get some rest. You’re way too fatigued."

As Eddy said that, Kathleen nodded and left the room, heading back to her own.

As she walked through the dimly lit hallway, she suddenly felt someone’s presence near the corner.

"Who’s there?" she asked, her voice steady but cautious, as she started walking toward the turn.

When she arrived at the corner, there was no one there.

Kathleen thought she must have made a mistake and turned back to head toward her own room.

"---------------"

"Where am I?" Kathleen thought as she started looking around. "And who are they?"

As the thick fog started clearing, she noticed four figures.

"What? How can this be...?"

To be continued...