As they walked through the dimly lit streets, Hafa’s gaze landed on a three-story house. Clothes hung from the balconies on the second and third floors, swaying slightly in the evening breeze.

He tugged at Azrael’s sleeve. "Az…"

Azrael glanced down at him. "Hmm? What is it?"

Hafa pointed at the house.

Azrael followed his gaze, then turned to Carl. "Hey, look at that."

Carl’s eyes lit up. "Oh! Let’s check if they have a room for us." Without hesitation, he strode ahead, eager to secure a place for the night.

*

"Ten silver per night?!" Carl’s voice rang through the small reception area.

"Hey, kid! Lower your voice. You're hurting my ears," the old woman behind the counter scolded. She looked to be in her fifties, her wrinkled face unimpressed by Carl’s outburst.

Carl groaned. "Ten silver coins is way too expensive, granny. Can’t you give us a discount?"

The old woman crossed her arms. "You said there are six of you staying here. And you think ten silver is expensive?" She spat on the ground before adding, "Nothing’s free in times like these, boy. And cheap lodging? That doesn’t exist anymore."

Carl let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine! Ten silvers!" He slapped the coins onto the counter.

A slow, almost mischievous smile spread across the old woman’s face. "Hehe… good boy."

Carl’s eye twitched. "What the—!"

Before he could complain further, Azrael patted his shoulder and stepped forward. "Thank you for letting us stay here. If not for you, we might not have found a place… or worse, we could’ve been scammed by someone else."

The old woman’s stern expression softened. "Oh?" She studied him for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "You’re a good kid." Reaching into a small pouch, she pulled out two silver coins and placed them in his hand. "Since you have manners, I’ll lower the price to eight silvers per night. Here take this two silvers."

Carl gawked. "What?! Why did he get a discount just like that, but when I asked, you didn’t even consider it?!"

The old woman smirked. "Because you’re loud."

With that, she turned and walked toward the hallway. "Come on, I’ll show you around."

Carl let out a defeated groan as the others followed her upstairs.

*

At the end of the hallway, their host gestured to a door. "This is your room."

Azrael offered a polite smile. "Thank you."

She handed him the key. "Hope you enjoy your stay."

Once she left, he unlocked the door and pushed it open.

The group stepped inside and froze. The room was surprisingly spacious, with three beds neatly arranged against the walls. Other than that, it was sparsely furnished, a worn-out sofa, a small table with a potted plant, and two rocking chairs.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Carl let out a whistle. "Wow, I didn’t expect it to be this nice."

Azrael smirked. "Expensive, huh?"

Carl rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Azrael chuckled and shut the door behind them.

As they settled in, Azrael turned to Carl. "So… what’s the plan? How will they know where to find us?"

Carl waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t worry about it."

As he spoke, two glowing magic circles appeared behind him. Moments later, two ethereal figures emerged from the portals, his guardians.

"They’ll find them for us."

With a simple command, the summoned beings vanished into the night, tasked with tracking down Mika and the others.

Hours passed.

Azrael and Carl sat on the edge of their beds, discussing their next move when a sudden knock interrupted them.

Carl got up and opened the door.

Mika stood there, looking exhausted. "Finally… I thought we’d never find you."

Without waiting for an invitation, she walked inside and collapsed onto the nearest bed. "Ahh! This is heaven. I haven’t slept on a real bed in so long."

Carl raised a brow. "That’s my bed."

She cracked one eye open. "What?" Sitting up, she glanced around. "Wait… there are only three beds? How are we all supposed to fit?"

Carl lazily pointed to the next room. "The other one next to this is yours. We’re staying here."

Kyle groaned as he sat down. "Can we at least rest for a bit before moving again?"

Carl sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. Do what you want."

As he made his way back to his bed, Jarred leaned in and whispered, "What’s his problem?"

Azrael just shook his head with a small smile. "Just let him be. He got scammed."

Mika stared at Azrael, her brows furrowing. “What do you mean, scammed?”

He scratched the back of his head, flashing an awkward smile. “Long story.”

She crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “I’ve got time.”

*

“What?!” Mika’s voice rang through the room. “Are you seriously telling me you got scammed by a fortune teller?!”

Carl waved a hand dismissively. “Tch. It was just two silver coins. No big deal.”

She shot him a glare. “No big deal?!” A heavy sigh escaped her lips. “You better pay back the money you used. My money.”

Carl stiffened. “Oh… right. That was yours.” He laughed nervously.

Before she could press the issue further, Kyle spoke up. “Enough about that. We need to focus on finding the Kent Family.”

Azrael turned his attention to him. “What do you mean?”

Jarred, lying on the bed with his hands behind his head, sighed. “We couldn’t secure the tickets.”

Azrael’s eyes widened. “What happened?”

Mika crossed her arms. “Well… here’s how it went.”

*

“This is a good spot to leave the carriage,” Mika said as they came to a stop.

The three climbed down, and Jarred ran a hand over the horse’s neck. “I’ll keep watch. Just don’t take too long. Be careful there.”

Kyle smirked. “Not just us—you’re on the wanted list too, you know.”

Jarred chuckled. “Yeah, which is why I’ll be careful as well.”

After a brief exchange, Mika and Kyle pulled up their hoods and set off toward the ticket booth, their faces partially covered by cloth masks.

The line moved steadily, and soon it was their turn. Mika stepped forward and placed a few bronze coins on the counter. “Six tickets, please.”

The ticket seller, an older woman with sharp eyes, studied them for a moment. “Where are you two from? Your clothes don’t look familiar.”

“South Continent,” Mika answered smoothly. “Just visiting.”

The woman’s gaze lingered before she gestured toward the wall behind her. “Can you take off your masks?”

Mika’s pulse quickened. “Why?”

“There’s been a surge of criminals in Tancki Valley,” the woman said, tapping a wanted poster behind her. “Better to be sure.”