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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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“This is certainly unique. I’ve never seen such a large inn.”
Elisha looked around with curiosity, her gaze sweeping over the seemingly endless corridor, lined with luxuriously decorated rooms, the golden wall sconces casting a warm, inviting glow, the large framed paintings adorning the walls giving it the feel of an art gallery.
“So this is what a hostelry is like? Fascinating.”
Melina also expressed her admiration, looking around.
“It’s like a palace~”
Varis and Eilly also looked around curiously, the unfamiliar, spacious, and luxurious setting filling them with a sense of wonder and excitement.
But one of them remained unfazed.
“Huh? Lucy doesn’t seem surprised.”
Eilly looked at Lucy, puzzled. While the others were expressing their amazement, Lucy seemed completely unfazed, as if she had been here many times before.
“Well, I was here last year. It’s not as impressive the second time around~”
She shrugged nonchalantly. It was to be expected, as she was visiting this place for the third time, according to the game’s setting so there was nothing new for her to see.
“By the way, Arnold, you’re surprisingly calm. Most people would be looking around in awe.”
She turned to him, her gaze curious, finding his lack of reaction unusual.
He nodded, his expression neutral.
“It is… impressive.”
But the reason he wasn’t particularly awestruck was simple. It was too familiar.
The name “hostelry,” the building’s exterior and interior… it was remarkably similar to the hotels he frequently stayed at during business trips in his previous world.
It was a hotel, practically identical to the ones he knew: the length of the corridors, the arrangement of the rooms, the lighting, the interior design… Seeing this familiar setting evoked a sense of nostalgia rather than wonder.
Perhaps this was the most comfortable he had felt since arriving in this world.
“302, 303… Ah! Our rooms are this way!”
Eilly, who had been checking the room numbers, pointed towards their assigned rooms. They had been given private rooms, from 304 to 309.
“Alright, everyone unpack and then meet back here.”
Lucy stopped in front of her room. Varis immediately added,
“Okay! See you all in a bit!”
They each took their room keys and were about to head to their respective rooms when—
“Hold on.”
—Elisha’s voice, laced with displeasure, stopped them. A sudden silence fell over the group.
“Wait a minute, Eilly. Why aren’t you going to your room? Why are you clinging to Arnold?”
Elisha’s eyebrows twitched as she glared at Eilly, her gaze sharp and disapproving.
“Now that you mention it…”
Melina also narrowed her eyes, her long ears twitching slightly, her senses on high alert.
Their gazes, sharp as blades, were fixed on Eilly, who seemed completely unfazed.
“Huh? It’s only natural that I share a room with Master.”
Eilly spoke casually, as if the situation was perfectly normal, her demeanor so nonchalant that it almost seemed like a deliberate provocation. She shrugged, a faint smile adorning her lips.
“What?! Why?!”
Elisha’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she took a step forward, her gaze fiery.
“Because I’m his maid! We shared a room in the dormitory too, so there’s no problem.”
Eilly replied calmly, her tone laced with a hint of mockery.
“As his maid, it’s only natural that I attend to him at all times, isn’t it?”
Elisha’s frustration grew, her hands going to her hips, her body leaning forward.
“Th-Then I should be the one sharing a room with Arnold!”
Elisha was clearly not backing down.
“What?! What are you talking about?!”
Eilly also stepped forward, her voice rising.
“W-Well…! I’m Arnold’s fiancée……”
Elisha averted her gaze, flustered by her own words, then straightened up, her eyes flashing.
“It’s… it’s only n-natural for a… married couple to share a room…!”
Her voice was firm, but her words trailed off, her cheeks flushing, betraying her embarrassment.
“…….”
“Ugh…”
A tense silence filled the air, neither woman willing to yield an inch, their silent battle making the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.
“Arnold is quite popular, isn’t he…?”
Varis and Lucy exchanged glances.
“Oh, here we go again…”
Varis muttered, sighing.
“Oh?”
Melina, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. She crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Hmm, this is more interesting than I thought.”
She looked like someone anticipating a good show, a predatory glint in her eyes.
“I’m more suited to be with Master than you are.”
“What did you say?!”
Elisha bristled at Melina’s muttered words, while Eilly remained by Arnold’s side, her expression calm and composed.
He sighed, his expression a mixture of exasperation and amusement. He hadn’t given anyone permission to share his room.
“That’s enough. Everyone gets their own room. No special treatment for maids or fiancées. Go to your rooms.”
He spoke firmly, his voice calm but his tone leaving no room for argument.
The three girls looked at him, their expressions disappointed.
“Ugh, fine…”
“I guess there’s no helping it.”
“What a waste…”
Their competitive spirit deflated, and they reluctantly turned away.
He wondered if he had been too harsh, seeing their dejected expressions, but wasting their energy on this now would be detrimental to their upcoming journey.
“Still, to think they would go this far… you’re quite popular, Arnold.”
Lucy chuckled.
He had just wanted a peaceful trip, but his head was starting to hurt already.
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After settling into their rooms and unpacking, they had no other scheduled activities. The dungeon exploration was two days away, and until then, they were essentially free to do as they pleased.
While the others, most of whom were visiting this city for the first time, would likely explore and enjoy the sights, he had other plans.
Lucy’s second event was about to trigger. When she was alone, her creator’s power would activate, drawing her into an illusion, her consciousness trapped in a separate space, her mind connected to her creator’s.
He quickly unpacked and headed towards her room, waiting outside her door, listening for the signal.
A long silence followed, the flickering candlelight casting dancing shadows on the walls, the faint sound of laughter echoing from somewhere in the distance. But he ignored it, his focus on the door. Then, he heard a thud from inside the room.
Thud –
It was the unmistakable sound of someone collapsing.
He took a deep breath and knocked lightly on the door. There was no response. He pressed his ear against the door, but only silence greeted him.
This was when Varis was supposed to appear, but considering the numerous deviations from the original storyline, it was highly likely that he wouldn’t.
He made up his mind.
“There’s no other way.”
He had expected the door to be locked, but it wasn’t a problem. He twisted the doorknob with a bit of force, and the door clicked open.
◇ ◇ ◇ (TL: I’m adding quotations like ‘she’ and ‘her’ to make it easier to understand. In Korean, it flows smoother, but in English, it’s confusing to know who is being referred to in this sequence.)
A disorienting sensation washed over her.
Familiar darkness, the air cold and heavy, the flickering candlelight casting long, dancing shadows, an eerie silence filling the space, a sense of emptiness, as if she were reaching out into a void.
An unpleasant sensation crept up her skin, a chilling touch that seemed to linger on her tongue.
She slowly sat up, taking a deep breath, the cold air filling her lungs.
Footsteps echoed in the darkness, a familiar, yet unwelcome, presence.
“Well, well~ It seems you’ve fallen into my trap~?”
“Lucy…”
And there she was.
‘She’ stood in the shadows, looking down at her. But ‘her’ expression was different this time, a hint of something new beneath ‘her’ usual sinister smile.
Anger.
‘Her’ red eyes, gleaming faintly in the darkness.
“Why… did you bring me here again?”
She glared at ‘her’, wary, but ‘she’ simply smiled and approached her, ‘her’ movements languid.
“You seem better prepared this time.”
‘Her’ smile widened, a cruel, mocking expression.
“You even managed to charm the hero… Impressive.”
“You’re more cunning than I thought.”
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
Let me know if you prefer the quotations like ‘she’ and ‘her’ or not.
The quotations are good. I’ve long thought Korean translations need stuff like that added.