Chapter 28
At the entrance of the eastern mountain region, there was a small village. Ted had spent his entire life there, running a modest inn, and he expected to spend the rest of his days the same way.
He welcomed passing travelers, occasionally daydreamed about the places they spoke of, and lived a peaceful, uneventful life.
That is, until they appeared.
A carriage arrived in the village, and its passengers came straight to Ted’s inn.
They weren’t expected, and since the town was busy preparing for the upcoming festival, Ted was the only one manning the inn at the time.
“Careful getting down.”
A young man and woman stepped down from the carriage. The man got out first, then gently helped the woman down with the utmost care, as if she might break if handled too roughly.
“You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine. It’s just motion sickness.”
She smiled as she spoke, and Ted found himself momentarily entranced. It was the kind of smile that didn’t belong in a place like this—a fragile, elegant smile, like a white moonflower blooming in the wild.
“Got any rooms?”
The man stepped between Ted and the woman, blocking her from view. Ted blinked and scrambled to regain his composure.
“Y-yes, we do.”
Trying to hide his flustered reaction, Ted took a closer look at the man.
His clothes were unmistakably expensive.
The coat he wore was made from high-grade wool, and the cufflinks peeking out from his sleeves looked like real gemstones. Even the shirt beneath was of fine quality.
He’s ridiculously wealthy.
Years of running the inn kicked in. Ted quickly considered which room to offer.
Should I suggest two rooms since there are two of them? Or maybe I should go straight for the most expensive room—we hardly ever have anyone stay there anyway.
He glanced up at the man’s face again. Despite his youth, the pressure he gave off was overwhelming.
Even at a glance, Ted felt his knees go weak from the man’s imposing presence. He had never seen anyone with such a sharp, commanding aura.
In contrast, the woman behind him—what little Ted could glimpse—was a graceful beauty with a delicate expression. Her clothing was just as refined as the man’s, but even more captivating were her eyes.
A clear, deep shade of violet—like polished amethyst.
Ted, mesmerized by those jewel-toned eyes, quickly looked away when he realized the man was watching him with a cold, unreadable expression.
“There is a room available, but…”
The man’s brow moved slightly at Ted’s hesitant tone.
After a brief moment of deliberation, Ted made up his mind and mentally erased all the other vacant rooms from his options. Then he spoke:
“There’s just one room left on the second floor. The festival’s got everything else booked up. Otherwise… there’s only the stable.”
At that, the man turned to the woman.
“There’s only one room available.”
He didn’t respond directly to Ted but spoke to her instead.
“…We don’t have much choice.”
“It’s the best room we have—very spacious, with a private bath. I’m sure you’ll be comfortable.”
The man’s sharp eyes flicked back to Ted. The innkeeper instinctively swallowed hard.
But the next moment, the man turned to the woman with a gentle, composed tone.
“Then we’ll stay here for the night.”
“…Alright.”
She didn’t seem thrilled about the situation, but she accepted it naturally, especially the polite way he addressed her.
What’s their relationship?
Sharing a room usually meant they were a couple, but they both seemed too young to be married.
A man and woman, unmarried and staying in the same room? It wasn’t exactly a common thing around here.
“Please sign your name here.”
“You keep a guestbook?”
The man seemed mildly surprised. It was the first time he’d shown anything close to friendliness.
“Yes, we always ask guests to write their name and how long they’ll be staying. Helps us recognize returning customers.”
“A good system.”
The man calmly wrote down his name, then turned to the woman and offered his hand. She naturally took his arm, and the two walked together with graceful ease.
It almost looked like a dance—elegant and perfectly in sync. Maybe this is how royals from the capital carry themselves, Ted thought.
“This is for one night, plus a tip.”
Just before heading upstairs, the man flicked a coin to Ted with a casual gesture. Ted barely caught it, blinking in surprise.
The man and woman ascended the stairs. From below, Ted could hear the woman occasionally laugh at something the man said. Just watching them felt… oddly heartwarming.
The difference between how the man treated him and how he treated her was so stark that it left Ted a bit bewildered.
Once the couple had vanished from view, Ted let out a long breath.
If I’d said the wrong thing… I might’ve ended up dead on the spot.
Rashid Callo
Tericia Callo
“…They are married.”
Ted glanced at the guest log and muttered with a disappointed sigh. Their names were written in elegant, flowing script.
He stood there in a daze for a moment, then scratched his head. It was none of his business, but he couldn’t help feeling a little let down. Still… they sure were a treat for the eyes.
Then he suddenly remembered the coin in his hand.
“…!”
Ted’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t a regular coin.
What he was holding was a gold coin. The man had said it was for the room and a tip, but if the room was deducted from this…
The tip is worth more than the room itself.
Disbelieving, Ted bit the coin.
It was real gold.
“What kind of people are they…?”
Ted stared up at the second floor and murmured to himself.
＊＊＊
Tericia stood in the room with a deeply troubled expression.
The room was larger and cleaner than she’d expected. As the innkeeper had claimed, it was clearly the most expensive room in the place.
Everything was fine—except for one problem.
There was only one bed.
A single bed. That was the issue.
“Not bad,” Rashid said, glancing around. He checked the bathroom, ran his hand along the furniture, and nodded in approval.
“Small, but clean.”
He stretched out comfortably on the sofa, long legs extended. He had already taken off his coat and draped it over a chair, his tie loosened casually.
“You okay?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“……”
The relaxed way he sprawled on the sofa made something bubble up in her chest.
“I’m taking the bed.”
She knew she sounded like a child, but she couldn’t help herself. She just wanted to be petty.
“Of course.”
Rashid didn’t even glance up. He had already pulled some documents from his bag and was flipping through them one by one, completely at ease.
His calmness somehow made her feel ridiculous for being so flustered.
With a quiet sigh, Tericia removed her hat and coat and placed them on the bed—then stopped.
Oh no.
How was she supposed to change clothes?
Of all things, today she had worn a dress with a blouse that buttoned all the way down the back—small, delicate buttons she could never undo by herself.
That wasn’t the only problem.
My nightgown!
She had packed assuming Sarah would be coming along, so Mandy had prepared only what was “comfortable.” That meant only nightgowns—specifically, thin, silky ones.
Like any noble lady, Tericia was used to sleeping surrounded by maids, and all her sleepwear was made to be as gentle on the skin as possible—delicate, whisper-thin fabric.
Unless someone had repacked her bag without her knowledge, everything in it was probably… that.
I’m supposed to wear those and sleep in the same room as Rashid?
She’s lost it.
That’s how it felt. Her face was burning.
“Is something wrong?”
Rashid asked, puzzled by how Tericia had suddenly frozen in place.
“…No. Nothing at all.”
Her voice sounded strained—even to her own ears. Rashid set his documents down on the table and stood up.
“If you take the bed, I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
Still, she said nothing.
“You must be tired. You should rest…”
As he stepped closer behind her, he seemed to realize something and suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
A brief silence fell, followed by the sound of him clearing his throat—like he was holding back a laugh.
“Would you like me to undo the buttons?”
“……”
Tericia’s mind raced. She briefly considered just sleeping in her dress. But it was far too tight and uncomfortable. After a day of bouncing in a carriage, her stomach was upset, and her back and hips were sore. More than anything, she just wanted to get out of the constricting dress and rest.
“…Fine. Do it.”
“Sorry, what was that?”
“Undo them. Please.”
Her sharp tone was uncharacteristic, and Rashid chuckled softly.
“With pleasure.”
Gently, he swept her long, wavy hair over one shoulder.
Her slender back was revealed, the skin at her nape already flushed pink from embarrassment. Even with the dress still on, the sight was oddly stirring.
I’ve dug my own grave, haven’t I?
It wasn’t a bad feeling, though. He’d never seen Tericia this flustered before.
Rashid began unfastening the buttons—small, delicate ones lined closely down her back, impossible for her to undo herself.
I’ll have to reward Mandy for this.
He suppressed the smirk tugging at his lips.
“Aren’t you going a little slow?”
The silence was stretching too long. Tericia couldn’t take it anymore and blurted it out. Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.
“Am I?” he replied, completely unfazed.
“It’s my first time undressing a woman, after all.”
“…!”
Her face flushed red all over again. The lower his hands moved, the hotter her cheeks burned. She didn’t know how much time had passed.
“All done. I’ll leave now so you can take care of the rest.”
His voice snapped her back to reality.
“What?”
But before she could say anything else—
“Excuse me, I’m here to assist the lady.”
A cheerful voice came from outside the door. It was one of the inn’s maids.
“Help her draw a bath and bring her a change of clothes.”
“Yes, sir.”
Rashid gave the order like he had been expecting her. He didn’t look even remotely surprised.
“I’ll take a short walk. Please rest well.”
He said to Tericia, then walked out without waiting for a reply. The maid entered right after.
“Your husband seems to be in a good mood. He had such a lovely smile!”
The maid’s voice was bright and oblivious.
“Oh my, are you feeling alright, madam? Your face is completely red…”
Tericia’s face looked like it was about to explode.
Downstairs, Rashid descended the staircase with a small, satisfied curve on his lips—his expression one of quiet triumph.
