Chapter 8
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 8
A train ticket cost 20,000 Kerte and the carriage 100,000, yet a single night at an inn like this was also 100,000 Kerte? The prices made no sense; she couldn’t get a feel for the local economy at all. Had the carriage been a scam?
“I’d rather have a guest than an empty room, so I’m giving you a good price.”
Seo-ah’s gaze drifted beyond the manor. Outside, a strange city lurked in the darkness.
When she turned her head back, the inn was a beacon of warm, inviting light.
For an Outsider in a land where everything was foreign, there was no other choice.
“Yes, thank you.”
As she turned to pay the coachman, the owner adamantly stopped her, insisting that the inn always paid the coachmen who brought them guests. Then, she beckoned to someone. A man who appeared to be an employee hurried over, took Seo-ah’s luggage, and politely guided her inside.
As Seo-ah followed the employee, she glanced back to see the innkeeper still smiling warmly at her.
For the first time since her arrival, the woman’s kindness made Seo-ah smile.
Only after watching Seo-ah enter the manor did the innkeeper turn to the coachman. When she faced him, the kind innkeeper vanished. In her place stood a brothel owner, her eyes cold and ruthless.
“Where’s she from?”
“Don’t know where, but I’m sure she’s not from Norfolk.”
“You’re sure?” she asked sharply, lighting a cigarette. The coachman quickly elaborated.
“If she’s from Norfolk, she must have been holed up in some backwater village. She’s completely clueless about the world, can’t relax for a second, and is hopeless with money. I’m telling you, she paid 100,000 Kerte for the carriage ride!”
“…”
“And just look at her face. She doesn't have the look of a Norfolk native. Besides, would anyone from Norfolk not know about Pelfe’s pleasure district? She walked in here believing without a doubt that it was an inn.”
“…”
As the brothel owner smoked her cigarette in silence, the coachman burst out in frustration.
“Oh, come on! She’s more than just ‘all right’—she’s better than Amang Rose Anna, isn’t she? You don’t even have to get her clothes off to see it. Put her in a little fairy-like outfit, and you’ll have men with bloodshot eyes lining up for a taste. We can name our price. With a little luck, she could even give Katrin a run for her money.”
“Keep your voice down.”
“Let’s not play games. You were all smiles when you took her in.”
“I said, keep your voice down. So, was she with anyone?”
“I first saw her at Polsman International Port. She was alone from the moment I spotted her, dressed just like that. Luckily, she boarded a train bound for Pelfe. I followed her on and watched her the whole time. She was definitely alone.”
“Then why the getup? She’s not crazy, is she?”
“We were worried about that at first, so we watched her closely. But it wasn’t that she was crazy—it seemed like those were the only clothes she owned.”
“Those are her only clothes? …Well, the poorer, the better. But what do you think she came to Pelfe for? You followed her, didn’t you?”
The coachman was about to say the woman had gone to the Pelfe Bank, but he caught himself.
The Pelfe Bank.
A place where an ordinary person couldn’t even open an account, let alone a vault.
It was impossible that a woman so ignorant of the world and so shabbily dressed would have an account or a vault there. Being so naive, she might have gone to the Pelfe Bank looking for a job. In any case, the coachman decided to leave out the part about the bank. He figured it would only lower his pay.
“Actually, I lost her for a bit. I found her again, but by then it was late. Looked like she was looking for a job.”
The brothel owner fell silent, lost in thought as she smoked. When she finally nodded and turned away, the coachman grinned and bowed deeply.
“Thaaank you!”
She didn’t reply, striding toward the manor. When a waiter brought an ashtray, she stubbed out her cigarette and spoke as if spitting out the words.
“Five thousand.”
“Yes, my lady.”
As she climbed the manor’s steps, she thought about the woman she had just bought for five thousand.
A smile spread across her lips. She agreed with the coachman; dress her up like a fairy, and they could name their price. The moment she saw the mysterious woman appear out of nowhere, she had felt a thrill of victory.
She’d have to show off her new purchase to Katrin, who’d been bragging about landing a big fish of her own.
The coachman’s cackling laughter echoed from behind her.
“You’ve got a good eye, I’ll give you that.”
Her laughter and the coachman’s mingled with the manor’s perfume-laden air before fading away.
* * *
Following the employee, Seo-ah glanced around the inn. The interior was as beautiful as its exterior. Heavy curtains draped every window, the lamps resembled flower petals, and every little ornament was exquisitely detailed. The carpet underfoot was as plush as the one she had seen at the Pelfe Bank, and the people she occasionally passed were dressed as lavishly as the innkeeper.
She could hear distant laughter and the sound of music drifting from somewhere.
Could a place like this really be 100,000 Kerte…
But as she followed the employee up the stairs and down a slightly narrower hallway, the laughter grew more distant, and the air grew strangely cool. The delicate decorations disappeared. Just as she was thinking she had entered a simpler space with only the bare necessities, the employee stopped.
“Is this it?”
At her cautious question, the employee nodded, unlocked the door with a key, and strode into the dim room to light a lamp.
Seo-ah hesitated, peeking inside. To her relief, it wasn’t overwhelmingly luxurious. Just as the ship and train had different classes of seats for different prices, this place was likely the same.
“What are you doing? Not coming in?”
A sudden voice made her turn. The innkeeper was approaching with a gentle smile. She stepped past Seo-ah into the room and hunched her shoulders slightly.
“Autumn must be on its way. It gets a little chilly at night. Turn up the heat a bit.”
“Yes, my lady.”
From inside the room, she beckoned to Seo-ah.
“I said, come in.”
Stepping inside, Seo-ah took in the small, square space.
There was a standing coat rack, a small bed fit for one person, a vanity, a mirror, and a tall furnace in the corner.
As she slowly looked around, the innkeeper opened a small door and pointed inside.
“It’s a bit small, but you can wash up in here.”
Then she suddenly turned to Seo-ah and frowned.
“My, you should take that coat off. It gets a little chilly at night, but it’s not cold enough for a coat. Don’t you have anything else to wear?”
“…”
“Come on, now. I feel hot just looking at you.”
“I’ll do it.”
The owner’s urging was so impatient it felt as if she might try to undress her personally. Seo-ah quickly turned her back and took off her coat. As she was hanging it on the rack, the owner brushed past her and asked.
“Have you eaten?”
“…”
“Your silence tells me you haven’t. I’ll leave something outside the door, so wash up and eat.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” the innkeeper replied, then led the employee out of the room.
Click.
The door closed. Seo-ah stood still for several seconds before locking it and sliding what looked like a deadbolt into place. She checked the lock on the window as well, then carefully drew the curtains. After that, she surveyed the room. She even checked the bathroom, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
The only peculiar thing was the heating unit installed in one corner. She had no idea how it worked, but a faint warmth emanated from it, suggesting it was connected to something outside the room.
She was so ignorant of this world that she didn't even know what she should be suspicious of.
In the end, Seo-ah decided to stop her pointless worrying. Even if she left because she was suspicious, where would she go in the middle of the night?
She took off the stuffy dress and stockings. She changed into a simple dress she used for sleep. As she was washing her underwear and stockings to hang them up, she heard a presence outside her door.
“Your meal and pajamas. I’m leaving them here.”
Only after the presence moved away did she unlock the door and open it a crack. Leaving the deadbolt partially engaged, she peeked outside. Seeing nothing unusual, she opened the door fully.
On the floor was a tray with food and a neatly folded white garment. She brought them into the room and sat down. The smell of food was strong even before she lifted the cover.
Beneath it was a bowl of steaming food.
Am I just being paranoid?
She stirred the reddish meat stew with a spoon before taking a bite, as if just tasting it. It was only a single bite, but she felt warmth spread from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Only then did she realize this was her first meal of the day.
She finished the bowl of stew in what felt like an instant. After she devoured the meal, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. Because she had felt someone watching her, she hadn’t slept properly for the three days it took to get to Pelfe by train. The pajamas looked comfortable, but she didn’t even have the strength to change into them. Her limbs felt heavy, but she managed to brush her teeth and push the cleared dishes aside.
She was just about to lie down on the bed.
Knock, knock, knock.
“…”
Someone was knocking on the door.
But I didn’t hear anyone approach at all.
She stood there, frozen in an awkward posture, as the knocking came again.
Knock, knock, knock.