Episode 5. Welcome to the Veritas Hotel (1)
1. Welcome, guests. This is the Veritas Hotel, a symbol of the city. Please read the rules carefully and follow our instructions. We bear no responsibility for any incidents resulting from non-compliance.
2. The lobby and dining hall are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Strictly adhere to these hours.
3. Occasionally, luggage or items in your room may disappear. If this happens, do not panic. Exit your room, knock twice on the door of the room to your right, enter, and retrieve your missing items within 10 minutes.
4. After midnight and before breakfast, do not leave your room. Our hotel is operated solely by magic golems without staff, so no one will knock on your door. Do not open it or step into the hallway under any circumstances.
5. Emergency stairs are located at the ends of the right and left corridors. If a third staircase appears in the center, return to the desk and use the golem's automated response service.
6. Guests must travel in pairs of at least two. We assume no responsibility for issues arising from traveling alone.
7. There is no fourth floor in our hotel. If you reach the fourth floor while ascending, calmly descend and try again. Similarly, if descending to the fourth floor, ascend first and then descend once more.
8. Guests may occasionally appear strange. This is common, so please refrain from attacking one another.
9. Strictly observe all designated times. Note that clocks in rooms may occasionally be inaccurate.
10. We thank all our guests once more and hope you have a meaningful stay.
A frail girl hid behind Asha like a wary little animal, peeking out to greet us.
"Ah, h-hello?"
Her hair was a mess from rushing in the carriage, making her look disheveled and unkempt as she clutched tightly at Asha's hem.
"My companion... um, companion? Hmm, not quite a companion—just baggage I drag around."
"Ehh? That's basically a companion, Lady Asha."
She seemed shy around us but flashed a friendly, playful expression at Asha.
"Companions should help each other, but you don't help at all."
"No way, just guaranteeing your identity was a huge help! Did you already forget?!"
"Haa... Ain. She's my companion whether I like it or not. Introduce yourself properly instead of just 'hello.'"
Asha shook her head wearily and pulled the girl forward, presenting her to us.
"Ah, I'm Eileen, Lady Asha's companion!"
"That's not all."
"Eileen Phrygia Delfinium of the Delfinium Count family in the Haven Kingdom?"
A noble in that getup. I couldn't hide my shock, letting it show plainly on my face and in my words as I greeted her.
"Uh... um, pleased to meet you, Lady Delfinium."
"Heehee! It's been ages since anyone treated me like nobility!"
"Ah, yeah."
She was a weird one. And then.
"Tori, noble ladies must all have small chests, huh?"
"Shh. Be quiet, Yaki. A careless stone can wound a noble lady."
"Really?"
"Yep. You can't tell someone who's small that they're small."
Behind me, the strange kids chattered rudely without pause.
That was our first meeting. Awkward, with everyone sizing each other up amid nonstop rudeness and oddity.
Eventually, as our now larger group grew accustomed, Asha sidled up to me.
"Ain."
"Ah, yeah."
"I brought a gift."
Out of nowhere, she beamed up at me.
"A gift? Suddenly?"
"Yeah. I'll get it from the carriage."
She trotted to her carriage, fetched a large bundle, and returned, thrusting it at me.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
I untied the tightly knotted strings and peered inside. A variety of oddly familiar items greeted me.
"Uh... this. This is definitely..."
The massive, ornate axe Horn had coveted. The ancient reagent Aberly had wanted, its effects unknown. The heavenly biscuits and "God's Tear" drink that had made the brats drool. And gear I'd eyed greedily in passing.
Stunned, I looked back at Asha. She still smiled brightly at me.
"Tebris's problem. I solved it, Ain."
"What?"
"The black mages' lair you found—I handled it and claimed the rewards. Good job, right?"
"Uh, yeah... you did great. But..."
More than that, how did she know these were the things we wanted?
I gaped, unable to ask. But she was sharp now.
Still smiling, she continued.
"Ain, how do you think I followed you?"
"..."
"I traced your every step with magic. I could tell what you wanted."
Poking my side playfully, she added that magic made it possible.
That smile was kind and affectionate, but it sent a chill down my spine.
"I got what your companions wanted too, so I'll share. But wait—story's not over."
Her voice held a cool edge despite the smile, her gaze icy despite the curved eyes. Trembling, I nodded, hands behind my back.
"..."
Did I screw up somewhere? It felt like it, but what?
Saravati Duchy? Crepen Snow Country? Or something in Tebris that irked her?
I racked my brain during the brief reprieve but drew a blank.
Still, watching my companions praise her and the gifts only amplified my unease.
Amid their cheers, her eyes kept scanning me—like a predator eyeing prey.
And then.
On the jolting carriage driver's seat.
"I was wrong."
"You were."
"Yes, I was wrong."
Hands raised high, I confessed. Asha sat beside me, reins in hand, driving.
Her grudge stemmed from Tebris.
"Going to a brothel and holding a prostitute's hand—that's wrong, isn't it, Ain?"
"...I was wrong."
You had to pick one to enter. The brief time in the dim room with her. Fleeing hand-in-hand after uncovering the secret.
She listed them off, pinching my side sharply each time.
"You told me to be a good person, so you shouldn't do bad things either, right, Ain?"
"Yes, I was wro—wait, but if I hadn't, we couldn't have solved it..."
I hadn't thought holding her hand to save her from mortal danger was bad. And skipping the brothel meant no Tebris resolution—a greater good, rationally.
"You haven't reflected enough. Three hours and my words still haven't sunk in."
"...I was wrong."
Her narrowed glare silenced my excuses.
"You look wronged?"
"..."
Of course I do.
"No answer?"
"..."
A bit miffed now, I didn't want to reply.
"Bracelet."
"..."
Bringing that up here is kinda unfair.
"You said if it breaks, I can do whatever I want."
"No..."
Her wide, innocent eyes gazing up—that's foul play.
"You taught me promises must be kept."
"True, but..."
"So after it breaks, keep your promise and let me do what I want, Ain."
"...Fine."
She wielded my own words like weapons, leaving me speechless.
Honestly, I never meant that promise for this—tormenting me like this.
But I kept it to myself.
"You were wrong?"
"I was wrong."
Say that, and her lecture might drag another three hours—ears bleeding.
"You won't do it again?"
"Never again."
Hands up, I nodded frantically.
"That's a promise too."
"Yeah, promise."
Finally, Asha sighed deeply and released my side.
And then.
"No next time, Ain."
She glared as she said it.
No next time? Or what? What'll you do?
Scary.