The Shy Half-Elf Guest (7)
Even indoors, the guest kept her hood pulled low over her head. It was connected to a cape that draped over her shoulders—a completely mismatched outfit for the current weather. That kind of cape was for wearing over a coat in the dead of winter... and it was thick wool, no less. The face peeking out from under the hood was quite pretty. Striking red-tinted hair and gleaming emerald eyes left a strong impression.
The guest toyed listlessly with her spoon, her expression dark, until she noticed my gaze and looked up. Sure enough, her face was slick with sweat, glistening under the light. Our eyes met, and she parted her lips in surprise. I offered a polite smile.
"You look hot. Wouldn't it be better to take off the cape?"
"Uh... ah... no... I like it this way..."
"You're sweating buckets."
Embarrassed, the guest hurriedly averted her eyes and mumbled, "It's fine... I really am comfortable like this..."
She's the shy type, I thought. Better not bother her.
As the inn filled with guests, the hall stayed lively with drinking even late into the night. Travelers with no idea when they'd next sleep in a bed, married city men avoiding home... Amid all that, one person sat forlornly in the corner with a beer mug, ignoring the revelry. It was the hooded guest from earlier that evening.
Intimidated by the boisterous atmosphere, she huddled small, staring only at her mug.
"Della. Is that guest staying here?"
"Yes. She checked in a few days ago. Hasn't said when she's leaving."
"Huh. Weird... Doesn't she get hot under all that?"
"Right?" Della leaned in to whisper in my ear, as if she'd just remembered. "That guest... I glimpsed it when she adjusted her hood. Her ears are huge."
"Ears?"
"Yeah. Like, almost a full handspan long."
Suddenly, it all made sense. She's a half-elf. No radiant golden hair or porcelain skin like pure elves, but those long ears and green eyes were unmistakably elven.
A half-elf staying alone at an inn... Not common, but not strange either. Half-elves are born between humans and elves. Their fate hinges on whether the mother is human or elf. If the mother is elf, the child grows up equally among pure elves in their forests. But if the mother is human, they're rejected by elven society. Elves are matriarchal, so they follow maternal bloodlines—half-elves from human mothers are treated as humans, outsiders unfit to live among them.
So this half-elf must have a human mother. Otherwise, she wouldn't be alone in a human city. And that explained the cape in midsummer heat: hiding her telltale ears. Half-elves face prejudice among humans too—branded as cheap flings with other races, their kids mocked as mutts or mongrels, shunned entirely. Most form their own communities to escape discrimination, so her solitary stay hinted at some backstory.
She stayed put even as other tables emptied one by one. Since she wasn't heading to her room, I sat at the bar, doing ledgers and waiting. Celereja gave up seducing me, grumbled, and went up first. Della insisted on clearing that guest's table and dozed off beside me. I told her to send Pelle and Idi up and follow, but she wouldn't budge.
Once the last table left, the half-elf finally stood.
"Hey, Della. Guest's up."
"Ahh... Yep..." Della wiped drool and lifted her head.
But instead of the stairs, the half-elf approached us. The petite guest met my eyes with effort, those eerie emeralds wide.
"Um... excuse me..."
"Need something?"
She chewed her lip like it was a tough ask. Patiently waiting, she finally spoke.
"Because of me... you two stayed so late... I'll clear the table myself... so please go rest first..."
"No, no. What are you saying? It's all included in the room rate. Don't worry—just head up."
But she hesitated, eyes flicking troubled between me, Della, and the ledger. Then it clicked: she wanted the empty hall to drink in peace. Earlier, under other guests' stares, she probably barely tasted her beer. Our lingering made it impossible.
"Don't mind us. Enjoy your beer. We'll handle closing."
"Ah... still..."
"It's really fine. We'll finish this and go."
I tapped the ledger. She pondered, then bowed her head.
"Thank you... then..."
As she turned back to her table, she paused and looked over.
"Um... since I'm a half-elf... can I... take off the hood...?"
"Huh? Sure. Do whatever."
"Thank you..."
She bowed and slowly removed the hood. Short bobbed hair revealed sharp, pointed elven ears poking out. The muggy weather plus the hood had her sweat-soaked strands plastered to her cheeks.
"Oh my... you're drenched."
Della pulled a handkerchief from her apron and offered it. The half-elf waved it off in panic.
"N-no need to be so nice to me...!"
"It's not about being nice—you're sweating."
"But I'm a half-elf..."
"So what?"
Della leaned over the bar, dabbing the half-elf's forehead. The guest shrank back, overwhelmed with gratitude.
Poor thing... heartbreaking.
The half-elf slunk back to her table, curling up pitifully over her mug. Too sad to watch, but joining her for drinks might come off as pity. That could hurt more.
"Della."
"Yes, Master?"
"Let's head up."
"Leaving the guest?"
I glanced at her back. "She'll feel better if we clear out."
"Mm... yeah..."
Della followed without question. On the third floor, we parted at our doors.
"Night, Della."
"Wait, Master."
As I opened my door, she called. Glancing at her room, Pelle's, and Celereja's, she rushed me, burrowing into my arms, nuzzling my chest.
"Goodnight."
"Yeah... night."
She bounced off to her room. What a fresh, bubbly girl.
Della stumbled into the room after closing the door and flopped into a chair. Idwild, brushing her wild black hair in the hand mirror, asked, "Finally back...?"
"Y-yeah..."
"Why are you panting like that...? What happened...?"
Clutching her chest, Della gasped, "Something good... happened..."
"What good thing...? Tell me too..."
"It's... that kind."
Idi gave up and finished brushing, lying down.
"Night, Della..."
"Goodnight, Lady Idi."
Regaining her breath, Della wondered when Idi had started brushing her hair. Back when she first arrived, she ignored mirrors entirely. Lately, shopping for clothes sparked interest in her looks. Lady Idi's just gloomy, but she's actually pretty cute.
Della hung her apron on the chair and opened her book. As she reached for her pen, a damp, husky whisper slithered into her ear.
"What happened...?"
Idi had slinked up like a shadow, pressing her ample chest against Della's back.
"Eek! You scared me!"
Della's yelp made the wall to Celereja's room thump.
"Let me sleep!"
Idi yelped back to the saintess and fled to bed. "Sorry, Saintess...!"
I had a morning meeting with the tenants, so I headed to the yard.
"Kali. Come on."
Kali burst from his doghouse, tail wagging furiously.
Suddenly, shouts erupted from the crossroads in front of the inn.
"Where'd you get this money!"
Peering over the stone wall, I saw patrolling guards clustered by the roadside.
"Speak straight!"
I stepped out. A guard gripped someone's arm, shaking them roughly.
"Don't lie! How'd a punk like you...!"
Recognizing the suspect's face, I cursed and ran over.
