The innkeeper turned toward the coachman only after confirming with her own eyes that Seo-a had entered the mansion. And when she faced the coachman, the kind innkeeper vanished as if evaporating, replaced instead by a brothel owner with a cold gaze.
“Where is she from?”
"I don't know where she's from, but I'm sure she's not from Norfolk."
"Certainty?"
As she lit a cigarette and asked sharply, the coachman quickly added an explanation.
"If she's from Norfolk, she must have just come out of hiding in the countryside. She knows absolutely nothing about the world. Not only can't she let her guard down for a single moment, but she's also clumsy with counting money. And guess what? She paid 100,000 kerte for the carriage!"
"..."
"And you can tell just by looking that it's not the right face. And if she's from Norfolk, wouldn't she know Felphe's red-light district? She walked in firmly believing this was an inn."
"..."
When the brothel owner remained silent and only smoked a cigarette, the coachman suddenly lost his temper.
"Ah, she's fine! Honestly, she's not just fine; isn't she better than Armand Rose's Anna? You can tell without even having to undress her. If you just dress her in those fairy-like outfits, I bet there are more than a few guys with bloodshot eyes rushing at her just to get laid. She'll be worth whatever she asks, and if things go well, I think she could even beat Catherine in this business."
“Lower your voice.”
"I took her away with a gentle smile, saying let's not act like this between players."
"I told you to lower your voice. So, where are your companions?"
"I first saw her at Fallsman International Port. From the moment I first saw her, she was alone and dressed exactly as she was. Luckily, she happened to catch the train bound for Felphe. I followed her onto the train and watched her for a while, but sure enough, she was still alone."
"But why is she dressed like that? She's not crazy or anything, is she?"
"We looked closely at her at first, just in case. Rather than her being mentally ill, it seemed like those were really the only clothes she had."
"Does she only have those clothes?... Well, the poorer the better. But what do you think she came to Felphe for? You've been following her around."
The coachman paused before saying that the woman was going to Felphe Bank.
Felphe Bank.
A place where ordinary people cannot even open an account, let alone a safe.
However, it was impossible for a woman who was clueless about the world and so shabby to have a bank account or a safe. Since she was so naive, she might have even gone to the Felphe Bank to look for a job; in any case, the coachman decided to leave out the bank story. He felt that if he mentioned it, his fee would be reduced for no reason.
"Actually, I missed the woman at first. I did find her again, but by the time I got there, it was getting late. It seemed like she was looking for a job."
The brothel owner remained silent, seemingly lost in thought, and only smoked a cigarette. Then, as she nodded and turned around, the coachman grinned and bowed deeply.
“Thank you!”
She strode toward the mansion without replying, and when the waiter brought an ashtray, she stubbed out her cigarette and spoke as if spitting.
"50 million Kerte."
“Yes, ma’am.”
As she climbed the stairs of the mansion, she thought about the appearance of the woman who lived in the room.
A smile naturally formed on her lips. She agreed with the coachman's remark that if she dressed her like a fairy, she would be worth whatever she asked for. After all, the moment she saw the mysterious woman who had arrived without warning, she wanted to cheer.
She should show Catherine, who had been bragging about receiving a call from the biggest catch of all, the woman she just bought, and show her off.
The sound of the coachman's snickering was heard from behind.
"At least he has a good eye."
The sound of her and the coachman's giggling seeped into the air of the mansion, which was filled with the scent of perfume, and then faded away.
Seo-a followed the staff member, glancing around the inn out of the corner of her eye. The interior was just as beautiful as its exterior. The curtains hanging from every window were heavy, and the lanterns resembling flower petals, as well as every small decorative item placed here and there, were delicate. The carpets on the floor were as plush as the ones she had seen at the Felphe Bank, and the attire of the people she occasionally encountered was just as splendid as that of the innkeeper.
Along with the faint sound of laughter, the sound of music flowing from somewhere was also heard.
Is this really 100,000 Kerte...
However, as she followed the guide up the stairs and passed through a slightly narrower hallway, the sound of laughter faded into the distance, and the air began to grow strangely chilly. The delicate decorations had vanished, and just as she felt she had entered a minimal space containing only the essentials, the staff member stopped in their tracks.
“Are we here?”
In response to the cautious question, the employee nodded, unlocked the door with a key, strode into the dim room, and lit a lamp.
Seo-a hesitated to step inside and cautiously surveyed the interior of the room. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, it wasn't so luxurious as to be overwhelming. Just as ships or trains have tiered seating based on price, it seemed this place was likely one of those.
"What are you doing instead of going inside?"
Just then, a voice was heard along with the sound of footsteps. The innkeeper approached with a friendly smile. Then, he strode into the room ahead of Seo-a, slightly hunching his shoulders.
"It is getting a bit chilly now that it's night, maybe because autumn is coming soon. Turn the heating down a bit."
“Yes, ma’am.”
He gestured toward Seo-a from inside the room.
“I told you to come in.”
As Seo-a entered the room, a small, square space caught her eye.
A standing clothes rack, a small bed large enough for one person to sleep on, a dressing table, a mirror, and a tall fireplace installed in the corner.
As she looked around carefully, the innkeeper opened a small door and pointed inside.
"It's a bit small, but you can wash up here."
Then, he suddenly turned to look at Seo-a and frowned.
"Oh my, please take that off. It does get chilly at night, but it’s not really weather for a coat. Don’t you have anything else to wear?"
"..."
"Ah, hurry up? It looks hot just looking at it."
“I will do it.”
At the impatient urging that seemed to personally undress her, Seo-a turned her back to him and took off her coat. Then, as she hung it on a hanger, the owner asked as he brushed past her.
"What about meals?”
"..."
"Seeing as you aren't answering, you haven't eaten yet. I'll leave it outside the door, so wash up and eat."
"...Yes. Thank you."
The innkeeper replied, "Thank you," and led the staff out of the room.
Bam.
Seo-a stood still for a few seconds after the door closed, then locked the door and firmly fastened what appeared to be a bolt. She checked that the window in the room was locked, carefully closed the curtains, and then looked around the room. She even checked the bathroom, but there didn't seem to be anything unusual.
One unique feature was the heating system installed in one corner of the room, but there was no way to know how it worked. However, judging by the faint warmth emanating from it, it seemed to be connected to the outside of the room.
Being ignorant of worldly affairs meant being unable to grasp what was suspicious.
In the end, Seo-a decided to stop her meaningless worrying. Even if she left because she suspected this place, where would she go at this hour?
She took off the stuffy dress and the stockings as well. Then she hurried to the bathroom to wash herself. There was nothing but cold water, but she actually liked it because it was refreshing. She changed into the dress she had been wearing as pajamas, washed jer underwear and stockings, and was hanging them to one side when she heard footsteps outside.
"I am leaving the meal and pajamas behind."
Only after the sound of footsteps faded away did she unlock the doorknob and open the door slightly. She looked outside with the bolt still slightly engaged, and only opened the door after confirming that there was nothing unusual.
In front of the door lay a tray of food and a neatly folded set of white clothes. She picked them up and entered the room to sit down, and the smell of food filled the air even before she opened the lid.
Inside the lid was a bowl of steaming food.
Is it unnecessary to have doubts?
Seo-a stirred the dish, which resembled red meat soup, once with a spoon, then took a bite—almost as if tasting it. It was just one bite, but she felt warmth spreading from head to toe. It was only then that she realized this was her first meal of the day.
She finished a bowl of meat soup in a flash. After eating frantically, she felt sleepy. Because someone was watching her, she hadn't slept properly for the three days she was on the train to Felphe. The pajamas looked comfortable, but she didn't have the energy to change into them.
There was nothing. The best she could do was simply brush her teeth with heavy hands, tidy up the dishes, and push them to one side.
And it was the moment she was about to lie down on the bed.
Knock, knock, knock.
"..."
Someone knocked on the door.
I didn't sense anyone approaching at all.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment