Chapter 649 A Room For Two

Liam slowly turned his head toward the woman who had just spoken. For a moment, he simply stared at her without saying anything because his mind was honestly struggling to process what had just happened. She was a pretty young woman who looked to be in her early twenties, perhaps a few years older than him, with neatly styled brown hair, fair skin and a face that would have been pleasant to look at under different circumstances. She was dressed far too elegantly to be an ordinary worker, wearing a well-fitted cream-colored dress with delicate embroidery around the sleeves and neckline, and there was a small silver brooch pinned near her shoulder that suggested she held some sort of position within the establishment. Unfortunately for her, none of those pleasant features mattered to Liam at that moment because the look she was giving him had already ruined whatever impression she might have made. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she stared at his soot-covered face and ruined clothes, and the disgust in her eyes was almost impossible to hide. She looked at him the same way someone might look at a rat crawling across a kitchen floor.

"These beggars," she muttered, her expression becoming even more unpleasant. "I told the guards to keep them away from the lodging house."

Liam’s eyebrow twitched.

The woman looked toward the entrance and raised her voice.

"Someone get this beggar out of here, please."

There was a brief silence.

Liam stood there.

The woman stood there.

The rest of the group stood there.

Liam slowly looked down at himself again as though perhaps there was some chance that he had somehow become a beggar without noticing. He looked terrible, there was no denying that. But still, being called a beggar after everything he had been through felt like the universe was deliberately mocking him. He had fought dozens of Gargoyles, survived injuries that should have killed ordinary people, walked into a city protected by enormous walls and found the legendary blacksmith they had been searching for. He had then been humiliated by a drunken dwarf and somehow ended up looking like he had spent the night sleeping beside a fireplace. Now, after finally reaching what was supposed to be their lodging, he had been rejected at the entrance as though he had come begging for leftovers.

Liam opened his mouth.

He didn’t even know what he was going to say.

Before he could speak, Agatha stepped forward.

The witch moved between Liam and the young woman with a calm smile on her face, as though nothing unusual had happened.

"Please don’t worry," Agatha said politely. "He’s with us."

The woman blinked.

She looked at Agatha.

Then at Mary, who was standing a short distance behind her.

Recognition immediately appeared in her eyes.

"Oh."

Her expression changed slightly.

She clearly remembered them.

Agatha and Mary had arrived earlier to arrange the rooms, and because of that, the woman already knew they were legitimate guests. She looked back at Liam with renewed suspicion, then slowly examined him from head to toe.

"He’s with you?"

Agatha nodded.

"Yes."

The woman stared at Liam for another moment.

"What happened to him?"

Agatha’s smile remained perfectly composed.

"He was just unfortunate enough to fall into a cauldron on the way here."

Liam’s head snapped toward her.

He stared at the back of Agatha’s head.

That was technically true.

But the way she said it made it sound like Liam had simply tripped over a bucket while walking down the street.

Mary immediately turned her face away.

Liam knew she was trying not to laugh.

The young woman looked at him again.

"A cauldron?"

"Yes."

Agatha nodded calmly.

"A rather unfortunate accident."

Liam stared at her in disbelief.

He wanted to defend himself.

He wanted to explain that he had been thrown into the cauldron by a drunken dwarf after attempting to kill said dwarf with a sword that weighed more than a mountain.

But somehow he felt that explaining the entire story would make him look even more ridiculous.

The woman sighed.

"Fine."

She looked Liam up and down one final time before her nose wrinkled again.

"Just make sure he doesn’t stain the walls on the way upstairs, please."

She said it with such genuine concern that Liam almost laughed.

Almost.

At this point, he was too exhausted to become angry.

The woman turned around and walked away, her footsteps clicking against the polished floor as she disappeared toward the reception area.

Liam watched her leave.

His face was completely blank.

Agatha slowly turned around.

Liam looked at her.

Agatha looked at Liam.

Neither said anything.

Finally, Liam sighed.

"I don’t even have the strength to be offended anymore."

Mary covered her mouth.

A tiny laugh escaped.

Liam looked at her.

"You’re enjoying this."

"I am not."

"You are."

Mary lowered her hand and tried to look serious.

"I feel sorry for you."

"That’s worse."

Tatiana stepped closer and gently looked at Liam’s face.

"You should really wash."

Liam looked at her.

"Thank you, Tatiana. Very helpful."

She smiled innocently.

"I was only saying."

Liam sighed again.

At this point, he had accepted his fate.

He was a beggar.

A dirty beggar.

A dirty, injured, soot-covered beggar who had apparently fallen into a cauldron.

He was done fighting the universe.

He turned toward Agatha.

"Which room is ours?"

Agatha smiled.

"Follow me."

The group began walking toward the staircase.

Liam followed behind them, his footsteps noticeably slower than usual. His body had recovered remarkably well after the seer’s intervention, but the exhaustion from the Gargoyle battle was still present. The pain was mostly gone, yet there was a heaviness in his muscles that reminded him of just how long he had been fighting. The soot coating his body didn’t help his mood either. Every time he moved, small particles of black dust fell from his clothes onto the polished floor.

Liam noticed.

He stopped.

He looked down.

A small trail of soot was following him.

He closed his eyes.

"Perfect."

Leonid walked past him.

"You’re leaving evidence."

Liam glared at him.

"Keep walking."

Leonid chuckled and continued up the stairs.

The staircase itself was beautiful, completely different from the rough stone structures Liam had become accustomed to since entering the city. The steps were made from dark polished wood with golden metal edges, while the railing was carved with intricate patterns of flowers and vines. Soft magical lights floated along the walls, illuminating the path without producing any visible flames. Every few steps there was another decorative painting or carved statue, giving the entire building the atmosphere of an expensive noble residence rather than a simple place for travelers to sleep.

As they climbed, Liam suddenly looked around.

"Wait."

Nobody stopped.

Liam frowned.

"Where are our things?"

Irina, who was walking ahead of him, turned around and gave him a strange look.

"Our things?"

"Our loads," Liam clarified. "And the horses."

Irina stared at him for several seconds.

Then she blinked.

"Were you not listening earlier?"

Liam frowned.

"Listening to what?"

Irina’s expression became one of disbelief.

"Mary and Agatha already brought everything here earlier. They put our belongings inside the rooms and rented a stable for the horses."

Liam paused.

"Oh."

Irina continued staring at him.

Liam scratched the side of his head.

"What?"

"You really weren’t listening."

"I was walking through an entire city while looking like this."

He gestured toward his body.

"Do you honestly think I could focus on anything?"

Irina opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

She looked at his soot-covered face again.

Fair enough.

She turned around and continued climbing.

Liam followed.

A minute later, they reached the floor where their rooms were located.

Agatha stopped in front of four doors arranged along the quiet corridor.

"These four rooms are ours."

She pointed toward the first.

"Liam and Tatiana, your belongings are in this one."

Tatiana immediately stepped forward and placed her hand on the door.

She pushed it open.

The moment the door opened, a gentle wave of cool air drifted across them.

Tatiana paused.

A faint smile appeared on her face.

The room smelled wonderful.

There was the clean scent of fresh linen mixed with a faint floral fragrance that seemed to come from a small vase sitting on a table near the window. It wasn’t an overwhelming perfume, just a subtle pleasant scent that immediately made the room feel peaceful. After spending days traveling through dangerous wilderness, caves and mountains, the clean atmosphere felt almost unreal.

Tatiana stepped inside.

Liam followed.

His expression changed.

The room was beautiful.

The walls were decorated with elegant wooden panels, while soft white curtains hung over a large window that allowed sunlight to pour into the room. A thick carpet covered most of the floor, making every step almost silent. There was a small sitting area near the window with two comfortable chairs and a polished wooden table between them. A large wardrobe stood against one wall, while another table held a glowing magical lamp.

But the thing that immediately caught Liam’s attention was the bed.

It was enormous.

A single massive bed occupied the center of the room, covered with clean white sheets and thick blankets. The wooden frame was beautifully carved, with elegant patterns running along the headboard. Several pillows rested against it, and the mattress looked so soft that Liam suddenly felt the exhaustion in his body become much heavier.

He stared at it.

Tatiana noticed.

"You like it?"

Liam didn’t answer immediately.

He walked closer.

He looked at the bed.

Then at Tatiana.

Then back at the bed.

"This..."

He paused.

"This might be the best thing I’ve seen since entering this city."

Tatiana laughed softly.

Liam walked toward it.

For the first time all day, he genuinely felt like he could relax.

Then he looked down at his blackened clothes.

His expression fell.

"Of course."

Tatiana tilted her head.

"What?"

"I can’t lie on that looking like this."

She smiled.

"No."

Liam sighed.

"Today really hates me."

Tatiana stepped farther into the room, still smiling as she looked around.

Outside, the others were beginning to move toward their own rooms.

Liam remained standing near the enormous bed, staring at the pristine sheets with the expression of a man who had finally found paradise but had been informed that he was too dirty to enter it.

He slowly shook his head.

"I’m taking a bath first."