Chapter 18

"Hahahahaha, you sure had a rough time, didn't you, big brother! Right now, the town is packed with people, so every inn is full. There's no place to stay at all!"

The one laughing heartily was a male dwarf who ran the inn and restaurant called "Bearded Gnome Inn," which had been introduced by the guild. His name was Riggs Douran, a short but sturdy man with a beard typical of dwarves.

"Good evening. I'm Maylin. You're Mina, right? Nice to meet you!"

And there was his daughter, Maylin. She was a lively girl with short, flaxen hair, smiling warmly at Mina, who was about the same age. However, Mina seemed to be shy and was hiding behind Relda. Despite this, Maylin didn't seem to mind at all and was saying, "Let's be friends!"

"Please take care of us for a while."

"Ah, no need to be so formal. We'll be living under the same roof, so just treat us like family. My daughter seems to like yours, and she's happy about it."

"Hehe, Mina isn't my daughter."

"Really? Well, adventurers have all sorts of situations, I guess. I don't mind the details. If this is the child you're taking care of, that's fine. Oh, and you'll be sharing a room."

"That's no problem. We'll be in your care from now on."

"Sure thing, and I'll be in yours."

Relda was inwardly relieved that they were such friendly people. When Relda was told there was no place to stay, the guild had offered to provide temporary accommodation. This place, the "Bearded Gnome Inn," was one of those options.

They would be renting a room in the inn, and the guild, or rather the lord, would pay for it. This was a measure to ensure that people who worked in the town or contributed to it wouldn't be left homeless. It also prevented valuable talent from moving to other towns due to a lack of housing.

Relda, though unaware, was a valuable asset with rare healing magic. The guild didn't want to lose her.

"Maylin, show them to their room. And don't forget to show them the toilet and the bath."

"Sure thing!"

"Then it's dinner. You should join us."

"Got it. Come on, Mina."

"Ah, e, wait, Maylin?"

Maylin, holding Mina's hand, led the way, and Relda followed. The room they were shown to was a corner room on the second floor. There were two toilets on each floor, and the bath was at the back of the first floor.

Without the guild's introduction, it might have been difficult to stay here as a guest. The inn was bustling with people due to the restaurant.

"Okay, just wait a moment. I'll go get the food."

After placing their luggage in the room, Maylin secured a table in the restaurant and ran to the kitchen where her father was stirring a pot.

"She's a lively one, isn't she?"

"Y-Yeah, we got along a bit."

"That's great. We'll be in your care for a while."

It seemed that the reserved Mina and the cheerful Maylin got along well, and before they knew it, they were becoming close.

(I hope Mina can make friends.)

Relda thought this from a guardian's perspective, wishing for Mina to have fulfilling days in this new place.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! We have pilaf, salad, and a hearty soup with lots of meat!"

Maylin returned quickly, skillfully carrying three servings of food. She set the table efficiently, and the three of them began their meal with a "Let's eat."

"It's... delicious."

"Hehe, Dad's cooking is the best, right?"

Mina's eyes widened as she tasted the pilaf, and Maylin puffed out her chest, clearly pleased by the compliment. Relda also tried the pilaf with a spoon. The well-cooked, fluffy pilaf was fragrant and delicious, with a slightly stronger saltiness that seemed to be a gesture of kindness for their travel-weary selves.

"Wow, Mr. Riggs. I always thought of dwarves as blacksmiths, but you can do anything, from cooking to making swords."

"Dad used to make swords. But after I was born, he became a chef."

"Your dad is amazing, Maylin."

"Sure is!"

Maylin continued to boast about her father. She talked about how busy and fun their days were without a mother, how she helped in the store, and the various interesting and sometimes troublesome customers they had. Maylin spoke with great enthusiasm, and both Mina and Relda listened with interest, the time passing quickly.

After finishing their meal, they thanked Riggs and, with Maylin's guidance, headed to the bath. Mina, initially shy when Maylin invited her to join, eventually gave in.

While they were in the bath, Relda could hear Maylin's cheerful voice from the women's side, and he felt reassured that Mina was getting along well. After a long, relaxing bath that eased their travel fatigue, Relda exchanged goodnights with Maylin and returned to the room with Mina to sleep.

"Hey, Relda."

"Yeah?"

"Um, can I... can I sleep with you?"

They were in a room with two beds, and just before going to sleep, Mina asked this. There was no reason to refuse, as they had been together for the past three days.

"Sure, come on over."

Relda pulled back the blanket and beckoned, and the girl in her nightgown happily climbed in. For a while, they lay in silence, looking up at the ceiling. Then,

"Hey, Relda."

"What is it?"

"You know, I'm glad we came to this town. The food was delicious, and Maylin is a good girl. I'm glad to be with you, Relda."

"I'm glad to be with you too, Mina."

It was the truth. He had planned to travel alone, but thanks to Mina, what could have been a dull journey had become lively. He had been grateful to her all along.

"You know, the day I met you, Relda, was a good day. You see, Relda... I..."

Mina seemed to be about to confide something, but she must have succumbed to sleep, as she was now snoring softly.

(Well, sleep won out. She's just a kid.)

Relda found it endearing that Mina showed different sides of herself, but he was also curious about what she had wanted to say. However, he couldn't bear to wake her up from her peaceful sleep, so he closed his eyes without disturbing her.

"Goodnight, Mina."

With that, Relda wrapped his arms around the curled-up girl and fell asleep.