To be under someone's gaze

The next morning, everyone was up early, including me. As the days were long and the weather was hot in the middle of the day, it was better to start moving early in the morning so we could get to a place to rest and avoid the heat of the sun when the heat was at its peak.

'It's actually good that we didn't bring many servants!'

This way, everyone could have a bed for themselves! I slept so well last night because of the good quality of the inn. Well, the money I received from Alaric the last night might have some effects as well.

"Hmm~ Hmm~"

"You seem to be on a good moon, brother Ian!"

"Yeah~"

Ralph flinched for a second when I abruptly moved my left hand towards him, but he soon relaxed once I started patting him on the head. I ruffled his hair and yawned lazily.

"Where is Ranger?"

"He went to talk to the owner of the inn. We are departing soon so he wanted the breakfast to be prepared faster."

"Oh!"

I nodded my head and moved past the kid, leaving the room and heading to the bathroom. I wonder if I can take a bath here... With Barnett Blicra and young master Alaric here, I don't think mere servants like me are permitted to enter the bath... I guess I'll just wash my face and go back to work...

"Can't we at least eat breakfast before we leave?"

On my way to the bathroom, I heard a familiar woman's voice from the other side of the hall.

"No! I said leave right now!"

"Please!"

Once turned my head, I could see the woman from the last night standing beside the door, but this time from inside the inn, and begging the same old man I saw last night. Beside them was Ranger, who had gone to talk to the owner of the inn but seemed to have gotten caught in the drama that was going on, as well as a few guards.

"Nope! Our guests will be leaving early, so you have to leave even earlier!"

"But sir-"

"Nope!"

The woman sighed helplessly and lowered her head, making her messy light-brown hair cover her face. She seemed irritated and helpless at the same time as she placed her hands on her hips and heaved a deep sigh.

"Tsk!"

At that moment, the man that had been silently standing beside the woman clicked his tongue and shifted his pose slightly. He was a tall and muscular man, but not too much buffed. He had messy black hair and a pair of black eyes and was glaring at the old man arrogantly while folding his arm. He had a sword in between his arms and was wearing clothes that were suitable for knights and guards rather than ordinary men.

'Oh, so they were allowed to sleep here the last night.'

But it seemed like they were being kicked out now. What did they do to be treated like this? I wonder.

"Let's go!"

He urged the woman as he stepped out of the inn. The woman named Eleen glared at the back of the departing man and huffed soundly, but she didn't move an inch. Seeing that she wasn't coming, the man stopped and glared at her.

"What? What else do you want to hear from him? He is literally kicking you out!"

The young woman, who seemed to be barely in her mid-twenties, glared at the young man who looked to be even younger than her and talked with a reversed voice.

"He is not kicking me out, but it's you who should leave!"

"What!?"

There was momentarily silence between the two when the man was waiting for the girl to talk and the girl was only huffing furiously.

'Hoo, what a show!'

It's really fun to witness such a thing early in the morning... Well, at least for me, it is enjoyable.

In those few seconds when no one said anything, I suddenly saw a hand waving at me and someone whispering my name. Once I shifted my gaze a little bit, I could see Ranger motioning at me while calling my name.

'What does he want?'

He was gesturing at me to move to his side. I nodded my head and approached the old man who was trapped in an awkward situation.

'Trapped in an awkward situation? Does he want me to rescue him?'

I narrowed my eyes and examined Ranger's face. He was frowning deeply and his shoulders seemed a little bit tense while he paced back and front repeatedly.

'Oho!'

The edges of my lips twitched up on their own and my steps hastened. I took two big steps toward Ranger and raised my voice.

"Ah, head butler, there you are!"

The people around Ranger, the guards, the inn owner, as well as the woman who was about to speak and her 'friend' all momentarily fell silent and turned to me. Ranger raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he soon smiled at me. Without waiting for him to say anything, I continued my words.

"I was searching for you! Young master Alaric wanted to have his breakfast, but you were nowhere to be found!"

Ranger's smile widened.

"I was just about to talk to the inn owner about that, Ian!"

"Ah!"

This time, it was the inn owner who gasped and then turned to Ranger, a little bit flustered.

"I-I will hurriedly tell the staff to prepare the table! I'm sorry for the scene you had to witness! Would you mind telling us what the young master prefers to have for breakfast?"

Ranger nodded at the inn owner and started to explain about the food that they had to prepare. Feeling like a hero, I smiled and turned my head around, intending to leave and finally go to the bathroom.

That was when I sensed a gaze on me. An intense, cold gaze.

'What?'

I looked towards the place I sensed the intense gaze, only to lock eyes with a black hair black eyes young man who was staring at me with a strange expression and a really deep frown.

The woman on his side was talking to him with her still angry face, but she soon stopped talking and blinked with confusion after noticing that the man was not paying any attention to him and was instead staring at some random servant.

At that moment, the man opened his mouth and said something in a low voice.

"You..."