The Inn Incident [Pt 3]

"Don't you find it funny that they're complaining about the room?"

As Eric and Adonis made it down the stairs, the boy in glasses brought up the topic while smiling playfully.

"I wonder how they would react when we finally begin the Conquest and they have to spend a week in the Dungeon." He added, chuckling.

There were no comfy beds or proper furniture in a Dungeon.

No bathrooms either.

"They'll probably have to sleep very close to their Party Members—total strangers. If they're reacting like this to a joint room with people they know… it's hilarious to think about what will happen eventually."

Eric was trying to break the awkward silence between him and Adonis. They had spoken a few times in the past, so he knew Adonis was a cool dude, but something felt off about him this night.

It almost felt like he wasn't really himself.

"You really know your stuff, huh?" Thankfully, Adonis responded back, smiling as warmly as he always did.

Eric laughed a bit nervously as he used his finger to itch a side of his face.

"Yeah. I might have read a few books and played a few games related to fantasy."

"Haha! Is that so? Well… you can't blame our friends for acting this way." Adonis smiled at Eric.

Despite saying that, Adonis' curled-up lips grew broader and he winked at Eric. "Though it will be funny to see their reaction, wouldn't it?"

"Right?"

Both boys laughed as they kept their eyes out for the group of Adventurers that were discussing with one another previously.

Thankfully, the were found without much effort.

"Hello there." Adonis approached them without caution or hesitation, a move that Eric felt a bit nervous about doing.

Despite his curiosity, he wasn't the type to boldly start off conversations with strangers—especially if they were in a group.

He was a tad shy, to be honest.

"Ohh? I haven't seen your face around? New here?"

"Yes. My friends and I just arrived yesterday. We came from the countryside to become Adventurers in search for freedom and fortune."

"Hahaha! Is that so? Well, that's good! Yes, it's good to have dreams!"

The conversation swiftly flowed in that direction, and Eric watched everything play out as smoothly as butter.

'The heck? Do you have some kind of charm superpower or something?' He stared hard at Adonis, his entire face oozing disbelief.

In just a few seconds—not even up to a minute—the boy was already laughing with everyone else in the group. They acted like they had known him forever, and this surprised Eric a little bit.

'I knew he was good, but not this good…'

Adonis had just displayed some next-level charm that pretty much made him an antithesis to socially awkward guys like Eric.

The only reason he started talking out a lot recently was because he had gotten a lot closer to the people around him.

They literally slayed Monsters together, so it wasn't an understatement to say that they were pretty much all friends.

Besides, he considered them Party Members, and knowing the importance of communication in a Party, he decided to be more expressive.

Thanks to that, Eric could say he had gotten relatively close to his classmates.

But—!

'Adonis seems to be closer to these people he just met a minute ago than I am with most of my classmates.'

It was that ridiculous.

"I was passing by and I heard some pretty interesting things you said." Adonis finally brought up the topic he was curious about, causing Eric's ears to perk up so he could pay more attention to the conversation.

"You mentioned two Adventurers becoming Heroic Rank today. What's that all about?"

Eric studied the surprised looks on the faces of the Adventurers they were speaking to.

"You really don't know?" One of them asked with a particularly exaggerated raised brow.

"W-well, my friends just arrived this night. I missed the whole thing, but I've been seeing how lively everyone is since I got here." Adonis itched his head and laughed warmly.

"Is it always this lively at night?"

They shook their head and smiled—perhaps at Adonis' ignorance, or his feigned naiveté. Either way, he had baited them, and now they were more than willing to spill.

"Well, I don't know all the details, but apparently… these two Adventurers—Jet and Lux—came here today."

"D-did you just say Jet and Lux?"

"Y-yes. Do you know them?" The Adventurers asked with raised brows.

"N-no… not really. Just heard of them a little." Adonis murmured. "Forgive my interruption. Please continue."

The Adventurers nodded their heads and proceeded with their words.

They explained what they heard about concerning what happened the previous day; with Jet and Lux proceeding to the Adventurers Guild upon arriving in the City.

They went on about how they requested to take on the Test of the highest order—that is, the Heroic Rank Test.

Then, how they defeated Sango, one of the strongest Adventurers in the City.

The main gist happened earlier in the current day, though, when the two Adventurers returned with their examiner with a captured A-Tier Monster, as well as sacks filled to the brim with unknown treasures.

It was crazy listening to them speak. Some of their words were vague and confused at best, and a few times they would make mistakes in the narration, only to be corrected by a fellow.

Needless to say, the information they provided was very flowed.

'Trisha was right…' Eric sighed to himself. 'These guys are too low-ranked.'

They probably heard secondhand—perhaps even thirdhand—

accounts of what happened and were passing it off as if they saw everything with their very eyes.

This, of course, was so they could look important and propped-

up in the eyes of a newbie, but Eric personally thought it was pathetic.

'We should have waited to talk to a more reliable person.'

"I see. Thank you." Adonis bowed his head in appreciation as he graced everyone with his brilliant smile.

"I have to be on my way now. See you all later."