Chapter 21

Nighttime Room Rental (2)

Room 208 was a typical motel room.

It was only about six pyeong (roughly 20 square meters) in size, with a double bed taking up much of the space. Beneath a desk that also served as a vanity sat a small refrigerator.

The bathroom was immediately to the right of the entrance where Yeongwoo stood. The toilet and sink were so close together that he worried his shoulder might hit the sink whenever he used the toilet.

"...It's really cramped."

"Yeah."

After briefly taking in the entire room at a glance, Yeongwoo and Yechan sighed and pushed their bicycles toward the entrance area.

The wheels, dirtied from riding on the road, left black marks across the floor, but neither of them cared.

Watching the bicycles lean against the wall alongside sacks stuffed with stones, Yeongwoo first confirmed that the door was locked before removing his shoes and stepping inside.

Then he realized something.

The room already has electricity.

It was probably part of the "room rental service."

Then maybe the water works properly too.

His gaze shifted toward the shower inside the tiny bathroom.

Physically, he wasn't particularly exhausted, but mentally he was drained.

A single day had contained far too much.

The exchange station incident, his first killing, becoming the First Sword, fighting goblins, and Councilman Jang Seon bok.

"Haa..."

After checking the locked door one more time, Yeongwoo set down his shield and Early Bird and removed his backpack.

Then came another problem.

Can I even take this thing off?

He fumbled around his waist, searching for a way to remove the sword sheath tightly fastened there.

Eventually he found a small button attached near the back of the belt.

Pressing it deeply caused the belt mechanism to release.

Click.

Finally freeing the sheath, Yeongwoo helped Yechan remove his as well.

"I'm going to wash up first. Let me know if someone tries to come in."

"Y-Yes."

The moment he heard the reply, Yeongwoo stripped off his clothes without hesitation and entered the bathroom.

Immediately, the mirror above the sink reflected him.

His exposed body looked like a piece of meat beginning to rot.

Dark bruises and blue-black marks covered him from head to toe.

Yet above his head, the title Gumi's First Sword shone brilliantly.

As though proudly displaying the reward he had earned in exchange for all those injuries.

"Ah."

Only then did Yeongwoo remember something.

He touched the spiral tattoo engraved on the left side of his chest.

Flash!

The title floating above his head vanished instantly.

Touch activated, huh? That's convenient.

With his head finally clear of the title display, he stood before the shower.

Then, slightly nervous, he turned the water on.

Creak.

What happened next surprised him.

Fwoooosh!

The water burst out immediately.

"Wow... unbelievable."

As the stream poured over him, Yeongwoo unconsciously let out a sigh of amazement.

It had only been one day since his last shower.

Yet it felt as though he hadn't washed in ten years.

After finishing his shower and stepping out refreshed, he found Yechan sitting at the desk.

The boy approached and held something out.

"What's this?"

"It was inside the refrigerator."

It was a can of orange juice.

"You could just take it without paying?"

As Yeongwoo accepted it, a notification appeared before his eyes.

All items provided in the room may not be removed from the premises.

So drinks could be consumed inside, but couldn't be stockpiled and taken away.

Figures.

Cracking open the can, Yeongwoo looked around the room again.

...No computer.

Did motels even exist these days without computers?

Tilting his head, he wondered whether the System had deliberately removed them.

After all, would this crazy world really rent out a computer all night for only 3,000 Karma?

At least I got a shower.

His eyes drifted toward the clothes scattered on the floor.

Then he suddenly realized something.

"Ah."

He was completely naked.

"You... you should wash up too. I'll put on a robe."

Picking up a robe from the desk, Yeongwoo awkwardly slipped it on.

Yechan nodded with an embarrassed expression and carefully began taking off his own clothes.

Rustle.

For some reason, the atmosphere felt awkward.

Yeongwoo deliberately made noise and lay down on the bed.

Fwoomp.

The mattress sank beneath him and embraced his exhausted body.

A tremendous sense of comfort washed over him.

"Hoo..."

Was this finally the end of the long day?

[01:16:32]

The abnormal-weather timer still hovered in his vision, but he could no longer focus on it.

Sleep crashed over him like a wave.

Somewhere, he vaguely heard water pouring from the shower.

But even that quickly faded.

And then—

BANG! BANG!

"...Huh?"

BANG! BANG!

Who the hell is pounding on my front door at this hour...?

Still half asleep, Yeongwoo thought exactly that—

Then his eyes flew open.

He remembered where he had fallen asleep.

The motel created by the room rental service.

In other words, the middle of a completely insane world.

BANG!

The noise came again.

This time he clearly identified its source.

"Is someone in there?! Please open the door!"

Someone outside was desperately pounding on the room door.

[00:06:46]

The timer now showed only six minutes remaining.

I slept for over an hour already.

Judging by how hazy his memories were, it must have been a deep sleep.

The moment he sat up, all traces of drowsiness vanished.

Before anything else, he checked the room for signs of intrusion.

Missing items.

Footprints.

Anything.

"Mmm..."

Meanwhile, Yechan, who had been sleeping on the floor, raised his head with half-open eyes.

"W-What's going on?"

"Someone's asking for shelter."

After checking the bathroom one final time, Yeongwoo picked up Early Bird and approached the entrance.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Even now, the mysterious visitor sounded ready to break down the door.

So much for guaranteeing sleeping rights.

More importantly—

If he opened the door, could the stranger enter immediately?

I'm pretty sure renting a room blocks outsiders from entering.

As he placed his hand on the doorknob, a blue text box appeared.

If the door is opened, a barrier allowing entry only to registered occupants will be created.

If you wish to share the room, verify the visitor through the barrier and adjust the admission fee and occupancy limit.

Whoosh!

Without hesitation, Yeongwoo opened the door.

The instant it swung open, a blue curtain-like barrier rose from the threshold.

The visitor's fist stopped in midair.

Thunk!

"Huh?!"

Both Yeongwoo and the visitor were startled.

The visitor was shocked because the room owner looked exactly like the face engraved on the commemorative coin.

Yeongwoo, meanwhile—

W-What?

He was surprised because the visitor was a woman.

Not just any woman.

She carried a backpack overflowing with weapons and petrified food supplies.

A dagger hung from her waist.

A one-handed sword occupied her right hand.

A steel round shield rested in her left.

An axe, spare sword, and another shield were tightly strapped to her backpack.

Am I still dreaming? What kind of person is this?

She was more thoroughly armed than anyone he had seen so far.

And carrying all that gear suggested impressive Strength and Endurance stats.

"What... is this?"

Yeongwoo muttered unconsciously.

The woman stared above his head and tilted her head.

"Uh... maybe not?"

He looked remarkably similar to the First Sword depicted on the coin.

But there was no title floating above him.

His first impression was also far more ordinary than she'd imagined.

"You're not Gumi's First Sword? Then why don't you have anything above your head? The First Sword should—"

She abruptly stopped.

Then she looked directly into Yeongwoo's eyes.

"No, more importantly, we don't have time! Please let me in!"

[00:03:41]

She was right.

Time was running out.

But Yeongwoo had no desire to play hero from his bed.

"Try another room."

He began closing the door.

The woman slammed her hands against the barrier.

"This is the last room! Nobody else would take me in!"

"Not surprising. Go find an empty room."

Creeeak.

The gap narrowed.

Then the woman practically shouted.

"I'M PREGNANT!"

That strategy turned out to be surprisingly effective.

The door stopped moving with barely a centimeter left open.

The woman herself seemed surprised.

"I-It's true. But nobody believes me."

That was understandable.

Her stomach wasn't showing at all.

If she was telling the truth, she must have been in the early stages.

"You're pregnant... and you're running around like that?"

"I have to protect my baby. If I die, my child dies too."

Her eyes were completely serious.

"Where's your husband?"

"The goblins killed him."

At that point, Yeongwoo didn't know what to say.

From behind him, Yechan spoke quietly.

"We're awake already anyway... wouldn't it be okay?"

We've only slept for an hour. You want us to stay up all night because of her? We won't have enough energy tomorrow.

"I'll take first watch. We can confiscate her weapons and tie her up."

Yechan clearly wanted to help.

Then again, he'd always been unusually soft-hearted toward women.

Ignoring someone claiming to be pregnant wasn't something he was likely to do.

"If we disarm and restrain her, there shouldn't be any problems... but do we really need the hassle?"

Even so, Yeongwoo couldn't help feeling a little sympathy.

Judging by the circumstances, she and her husband had challenged the goblins together, and only she had survived.

Assuming she was telling the truth, anyway.

[00:02:11]

"Ah."

The woman suddenly looked blank for a moment.

Then she hurriedly reached into her pocket.

Only two minutes remained.

There truly wasn't much time left.

"Are you really going to do this? There are two of you! Like he said, you can tie me up if you want. Just please let me in."

After a brief moment of thought, Yeongwoo finally decided.

"Wait."

Noticing a keypad attached to the barrier, he pressed 3.

Maximum occupancy has been changed to 3 persons.

Would you like to set a lodging fee?

Yeongwoo looked back at the woman.

"Money."

"Huh?"

"How much can you pay? Check the timer and answer carefully."

The woman immediately produced something.

Ironically, it was a commemorative coin bearing Yeongwoo's own face.

"My entire fortune. I'll give you everything."

Though calling it her entire fortune felt a bit exaggerated.

She was offering a single commemorative coin—10,000 Karma.

Still, considering the room itself had only cost 3,000 Karma, it was an excellent profit.

"Fine. That's enough."

Yeongwoo set the lodging fee at 10,000 Karma.

The blue barrier turned green.

Those wishing to enter may pay the lodging fee and enter.

The message appeared to both of them.

"Do I just put it through?"

The woman carefully pushed the coin through the green barrier.

The coin became wrapped in a green protective field.

Apparently it would remain protected until the entry process was completed, preventing room owners from taking payment and immediately shutting the door.

Once the woman fully entered the room, the protective field disappeared from the coin.

At the same moment, the pitiful expression she'd been wearing vanished entirely.

"That's one ridiculously expensive night's stay. If I'd known, I would've come earlier."

She casually placed the commemorative coin on the desk and looked back and forth between Yeongwoo and Yechan.

"Nice robe. Mind if I take a shower too?"