“Of course, I feel just fine! Hahaha… ha.” Tus responded hastily while giving a forced laugh. He looked at Shel who stared at him with an indifferent face.

“I was thinking about it, maybe tomorrow morning.” She said serriously.

‘They’re really this serious and bloodthirsty?’ Tus thought about it in his heart as he continued staring around the city. Even though it was night, the amount of traffic stayed consistent in a high density.

“I think our inn should be around the corner.” Worill announced as they neared the corner.

“Oh yea, what are my responsibilities?” He asked after his mind resumed its clarity due to feeling the threat to his life.

“That is simple.” Worill tapped his chin in pondering. Seeing this, Tus’s instincts were shouting at him to leave immediately. “Just stay around in close proximity with milady for the next few days.”

Tus’s left eye twitched as he thought, ‘Am I still going to live after two days next to that killer?’

“Nothing else. At all?” Tus asked.

“Nope. Shel and I will take care of the rest.” Worill reaffirmed as a light flashed in his eyes while Shel showed her discontent, but didn’t say anything. Within the decision making, this Worill, who was the servant chief, was above her in status. Even if it concerned the safety of the one she had to protect.

Very quickly, they came to the designated inn. It was rather tall compared to the neighboring buildings, standing at about seven stories. The outside of it was decorated in imprints of golden flames. The entrance to it actually had golden flames burning using an unusual material. In bold letters, sharing the same color, was the simple name ‘Golden Flame.’

Also in front of the entrance were greeters and guiders. The only way to get into this inn was through prior reservation and a large lump sum upfront. Anyone who came here were people of influence, or at the very least, people with a lot of capital. As so, the customers were tended to very carefully and in a very extensive manner.

“Well, we’re here.” Worill and Shel quickly hopped off as Tus clumsily perched at the edge of the carriage like a bird before jumping. The coach was quickly taken over by some of the greeters while Worill opened the door to the carriage.

As soon as he did so, the air in the surroundings became so intense that the wind seemed to stop. The greeters and guiders near the entrance gulped and looked down to the ground while trembling like there was a predator about to take their lives.

The only exceptions to this were Shel, Worill, and… Tus who was closely observing the golden flames at the entrance.

“Wow, there isn’t any heat coming from this.” Tus exclaimed while Shel looked at him surprise.

Soon, a woman who looked around twenty came out of the carriage. Her hair was white as snow, eyes of crimson, and she wore a black dress. Her face was indifferent, without any hint of emotion, as she proceeded towards the entrance of the hotel with an air of tyranny.

“Milady.” Shel followed right behind her as Worill dragged Tus who really wanted to keep studying the flames. “You should really pay attention to the situation.” He told Tus.

“I was, but I also really wanted to ignore it.”

With that they entered the inn while the greeters and guiders heaved breaths of relief… That is until they forgot that no one guided them inside.

………

“What grade are you?” After they entered a room that could be called its own house, the ‘milady’ asked Tus calmly after hearing the situation from Worill.

“I’ve been told… I’m grade 0.” Not wanting to answer, but he feared that he might die before he knew it.

“Odd.” A single cold word came out ‘milady’s’ mouth before she extended out her hand. Her arm glowed a multicolored light which abruptly disappeared. When it did, a blue crystal spike grew from her hand.

‘What is she planning?’ A slight fear built up inside Tus before it disappeared, ‘Is she going to kill me after I answered her question? That wouldn’t be right, at most one of these people would do it for her… Unless she is a sadist who enjoys doing it herself?’ The fear that disappeared reappeared in a second.

“This is odd. The World of Em doesn’t seem to have any effect on you.” She said indifferently while she narrowed her eyes. Almost instantaneously, the woman blurred from where she stood and appeared in front of Tus with the spike just an inch away from piercing his forehead. “Only grade 5’s can suppress the effect of Em. What grade are you?”

“Grade 0. I lack the second heart.” Tus explained in cold sweat.

“I affirmed it when we picked him up off the road.” Worill said like he got a bag of groceries.

“You mean when you picked him up off the road.” Shel spoke as if they retrieved a dirty stray dog.

“You are kind of interesting… I suppose you can stay around for now. My real name is Yarla Erkshem, but you should call me ‘milady’ or whatever you want as long as it doesn’t have to deal with flowers, animals, general nature, emotions, colors, or symbols.” Yarla instructed.

‘If you want me to call you milady, then just say so.’ Even though that is what he thought, he kept it deep in his mind as he nodded to Yarla.

“Tus never call milady by her name, lord will sever your head.” Worill spoke sternly.

“Wouldn’t that be interesting to see?” Shel said aloud.

Yarla stayed silent as she left to her own room.

Tus asked himself, “So… is my luck good or bad?”