The innkeeper explained the situation with a kind and cheerful expression, even remarking that they were lucky to have a single room left, given how many tourists had flooded the area that day. However, when it came to sharing the room, Theo’s face visibly stiffened.
"Are you certain there’s only one room left? Even a smaller room would be fine—"
"I’ll take it," Luke interrupted, stepping forward smoothly before Theo could finish his question. The innkeeper, pleased to have sold the remaining room, handed over the key with an even brighter smile. Luke casually took the key and headed up the stairs without hesitation.
"Wait, Luke."
"What?"
"Did you... actually hear what they just said?" Theo’s voice, uncharacteristically hesitant, called after him. Luke twirled the keyring in his hand with an air of indifference.
"What part? That there’s only one room?"
"Yes."
"Of course, I heard. What, you think I’m deaf?" Luke replied, his tone making it clear he found the question ridiculous.
Theo’s expression twisted further, his displeasure evident. Was sharing the room really such an issue for him?
"Look, it’s just for one night. What’s the big deal?" Luke said, brushing it off.
He supposed he could understand Theo’s reluctance. The man had been living in the spacious, luxurious Commander-in-Chief’s quarters back at the military headquarters. Beyond that, Theo was the heir of a ducal family, a nobleman by birth. The idea of staying in a simple inn like this, sharing a room with someone else, probably didn’t sit well with him.
"I get why you’d find it uncomfortable, but just deal with it," Luke added.
After all, back in the military academy, they’d camped out during field exercises more times than he could count. And during wars or monster subjugations, the conditions in the barracks had been far worse. Compared to those times, having a room with walls and an actual bed was a luxury. Luke thought about mocking Theo for being a soldier who now cared where he laid his head, but he held back.
"Let’s just go up," Luke said.
The two of them standing by the stairs was starting to draw attention. The innkeeper, who had shown them the room, and other guests nearby were giving them odd looks.
Luke turned around and began climbing the stairs, his steps casual and unbothered.
Theo, left behind, let out a deep sigh, running a hand over his face. Luke was right—there wasn’t much he could do about it now. It was just one night, and it seemed silly to waste energy worrying about how many rooms they had while in the middle of an investigation.
But Theo’s troubles didn’t end there.
"...Luke."
"Now what?"
"Am I the only one seeing that there’s only one bed in here?"
The problem lay in the room’s configuration. For such a run-down-looking inn, the interior of the room was surprisingly clean. It wasn’t as cramped as Theo had feared, and it seemed perfectly adequate for two people to spend the night. The room was well-lit, insulated against drafts, and altogether decent for the price they had paid.
"Why are you acting surprised? It’s obviously just one bed," Luke said, looking unimpressed.
Theo hadn’t anticipated the single bed. And while the room itself was spacious enough, the bed was noticeably small. It was just barely wide enough to accommodate two people lying side by side. For two well-built men, there would be no extra space at all—it would be a tight fit.
Theo’s face twisted into an expression of resigned disbelief.
"Are all inns like this?" Theo asked, his tone tinged with disbelief.
Luke smirked. "Ah, there it is—noble young master Theo making an appearance. Cheap rooms are always like this."
Sure, if they had chosen a pricier inn, they might’ve found spacious rooms with two beds. But this inn was right in the heart of the plaza, catering mostly to tourists. Expecting anything more was unrealistic.
Even with Luke’s reasonable explanation, Theo remained silent, covering his mouth with a hand while glaring intently at the bed. Luke followed his gaze and quickly deduced the issue.
"Don’t tell me you don’t want to share a bed with me," Luke muttered to himself.
It wasn’t uncommon for people to feel uncomfortable sharing a bed with someone else. And while Theo had asked for Luke’s help due to his expertise, their relationship was far from friendly. If anything, it leaned toward strained. For Theo, the idea of sharing a bed with someone he didn’t particularly like was probably quite unappealing.
Luke, on the other hand, had anticipated that the room would only have one bed and wasn’t particularly fazed. He figured it was no big deal. But for Theo, who hadn’t expected this, the disappointment must’ve hit harder.
"Alright, I get it. I understand how you feel," Luke said with a sigh.
"What?"
"I’ll sleep on the floor," Luke offered, deciding to make a rare sacrifice. He removed his robe and hung it neatly on a wall hook. While he didn’t mind sleeping on the bed himself, he figured it would be a bit much to make the Commander-in-Chief, a noble heir at that, take the floor.
"Anyway, I’m going to wash up," Luke said, leaving a dazed Theo behind as he disappeared into the bathroom.
Settling into the old but functional bathtub, Luke allowed the warm water to soothe his body. The fatigue of the day melted away, the heat seeping into every muscle.
It had only been a day since he started working with Theo on this investigation, but it felt like a week. Time seemed to move slower when he was alone, but with Theo, it sped by unnervingly fast.
"Is this okay for me?" Luke murmured to himself.
He’d sworn to avoid anything to do with the military and the people he once worked with, yet here he was, not only meeting Theo again but also cooperating with him. The resolve he’d thought was unshakable had crumbled so easily. Maybe it hadn’t been a wall but merely a flimsy barrier all along.
Luke dipped his face halfway into the water, watching bubbles rise to the surface. But such thoughts were pointless now. He’d already committed to helping Theo and was genuinely curious about the mysterious monster. All he could do was hope the situation wouldn’t escalate further.
Knock, knock.
Just as Luke was finishing up, a knock came at the bathroom door. Knowing there was only one other person in the room, he quickly dried off, dressed, and opened the door.
"What is it?" he asked.
Theo stood there in silence. Luke’s hair was still wet, a white towel draped over his head, and droplets of water occasionally fell to the floor. The lack of response left an odd tension in the air, broken only by the faint sound of water dripping and the quiet rustle of Luke rubbing the towel against his hair.
"Theo," Luke called, stepping closer when Theo didn’t answer. The proximity made Theo flinch and step back.
"Are you planning to wash up?"
"Ah... yeah," Theo replied, snapping out of his daze.
Luke shrugged and stepped aside, giving Theo space to enter the bathroom. Yet Theo remained rooted to the spot, staring blankly as if he’d forgotten what he was doing. His movements had been unusually stiff all evening.
"Are you going in or not?" Luke asked, breaking the silence. Only then did Theo finally move and shut the door behind him.
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Luke returned to drying his hair as he made his way to a small wooden table near the window.
"Well, look who’s here," he said with a smirk.
"Peep..."
The fluffy monster was perched on the table, staring out the window. At Luke’s approach, it bristled, its fur changing to match the table’s woodgrain color. It had been mimicking Theo’s clothing earlier, but now it blended seamlessly with the furniture.
"That’s one impressive ability," Luke muttered, sitting down to observe the creature more closely. Leaning in, he peered into its large, watery eyes, making the monster tremble.
"Hey, don’t freak out. I’m not gonna hit you," Luke said, his tone gruff but oddly encouraging. "You’re weak enough as it is. If you don’t even have confidence, what do you have left?"
"Peep?"
"Life’s all about confidence, got it? You can’t let people push you around," Luke continued, launching into an impromptu life lesson. He began passionately explaining his philosophy—confidence was key to survival, intimidation could win half the battle, and striking first was crucial in a fight.
The monster, initially shaking, gradually stopped trembling and widened its eyes as if listening intently.
"Can you really absorb any color?" Luke wondered aloud, plucking a vibrant pink flower from the vase on the table. He held it close to the creature, watching as its fur shifted to match the flower’s hue.
Intrigued, Luke extended a hand, letting faint purple sparks crackle across his fingers. The monster recoiled in fear, its eyes wide with alarm. However, its fur remained unchanged. It seemed the creature could only mimic static, solid colors.
Luke’s lips curled into a mischievous grin. The monster tried to hop away, but Luke was quicker, grabbing it with one hand.
"Gotcha," he said, his expression gleeful as he held the squirming creature in his grasp.