At the Inn

The inn was nothing extraordinary. It was a typical wooden structure, three stories high.

While Alebiang negotiated to rent the entire inn, Yona surveyed her surroundings.

“Surprisingly, nothing much is happening,” Yona remarked.

“Indeed,” Alec agreed.

Villagers peeked at Yona from beyond the inn’s fence. Their luxurious carriage had drawn attention upon entering the village. Despite Yona’s attire clearly not being associated with the Celestine Church, people only looked on curiously without negative reactions.

Alec stood protectively before Yona, shield ready. Yona found his stance reassuring.

“Were you worried something might happen?” Yona asked.

“Of course,” Alec replied without hesitation.

Yona’s heart raced at his answer. His protective attitude stirred unfamiliar feelings in her.

“What… what would you have done if something happened?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’d protect you first,” Alec answered.

His words, treating her as an equal, touched Yona deeply. She bit her lip, recognizing the nature of the feelings welling up inside her.

Just as she was about to say more to Alec, Alebiang called out:

“I’ve rented the whole inn! Everyone come in!”

Later, in her room, Yona sat on the bed, contemplating Alec’s words and the emotions they evoked. She realized she was experiencing desire, likely built up from recent stressful events.

“What should I do?” Yona muttered to herself, conflicted. She was hesitant to act on these feelings, given the thin walls and Alec’s proximity in the next room. “This isn’t the right place for… for anything to happen.”

Yona considered various options to relieve her tension. “Maybe if I… No, that wouldn’t work either,” she mumbled, pacing the room.

As she struggled with her feelings, Yona’s thoughts kept returning to Alec. His protective attitude, his appearance, and his kind words played repeatedly in her mind.

“Alec…” she whispered, her face flushing. “Why do I feel this way?”

Throughout the night, Yona grappled with her emotions, trying to stay quiet and composed. She felt a mix of excitement, shame, and frustration as she tried to deal with these new, intense feelings.

“I can’t let anyone hear me,” she reminded herself, biting her lip to stifle any sounds.