At Wangshu Inn, Nolan and his companions climbed the winding wooden stairs to the inn's lobby. Behind the reception desk stood a lady who appeared to be from Mondstadt, registering guests.
They approached her.
"Alright, Spring Rain Pavilion, room twenty-five, got it," said a middle-aged man in a robe, confirming with the lady before taking his key and leaving.
"Hello, may I help you with a room reservation?" the lady, Verr Goldet, asked with a smile, glancing curiously at the flying, humanoid fairy beside the young man and woman.
"Yes, we need two single rooms for one night," Paimon replied, hands behind her back, nodding.
"I'm sorry, but due to the influx of guests recently, there is only one single room left in Autumn Wind Pavilion," Verr Goldet said with a regretful expression.
"What? Only one room left?!" Paimon exclaimed in surprise, scratching her head before turning to Lumine and Nolan. "What should we do? The innkeeper says there's only one room left."
"Uh," Nolan murmured, stroking his chin as he glanced at Lumine, who was also looking back at him.
"If you don't mind, you could share the room. We can lay an extra mattress on the floor. It's better than sleeping outside," Verr Goldet suggested with a smile, sensing that the two young travelers had a close relationship, whether or not they were a couple.
"What do you think?" Nolan asked Lumine.
It was unfortunate that only one room was available, but they were lucky to have arrived at Wangshu Inn early. Otherwise, even this room might have been taken.
"If you're willing to sleep on the floor, then it's fine by me," Lumine replied after a moment's thought, her amber eyes shifting to the floor. After all, they had shared a house in Mondstadt, and staying in the same room for one night was not a big deal as long as they weren't sharing the same bed.
"I have no problem with that," Nolan agreed with a smile.
In a way, sharing a room marked a certain progress in their relationship.
"Hehe, then let's rent the last room," Paimon said cheerfully, as she didn't mind where Lumine slept as long as they stayed together.
"Alright," Verr Goldet said, taking out the key and quoting the price. "The room rent is 10,000 Mora, with a 10,000 Mora deposit for the key, totaling 20,000 Mora."
The price was reasonable, and Nolan promptly paid the amount and took the key.
"Could someone show us to our room?" Paimon asked, as they were unfamiliar with the layout and couldn't locate Autumn Wind Pavilion on their own.
"No problem. But just to clarify, I'm the boss, not the innkeeper," Verr Goldet corrected with a smile before continuing, "By the way, we're holding a small auction tonight in the courtyard at around eight or nine. Feel free to join if you're interested."
"An auction? Will there be any rare treasures?" Paimon asked with surprise.
Nolan and Lumine looked at her curiously.
"That's a little secret. You'll have to come and see for yourselves," the innkeeper, Verr Goldet, said with a playful smile.
"Alright then," Lumine replied, her amber eyes glancing at her briefly.
They followed the inn staff through a long corridor, arriving at the Autumn Wind Pavilion and finding room eighteen.
"This is your room," the staff member indicated before leaving to attend to other duties.
Nolan took out the iron key, inserted it into the lock, and opened the door.
The room was already lit by candlelight, casting a warm yellow glow on them. Directly ahead was a wooden window through which the moon and the bright lights below could be seen.
"Wow, it's so beautiful," Paimon exclaimed, pressing her tiny hands against the glass as she admired the view.
Nolan and Lumine walked in, closing the door behind them.
"It's a bit simple, but it looks cozy," Lumine said, glancing around. The room was indeed small, containing only a narrow bed and a small round table with chairs. The bed was placed against the wall by the window, with barely a meter of space between the bed and the door, making it quite cramped.
It was a typical single room, just enough for temporary lodging. The wooden floor could accommodate an extra mat for sleeping, but it would make moving around difficult.
"It's fine; it's a single room, so we can't expect too much," Nolan commented.
"Now that we've sorted the room, let's go down. We haven't had dinner yet, and I really want to try Liyue's cuisine!" Paimon said eagerly, turning away from the window.
"Sure, and we can check out what Wangshu Inn has for auction later," Nolan agreed with a smile.
"Alright, you paid for the room, so I'll cover dinner," Lumine offered with a smile.
The room's light shone on her skirt, casting a shadow that highlighted her pale legs. Her boots bore traces of dust from their journey.
At the open-air restaurant below Wangshu Inn, a platform had been set up, seemingly for the upcoming auction. It was a perfect arrangement to enjoy dinner while watching the event.
Before dinner, they strolled around, sampling some snacks before heading to the restaurant at around eight. They ordered several Liyue dishes just as the auction was about to begin.
The event had attracted a large crowd. Every table and chair was occupied, and some people stood to watch. Merchants, adventurers, and travelers had all gathered with the same curiosity as Nolan and his companions—to join in the excitement.
Soon, their dishes arrived: tofu with minced meat, Tianxu meat, lotus flower crisps, assorted stir-fried noodles, and more.
At the same time, a middle-aged man in a Liyue robe, sporting a mustache and beard, stepped onto the auction platform. His presence caught everyone's attention, and the chatter died down a bit.
(End of Chapter)
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