Verc ended up buying things until it was night. They had arrived at the city around the afternoon, and since then, they had just been buying random stuffs. Well, it wasn’t exactly random. Most of it consisted of resources they simply could not find in the forest.
High-quality ores, rare spices, refined fabrics, and specialized tools were now part of their haul. Verc wanted to make sure his growing village had everything it needed to move beyond being just a camp of monsters.
And when it was finally night time—
"Let’s find a place we could stay on."
Verc turned around and said that to the two.
Tatum and Jed were following closely behind him. The weight of the things Verc bought was not a problem to them; being vampires and beastmen, their physical strength was far beyond that of a normal human. However, the sheer amount of the items was making them struggle just to hold all of it. They were carrying stacks of crates, bundles of cloth, and sacks of metal components.
Some of the items were loaded on the horses, by now, the two kids were no longer riding them. They were walking on foot, with the leashes of their horses tied firmly around their waists so their hands would be free to carry the extra luggage. It was a comical sight to anyone watching—two well-dressed boys acting as pack mules for a man in a mask.
Verc stopped for a moment and looked back at them.
"You two good?"
Verc asked, genuinely worried for them. He knew they were strong, but he didn’t want to overwork his followers on their first day back in civilization.
But with confidence—
"We’re good!"
Tatum chirped, shifting a heavy crate.
"No problem here, Lord Verc!"
Jed added, nodding his head while balancing a stack of books.
Verc just decided to take their words for it and shrugged. If they said they were fine, he wouldn’t argue. So with that—they started searching for an inn.
*****
After a while...
They walked through the more expensive district of Sionann, where the streets were cleaner and the lanterns burned with magical light rather than simple oil.
And eventually, Verc and the others found a pretty high-class place. Looking at the architecture and the polished marble entrance, Verc didn’t even know if it was still called an inn. It looked more like a grand hotel.
The place’s common customers were nobles, apparently. Verc had asked several people on the street for the best place to stay, and they had pointed him toward this establishment.
Anyway--
TAP.
The three of them entered the facility.
The air inside was cool and smelled of expensive incense. They headed to the reception real quick, their boots clicking against the pristine floors. Tatum and Jed stood behind Verc, still carrying their mountain of supplies.
The receptionist, a man in a sharp suit, looked up. He blinked at the sight of the masked man and the two burdened boys, but he kept his professional smile.
"Welcome to the Azure Crest. Would you like to avail a room?"
The receptionist asked.
Verc nodded.
"What kinds of rooms you have here?"
Then he asked that afterwards.
"We have three tiers for our rooms, sir. Standard, Elite, and VIP. Each tier offers different levels of service and privacy."
The receptionist explained.
"How much?"
Verc asked simply.
"The cheapest standard room is 1 gold per night. Our Elite suites are 5 gold, and the VIP suites are 10 gold per night."
The receptionist answered, his eyes scanning Verc’s clothes to see if he would flinch at the price. 1 gold was enough to feed a common family for a while, after all.
After hearing that, Verc casually reached inside his pouch. His hand disappeared into the small bag, rummaging around for a moment. And after taking his hand out—
THUD!
He placed 30 gold coins on the table. The golden metal glittered brightly under the magical lights of the lobby.
The receptionist was surprised seeing that. His eyes went wide, and he stared at the pile of gold as if it might disappear. Before he could even say something—
"We’re going to take three VIP rooms for the night."
Verc told him that.
Verc picked this not just for the luxury, but because the VIP tier had its own private stables for Bong and the other two horses. He didn’t want his mounts staying in a cramped common stable where they might get agitated.
The receptionist quickly gathered the coins, his attitude becoming even more respectful.
"Of course, sir! Right away. Please follow our staff; they will assist you with your luggage."
He said with a huge smile on his face.
*****
Verc and the boys were led into their rooms. The VIP suites were located on the top floor, offering a view of the entire city. Tatum and Jed placed everything they had bought into Verc’s room first, with the hotel staff helping them carry the heavier crates.
Once the room was filled with the new resources, the two boys turned to Verc.
"Thank you for buying us the best room as well, Lord Verc."
Tatum said with a bright smile.
"We will rest well so we are ready for tomorrow."
Jed added.
They bowed and headed to where they would be staying in the adjacent suites. Verc just smiled behind his mask and waved them goodbye.
Then, once he was left alone...
He walked over to the large, plush bed and placed the sleeping Onyx on top of it. The little puppy didn’t even wake up; he just curled into a ball and let out a soft snore.
Verc looked at the piles of crates, bags, and tools filling the corners of the luxurious suite.
"Uhh, I think I got too carried away."
He said to himself. He had bought enough to supply a small army, and looking at it all now, he realized it was a bit much to keep in a hotel room.
But casually, he just took out his spatial pouch.
WHOOSH~!
And then one by one, he began moving the items toward the mouth of the small bag. The spatial magic within the pouch swallowed the crates and bundles whole, disappearing them into the pocket dimension!
He hadn’t used this openly in the market because he knew it would attract a lot of attention—even though he was already attracting a lot of it with all the spending he made.
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
Once the room was empty again, Verc felt much better. He walked over to the window and looked out at Sionann. The city was quiet, but he wasn’t tired. He didn’t need sleep like a human did.
Verc trained for the night. He stood in the center of the spacious room and drew his sword. The blade caught the moonlight as he began his forms.
’I need to make sure my mana flow is perfect.’
He thought.
SWOOSH~ SLASH!
He used [Mana Circulation] as he swung his sword.
He could feel the energy moving from his core, through his arms, and into the steel of the blade. He practiced his strikes over and over, his movements silent and precise.
He didn’t want to damage the expensive furniture, so he focused on controlling the wind pressure of his swings. That was how he spent the rest of his night.
*****
Morning came, and the first rays of the sun hit the city walls.
-Arf...
Onyx woke up, stretching his tiny legs and letting out a small bark.
"Huff..."
FWIP-
Verc stopped his training immediately and sheathed his sword.
He walked over to the private bathroom included in the VIP suite. It was a large room with a stone tub and enchanted water that stayed warm.
He cleaned himself up, washing away the faint scent of the forest that still lingered on him. Adn he also made sure to have Onyx take a bath, despite the puppy’s playful attempts to splash water everywhere.
After that, he dressed up in his clean clothes, adjusted his mask, and they left the room.
CREAK- TAP.
Tatum and Jed were outside in the hallway now as well. They looked refreshed and eager.
"Good morning, Lord Verc!"
They greeted him in unison.
"Morning. Did you two sleep well?"
Verc asked.
"Yes! The beds here are amazing."
Tatum replied.
"I feel ready for anything today."
Jed added.
Verc greeted them back, and they chatted for a bit about their plan for the day.
... ... ...
To blend in with the other guests, they decided to have breakfast in the establishment’s dining area. They went down to the 1st floor and entered the grand hall.
The dining area was opulent. Long tables covered in white silk cloths, silver cutlery, and crystal glasses filled the room. The scent of freshly baked bread and roasted meats filled the air.
They were curious about the food as well; after all, the price for a single night was extravagant, so they were expecting a lot as well.
They saw an empty table near the window, and there, they sat down. Onyx sat on the floor beside Verc’s chair. Being a VIP guest, it was one of their privileges to have their pet with them in the dining area, provided the animal was well-behaved.
Not long after sitting, a waiter approached them. He bowed low, sensing the status of the guests.
"Good morning, sirs. Would you like to see the menu, or shall I bring our morning specials?"
The waiter asked.
Verc didn’t even look at the menu.
"Just bring the most confident dish you have. Whatever the chef thinks is the best. And don’t worry about the cost."
Verc said.
The waiter stopped for a second, surprised by the lack of concern for the bill. But with a professional smile, he just nodded. He then pointed at Onyx.
"And for the little guy? Shall I bring a standard pet bowl?"
The waiter asked.
"Bring the best meat you have for him."
Verc told him.
"And also, could you make sure our horses in the stables are fed some good fruits? They like the red ones."
"Certainly, sir. We will handle everything. I shall return shortly with your meal."
The waiter said before walking away.
Verc, Tatum, Jed, and Onyx were on their table, waiting for their food. They watched the other guests—mostly older nobles and wealthy merchants—who were eating quietly.
They were all excited. Tatum and Jed were looking at the silver plates on the nearby tables, their stomachs probably growling.
But just then—
"Ugh, why would they allow a disgusting animal in this place?"
They heard that voice behind their back. It was sharp, arrogant, and clearly intended to be heard.
Verc turned around slowly.
There, he saw three men standing a few feet away.
They looked like young adults, and based on their expensive clothes, the jewelry on their fingers, and the way they carried themselves—they were nobles.
The one in the middle had a sneer on his face, looking down at Onyx as if the puppy were a pile of trash.
"..."
Verc’s face twitched looking at them.