Nox entered the city named Frostburg, and just like the valley, the cobblestone streets were covered by snow and ice sheets. The streets were wide, with people in thick cotton clothes that protected them from the biting cold going about their day.
Nox sucked in a deep breath, letting out a puff of smoke from his mouth.
'So…cold.' Nox shuddered as his gaze scanned around for any hotel, or in this world, inn. Because the Vermilion Kingdom didn't have such weather, he was only shielded by a relatively thin cloth that did nothing against the cold.
Fortunately for him, he saw a two-story building with the sign Pleasure Den Inn.
Though the name sounded suspicious, Nox didn't dwell on it and hurried inside, fearing he might freeze if he stayed outside any longer.
"Huff!" As soon as he stepped inside, Nox felt the warmth envelop him. He found himself in the reception area where a smiling receptionist greeted him.
"Welcome to Pleasure Den Inn." The receptionist displayed a smile. "How may I help you?"
"I need a room," Nox said. If he wanted to look for the Elemental Beast, then he needed somewhere to stay while he investigated more about the Elemental Beast.
The receptionist's smile grew wider as she eyed Nox's thin clothing. "A room, huh? We don't get many guests from…warmer climates."
Nox nodded; he didn't falter. It seemed his clothing had given away that he was a foreigner. But there were a total of five kingdoms in the human domain. He could be from any of those kingdoms. If he showed a panicked expression, it might raise a lot of questions and make this reception suspicious.
"Just a simple room will do," he said with a neutral expression.
The receptionist's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "Well, we have a special deal for…foreigners. It's a bit more expensive, but I'm sure you'll find it…worthwhile."
'I don't like the way she dragged that bit.' Nox narrowed his eyes. Although the woman looked beautiful, she gave off the same vibes as those shady merchants.
"Oh, it's just 10 golden tickets…I mean coins," the woman whispered in a voice that only Nox could hear.
'Ten golden coins? This woman…is she trying to scam me?' Nox chuckled, his eyes flashing with amusement. "I think you're trying to take advantage of me. I'll give you a fair price, and that's it."
If it was four years back, he might have given her that amount, but now he was smarter. When he saw a scammer, he could tell, but this was merely speculation in his head; he still wasn't sure.
He only said this to gauge the woman's reaction. Besides, he only had ten gold coins with him. If he used all of them for a mere inn room, how would he cover his other expenses?
'This…it worked for adults. Why is this boy different…he's just a kid.' The receptionist's smile froze.
She persisted. "I…I don't think that's possible. This is the standard rate for…foreigners."
Nox leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "I'm willing to bet that's not true. I'll give you a chance to correct your mistake. Otherwise, I'll report you to your manager."
For some strange reason, many foreigners tended to come to this inn, and she easily took advantage of them. It was very easy, as they were foreigners and thought things were just expensive here.
After seeing that Nox was just a kid, albeit a wealthy-looking kid, she'd inflated the price, even higher than the one she charged the other foreigners.
However, today didn't seem to be a good day for her. The receptionist sighed and looked away, her eyes darting to the side. "Fine…the normal rate is…triple times lower than what I said."
Nox grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Hmmm…I thought so. I'll take the room." He dropped three coins on the desk and, after being handed the key, walked upstairs, leaving a sulking receptionist behind.
Nox entered a spacious room that contained only a mattress and a balcony. As soon as he stepped inside, Fluffington leaped out of the taming space and landed on the bed.
[Oh, so soft!] The fat cat lay on its stomach and began to roll around on the bed, irritating Nox.
Fluffington: [Brat, is it possible for you to put one of these inside that weird space?]
"Hmmm, I can probably, but that would only make you lazier, so no." The last thing he would do was make this fat cat comfortable.
[Hmph] Fluffington harrumphed and looked away. He really liked sleeping on a bed as it was soft just like his fur; although the taming space was comfortable, it didn't elicit the same feeling as sleeping on a bed.
Nox suddenly had an idea. "But if you want the mattress…there is only one thing you have to do."
[What…?] Fluffington asked eagerly. He would do anything to get this mattress inside the taming space.
"Stop being lazy… Be like Thirteen…where is he?" Nox looked around and noticed the panda doing a series of push-ups.
[Be like the panda that's obsessed with fighting? I'll pass…]
[Umu?] Thirteen felt his big brother was trash-talking him again, but he didn't mind and just focused on getting stronger.
"Well, your choice." Nox shrugged and walked into the balcony, unaware of the contemplative look in Fluffington's eyes.
[Be like Thirteen, huh.] The cat repeated with a dazed expression.
Later that day, Nox left the inn to explore Frostburg. He wondered how to begin his search for the Elemental Beast without any leads. He couldn't just ask random people on the street, as revealing the Elemental Beast's existence might incite greed.
It was said that the crystal/core from an Elemental Beast was several times more expensive than a magic beast core and could be used to create powerful items that could tip the scale of any battle.
'If others know about this, they might get greedy. I have to be careful,' he thought. 'Let's see, maybe the drunkard could know something.'
He came to a stop before a tavern that was bustling with people. Walking into the tavern, a strong scent of alcohol hit Nox as he went to sit down and ordered a drink from the curvy-looking saleswoman.
It was time to find out information about the Elemental Beast.
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