40 CHAPTER X: LATENT (1/2)

Our destination was, as Senri had said, a smaller city than Semesera or Engei.

The buildings were made of stone and the road surface was bare of earth. The number of carriages and people was much smaller than in Semesera, and the city was shrouded in darkness, but there was a sense of calmness in the air.

As I expected, there was a ditch in front of the gate, and water was flowing, but the flow had almost stopped, as if it had not been maintained very well, and we were able to cross the gate without much impact.

Nice town. The number of mercenaries was small, but not so small as to make hiding difficult. It also seems to have at least a handful of stores. It might not be a bad idea to stay here for a while if there are no pursuers.

Oh, if only the Amulet of Shadows hadn't been destroyed, I could have relaxed at .......

As soon as I was attracted to the stalls, Senri pulled my hand hard.

He was resting on my back as we moved along, but his complexion was not looking good, as if exhaustion from the strenuous march had taken its toll. Probably the main reason was that we had gone through the forest without any preparation.

I'm trying to act unnoticed, but I can smell it.

She's been a pain in the ass this whole time. Even the replenishment of supplies at Semesera was done by Senri. I would have liked to do it myself, but not many stores are open until nightfall.

”Senri, you need to rest. It's not so easy to find them when you've come this far, is it?

”End, I can't rest ...... if you don't get your act together. I think you've been a little distracted lately.

Senri's voice was somewhat reproachful.

That's a terrible thing to say. I'm going to think back on my recent actions for a while.

............ I may have been a little too forgiving, that's for sure.

”Oh, I'm sorry. ”Yeah, I'm sorry. You know, it was the first time I'd ever had someone I could let go.

”...... Yeah. ............ What about you, Lu?

”Lou felt a little differently, I guess. She wasn't ............ strong.

If Luu had survived, he would not have been able to relax so much. That may give you more freedom, but it doesn't make you a better partner.

He stopped looking around and followed Senri. His back is incredibly small.

”Let's stay in town for a bit. If we stay in the inn, we won't have to worry about our cover being blown, right?　As long as no demise knights come to town, that is.

But ......

Don't worry, I'll take good care of you. I'll take good care of you, just like Senri did for me ....... I like to move my body.

Senri had his doubts. But he was aware that he was not in perfect health.

I don't like the idea of Senri collapsing either. I'm well aware that humans are not that strong.

She is slender. Although she is well trained, she is soft to the touch, and without her blessing, she would not be able to fight the Dark Ones. I've been relying on her so far, but it's time to turn the tables a bit.

Either way, he needed to take a break somewhere.

Senri let out a small sigh and gave a slightly annoyed smile.

............ Okay. But you need to be quiet, okay?

I know, I know. What do you think I am? ......

Even I wouldn't leave Senri to go around the city. No matter how charming the city is, the important thing is to be cautious.

That's how I've survived so far.

§§

As I did in Semesera, I took a mid-range hotel. Two similar single rooms. The Lord's jewels were worth a lot of money even if they were disposed of in a hurry, so we should be able to survive for a while.

Since it was already midnight, I asked Senri to get ready for a quick rest.

Probably a big part of the reason she's not feeling well is the lack of sleep and the disruption of her internal rhythm. Humans are daytime creatures and need a good amount of sleep.

Senri worked while I slept and stayed awake most of the time while I was awake. It's only natural for a demise knight to get sick from this.

From now on, I might as well let her sleep at night, even if it makes me a little sad.

I'm used to being nursed, but it's a new feeling to be on the receiving end.

Humming to himself, he picked up the food and took it to Senri's room. The innkeeper didn't say anything, but I wondered what he thought of us coming to the inn together and taking two rooms. We wouldn't look like travelers, peddlers, or mercenaries.

When we reached the front of the room, we stopped in front of Senri's room.

Vampires are cursed not to enter a room without being invited. This is probably the strangest disadvantage a vampire can suffer.

True vampires are unable to enter other people's homes. As a subordinate, I might be able to break in if I had to, but it would be very unpleasant to my senses.

I don't know what the hell they are judging, but this curse is quite strict. You can enter an inn or a store without permission when it is open, but not when it is closed.

In the case of an inn with many rooms, you can enter the lobby and dining room, but not the guest rooms. Probably, the permission of the guest who has taken the room is required for each room.

Because of this curse, vampires cannot sneak into the room and suck the blood of the owner. Even if the window is open, even if there is a chimney that can be entered, even if there is a pure virgin in the room exposing her defenseless form on the bed, they can never enter the room. In that sense, vampires are fair monsters.

Well, for now, it's not a weakness, since I don't intend to break into other people's rooms and sip their blood, but there will come a time when it will become a big obstacle.

However, leaving that aside, I have come up with a way to use the curse to my advantage.

Holding the tray with the food on it, I stared at the thin wooden door.