The Begotten Fiend

Chapter 29: Men Like You

The room was a clean oakwood. The bed was small, but enough to hold one person. The walls were a light amber, with some of the painting beginning to peel, but it was a good step up from the other inns in this district.

Jumping on the bed, I sighed a great "ah" before burrowing my face into the pillows.

Their fluff cushioned me so deep it hit the soul. God, it feels so good.

It’s been a week since I’ve had a real bed, I wish I could stay here forever.

But it’s unsanitary to go to bed without cleaning myself. I suppose I’ll handle my business first.

Annoyed with myself, I pushed myself up, patting my dirty shirt clean from all the gunk I’d accrued from my days in the Wretched Forest.

I don’t have a clean pair. I’ll have to sleep without them.

Besides the bedroom, there was another small section of my room--inside it was a continuously pouring slide protruding from the edge of the ceiling.

There was a tub, forming what could’ve only been this place’s idea of a shower.

"Seriously...?"

There’s no way they expect me to shower with that. There’s no way this place has enough water to supply a room with clean, fresh water.

That means one thing...

That water is being reused. And who knows by how many people.

I squeezed my mouth, putting my hand in the water briefly, before quickly pulling it away.

This is my life from now on. I’m lucky I even have a shower.

One of the many things I’ll miss about being a noble.

***************************************************

Patting myself dry with one of the towels in the room, I rub it into my hair.

Without meaning to, my mind went to the girl from earlier--Rhea.

Not sure why. She’s just someone I happened into that showed me around the place. That’s typical, no?

But, wow, she was beautiful.

Her low, brown hair. Her hardened eyes. Her toned body.

I hadn’t really thought about it. After all, I didn’t have any ulterior motives when rescuing her.

Maybe she could be my damsel in distress?

Laughing to myself, I swatted the whole idea away. Sorry, not interested in romance right now.

But one thing she said resonated with me. She said my hair was... nice?

That was the first time someone had said that about me. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t blushing a bit, but I should get a grip.

Looking into the one mirror in my entire room, I tussled my hairs with my finger.

"What the..." My jaw was agape. What is this?

The ends of my hair--they’re white?

It was like fading hair dye. The roots of my hair were the same charcoal, while the ends were a snowy-white.

It’s like before. Right before Illias’ commencement, I had a gray hair.

But it wasn’t gray, was it? It was really white.

Though, I’ve got to say, I don’t mind. If anything, it looks kind of cool.

But sorry, I’m not trying to look eighty by the time I’m twenty.

"Hey, Zenith, what’s the meaning of this?" I’d almost forgotten I had someone at my side. They hardly say anything if I don’t ask them something myself.

Yet they didn’t say anything to me. Figures.

If I really don’t want wrinkles all over by age twenty, I should stop worrying about this though. Let’s call it a night.

Jumping into my sheets, I hugged my blanket. "Oh, how I longed for this."

Letting the warmth absorb me, I close my eyes.

***************************************************

The morning dawn peered over me through the window to my left. It gave me a warm buzz as I awoke, yawning away the fatigue. "That was the greatest sleep I’ve ever gotten."

Getting up from bed, I put my clothes back on. "A clean body, and a clean mind. Could almost make me forget..." I shut my mouth. I remembered the horrible truth once more.

The man down in the lobby--the words he spoke to me.

I don’t want to ask anyone, but the news... it’s widespread, isn’t it?

Then what should I do? In this country, crimes against women aren’t taken lightly. Really, I should be dead, but I just barely scraped by, in part due to my lineage.

I think I should start by figuring out how to get stronger. That way, I’ll at least be able to do some type of work. Perhaps as an adventurer? freēwēbηovel.c૦m

But this isn’t something to rush into. I should ask around the city first.

I made it to the lobby, scratching the back of my head. I’d hoped he wouldn’t be here, but he was. The man from yesterday.

His eyes were knit with anger--drilling into me. I didn’t look back. I only nodded.

He told me not to speak, so I won’t.

"Wait," the man said.

"What now? You have any more words of disdain you want to share with me?"

"No, just a warning." The man, tapping his foot, spoke again. "This world is harsh to men like you. I can tell, if nothing else, that you mean well. So I apologize for my words."

"Thank you." My face lit up. That was the first time that someone acknowledged me. "Does that mean I can stay another night?"

"No, you’re bad for business, but I do wish you well." The man waved me away. I turned around, walking towards the exit, when he said one last thing. "And good luck out there."

Giving him a thumbs up, I left the building. By going out to explore, I’d hoped that I’d maybe make a friend or two and make myself a member of this community...

which is why what came next horrified me. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Two guards in uniform stopped me. One held out their hand, shaking their head.

"Now, where do you think you’re going?" he said, unsheathing his blade. "See, we had no choice but to believe you when you said you had certification to enter the kingdom. But, please do tell me why when we looked you up in our system, your name wasn’t there?"

I formed a fist, willing mana to materialize all through my body. "I’m not sure, but I advise that you turn around and walk away from this. Otherwise, you won’t like what comes next."