Chapter 48 - Actually, I Have a Cheat Too

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Chapter 48: Yami's Cottage

 

 

With Elia joining them, their two-man group became a trio—and things immediately felt livelier.

 

Rex had always been the silent type, the kind who rarely initiated conversation. Before, it was always up to Ge Yan to break the silence. But with Elia around, Ge Yan finally had someone to chat with. As they talked, they grew familiar with one another, and soon enough, began calling each other by name.

 

Through these chats, Ge Yan learned that Elia had come to the capital, Saint Lanriel, to find someone—a promise made to his late mother. To fulfill her last wish, he'd sold off everything of value at home and set out on his journey with no hesitation.

 

Unfortunately, his luck had been poor. The closer he got to the imperial capital, the higher the cost of living became. By the time he arrived, his money pouch—which hadn't had much left to begin with—had been stolen. Even without the theft, he would've run out soon enough.

 

"So… you don't have a place to stay tonight?" Ge Yan asked, suddenly realizing how fortunate he was by comparison. He had Rex—otherwise, he'd likely be struggling just the same.

 

Elia scratched his head, looking sheepish. "That's why I was wondering if I could borrow a bit more from Mr. Rex—just enough to stay at the same inn for a few nights. I know I'm asking a lot, and it might seem shameless, but I swear I'll repay it. If not, may the heavens strike me down, may I die a terrible death, and may I suffer in the deepest pits of hell."

 

Ge Yan wasn't offended. "I can't decide—after all, I don't have any coins myself. But I'll ask him for you."

 

"Really? Thank you so much!" Elia exclaimed, grabbing Ge Yan's hand. His eyes sparkled like two radiant night-pearls—so bright and sincere they were almost beautiful.

 

Ge Yan blinked, then quickly pulled his hand back. "I can only pass on your message."

 

"That's more than enough. I'm already grateful," Elia said, waving it off.

 

Ge Yan hurried to catch up to Rex and quietly relayed Elia's request.

 

Rex gave him a glance.

 

That glance made Ge Yan's heart flutter uneasily. He scratched his nose. "It's fine if you say no. I didn't promise anything."

 

"How much does he want?" Rex asked, retracting his gaze.

 

Ge Yan hadn't expected him to even consider it. Surprised, he quickly relayed Elia's request.

 

Rex said nothing in reply.

 

But Ge Yan knew Rex well enough by now—that silence was as good as a yes. He returned to Elia with the good news, and the young man's joy was immediate, bubbling over in bright words of gratitude. But when they finally reached their destination, Elia's smile froze. Ge Yan could practically hear the sound of his soul bleeding. No wonder Rex had agreed so easily.

 

The inn was called Yami's Cottage—a name that sounded both cozy and indulgent. Even from the outside, it was clear this was no ordinary lodging. The elegant design, the scale, the refined decor—by any standard, Yami's Cottage had to be one of the most luxurious establishments in all of Saint Lanriel. The guests coming and going only confirmed it: this place did not cater to the frugal.

 

Rex stepped through the doors without a word. Immediately, a well-trained attendant came to greet them. Upon learning they wished to stay, the attendant led them to the reception for registration.

 

There were three types of rooms at Yami's Cottage—Grades A, B, and C. An A-grade room cost a hundred gold coins per night. Even the C-grade rooms were twenty per night. Without hesitation, Rex booked Ge Yan an A-grade room—extravagant enough to suggest he had no shortage of funds. Not only did Elia look on with envy—Ge Yan did too. He was still as poor as ever.

 

"I-I'll just take a C-grade room," Elia stammered. Twenty gold coins a night—for him, that was an enormous sum. Back home, working odd jobs for a month only earned him two or three coins, and that was considered decent pay.

 

Ge Yan shot him a sympathetic look.

 

Once the rooms were assigned, the attendant guided them upstairs. Before leaving, Rex handed Ge Yan a gold card—a currency card issued by the Mercenary Guild, given only to those who stored over a hundred thousand gold coins. It was valid across the entire Arslanka Empire. He also told Ge Yan not to wander off and added that if anything came up, he'd come find him himself—then left without even staying for dinner.

 

Ge Yan, not thinking too hard about it, tucked the card into his storage belt and headed to Elia's room.

 

Though Yami's Cottage offered tiered lodging, even the lowest C-grade rooms were impressive. Spacious, spotless, and well-appointed—they were better than the best rooms at most inns. Hearing the knock, Elia opened the door with a half-full glass of water still in hand. Seeing Ge Yan, he looked a little surprised, but when told they were going to eat, he agreed at once.

 

They made their way downstairs. Though the upper levels offered private dining rooms, Ge Yan didn't dare waste Rex's money. Who knew how much was in that gold card? They chose a regular table without hesitation.

 

Elia ordered the cheapest bread and a glass of water. Nothing else. Looking at his pitiful state, Ge Yan called for more food and shared his meat with him. Elia was moved to tears. Apart from his mother, he'd never met anyone who treated him so well.

 

"Brother Jimmy, Mr. Rex is really kind to you. How did you two meet?" Elia said as he mimicked Ge Yan, stuffing a piece of meat between two slices of bread. He took a bite—and his eyes lit up as the flavors exploded in his mouth. Even the bread seemed delicious now. "Wow! I didn't know you could eat it like this!"

 

Ge Yan took a sip of water, swallowing down the piece of bread stuck in his throat. "Have you heard of the Black Wolf Mercenary Corps? Rex and I once joined them to gain experience in the field. That's how we met."

 

"You went outside the capital? Are you both from the imperial city then? If so, why aren't you staying at home?" Elia was sharp—he caught on to the odd wording immediately and asked curiously.

 

"For personal reasons, I'm not ready to go home just yet. That's why Rex is helping me out." Ge Yan replied vaguely. He had a good impression of Elia, but he remained cautious. Rex had warned him that they couldn't let the head of House Strych suspect anything.

 

Elia didn't question it. He nodded excitedly and said, "I heard the Black Wolf Mercenary Corps is a noble's group—most of their members are of noble birth. Is Mr. Rex from a noble family too? He seems so cold and serious. Which house is he from?"

 

Ge Yan wiped the sweat from his brow in silence. He only knew Rex's first name, not his surname—he definitely couldn't admit that. So he muddled through with vague words. Thankfully, Elia didn't press. Their conversation soon turned to other topics.

 

Just as they were about to finish their meal, the entrance grew noisy. A group of men swaggered into the inn, all with weapons at their sides and commanding a powerful presence. But it was the young man at the front who caught everyone's attention. Around twenty years old, he had a tall nose, star-bright eyes, and striking good looks. It was clear he was the leader of the group.

 

A middle-aged man beside him—likely a bodyguard—casually tossed a crystal card to the attendant. The minimum deposit required for a crystal card far exceeded that of a gold card. Only the truly wealthy carried one.

 

The sharp-eyed attendant immediately straightened up and respectfully guided them upstairs to one of the private rooms. Similar arrivals followed—one group after another, as though they had arranged to come at the same time.

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