CHAPTER 94: MORAL DILEMMA

Noah found himself checking the door periodically, listening for sounds that might indicate pursuit or threat. Sin City’s nighttime sounds filtered through the walls—distant conversations, cart wheels on cobblestone, the occasional roar of something that probably wasn’t entirely domesticated.

Should probably stay awake. Keep watch.

But exhaustion from the day’s events was catching up with him. The emotional weight of Kelyss’s funeral, combined with intensive beetle hunting and now this medical emergency, had drained his energy reserves more thoroughly than he’d realized.

Just rest my eyes for a moment. Won’t actually fall asleep.

Noah leaned against the shop wall, positioning himself where he could observe both Lola and the entrance. The surroundings provided comfort that made staying alert increasingly difficult.

The plants’ energy is relaxing. Too relaxing.

Five minutes. Just need five minutes to recharge.

Noah’s eyes drifted closed despite his intentions.

The shop’s warmth, combined with the Demonica Moonburghs’ soothing emanations, created an environment that reminded him of his university lectures.

I’m just going to close my eyes for a few seconds; nobody can enter my shop anyway.

But his consciousness faded gradually, pulling him into sleep that felt more necessary than voluntary.

A few hours passed in dreamless sleep. Noah’s body relaxed against the wall while his subconscious mind continued monitoring Lola’s breathing.

Soft. Something’s soft.

The awareness of his surroundings returned slowly, bringing with it the realisation that his current position didn’t match his memory of falling asleep against the wall. Something warm and comfortable supported his head instead of hard wooden surfaces.

This isn’t the wall.

Noah’s eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the shop’s gentle illumination. Above him, ruby eyes stared down with an expression that carried amusement mixed with something he couldn’t immediately identify.

Lola’s thighs. I’m lying on Lola’s thighs.

The realisation sent embarrassment flooding through his consciousness. Somehow during his sleep, he’d ended up using her legs as a pillow.

A position that was both intimate and completely unplanned.

How did this happen? I was against the wall.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Lola’s soft voice penetrated his ears, racing to his heart strings.

Noah tried to sit up immediately, but her hand on his shoulder prevented him with gentle pressure.

"Don’t rush. You looked peaceful."

"I’m sorry," Noah began, his face burning with embarrassment.

"I didn’t mean to—"

"You saved my life," Lola interrupted, her ruby eyes holding his gaze with a stare that made looking away impossible.

"A little unconscious cuddling seems like fair payment."

Unconscious cuddling. She’s making this worse.

But her expression carried gratitude rather than her typical amusement. Whatever had happened to her, Noah’s intervention had been significant enough to earn genuine appreciation.

"How are you feeling?" Noah asked, still acutely aware of their current positioning but unsure how to extract himself without making the situation more awkward.

"Better. Much better." Lola’s fingers traced through his hair casually. "Your healing bread works faster than most Tier 2 medical potions. I owe you a considerable debt."

"What happened to you? You were covered in blood, barely conscious." Noah asked, a worried expression on his face.

Lola’s expression darkened, her ruby eyes shifting from warmth to anger. The hand in his hair stilled as memories returned.

"That’s... complicated."

"Some things are better left unexplained."

She’s not going to tell me. Fair enough.

Noah respected the boundary without pressing further. Whatever had injured her belonged to demon politics or personal conflicts he wasn’t equipped to handle.

He slowly extracted himself from her lap, the process more awkward than dignified.

Noah moved to his shelves and retrieved another loaf of healing bread, placing it in her hand.

"Eat this. Just in case you aren’t healed yet."

Lola reached for her coin pouch, but Noah’s gesture stopped her movement.

"Don’t worry about it. It’s on the house."

Lola’s eyes locked with his for a moment before he broke the eye contact.

"Thank you," She whispered, before biting into the golden crust.

"Are you able to leave without any problems?" Noah asked, genuinely concerned about her safety beyond his shop’s protective boundaries.

After finishing the mouthful of bread in her mouth, she mischievously grinned.

"Actually, I need to stay for a few more hours. If that’s fine with you."

The grin on her face made it clear she just wanted to stay to tease him, nothing more.

Noah nodded, accepting his fate.

...

Back in his new house, Noah took a shower and thought about everything that had happened over the past few days.

Things are becoming more dangerous... Kelyss is dead, Lola was unconscious in my store... I can tell that things are going to become more hectic in the next few days.

The hot water couldn’t wash away the growing unease that had settled in his chest. Each incident felt like pieces of a larger puzzle he didn’t understand—extremist attacks, political tensions, mysterious injuries that left Master-level succubi bleeding on his shop floor.

I’m just a human shopkeeper. When did I become involved in demon politics?

But the question that bothered him most lingered in the steam around him. If push came to shove, if Lola’s life was truly in danger, would he step in to protect her? The honest answer unsettled him.

Would I risk my current position to save her? I’m not sure... but she has helped me a lot—even if she gained something from it, too.

The uncertainty felt like a weakness.

Heroes in stories always knew exactly where they stood when moral choices arrived. Real life was messier, complicated by self-preservation and the fear of losing everything he’d built.

Maybe I’m not hero material after all.

Noah shook off the troubling thoughts and checked his status screen, seeking comfort in the progress that couldn’t be complicated by moral ambiguity.

—

Host: Noah Carter

Age: 28

Shops: 1

Daily Revenue: $5,000

Current Assets: $230,240.21

Shop Points: 3220

Attributes: Strength: 20, Vitality: 4, Intelligence: 20, Agility: 20

Skills: Swordsmanship(Level 5), Mana Control (Level 5), Cooking (Level 2), Programming (Level 2), Finance (Level 1), Surviving on Ramen (Level 3), Gaming (Level 1)

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