CHAPTER 42: MOONSHINE INN

Max had asked Charlotte for a recommendation for a good inn, and now he was standing before one of those Inns.

Moonshine Inn!

He could have chosen hotels, but they were too expensive, located in crowded places, and also had some problems he didn’t want to deal with.

In comparison, inns were far better and more suited for him.

He whistled lightly while looking at the three-story glass-and-wood building before him. Apparently, it was one of the most expensive inns in Godshine City because of the atmosphere it offered and for some other reasons.

However, it remained mostly empty as very few people chose it. Why would anyone choose an inn located in the Outer Ring when they could get a nice, luxurious hotel room in the Inner Rings?

But Max didn’t want to compromise on his comfort. This would be his home until he shifted somewhere else, so he wanted some peace and tranquility.

He pushed open the door as a clear bell sounded in the lobby. A fresh, woody scent assaulted his nostrils as he looked around in the lobby.

As usual, there weren’t many people there, so it was a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Observing this, Max walked towards the reception.

’Even using this expensive oak wood, damn, they’re good!’ Max thought and tapped on the table firmly to get the receptionist’s attention.

The Receptionist was a middle-aged man and had a big pot belly. His face was partly covered by the newspaper as he slept soundly.

Hearing the knocking, the man woke up and gave Max a long look. Then, he sat up straight and casually asked, "Welcome, what do you want, young sir?"

"Uh! I was thinking of resting here for the next one week," Max said as he put his bags on the floor.

"Very well. Before I give you the keys, I want you to know that following some rules here is mandatory, including rules about breaking furniture and all. You can read all of them on that board," he said, pointing at a wooden board hung behind him. "We can proceed if you agree to them."

Max glanced at the rules and nodded. There wasn’t any rule that bothered him, and he wouldn’t be here most of the time anyway.

"Good! You can expect full security, the best food, and the best atmosphere here," the man smiled and said. "You can also eat as much as you want since there is no limit here. So, taking all that into account, you need to pay 350 Sel for a week."

That was definitely expensive, but Max slid the money without a second thought. After that, the man gave him the keys to his room on the second floor.

"You can take the stairs from there, and then you can easily find your room," the man said as he stood up and extended his hand. "The name’s John. You can call me Uncle John, Kid."

’This seems like a family inn,’ Max thought with a smile as he shook his hand. "You can call me Max, Uncle John. I’ll go throw my stuff in my room."

"Go ahead. Just come here and tell me whenever you want to eat," John said with a nod and gestured with his hand.

Max nodded and went to the second floor, where he found his room at the end of the corridor. Not so surprisingly, everything was made from premium quality wood, and there were also runes carved here and there.

He unlocked his room, twisted the knob, and pushed open the door. As he stepped inside, he inspected the room and had to say he was impressed.

There were two rooms attached, with a bathroom, a small hot spring, and many other amenities. The bed itself was big enough for four people.

The lighting was dim and comfortable to the eyes, and the atmosphere was so cozy that Max just wanted to sleep. This was the reason he preferred coming here instead of opting for those hotels.

He put his stuff in the wardrobe and jumped on the comfy bed. Closing his eyes, he tried to think of the things he needed to do, but fatigue caught up with him, and he drifted into a deep sleep.

Days of fighting had exhausted him both physically and mentally, combined with the comfort of this inn, leaving him in a state of deep sleep.

He only woke up when Kafka sent a electric current through his body, causing him to jump to his feet and begin looking around in panic.

[It’s me!]

’What the hell?!’ Max cried out. ’It was such a good dream, Big Sis.’

[You slept like a sloth for hours and it’s evening already. Don’t you have some work?]

’Oh yeah, I need to buy CID and some light armour too. Thanks for reminding, Big Sis,’ Max thought, jolted awake by these thoughts.

He quickly freshened himself and went down the stairs, finding John still sleeping on his job. The newspaper had been changed at least.

Reaching the reception, Max tapped lightly on the table and said, "Uncle John! Mealtime!"

John shifted the newspaper slightly and looked at the time, as if he hadn’t been sleeping before, "It’s 5, kiddo. We still have two hours until mealtime, but if you want, you can have yours now."

"Please! I feel like I’ll die if I wait for another two hours," Max sighed, rubbing his belly.

"Haha! Go and wait at that table," John pointed at one of the empty tables and said.

Max did as he was told and received his meal in a few minutes. It was, to say the least, satisfying, as it had made him overeat a little.

He licked his lips while looking at five empty plates and two empty bowls, wondering if he should order more.

[... glutton!]

Max ignored her and shouted to John, "This was the best food I’ve had, Uncle John. Is this your strategy to keep your customers loyal?"

"You should say that to my wife later on. She’s the one who handles the food department," John replied without even lifting his newspaper.

"I will," Max smiled and stood up. ’I guess that’s why they don’t bother with too much. It’s just a couple’s inn, and they run it together.’

He shook his head and decided to focus on the tasks at hand, which meant finding a place where he could buy and sell some stuff.

[Go and run a little, Fatty Wang, otherwise you’ll turn into a second John.]