CHAPTER 254: AN INN, A BOY AND ZERO AWARENESS

By the time Zane finally stumbled into the little town outside the Academy’s outer gates, his boots felt like they had swallowed lava and his shoulders ached from carrying the bag. He had asked for directions so many times that he suspected half the town now considered him a lost tourist.

"Go straight, then left at the plaza."

Zane: walks straight into a bakery.

"Boy, I said left!"

Zane: "Ah yes, left, the cousin of right. Got it."

Somehow, miraculously, he found himself standing in front of a cozy-looking inn. A wooden sign with a lantern swung lazily over the doorway. The smell of bread and stew drifted out with the warm glow of candles.

Inside, it was even nicer. Wooden tables, soft chatter, the crackle of a fire in the hearth. Zane walked up to the counter, dumping his bag down with a relieved grunt.

The attendant looked up. She was a girl his age—long chestnut hair tied loosely at the side, eyes that shimmered like warm amber in the light, and a faint smile that carried both politeness and a hint of expectation. Her apron fit neatly over a pale-blue dress, giving her a tidy yet charming air.

She brightened as soon as she saw him. "Welcome, traveler. You must be tired. Do you need a room for the night?"

Zane blinked at her. "Yeah. Cheapest one you’ve got."

Her smile faltered just slightly. "...Cheapest?"

"Yup." He tapped his coin pouch like he was knocking on a door. "Not here to admire the wallpaper or anything. Just need a bed that won’t collapse when I breathe on it."

The girl stared at him, a little stunned. Most boys his age who came through either stumbled over compliments, blurted out awkward lines, or at least noticed she existed. This one? He treated her like she was a fence post giving directions.

"...Right," she said finally, lips twitching. "Well, I can get you a room. Second floor. Five silver a night."

Zane rummaged, counted with dramatic exaggeration, and slapped the coins down. "Five. Perfect. Do I get bread with that, or is that extra?"

Her brows rose. "You... really don’t waste time, do you?"

Zane shrugged. "Why would I? It’s a room. You’re the receptionist. I pay, you hand me the key. Simple transaction. Oh, unless you want me to write a song about it?"

The girl blinked, then let out a laugh she hadn’t meant to. "You’re... strange."

"Thanks," Zane said dryly, taking the key. He grabbed his bag and started up the stairs. Halfway, he paused and looked back at her. "Oh, uh... what’s your name?"

She tilted her head, half-smiling now. "Mira."

"Right. Mira. Cool. See you, Mira." And with that, he vanished up the steps without another thought.

Mira stood behind the counter, utterly baffled. Not even a double-take? Not even a single awkward stammer?

For some reason, that made him far more interesting than all the other boys who’d tried.