Chapter 56: A Night of Lingering, Midnight Talk in the Shura Field

Lynn rushed up to the second floor as if fleeing for his life, his hand clutching the four copper keys, which made a slight clinking sound.

Behind him, the footsteps were orderly, neither fast nor slow.

He reached the end of the corridor, where four wooden doors stood side by side.

He inserted the first key and turned it.

The door opened.

The room was dimly lit, had a musty smell, the bedding was messy, and there was junk piled in the corner.

‘This is definitely not the Heaven Grade Room I wanted.’

Lynn’s heart sank. He looked at the other three keys in his hand.

“Brother, it’s so dirty here,” Lilith’s voice rang out from behind him, tinged with a hint of disdain.

**[Lilith’s Blackening Value has increased by 1%! Current: 97%]**

Lynn’s body stiffened.

Without looking back, he walked mechanically to the second door, inserted a key, and turned it.

This room was even smaller, the windows were nailed shut with wooden boards, there was no ventilation, and it felt even more oppressive than the last one.

**[Alicia’s Blackening Value has increased by 1%! Current: 91%]**

Alicia’s soft hum came from behind him, acting as a silent critique of the room.

Lynn’s hand trembled slightly.

He began to feel that something was wrong.

He had clearly asked for “four rooms, the best ones, single rooms.”

That server girl had looked professional; she shouldn’t have made such a rookie mistake.

He inserted the third key into the lock.

The door opened just the same.

The room was just as dilapidated, lacking even a bed. There was only a worn-out table and two shaky chairs.

**[Vivian’s Blackening Value has increased by 1%! Current: 88%]**

Vivian’s breathing grew heavy, and Lynn could feel the aura around her intensifying.

She was someone used to living in Imperial Palace suites; a place like this was torture to her.

Finally, he looked at the fourth door.

This was the only double door on this floor, and its decorations were much more refined than the doors next to it.

He inserted the last key.

The lock clicked open.

A fresh, woody fragrance greeted him.

A spacious room appeared before his eyes, covered with a soft carpet, lit by magic lamps, and filled with gentle light.

Against the wall stood three large carved wooden beds, all covered in pristine white sheets.

A pot of hot tea and several types of snacks were arranged on the table.

In the center of the room was a small fireplace, crackling with a warm fire.

This was the true Heaven Grade Room.

No, it was a Heaven Grade Suite.

Lynn’s mood didn’t relax; instead, his heart jumped into his throat.

He had asked for “single rooms,” and he had specifically emphasized “four rooms.”

But here, there was only one.

“Brother, this room smells very nice,” Lilith’s voice whispered in his ear, so obedient that he couldn’t detect anything unusual.

Vivian and Alicia walked in, scanning the room.

The expressions on both their faces softened slightly.

“At least it isn’t a trash heap,” Vivian said as she walked over to one of the beds, tested the sheets with her finger, and sat down.

Alicia walked over to another bed and lightly brushed her hand over the surface.

She didn’t sit, but simply stood there quietly.

Lynn stood in the center of the room, holding the three useless keys, feeling like a total clown.

He glanced at his System Panel.

**[Vivian’s Blackening Value: 87%]**

**[Alicia’s Blackening Value: 90%]**

**[Lilith’s Blackening Value: 96%]**

The Blackening Values were temporarily stable, but the danger was on a hair-trigger. He had to find a way.

“That… ahem.”

Lynn cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound natural.

“This… the inn must be full. This is the only room left.”

He knew he was lying.

He had seen the server girl give him four keys with his own eyes.

Those three useless keys were clearly just to make up the number.

“Full?”

Vivian arched an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure.

“In a town as small as Black Iron Town?”

Alicia’s gaze swept over Lynn, her eyes filled with scrutiny.

Lilith walked over to Lynn’s side, tugged on his sleeve, and asked in a small voice, “Then where will Brother sleep?”

It was a death-trap question.

Lynn’s mind raced at high speeds.

“I… I’ll just sleep on the floor.”

He pointed to the carpet and moved toward the corner as much as possible, trying to demonstrate his resolve.

The moment the words left his mouth, the temperature of the three gazes behind him dropped again.

**[Vivian’s Blackening Value has increased by 2%! Current: 89%]**

**[Alicia’s Blackening Value has increased by 2%! Current: 92%]**

**[Lilith’s Blackening Value has increased by 2%! Current: 98%]**

“Brother wants to sleep on the floor?”

Lilith’s voice sounded a bit aggrieved, as if he had said something terribly wrong.

“The floor is very cold; you’ll get sick.”

“Indeed.”

Vivian stood up and walked over to Lynn, looking down at him.

“A dignified Guardian Knight without a bed? What would people say if word got out?”

Alicia also approached, her voice carrying an air of absolute authority.

“A place of filth is not to be approached. You should sleep on a bed.”

Sweat broke out on Lynn’s forehead.

He knew these three didn’t actually care if he got sick or if he lost his dignity.

They simply wouldn’t allow him to leave their sight.

“But… there are only three beds.”

Lynn pointed to the three beds in the room.

Vivian walked over and pointed to the bed in the very center.

“You sleep here,” she said.

Her tone was flat, but it left no room for argument.

Lynn’s pupils contracted.

That bed was directly facing the fireplace, the most prominent spot in the room.

Sleeping there meant he would be the center of everyone’s attention.

“Then… what about you all?” he asked.

“We will sleep next to you, of course,” Vivian said.

“I’ll sleep on Brother’s left side,” Lilith immediately declared.

“I’ll take the right,” Alicia added.

Lynn looked at the three Blackening Values on the System Panel, which had stabilized once more, and felt a chill run through his heart.

His suggestion to “sleep on the floor” had caused the Blackening Values to skyrocket, while this “triple-threat arrangement” had actually kept them steady.

He had no choice.

“I’m going to take a bath,” Lynn said.

He needed some time to clear his thoughts.

“Mhm,” Vivian nodded.

“Go ahead. The water is already heated.”

Lynn walked into the bathroom.

He didn’t dare lock the door.

He knew that locking it would only make things worse.

He took a cold shower, trying to clear his head.

—

By the time he came out wrapped in a towel, the room had already taken on a “domestic” appearance.

Vivian had removed her heavy armor and was sitting on the edge of a bed in a silk nightrobe, wiping down her longsword.

Alicia sat on another bed; her white robes had been replaced by a much thinner, holy nightgown.

Her eyes were closed, as if she were meditating.

Lilith was lying on the bed closest to the bathroom, flipping through a picture book.

When she saw Lynn come out, her eyes lit up.

“Brother, you’re finished,” she called out sweetly.

Lynn walked to the bed Vivian had designated.

He found his clothes neatly folded at the head of the bed, with a brand-new nightrobe resting beside them.

He went behind the screen and changed into the nightrobe.

The fabric was soft and fit him perfectly.

When he stepped out from behind the screen, Lilith had already hopped off her bed and run over to him.

“Brother, I’ll warm the bed for you,” she said, already trying to climb into his bed.