Chapter 67 - Inn Problems (1)

"Him? I'm not together with him," said Arcem with a huge smile on his face as he looked back at Arya like they had never met before. Arcem knew that Arya didn't have any money on him from the time he confiscated all his stuff, so by denying the fact that they were traveling together Arcem was effectively forcing Arya to sleep outside.

"That's right. I'm not his apprentice. I simply came here looking to see if this place would fit my tastes." said Arya as he realized what Arcem was trying to do.

"I-is that so?" asked Leroy as he sensed the tension between the two. However he found it rather odd that a mage was being hostile towards a little boy.

"Are you perhaps lost? Do you need me to help you find your parents?" asked Leroy as he looked at Arya with a confused expression.

"I see. So this is how it is." thought Arya as he finally got an idea.

"I was walking with them and then they suddenly disappeared. I was just trying to act tough all this time. I was afraid that people would take advantage of me i-if I showed weakness. When I saw the white-robed mage I thought that maybe he would help me out, but turns out he is just as mean as everyone else."

"It's getting dark and I haven't found my parents yet. I don't know what to do. D-do you think they a-abandoned me?" stuttered Arya covering his eyes with his arm, pretending to be a scared child looking for his parents.

"To stoop so low." thought Arcem with an embarrassed look on his face.

The innkeeper looked at Arya with pity and turned ever so slightly to look at Arcem with a disappointed expression.

"I'll be in my room," said Arcem as he quickly dismissed himself from the situation before rumors of him mistreating children spread across the county.

"Of course they haven't, why would they. Look at how precious you are. How about I let you sleep with me and my wife tonight? My bed isn't big enough for two people but, I can arrange for a couch to be brought in and you can sleep on that. Then when daybreak comes I will help you look for your parents." said Leroy with a pitying voice.

"T-thank you mister," replied Arya as he covered the smile of his face with his hand.

"It's almost too easy. Why didn't I do this earlier?" thought Arya as he was handed free accommodation.

Marsha came back downstairs with two tenants behind her, who looked like they had been doing something naughty before they were called out of their rooms. They quickly took their bags and got out of the inn as fast as they could.

Leroy watched them leave in a hurry and turned to ask Marsha, "How did you get them to leave so easily?"

"It wasn't me. When I asked them to leave they were showing resistance, but the mage soon came upstairs in a bad mood and threatened to burn them both if they didn't leave immediately," replied Marsha as she turned to look at Arya.

"And this young gentleman? or is it lady?" asked Marsha as she tilted her head to look at Arya properly.

It was true, with Arya's beautiful features and long white hair he seemed like a rather pretty girl. If not for the way he was dressing and his voice no one would be able to tell whether he was a girl or boy.

"Lady? What is this woman saying? Is she confused?" thought Arya as he looked at the woman with a confused expression.

"He's a boy Marsha," replied Leroy embarrassed by his wife's question, however he couldn't deny that he too was confused until Arya spoke.

"Yes, young gentleman I mean. Why haven't you gone up with your master?" asked Marsha as her face turned a light shade of red when she realized her mistake.

"They aren't together. The boy wanted the mage's help finding his parents but it seems the mage was too busy to help him," said Leroy with an almost indignant voice.

"Mages these days. Heroes of the kingdom? More like magical assholes." whispered Marsha as she looked at Arya with pitying eyes.

"Can't we let him stay here?" asked Marsha.

"Naturally I have already invited him to stay with us. He will sleep on the couch since our bed isn't big enough for the three of us," replied Leroy, seemingly proud of himself.

"He will not! You sleep on the couch, how could you make such a pretty thing, I-I mean young boy sleep on that nasty couch?" asked Marsha in an indignant tone.

"But Marsh-." Leroy tried saying as Marsha cut him off. "No buts."

"It's okay lady Marsha. I don't mind sleeping on the couch," replied Arya as he started getting weird thoughts about sleeping with a woman. He had died a virgin in his old life and although he had the body of a 5-year-old his mind was that of a young adult. He didn't have time for any accidents because he couldn't control his curiosity at night.

"Are you sure? Leroy doesn't really mind, he just likes playing hard to get. Don't you Leroy." said Marsha as she stepped on Leroy's toe.

"Y-yes. Of course darling," replied Leroy seemingly scared of his wife. "I hate when she gets like this." thought Leroy with a sullen expression.

"No really I'm okay," replied Arya.

"Have you eaten supper yet?" asked Marsha as she stopped trying to get Arya to sleep on the same bed as her.

"Actually I'm quite famished," replied Arya, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"What a cutey, I-I mean I'll bring you what we served the other tenants.

"What a queer woman.." thought Arya as Marsha left the room.