The Servant in the Horror Game is Suspicious Chapter 51

“I told you, you could just sell the sword,” Ian said, pointing to the ornate blade hanging at Jade’s waist. The sword looked so ostentatious that it was currently wrapped thick in layers of cloth to hide it.

“No!” Jade shook his head violently while shielding the weapon. Sell the sword? That was a terrifying thought.

The moment he sold this thing, his life might very well be forfeit. Of course, Ian seemed to be suggesting it with pure intentions, but Jade couldn’t stop the descriptions from the setting guide from flashing through his mind.

“…You must really like it.”

“Yes. I like it. I like it a lot. That’s why I’m absolutely not selling it.”

“….”

Ian stared intently at Jade, who was now firmly clutching a silver candlestick, a peculiar expression on his face. It was impossible to read what that look meant. There were times like this—moments where Ian’s emotions were a complete mystery.

“We’re selling this. Let’s go!”

While they were talking, the lights in the neighboring shop had gone out. Feeling the pressure, Jade hurried into an antique shop located on one side of the plaza.

“Welcome.”

The shop was crammed with all sorts of old trinkets. An old man with a bushy beard was busy appraising an item through a magnifying glass. It looked like they had come to the right place.

“Do you buy items here?”

“What have you brought to sell, then?”

“Can you take something like this?”

“Let’s have a look.”

The old man let out a hearty chuckle at the young-looking Jade before picking up the candlestick to examine it thoroughly. He flipped it over to check the base and ran his fingers along the engravings. Having been neglected in the villa for a long time, the candlestick had grown dull, but a few rubs with a greasy cloth brought back its luster.

“Meow…”

Buster, hidden inside the backpack, poked his face out. He had been tucked away since they entered the village outskirts, but he couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer and tilted his head out.

“It’s silver. High purity, too. The engraving work is excellent. Where did you get this?”

“Oh, it’s… it’s an heirloom from my father.”

He couldn’t exactly say he’d stolen it from the Linwood estate. He wasn’t that much of an idiot. However, the antique dealer’s eyes were sharp.

“From your father? Hmm. You don’t exactly look like a nobleman, young man.”

The old man gave Jade a suspicious once-over. In response, Jade squared his shoulders even more confidently.

“My father used to be a servant to some high-ranking people.”

“I see. This is quite an old piece. I suppose your father picked it up after the noble lords tossed it out for being too worn.”

“Yes, exactly. Something like that.”

Accepting the explanation, the old man carried the silver candlestick into the back room.

Jade had grumbled about the lack of expensive items in the villa, but looking back now, it was actually a relief. If a silver candlestick drew this much attention, he probably would have been reported to the guard if he’d brought jewels.

Furthermore, seeing the old man’s reaction, he decided it would be better to sell the latch he’d taken off Buster’s box somewhere else. He also resolved to sell the plates and spoons tomorrow in batches rather than all at once.

“Here. Two gold Lumens. I’m giving you a good price because the craftsmanship is solid.”

“Thank you. Oh, could I possibly exchange some of this for silver? I need to do some shopping tomorrow.”

The currency units in this world were Lumens and Pence. Lumens followed gold coins, Pence followed silver, and copper coins were simply called bits.

Gold coins were a hassle to use in a common market. Since ten silver Pence equaled one gold Lumen, it was a wise choice to swap for Pence if he wanted to shop here.

“Fair enough. Here, twenty Pence.”

“Thank you. Also, I’m sorry to bother you, but do you happen to have a small pouch? Something I could use as a coin purse.”

“That’ll be one Pence.”

“Alright. I’ll take it.”

Jade handed back one of the twenty Pence he’d just received and took the cloth pouch. Since he’d never handled money before, the thought of needing a purse hadn’t even crossed his mind. If he’d thought ahead, he could have made one from leftover scraps. He’d just made money and was already spending it; the thought made his heart bleed.

Still, the weight of the pouch felt substantial and reassuring. How long had it been since he’d touched actual money?

“By the way, you don’t look like locals.”

“Oh, right. We’re travelers.”

“With a child in tow?”

“Haha, I just wanted to make some memories with my brother…”

“You’re both quite handsome. You look alike.”

The old man spoke conversationally, just making polite small talk as he looked back and forth between Ian and Jade.

“We don’t look alike,” Ian blurted out, sounding disgruntled. His raw protest didn’t stop there. “If someone running an antique shop has such poor eyes for detail—mph!”

“Uh-huh, right! You want to eat something delicious later? Your brother would like that too!”

Jade quickly muffled Ian’s mouth. Fortunately, the old man just laughed it off, assuming it was just typical sibling bickering.

“Anyway, you’ve picked a good time to visit. There’s a big market opening tomorrow.”

“A market?”

“A spring fair. The village is too small for a full festival, so the market serves as one.”

This was great news. If there was a market, the variety of food and goods from street stalls would be much better. Buying supplies was good, but Jade was mostly happy he could show Ian something new.

“Is there an inn nearby?”

“There should be one just around that corner.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Having finished his business, Jade tucked the coin purse away and led Ian out. The moment they left the shop and Ian was freed from Jade’s grip, he spoke up.

“We aren’t brothers.”

“I’m just making excuses. It’s the easiest, most convenient story. It makes us look like common travelers.”

“….”

“Do you hate being called my brother that much?”

“Yes.”

Leaving that blunt answer behind, Ian walked toward the corner. His cold silhouette looked particularly prickly.

Does he really hate being associated with me as a brother that much? Hiding his inner hurt, Jade followed after him.

Turning the corner, they immediately saw a small inn. A bell chimed as they pushed through the wooden door.

“Welcome!”

A plump, middle-aged woman standing behind the counter greeted them with a bright smile. The inn was old and small, but warm. A fire crackled in the hearth, and a cozy heat enveloped the room.

“Oh…”

Seeing a medieval inn in person—something he’d only seen in games—was fascinating. Since it was a fantasy world rather than a strictly historical one, there was even more to see in the fusion-style decor.

The first floor seemed to be for dining, while the guest rooms were upstairs. In the middle of the first-floor dining area, a large cast-iron pot hung over the fire, bubbling away. It looked exactly like the “inn stew” he’d only ever seen on a screen.

“Are you here for a meal? Or staying the night?”

“Ah, one room, please. We’ll eat here as well. We’re staying for one—no, two days.”

“What kind of beds would you like?”

“Two, please.”

“That’ll be four Pence. Head on up to the second floor. Come back down when you’re hungry.”

The innkeeper handed over a key and pointed upstairs. All the way up the stairs, the scent of stew teased Jade’s hunger.

There was definitely meat in that stew. There had to be. A smell that savory couldn’t come from anything else. Jade, who hadn’t seen a scrap of protein in three months, found his mouth watering.

“Phew. I feel like I can finally breathe.”

They climbed the creaking wooden stairs and opened the door to reveal a cozy room. Two beds sat side-by-side under the window, and a candle was lit on a small table.

He’d been a bit worried since it was an old inn, but the interior was quite warm. In terms of comfort, it was actually better than the villa.

“Meow!”

Buster, who had been trapped in the bag the whole time, popped out and rolled around on the bed. He even kneaded the blankets with his front paws, seemingly pleased with the soft bedding.

“You should lie down too, Ian.”

As soon as they entered, Jade unpacked everything and sprawled out on his bed, taking a deep breath. Perhaps because he’d walked all day with a massive backpack and a sack, his whole body felt stiff and his shoulders ached.

“Drink this.”

Ian pulled a canteen from his backpack and held it out. When they’d come across a stream earlier, they had both filled their canteens, but Jade’s had long since run dry because he’d shared it with Buster. He was just starting to feel parched.

“Ah, thank you.”

Even though the water had been collected a while ago, it was still cool. Drinking while resting on the bed made his fatigue feel much more manageable. Ian stood beside Jade, staring fixedly at the movement of his throat as he swallowed.

“I told you, you should lie down too. It’s really comfortable.”

“….”

Ian, his ears tinged red, avoided Jade’s eyes. Strangely, whenever they were in a situation where they had to lie down in the same space, Ian acted like a shy young groom.

“Get some rest. You’ve walked a long way.”

“…Okay.”

“You need to rest so we can look around the village and the market together tomorrow.”

As Jade continued to nudge him, Ian finally leaned back onto his own bed, albeit reluctantly.

The two beds were placed side-by-side with only a small nightstand between them. Ian settled himself on the very edge of his bed, as if he were still embarrassed by the proximity.

“What, am I going to eat you or something?”

“….”

He really was an incomprehensible young master.

After a short rest, Jade pulled himself up. He’d almost accidentally fallen asleep. If Buster hadn’t been bouncing on top of him, complaining of hunger, he would have been dead to the world. Ian was also asleep.

“If you’re at an inn, you have to try the stew.”

Getting off the bed, Jade tapped Ian’s blanket. Ian, who had been lightly dozing, rubbed his eyes and woke up. Despite his stoic act, it seemed Ian had been quite exhausted too.

“Mmm.”

How should he put it? The way Ian blinked while waking up made him look like a little kitten. Jade let out a helpless chuckle at the sight; the boy looked so different from his own haggard, fatigue-ridden self.

“Let’s go down and eat.”

“…Okay.”

Nodding with a sleep-dazed face, Ian stood up.

The two of them headed down to the first floor. Ian went first, and Jade followed behind. Perhaps from lying on the bed, Ian’s curly hair was a bit disheveled.

As they descended the stairs, Jade reached out to fix the ruffled hair, causing Ian to jump in surprise and quicken his pace.

“Here you go. Today is our special beef stew. It’s nice and hot, so eat up.”

The cook served them two bowls. Savory steam wafted from the stew. It was packed with carrots, potatoes, and plenty of tender, slow-cooked beef. The heavy use of pepper gave it a sharp, delicious kick that hit the spot perfectly.

“Meow!”

Buster devoured his portion frantically once Jade set some aside in a small dish. Jade had wrapped Buster’s body in cloth so only his head poked out, but the creature was so excited to eat that he kept trying to squirm out, forcing Jade to keep a firm hold on him.

Tasting proper stew for the first time since hatching, Buster’s eyes filled with pure emotion. Underneath the cloth, his wings twitched.