The next morning, Leo found himself doing something he hadn't done in years: tidying up. He ran a damp cloth over the long, dark wood of the bar, wiping away a layer of fine dust that had probably been settling since the last dynasty fell. The simple, mindless task was strangely satisfying. It made the place feel more like his own.
He had checked on Lyra earlier, leaving a tray with bread, cheese, and a fresh apple outside her door. When he had returned an hour later, the tray was empty. It was a good sign. His first tenant was recovering, and his Inn was generating the bare minimum of Value needed for upkeep. Things were stable. Things were quiet.
Perhaps a little too quiet.
As he polished a spot on the bar to a dull sheen, he felt a pang of something unfamiliar. It wasn't quite boredom, but a kind of restless energy. He had a grand property with unlimited potential, a single, silent tenant, and an astronomical amount of "Value" needed for his first major renovation project. He needed more clients.
As if the Inn itself was listening to his thoughts, a sound echoed from the front of the hall.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
It wasn't the desperate banging of a fugitive or the arrogant summons of a noble. It was a polite, almost hesitant knock. A visitor. A potential customer.
A wide, genuine smile spread across Leo's face. This was what he was good at. He smoothed down his simple linen shirt, adopting the calm, welcoming posture of a proprietor, and walked to the massive front doors. He commanded them to open, and they swung inward silently, revealing the swirling, misty void beyond.
Standing on the threshold was a young man—or at least, he was shaped like one. Two sharp, black, triangular ears twitched atop a messy shock of dark hair, and from the base of his spine, a long, black tail swished back and forth with nervous energy. He was tall and lean, dressed in dark, practical leather armor that had seen better days. His handsome face was smudged with dirt, and there was a twig caught in his hair just above one ear. He looked, for all intents and purposes, like someone who had recently had a rather unpleasant argument with a large bush.
Leo's modern mind, already stretched to its limits by knights and magic, took only a moment to categorize the sight. Okay. Cat-person. Got it.
The cat-man looked up, his slitted, emerald-green eyes widening slightly as he saw Leo. He gave a short, stiff bow. "Greetings," he said, his voice a smooth, careful tenor.
"Welcome to the Threshold Inn," Leo replied, his tone pleasantly neutral. "How can I help you?"
The young man straightened up, a practiced, charming smile not quite reaching his eyes. "My name is Silas. I'm a… traveler. I've been hearing tales of this establishment. Incredible tales." He gestured vaguely at the Inn. "They say your security is second to none in this kingdom. That not even the most skilled infiltrator could hope to breach your walls."
Leo's expression didn't change, but he felt a flicker of amusement. He sent a silent query to the Guide. Was there a visitor last night?
The Guide's voice bloomed in his mind, calm and factual. Affirmative, Master. A single entity attempted to gain unauthorized access to the roof at 00:14. The 'No Trespassing' rule was enforced. The entity was ejected from the property without injury.
A slow, knowing smile spread across Leo's face. It was a smile that said, I know exactly what you did.
Silas saw the smile, and his own charming facade faltered. The slight twitch of his ear gave away his anxiety. This manager… he knew. The realization hit Silas with the force of a physical blow. His failed, secret infiltration wasn't a secret at all. He hadn't just been defeated by a bizarre security system; he had been witnessed. The owner had watched the whole embarrassing spectacle. The professional pride he had so carefully rebuilt overnight crumbled back into dust.
He dropped the traveler pretense. His shoulders slumped in a gesture of genuine defeat. "Alright, you win," he sighed, running a hand through his messy hair and dislodging the twig. "I've never seen anything like it. Your reputation is well-earned. I came to see for myself what kind of power could humiliate a Duke, and I found out the hard way."
He met Leo's eyes, his own gaze now a mixture of grudging respect and burning curiosity. "I deal in secrets, Master of the Inn. It's my trade. And this place… this place is the greatest secret I have ever encountered. I must understand it." He took a half-step forward, his tone shifting from that of a thief to that of a potential customer. "How much for a room?"
Leo's smile widened. Now they were talking business. "That depends on what you're paying with."
"I have coin, jewels from a dozen different kingdoms..." Silas began.
"I don't deal in coin," Leo interrupted gently. "The Inn requires payment in 'Value.' As an information broker, the secrets you hold, the rumors you gather… those have Value."
Silas blinked, processing this. The Inn didn't run on gold, but on information itself? The concept was both strange and deeply appealing to him. It meant this was a place that understood the true nature of power.
"You would allow me, a thief who just tried to break into your home, to stay here as a tenant?" Silas asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.
"You didn't break anything," Leo corrected him. "You trespassed, were duly warned, and were removed from the premises. No harm done." He leaned against the doorframe, the picture of a magnanimous landlord. "Besides, from a business perspective, your failure is the best advertisement I could ask for. And having a man with his ear to the ground as a resident seems like a valuable asset."
Silas was speechless. He had come here as a rival, a professional trying to best another. He was being treated like a prospective business partner. He had been so thoroughly outmaneuvered at every turn that all he could feel was a profound sense of respect.
"My information... for your sanctuary," Silas mused aloud. "An interesting proposition." He looked past Leo into the quiet, safe-looking lobby. For a man whose life was a constant dance in the shadows, the idea of a truly secure base of operations was a treasure beyond any jewel. "I accept."
"Excellent," Leo said, stepping back to allow him entry. "Then we just need to formalize the agreement."
Silas stepped across the threshold, his tail giving a single, decisive swish. As he entered the lobby, he watched, fascinated, as Leo focused for a moment. The air in front of them shimmered, and the same kind of glowing, golden contract that Lyra had signed began to weave itself into existence. It detailed the terms: one month's lodging and access to the Inn's common areas in exchange for a weekly report of noteworthy information and rumors from the outside world.
Silas looked from the impossible contract to the calm, smiling man who had summoned it. He had come here to steal a secret and had instead been offered a key. With a deep breath that was part resignation and part thrill, Silas reached out his hand to sign the lease, ready to become the second tenant of the Threshold Inn.