Luke walked for about another hour in silence. His adrenaline had long faded, replaced by a hollow calm. His body ached everywhere, but he kept walking, determined to find that damned inn.
He hoped that at least there he could rest and take shelter from monsters, and not spend the night in the open. This time he stayed on the path, already regretting ever stepping off it.
The sun was nearly setting when he almost passed a wide clearing, walking half-conscious from exhaustion. Suddenly, the panel that had only appeared once when he received his class at the castle two days ago, appeared again before him.
[Arx Inn detected nearby]
[Claim the ownership to proceed]
Luke stopped and looked around, hoping to see a building, or at least a hut, but there was nothing. Only an open patch of land with wild, unkempt grass growing here and there, and a wooden box in the middle of the empty ground.
"…Where's the inn?"
[The inn has reverted to its original form as a mimic]
[It is advised to proceed with caution]
"Mimic? What's a mimic?"
The panel changed its text, showing a description.
[A mimic is a semi-sapient magical structure that disguises itself as an object or building]
[Arx Inn is an inn type, bound to territory and requires an innkeeper to function]
[It consumes mana, emotions, and intent rather than flesh]
[Without an innkeeper, it may revert to hostile behavior]
"…What?"
Fear began to creep into him. The monster inn wasn't just an inn for monsters, the inn itself was a monster.
Luke glanced at the wooden box, about the size of a medium wardrobe, made of old timber with metal reinforcing its hinges and edges. It looked dull, as if someone had forgotten to leave it there, with no sign of magic or power.
Then his eyes caught several white objects around the box, and he realized they were bones. Luke stepped back in fear, but froze when the box moved.
It moved as if it were breathing. Then it shook harder, its metal hinges bending with a krrrkkk, and its wooden surface rippling like water.
A long crack opened across the front, suddenly widening into a mouth lined with sharp white teeth. From its sides sprouted arms and legs, more like twisted wooden veins ending in claw-like tips.
"HEY—"
Before Luke could finish shouting, the box extended its vein-like limbs toward him. He dodged, throwing himself to the ground and rolling away. The limb smashed into a large rock, shattering it.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD?!" Luke scrambled backward in panic.
But another vein had already reached his leg, grabbing it. Luke was dragged upward, dangling above the gaping mouth below.
"WAIT~WAIT~" Luke screamed frantically, thrusting his hand with the crescent-and-door ring toward the maw. "I HAVE THE RING~THE RING~!!!"
The vein holding his leg stopped lowering him, leaving him suspended above the mouth.
"…please," Luke gasped. "I'm not food. I'm literally your boss."
The box paused, then lowered him gently to the ground beside it. Its mouth closed halfway, no longer attacking.
The brown panel floated before Luke again.
[Ownership token detected]
[Verifying Innkeeper authority]
Luke swallowed hard, sitting slowly on the ground, careful not to make sudden movements.
"Look," he said softly, as if speaking to a stray cat or dog. "I know you're hungry. And alone."
The box remained still, its mouth facing him.
Luke exhaled. "But if you eat me, you'll be stuck like this forever. No emotions or mana for food."
He raised his arm, showing the ring again. "If you don't eat me… I can reopen you, fix you, and feed you properly."
Silence. Then the mimic's vein-like limbs withdrew back into the box.
[Innkeeper authority accepted]
[In progress in Arx Inn to Luke Dawn…]
Luke didn't dare move. He sat cross-legged before the box, hoping it wouldn't attack again.
"Okay…" he whispered. "We're doing this. You don't eat me, and I don't abandon you. Deal?"
The box stayed still.
[Binding complete]
[Arx Inn has recognized its Innkeeper]
"…holy shit," he muttered. "It worked…"
Suddenly the ground of the clearing trembled like a local earthquake. Stone foundations rose from the earth, and the box expanded, growing into walls, a roof, and details like windows and doors.
Soon, a building stood before Luke. Above the wooden front door, a sign appeared in the world's script, which he could somehow understand.
ARX INN
Luke stood and approached the building. Its walls looked old but solid and stable. No feral aura emanated from it anymore; everything felt calm and peaceful.
He stood at the door. "…you're not gonna suddenly bite me again, right?" he muttered.
But there was no response, no movement.
"…Fine," he said at last. "I'm coming in. If you eat me now, that's on you."
Luke pushed the door open, and warm air washed over him, like breath mixed with the scent of old wood and dust.
He stepped inside slowly and cautiously. The door closed behind him on its own.
Click
Luke froze. "…shit," he cursed softly. "You don't need to do that. I can close doors myself."
The walls and floor gave a brief tremor, as if communicating with him. "…was that a yes or a threat?"
The building stayed silent, but he felt the mimic was no longer hostile. Luke looked around, now standing in a wide reception area.
Wooden tables and chairs neatly arranged, a long counter dividing the room, and a fireplace at the far end burning with a small flame, as if untouched by years of abandonment.
Luke stared at the fire in wonder. "Did… you turn that on?" he asked.
The fire flared brightly.
"Oho, so you can respond," he nodded slowly, walking to the counter and placing his hand on its surface. It felt warm, and suddenly the transparent brown panel appeared again.
[Inn and Innkeeper link is established]
[Communication method is using sensory feedback]