Most of the houses and stores were closed. Only one or two grocery stores or shops were open, but they would surely close soon. As a result, the street was plunged into complete darkness, which wasn't much of a problem, as I could see well in the dark.
After walking for several minutes and finishing my cigarette, I burned the tip with my hands just in time to see lights getting brighter ahead.
The lights of the inn were on. Lina was still awake. A certain relief washed over me, which made me speed up my pace.
I took the back way so as not to dirty the hall with blood and mud. It would be difficult to explain to Gineviv why her inn looked like a crime scene.
As soon as I opened the door, I heard a slightly sleepy and somewhat authoritative voice saying.
"Take off your boots and wash your feet. I waxed the floor this afternoon."
I sighed and shrugged, sitting on the doorstep to untie my boots. I took them off and turned them upside down to drain the accumulated water. I removed my socks and wrung them out; they were soaked.
I heard footsteps approaching the door, and when I looked up, I found Lina staring at me.
Her greenish-brown eyes reflected her tiredness due to the late hour, but the impatience burning in them was clear. Her red hair was tied in a long braid that fell to her chest. She was wearing a red plaid shirt and a light brown skirt. Over everything, she wore an apron the same color as her skirt, as clean as the meticulously waxed floor.
Her beagle ears and tail wagged slightly, as they always did when she saw me. She never lost her charm.
"Every day that passes, you look more and more like your mother."
She snorted and stomped off toward the kitchen, her tail wagging. She came back with a towel and threw it in my face.
"Turn around. You don't want to welcome visitors looking like a wet dog... Is this blood?
She almost barked as she uttered these words, with such naturalness that anyone would think she was my accomplice.
But I knew she was just worried. I reached out and touched her hand over the towel. She pulled back slightly but looked me in the eyes through the gap in the towel.
"Don't worry, it was just a bar fight," I said, getting up. And what do you mean, I have visitors? Who is it?
She helped me take off my coat and threw the towel back in my face, forcing me to dry myself properly.
"Two people arrived a little before you, asking for you. I told them you hadn't arrived yet and asked them to come back in the morning, but they said they would wait."
Damn. Who could it be? Wait, don't tell me... I abruptly removed the towel from my head, which caught Lina off guard, as she dropped my cloak on the floor in surprise.
"Were they two elves? A tall elf with a girl's face and a silver-haired female elf?"
Lina gave me a worried look.
"Duncan, is this trouble?"
Her tail tucked slightly between her legs.
I sighed and walked toward her. I picked up the cloak from the floor and put a hand on her face to calm her down.
"Stay calm, I'll get changed and sort this out quickly."
I headed for the bedroom as I removed the gladius from my waist. Lina almost fainted when she saw the movement. She moved quickly in front of me with her arms outstretched.
"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KILL ANYONE IN HERE, DUNCAN!"
I looked at her confused, then at my sword.
I laughed after understanding her surprise.
"Calm down, girl. I've been coming here for years and never spilled a drop of blood within these walls."
She glared at me.
I turned away from her and took my sword to the bedroom, which was in a small room near the back entrance.
I opened the door and entered the room without ceremony. As soon as I entered, I lit the lamp with a snap of my fingers. The room lit up.
I walked over to the bed and placed the sword next to the headboard. I sat down and reached for my waist. I concentrated for a moment, and then, in the blink of an eye, a sword covered in bandages appeared in my hand.
It was a double-edged sword. On the guard, there was a huge stone in the center, and the hilt was large enough to hold with both hands.
However, what attracted the most attention were the large bands, once white but now stained, covered with incomprehensible runes that surrounded the entire sword.
The runes were a sickly burgundy color. I reached out with my other hand to the covered blade and injected a bit of mana. Something pulsed inside the bands, and a small dagger was spat out. I caught it deftly, concealing it with magic beneath the bands that wrapped around my forearm.
As soon as I finished, the sword dissolved like smoke between my fingers. Then I got up and hurried to change my clothes.
I grabbed a white linen shirt, one of the few intact pieces I had and put on a pair of sandals that Lina had given me some time ago.
Leaving the room, I walked toward Lina, who was standing by the entrance to the hall, biting her thumbnail.
When she saw me, she immediately stopped and wiped her hands on her apron. She looked me in the eyes, and I could almost smell her anxiety.
"Be careful. I'll bring you some tea in a little while."
I winked at her and opened the salon doors.