PRSR | Chapter 7.3

Jjikjjiki, undeterred, kept nuzzling against the spot where my hand rested over the pouch.

“Well, let’s start preparing to get kidnapped.”

To get kidnapped, you first have to catch the kidnapper’s eye. So, we took off our hats and hoods and wandered the streets. Fortunately, we already had detailed information about the location of the slave traders, so we focused on the spots where they were likely to be. Eventually, we ended up at an inn. It was said to be the place where the slave traders were staying.

“Shall we start by getting a room and figure things out from there? We can’t exactly plan out a kidnapping in the middle of the street.”

Well, it’s not so much us doing the kidnapping as it is us getting kidnapped.

“Here, a room please.”

“No rooms left.”

“No rooms left in times like these? At least show me if there’s a double room available.”

“Two gold coins for one night.”

“Two gold coins? That’s pure robbery!”

Inside the inn, a mercenary was arguing with the innkeeper. The mercenary had a rather rough and tough appearance, but the innkeeper didn’t even flinch as he told him to leave if he wasn’t going to rent a room.

“You think this is the only inn around? That inn by the oak tree charges only one gold for two nights, one gold! If you’re building an inn near the sea, you should consider lowering the rates! Like I’d ever come back here again.”

The mercenary left, grumbling and fuming about how the “sea-view accommodations” were always dirty, noisy, and reeked of fish. It seemed ocean views weren’t popular in this world. But popularity didn’t matter much when there were no rooms left.

“No rooms left is not an option for me.”

With desperation, I approached the innkeeper and tried my luck.

“Hello. I’d like to rent two rooms.”

“Two double rooms?”

“One triple room and one single room, please.”

“For how long?”

“How much is it per night?”

“Two rooms, one gold.”

Didn’t he just say there were no rooms left? And it was much cheaper than the price he gave the mercenary earlier.

‘Does he choose his guests?’

Though I felt bad for the mercenary, his misfortune turned out to be my blessing, allowing me to stick to my plan and stay here.

“Let’s stay for two nights for now.”

“That’ll be two gold coins.”

“Hold on.”

As I reached into my pocket to hand over two gold coins, Hye-na, the only female Awakened

“One room, please.”

“No rooms left.”

“There’s no way you’re out of rooms at a time like this. Even a double room will do, just show me one.”

“Two gold a night.”

“Two gold? That’s a rip-off!”

A mercenary was arguing with the innkeeper inside the inn. The mercenary had quite a rough look, but the innkeeper didn’t blink an eye, firmly telling him to leave if he wasn’t renting a room.

“You think this is the only inn around here? The one next to the oak tree charges one gold for two days! One gold! If you’ve built your inn by the sea, you should be pricing it cheaper. I’m never coming back here again!”

The mercenary stormed out, cursing about how filthy, noisy, and fishy the “inn by the sea” probably was. Seems like ocean-view accommodations aren’t popular in this world. But it’s not like popularity changes the fact that there’s no room available here.

‘I really need a room, though.’

With a desperate heart, I approached the innkeeper and spoke.

“Hello. I’d like to rent two rooms.”

“Two doubles?”

“One triple and one single, please.”

“For how long?”

“How much per night?”

“Two rooms for one gold.”

Didn’t they just say they were out of rooms? And it’s much cheaper than the price they quoted the mercenary.

‘Do they pick and choose their guests?’

I felt bad for the mercenary, but thanks to this, I could stick to my plan of staying here.

“I’ll book for two nights.”

“Two gold.”

“Just a moment.”

As I was about to take out two gold coins, our party’s only female Awakened, Lee Hyena, interjected.

“Is the single room for me?”

Even if she couldn’t understand the innkeeper’s words, she seemed to have guessed our conversation from what I said.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then let’s not rent two rooms. Let’s just get a four-person room. I’ll share with everyone else.”

Hyena showed the innkeeper four fingers.

“Four people.”

“You want four single rooms?”

The tutorial field’s common language didn’t work here.

“Won’t it be uncomfortable sharing a room?”

“Uncomfortable is better than getting kidnapped.”

“What?”

“Soul-ssi might seem the weakest among us, but to kidnappers, we all probably look weak. So, instead of targeting ‘the weakest in the group,’ they’ll go for ‘the easiest to grab.’ I don’t want to be alone and become a target. Until this plan ends, let’s stay in the same room.”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that.”

I almost ended up adding one more person to rescue.

“If being alone makes one an easy target, why doesn’t Soul-ssi take the single room?”

“I’m fine with that! A single room with Soul, just the two of us!”

“If I use the single room, wouldn’t that make things more suspicious? It’s not like we’re dividing by gender or pairs, and if the weakest person gets a room alone, it looks strange.”

“Hmm, you have a point. We’ll need another way to lure them out.”

“I already have something in mind.”

Ignoring the curious looks from the others, I turned back to the innkeeper.

“Do you have a four-person room?”

“That’ll be three gold for two nights.”

Four-person rooms were rare in this world, so it was more expensive than renting two rooms. Still, it was cheaper than the price the mercenary was quoted.

After receiving the key and heading to the room, Shin Youngho and the other Awakened immediately crowded around me.

“Do you already have a plan to lure the kidnappers?”

“Get away! Stay back!”

“Actually, I’ve almost been kidnapped by slave traders twice before.”

“Twice? It’s a relief you’re safe.”

“Jane saved me one of those times.”

“And I saved you the other time!”

“Slave traders usually targeted me when I was alone or sleeping. If I’m alone at night, they’ll definitely make a move.”

“But you won’t have a reason to be alone at night, right? You’re not planning on taking a night walk, are you?”

A night walk, alone. What better bait could there be? Even in Belford, slave traders went after me when I was alone outside at night. They pounced without hesitation because they believed I had fallen into their trap.

Back then, a merchant working with the slave traders rented me a warehouse without a bathroom, hoping I’d leave to use the facilities at night. They even gifted me wine to make sure I’d drink before bed.

Unless they have similar certainty, the slave traders won’t act so easily. Given the influx of new Awakened in the area, they’re likely more cautious.

“I think these slave traders prefer to lure their targets rather than chase them. Just like how they block all paths out of the Beginner Village to force Awakened into specific routes. Even if I wander around, they won’t make a move.”

“So, we have to fall into their trap, at night, alone.”

Shin Youngho’s expression hardened.

“Are you worried they might not set up a trap at all?”

“More than that, what if they don’t set one at all? Aren’t you worried, Soul-ssi?”

“No need to worry. We’re already in their trap.”

“What?”

I gestured downward with both hands. Youngho and the others followed my gaze. Jjikjjiki, who had been curiously peeking out of my collar, also looked down before tumbling out. I quickly caught him.

“I don’t mean the floor.”

“You mean…?”

“Yes. This whole inn is their trap.”

“Impossible!”

According to the Merchant Caravan’s records, the slave traders launched their ship quarterly, staying at this inn each time. While reviewing those records, I noticed something odd—some guests who stayed at the inn during the traders’ visits didn’t have any departure records.

At first, I thought it was unrelated, but after witnessing the earlier incident, a possibility struck me: the innkeeper might be working with the slave traders.

“The innkeeper we saw earlier is likely in league with the slave traders. While the traders are here, they secretly provide rooms to hidden Awakened at a cheap price.”

To lure prey into a trap, the trap must first be empty. That’s why the innkeeper drove away other guests with excuses or high prices, leaving space for a ‘weak black-haired foreigner.’

“They’re probably busy planning to split us up right now. With the ship’s departure soon, they’ll act fast. Maybe even tonight.”

Knock, knock.

Someone came to the door. The Awakened turned to me, their faces pale as if they’d seen a ghost.

‘Perfect timing.’

I concealed Jjikjjiki in my arms and opened the door. Barely ten minutes since we’d settled in, the innkeeper stood there.
“We’re having a beer party for guests tonight in the first-floor dining hall. Interested?”

The bait had been set.

They were clearly startled that the “black-haired foreigner” could speak their language. Depending on my response, they’d decide whether to proceed with their plan or just let the night pass.

How could I answer to both make myself the sole target and not raise suspicion?

“My friends have an early schedule tomorrow, so they need to rest. Can I attend alone?”
“Schedule?”
“Monster hunting. Our party doesn’t drink before a hunt. But since I’m just the interpreter, I’m not hunting and can drink.”

I smiled brightly, packing my words with hidden meanings: “The rest are strong enough to hunt monsters around the harbor. Don’t bother them. I’m weak and just an interpreter. Easy target.”

“Hmm. Fine, follow me.”

Seems they decided it was safer to go after the easiest target than risk taking the whole group.

When I reached the first floor, a group of mercenaries was drinking. They glanced at me as I approached.

‘Hired by the slave traders?’

It was a modest “beer party,” but not bad for a hastily prepared trap.

“Here, drink up,” the innkeeper said, handing me a glass.

“Wake me up when we reach the destination, Jjikjiki,” I murmured, then downed the beer. Moments later, I collapsed into sleep.