Chapter 342: 342. Scammed into Living in an Inn
"Hehe, then you came to the right place. You don't need to leave." The little lady smiled and continued, "Tai Inns is made to accommodate people from all three domains, so you can definitely stay here."
Orion was surprised. After living in the three domains for so long, he had some understanding of the people from the Martial Domain, and one word could describe them all: 'arrogant.'
They were so arrogant that they even wanted to combine the three domains into one, believing only the Martial Domain had what it took to rule them. They felt that, with the strength possessed by the Martial Domain, they should rightfully govern all three domains.
However, their ambitions were shattered when the Archons refused their proposal outright. It was a direct and flat rejection from the Archons.
Orion had believed that, given their arrogance, the people from the Martial Domain would surely not want to live alongside those from the other two domains in the same building—or, one might say, they wouldn't want people from the other two domains in buildings owned by them.
That was why Orion tried to leave as soon as he realized he had stumbled onto Martial Domain property.
"No, I—I feel like I should really leave." Orion declined her offer. "My friends are waiting for me outside."
"Why look for another place to stay when you can live here for free for as long as you want?" The little lady asked, her face full of confusion.
Orion was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that he could stay here for free indefinitely. It sounded too much like a scam, like a witch trying to lure a test subject to live with her by offering free meals, only to experiment on them later.
'Is this inn a scam or what?' Orion cursed his luck for getting into another ridiculous situation.
"I—I really don't feel like I should stay here," Orion said hesitantly.
"You mean you won't stay?" The little lady's expression drastically changed from excitement to sadness, and it looked like she might cry if Orion continued to refuse.
'Damn! Is this emotional blackmail?' Orion cursed the Tai Inns' owner for seven generations.
"It's not that I don't want to stay," Orion explained simply, hoping she'd let him go without crying. "It's just that I think my friends outside might have already booked a place for me."
But his hopes were crushed.
The moment he said those words, she started crying, and she cried hard.
"Wuuuu...wuuuu...wuuu!"
Orion almost lost his mind at the sight.
"Hey, hey, stop crying! I'll stay at this inn, alright?" Orion reassured her, patting her head.
"Really?" The little lady looked at him with big, round eyes full of hope and expectations.
"I'm sure," Orion replied, gritting his teeth. He couldn't believe he had agreed to stay just because she started crying.
'Ah, damn it!' he cursed himself and sighed at the situation.
"Alright, let me take you to your courtyard!" The little lady became joyful and excited again as she led him down a corridor to a door marked with the number 99.
"This is where you'll stay," the little lady said, placing her hands on her hips. "If you need anything, just find me at the front, and I'll see what I can do."
Orion nodded, crying inside.
"Alright, I'll go now. There are many more customers to scam— I mean, invite in." The little lady stuck her tongue out when she realized her slip-up and ran off quickly.
Orion trembled when he heard her.
"Damn it!"
He cursed aloud but sighed in the end. He thought that staying here for free for however long he wanted wasn't a bad deal. In fact, he was the one benefiting, so it seemed fine as long as the people from the Martial Domain didn't go crazy.
'A place is a place. It doesn't matter where I stay.'
Orion thought as he opened the door and stepped inside.
What appeared before him was a room unlike anything he'd seen before. It was made entirely of wood. The doors, the floor, the ceiling, and the walls—all of it was wooden.
However, that wasn't what caught Orion's attention.
There was a sliding door left ajar, and beyond it, a serene landscape unfolded. A tree with delicate pink leaves stood at the center, its branches swaying gently in the breeze. The soft wind carried the leaves away, scattering them like petals in all directions.
In the distance, a towering mountain rose majestically, a waterfall cascading down its rocky surface, its sound barely audible from this distance. The base of the mountain was adorned with a sea of vibrant flowers and trees, adding splashes of color to the scene.
It was so peaceful and beautiful that Orion felt himself completely absorbed, momentarily lost in the tranquility of the world before him.
"Wow, wonderful," Orion's eyes sparkled with awe as he felt the tranquility and calmness of the courtyard, yet he also felt a sense of excitement. He wanted to go there and lie on the ground, feeling the wind and witnessing the scene with his own eyes.
Without wasting any time, he headed straight to the courtyard. Upon arriving, he stood there, enjoying the calmness and tranquility of the space.
'This is so cool!'
Orion silently exclaimed as he calmed himself down.
"I wonder why the other two domains don't have anything like this." He muttered to himself, looking around the courtyard, silently appreciating its beauty.
"I'll leave for now," Orion said after exploring the courtyard. "And come back when I have more free time in the three domains."
He calculated silently, believing that night had already fallen across the three domains.
'But before I leave, let's check out my Divine Soul...'
Orion thought excitedly as he drew his sword, gripping it with both hands.
"Divine Soul, come out!"
Bang!
The ground beneath him instantly splintered and cracked, sending jagged fragments flying in all directions. In an instant, a fierce storm surged, its winds howling as if tearing through the heavens.
Yet, just as quickly as it had erupted, the storm seemed to pause, as if an unseen force had seized control.
The raging winds died down, the debris settled, and an eerie calm enveloped the area, leaving only the shattered ground as evidence of the chaos that had almost been unleashed.
'That was too powerful.'
Orion was shocked and astonished by the strength of his Divine Soul. He had only summoned it for a moment, yet it caused so much damage without even fully manifesting into his sword.
He had to stop the manifestation process immediately when he realized the strength behind his Divine Soul. Summoning it here could potentially destroy the entire place, so he held himself back.
'Looks like I can only summon my Divine Soul in the wild.'
Orion sighed, sheathed his sword, and vanished from the courtyard.
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