Morning arrived quietly.
Soft golden sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the inn room, spilling across the wooden floor in gentle streaks. Dust motes drifted lazily in the light, floating through the still air like tiny stars.
For a moment, everything was peaceful.
Vael stirred first.
She shifted slightly under the blankets, stretching one arm above her head as she slowly woke from sleep. Her body felt warm, the lingering comfort of the shared blankets making it difficult to move. A quiet yawn escaped her lips as she blinked groggily at the ceiling.
Something felt… off.
Her brow furrowed slightly.
Normally, mornings were noisy. There was usually someone moving, muttering, or arguing about something trivial.
But today, the room felt strangely quiet.
Vael rubbed one eye lazily before glancing to the side.
Then she froze.
The spot beside her was empty.
Completely empty.
Her expression shifted from sleepy confusion to mild curiosity.
"Huh?"
Across the bed, Mei began to stir as well.
She slowly pushed herself upright, her long hair messy from sleep as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. Her voice came out soft and groggy.
"Morning already…?"
Her gaze drifted around the room as her mind slowly caught up with reality.
Beside her, Eryndra shifted beneath the blankets. The dark-haired woman let out a quiet yawn, her eyes still closed as she buried her face deeper into the pillow.
"Reider, shut up…" she mumbled sleepily. "I'm still… sleeping…"
Vael and Mei both turned to look at her.
Then they looked back at the empty space between them.
Then back at each other.
A quiet moment of realization passed between them.
Vael blinked.
"Wait," she said slowly.
Her eyes scanned the room.
"Where's Reider?"
That was enough to wake Eryndra instantly.
Her eyes snapped open.
"…He left us?"
Silence fell over the room.
For a few seconds, none of them spoke. They simply processed the situation, their minds slowly putting the pieces together.
The bed was messy.
The blankets were tangled.
All three of them were still there.
But Reider… was gone.
Another quiet moment passed.
Then Vael's lips slowly curled upward.
"Oh."
She leaned back slightly, resting her chin in her hand as a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.
"Awwww," she said sweetly.
Her gaze shifted toward Mei.
"I didn't know you liked sneaking into bed with him too."
Mei froze.
Her brain stalled for half a second.
Then her face exploded into bright red.
"I—I did NOT sneak in!" she blurted, immediately flustered. "I was already here!"
Vael raised one eyebrow slowly.
The smirk on her face widened.
"So you invited us, then?"
Mei opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"No! That's not what I—"
Before she could finish, Eryndra leaned forward with a sly grin spreading across her face.
"Oh?" she said teasingly. "So you wanted all of us to sleep together?"
Mei looked like she was about to combust.
Her hands flailed in the air as she tried desperately to explain herself.
"NO! I just—I mean—it was cold! And we all just—GAAAAAH!"
Her sentence completely collapsed under the pressure of embarrassment.
Vael sighed dramatically, placing a hand against her chest like she'd just been wounded.
"To think," she said with theatrical sadness, "that the innocent Mei was secretly plotting to steal Reider all for herself…"
That was the final straw.
Mei grabbed the nearest pillow and swung it with all the fury of a humiliated woman.
"STOP SAYING THAT!"
Vael dodged easily, leaning back just enough for the pillow to fly past her face.
She burst into laughter.
Eryndra watched the scene with amusement before crossing her arms thoughtfully.
"Hmm…" she said, pretending to consider something important.
"But if Reider isn't here…"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Does that mean we can't use him as a pillow anymore?"
Vael grinned immediately.
"That's the real tragedy here."
Mei glared at both of them, still red-faced.
"You guys are ridiculous."
Eryndra leaned back comfortably against the headboard, a smug smile resting on her lips.
"Come on, Mei," she said. "Admit it."
Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
"You liked it, didn't you?"
Mei immediately turned her face away.
"…I'm not answering that."
Vael nudged Eryndra with her elbow.
"She totally liked it."
Eryndra nodded.
"Yup."
Mei groaned loudly and pulled the blanket over her head like she was trying to escape the conversation entirely.
"I hate you both."
Vael leaned over the blanket pile, grinning.
"That's okay," she said casually.
"Reider likes us all equally~"
Eryndra crossed her arms.
Her smirk returned instantly.
"Yeah," she added. "But who does he like waking up next to the most?"
She tilted her head.
"That's the real question."
The blanket shifted.
Mei peeked out slowly, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"And why do I feel like you're both trying to make this a competition?"
Vael and Eryndra glanced at each other.
A silent understanding passed between them.
Then they both shrugged at the same time.
"…No reason."
Mei sighed deeply.
She dropped her face into her hands.
"I should've just slept on the floor."
Vael reached over and patted her shoulder teasingly.
"No way, Mei. We're all in this together now."
Eryndra chuckled.
"Yeah," she added. "Besides, you'd just crawl back into bed when you got cold anyway~"
Mei grabbed another pillow instantly.
Her arm pulled back.
"YOU TWO—"
The door creaked open.
All three girls froze mid-motion.
Their heads turned toward the doorway simultaneously.
Standing there was Reider.
He looked completely calm.
Completely unaware of the battlefield he had just walked into.
His eyes moved slowly across the room, taking in the tangled blankets, scattered pillows, and three women in various stages of chaos.
He tilted his head slightly.
"…Why are you all fighting with pillows?"
The girls froze.
Then, almost instantly, they all pointed at each other.
"SHE STARTED IT!"
Reider stared at them.
His arms slowly crossed over his chest.
"…You know," he said flatly, "for people who keep calling me immature…"
His eyes swept across the room.
"You guys sure act like children."
Vael simply grinned.
She tossed her pillow aside and stretched lazily.
"Oh, lighten up, Reider," she said.
"We were just bonding~"
Eryndra nodded.
"Yeah," she added.
"We were discussing important things."
Her smirk returned.
"Like who gets to sleep next to you more."
Mei's face instantly turned red again.
"That's NOT what we were talking about!"
Reider sighed.
He rubbed his temple slowly like someone dealing with an unavoidable headache.
"Okay," he said firmly.
"That's it."
His voice turned decisive.
"You three need to find something to do without me today."
Vael tilted her head with a playful pout.
"Aww," she said dramatically.
"Are you breaking up with us already?"
Reider gave her the flattest look imaginable.
"I was never with you in the first place."
Eryndra nudged Vael with her elbow.
"Oof."
"That's cold."
Vael clutched her chest like she'd been stabbed.
"Betrayal!"
She gasped dramatically.
"After all we've been through!"
Reider ignored her entirely.
He turned toward the door.
"Go shopping. Explore. Do something."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Just leave me out of it."
Mei frowned slightly.
"Where are you going?"
Reider paused in the doorway.
He glanced back over his shoulder.
"To talk to Sylva."
His tone remained calm.
"Alone."
Vael crossed her arms.
Her expression turned slightly skeptical.
"That demon girl we kidnapped?"
Eryndra shrugged.
"Can't say I trust her."
She leaned forward.
"Want me to come?"
Reider shook his head immediately.
"No."
"If she tries something…"
His voice was calm.
"I'll handle it."
Mei leaned back with a sigh.
"Fine, fine."
She crossed her arms.
"But if you end up tied up in some underground dungeon, don't expect us to save you immediately."
Reider blinked.
He turned slowly.
"…Why does your mind always go to weird scenarios?"
Mei huffed.
"It's a valid concern!"
Behind her, Vael leaned toward Eryndra and whispered quietly.
"Think she just doesn't want him talking to another girl?"
Eryndra smirked.
"Jealousy?"
"Maybe~"
Mei spun around instantly.
"I heard that!"
Reider pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Why am I surrounded by lunatics…?"
Finally, he stepped into the hallway.
The door closed behind him with a quiet click.
"Try not to burn the inn down while I'm gone."
Silence returned to the room.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then Vael stretched and climbed out of the bed.
"Well, ladies," she said casually.
"Since we've been abandoned…"
She smiled mischievously.
"What should we do?"
Eryndra tapped her chin thoughtfully.
Then she grinned.
"Reider said to go shopping."
Her smile widened.
"Let's spend all his money."
Mei's eyes widened in horror.
"We can't just waste his money!"
Vael and Eryndra looked at each other.
A dangerous idea passed between them.
They both smiled.
Vael wrapped an arm around Mei's shoulders.
"Relax, Mei~"
"It's our money too now."
She winked.
"He did say he'd take care of us."
Mei looked extremely conflicted.
Her fingers tightened around the purse she was holding.
"But…!"
Before she could protest further, Eryndra grabbed her wrist.
"Come on!"
She pulled Mei toward the door.
"Let's at least look at what they have!"
Mei sighed in defeat as she was dragged along.
"This feels morally wrong…"
Vael laughed.
"If it makes you feel better," she said, opening the door—
"We'll only spend a little."
Meanwhile…
Down the hallway…
Reider walked quietly through the inn corridor.
For the first time all morning, the noise behind him had disappeared.
No arguing.
No teasing.
No pillow fights.
Just silence.
He exhaled slowly.
"Finally…"
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"…some quiet."