The lizardman's eyes widened. He glanced down at the floor beneath his feet, then around him, visibly tense. He didn't touch his axe, but his caution was clear.
"The inn is alive?" he asked.
Luke nodded slowly, choosing words that wouldn't spark panic. He explained that Arx wasn't just a building shaped like an inn, but something conscious and protective. As long as guests followed the rules, they would be completely safe within its walls.
Millie furrowed her brows, not frightened, quicker to understand than Gralk. "A mimic. You've bonded with a mimic inn."
"That's right."
She laughed lightly, then looked at Luke with an unreadable expression. "You are either very brave or very foolish, innkeeper."
Luke only gave a thin smile.
Gralk weighed his room token, then said, "Show us these dimensional rooms. If they're not as good as you claim, I'm asking for a refund."
"Fair enough," Luke answered calmly, then turned to Nyx. "Nyx, can you show our guests to their rooms?"
Nyx nodded and guided them upstairs. Once their footsteps faded on the stairs, Luke finally exhaled the long breath he'd been holding, relieved, but his mind immediately raced elsewhere.
He walked toward the kitchen, then stopped midway, as if suddenly remembering something.
The inn would start receiving guests regularly now, and Nyx was technically official staff.
Luke opened the inn supplies storage dimension panel with practiced ease, accessing the catalog of equipment. There were various staff uniforms, from neat and functional to some far too attention-grabbing for his taste.
He grimaced, then chose a simple maid outfit for women in classic black and white, knee-length skirt, long sleeves. Covered and practical, not flashy, safe enough so Nyx wouldn't be harassed by guests.
"This will do," he muttered to himself.
He picked a neater set for his own attire, confirmed the purchase, and closed the panel before his eyes could wander to other women's outfits clearly designed for different purposes.
—
A while later, quick footsteps sounded from the stairs, and Nyx appeared with a bright face and sparkling eyes, carrying something clearly not part of the package.
"Luke!" she said excitedly. "You won't believe this!"
Before Luke could ask, Nyx had already pulled several sets of clothes from her storage and laid them on the table. There was the uniform he had bought, but beside it was another far bolder one.
The skirt was shorter, the top tighter, and the fabric clearly designed to highlight a woman's curves, not hide them. Even a small ribbon that was utterly unnecessary.
Luke stared at the uniform, then at Nyx, who looked at him with eager eyes. "…NO."
She froze, blinking once, then asked, "What do you mean, no?"
"That one is not happening," he said firmly, pointing at the more revealing uniform. "I bought the other one. The normal one."
Nyx crossed her arms over her chest, now fuller and challenging, her tail swaying behind her in annoyance. "You bought a maid outfit. The system showed me options."
"It's not appropriate," Luke shot back quickly. "We're running an inn, not~"
"Not what?" Nyx tilted her head slightly. "Guests like good service. And presentation matters."
Luke rubbed his temples, frustrated that the girl could now argue back. "That presentation is going to get us the wrong kind of attention."
Nyx lifted the bolder uniform against her body and spun slightly. "You don't like it?"
"It's not about liking it," Luke replied, his mind drifting to thoughts he shouldn't have, quickly pushing them away. "…Okay, it is, but that's not the point."
She grinned widely, clearly enjoying his reaction. "So you do notice."
Luke sighed deeply. "Nyx…"
"Luke…"
They stared at each other for several seconds, the atmosphere turning awkward, but strangely not unpleasant.
Finally, Luke half-surrendered. "Fine. We compromise."
Nyx raised an eyebrow curiously. "How?"
"We'll use the middle version," he said. "Not the conservative one, and not the… other one."
She thought for a moment, then smiled in satisfaction. "Deal."
Nyx returned the clothes to storage, leaving one set that truly sat between the two extremes. Still proper, professional-looking, but clearly showing her succubus side, the species of tempters.
As she went to change, Luke stood alone in the kitchen, staring blankly at the table where Nyx's clothes had been.
"Shut up," Luke said.
the inn replied, sounding like it was chuckling.
Just then, Nyx returned. Luke turned, then caught his breath at the sight of her.
The uniform fit perfectly, not excessive, but enough to make anyone realize Nyx was no ordinary servant. She spun slightly, the skirt above her knees swaying gently.
"Well?" she asked.
Luke snapped out of it, cleared his throat, and looked away. "It's… acceptable."
Nyx chuckled softly. "That's not what your face says."
"Huh! I'm surrounded by traitors," Luke grumbled, forcing himself to focus on anything else. Anything but the succubus in that outfit.
"We should start preparing lunch. Gralk and Millie will probably be hungry after their journey," he said, shifting the conversation.
Nyx nodded, stepping to the kitchen sink with newfound confidence. The uniform swayed with every movement, and Luke tried to pretend not to notice. He pulled ingredients from storage with unnecessary force, then calmed himself and refocused.
They worked side by side preparing food, the silence different than usual. Not awkward, but tense.
Luke caught himself glancing from the corner of his eye several times, then quickly chopped vegetables. He was being ridiculous, Nyx was his staff. Nothing more.
'You're thinking very loudly,' Nyx's voice teased in his head.
He nearly cut his hand at the sound. 'I am not.'
'Your emotions are all over the place. I can feel them through the bond.'
Damn. He had forgotten about the bond. Luke took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
'Sorry,' he replied after a while. 'Still adjusting to everything…'
'It's okay. I know this is weird for both of us,' Nyx's voice was softer now.
Luke nodded slightly. Everything about their lives now was strange. A human and a demon magically bound, running an inn for monsters, living inside a building that was alive. Strange didn't even begin to cover it.
But strange didn't always mean bad, and he was starting to understand that. This world had its own rules, and fighting them would only make things harder. Better to accept, and move forward.