The awakened ones Soohyeok thought were out hunting were all actually gathered here.
Despite the chaotic, almost rowdy atmosphere that seemed indifferent to Soohyeok's entrance, the room wasn't filled with just low-ranked individuals. Among them, Soohyeok could sense powerful presences—strong enough to send a chill down his spine—even if they tried to blend in.
These figures, aware of Soohyeok's presence for just a moment, glanced at him briefly before turning their attention away. His aura and demeanor marked him as someone irrelevant to their concerns—at least in their eyes.
"No representatives from the Big Three Guilds… but still, it looks like they're waiting here for a chance to act first."
Soohyeok quickly grasped their intention.
Rumors about the magic artifact had already spread beyond the Big Three Guilds.
It likely wasn't something Oh Shinwoo intended. But with every guild keeping a close eye on the association and having their own intelligence networks, it was only natural. This was something even he couldn't prevent.
And that's exactly why this strange tension was hanging over the room now.
The Big Three Guilds operated on an entirely different level of influence.
They didn't just observe the Association—they had the power to sway it if they aligned their voices. If Soohyeok let his guard down, they might just snatch away this opportunity too.
That urgency—or perhaps inevitability—was what had drawn all these people to Tranon ahead of time.
They were staking their claim before the Association made a move, hoping to secure early access.
In such a competitive environment, Soohyeok, who wasn't from the Association or the Big Three, didn't attract any attention.
Had he been a complete no-name, maybe that would have been different. But none of these people recognized him.
Soohyeok let out a small sigh of relief, grateful that no one was watching him too closely.
"Are you here alone?"
A young man wearing a staff name tag approached him. His face showed signs of both urgency and fatigue.
"Yes."
"Ah… I see. As you can tell, the first floor is packed, and the second floor rooms are a bit more expensive. Wait, now that I think of it… the second floor's full too. That's tough. We didn't expect this kind of crowd all at once. Actually, the fourth and fifth floors are also booked solid. Honestly, you might be better off sleeping outside and checking in every morning…"
The employee let out a deep sigh.
He was probably working part-time at this frontier base, so it wasn't surprising he was worn down by the situation.
But for Soohyeok, none of it mattered.
"I'm heading to the third floor."
"Eh? The third floor is reservation-only. And it's the most expensive tier."
"Of course… Capitalism at its finest."
The building looked medieval on the outside, but inside, it ran on pure modern capitalism.
The young staff member gave a sheepish laugh at Soohyeok's dry remark.
"The third floor's really nice, though. Each room is a soundproof private space, magically enhanced. Important people or high-ranking guests tend to use them. Some folks go up there just out of curiosity, but yeah—reservation only. I'd have to check the schedule first…"
"I have someone waiting for me."
"Oh? You're with someone who made a reservation? You should've said so earlier! What's your name? Wait, actually—this way please."
Rattling off his words quickly, the staff member squeezed between people and led Soohyeok to a wooden counter.
Behind the counter were piles of paperwork and what looked like handwritten ledgers. The young man pulled out a yellow notebook, flipped through it, then looked up.
"Your name, sir?"
"Yang Soohyeok."
"Yang Soohyeok… Yang… Yang… Ah! Mr. Yang Soohyeok! You're already reserved under your own name. Did someone else book this for you?"
"…Probably."
"Your companion's already here. It hasn't been long—they're waiting for you. Let me escort you personally. I'm Kim Jiwoong, your assigned attendant."
Kim Jiwoon, now clearly energized, led the way to the stairs.
"Looks like he personally handles the third-floor guests."
There were other staff working busily on the first floor, but it seemed Jiwoong preferred being assigned to the quieter, more exclusive third level. With fewer guests to manage and more privacy, it was clearly the better post.
The ceilings were high, so the staircase was fairly long—but naturally, Soohyeok, being an awakened, wasn't tired in the slightest.
Kim Jiwoon also seemed to be an awakened, albeit a low-tier one. Understandable—no frontier inn would hire regular humans in a place like this.
"This is the second floor. As you can see, it's more secluded than the first, and the seating is limited. Still noisy though. But the big upside is the magic network—you can use magic-based internet services here."
"Magic network?" Soohyeok raised an eyebrow.
"Yes! It's partially connected to Earth, so you can access the internet and a few services. Honestly, most mid-tier awakened prefer the second floor. It's not that much more expensive than the first, and you can spend time alone online."
Despite the crowd, the second floor was noticeably quieter than the first.
"Of course, the third floor also has magic network access. Unfortunately, the fourth and fifth floors don't. The signal just doesn't reach well past the third floor…"
He paused for emphasis.
"There are also rooms on the third floor where you can sleep—one of them's yours, by the way."
Just as Jiwoon wrapped up his explanation, they arrived at the third floor.
Unlike the first and second floors, the third level was sealed off—no open view of the interior.
Instead, a small doorway stood before them, guarded by two burly men on either side.
"Guest for the third floor. Please open the door."
At Kim Jiwoon's words, the two guards silently nodded and opened the door.
The inside revealed a long hallway, lined with doors on either side—clearly individual rooms.
But the atmosphere was entirely different from the first and second floors.
The reason was obvious.
"Is that… calfskin on the walls? Seriously, capitalism."
Spaces used by the wealthy always looked and felt different. That much was clear.
Although Soohyeok hadn't paid a single cent—this whole arrangement courtesy of Oh Shinwoo—he couldn't help feeling a bit awkward and undeserving of the luxury.
But the moment he remembered who he was meeting, all those feelings vanished.
"An elf."
Members of other races naturally stood out.
Thinking of this as a gesture not toward him, but toward an elven guest, made the setting feel less uncomfortable.
"Right this way."
Kim Jiwoon bowed slightly, motioning for Soohyeok to follow him into the corridor.
As they entered and the door closed behind them, Soohyeok noticed something striking: total silence.
All the noise from below had disappeared.
It was clear now—this entire floor was magically isolated from the rest.
The treatment was on another level.
"Your room is a little further in. This way."
With an even warmer tone, Kim Jiwoon led Soohyeok deeper into the quiet corridor.
Room 328.
"You'll be staying here. I'll be waiting outside, so if you need anything, just press the button inside the room."
With another polite bow, Kim Jiwoon opened the door.
Soohyeok, still not used to being treated like this, stepped in—only to freeze the moment he saw who was inside.
Seated at the table, cloaked in a deep hood, was a figure he hadn't expected.
As if drawn in, Soohyeok moved forward, the door closing behind him with a soft clack. Silence returned.
Now inside this completely sealed space, he asked softly:
"Shahar?"
A light, familiar fragrance teased his nose—sharp and sweet, something he remembered from Shahar.
But it wasn't exactly the same.
There was something cold about this version. Distinct. Sharper.
Rustle.
The figure pulled back her hood.
The face was not Shahar's.
Golden hair and piercing black eyes—a stark contrast that formed a striking, severe beauty.
Her expression was rigid.
Nothing like Shahar, who always wore an awkward little smile.
This woman stood, and with practiced grace, lifted her cape like a gown, offering a courteous bow.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Seriniel El, second disciple of Master Kal Elluriath, First Finger of the Elven High Court."
"I have heard much about you, Warrior Yang Soohyeok. They say you are brave, honorable, and destined to become a great champion. I'm honored to meet you."
Her voice was slow and calm.
Not hesitant—emotionless.
That was Soohyeok's honest impression: calm, clear, and yet almost robotic. Void of feeling.
He didn't respond right away.
And in that moment of silence, Seriniel's expression finally changed.
She blushed.
Visibly.
Her skin, pale as snow, flushed red so clearly it couldn't be missed.
"I apologize. I'm not very good at… interacting with others. If I made you uncomfortable, please forgive me."
Her tone was still cool, but her trembling gaze and flushed cheeks said otherwise.
Soohyeok was understandably caught off guard.
"No, no need to apologize. You haven't done anything wrong."
"But if I caused displeasure to a future great warrior…"
"Not at all. Seriously, not even a little. Please, sit. And stop worrying about it."
"…Ah."
Seriniel let out a tiny, breathy sound and sat down slowly as Soohyeok took his seat across from her.
Another silence followed.
Neither of them could meet the other's eyes.
"Why is this so awkward…" Soohyeok thought, shifting his gaze.
That's when he noticed a tea set on the table—an elegant teapot and matching cups, decorated in delicate gold filigree, like something from a European noble's estate.
He lifted the teapot and poured himself a cup.
A clean, crisp aroma instantly cleared his mind.
"Oh… this is…"
Across from him, Seriniel also raised her cup and spoke:
"It's Goldmoon tea, brewed from leaves cultivated directly by the Elain tribe. I heard it's quite difficult to obtain on Earth, so I had it brought here especially for you. Though, the one who brewed it is human—staff of this building—but… their skill is acceptable."
"Wait, this is the Goldmoon?"
Soohyeok had heard of it.
A legendary tea from the Elain elves—worth more per gram than gold.
Among tea connoisseurs on Earth, it was known as "the tear of the goddess."
And now, here it was, being served to him.
"Wow… this is what it feels like to suddenly rise in the world…"
He took another sip and quietly savored it—grateful, bewildered, and very aware that his journey was only just beginning.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]