3,792,080.
What is this number?
This is the amount currently remaining in my account.
After paying all the Duke's bills, I only have 3.79 million trillion left.
This wasn't enough to buy a house – I had to worry about paying the accommodation fee for the month.
Sure, I'll soon have some new revenue and profits from blackout curtain sales, but...
The problem was that I did not want to live a life where I depended only on my monthly salary!
“Haaa…”
A long sigh rose from within me.
“Why do you sigh so much?”
Thanks to you.
I stared silently at my hateful and greedy employer.
It was so unfair – while I had my bank account dry, someone here had nothing but free time.
“You'll hurt your eyes doing that.”
“……”
“The princess's eyes are a delicate blue.”
What?
This completely surprised me. Especially since I was busy thinking about how sharp his jaw was or how beautiful his eyes were.
I felt confused, so I quickly turned around and answered stammering, and I felt my face getting hotter.
“…This is too much.”
“What is the maximum?”
“Well, it's... hmmm...”
You've bankrupted me!
But I couldn't say it out loud, especially since I was still treated like a member of the royal family in the Duke's Palace, and nothing in my lifestyle had really changed.
However, I couldn't deny the bitter feeling of losing the money I had worked so hard to earn.
So, yeah, I was a little annoyed with the Duke.
“Hmm. You don't seem to want to say that.”
He leaned back with an indifferent expression and added, “There is no need to camp tonight. We will arrive at the village soon and will stay at an inn.”
My ears perked up.
"and…?"
“Liam says the roast duck leg they serve at the inn is absolutely amazing.”
Oh, my God! This looks great.
After days of munching on dry, tough bacon, my soul longed for something more comforting.
Now, well after lunchtime, I felt hungry.
Grrr…
The quiet rumbling of my stomach sparked a slight smile on the Duke's lips.
“I will pay.”
I had 3.79 million coins left. I could have easily bought a roast duck leg myself.
But instead of refusing, I nodded enthusiastically.
Thank you...I will enjoy it.
Why do we reject free food?
I can even consider this as getting some of my money back after what he took. There was no reason to refuse.
Even if it makes me feel a little sorry for myself.
“But there is one condition.”
“Huh.”
Is there a condition for inviting me to dinner?
Since it was the Duke, I decided to listen to him.
“When we arrive, you will follow these instructions.”
"instructions?"
“Yes. It is modeled after the safety guidelines in ‘Safety Rules for Writing Horror Stories,’ which is the story I worked on.”
How kind!
I accepted the manuscript he handed me in silence. Its content was as follows:
Turtle Express Hotel Instructions
Welcome to the famous “Quick Tortoise Inn” hotel in the quiet village of Traja.
This guide has been prepared to ensure a comfortable and safe stay at the hostel.
Do not let employees see that you have these instructions. The author assumes no responsibility for any problems resulting from not following these rules.
1. If you find a foreign object in your food, pretend you didn't see it.
Most small lodges in remote villages suffer from poor hygiene due to limited resources. Complaining about the chef and her staff can be very offensive.
2. Do not drink any drinks provided by the hostel.
As mentioned earlier, the level of cleanliness in the hostel is low. Drinking any unboiled liquids may lead to stomach problems, vomiting, or chills.
3. Ignore children or elderly people who ask for help.
Strangers often arouse suspicion when they interact with villagers. So, politely decline any requests for help.
4. Close the door tightly, but keep the window slightly open.
Dust accumulates in the old hostel rooms. So, keeping the window partially open allows for proper ventilation.
5. If a black-haired employee offers to guide you to the exit, follow him immediately.
Escort them quickly before other employees start to notice.
.
.
…
What is this?
I read it, feeling confused, then I shrugged.
“…It doesn’t seem too difficult. Sure, I’ll follow it.”
All I wanted now was to lie down on a proper bed.
After four days of traveling to the capital, it was found that the magic teleportation circuit to the city was undergoing maintenance, forcing us to take the land route.
The Duke's carriage was comfortable enough, but I was starting to get bored of it.
Camping is no longer fun after the first day or two.
Just the thought of sleeping under a roof again lifted my spirits.
Even the Duke, who had been annoying me all this trip, now seemed more tolerable.
At that moment, a knight called from outside.
“We have arrived at Traja Village!”
She pulled down the carriage's blackout curtain and opened the small side window. Smoke was rising from behind the hill.
Our vehicle picked up speed and soon stopped.
Finally, we're here. The village where I will have to follow the Duke's strange instructions.
* * *
“Hmm?”
Why did I feel chills standing in front of the inn that was supposed to give me peace and comfort?
I instinctively looked at the Duke, but he kept staring straight ahead as if nothing was wrong.
“Aren't you going to come in?”
"…Yes."
I suddenly realized that I was standing next to him, still holding his elbow.
"Sorry!"
I quickly stepped back as if I had been burned, and the heat in my face reappeared.
Then he added in his cheerful voice.
"No need to apologise. You can count on me, knowing that I may charge for escort services."
"…seriously?"
“Mingles.”
It didn't seem like a joke.
She ignored the sincerity of his tone and entered the inn.
While the Duke was talking with the knights, Bonita, who was cleaning, approached me.
“This village disgusts me, miss.”
"truly?"
"Yes. Something is suspicious. Where are the city guards?"
Small villages didn't always have their own guards, so it wasn't strange.
“What else seems strange?”
“There are no children.”
I remembered the instructions.
Have you seen any elderly person?
“Now that you mention it, I haven't seen any old people either.”
“Hmm.”
I thought about the Duke's knights stationed behind us, then shook my head.
“With this many knights, nothing will happen.”
"Right. Let's go in, miss!"
Fortunately, the inn, located near the center of the village, was empty.
Despite the strange atmosphere outside, the innkeeper was plump and friendly, and agreed to rent the entire place to the duke's party at a discounted price.
But when the food arrived, the real challenge of following directions began.