Today was supposed to be the inn’s “cleaning day,” but before I could even drag myself out of bed, a commotion erupted downstairs.
“Hey, your tail’s crushing mine!” “Well, maybe if your ears weren’t so long, they wouldn’t be in my way!”
…I was wide awake in an instant.
I rushed downstairs and threw open the lobby doors—only to find the entire inn overrun by what looked like a monster convention. A small, dandelion-like spirit floated above the front desk, shouting, “Everyone, calm down! Today is our monthly [Monster Discount Day]! Please line up in order to claim your free stay vouchers and Emotional Baggage Points!”
I froze.
“Wait, since when did we have a ‘Discount Day’?”
The dandelion spirit turned to me with an innocent grin. “It’s part of the old owner’s system. You’re the new owner now, so of course you’ll keep the tradition going, right~?”
“Fine, but… what are ‘Emotional Baggage Points’?”
“Just like humans collect points for coffee, we monsters collect points for therapy~!” it said, as if it were the most natural thing. “Some grudges are too deep to resolve in one go, so we take it slow! Don’t humans have installment plans too?”
I was speechless.
“But why do so many have to come at once—”
Before I could finish, a kappa from the backyard came charging in with a ledger. “Boss! Boss! Our incense funds are about to go bankrupt! At least thirty monsters showed up today, and some are even demanding breakfast!”
I took a deep breath.
“…Breakfast costs extra, right?”
“A few say they’re VIP members.”
“There’s a membership system?!”
Just then, a small gray fox brushed against my leg, holding a yellowed card in its mouth. “I have an 800-year-old membership card. Can I upgrade to platinum?”
…
As I teetered on the edge of sanity, a familiar figure emerged from the corner of the lobby.
Tea Cat.
It stretched lazily, leaped onto my shoulder, and said in that half-bored, half-smug tone, “These guys… as long as you’re here, they’ll keep coming back.”
I gave a dry laugh.
“You mean… back for free stuff?”
“Well, yeah.” It licked its paw. “But some of them… are here to find something, too.”
I didn’t reply, just stood there in the middle of the monster-packed inn, watching them bicker and laugh in the chaos. Strangely, for the first time, I felt a weird sense of comfort.
Maybe this mess… was the natural order of things here.
ns216.73.216.168da2
and then Add to home screen.