Quietly Hiding that I am a Man chapter 148- Fake Peace

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“500,000. Nothing less will do.”

At the innkeeper’s words, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

Bang!

I slammed my hand on the counter and gritted my teeth.

“What nonsense is this? Hey, 500,000 is practically a commoner’s monthly living expense!”

“I’m sorry, my lady. But as you probably know, there are no rooms available in inns these days. There might be guests willing to pay extra just to stay, so wouldn’t it be a loss for us to offer it at the regular price?”

This wasn’t just audacious business; it was downright absurd.

As I seethed, Luke stepped forward and handed money to the innkeeper.

The innkeeper’s eyes widened as he began rubbing his hands together.

“Oh my, isn’t this the hero of the Empire himself, Sir Luke!”

“The room key. Hand it over.”

“Of course, of course! Here you go!”

The innkeeper’s eagerness was so excessive it seemed like he might even offer up his liver if asked.

I couldn’t hold back a dry laugh.

As Luke took the room key from the innkeeper, our eyes met.

Clinging to a faint hope, I spoke with a pleading expression.

“Luke, you didn’t have to go that far for me…”

“What are you talking about? This is my room. Step aside.”

Clicking my tongue, I moved out of the way.

His tone was as cold as ever.

As he brushed past me, I leaned in and whispered in a subtle voice.

“Don’t forget. You promised me—you’d do anything I asked once we sealed the soul of the second divine beast.”

“…….”

“If you dare deny it now…”

“Fine.”

I froze at his unexpected response.

I’d anticipated he’d either deny it vehemently or blow up in frustration.

Instead, Luke nodded without hesitation.

With a frosty look, he glanced at me briefly before stepping forward.

“Let’s discuss this properly when we return to the capital. For now, excuse me.”

I had planned to tease him mercilessly, expecting him to be indignant, but his calm demeanor left me at a loss.

I muttered in a disgruntled tone, unsettled by the sudden change in his attitude.

“How boring.”

Even after we succeeded in purifying Belges’ soul, we couldn’t leave the southern region for a while.

Perhaps to cool down the heat, it rained incessantly for days, causing landslides that blocked the path back to the capital.

It would take at least three days for the roads to be cleared, and to make matters worse, this coincided with the holiday season, leaving us with no rooms in this tourist city.

In the end, Jerome and I scoured the area for rooms within the guild’s budget.

But every available room was outrageously overpriced.

For the cash-strapped Luna Guild, this was a crisis…

“Crisis? Nonsense. I’ll just cover it with my money.”

Jerome, who had silently listened to my lament, calmly pointed this out, banging his cup on the table before shaking his head.

Layla clicked her tongue and added her two cents.

“Jeanne is surprisingly stubborn.”

“Not surprisingly—blatantly. And incredibly stubborn, too.”

Jerome, rubbing his temples, shook his head with exasperation.

He and Layla argued we should pay extra for a room, but I refused to be swindled like that.

This wasn’t a noble’s retreat; it was an official guild mission.

Staying within the designated budget was part of guild operations.

Not to mention, the last thing I wanted was to reward greedy merchants exploiting travelers.

Layla laughed heartily.

“Guess there’s no choice. You can use my room. I’m competing in the sausage-eating contest at the tavern tonight anyway.”

“You and Carlisle… sometimes I wonder if you forget who you are.”

“Here’s the key.”

Handing Jerome the room key, Layla grabbed my drink and downed it in one go.

How she managed to drink that potent rum like water was beyond me.

Once the life of the group, Layla’s departure left an awkward silence lingering over the table.

Feeling queasy from drinking too much, I hunched over, clutching my stomach.

Jerome, who had been quietly watching me, muttered under his breath.

“What are you going to do about this?”

“…….”

“You can’t keep drinking every time we meet.”

His tone suggested he was well aware I was conscious of him.

Resting my forehead on the table, I barely managed to suppress the rising nausea.

The stench of alcohol clung to me with every exhale.

Unlike the boisterous chatter at the other tables, the space Jerome and I shared was heavy with silence.

Finally, I spoke in a subdued voice.

“If you’re doing this because I saved you, then stop.”

Jerome, after listening quietly, let out a soft laugh.

Raising two fingers, he gestured with a playful flick.

“Ah, there it is. I knew you’d twist the conversation like this. Go on, let’s hear it.”

“I didn’t save you to buy your pity. I acted on my own will, so don’t feel obligated. ‘You saved my life, so now I’ll give you my love.’ That kind of sentiment—it’s not for me.”

“No, love is all about responsibility.”

His words hit me like a brick.

Love wasn’t about passion or warmth but responsibility?

Was there anything less romantic?

Pouring himself a glass of water, Jerome continued.

“I do love you. But I still think love changes. Eternal, undying love? That’s as realistic as pigs flying.”

“…So, by that logic, your love for me will change someday too?”

“Who knows? It might.”

No matter how much he disliked idealism, his brutally honest words were harsh.

To someone like me, who believed wholeheartedly in eternal love, it felt like a betrayal.

If love changes, what can you rely on to even begin loving someone?

The alcohol muddled my thoughts, leaving me unusually sentimental.

Jerome, noticing my mood, slid a glass of water toward me.

“That’s why I’ll take responsibility for you.”

The glass came to a halt just before tipping over the edge of the table.

Responsibility and love—words that felt both close and distant.

My breathing grew heavier.

“Don’t say that so easily.”

The words escaped me, laced with frustration.

His perspective was impossible to follow.

Fixing him with a sharp glare, I sighed and continued.

“Responsibility? People abandon their own children. If it suits them, they look after themselves first—that’s human nature, a survival instinct.”

“…….”

“When you say you’ll take responsibility, it sounds more terrifying and distant to me. How can anyone take responsibility for another person? I’d rather you spout meaningless declarations of love like everyone else. At least then…”

As I trailed off, the image of my late father flashed through my mind.

My stomach churned violently, and I shut my mouth.

Resting my head in my hand, I avoided Jerome’s gaze as he leaned closer.

“You don’t have to worry about whether love will change. Love might change, or it might not. Either way, you’ll learn to like things, spend summers at resorts, and sometimes laugh until you cry.”

“…….”

“And I’ll always take care of you.”

The words I had longed to hear from my father came instead from Jerome’s lips.

Under the table, our knees bumped lightly.

Lowering his voice, Jerome murmured.

“Your husband’s being this sweet, yet you’re just going to keep drowning in booze?”

“You drank too.”

“Not enough to render myself… incapable.”

Startled by his suggestive remark, I glared at him, my face burning.

Jerome chuckled at my reaction, pulling me to my feet with an arm around my shoulders.

His hand felt warm against me.

It was going to be a long night.

✽ ✽ ✽

By the time we reached the inn, the rain had started pouring again.

Completely soaked, I ran inside.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but I couldn’t stop laughing.

Even Jerome’s usually unfunny jokes had me in stitches that day.

Clearly, I was in a heightened state.

At least, until the moment my hand brushed Jerome’s as he inserted the key into our room door.

Two people who had only recently confirmed their feelings for each other.

One of them, nearly drunk out of his mind, soaking wet from the unexpected downpour and looking like a drowned rat.

Even I, who was notoriously slow on the uptake, could guess where this scene was headed.

The difference was, this time, I didn’t mind the idea so much.

Behind me, I heard the quiet click of the door closing.

‘What am I supposed to say here?’

In movies, don’t they usually start making out right at the door?

So, should I be kissing him now?

No, wait, we’re both completely drenched.

Shouldn’t we shower first?

What if I’m the only one overthinking this, and Jerome doesn’t even have that in mind?

My thoughts spiraled as Jerome spoke in his usual calm voice.

“Stay right there.”

Jerome walked further into the room and came back with something in hand—a thick bath towel.

He began gently drying my rain-soaked hair, and as I watched him, I opened my mouth without thinking.

“You know, sometimes it feels like you want to lock me up in a house. Like, you’d feed me, dress me, and keep me there, making me look at you for the rest of my life. That’s what you want, isn’t it? That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”

“Turn around.”

The alcohol loosened my tongue, and words kept spilling out.

Even so, Jerome remained unfazed, giving a small nod as I reluctantly turned my back to him.

He continued drying my hair, and the warmth seeping through made my body relax.

My eyelids grew heavy, and to shake off the drowsiness, I let my wandering thoughts tumble out.

“When I was a kid, I used to play with friends until it was time to say goodbye. I hated that ‘goodbye’ part. Thinking back, I guess I always thought it felt too long compared to the good times we had.”

“…”

“So when you said you’d take responsibility for me, I was honestly a little happy. Love always leaves room for a goodbye, but responsibility doesn’t. It’s more like a decision than a feeling.”

The hand drying my hair paused mid-motion.

I turned to look at him slowly, seeing Jerome’s face illuminated by the firelight.

The dark, crimson desire simmering in his eyes made my breath hitch.

As if on cue, our bodies pressed together, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck.

A kiss, soft yet fervent, followed as I rose onto my tiptoes.

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