"Wait, wait... two rooms?!" Cipher froze, stopping Aria. "What do you mean by 'two rooms'?"
Aria replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, you and I would share one, and Douglas and Feidric would share the other. It's the most cost-effective arrangement."
"But... we've only just met! Isn't that a bit awkward?" Cipher couldn't help but take a step back. She had only recently transformed into a girl and hadn't even fully explored her own body yet. Sleeping in the same room as another girl—whether she saw her or was seen by her—felt entirely inappropriate.
Seeing Cipher's flustered reaction, Douglas burst into laughter. "I never expected you to be so bashful, Cipher! I thought all Catfolk were supposed to be quite open-minded."
Aria hesitated. "Then... Sister Cipher, would you prefer to get your own room?"
Given the current situation, Aria would undoubtedly pay for the group's accommodations. If Cipher insisted on her own room, she would have to cover the cost herself. After all, she couldn't very well say to Aria, "Hmm, let's get three rooms. You can pay a little extra, okay?"
Cipher had only arrived in this world a few hours ago. She didn't even know what its currency looked like, let alone possess any. Her options were stark: sleep on the streets tonight or share a room with Aria.
Thinking it over, she reluctantly lowered her head and said, "Never mind... I don't have any money, so I'll have to crash in Aria's room."
The three onlookers clearly saw Cipher's cat ears droop limply as she spoke, her once-wagging tail now falling still against the ground.
So... so cute! Aria took a deep breath, barely restraining herself from rushing over to stroke Cipher's ears and tail.
"But you really don't have any money?" Feidric asked skeptically. "Seriously?"
"It's true!" Cipher replied, clasping her hands together and adopting the pitiful expression of a stray cat begging for adoption. "Could you lend me a little? Just enough for food. I'll pay you back when I get some!"
"I can't take it anymore!" Aria forced herself to turn away, terrified she'd lose control and pounce on the cat. After all, girls have little resistance to such adorable creatures!
Feidric, standing beside her, looked even more puzzled. He glanced at Cipher's expensive-looking clothes. How could someone who could afford such finery be broke?
Still, Cipher was only asking to "borrow money for a meal." Even with the Hero Party's tight finances, feeding one more cat wouldn't be a problem.
While Feidric pondered this mystery, Aria had already approached the front desk of the Adventurer's Guild to check them in. Cipher trailed behind her, racking her brain for a quick way to earn money.
Come to think of it, wouldn't it be easy for a thief to make money? Just steal it! Even though I haven't fully adjusted to this new body yet, my speed would let me snatch something and bolt before anyone could catch me.
But... she couldn't bring herself to do it. In her previous life, she'd been a law-abiding citizen. The thought of outright stealing money was simply unthinkable!
Cipher couldn't shake the image of the gaunt, sallow-faced commoners she had seen earlier. If ordinary people in this world were suffering so much, she found it even harder to bring herself to steal from them.
"Two standard rooms for one day will be four Silver Lions. Thank you for your patronage!" The receptionist accepted the four silver coins from Aria and handed over two keys.
Aria glanced at the key tags, marked "203" and "204," then turned to Douglas and Feidric. "I'll go check out the rooms on the second floor first."
"We'll wait for you here," Douglas waved dismissively, settling into an empty seat.
Aria headed upstairs to the second floor of the Adventurer's Guild, with Cipher trailing close behind, eager to see what an inn in this world looked like.
As Aria opened the door, Cipher quickly scanned the room. Her expression turned to one of mild disappointment. The space was barely thirty square meters, furnished only with two single beds, a small table and chairs, and a cramped private washroom.
The roughly hewn wooden floor was slightly uneven, and the furniture bore clear signs of wear. The linen sheets on the double bed felt stiff and scratchy. The only redeeming quality was that the room was relatively clean.
Yet Aria wore a satisfied expression. "Just as expected from the Adventurer's Guild lodgings! Two Silver Lions a day—what a bargain!"
Cipher asked, puzzled, "Is this considered good lodging here?"
Aria nodded emphatically. "Absolutely! I once stayed in an inn for the same price where the door was practically falling off its hinges. I was afraid I'd accidentally tear it down if I pushed too hard!"
As she spoke, Aria placed her luggage on the floor and began unpacking. Cipher wandered around the room and peeked into the small, separate washroom. Despite being called a washroom, it contained only a waist-high wooden tub and a chamber pot.
After all, this was a world of swords and magic, where the standard of living couldn't compare to Cipher's previous life. While adjusting to her new body, she would also need to adapt to this backward world.
Putting aside the lack of smartphones and the internet, the mere thought of bathing in a wooden tub, not knowing how to brush her teeth properly, and the likelihood of unappetizing food was enough to dampen Cipher's enthusiasm for her "transmigration."
With a sigh, her cat ears twitched. Suddenly, she overheard a conversation.
"Feidric, look at that female warrior! Her muscular chest and arms are as solid as stone—she's brimming with power. I really want to strike up a conversation!"
"Oh."
"And what about that staff member from earlier? Her petite figure and bashful expression were absolutely adorable, weren't they?"
"Mhm."
There was no doubt it was Douglas and Feina. Even at this distance, and despite Douglas's deliberate attempt to lower his voice, Cipher could hear them perfectly.
It had been the same when she first entered the town. She had effortlessly overheard a priest's prayers from hundreds of meters away. Are cat ears really this sensitive?! she wondered inwardly.