The inn had fallen into an unusual silence as the late hours of night stretched quietly over the village. The lively murmurs that once filled the wooden halls during dinner had long since faded, leaving only the faint creaking of aged beams and the occasional whisper of wind brushing against the outer walls.
Lanterns burned low, their dim golden light flickering gently as shadows stretched thin across the narrow corridors. The quiet atmosphere carried a strange stillness, as though even the air itself hesitated to disturb the heavy calm that had settled over the building.
Behind the counter, the old woman innkeeper remained awake.
Her expression was far from peaceful.
Her lips pressed tightly together as irritation simmered visibly across her wrinkled face, her fingers tapping impatiently against the wooden surface before she finally stepped away with a quiet scoff.
"That slutty woman…" she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with lingering offense.
