Finally, Root was visible from the small hill we stood on. From what I can see, it's a decent-size town, with a lot of houses, and just enough tall structures. Unlike the usual villages which were usually only protected by thin fences, it was surrounded with thick stone walls. I can also see some defensive outpost here and there, and there seems to be multiple gates around it which we could enter. It wasn't as protected as the bigger cities, but it's sure to repel any weaker monsters that might come to attack.
"Ah... We're here already..." Fin mutters, staring at the town with an unusual dissatisfied look on his face.
"What's wrong, Fin?" curious, I asked.
"I-It's nothing, Eria-sama..."
"Is that so? Then..."
Excited, I went and walked ahead, only gesturing for Fin to follow. Like that, he came back to his usual self, and hurriedly tried to keep up. I'm still worried about him, but we have to keep moving.
With Fin being a noble, he was able to pass the gate without any issue. The guards also did not stop me for anything. Seeing my race was an elf, they even gladly welcomed me in.
"Hmmph! Finally!" I shouted with a stretch of my arms.
"I've never seen Eria-sama so excited like this... Is she really that happy to separate with me...?"
"I'm going to look for an inn to stay at. What about you, Fin?"
I don't know what he's thinking, but Fin looked pale. I think he said something earlier, but I didn't really hear it. Fin was supposed to stay with me until we get here in Root. He's still a student at a nearby city. He said he was in a vacation, but he still needs to go home.
"I still have time, Eria-sama, so I'm going to stay here for a few days with you."
"Then, let's look for an inn together," I smiled at him and took his hand.
A while of looking for an inn later...
"Isn't this the most expensive inn in town!?"
Leave it to Fin, a noble, to choose the most luxurious and expensive things. In front of us was the tallest structure in town. More than an inn, it looks like an expensive hotel, with a number of balconies on each floor.
"Don't worry about it, Eria-sama. I will pay for everything!" Fin confidently declared.
I can see the people around us grinning. I know what this looks like to them—Fin, as a noble brat, forcing me, a pretty elf, to join him in an expensive inn to have fun with.
"Please consider this as payment for everything you've done for me! No, this is not enough. I'm sorry, Eria-sama! I promise I will pay you with the full amount!"
"No, no! I didn't ask for payment in the first place!"
"Please!"
Fin was practically begging.
"Ugh! I'm weak to this kind of thing..." I inwardly complained. "F-Fine...! I'll stay here..."
"Thank you, Eria-sama!"
Falling to Fin's begging, we entered the reception room. Fin talked with the receptionist and ordered us a room for each. I think I saw the receptionist's eyes widened when he asked for two rooms. I know what she was thinking, but Fin wouldn't take me here for that kind of thing.
"Then, Sir Finral, miss Eria."
Right on the spot, we were treated like VIP guests. The receptionist herself showed us our rooms. As expected, they look as luxurious as they were expensive.
"Thank you for this, Fin... I usually stay at the cheapest inns in town, so I'm happy for this..."
"Really, Eria-sama? But something like this is barely fitting for you!"
"I-Is that so?"
Fin really do have such an overblown image of me in his head. I thought he would change his attitude once he actually spent some time with me. After all, I'm not really the kind of person the stories he heard and read about me presents. Still, he's treating me just the same as the first time we met.
"Our mansions have better rooms than this... If you stay with me..."
"Hm? What was that, Fin?"
Fin keeps whispering to himself, I don't understand what he's saying...
"N-No! It's nothing!" he stammered, then he promtly regained his composure and said, "Umm... Eria-sama... I'm actually planning on going out tomorrow night. If you don't mind, might I ask you to join me?"
"Uhum? Are you asking me out on a date?" I teased him as usual.
"Yes, if you don't mind..."
"Oh..."
I was expecting him to get embarrassed and deny it, but I guess he was serious. That's a first. He seriously caught me off guard.
"As I said earlier, I want to pay you for everything you've done for me!"
"Ah, so that was what it was about? Okay, Fin! I don't mind. Let's take a day off and celebrate tomorrow!"