The room was dark and cool.

  Shadows danced lazily on the wall following the movements of a small candle.

  Valthar had just woken up, but already felt like shit both mentally and physically.

  Worse yet the dream still felt fresh in his mind, from the talk with Dar'Sang to the torturous wait inside the white room it all felt especially real, like a memory instead of a dream.

  Though he didn’t recognise the room in specific, a single glance at the ceiling and walls made it clear to Valthar he was at Warmheart's Inn.

  At the side of the bed he found his black cane.

  The familiar item in a place he considered his temporary base brought him comfort.

  As he raised himself from the bed he felt every muscle on his body tingle and spasm.

  To save Amara the stress he put on his body was not small.

  “I’m a dumbass.” Valthar cussed himself, even as a satisfied smile grew on his lips.

  When he trudged out of the room he found himself in Marcos' living room, where Little Jack slept by the sofa.

  From outside the rhythmic sound of someone chopping vegetables echoed.

  With a flash of his life sense Valthar identified it was old Marcos in the Inn’s kitchen.

  For a moment his shoulders relaxed and made his way there before a small detail slithered in the back of his mind.

  The demon in the dream had said Marcos was a worshiper…

  “It’s a demon… it must have lied to me.” Valthar, now awake, denied it.

  Marcos had been his drinking buddy for only a few weeks, but in a foreign land and feeling rejected by most, it was hard not to feel close to the old inn owner.

  To believe in a new friend over a dream invading demon seemed reasonable.

  Even so a bad feeling covered Valthar's heart as the seed of doubt the demon planted had already started to take root and slowly taint his thoughts.

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  “You good there Valthar?” Marcos’s voice came from the kitchen, worried as he sensed Valthar suddenly stop near the kitchen's door.

  Valthar wasn't surprised by the old man’s perception, for while most wouldn’t know but the peaceful inn owner had an adventurer background he briefly mentioned here and there in their talks.

  And from the short stories of Marcos’ past and robust life force Valthar knew the old man’s rank was not small.

  Though just like Valthar with his noble background, there seemed to be some old scars that made it difficult for Marcos to talk about those days.

  “I'm fine I just… ” Valthar hesitated to speak as he entered the room.

  He wanted to ask directly if Marcos was indeed in bed with Dar'Sang,

  He wanted to hear a no directly from the old man’s mouth…

  Yet the prospect of a possible yes made a large part of him not even want to ask about it.

  “Just that horrible nightmare again, and to make things worse a demon appeared in the white room this time.” Valthar said casually, plopping on a chair nearby.

  Inside he had decided not to prod further into his drinking buddy's demonic involvement.

  After all, a suspicion only becomes clearly real after you confirm it.

  Sadly for Valthar, sometimes things simply don't go how we want.

  Right after Valthar spoke Marcos’ life force shifted wildly.

  From hesitation and fear, it became doubt and killing intent, then ultimately settled into an intense caution.

  Valthar's mood soured in an instant since all of those emotions were targeted directly at him.

  “Hoh, What did the demon look like?” The old man asked with curiosity, as if chatting to pass time.

  But the life force in Marcos’ chest hid nothing from Valthar’s sense, the old man was poking around for information.

  ‘no… It can't be…’ Valthar wanted to deny it, but the seamless innocent acting from Marcos only made it more obvious the old man was hiding something.

  “I just decided not to confront you about this. Why prod around the skeletons in your own closet? And killing intent towards me! Really Marcos?!” Valthar blew up with frustration and his voice grew hurt by the end. “Even if you are connected to a demon I still see you as the Inn owner and my drinking buddy alright.”

  Another dozen emotions flashed on the old man's life force.

  Surprise, more caution, embarrassment, shame, curiosity and then hesitation.

  An awkward silence took over the room, till Valthar’s stomach cracked under pressure.

  *gurgle gurgle*

  Though Valthar didn't know his coma had lasted almost a day and till now nothing was fed to him.

  “I'm not sure what's on your mind but if you want to ask me something, go grab us a plate, some wine and just ask already.”

  The old man scoffed at the attitude, but grabbed wine and food for them anyway.

  The food was casual, just some premade plates that only needed to be heated up.

  The wine however almost made Valthar laugh when he saw it, the highest quality wine, one Valthar didn't even suspect Marcos would have.

  On his first sip even his burned mana veins body felt the sensation of mana travel within him, this wasn’t just good wine, but good mana infused wine.

  Seeing Valthar acting normal the old man relaxed too.

  “Sorry for the suspicion but Valthar… are you a demon?” Marcos asked with a straight face and a polite cough.

  At such an absurd question Valthar choked on a sip of wine.

  “What do you mean by that?!" Valthar exclaimed in confusion.