Leaving the Inn II

"Good evening."

"Ah, Carol. Evening."

When Carolyn entered the inn, Mila was at the front desk. Though there were some inconsistencies, Margaret, Marco and Mila seemed to have a schedule for who would be at the front desk at what time, so Carolyn had expected Mila to be there. She didn't know if now was the right time for her to make her confession, but she knew that if she delayed it, it would only become more difficult to speak later.

As Carolyn took deep breaths in front of her, Mila looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"M-Ms. Mila!"

"Yeah?"

"I, won't be extending my stay past this week."

When she noticed that Mila's response was delayed, Carolyn didn't dare to look at her. Excuses threatened to burst from her lips, but she kept them sealed and waited.

"... I see. Have you found another place to stay?"

"Not yet, but I have a list of potential substitutes. Hmm?"

"That's good. Feel free to tell me if you need any advice."

Sensing that the conversation had ended, Carolyn finally looked at Mila for the second time since entering the inn, with a confused expression. Even when looking into her eyes, Carolyn couldn't sense any great fluctuations in her emotions. It was as if she had just been told that customers would be coming for dinner, something that was to be expected.

"That's it? You won't ask why I'm leaving or try to stop me?"

"Do you want me to stop you?"

"Well, no."

"Then what's the point?"

From a logical standpoint, this was for the best. If everyone else reacted like Mila, then she could leave without creating a fuss, and everyone could move on with their lives. Still, Carolyn felt disappointed.

'Was I the only one who thought we had gotten closer?'

She knew she was being contradictory, but she hadn't expected that her departure would be met with such a light response. As she imagined Kanna reacting the same way, Carolyn's shoulders drooped and she dragged her feet forward. Looking at Carolyn with her head lowered as she was about to climb the stairs, Mila shook her head.

"You don't have to look so down. It's not like I want you to leave, but Ma already told me to be prepared for it."

"Miss Margaret did?"

"Yeah. Ma's good at reading people, and she told me after you came back with Sis Lav that day that you would probably leave the inn soon. I asked why, and she said that you were the type to rush into danger for others but wouldn't let them be in trouble for your sake. I still don't really get it, but I guess it just goes to show that I still have a lot left to learn."

Carolyn was surprised that Margaret had predicted her leaving, but hearing of her reasoning from Mila made her proud. If her current decision was in line with the type of person Margaret believed her to be, then that meant she had made the right choice.

"I see. Miss Margaret certainly is amazing."

"I agree. We might not be able to have a send-off for you, but make sure to get some use out of Sis Lav while you're still here. I'll throw in Marco as a bonus too."

With a chuckle, Carolyn replied, "Yes, I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh, and by the way, have you told Kanna yet?"

"...Not yet. But I will."

"Good. It would be best if she heard it from you."

Having Mila accept her decision made Carolyn more optimistic of how the other conversations would go, but once she was reminded of Kanna, unease returned to her heart. It wasn't as if this would stop them from being friends, but she couldn't help but worry that Kanna would misinterpret her intentions given that they still hadn't completely mended their relationship after that recent incident.

'I can only try my best to reassure her.'

When Carolyn reached the second floor, she was just in time to see the door on the left at the end of the corridor close. They had never spoken face-to-face before; at least she had never seen his face, but considering the help he provided in catching Anthony, Carolyn decided to bid farewell to him as well. She went to his door and gently knocked.

"Good evening. I've decided to leave the inn at the end of this week, so I thought I should inform you. We haven't talked much, but I must thank you for everything you've done to help us protect the inn. Even though I'll leave soon, I hope that one day, I can thank you in person."

There was more that Carolyn wanted to say and ask, but given how withdrawn the little boy was, she decided it was best to stick to the main points. Once she was done, Carolyn turned away from the door, but then she heard a faint, tender voice.

"You're leaving?"

It was so faint that she wondered if she had really heard it, but she trusted her ears and responded.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because there's something I have to do in this city, something I can't do while staying here."

Carolyn waited for about a minute, but since there were no more responses, she went to her room.

There wasn't much to pack, so she wasn't in a rush to get it done. As she looked around the room, her eyes landed on the dress she had received from Lavender. She still didn't think it suited her, but she planned on treating it well since it was a gift. Despite her short stay, many moments came to mind as she pondered the fact that she wouldn't spend many more nights here. It was here that she had slept, dressed, cleaned and worried for the past month. Even if the amenities were better at the next inn she stayed at, she was sure that she wouldn't forget the time she spent here.

When Carolyn came down for dinner, Mila had Kanna get her order. Since the fire incident, Kanna treated her like usual, but there seemed to be a line between them that Kanna wouldn't allow Carolyn to cross. Carolyn had asked her if there was anything she could do to gain her forgiveness, but Kanna's response was that there was nothing she needed to forgive her for. It didn't match her attitude, but Carolyn didn't think she was lying, so she didn't push the matter further.

"Good night. May I have your order?"

"Yes, but before that, there's something I have to tell you. I'll be leaving the inn by the end of this week."

For a moment, Kanna's business smile turned into a frown, but she soon regained control of herself.

"Is that so? Will you be moving?"

"Yes. I plan to move to a different inn. I'll tell you once I decide where to go."

"I see. And your order?"

Kanna kept a tight lid on her emotions, so all Carolyn could be sure of was that she wasn't angry at her. While she planned to invite her on an outing once she sorted things out on her end, for now, Carolyn simply gave her order.

The food was splendid as always, but her worries made it difficult for Carolyn to fully appreciate the taste. Shortly after closing time, Lavender had returned, so Carolyn told everyone about her intention to leave the inn. The ones who reacted the strongest to the news were Marco and Lavender.

"Eh? Why?"

"Is someone bothering you? Should I get rid of them?"

"No, I'm really fond of this place and being around all of you. It just won't be convenient for me to complete my original objective for coming to the city while staying here."

Marco still seemed confused, but Mila signalled him to stop talking. On the other hand, Lavender appeared to realise something and nodded with a pensive expression.

Once Carolyn's announcement was over, Margaret addressed her.

"If you liked your time here, then that's enough. You can always swing by to grab a meal when you find the time."

"Thank you, Miss Margaret."

Since she wouldn't be leaving until the end of the week, no one became too emotional, and the staff went back to tidying up. Carolyn and Lavender pitched in since they were there, but even as they worked together, Kanna only gave her the bare minimum of responses. Everyone could tell things were strained between them, but no one found themselves fit to interfere. It was fairly easy to figure out Carolyn's thoughts about their relationship, but after her outburst when Carolyn returned late, Kanna seemed to keep her true feelings under lock and key.

"I'll be going off now. See you all tomorrow."

And so, even after they finished tidying up, Kanna left nothing resolved between the two.