Chapter 48

Normally, they would have stolen the Bayan Mushrooms and fled straight back to Ratteon. But this time, Father’s group was too curious about Kilimanjaro’s reaction. They decided to spend the night in Rakvana and headed for an inn.

Father, Holanghee, and Noquia naturally chose single rooms. Theo, however, hesitated at the counter. Normally, he would’ve picked a single room too, but after draining his savings on town maintenance fees, his wallet wasn’t in good shape.

After a moment’s thought, Theo glanced back at Blaine, who was quietly waiting his turn. Theo asked, a little hesitant,

“Want to share a double with me, if that’s okay?”

“Eh?!”

Blaine’s eyes went wide in shock. Father, Holanghee, and Noquia all froze, staring as if they’d just overheard a scandal. Suddenly, all eyes and ears were on the two of them. Blaine’s face, ears, and even neck turned crimson as he opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

“You don’t want to?”

When Blaine failed to give an answer, Theo looked a little disappointed. Blaine frantically waved his hands and shook his head.

“N-no, that’s not it!”

He was desperate. The three onlookers clenched their fists, nodded approvingly, and silently cheered him on.

“I’m fine with it! I like sharing a room with you, hyung!”

“Sorry, I know a single room would be more comfortable for you too. But my funds are really tight right now, and I can’t exactly ask them to let me bunk with them.”

Theo gestured toward the other three. Blaine followed his gaze and saw them smiling kindly, their faces clearly saying ‘don’t even think about it.’ Blaine slowly nodded, relieved Theo had asked him, but also secretly glad it wasn’t someone else.

As Theo settled things with the counter, Blaine leaned closer and whispered,

“Hyung, should I just pay for the whole room, then?”

“No. That’s too much. We’ll split it.”

Theo turned him down flat, and Blaine’s brows drooped into a sulky arch.

“…I wouldn’t mind covering it all though.”

But Theo had already paid his half to the NPC. Blaine had no choice but to cover the rest. That was when Father, as if waiting for the moment, cut in.

“Alright, let’s go eat.”

The five of them went to the same player-run restaurant where Theo and Blaine had eaten last time. Despite being on the outskirts of town, the place was still bustling, and they had to sit at an outdoor table since there were no free seats inside.

Gathered around the big table, they laid out heaps of food and began eating. Normally, this would’ve been a drinking night, but instead of alcohol, they were downing orange juice.

Noquia drained her glass in one shot, smacked her lips, and spun the empty cup idly in her hand.

“Nilam’s oranges are just too good. Doesn’t matter where you buy it—the juice is always amazing.”

“True. No matter how much they grow them in other regions, they just can’t recreate this flavor.”

Father nodded along, and Theo added,

“They say the hotter the place, the sweeter the fruit.”

Noquia stared at her empty glass like she couldn’t take it anymore and stood up.

“I’m getting another. Anyone else want one?”

Every hand went up. When she returned, her arms were loaded not only with orange juice but also with beers. Everyone except Blaine gave her a big thumbs-up, grinning in satisfaction.

They ate and drank without stopping. Whenever food ran out, they bought more. Whenever the juice and beer ran dry, they bought more again.

In the middle of their chatter and feasting, a group of players passed nearby. Their eyes were sharp, scanning every corner as they walked. Among them were the infamous Traffic Light Trio—Kilimanjaro’s members. They were clearly searching for the mushroom thieves.

“Serengeti.”

Father muttered quietly into her beer glass.

Everyone stole glances at the group while pretending not to. Kilimanjaro’s people also glanced at them, narrowing their eyes for a moment, but kept moving without recognizing who they really were.

As the guild members disappeared into the distance, Holanghee tore apart a piece of khobz bread and asked,

“So, how do we raid them next time?”

“No kidding, they won’t just sit back this time.”

Noquia said, chewing on a skewer and nodding.

The two exchanged serious looks, but Theo cut in casually,

“What if we just don’t raid them?”

“Huh?”

Holanghee and Noquia spoke in unison. Father and Blaine also turned to look at Theo in confusion.

“Let’s just hit them with royalties.”

When a hybrid species was registered, the registrant could apply royalties to it. Seeds were only affected for ones distributed after registration, but harvested products were always affected. Selling or using them would trigger a royalty notice and a payment window.

The downside was obvious: if Kilimanjaro harvested the mushrooms, they would find out the registrant was Blaine. But the upside was even bigger: the royalties would be so steep that they’d effectively make the mushrooms unusable.

“That could work… We’ve still got plenty stockpiled for experiments anyway.”

Holanghee was leaning positive, but her eyes flicked toward Blaine. She wasn’t the only one—everyone else glanced at him too.

On the surface, it was a smart move. But in reality, Blaine’s opinion mattered the most. If the registrant’s identity was exposed, Blaine could become Kilimanjaro’s direct target.

They all looked at him with worry. But Blaine, unlike them, just smiled innocently.

“I’m fine with it.”

“…Are you really sure?”

Theo asked carefully. Blaine kept smiling and nodded.

“Yes. If anything happens, I’ll just tattle to the guild. Don’t worry about me.”

Theo realized in that moment that his early “training” of Blaine was paying off—teaching him one thing and having him grasp ten. Maybe there wasn’t a need to worry after all. Still, the three women didn’t seem entirely convinced, and none of them could bring themselves to agree right away.

In the end, Theo had to step in.

“I’ll stick close to him. You don’t have to worry.”

Only then did the three relax. They leaned in around the table, lowering their voices as they began plotting.

“Then let’s set the royalty right away.”

Father said.

“How much should we put it at?”

Blaine asked.

“Ridiculously high. Absurdly so.”

Noquia replied.

Holanghee suggested.

“It should be high enough that they can’t even afford to attempt a single combination.”

But Theo shook his head.

“No, if it’s manageable, they might actually pay just to push through. Then we make money too. Two birds with one stone.”

Penny-pinching Theo was completely blinded by profit.

The others pitied his miserly state and sided with him. After much discussion, they decided one million gold per mushroom was just right.

Each raid netted about one thousand to twelve hundred mushrooms. One million gold apiece sounded outrageous, maybe even unfair, but at the same time it wasn’t impossible to pay if someone was desperate. That way, Kilimanjaro would have to choose: pay a fortune or give up.

With the plan set, Blaine applied the one-million-gold royalty to the Bayan Mushrooms in full view of the group. When the confirmation screen appeared, they all cheered and raised their glasses in a toast.

If all went well, the bear would do the work, and Theo would rake in the profit.¹

Satisfied with their food, drinks, and the new royalty scheme, they rose from their seats. As they left, the shopkeeper ran out barefoot to see them off personally.

“Goodbye, my VIPs!”

Back at the inn, they each went to their rooms. Following Theo into their shared double room, Blaine looked visibly tense.

The room had two single beds, two nightstands, and a small table with chairs. Theo casually looked around before sitting on one bed. He unbuckled his pocket belt, pulled off his boots, and asked,

“Want to wash up first?”

Even in the game, the sensory filter made sweat and dust feel real. Turning it off and back on would reset the discomfort, but Theo preferred actually washing with water. It felt fresher that way.

“W-wash?!”

Blaine stammered, startled as if burned.

Theo leaned his boots against the bed and clarified,

“If you don’t want to go first, I’ll just wash up before you.”

“N-no, go ahead, go first…”

Blaine babbled, unable to meet his eyes.

Theo headed into the bathroom. Left alone, Blaine sat on his bed, cheeks burning. But the sound of running water only made the heat spread further across his face.

After a while, the door opened. Theo came out looking oddly fresh. Game mechanics meant water dried instantly, but there was something noticeably clean about him.

“What about you? Filter, or…?”

Theo gestured at the bathroom.

Flustered, Blaine bolted inside. He needed to cool off. He stood under the stream of cold water for a long time, until his body and thoughts finally steadied.

After dressing again, he picked up his cloak, then hesitated. He held it for a long moment, then made a decision—and stepped out without wearing it.

Hearing the door, Theo turned automatically. He blinked in surprise.

It wasn’t hard to notice. Blaine wasn’t wearing his cloak.

‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen him without it….’

As Blaine walked past to his bed, his broad back was fully exposed. With each step, his muscles shifted, making the lines of his back even clearer.

Theo froze, too shocked even to gasp. He forced his gaze away, but the image of that impressive back was already seared into his mind, replaying over and over.

His face burned hotter than ever. His rational mind screamed not to look, but instinct whispered,

‘Just one more time.’

Why not look when it was right there, bare to the world?

Theo covered his face with both hands, but his head kept turning toward Blaine’s bed. The faint sound of rustling clothes made his heart pound.

He tried to resist, but instinct was stronger. Against his better judgment, he peeked through his fingers…

…and immediately regretted it.

Blaine, with his bare back still facing him, was leaning forward, tidying the cloak on his bed.