Let's go our separate ways

Part 3

Waking up from a fitful sleep, Flos quietly wipes her face for traces of tears. Remembering last night's incident, Flos steps down from the bed and opens the window she closed so the noises they made wouldn't bother her sleep. It seems like everything has been cleaned up and taken care of.

After cleaning up, Flos leaves the inn's room with her luggage to wait at the restaurant on the ground floor for the rest of the party. Checking once, confirming none of them is present, Flos orders her breakfast and sets to wait.

The wait is 2 hours.

By then, Flos has made several trips to the carriage but is unable to enter, so she can wait inside, because the door has changed to a new lock.

"There was an attempted thief last night, do you know?" the innkeeper remembers Flos dismounted from this carriage so he shares a gossip whilst also trying to be assuring, "Usually, this doesn't happen to the guests. I guess you have something very valuable inside which tempted those thieves to try stealing,"

Talking as if it is none of his business, even though this should be a point of concern for this inn to secure the safety and comfort of its guests, the innkeeper advises Flos in an act of showing off his wisdom, "You shouldn't be so careless when having something precious around. If it's gone missing, it's still useless no matter how much you cry,"

"Hmm," Flos nods patiently, questioning, "What if we report to the authorities?"

The innkeeper laughs out loud, perceiving Flos's question as a joke, "Even if you report, nobody can be sure your belonging will be found right?" rolling his eyes, the innkeeper then moves closer to Flos to whisper, "Even if it's found, it'll become these authorities' property. People here know to not put hope on them,"

Flos seems to understand what's going on in this Town now. Corruption, to sum it up. Then, "What about the thieves? What will be their end if they are caught?"

"They are sent to labour camps, I guess," the innkeeper leans back casually with a shrug, "Though, I would bet they came from there too,"

Repeated offenders? Now, this Town is full of problems. Although this Town is nowhere near her village, it is still in the same fief. How can the management be so different? Or is it because her village is more peaceful?

The state of the world is peaceful, right? After all, aside from beasts subjugation to maintain their numbers, there is no war that Flos knows of.

"...You are not thinking about helping this town, are you Miss?" the old and weary innkeeper watches Flos becoming thoughtful and speaks up with a frown, "Not that we won't be grateful, but I don't think it's something Miss can do with your 2 entourages,"

"I know there is nothing I can do to help," Flos responds well to the innkeeper's warning, "After all, I am nobody important, being a commoner as well. I am just passing by this Town, on my journey to work somewhere else,"

"Nobody important?" the innkeeper raises an eyebrow as he uses his thumb to point at their carriage, "Not a Noble, but a child of a merchant?"

"No," Flos shakes her head patiently, "I am just a farmer. Flower farmer, to be exact,"

The innkeeper sets his disbelief aside to observe Flos critically. From top to bottom, certainly, there is no indication that she is a rich miss. However, it doesn't mean she is not in a disguise. Although, from the rumours, those rich Missy's attempts at disguises are laughable.

Especially those young women who are excited to be disguised as young men.

The innkeeper will never be able to comprehend the fetish of those rich people.