Shortly after arriving, Lucifer, Gwen, and Lephalia split from Irina and Estella, who needed to visit the local church and complete their tasks despite the two both looking at him with tears in their eyes and trying to pull him into the church... Met with the iron claws of Gwen, beating them both with a double Iron Claw choke slam.

Luckily the guards didn't come after the ground almost shattered from their impact.

Despite being beaten and her nose bleeding, Estella gave a small golden card and whispered to Lucifer that it was a special VIP card and that the Inn with the same name was the best in town.

Rinvale was a rather ingenious town, with most of the visitors living in the outside part.

The entrance was a wide road that led straight into the valley, with several branching paths like a tree leading to the different parts of the village while allowing people unfamiliar with the village to easily return to the central path without getting lost.

While the true residents all lived inside the walls along the valley, and the Cathedral had been crafted in the Valley wall where it ended. A beautiful and serene building that fully merges with the rustic feel of Rinvale.

'I hope there are no issues with those two. Thankfully, if they suffer danger, I will know and can summon them to my side instantly using the [Ring of Return].'

Upon walking down the huge road, we found the place the card indicated on the map; it was an exquisite hotel near the valley walls with several floors and a beautiful white and black colour scheme and lovely wooden doors.

The trio entered with Gwen grasping Lucifer's hands softly, feeling an excitement like it was their honeymoon all over again, wearing a huge smile on her face.

While Lephalia sat on his arm, resting her head on his body.

A beautiful woman stood behind the shiny marble welcome desk, which doubled as a bar, he lovely red hair and blue eyes shimmering as she noticed the new customers.

Lucifer moved to the desk with a smile before placing the golden card down before the lady. As she saw the card, her smile deepened. "Welcome to the Celestial Inn - Rinvale branch."

"Are you here for a short or long stay?"

Lucifer thought momentarily and nodded, "I would like a stay of 2 months if possible. I will pay upfront."

The woman smiled brightly before adding, "This card will allow a 30% discount, so please do not worry, valued customer."

She seemed to notice the slowly healing slave marks on Lephalia before biting her lip and looking at Lucifer before seeming to have a question.

Lucifer had noticed and, thanks to his memory, realised that this woman was just like Lephalia once, a mistreated slave who was luckily set free and became an adventurer.

After losing many of her comrades, she opened this Inn, which only hires former slaves and beastkin women with nowhere to go.

Because for some reason, human males didn't like beastkin women and treated the rather horribly. Unless they were a cat or fox.

Thus when she saw the same look of Lephalia and asked Lucifer. "Is this your slave, sir? Should we put her in the stables?" It wasn't an offer but a test. Maybe she also had a lie-detecting item or skill to see if they could stay here.

This was the genius answer of the man with black hair, a rather uncouth but honest answer, and Lucifer didn't judge. It was probably a better life than being in bed with a smelly old man.

Lucifer answered her question: "I would rather not have my future wife sleeping in the stables; please prepare a room with the best service and comfiest bed for our cute Lephalia." Then he placed a bag of gold on the counter.

Thus they had paid for 2 months in this large and fancy in using the 30% discount on Estella's card.

Not only that, but the inn mistress looked at Lucifer with a strange but interesting glance different from affection but as if wanting to know more about him.

That said, we were greeted with something annoying shortly after booking a penthouse room with a bathroom, kitchen and two bedrooms. Maybe in the form of someone jealous of the two beauties beside me?

"What do you mean I cannot stay here!?" A slightly drunken male with black scraggy hair shouted at the Inn's mistress.

"I apologise, sir, but you cannot stay at this establishment without the proper identification or VIP status." The polite mistress was a strong warrior—if this guy caused trouble, it would be over in seconds.

She then asked the same question she asked Lucifer before.

There was a major difference in the answer of this man who kicked his slave to the ground, her soft cat ears flopping down, Lucifer letting Lephalia sit on his arm, using him as a seat kicking her legs, and looking around the Inn.

"Of course, she's my slave; why else would she be here with me instead of shaking her hips on some old noble's body."

Sadly the situation took a turn for the worse when the male shouted his next words.

"Why did you let that filthy slave book a room but not me? She's a disgusting beastkin--"

Suddenly the man's face was sliced apart, his jaw hanging low as blood oozed from the wound; Lucifer's hand held a black dagger for a split second before he cut the man's face.

The wound wouldn't kill him but would never heal, leaving him with a deformed mouth.

Luckily the village of Rinvale was rather lax on its guards' interference, and only when there was something serious like murder, rape or theft of a great amount of money did they care but the most shocked was the orange-haired mistress who was holding a dagger herself ready to kill the man.

But the moment her blade was about to kill him, a gentle palm pushed her weapon down, stroking the scars from her abuse, with a soft smile before his blade tore the bastard's face into pieces.

She could still hear the faint whisper of his deep voice, "Your beautiful hands are not for killing trash but for saving those cute and unfortunate girls. Do not lose yourself in anger, Lorelei."

As she watched Lucifer and his group heading upstairs, she couldn't help but feel confusion and fear. Of a man who looked no more than 19-20, who knew her name, discarded for over 20 years... Yet she didn't feel hostility but a sense of gratitude.

"Alright, girls, toss him out, but make sure to compensate him so he hands over the cute little cat, and we'll have a new sister!"

"Sorry, folks! For the horrid sight! Today, meals and drinks are free until 4 pm!"

Lucifer looked back, his ears able to hear her fixing the situation to benefit her Inn more and smirked. 'Just like the game, she is one of the more versatile people you meet. However, this event was for the Hero... Did my sleeping with Estella steal his chance? Because I got the golden card instead...'

A strange world was forming, one where the Hero was falling into darkness, and the 72nd Lord was winning the hearts of many of the former allies of the Hero.

What would this spell for the future of the world?