ABOVE THE SIXTH LAYER

The first was a middle-aged woman, around thirty-five-to- forty years old. She had a tidy blonde hair tied to a side and a gentle smile.

Beside her was a middle-aged man. He was around forty years old, maybe a bit older. If I'm not wrong, they were husband and wife.

"Are you the one interested in the room?" The woman stared at me and asked. She was a bit surprised when she saw my handsome features and unusual hair color, but she quickly hid her surprise and replaced it for a gentle expression.

The middle-aged man, on the other hand, was observing me with a frown. He narrowed his eyes when he saw my face, and when he saw my clothes, his eyes narrowed even more.

I nodded politely. "Name's Clark. Are you still renting it?"

"Of course. Actually, we just put the announcement today." Replied the woman. "I did not expect to have a client so quickly."

"Well, I arrived today at the capital and need a place to stay. I'll stay in the capital for a while, and I can't always live in an inn. I think that renting a room is better."

"Oh? Can I ask where are you from?"

"The south." I replied without hesitation. "I'm a martial artist, and someone invited me to the capital. Unfortunately, he did not offer me lodgings."

"A martial artist, huh?" The woman wrinkled her brows. "Can I ask about your strength."

"Above the sixth layer." I said with a smile. Instantly, the three people showed surprised expressions.

"S-Seventh layer!?" The woman stuttered. I kept my smile and nodded.

The three people froze. For a while, none of them knew how to react.

However, the middle-aged woman quickly recovered her bearings. "What a surprise. So young and already so strong. Just for curiosity, is young master a noble?"

Wow, such a quick change in attitude.

I feigned a wry smile. "I was. My brother is the official heir, so I had to leave my house."

The woman looked at me with pity in her eyes and put on an understanding smile.

"I see. It explains young master's manners and looks."

The woman then asked me realized some other questions, from how long I would stay, to how much I was paying. I answered all her questions calmly to reassure her doubts.

"Then, can I stay?" I asked.

The woman fell deep into thoughts.

At that moment, the middle-aged man looked at the woman with a frown. "Lluvia, I don't think it's right to bring a strange to our home. What if something happens?"

"We already talked about this, Peter. That room is not being used now and we need the money urgently. Moreover, you and my son are imperial guards. I'm sure we'll be safe. Nobody is crazy enough to harm the family of an imperial guard."

But the middle-aged man was stubborn. "Anyway, I don't agree. What if he does something to our daughter or our daughter-in-law? You never know what someone like him will do."

I frowned. Did this old geezer forget that I'm still here?

The middle-aged woman seemed to realize my displeasure because she looked at her husband with an enraged expression. "Shut up! Show respect to our guests! Besides, we would not be in this situation if you don't lose so much money gambling! If you don't want someone else living with us, then get the money we need!"

The man clicked his tongue and looked away. He was still displeased with the idea.

The woman, on the other hand, looked at me with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry about this, young master. Why don't you wait outside for a moment? I need to talk about something with my husband. Clarice, accompany him."

I nodded and followed Clarice, the twenty-years-old beautiful woman, outside.