From behind a huge desk a muffled cough sounds. “You would think with the amount of coins I pay for these cleaners, there would be a lot less dust everywhere.” After a sneeze the man stood up.
“Polites!” The man shouted. From the top of the stairs someone shouted back, a few seconds later a guy in a maids outfit appeared in the stairwell.
“You know, Polites, when you first got here, some time ago, I greeted you with open arms, allowed you to pay off your debt to our king by working for me, but I’m not really noticing a difference around here. You’re supposed to help me keep things clean, and the tenant from room nine complained yet again.”
“Sir, I can’t help that.” Polites defended himself. “You know he complains about everything. His food is too far away. He can’t reach his water. It’s always something with that guy.” he said mockingly.
“I can’t say I disagree, but don’t say those things. The walls have ears you know.” the Innkeeper responded.
“Since when do you care about anybody listening?” Polites said. “Last time I checked, you complained about having to change the luggage from room 666 to 8, and made sure the entire inn knew.”
“If you like to keep working here, or whatever it is you’re doing, I would keep my mouth shut.” The owner looked at his desk, opening the giant logbook he keeps there at all times. “Room 69 needs fresh bedsheets. Could you do that for me?”
Polites looked at the Innkeeper with disgust in his eyes. “You seriously just asked me to clean the bedsheet of room Sixty-FRICKING-nine.”
“I did. What are you still doing here?” The owner said uninterested. “A room is a room. I already allow you to check room 66 only once a week. You can decide. Or you only clean the bedsheets of room 69 once a week, or you check room 66 once a week.”
“I’ll go change the sheets.” Polites said while running up the stairs.
A small smile appeared on the Innkeepers face. “I can always get them to do anything if I threaten them with room 66.”
The bell rang. “What’s it this time.”
The man looked up from his book to see a green skinned person, dressed in white standing at his desk. “I heard I could rent a room here?”
“Yes, you heard correctly, I’ve got a couple rooms available, what’s the name?” The Innkeeper asked uninterested.
“Osiris, god of fertility, agriculture, afterlife, dead, resurection, life and vegitation. And you are?”
Without looking up, the Innkeeper answered Osiris: “Lukas, your Hellkeeper. Is there a way to shorten your name?”
“Sure, just use my first name: Osiris.” The god answered, not happy with the lack of respect the Innkeeper showed to a god. “What room am I getting?”
“Jeez, You gods live forever, you’d think you know how to wait for a bit.” Lukas said. Not caring if the god in front of him would hear. He laid a key on the reception desk. “I think I’ll give you the first room here. It could get a bit warm in there, it’s called Kettleroom for a reason, but I think you’ll manage.”
Osiris already reached for the keys but Lukas quickly snatched them away. “Let’s discuss prices first.” he said while still looking at his Logbook. “I charge 50 Soul Coins each night you stay-”
“You mean I’ll have to pay you.” The god said in a state of disbelief
“Yes.” the Innkeeper said dryly “As I was saying: 50 Soul Coins each night you stay here, You pay each morning for the next night, If you forget it I’ll write down that your room is available for rent. If you can’t pay in Soul Coins, you give me something of equal value, understood?”
Osiris was too stunned to speak. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
The God laid 50 Soul Coins on the desk, still not able to say a word. Lukas handed him the keys and gave him directions on where he could find his room.
When Osiris unlocked the door, he entered it in silence. The Innkeeper finally looked back up from his book and turned the sign on his desk. “Gods or other deities pay half-price. We don’t pay back” The Innkeeper smiled again. “They think they’re all-knowing, yet so naive. A pity it only works once.”
He looked back down to his Logbook and scribbled something down. The sound of falling things could be heard from the second floor. “These cleaners are going to be the death of me.” The muttered before closing the logbook and walking up the stairs.
