The Innkeeper

Chapter 2100: A place of solace

Lex raised an eyebrow, looking at Mary curiously.

"Do you even need to ask? Wait, is it a theory regarding something that’ll get me in trouble? Because I really don’t want to deal with any of that right now. I was thinking of using this time when everything is relaxed to quickly return to the Inn and recover so I don’t crash again. We just had lunch with nearly a hundred Dao Lords - that takes a toll."

Mary just glared at Lex. Here she was, talking about sentimental stuff, and he couldn’t get over his presently relevant issues. Leave it to a guy to ruin a perfectly good moment with pragmatism.

"I was wondering why you got an inn," she said, explaining what the theory was about. "I mean, it’s not really too relevant. To a large degree, a system adapts itself to the host when it first binds with them. There can be external factors, but it’s still relevant to the host. So how come you got an inn?

"It’s not like you’re a bad host or anything. But I’ve noticed you end up spending more time outside the inn, exploring the universe, than actually staying in and tending to your guests. Each time you say you want to avoid trouble, and yet somehow trouble finds you, and leads you out.

"Most of the management of the inn is taken care of by your staff. Yes, you supervise, and you supervise well, but it’s not enough to show your attachment to tending to guests. So I was wondering why your system turned into an inn when it could have just been another, random adventure system or something. In the end, I came up with a theory."

Lex relaxed, knowing that it was not related to anything troublesome. Then, he began to wonder. In truth, while he was highly suspicious of the system, he hadn’t given much thought as to why it turned into an inn. He had kind of just accepted it and moved on.

"So what’s your theory?" he asked, unable to come up with an explanation on the spot.

Mary looked out at the tavern, at the picnic tables down below, and at the various small details added to the tavern that Lex had made for this tea party.

"I think... that you think that you’re very selfish, but that’s not the truth. I think... you really just wanted to provide a safe space for people, and a safe space to gather your own people, or anyone who needed help," she said.

She thought of Harry, she thought of Hera and her son Jimmy, she thought of the countless people Lex had helped along the way, and brought into the Inn. She thought of the way he treated all his workers. Honestly, considering that they were labeled as A.I. by the system originally, anyone could have justified not caring too much about them and making them work day and night.

But not only did Lex provide them with so much, he treated them like genuine friends and family.

"I think that, maybe, deep down you knew there was something wrong with your family. That’s why you left them, and why you were looking for a family elsewhere. Z became your brother, Velma your sister, Gerard your uncle, and the inn became the place where anyone who felt lost could come to find solace, and warmth."

Lex was stunned, unsure of how that came about. While he obviously treated everyone at the Inn as if they were very close to him, he had never specifically thought about the whole inn that way.

"Is this a new theory, or one you’ve had for a while?" Lex asked. It was a dumb question, but honestly Lex wasn’t sure what to ask or how to respond to such a sincere appraisal of him and his inn.

"Hmm, I’ve had it for a while, but recent events really put things into perspective for me," she said as she swung her legs back and forth on the balcony railing. "Have a bunch of Dao Lords court you, and your perspective on your whole life will become real quick in an instant."

Lex grinned, not at all feeling ashamed for what he had done. See? It all ended well, hadn’t it?

"I realized, while advising all those other Dao Lords, and interacting with them, that throughout our conversations, my only concern was keeping the Inn safe. I realized that maybe, even I have begun to see the Inn as my home. While I still remember what my life was like before, my attachment to it has grown weaker than I had initially realized.

"I thought about that hard. I wondered if... the system had somehow affected my soul and changed the way I see things, but the latest upgrade you got to the Inn shows that it’s not possible. The systems can’t directly affect Dao, which means it can’t directly change my soul or mind either. It seems in the shortest span of time, the Inn has started to mean more to me than so much from my previous life."

Lex chuckled.

"Obviously it’s because I’m so charismatic," he said, praising himself. "The vibe of the whole Inn bounces off of me. I don’t blame you, a mere Dao Lord, for getting infected."

Mary rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, it was just a random thought I had," she said. "No need to focus on it too much."

Lex paused from his mischief, and looked at Mary.

"You’re not wrong, you know," he said unexpectedly. "Of course I wanted everyone who came to the Inn to feel welcome, which is why I made things like that. But obviously I, alone, did not make it the way it is. Everyone who was in it made it into what it is now - a safe space, to find solace and familial warmth.

"That includes you too. I’m sure you did a lot of important, incredible things in your previous life. Compared to that, tending to an Inn, dealing with the workers and guests, taking life one day at a time might seem a little mundane. But at the same time, you get to spend every day with people you like, taking on new challenges. I can’t think of anything better.

"You know, back on Earth, there was a very common saying. Every adult or older person used to tell children that school was the best part of their lives, and the kids never understood it. Well, I think it’s because you got to hang out with your friends all the time - in spite of the early mornings and school work. The Inn is like that. It’s challenging, but you also get to see your favorite people everyday. So... it obviously makes sense that you like it."

Mary listened to Lex’s words, and couldn’t help but find that what he said made sense. It seemed... he could be a little serious when the moment called for it.