Pretending to be a noob in a world scaled by power level

[25] The noob experience

The room in the motel was modest but clean. The large bed in the corner was the only one present and I stretched out on it, the soft mattress sinking slightly under my weight. I glanced at Sera and Lila, both of them standing awkwardly by the door.

"Well, what are you two waiting for? We got a long day tomorrow," I said, propping myself up on one elbow. The mattress creaked softly under my weight.

Sera, her arms folded tightly across her chest, huffed in annoyance. "As if I'd share a bed with you!" she declared, her face turning a shade of red that certainly wasn't from the dim lighting. However, a quick, worried glance at the only other option - the cold, hard floor - betrayed her true feelings.

Meanwhile, Lila seemed to shrink further into herself, her gaze flicking between the floor and the bed. "I...I don't want to impose," she mumbled, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her tunic. She glanced at me, her wide eyes filled with hesitation. The submissive and introverted aspects of her personality were on full display.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This was going to be a long night. "Look, I don't bite," I said, trying to sound reassuring. "We need our rest, so let's make the best of the situation. There's plenty of space."

Sera huffed again, looking anywhere but at me, but the fight seemed to go out of her. After a moment, she trudged over to the bed, flopping down on the farthest edge from me with a loud sigh.

Lila bit her lip, uncertainty still clouding her face. But after a glance at Sera, who was studiously ignoring both of us, she gave a small nod. She made her way to the bed, laying down carefully on my other side.

Lila's voice was soft, barely audible above the creaking of the old wooden floorboards. "Don't you have the money to afford a bigger room?" she asked, her gaze focused on the worn-out carpet.

"Yes," I replied without a moment's hesitation, "but that would ruin the noob experience." I added with a casual shrug. My statement earned me a dubious glance from Lina, but I just chuckled, settling more comfortably on the bed.

Sera, who had been attempting to feign sleep, let out a snort at my comment. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," she huffed, turning her back to us with a dramatic flourish.

"Well, if you can't handle the 'noob experience', I suppose you could always find your own room," I suggested teasingly.

Her response was a muffled grumble into her pillow and I grinned, satisfied that I'd successfully managed to rile her up.

Lila looked at the both of us, seemingly caught between amusement and uncertainty. "This is going to be interesting," she murmured to herself.

"Yes," I agreed with a chuckle, "very interesting indeed." And with that, we all finally drifted off into the uneasy silence, ready to face whatever the next day had in store for us.

Q: When was the last time you have to squeeze in the same bed as someone?