As Erik emerged from the steamy bathroom, he wiped the moisture off his hair with a towel.
It was a momentary reprieve from the day's events, exacerbated by the soothing embrace of his freshly laundered clothes.
He lounged in the velvety embrace of the armchair, gazing out the window as the rising sun's warm glow filtered through the drapes, imbuing the room with a serene and enchanting aura.
"System, open the file Ms. Bannon sent on my phone," Erik instructed, addressing the biological supercomputer.
A neatly organized document appeared on his phone screen, catching Erik's attention with its header reading "Doran Stedman - Classified Information." As he delved deeper into its contents, he furrowed his brows in deep thought.
Erik quickly noticed something bizarre as he read the file: no information was available about Doran's job. Moreover, it was surprising how little was known about his day-to-day activities, considering that he had attracted the guild's attention.
Nevertheless, Erik's attention was drawn to a single name mentioned several times throughout the report: the Silver Serpents. While Erik stayed in Testrovsc's Rest, he naturally searched and learned about the criminal organizations inside the city.
Despite not having the same size and power the Crystal Cross Gang had in New Alexandria, Frant's capital, where the previous leaders had given in to corruption and messed the whole country up, here in Etrium, this criminal organization gained a bad reputation for its nefarious but presumed activities, most notably the kidnappings they carried out.
The perpetrators of kidnappings in Etrium were notorious for having extensive information networks, and the country could not eradicate them despite extensive searches.
It was clear that meticulous planning was behind their operations, which made it challenging to free those who had been taken captive and arrest the culprits since it was challenging to gather the evidence necessary. It was presumed that they were the primary perpetrators behind the kidnappings.
Moreover, Testrovsc's Rest was unique in and of itself, mainly because it was far from Nokisi Point's authority and a frontier city.
Photos appended to the file depict Doran in various settings across the city, most frequently in the company of other people.
This made Erik believe that the man likely belonged to an organization, as he was never alone in these circumstances.
This was further implied since Doran was observed having dinner with a person thought to be the leader of the Silver Serpents, even though there was no evidence that he was a member of a criminal organization.
Erik relaxed his posture and rubbed his temples. This was no run-of-the-mill quest. The stakes were high, and there was a great deal of mystery surrounding Doran.
What was his link to this organization? Did he join it? Who exactly was he supposed to be? A leader, an intermediary, or maybe even an unwilling participant? It was very frustrating that there were a lot of informational gaps.
<But that was precisely the challenge, wasn't it?> Erik thought.
Erik was lost in thought, mentally charting Doran's commonly frequented locations and attempting to solve the mystery surrounding this enigmatic person.
He looked into the locations that the man frequented the most. Although the list of locations was quite long, one location in particular stood out: "Elegance."
Upon conducting a swift investigation, Erik discovered that the restaurant in question was a luxurious and high-end establishment in the heart of the bustling central business district of the city. This restaurant, renowned for its exceptional cuisine, drew in an even more refined and sophisticated clientele, cementing its reputation as a must-visit dining destination.
Erik couldn't help but feel perplexed by Doran's alleged affiliations and frequenting such a prominent establishment. Was it a cover? A rendezvous spot, perhaps? Or was it just a place he enjoyed going to? Erik couldn't help but wonder if this was a way to attract attention.
After careful consideration, Erik concluded that this restaurant, "Elegance," would serve as his jumping-off point. He would go there to monitor the situation. See if they had some information he could make use of. Since most of these places had cameras and surveillance systems, Erik was hopeful he could find something good there.
See if he could identify any strange behaviors, recognize any faces, or even get a glimpse of Doran himself, something highly unlikely given that not even the guild had been able to locate him.
Moreover, since Erik now had enough money, he saw the chance to relish a delightful meal at a prestigious high-end restaurant, as he had a soft spot for good food.
Erik considered the problem deeply while leaning back in his chair. Considering the restaurant's exclusive nature, it was logical to assume that the staff at Elegance were highly trained and that they would try to safeguard their customers' privacy.
However, the repeated mention of the restaurant also presented Erik with a potential advantage. It was a tangible and solid starting point for an investigation that was otherwise akin to chasing shadows.
If Doran really frequented the place as often as the file suggested, In that case, the chances of Erik gaining some insight were promising.
The young man took his phone from his pocket. He made a same-day table reservation under the alias "Anderson Red."
Erik then turned away from the phone and glanced at the hotel room's clock. A soft beam of sunlight entered the space through the curtains. It was getting close to noon. Since he had a reservation at Elegance Restaurant in less than an hour, he needed to leave the hotel and head there.
He went to his wardrobe and extracted a collection of clothes that were both refined and sophisticated in their simplicity. He picked up a set of trousers, a pristine white button-down shirt, and a pair of leather shoes that complemented the overall aesthetic of the ensemble.
As he buttoned up his shirt, Erik's eyes wandered to the far corner of the room, where his old weapon was stashed. An instrument he had heavily relied on in the past but that now appeared to him to be more of a relic from a sad period in his life.
The weapon had lost its primary utility since he could no longer rely on his sharpening brain crystal power.
Erik sighed, feeling a twinge of nostalgia. Something quickly went through Erik's mind as he dressed. Even though the public didn't know his face, the guild did, meaning he had to exercise caution while using his other brain crystal powers.
He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed a leather bag, then proceeded to pack it with the things he thought he might need if he was forced to fight, including his distinctive mask, a probably necessary disguise; he also brought a stash of Eurems to use at the restaurant to pay without a card and avoid being recognized.
In particular, the mask posed an intriguing problem to consider. While he used it to conceal his real identity, at the same time, it became somewhat iconic, making it so that people would immediately find out it was him at the restaurant.
It presented an example of his rapidly growing reputation but also something that could make him fail. He didn't wear it.
After ensuring he didn't forget anything, Erik gave the room one last look. He glanced at the mirror and saw the reflection of a changed man. It wasn't only a physical change but also an internal one. His goals were now significantly different from those he had the previous year.
After exiting the room, he walked out into the plush, carpeted hallway of the hotel. Along the way, he passed a few hotel employees who greeted him with polite smiles, even though they were unaware of who he was since he didn't have the mask on.
The lavish doors of the hotel's main entrance opened to reveal the hustling and bustling cityscape of Etrium. The hotel's main entrance loomed ahead. Erik called a taxi, and he left the place once it arrived.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶