I observed Alver's movements closely for the next two days and to my surprise, they appeared quite ordinary. Most of the time, he was simply exploring the city and keeping an eye on the property he had recently purchased.
Yes, he did purchase the store whose address he had asked me for.
"And that just proves he must be wealthy because the value of the property was at least a few platinum coins, which is impossible for the average person and certainly not even normal for large businessmen."
...
"Are we really going in?" Blaze asked as we stood before the Hotel.
The Hotel boasted grand and elegant architecture. Its multi-story structure featured arched windows, ornate pillars, and a regal entrance adorned with intricate patterns. The building's exterior showcased a sophisticated color scheme of deep burgundy with gold accents.
"Just do as you're told," I said as I stepped inside the hotel.
Inside, the spacious and well-lit interior housed elegant displays of clothing, with marble floors, plush carpets, and tasteful artwork. The hotel layout ensured a visually pleasing and organized experience.
Walking towards the receptionist to the left of the hall,
"Can you tell me the room where Alver, the Guild Master, is staying?" I asked politely.
The young beastwoman with brown fur looked at me from top to bottom and muttered, "Aren't we getting a lot of humans these days?" She sighed.
"Hm?" I pretended not to hear her even though she wasn't even trying to hide her disappointment. The beastmen aren't particularly favorable towards humans.
"Oh! Nothing. I'm sorry, but I cannot give you any information regarding our guests," the receptionist said as she returned to her registry. The names registered in it were too few since this is a high-end hotel, and only a select few of the truly wealthy can afford to stay here.
*Fwip*
A black silhouette jumped up to the top of the counter and knocked down the expensive-looking vase.
*Thud!
"Nyaa," the black cat scratched its ear with its hind legs; it's amusing how he manages to act like a real one.
"Wha-" The receptionist's eyes widened as she swiftly jumped to see the damage immediately. "This cat!" With a guttural voice, she tried to grab Blaze, but he evaded her hand as he ran away with the receptionist chasing after him.
"Catch that damn cat! I'll lose my job!" The receptionist's voice sounded desperate, but well, it's her fault for not telling me when I asked politely.
Taking a peek at the registry, I easily found it: Alver. Hmm, so he didn't add his surname.
I'm sure the receptionist received a bribe for not putting his information in the registry, but why? The suspicion grew deeper. "Um, room number 109," I said, pulling a hood over my head and leaving the hotel.
After moving a bit away from the hotel.
"There you are," I mused as I saw Blaze hiding behind a bush. His eyes widened as he jumped out and immediately took cover inside my robe.
"You fucker! We ain't doing that again! She... she was going to eat me whole! Beastwomen are scary. I saw her long fangs. Sh-she almost ate me," Blaze began mumbling about his traumatic experience.
I don't know what he went through in those few minutes, but I regret not being able to witness it.
....
On the day I met Alver, a lot of things didn't make sense. A human traveling far away in the Reva Kingdom. We both are from Sephra, and he's the Guild Master of Demacia Guild.
A lot of coincidences, isn't it? I also felt a bit off when I talked to him. He tried to become overly familiar with me, but when I followed him all day from the shadows, he wasn't as open with everyone.
I felt targeted, and with the past incidents of being followed by an unknown "he," I've become a bit sensitive to the topic of being tracked.
Phew*
"Tonight, we are going to look for some clues." I'm sure I'll find something, but if I don't, then I'll stop looking any further.
"Do whatever you want; I won't come with you. I'll just wait in the tavern," Blaze said. Well, there's no need for him to follow me since his work is already done.
...
Under the cloak of darkness, I bided my time, patiently weaving through the shadows that enveloped the towering hotel. A sense of anticipation hung in the air, mingling with the faint scent of distant rain. Every passing minute felt like an eternity as I meticulously surveyed the building, hunting for the elusive path that would grant me access to his private sanctuary.
The hotel stood as a formidable fortress, its elegant facade hiding the secrets it held within. Yet, tonight, I was determined to breach its defenses and confront the man who had eluded me for far too long. It was a perilous game I played, one that required stealth, agility, and a dash of luck.
As the moon ascended its celestial throne, casting an ethereal glow upon the world below, I finally spotted my chance—a window, partially ajar, on an upper floor. It was as if fate itself had conspired to guide me towards my target. A silent nod of gratitude to whichever divine force had orchestrated this stroke of fortune escaped my lips.
"Hup!" I climbed up the wall slowly and carefully. The night was dark, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds. The Neo-Classic architecture building (the hotel) stood tall and proud in the middle of the city.
Thup*
With a small amount of strength applied, I climbed.
"..." Finally, I reached the window of Alver's room.
Tuk*
I tried to slide the window, but it was locked from inside. So, I created a small ember of fire on two fingers and placed them onto the glass, waiting until it made a hole big enough for my hand to enter. Then, I opened the window.
Click*
I looked inside and found that there was no one there. The room was exquisite, with beautiful paintings and sculptures adorning its walls. The room was dimly lit by a small lamp on the desk with a large map spread across it.
I closed the distance between the desks and took a look at the map. There were numerous marking pins on the map, as it displayed the entire Grav Kingdom.
Turning my gaze from the peculiar map, I looked at the suitcases near Alver's bed.
I made my way towards the suitcases positioned at the far end of the room, standing next to the grand, opulent bed. The bed was adorned with a luxurious silk sheet that emanated an aura of extravagance. The suitcases, crafted from fine leather, bore the marks of time and use, indicating their long history.
"Now is the time to uncover the secret," I whispered to myself as I unlocked the suitcases and lifted their lids. As I did, a multitude of documents and files greeted my eager eyes, forming a labyrinth of information within the confinements of the cases.
"Hmm?" My brows furrowed in surprise as I delved into the vast assortment of documents. With each passing file, the weight of their contents grew heavier, causing the bindings to strain and the edges of the case to loosen.
It began to piece together like a mosaic. Among the trove of papers, I discovered the license document of the Demacia Guild, meticulously preserved and authenticated. Furthermore, there lay an official proof copy of the Guild Master License, leaving no room for doubt about Alver's claim of leadership within Demacia. However, one curious omission persisted—the absence of his surname in any of these documents.
"Holy fuck." - And jackpot! I was blown away.
As I skimmed through these documents, I found a file filled with a list of properties that he had purchased. It didn't matter if the property was small or big; they were all included. There was also another file with a list of properties he planned to buy in the near future.
This individual is actually planning to buy an entire... wait!
*Tun*
A switch inside me flipped as I picked up the file of the properties he had bought under his name—first name to be exact—and brought them to the desk with the map.
Tuck*
Virendale, Arindor, Solstheim, Emberholt, Frostreach, Verdantia, Celestria, Starhaven, Shadowfen, Ivorygate, Sephra, and Eldoria. These are major cities, including many small properties in villages around them. The pins on the map were placed in the same cities, as if they were being marked.
There were a few pins missing in between, marked with a red dot. But all of this felt like a grand scheme being executed.
"Huh?" I saw a paper corner sticking out from the left side of the map. The map was placed on top of the paper.
Flip*
I gently picked up the left side of the map and pulled the sheet from underneath it.
"Now, this... is something," I mused as I saw an application form. It contained detailed information about a specific individual, including the names of their parents, their elemental affinities, and even their daily connections.
And that specific individual was me.
"So, are you done reading that?" I heard a nonchalant voice from behind me.
It's a familiar voice, but...
'I didn't sense him coming in at all.'
I turned around only to see the cold, stone expression on Alver's face as he looked at me and the map.
"How did you even manage to enter... Defying the mana-" he started to say something, but I swiftly conjured lightning and increased my movements. With a single step, I was right next to his face.
His facial expression showed surprise in that moment, but... no fear until...
"Agh!" I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
"Now it's time to answer some questions," I said with a smile, but his face went pale. Do I have that intimidating of a smile?
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