Chapter 15. Overthinking it.

“The target lives in the little wealthier part of Solitude. Though, not with the nobles, thankfully. Since that would have made the job much harder.”

“Why exactly a merchant, though? Shouldn’t it be people in the police or army or something?”

“This merchant is quite curious, and we have reasons to believe he managed to get his hands on a clue about our existence underneath the city.”

But wouldn’t killing him alert more people?

As we head down the stone hallway, the surrounding rooms seem sparsely populated. With a few bigger rooms existing but I didn’t get a chance to look closely inside them.

“I’ll give you a little tour of this place after we return. This thing is a little urgent.”

Sylvia says as she lightly quickens her pace.

If it really was urgent then shouldn’t we have left earlier?

Maybe this vampire doesn’t have the best of planning abilities. But then again, she should. Isn’t she an assassin?

Though a closer look wasn’t possible right now. The entire place did give a really creepy vibe overall.

Maybe that is why Vera suddenly grabbed the hem of my jacket.

I take a quick look to see her expression which seems genuinely unsettled. Though I would have teased if it was any other occasion, but I don’t feel like doing that now.

But I wonder what exactly was it since she seemed fine earlier and even when we were in the vampire’s conference room, or whatever it was supposed to be.

We head up some stairs, quite similar to how they were when we came in through that other entrance. But these are much wider. Though they narrow out as we head up.

And going through the door at the top of the stairs, we end up in a basement of sorts. Or I could only assume it to be a kind of basement.

“Be a little careful here. There’s traps if you try to force your way into the base.”

That seems like a fair warning if she knew that this is the first time of us entering through the main entrance.

But shouldn’t she think that we entered through this entrance in the first place? Cause that other back entrance had way less security and it seemed more like an emergency escape if anything.

Perhaps there’s other entrances to this place that I wasn’t able to see. And she assumes I entered through one of those.

“Follow my footsteps. We will have to trace these backwards when we come back.”

She says as she starts to slowly move as if following an invisible path through some kind of maze.

I mean, the basement itself seems quite empty but I suppose there’s other magic in this place that I can’t feel right now.

It seems quite troublesome to map this out… But I try to keep a track anyways, using the minimap as a reference.

Vera also follows behind me wordlessly, still holding onto the hem of my coat.

The path heads straight towards the exit of the basement before taking a sudden left just before reaching the door, walking alongside the wall before heading towards another point straight across…

Explorer ability, ‘trap analysis’ used. (Beginner)

You have successfully remembered the path through this invisible maze.

As that message pops up, in the minimap I’m able to see the path that we just traced. That’s quite useful.

We slowly but surely pass through the invisible maze.

As we exit the decrepit looking basement by going up another set of stairs, this time wooden, we reach what I assume is the ground floor of some kind of building.

I follow Sylvia through a door and sudden liveliness greets me.

“The upper stage is disguised. Of course.”

She says as she walks towards what I suppose is a table reserved for her and sits down at one of the chairs around it, gesturing me to do the same.

I take a seat with Vera sitting on the chair right beside me.

Looking around, it seems like some sort of high-class establishment. Perhaps a restaurant of sorts?

“Doing it this way even allows us to gather some important information.”

The whole place has a Victorian era aesthetic, though I suppose since this isn’t earth, that description can’t really apply here. It clearly is a restaurant or high-class inn. The few people who are here, are quite well-to-do, as judging by their clothing, present here and eating their meals. Lunch to be specific.

Seems like a kind of socializing spot for the wealthy-class? Then it would make sense that she mentioned getting information. Since they would discuss important deals and transactions and current events while they’re eating with their friends.

Though it isn’t quite as populated now since it’s the middle of the day.

The waiter or maître d’ of the place, if I’m feeling classy, comes up to us with what I suppose is the menu. Presenting it to me.

I’m the head of the table. Yes, obviously.

“We’d like a serving of Peking duck. Nothing else.” Sylvia says to him.

“Understood.” He says as he bows and walks away. His gait quite elegant or at least he was trained in proper etiquette, also quite visible by how professionally he was dressed. Though his hair did seem white, perhaps telling of his age.

What she said just now must be a code word of sorts. Since I don’t believe they would have Peking duck of all things available here.

I notice that he walks through a door with a small window in it, made of tinted glass. Leading to the kitchen and such places I suppose.

Finding something odd, I look towards where we entered from, but I can’t find anything. Wait, where’s the door that should lead to the basement?

It must be hidden somehow. That would make sense. It would have to be hidden enough for people to not notice someone using that door at all. But shouldn’t the staff itself, which I have all the reason to believe is working with them, shouldn’t they know of someone using that basement entrance?

“That man was the head waiter.”

Sure, that much I guessed already. Maître d’ is a title for the head waiter.

“He’s one of us. Though the other staff may not be.”

Ah, that makes sense.

“I had to say that as a formality even if he does remember my face.”

The other staff might not be one of them. That is, they have mixed humans into their plot, to make it even harder to see if anything is off about this place.

Even I’ll have to say this is a quite well thought out operation.

Who was the one that planned this?

“So, where now?” I ask her.

“A subordinate of mine should come within a minute, bringing a map along with him, marked with all relevant information. From that we’ll come up with a plan and scout the location to confirm it.”

I touch the table. It has the same odd, warm feeling that I got earlier. Perhaps some kind of spell is casted on it.

If my suspicions are correct, then a kind of sound dampening spell that would prevent our conversation from travelling too far and being heard by other people. But it wouldn’t make sense for other tables to have this. Then that would mean this table indeed is a little special.

Looking to my side a bit to check on Vera. She’s sitting there with her eyes gently closed. As if in deep thought about something. Still holding onto a corner of my jacket. She looks very serene, almost making me reluctant to want to disturb her.

Could it be that something in that place which I didn’t notice triggered some traumatic memory in her? What could it be?

As I’m thinking about what exactly it was, the maître d’ from earlier comes up to our table with an envelope in his hand.

And, presenting it to me, once again walks away after a curt bow.

“Is he doing that purposefully?” Sylvia speaks up with a slight frown.

I gently open the sealed envelope. Taking out the letter and the attached map from inside it. Unfolding it and looking at the map once before putting it aside.

Jozef’s Mansion map acquired.

I open the letter and take a look at it. It has neat handwriting.

Too bad I can’t understand it at all.

Scholar ability, language analysis used. (Beginner)

This letter is written using Gacilic, the more modern version of the language the vampire progenitors used. It is the second most used language in the Underworld.

You cannot understand it right now. However, if you obtain clues on how to read it, then you would start to learn.

Huh, so they do use a different language.

But the language Sylvia used while speaking sure sounded like the English I’m fairly used to.

Could it be that she spoke a different language till now and I just understood it as is? Me being disguised as a vampire because of this cloth armor might make sense that I understand it.

But then it wouldn’t make sense that Vera understood it too.

Either she has something special too that she understood what Sylvia had been saying till now, or that Sylvia spoke English till now.

Wait, I could test it right now, along with learning a bit of their language too I suppose.

Taking the letter, I pass it to Sylvia.

“Read it for me.”

“Okay…”

Now she would speak the vampires’ language since that is what is written in the letter. If I understand what she speaks now, then that would mean…

“To Ms. Sylvia … And all the other unnecessary information.”

She skipped the first part of the letter, so it should be the addresses and all that I suppose.

“Let’s get to the main part…

I’m facing some trouble since the merchant’s guards suddenly seem to be suspicious of our activities, thus I am unable to personally come and escort you here. Thus, I had to send this letter through a messenger. I’ve attached the map showing the merchant’s mansion and the normal guard routes which have changed recently since he’s planning a banquet. That would be the best opportunity for our attack. Also marked are the possible entry points I believe would be good but the decision lies up to you…”

The first part of what she said sounded normal, but the rest of it had this heavy accent while she was reading it. But I understood it nonetheless.

The heavy accent part must be when she read using the vampire language or Gacilic that it’s called. So that means the rest of the time she was actually speaking English. That makes sense.

The change in guard’s routes must be them practicing for the banquet itself.

As I turn to pick up the map, I once again notice Vera. This time however with her eyes open but her face quite expressionless.

Right, maybe this could do something.

I open my inventory to take something out.

Cerasus Doux

Specialty wine of Solitude, Taimid Empire.

The procedure for making this is a closely guarded secret of the winemakers. But its effects are quire widely known.

It helps calm the mind with its sweet but not-too-sweet and incredibly refreshing taste.

Gives light immunity to mental status effects for 30 minutes after drinking.

Increases stamina recovery rate for 10 minutes.

More information might become clear as you drink more of it.

The description pops up as I look at it a little carefully.

Then placing the glass in front of her, I gesture for her to drink as I nonchalantly pick up the map and start to read it.

Sylvia tilts her head a little as if in confusion but doesn’t say anything. At least it doesn’t seem like it’s too questionable a thing that I gave her that wine.

Wait, wouldn’t it count as an indirect kiss?

I quickly take a glance. She’s already drinking it. Well, at least it seems like she’s enjoying it since her expression has cleared up now.

She looks really cute doing that…

No no no. Don’t think such thoughts.

It’s not my M.O. to judge directly based on the appearance of a person. That would only lead to errors in judgement.

But then again, the way people look does influence how they’re treated in life. A good-looking person might be treated well by others, thus making him believe the world is like that and thus he too is easily approachable. And conversely a person who is given the cold shoulder by others solely based on his/her appearance will believe that’s what the world is like. It’s an unfortunate world we live in that truly can be quite surface-level at times…

So, it isn’t entirely wrong to judge based on appearance either…

I’m overthinking this, isn’t it.

I let out a light sigh.

But regardless. This is how I do things. Appearance is only secondary in judging a person’s character.

Sylvia takes her chair and putting it right beside me, sits down. Peering into the map I’m holding.

Right, now to perhaps strategize a little…