The signboard displaying Cafe de Delicis stood out like a banner attracting gazes at the unique name and the foreign language.
Adrian entered it once again. The place was completely empty at the moment, given that most of them were still at the city square. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ N0veI.Fiɾe.net
The receptionist took in his haggard form as he politely offered, "You look like a walking dead, Leo. Want to have something to eat?"
Adrian simply waved him off. "Nah, I am fine bro."
Looking past his table, he saw the office door closed. He inquired, "Boss in office?"
The receptionist nodded his head. Then in a conspirational tone, he added. "I heard that someone important is arriving in the town today. He is going there I guess. Security matters and all those business deals heh."
Adrian nodded his head in understanding as the door to the office clicked open.
Jeffrey stepped outside as he spotted Adrian leaning against the reception counter. A calculating flash shifted behind his eyes as he moved back inside his office but not before calling out.
"Leo, in the office." Adrian straightened his back like any good employee would and followed his boss into the medium sized space.
Even before entering the office, he caught a different side of Jeffrey. Gone was the nervous darting of his eyes. Now it was replaced by an unsettling cold gaze that could make people flinch just by looking at them.
Is he finally showing his true form? thought Adrian. But then another possibility crossed his mind.
’Maybe he thinks that this shift in his personality might make me uncomfortable and ...distract me enough for him to get out words that he wants to hear.’
Hands behind him, Adrian stood before Jeffrey’s desk.
Jeffrey watched him for a while and said,"I am glad you are safe."
Adrian gave a gratitude filled smile in return and was about to speak when Jeffrey spoke again.
"I heard from Sir Marcus that you have witnessed to a Seat being the reason behind the assault on us."
With a hesitating nod, Adrian said. "Yes, boss..."
"Did you fight the Seat you saw?" Jeffrey’s face tinkled with slight hints of amusement, watching Leo like a predator who already knew that it’s prey was in its grasp.
Adrian stiffened as he deliberately darted his eyes around the room. Then bowing his head under the intense gaze, he stammered. "N-no boss. I just heard the driver shouting from up there. I was inside the compartment, g-guarding our goods."
Thw smile widened on Jeffrey’s features as he exclaimed. "Ohh! So you haven’t seen the Seat?" To which Adrian shook his head.
"Then you must not have known that the red cloth belonged to the Seat right?"
Adrian lifted his face and stared at his boss. "R-right.."
Internally however he was asking himself. ’Why is he asking these questions? I suspected the same questions like the Royal Guard asked, not these irrelevant ones.’
"Hmm. The next time someone asks you questions, don’t lie. Is that understood Leo?"
"But I didn’t lie..."
"Yes, you didn’t lie to me. But you lied to Sir Marcus about the red cloth. What you didn’t see can’t be casually stated as being a witness to it, got that?"
Adrian let his shoulders slump as with a resigned voice, he replied. "Yes, boss."
"Good. Now off to your duty." Jeffrey said in dismissal.
Adrian gave a small salute as he turned back. As he opened the door, he heard Jeffrey’s voice behind him.
"We have an office policy. You can say it’s a family policy of ours in fact....to not betray House Colde once you become employed to them. Just letting you know, since the consequences of such are quite...harsh."
∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆
The afternoon was a lazy one as Adrian found himself yawning more than usual.
’I need more rest’, he thought. ’This body can’t hold out so many constant energy bursts without a proper sleep.’
Jeffrey had left the place an hour back. Probably to greet this "important person".
Adrian wanted to use this precious time to sketch all the clues he has gotten so far and to plan out his next steps.
But oh god, the pang of irresistible sleep was claiming him in its peaceful hold. He almost closed his eyes, letting himself lean into the chair.
’Maybe I should just sleep a little...’
*Cough* *Cough*
The sudden sound drowsed him from his sleepy stupor.
Opening his eyes, he looked in front of him. At the small desk he had been provided. There lay Luna, her hairs sweeping most of the wooden surface and her eyes intently fixed on his face.
"What?"
She gave no reply. Just stood up, stretching her arms as she held back a yawn.
"Nothing. Was watching you and almost fell asleep myself."
She slumped down on the desk, cross legged on it. Then she asked, "So what next?"
Remembering something important Adrian extended his hands. "Give me your cloak once."
Luna slightly puzzled, asked. "Which?"
"The red one." She looked around them, then formed a barrier blocking any spying eyes. She then took out a red cloak from her storage ring, which she promptly handed over to him.
Adrian checked the cloak...and as he suspected, there was not a single shred on it. He had indeed panicked a little when inquired by the Royal Guard but then later clarity hit him.
How can Luna’s cloak be torn if nothing on the field the last night could practically touch her? And now seeing the cloak in his hands he understood.
"It’s a hoax. A trap set by someone else."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Luna asked, looking with mild curiosity at Adrian and the cloak in his hands.
He smiled, a bit of challenge defining his features.
"It seems someone is being clever. Setting up a hoax just to set your trail was one of their clever tactics. You might not know this but two years back, I had set up a deal with Matthew Colde of the Colde household. Naturally they wouldn’t want anything of the incident to be related to the Seats...since Seat 1 supposedly funds them in my absence.
Not just that, Jeffrey also looked suspicious of me. Probably thinks me as a spy, even alerting me of it."
"Any guess?" Luna was fascinated and asked him.
"I would start with Matthew himself, the one who has the most to gain from keeping the Seats out of it. He also saw me boarding the train last night and might have felt something sketchy.Then Duke Versicos. He might have vanished in the middle of the fight, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have any means to spy on us. Probably any of those two...or could be Mr.Crow. But honestly speaking, it’s hard to guess."