Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Spilled like blood.
Pyro gulped nervously as she stood in front of the door of one of the best hotel rooms in the Althea hotel.
She took a deep breath to calm down her nerves. Before raising her hand to knock on the door, she made sure to look presentable.
She adjusted the collar of her white shirt and smoothed out the wrinkles of her black vest.
She arranged her some strands of her short slicked back brown hair to fall on her forehead.
She had heard from her co-workers that doing so added a touch of boyish charm to her. She wiped the sweat beading on her forehead but she still couldn't calm her anxiousness.
What she was going to do was quite risky and something she had never done.
But it was essential she succeed for their plan to work.
Althea hotel.
One of the most luxurious hotels in the Gareth city.
Though it was located at the edge of the Gareth city, in Erast village, it was famous for its comfortable treatment and sophisticated decor.
The hotel mainly catered to nobles and royals.
Many nobles who wanted to enjoy luxury and vanity visited this hotel. It wasn't uncommon that those nobles would sometimes indulge in illicit affairs when they visited here.
Sometimes they would bring their mistresses or sometimes they would indulge in the attendants of the hotel.
The hotel management protected the privacy and information of the clients and measures were taken to ensure the discretion of the customers.
The nobles who became regulars didn't fear repercussions of indulging in such vanity because of that. The attendants were also able to enjoy a taste of luxury when nobles chose them.
It seemed like a win-win situation, though there were some disadvantages too.
Until now Pyro had managed to avoid being selected.
She made an effort to avoid nobles who came here looking for pleasure with attendants.
But now she willingly walked here on her own two feet.
Because a group of nobles recently came to this hotel, whom even the director of the hotel was trying to please.
It was the first time Pyro saw the director, Jacob Andrews behaving like this ever since she started working here.
So she made her resolve and wanted to curry favor with those nobles.
Among the nobles that the director was trying to please, there was an injured noble that everyone in the group seemed to want to be around.
Even the noblest person in that group seemed worried about that person. That noble has been unconscious since he came here.
Pyro wanted to curry favor with that person, so she could gain the favor of them all.
Now here she was standing in front of the room reserved for that noble.
She straightened her spine and knocked on the door thrice.
"Come in."
A sensual and deep voice reached her ears. Pyro had to forcefully suppress the delightful shiver that went down her spine.
She lowered her head and meekly snuck a glance around the room. The moment she set her foot in this room, she was blinded and dazzled by the opulent luxury of the room.
Along with the director and his son, there were three individuals in the room.
The director seemed enthusiastically engaging in a conversation with the two of the nobles around a glass table.
His chattering seemed never ceasing, so immersed in the enthusiasm that he didn't even check whether the others were listening.
Pyro lowered the tray with the wine bottle and the wine glass onto the low table beside the bed and discretely tried to look at the injured figure of the noble lying on the bed.
Her breath caught just like the first time she saw him.
If others didn't specify that it was a man, no one would have believed that other-world beauty was a man.
Even lying motionless, the temperament of that person felt extraordinary.
The satin white pajamas only added a touch of allure to the jade-like beauty.
She only noticed movements on her peripheral after a while, being so distracted by the noble, that she wanted to curry favor with.
Logan Andrews, Jacob Andrews's son was acting suspiciously.
He looked back and forth between the bed and the nobles sitting few meters away from him.
Pyro watched as Logan extended his hand towards the white creature lying next to the motionless figure of the noble.
Realization dawned on her like a lightening bolt.
'Ah ! Is he seriously trying to steal that creature from them ?'
It was a well-known secret among the employees of the hotel that the director's son had a hobby of collecting exotic things like a noble.
Originally the Andrews family was a merchant family of middle class. They didn't have the status they have now.
After the sudden rise in the status, the Andrews family started to imitate the behavior of the nobles to try and better fit in.
Logan gained the hobby of collecting exotic things through observing the behavior of the nobles, since it was quite a common hobby among them.
But this was not the time for that, Pyro was sure.
Anyone with a brain could tell the nobles this time were influential than the run off the mill regulars of the hotel.
It was essential that they never offend them.
But human greed was something that knew no bound. Knowing and doing were two different things.
It was in the inherent nature of the humans to still covet things they shouldn't.
Logan outstretched his hand towards the creature and Pyro wasn't in a position to intervene.
By the time, the white lizard-like creature let out a distressed cry and tried to curl up towards the noble on the bed, it was already too late.
'It seems like the noble is the guardian of that creature.'
Pyro thought sadly.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw how the others turned at that sound and the face of the director twisted in displeasure.
Despite that, Logan's face remained satisfied and smug.
He uncurled his fingers and grasped with his palm only to be met with empty air.
"Huh ?"
Logan's face slackened in confusion.
Wooosh…
Suddenly there was a sound like something was moving very fast in the air. Then...
Bang…
A loud noise reverberated throughout the room as something went flying across the room at a very fast speed and crashed into the opposite wall, where the aquarium was.
The ones sitting at the table stood up due to the commotion and Pyro watched as the director rushed towards the shattered aquarium.
"Urk... Cough... Cough…"
Belated coughing was heard from there.
Pyro's jaw slackened as what happened became clear when Logan emerged from the debris of the aquarium with the help of the director.
Someone had thrown Logan across the room when he tried to grab the white creature. But the question was who that someone was ?
As if everyone in the room had one mind, they turned towards the figure who was supposed to be lying on the bed.
Pyro forgot to breathe when she encountered the now awake beauty.
The figure on the bed was leaning against the headboard, the white creature on his lap. He was gently and softly caressing the back of the creature.
But his eyes...
They were so penetrating and cold that Pyro wanted to shrink into herself even if he wasn't looking at her.
When the eyes of the noble landed on the stumbling Logan, the air pressure of the plummeted and temperature dropped drastically.
World shuddered like a crumbling structure of a building. A tide of mana swept over everything in the room.
Pyro felt she was drowning at the edge of a vortex. Her legs grew weak and she wobbled under the uncontrollable pressure, falling towards the wall.
Jacob and Logan had no such aid under the imposing wave that pressed down on them. They fell to their knees, their faces pale with fear.
"Kiyu."
Suddenly a whimper echoed in the room, with that the malevolent tide turned into a gentle soothing wave like a lullaby.
Then like a mist that vanished with the rising sun, the mana tide also disappeared.
"Shhh."
The noble cooed at the creature on his lap, with no aggression in sight anymore.
After the strange creature calmed down, the noble lifted his head and fiercely glared at Logan.
When the mana tide dissipated, Logan and Jacob seemed to have stood up.
Their hair disheveled, complexion ashen and clothes soaked to the bone from the aquarium's water, they both cut a pitiful picture.
"I am curious who has the audacity to touch my Arad ?"
The content of his sentences uttered by that melodious voice was like a request. But no one in their right mind was foolish enough to not notice the underlying threat in them.
"I… I apologize. My son seemed to have been mesmerized by the uniqueness of the being, my lord."
Jacob started to make excuses.
"He's remorseful. Please let me compensate for the dissatisfaction caused by my son."
Jacob blabbered bowing his head continuously.
"For someone who is remorseful, your son hasn't even apologized."
One of the nobles who stood by the table interjected in an indifferent voice.
Hearing this Jacob swallowed a gulp of saliva and turned towards his unruly son with a twisted face.
"What are you doing ? Apologize quickly."
He angrily yelled at Logan, whose face contorted in indignation.
He stayed silent with his lips pursed.
"Seems like your son doesn't want to apologize ?"
The noble on the bed watched the spectacle with a bored expression.
"Since he doesn't want to apologize, no need."
Jacob's face slackened with relief and Logan's face turned smug. But it was too soon to celebrate.
"Since an apology wasn't given, let's proceed according to the law. Did the law state when a thief is caught, the hand that he or she used to steal is cut off ?"
The gentle and melodious voice asked as if he was asking about the weather instead of a cruel question with ruthless words.
"I apologize. I am truly sorry."
Frightened at the prospect of having his hand cut off, Logan started to apologize earnestly.
"I won't do it again. I didn't mean to steal. Please have mercy."
Logan pleaded yearningly as he knelt on the floor.
The noble merely stared at the begging figure on the floor and turned his head away.
"Get out my sight if you want to stay alive."
He said as he waved his hand like trying to chase off a fly.
Scared off by the ruthless and cold appearance, both Jacob and Logan ran off from the room after bowing.
The other two nobles drifted towards the person on the bed and sat on the chairs placed at its sides.
"I am glad you are well. It's a relief to see you awake. We were worried about you."
The noble with the light blonde hair, who introduced himself as Michael spoke gently.
The indifference he showed to the director and his son a few minutes ago was no where in sight when he spoke with the noble on the bed.
"I am fine, my lord. You don't have to worry."
Saying this, the noble spared a glance at Pyro who was frozen stiff.
"What are you doing ? Why are you standing still ?"
He asked with a trace of amusement in his voice.
Pyro snapped out his terrified trance and started to pour wine onto the wine glasses.
"I am sorry for my tardiness, my lord."
She said meekly afraid of facing the wrath of the noble.
But contrary to her worries, he didn't seem to be angry. He merely lowered his head and stroked the back of the creature.
"By the way, I have heard interesting stories about Althea hotel. Would you indulge the questions I have ?"
He elegantly raised his hand and grabbed a wine glass that Pyro proceeded to serve them.
"Yes, my lord. I will do my utmost to answer your questions."
She answered like a well obedient servant.
"I have heard that the Althea hotel only hire male employees and it's punishable by death here for a woman to apply for here according to the rules. Is that correct ?"
His voice was melodious and he seemed bored.
Like he was asking to starve off his boredom and curiosity. Pyro gulped nervously.
"That's correct, my lord."
Still, she answered diligently. She lowered the wine bottle to place it on the tray.
"Then, please do tell me, what's a woman doing masquerading as a man in a hotel like that ? Did you come looking for us on purpose ?"
Pyro froze once again with fear as those words parted the noble's lips. The wine bottle in her hand slipped and fell to the ground.
It shattered and splintered into pieces, spilling its' red liquid on the floor, like blood.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Ocean_d
Ocean_d MINI THEATER :-
Kai : Get your filthy hands off my precious child, you mangly mutt.
Logan : I am not a dog. ( Whimpers pitifully. )
Kai : ... ( Stares at him unblinkingly and smiles gently. )
Logan : ... ( Gets dazzled by the beautiful smile. )
Kai : Do you think I care whether you are a dog or a cat ? Now get lost.
Logan : ... ( Runs away with the tail stuck between his legs. )
Michael who was watching the whole thing : So hot.
*****
Hi guys,
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