Capítulo 2: {Chapter 2: The Sleeping Mug.}
I still couldn't fully wrap my head around all that was happening. However, I wasn't going to complain about the great fortune that had fallen onto me. I left the keys to my apartment with the receptionist and informed her of my intent to move. The woman nodded lazily and took my keys. With a shrug, I headed out into the streets of the city. Hannah, the strange summon I got, followed behind me as I walked down the streets. Working for the government administrations, I knew where any Real Estate offices were. To my surprise, Hannah had asked if she could handle the acquisition of a suitable property for a tavern. Wanting to test her skills, I agreed but told her to make sure it was somewhere out of town. With a big smile, she thanked me and scurried off. I looked at the fox on my shoulder and raised a questioning eyebrow. Lu just shrugged in response. An action that left me confused but curious. I chuckled to myself and made my way to the city gates, the place Hannah agreed to meet up with me at.
As I walked down the streets, I quickly got lost into my thoughts. I wanted to get out of this city as quickly as possible. I gritted my teeth when I remembered that smug bastards smirk as my boss fired me. Dorian Gerdan. The son of a Magister. Magister's were the title given to mages that received the responsibility of overseeing and/or protecting important cities within the kingdom. That very background made Dorian practically untouchable. So, when a scandal about an affair with Gillian Lyriss got out, I somehow was the one to take the fall for Dorian. The Lyriss was another Magister House. For the public, losing my job was the legal punishment but I wouldn't be surprised if the Lyriss House would seek another form from behind the scenes. My best bet was to leave the city as quickly as possible but I would eventually come back to reveal the truth.
"Grrrr." Lu's growling brought me back to reality and I looked up.
One of the many guard captains, Korton Mill, stood before me with 3 other guards, effectively blocking my path. I frowned as I saw the smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. Korton was an older man, most likely in his late 40's and had well kept blue hair. A blue mustache extended out into a few curls on his lips, giving him a sophisticated edge. He wore a suit of iron armor that bore the crest of the city, Featherburgs. The crest had 3 feathers falling with a sun in its background.
"Where do you think you're going?" Korton sneered.
"To live a quiet life now that it has been ruined. As of today, I'm no longer a resident of this city." I shrugged with my hands in my pockets.
"This moron! He thinks he can just leave when he gained the ire of not one but two Magister Houses! Hahaha! Poor Nero, you really are a fool! With the power of the 5th guard captain, you are under arrest. Charged for fornication with a mage via blackmail as a commoner!" Korton's laugh was filled with disdain and soon he drew his sword, prompting the others to follow his actions.
I sighed in exhaustion. I needed to find a way to flee and without using magic. People were beginning to stop and watch, whispering to each other as they saw the guards draw their blades. I glanced over at Lu and found her foxish maw curled up in a mocking smile. I raised an eyebrow and looked back at the guards. They had started stumbling around, looking pale and as if on the verge of throwing up. Korton fell down onto his side, dropping his sword, before actually throwing up. Taking the chance, I quickly ran past them and headed for the gates.
Running past several other guards and people, it was almost like they couldn't see me. As if my very presence had vanished. I chalked it up to Lu's doing, hence the name Deception Fox. Exiting the city entrance, I was grateful that Hannah had already arrived and was waiting for me. She was waiting for me next to a carriage that was being pulled by two enslaved centaurs.
"Let's go! We need to get out of here now!" I stopped in front of her and told her with a slightly panicked voice.
Hannah nodded with a serious expression before grabbing ahold of me by my waist and jumping into the back of the carriage. I blinked a few times in shock as she sat me down and climbed through the front opening of the carriage's canvas cover. Hannah gave the reins a swift jolt and it started moving forward. Still shocked at how easily the woman picked me up and sat me down like a child, Lu jumped off of my shoulder and into my lap, curling up in a soft, warm ball and began to fall asleep.
Eventually, Hannah crawled back into the carriage and sat down in front of me with a light smile. Without any words, she pulled out a folder filled with papers and an ID card, handing them over to me. My eyebrows scrunched together as I took them from her. The ID card was like my current one but had a different name on it. William. It had also been registered as a High-Class commoner, the only kind that could own businesses.
Opening the folder, there was the paperwork and deed for the building Hannah had purchased under my new name and also the paperwork for another bank account with this new name. All my funds had already been transferred over into it, in a way that left no traces to the original account it in. I looked up to Hannah and raised a curious brow.
"Knowing your current... predicament. I tracked down and found someone that could make you a new ID, as well as moving your assets. It won't be long before that account is frozen by the authorities. I also found a suitable property for purchase, an old tavern that was abandoned after the last owner died. It is about a day's journey at normal speeds but we should be there within a few hours thanks to the centaurs I had purchased.
The tavern itself has been vacant for a few decades now and will need a lot of work that I will be able to handle easily, but is in rather good condition considering certain variables. The tavern itself is on a travel road away from most settlements, between Featherburgs and the capitol, Ristna. More closer to Ristna though. So, Lord William, are you satisfied with this maid's work?" Hannah explained and asked with a prideful smile.
"Actaully, you did very well Hannah. Thank you." I nodded with a wry smile and spoke spoke sincerely.
Her smile bloomed brightly and I got lost into it. Her strange vertical purple eyes with slit irises seemed to glow with her inner emotions, every bit of it catching my full attention. I caught myself staring at her and looked away with a cough to clear my throat. It didn't help that she watched me with a know glint in her eyes as her smile became slightly cheeky. The rest of the ride was nice, albeit awkwardly quiet, but a silent agreement we both came too.
When we got close, Hannah showed me some documents that detailed her purchases in town and what all she had bought exactly. Plenty of food that could feed a few 10's of people for a year, including raw ingredients like spices, preservants, condiments and even seeds of magical herbs used in cooking. Also, an equal amount of ales, meads and spirits. This had raised the question of where she was keeping it all as the carriage was empty except for Hannah, Lu, Rolu and I. Turns out, my maid owns her own little 'Storage Realm', a by product made from her knowledge in darkness magic.
Just like that, hours passed by and soon we made it to our destination. Hoping out of the carriage, I realized Hannah wasn't lying about it needed a lot of work. There was a side of the ceiling collapsed, vines and large shrubbery had grown all around and over it, the stables at the side had completely collapsed on itself, even the front door laid on the ground with signs of rot at the points of its hinges. Hannah hopped out with a supernatural grace and walked up next to me.
"Worry not, My Lord. This place will be as good as new very soon." She lightly puffed out her large chest.
"And how ar-... oh.." I began but quickly became silent.
Hannah's shadow bloomed out, covering the whole property and making it all seemingly blend together. There was a slight distorted movement under the shadowy influence it it quickly became still and receded away. My jaw dropped and eyes widened when I saw what was left behind. The tavern itself looked as if it was completely rebuilt and kept a semblance of its original design. What used to be a large 2 story structure was now turned into a 3 story structure twice as wide and twice as long.
The stables were now 3 times its original side, able to hold 40 to 50 beast of burden or mounts and even had 3 seperate living spaces for stable handlers. I quickly entered the tavern and was left stunned by the interior. The lighting inside was soft enough to not bother a customers adjusting eyes from the bright times of day and gave it a relaxing but cozy vibe. To the right side, there was a stage for musicians or minstrels to preform. To the far left side, a third of the room was cut off by a bar and behind it was the kitchen area, a hallway with a restrooms sign to the left of the bar.
I stood there in shocked awe, the floor to the second floor was opened up, allowing one to look down over the railing to the first floor. I quickly head upstairs a level and was further shocked. Half of the second floor was another dining area but the other half had privacy rooms for those that wished to dine in peace. Heading upstairs again to the final floor, I came to a wooded door and curiously looked at it for a moment before walking through. It led to a hallway the formed into a U shape and it came to a dead end at each side.
"The third floor was built into, what is called, a 'shadow pocket' My Lord. Using the completely space of the 3rd floor, I made several small domains with shadow magic that can provide almost limitless room. It still has its limits but it would take a long time before it reaches said limits. That being said, each pocket holds about 90 rooms and 5 pockets holding 45 VIP rooms and 5 more pockets holding 50 rooms for any future employees." Hannah explained to me when I exited the 3rd floor.
"How exactly do we know what room they are getting?" I asked her with genuine concern.
"At the bar, you will find 3 boxes within a drawer. One each for customer rooms, VIP rooms and employee rooms. It is set up to where all you need to do is reach in and grab a key. It will automatically give you the key to a room both available and ready after being cleaned, the key leads them to the pocket their room resides in. So, you have 720 regular rooms, 225 VIP rooms and 250 employee rooms." She basked in the very fact of my shocked look that grew more intense as she spoke.
"Why would I need 250 emplyee rooms?" I asked her incredulously.
"Face it, My Lord. We are place in the middle of nowhere and the best way to get employees that we can trust is by providing a home for any family members that tag along." Hannah said matter-of-factly.
"Ah... when you put it like that, it makes sense now..." I sheepishly responded in realization.
"Lastly, there is one pocket meant for you alone. It only has about a 3rd of the space but has everything you would need to personally enjoy yourself inside." Hannah nodded as if pleased to my response before placing a key into my hand. It had a small wooden tag with a gray 'X' above the '01' on it.
"Wonderful! I'll be able to clean up and relax a bit before figuring out what is next." I said cheerfully.
"Before that, what is the name of this fine establishment, My Lord?" Hannah asked with child-like curiosity.
"Hmmmm..." I hummed in thought before it hit me. "The Sleeping Mug! A place where anyone can go for a cold drink and a wonderful rest!" I shared with Hannah, even adding in a slogan.
"A wonderful name but we will have to work on the slogan." She chuckled before calmly Turing around and heading downstairs.
"Where are you going?" I asked a Lu jumped on her shoulder and Rolu slithered up my leg and to my arm.
"Why, to place the name out side and create a emblem board of this wonderful business." She chuckled again and answer, leaving before I could respond.
"Haaaah~, thank you Hannah." I smiled to myself and whispered before entering the third floor.
Outside of Nero's view, Hannah exploded into a blushing mess and almost fell off the steps. Luckily, she had caught herself and straightened her outfit.
"Deep breaths, Hannah. Deep breaths. Lord Nero is incredibly pleased with our work and there is no reason to get like this over a praise filled with pure graditu... I need to do something to clear my mind, damn it!!!!" She started talking to herself, blushing more and more before storming off to distract her mind.
Status de energia semanal
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