Chapter 41.1
Chapter 41.1
Creak.
“We reopen in an hour.”
The last two patrons had left, and he was wiping down the tables. Even using every cleaning skill he knew, it would take at least an hour to tidy up the mess. Tiring, but he couldn’t rest. He was a student working tirelessly every day to earn his tuition money, having taken a leave of absence from school.
Escape was a land of opportunity where mastering even a single skill could lead to a fortune. He was still learning to cook, but once his proficiency increased, he could earn money beyond compare to any real-world chef. Until then, even the tedious cleaning couldn’t be neglected.
Which was why he had clearly hung the “CLOSED” sign.
Apparently, customers didn’t bother reading signs. The “pull” signs plastered all over the door were constantly ignored by people pushing their way in. But strangely, there was no reply from the newcomers.
“Hello?”
“We have a question.”
He turned around, puzzled, and froze.
Jet-black priestly robes. Silent footsteps. Twin siblings, identical to each other.
“We heard there was a logout error here. Know anything about it?”
It was Deborah and Ahab. He couldn’t fail to recognize the faces he saw in the media every day.
Outside of Escape, these two would have been locked up long ago. Addicted to murder, where else would they satisfy their urges if not here? The thought was chilling.
A logout error? Panic seized him. He immediately checked for his own logout button. He was ready to flee if necessary. Though even if he did, being targeted by these thugs meant he wouldn’t be able to log in for a while.
What rotten luck. He was planning to pay his bills with the gold he earned in Escape today.
“Well? Answer us. The logout’s working fine now, so stop trembling like a puppy about to mess itself.”
“I… I haven’t heard of any such errors….”
“Is that so? Then there was a bit of a commotion here today, correct?”
“Is there really a need to ask?”
Ahab, the male twin with the ponytail, interjected, gesturing towards the chaotic scene with his thumb. Deborah smiled.
“You don’t understand, brother. It’s always good to be certain. Anyway, young man. There was a little trouble here, and the culprit was a dark-haired, handsome man in a stunning uniform, right?”
“Ah….”
The server nodded dumbly.
“Hmm, just as we thought. So, where did he go after leaving here? Do you know anything?”
“I’m… not certain, but….”
He hesitated. What if he gave them the wrong information and they came back for revenge?
Sensing his predicament, Deborah smiled brightly, brandishing her harpe. “We won’t forget any information you give us. Truly.”
His deliberation was brief. Whatever it was, getting on Deborah’s bad side wouldn’t end well, and owing a favor to someone wealthy couldn’t be a bad thing. He spoke cautiously.
“The, uh, woman who was with him asked where the Leon building was.”
“Leon?”
The exclamation of shock came from both of them simultaneously. They looked at each other.
He could almost see the words ‘Why?’ written across their faces.
There was only one being within Escape that the fearless twins avoided: Eric, whose specialty was looking down on people with his piercing blue eyes. Eric found their matching priestly robes, chosen to reflect their guild name, pathetic and didn’t even treat them as civilized human beings.
***
The interior of the building was familiar, having been there once before. Stepping into the lobby, Adeline breathed a sigh of relief, confirming she was in the right place. The marble floor was spotless, reflecting the owner’s meticulous nature, and the materials were impeccably luxurious. Adeline liked it here. Luce, however, had called it a sterile, obsessive building.
“I’d like to go to the lounge. How do I get there?”
By some stroke of luck, the receptionist recognized her. He pointed with his index finger towards a grand, arched entrance. His tone was strictly professional.
“Employees can enter directly through that door.”
“Am I still considered an employee here?”
“Yes. Your name still appears in the system. Adeline la Graciel. You may proceed.”
Things were going surprisingly smoothly. Not only was her destination right in front of the restaurant, but her guild membership hadn’t been terminated yet either. Seeing Adeline’s obvious delight, the receptionist, perhaps sensing a misunderstanding, added a stiff clarification.
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