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#064. The Old Man and the Rock Deer (2)
Ray and his friends changed their clothes and looked at themselves in the mirror.
The clerk followed the group around, exclaiming with all his might.
“Oh my goodness! You suit each other so well!”
Meanwhile, his gaze kept glancing at the inside of Philip’s jacket where the money pouch was, and the golden desire in the bowl twitched along with the master’s gaze.
“Try this too, wait a minute, this is so pretty! Gosh! What should I do?”
What should I do? What should I do?
Philip shook his head.
“Ray, do you remember which number that was?”
“12th.”
“Hey guys. How about this? Is it okay?”
“Oh, yeah. I think it’s okay.”
“Now the 13th.”
“Huh? Your answer seems soulless. Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Wow! Veronica! You really suit me so well! You’re so pretty and beautiful, I can’t stop admiring you! Haha! I’d believe you even if you said you were a princess!”
Veronica’s fashion show came to a close and each of the group chose an outfit.
Shirt, pants, jacket, dress and shoes.
Although they weren’t as flashy as other clothes in the store, they were definitely luxurious and made of materials that were great for activities.
Philip chatted with the clerk at the counter and managed to purchase the clothes at a 15 percent discount from the listed price.
Ray asked as they left the clothing store.
“How did you lower the price?”
“That’s a trade secret.”
Philip chuckled.
Ray was impressed.
It’s amazing how you can lower the price so much without using any means of communication like guns or knives.
After changing into their original clothes and leaving them in the hotel, the group resumed their journey towards the hotel.
As Philip said, street children no longer bothered him, and instead, they would sometimes flinch and run away when he passed by.
The eyes of suspicion and caution remained.
However, the feeling of the bowl has changed.
Admiration, longing, envy, jealousy, etc.
Mana, a murky color like muddy water, was rippling in their vessels.
Who would have thought that just the way you dressed could change the reaction this much?
“Is there another device that can change people’s reactions? Other than clothing.”
“Well… It’s the same with everything related to appearance. When you first meet someone, all you can judge about them is their appearance.”
Examples include appearance, clothing, and tone of voice.
“But the most important thing is the atmosphere that the person gives off. It’s a kind of aura. So, depending on the person, even if they wear cheap clothes, they can look classy, and on the contrary, even if they wear expensive clothes, they can look unattractive.”
Philip thought Ray belonged to the former category.
If Ray, who is currently wearing a well-tailored shirt and pants, were to say that he is a street kid, no one would believe him.
‘Even a rich nobleman is not enough.’
More adjectives were needed.
What should I say, it’s like looking at someone of a completely different race.
Knock—knock—knock—
The group continued to move, taking in the street scenery.
Before long we arrived at 22nd Street, where we could spot the Gallotte Hotel towering over the other buildings.
Veronica and Philip were amazed.
“It’s so tall. I’ve never seen a building this tall before.”
“Yeah. It’s the 5th floor.”
Objectively speaking, this is not a very high number of floors.
However, it was the tallest building the children had ever seen.
At the entrance to the hotel, surrounded by a reddish-brown wall with an old-fashioned feel, two uniformed guards stood with solemn postures.
In front of it, people who appeared to be guests could be seen coming and going here and there.
Philip said.
“It doesn’t look like they’re checking for ID or anything. Wouldn’t it be better to just go in rather than waiting here?”
I changed my clothes, but I wasn’t confident enough to actually go in.
According to Skye, his client was staying inside the hotel building with his personal security detail.
He rarely goes out, just waiting for the mercenary group to return with the search results.
It will come out someday.
But since I didn’t know when that would be, just waiting around was a huge waste of time.
“Let’s go in.”
Ray strode ahead.
Philip and Veronica followed behind, startled by the movement made without any signal.
“Ray, wait a minute, but you might get caught, so you should prepare your words in advance─.”
“No, I won’t catch you.”
Ray’s answer to Philip’s question was well-founded.
When our eyes met briefly earlier, there was not a hint of hostility or wariness in the guards’ faces.
As they approached the main gate, Philip and Veronica’s impatience grew.
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I felt the guards’ eyes on me.
It felt like I would be grabbed by the back of my clothes at any moment and be harshly demanded to prove my identity.
The moment when I lowered my head without realizing it.
“are you okay.”
Ray’s whispers could be heard from in front.
At the same time, the anxiety in my heart miraculously disappeared like melting snow.
Philip and Veronica, who had raised their heads again, followed Ray through the main gate with a relatively confident gait.
There was no restraint.
Rather, when they turned their heads back and made eye contact, the guards nodded their heads with a faint smile in greeting.
Philip muttered.
“… This is real.”
Even while walking from the main gate to the hotel entrance, I encountered quite a few guests.
Everyone smiled or nodded as they passed by Ray and his group.
The vast majority of guests are wealthy people who visit Sector 48 for various reasons, such as business trips or travel.
Unlike the lower-sector residents who live each day with great difficulty, they have a life of leisure.
There was also an intimate bond between them as people who were far removed from the ‘misfortune’ of being born and living in the ‘lower sector’.
“Is this also because of our clothing?”
It felt quite strange to Ray.
The fact that people can show such high levels of kindness from the moment they first meet another person.
“I think so.”
While being greeted by the guests, the group completely absorbed themselves into the hotel’s atmosphere.
I passed through the entrance and headed to the U-shaped desk located in the center of the first floor.
The manager, with a dignified look, greeted us with a smile.
“Is there anything you need, ladies and gentlemen?”
“I was trying to go back to my room, but I forgot the lake!”
“What name are you checked in under?”
“John Grid. That’s my grandfather’s name.”
At Philip’s words, the manager told him the room number without much doubt.
The group climbed the stairs and arrived in front of room 207, located at the end of a red-carpeted hallway.
dripping.
The door opened and a grim-looking man in a suit appeared.
“… What is it? You guys? I think you came to the wrong room.”
Philip and Veronica instinctively stepped back, and Ray stepped forward and said.
“I came to see Mr. John Grid.”
A moment of silence followed.
The man said with a frown.
“I don’t think anyone was planning to come see you today. And it was kids like this.”
“I came through the Skye Mercenaries. I would like to hear more about the Rockdeer you are looking for.”
The man’s forehead furrowed.
“Who would think that those mercenary bastards are just talking dirty? They’re carelessly handing over client information…”
The man who had been muttering softly spoke to Ray in a voice that was faintly angry.
“The CEO is busy. He is not someone that kids like you can meet if you want to.”
“We may be able to help you.”
“I don’t know who sent it, but if you want to see the CEO, tell him to at least show his good faith by coming to see you in person.”
The man’s attitude was resolute.
Even through the emotions of the vessel, it was possible to confirm that there was absolutely no intention of backing down.
‘It would be no use leaving the conversation to Philip.’
First of all, it seemed certain that there was a man named John Grid inside.
Also, judging by the noise, it was assumed that there were more bodyguards inside.
‘There are rooms on the left and right of the entrance.’
Ray estimated the layout of the room by looking at the scenery behind the man’s back, and planned how to subdue the opponent.
When you know what you want, you don’t care about the means or methods.
That’s the boy’s way.
The clue about the rainbow was enough to become a target.
“If you understand, then go. Before I force you out.”
Just as Ray was drawing up mana and about to kick the floor.
─I see you have a guest. He wants to hear a story about the animal I’m looking for. Let’s invite him inside.
A voice came from inside.
The man disappeared for a moment, leaving the door open, then returned and ushered Ray and his party inside with a displeased expression on his face.
“Young guests. Did you come here after hearing Skye’s story?”
An old man with gray hair was sitting on the sofa in the central living room.
He had a faint smile on his face, but he seemed to be physically and mentally exhausted and had no energy.
“Chafer. What could a dying old man be busy with? While waiting for good news, wouldn’t it be okay to entertain guests as entertainment?”
“If that’s what the representative says….”
The man who had been blocking the door nodded to the old man and walked behind the sofa.
There were ten bodyguards in total, including him.
However, one person had a slightly different vibe. He was dressed more in casual clothes than a suit, and he looked young, in his early 20s.
“Little guests. Please sit down comfortably. If it’s alright, I’d like to ask you to introduce yourself first. Has Skye sent you with some news?”
The old man pointed to the sofa across from the table.
Ray sat down first, and Philip and Veronica sat next to him, looking around a bit.
And they looked at each other.
‘They asked me to introduce myself.’
‘What should I introduce myself as?’
The group’s identity was clear.
A community of shared destiny that cooperates with each other for a common purpose.
But when I introduced it to others, I didn’t know what to say.
The two looked at Ray at the same time, and the leader answered without hesitation.
“It’s a mercenary group.”
Of course, it was a completely unexpected answer.
‘Philip, were you part of our mercenary group?’
‘I guess so. Maybe?’
‘If it’s a mercenary group, it should have a name. What should I name it?’
‘I think it would be okay as long as the name isn’t as senseless as France.’
‘… … ?’
While Philip and Veronica exchanged glances, Ray continued his conversation with the old man.
“A mercenary group? Is that the mercenary group I know? The ones that travel around various districts, taking on commissions and carrying them out?”
“Yes. And we weren’t sent by Skye. We came here to hear about the animal you’re looking for and to get more information.”
A moment of silence follows.
Suddenly, the old man burst into loud laughter as if he understood the situation.
“Khuh-huh-huh! A mercenary group! Yes, it can be a mercenary group. It’s the youngest mercenary group I’ve ever seen!”
Ray eyed the old man’s bowl.
The purpose was to understand the exact emotional state.
Even though you may be smiling on the outside, your true feelings may be different.
However, the old man’s bowl was full of traces of emotions engraved over time, making it impossible to accurately determine his current psychological state.
‘…similar to Grandpa Graham.’
Ray took the second option and paid attention to the old man’s facial expression.
Recognizing another person’s face is still a difficult task, but with consistent practice, my skills are definitely improving.
“Yes. The little gentleman with white hair is the leader of the mercenary group. If you want to hear the story, I’ll tell you.”
“Sir, they might be spies sent by a competitor….”
“What good would it do to send a spy to a company that is already on the verge of collapse? The past glory of securing a dozen water sources and supplying drinking water to various places is nothing more than that. Right? How much of the story have you heard from Skyle?”
The old man looked very happy.
There was a hint of excitement on his face, as if he were a grandfather telling old stories to his grandchildren.
“I heard that when you were young, you were stranded in the wilderness and were saved by the help of Rock Deer, whose body was made of water. And.”
Ray took a breath.
“I heard that there was a blue-glowing gem embedded in Rockdeer’s forehead.”