Inside his mind, Old Ed's voice immediately rang out.
“Did you hear that?”
“You might as well just stay in 517.”
The old man suggested, seemingly eager for chaos.
“My thoughts exactly,” Elias replied in agreement.
Since the person he was looking for had died up there, staying directly at the scene of the crime was undoubtedly the fastest way to investigate for clues.
He tightened his grip on the suitcase.
His leather boots stepped onto the thick, handmade carpet as he walked straight to the brass edged front desk.
Behind the counter stood a young waiter in a neat vest.
Seeing Elias approach, he immediately put down his work and greeted him politely.
“Good evening, sir.”
“The wind outside is quite chilly tonight.”
Elias gave a perfunctory nod, his expression blank.
“Good evening.”
“I want a room.”
“Of course, sir.”
The young waiter skillfully flipped open the heavy guest registry.
“You are in luck. We happen to have one vacant south facing room on the third floor tonight.”
“It is very quiet, and the window faces the hotel courtyard.”
“Single room, breakfast included, eight shillings a night.”
The waiter paused, then added another option.
“Or would you prefer a street facing room?”
“It is a bit livelier, for only six shillings and six fennies.”
Hearing the words “third floor,” Elias's eyes twitched.
He felt a wave of speechlessness wash over him.
Dammit, did he have some kind of cursed fate with the third floor?
Back in Hastings Port, that cultist Firth lived on the third floor.
This afternoon, that vixen Cecil was also staying on the third floor.
“I want to stay higher up,” Elias flatly refused, his fingers tapping the edge of the solid wood counter.
“Do you have anything on a higher floor?”
“For example, the fifth floor?”
Elias made up a random excuse on the spot.
“My lucky number today is five.”
“The fifth floor, sir?”
The young waiter froze for a moment, subconsciously repeating the request.
His tone remained respectful, but his speaking speed slowed down noticeably.
“There are currently only two vacant rooms on the fifth floor.”
“521 and 517.”
“521 faces the street; it might be a bit noisy at night.”
“As for 517...”
The waiter trailed off.
He looked left and right, then leaned over the counter, moving closer to Elias.
He lowered his voice to a whisper, carrying a hint of warning.
“Sir, regarding Room 517, something happened there last month. You probably haven't heard.”
“A guest.”
“From Landon, in the leather business.”
The waiter swallowed hard, his gaze darting around.
“He was murdered...”
“By the time he was found, it was already...”
The young waiter didn't finish the sentence.
“The case still hasn't been solved.”
The waiter sighed and tried to persuade him in a low voice.
“It is just... it is simply bad luck. So sir, I still suggest the south facing room on the third floor. It is truly nice, the window faces the courtyard, and the morning sun—”
“Thud.”
Elias didn't wait for the waiter to finish his sales pitch.
He slapped several shining silver shilling coins onto the counter.
“I want 517.”
Elias made the decision firmly, meeting the young man's surprised gaze.
He took a deep look at the young waiter.
He couldn't help but criticize the boy in his mind.
You certainly care about the guests.
But didn't you see the man sitting on the sofa over there is your boss?
The boss is worrying himself sick because of the lack of business, and you still dare to say that?
What an honest kid who has never been beaten down by the cruelty of capitalism.
At the counter, the waiter's gaze fell on the silver shillings.
He looked up again, carefully studying Elias's face.
He seemed puzzled as to why this young looking fellow was so stubborn about staying in such a macabre room.
He remained silent for a few seconds.
Then, the young man pulled back his smile and adopted a more professional, businesslike expression.
He pushed back a few of the coins Elias had handed over.
“Not that many. This room is only five shillings and six fennies.”
That cheap?
Elias thought to himself that this was supposed to be a high end hotel.
But on second thought, someone had died there, so a price drop was normal.
The waiter finished speaking, turned around, and took a heavy brass key from behind the counter.
An oval copper tag was tied to the key handle, engraved with “517.”
He placed the key on the counter but didn't push it over immediately.
“Name, sir?”
“Bruce Wayne.”
That doesn't sound like a local surname...
The waiter's gaze became slightly wary.
“May I be so bold as to ask... what is your profession?”
Elias didn't even blink.
“Journalist.”
“The Dinnie Town Post.”
A newspaper from a nearby town. This profession was extremely convincing; for a journalist looking for a scoop on a murder case, staying at the scene of the crime was perfectly reasonable.
The wariness in the waiter's eyes dissipated.
He gently pushed the key over.
“Fifth floor, second door on the left.”
“The stairs are at the end of the corridor, or you can take the elevator.”
He paused.
“If you don't mind the noise.”
“Breakfast is served starting at seven tomorrow morning. The restaurant is on the right side of the first floor.”
“If you need hot water, just ring the bell.”
Elias nodded expressionlessly.
He took the key, gathered his things, and walked to the elevator at the side of the lobby.
Elevators on the Velen continent were currently driven purely by steam power.
Calling it an elevator was a stretch, as it was far from reaching the safety standards of a modern elevator.
In reality, it was just a metal cage connected by thick cables and pulleys, driven directly by a steam engine on the ground floor.
When running, it emitted massive mechanical noise and strong vibrations.
Generally, hotels used these for transporting goods.
However, as a high end hotel, the Golden Rose naturally allowed guests to ride it as well.
Elias pulled open the iron gate and stepped inside.
“Clang!”
The cage rose slowly amidst a bone jarring sound of friction.
“Now this is a novel toy!”
Old Ed marveled in his mind.
When he died, this continent didn't have such things.
“Look at you, acting like you've never seen the world.”
Elias gripped his cane, teasing Old Ed in his mind all the way up.
This steam powered elevator certainly lived up to its reputation.
Standing inside, accompanied by the high temperature of the steam and the violent shaking, Elias felt like his brains were being shaken into a smooth paste.
By the time he finally stood in front of Room 517, Elias's head was still ringing.
“It is better not to ride that thing if possible.”
Old Ed couldn't stand the vibration either and voiced his honest opinion.
“Too noisy. Even noisier than you.”
Elias took out the key and lined it up with the keyhole.
But he didn't let Old Ed off the hook in his mind.
“Noisier than me, maybe.”
“But compared to you, it is still lacking.”
With that, he gave the brass key a firm twist.
He pushed the door open and entered the room.
To his surprise, as soon as he stepped inside, Elias saw something in the dim light.
On the carpet in the living area...
A person!
That person was crouched on all fours with his rear in the air, sprawled there like a hound tracking its prey!
He seemed to be searching for something on the carpet.
The sudden sound of the door opening was incredibly startling in this haunted room.
The person instantly jumped up as if struck by lightning!
He turned around quickly, filled with extreme wariness.
“Elias?!” the person blurted out.
Hearing that familiar voice and seeing that face clearly, Elias was also completely shocked.
“Brian?!”
Rate on N.U.
