NOVEL NEXT Chapter 28: Check In
Finding a hotel, Gregor slowly entered, being extra careful since he didn't know why the locals were acting so strangely.
As he stepped into the hotel, he was immediately met with the smell of soap and the sound of brooms. It was cleaning day for the staff.
Gregor waited at the reception desk, but when no one came after a while, he decided to follow the sound of the brooms.
The sounds led him to the hotel's restaurant, where a young girl, no older than 20, was cleaning the floor and wiping down the tables.
Noticing Gregor's presence, she flinched instinctively before cautiously looking up at him.
Seeing her nervousness, Gregor smiled gently and bowed slightly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, Miss. I was waiting at the reception, but no one was there."
Realizing he was just a guest, the girl let out a relieved breath.
"Oh, Sir, I'm so sorry! I think my colleague took an early break. Please, let me assist you."
The girl led Gregor back to the reception desk. She moved behind the counter and picked up a small notepad and pen.
"I'm Eleanor Rigby. How can I help you, Sir?" She asked with a warm smile.
"I'm Gregor Alighieri. I'd like a room, please," Gregor replied, returning her smile.
"Of course, Mr. Gregor. Our standard price is 1 Soli and 6 Pence per night. If you'd like, we can include breakfast for an additional 6 Pence."
Two soli per night?! Klein and his family paid 3 soli per week in their first house in Tingen. But this is a hotel; I already expected prices to be a little salty.
He debated briefly whether to get the breakfast deal.
"Yes, I'd like that," he said, feeling a twinge of guilt at spending the extra money. He carefully masked his discomfort, keeping his facial expressions normal.
Eleanor wrote something in her notepad.
"How long do you plan to stay, Mr. Gregor?" she asked.
"I'm not sure, but I think about a week or two."
"Oh, so you're here to see the meteor shower?" Eleanor asked, her excitement evident.
"No, actually, I'm just resting for a while before heading to Feynapotter City," Gregor answered.
"Well, since you're here, I highly recommend staying to watch it. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience!" Eleanor said enthusiastically.
Gregor chuckled softly. "If I'm still here, I'll make sure to see it."
Changing the subject, he asked, "Why does everyone here look so scared and tense?"
Eleanor's smile faded as she took a deep breath.
"I guess you haven't heard. The town's been attacked by a serial killer for the past month. Three people have already been killed, and everyone's terrified they'll be next.
"It's a real shame. If it weren't for that, the city would be filled with tourists coming to see the meteor shower..."
Gregor was momentarily taken aback by what she said, but he quickly recomposed himself.
"Anyway," Eleanor continued, "a one-week stay with breakfast included would cost 14 Soli. But if you pay for the whole week now, I can make it 10 Soli."
Gregor took the envelope Lana gave him, took out a one-pound bill, and handed it to her.
After the end of Intis's invasion in 216, the other two nations of the Northern Continent, Loen and Lenburg, strengthened ties in many aspects, one of them being the economy.
Since both countries had many similarities in culture, people, and even economic activities, Loen and Lenburg adopted a single currency, the Northern Pound, to facilitate trade between the two countries.
The Northern Pound was paper-based, guaranteed by gold, and directly pegged.
A Northern Pound was equivalent to twenty Soli. They had denominations of one, five, and ten Pounds.
Eleanor frowned for a moment. "Mr. Gregor, if you don't mind me asking, what do you do for work?"
"You can just call me Gregor. I'm a wandering clown," he replied.
Eleanor found it weird that a clown had that much money but decided to control her curiosity and not ask any further questions.
"I'll be right back with your change, Gregor," she said. As she turned to leave, she added with a light laugh, "And your wig is a little off."
Gregor chuckled under his breath as he took off his blonde wig. He thought that since she didn't recognize him yet, the news about Rebecca hadn't reached Lenburg yet.
Before she returned, Gregor activated the Eye of Providence to determine whether staying in the town was safe.
He looked at a bright orange light that belonged to Eleanor.
As he stared at the light, he noticed that the vision he was seeing would happen in the town's main square. He had barely walked through the square in his search for a hotel, but the square was too unique for him to not notice.
Eleanor and a bunch of other people stared at the sky with expressions of terror while a large comet, followed by other smaller ones, ran through the sky.
As the comet passed, the crimson moon became even redder, as if covered in blood. Everyone in town began undergoing horrifying transformations: extra arms sprouted from legs, eyes appeared on hands, and some grew grotesque heads on their stomachs.
The scene was one of utter despair and agony. Amid the chaos, a single figure stood untouched, laughing maniacally at the suffering around them.
Gregor couldn't discern whether the figure was a man or woman, but he was sure he knew who that person was.
The serial killer!
The vision faded away as Gregor deactivated the Eye of Providence.
Gregor's face darkened as he debated whether he should leave town as soon as possible or investigate what was happening.
His thoughts were soon interrupted by Eleanor coming back with his change and the keys to his room.
"Here's your change and your key, Gregor. It's the second room on the left. Let me show you the way," Eleanor kept her warm, inviting smile while speaking; she was known for making guests feel welcomed with her outgoing nature.
Gregor quickly recomposed himself. "Thank you, Eleanor."
As she lead him to the room, she kept talking about the meteor shower and other things, but Gregor didn't pay attention to any of her words; his mind was still reliving each moment of the vision he saw.
She opened the door to Gregor's room, letting him put his luggage and bags there.
Before leaving, she handed him a newspaper of the day, "Here, Gregor, it's a courtesy. I hope you have a good stay. If you need anything, just ask at the reception."
Gregor took the newspaper and thanked her before closing the door.
The room wasn't big, but it was enough for Gregor's needs.
The room had a small wardrobe fixed to the wall, a desk next to the bed, and a chair.
Beside the wardrobe was the door that led to the room's bathroom.
The view outside the window led directly to the main square, which kept reminding Gregor of the vision.
Gregor sat on the chair, reliving the vision over and over, debating what his next action should be.
I'm not a hero. It's not my job to solve this. It's the police's problem.
But this is a mystical issue. The police won't be much help…
This town is in the middle of the influence of the Church of Light and the Church of the Living Wheel; because of that, there isn't even a church here, which means there are no official Beyonders to take care of this...
He sighed deeply, closing his eyes.
Shit...
Finally, he made his decision.
I need to digest the Delusional potion anyway. I'll help out a little, but only as much as necessary. If things get too dangerous, I'll leave.