Squeak~
Ro cried softly and furtively peeked out of a tiny hole between the wooden planks. Its whiskers trembled, sensing the stirrings in the air. It was ready to retreat at any time.
Squeak...
The inhabitant could not be seen. The way was clear. Ro felt much more confident and calm. With great agility, it wriggled out of the hole, looked around, and noted its surroundings.
It was a small room with scarce furbishing in old and simple style.
A bed was plastered to the wall across the doorway. It was cluttered and looked hard. The sheets dangled sideways, reaching to the floor. The pillow had flipped locations, somehow ending up on the lower half toward the feet. It exuded a strange sense of laziness and lack of effort.
To the right, the stone wall had a window covered with a brownish linen cloth. The pseudo curtain was ripped around the edges, cheap and rustic. Ro wasn't that surprised for this was expected of Lesotte. What it liked the most was how the cloth was closed. It blocked the light and cast the room in gloomy shadows. It felt serene and sleepy, thus it yawned. It shook its head to disturb the sleepy spell. Then it casually studied the other two run-of-the-mill pieces of furniture inside the room.
Beneath the window stood a standard table with a single chair. Both were made of darker wood. From the years of abuse, they were left with stains and dents. However, they were tidy. Ro craned its neck and took a mental note. The chaotic resident preferred to lie in bed and wasn't interested in the bustling street beyond. It nodded. This person was a fellow slacker.
Squeak. Squeak.
Done with its superficial check, it swiftly ran across the room. Its nails made tiny thunking sounds every time they hit the flooring. Its nose occasionally twitched, sniffing in the air for more, deeply hidden clues.
Squeak~
It smelled the mold coming from the sheets. It was a scent long since perfused inside the clean but cheap and old material. It was ingrained in every thread and was impossible to fully wash away.
It smelled the fresh scent of a particular half-ling it had met before. This scent made Ro involuntarily shiver. It brought back some unpleasant memories and tensed its nerves again.
As it walked in circles, Ro grasped the details. The half-ling's scent was most prominent around the bed but could be found throughout the room. It wasn't surprising since this room belonged to him. The lingering smell was rather heavy and profound. It carried out plenty of unnecessary information. The half-ling had been in this room just a couple of minutes prior. He was tired, distressed, and grumpy. No one else had entered in the past few days. This matched with Popo's info. It was two days ago when Midnight first rented this particular inn chamber.
Ro turned its head and flapped its ears. It heard the sounds coming from the street across the window. It was the daily hustle and bustle, so it didn't pay attention. It continued to sniff around and soon found another scent. The aroma was thin, obscured by something. It was somehow pungent, sweet, and tasty. Just a whiff of it made Ro forget its mission and saliva dripped inside its mouth.
Squeak?
Sweet and tasty? It closed its eyes and inhaled again. Indeed, something very fragrant and enticing was inside this room.
Envigorated, Ro ran faster. It followed down the lead. The sheets blocked its way but without a thought, it burrowed right beneath the bed.
Squeak! Squeak!
Then, it saw it. The origin of this temptation was a pile of coagulated bloody meat, scale-covered skin, and bones. The bones were white and so alluring with the bits and pieces of leftover tissues stuck to them. In Ro's eyes, this was a gourmet dinner, waiting just for it.
Squeak!
It reached closer. Its paws trembled with anticipation as it licked its nose and greedily devoured the smell.
The delicacies weren't fresh, perhaps two to three days old. It was just enought to start the rotting process. The breakdown of the proteins accentuated the perfect timing for consumption.
Squeak~~~
Ro cried a longer whimper and the situation turned chaotic. It couldn't contain its instincts, lost all inhibitions, and rushed to bite the meat and bones.
Gnaw Gnaw Gnaw
Squeak?!
Suddenly, Ro's eyes cleared. It felt its tummy full and blinked with some confusion. It had unknowingly nibbled on the tasty treat for more than fifteen minutes!
Squeak...
It jumped around and tried to think. Was Popo going to scold it, or even worse call it fat again?
The mouse glanced toward its body. It looked lovely just like always. Relieved, it checked the meat and bones.
Squeaky.
It seemed fine. There were a lot of yummies, and its teeth were small. The bite marks weren't that conspicuous. The other party likely wouldn't care for the details, and even if he did, Ro was just a mouse. One out of many in this inn.
Pretending it was innocent, it ignored its lapse of judgment. It instantly decided to hide this minute faux-pass from its owner Popo and find a chance to sneak into this room again. It couldn't leave those threats to rot away. Doing so was inexcusable. It was a sin.
Squeak~ Squeak.
Now content and happy, Ro became serious again. It went around the delish pile and found another item - a leather bag. It looked expensive and gave off the feeling of bursting at the seams. It had a fleeting thought about checking its content, but the notion couldn't stay inside its head for long. In just two glances, it lost interest in this particularly heavy object. It couldn't compare to the yummies.
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Squeak...Squeak...
Ro turned around and took another nibble to relish in the flavor. It licked its paws and perfunctorily searched the room again. It found nothing, and its tummy... mission seemed already fulfilled. It slipped beneath the bed, ran toward the wall, and once again burrowed in the hole. Then, it followed through the complex maze-like pathways and jumped inside another room.
Squeak!
Popo looked toward the mouse. He saw Ro's uplifted mood and the undisguised happiness and yearning in its gaze. His eyelids twitched, and he couldn't help but ask disdainfully.
"You took your sweet time over there. Did you do anything unnecessary?"
Squeak!!!!!
Ro jumped inside his master's palm and waved a paw without a guilty conscious. It declined the accusation, expressing how hurt it felt from this untrust. It was a mouse of honor and it never would betray its master's expectations.
"Enough nonsense! I can read you like an open book. Sigh, anyway, tell me what you found." Popo wasn't fooled and scolded. He tacitly gave up on this topic and nudged the mouse to speak. I will soon know what you did and why you are so happy with yourself. What a foolish fellow. Did it forget I can glimpse inside its recent memories...
Squeak Squeak
Squeaky Squeak~
Ro excitedly recounted the mess inside the room. It didn't hide its opinion about Midnight's lacking household skills. It then condescendingly berated the half-ling and spoke about its findings and profound speculations based on wisdom and insight. Of course, it didn't mention how it nibbled on the meat, or how it was about to sneak again when Popo was asleep.
Phew
Popo rubbed his temples and closed his eyes to think. Very well. Ro is grasping certain skills in sophistry. It did its best to sway my attention with rudimentary analysis, deduction, and conclusions.
Of course, the story would have been more plausible if its stomach didn't rumble when it spoke about the food. Such a simpleton... I don't know if I should laugh or cry about this naive creature. If it gets craftier, it will ease my worries. But, I fear the day it gains the wits to trick me. With it acting on instinct and causing trouble all the time, if I miss on its misdeeds, I may end up stabbed in some back alley...
He rubbed his tired eyes and pressed their foreheads close together. Images of the prior exploration flowed inside his head. In just two seconds he relived the past fifteen minutes seen by his familiar from the perspective of a mouse. He felt everything that Ro had felt. The elation when it found the food, the taste of rotting meat, the hard white bones it tried but couldn't gnaw, he even saw the familiar bag tucked behind the bloodstained pile of materials.
His stomach churned, and Popo cut the link. He put the grey mouse down, rubbed his belly, and inwardly exclaimed.
I am putting it on a diet. Definitely...
Then he thought about his findings. Ro had gathered plenty of useful information.
Curved rib bones, skin with dense hard scales...This looks like materials from a large snake monster. It must be Midnight's spoils of war. Indeed, he is the one who killed the Slithering Lord of the Northern Pine Woods. Judging by the Lord's designation it matches perfectly.
He didn't sell the loot as a precaution? To not arouse suspicion and to not expose himself? But why is he keeping it outside, piled right beneath his bed? Is this a sign of his crazy tendencies and nature? That's a rather scary and disturbing fact...I should be careful.
He sucked a breath and stood up. He paced around worried that he had to run away and hide. His stupid mouse had feasted on the half-ling's items. He didn't share Ro's sentiments that the marks could be easily ignored. There was no way for Midnight not to notice and naturally, he would have questions.
A second later he exhaled and calmed himself.
The bites will arouse suspicion, but as Ro concluded, they are just nibbles by a mouse in a mice-infested inn. Midnight shouldn't overthink or make unnecessary associations.
I can communicate with mice because of my Origin ability and racial traits. It is a unique ability that is nearly impossible to emulate. Not many people have this gift. For now, I believe he lacks the necessary information to think that far ahead. And even if he does, he can't be certain or link this matter to myself. I have met him only twice.
The first time he didn't notice me at all, and the second time was yesterday. It happened on my way toward this inn before I booked the room. He didn't see me rent the room. He doesn't have a way to check the keeper's records. Yes, I won't be easily exposed. Besides, he won't remember such a fleeting meeting. I wasn't acting strange at all...
The bag is the one I saw before, but now it looks damaged. It was brand new barely three days ago. It must contain some loot and his reward for slathering the boss. I am very curious...No, no, it is not my business, and it is too dangerous to pry inside. He is a mage, he definitely placed some gimmicks just in case. Thankfully, Ro didn't touch the bag. It was too busy with the meat and bones.
Sigh, I am an information dealer, not a thief. I will just keep in mind that Midnight has some valuable items and materials in his possession...
Fully letting go of his suspicions, Popo felt hunger and his stomach gurgled.
He put a hand inside his bag and took a piece of peppered rabbit leg. It was grilled till golden and it was wrapped in large green leaves. These leaves were from a rare tree found only in the Southern Forest. They not only kept the meat from drying but even acted as an herb and added an acidic taste and fresh aroma. The beautiful scent and appearance stimulated his salivatory glands and refreshed the earlier unpleasant memory.
Squeak!
Ro sniffed the air, and it instantly locked its eyes on the thick and well-cooked meat.
Squeak! Squeak!
It jumped excitedly, forgetting that it had a sneaky lunch before. It came close and begged to have a taste. Relying on its acting skills, it made its black eyes larger and more emotional. They expressed how hungry and deprived Ro felt. It needed to be taken care of unless it died from this unjust starvation.
"... Am I rearing a pig?" Popo shook his head, but took a knife and cut a tiny chunk. Then he put it on the ground beside the bed.
Squeak?
"No more eating in the bed! The bedding hygiene is already suspicious! And I dare you to sneak into Midnight's room to eat again! I will keep an eye on you!" Popo snapped back and bit the juicy leg. It was a luxurious item, only sold from a particular food stall in the southern district of Lesotte. He got his hands on it because of his connections with the owner. Otherwise, it was expensive. It was nearly impossible for a player to purchase it.
Squeak...
Ro grumbled, but it followed the instructions. Jumping down, it gnawed the meat occasionally squeaking out remarks. It acted nothing like a mouse. Instead, one would think it was a food critique. One that wrote articles on the best Three Michelin-star restaurants around the globe.
As he ate, Popo looked around the room in contemplation.
Should I try and talk with Midnight? Until now, I found out he is a rather capable mage, an eccentric person with a sloppy personality, and a workaholic who hunts 24/7. Like all players, he is plagued by his poverty. I don't know if it is because he plans to move away, or simply doesn't have the cash, but he pays for the room on a daily basis.
He is smart and cautious. Nothing like my initial judgment of a lunatic.
I wonder why I always feel on edge around him. Perhaps, it's a warning from my bestial sixth sense. Two days of observation are very insufficient. There is no rush as well. If I act prematurely, I will face unnecessary danger. I have laid my net and in Lesotte there is no place for him to hide. Let's keep the status quo and postpone contacting him for later...
Ping
A familiar transparent window attracted his attention. Popo read the text and his expression changed.
Squeak?
Ro sensed the disturbance in its master's mood. He reluctantly abandoned chewing and looked above its food and squeaked a question.
"Today is the tenth day since Euclex began." Popo flipped the window and let the mouse scan the message, before lifting up his lips. "It seems that it is finally time to use the groundwork we have laid before. Things will get busier and interesting."