"..."
"Yeah, that's not exactly what I was expecting..." Glenn coughed awkwardly, wincing as he took in the scenery with the most open mind he could muster. Milena didn't utter a word, as silent as Javier, only her cheeks were flushed red. Sahro rubbed his chin, seemingly unbothered by their surroundings.
The Magi Brotherhood Transposition had taken them to a small, hidden ruined house. As soon as they came out of it, they arrived in what Glenn could only describe as a red-light district. Somehow, probably with the help of magic, the light sources were filtered to come out a little more reddish, plunging the whole neighborhood in crimson light.
“Wow...So...many!” muttered Nelg in an astonished tone, Diamanes choosing not to add anything. Everywhere Glenn looked, there were prostitutes: their skin made up, their clothes more than revealing, their features... unmissable. They were waiting for their customers, leaning against the walls of their respective houses while smoking this world's equivalent of a cigarette. The thick scent of perfumes wafted through the air, reaching his nose with seductive promises.
Glenn rubbed the edge of his nose, before turning toward his Black Heir's friend.
"So, you've been spending how much time here, exactly?"
Sahro shrugged while smiling toward one of the prostitutes, whose eyes lit up when she saw him.
"I don't know, probably a few months. It's quite nice here, even though the women are..." he shivered and turned away from the woman, "...dangerous."
Glenn sneered.
"...I can see that," He scratched the back of his neck, before shaking his head, "...Do you mind guiding us to this town Cleaner's Workshop's branch?"
Sahro nodded, before guiding the group through the meanders of the Eastern Town. This city's mood was completely different from the Northern Town, be it with its inhabitants or their behaviors. The place gave a feeling of modernity to Glenn that he couldn't understand, maybe because of the magic lights projecting their red hues like some neon signs. A few children were running around, but they seemed to have lost all innocence, staring with suspicion with knives hanging from their waists.
More than once Glenn tripped down one of those when they tried to steal his pouch, taking back his belongings while letting the child go. There were also a few rough-looking 'gentlemen', with scary faces and bulging muscles, playing with the edge of their swords while looking at the group like they were some enticing gold chest.
Thankfully, none dared bother them, at Diamanes greatest displeasure, and they reached the Cleaner's Workshop safely. The building was much smaller in comparison to the one in the Northern Town, but still exuded the same prestige. Nonetheless, it still felt like something was missing from Glenn, something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
'The Northern Town's branch has a massive array of spells enchanted with their disgusting, filthy magic. This one seemed to be freed from it, even though I'm not sure that's good news.' Diamanes explained in response to Glenn's pondering. The young man sighed as he glanced at the fluttering banners bearing the red flame on a black background hanging from the Workshop's walls. Sahro didn't wait and entered the Workshop, familiar with the premises.
He was soon followed by the rest of the team, who discovered how different this Workshop was compared to the one they were used to.
"...It is indeed much smaller," Milena remarked.
"...And there's practically no one. Are you the only Fixer of the town or something?" Glenn added curiously, realizing his group was the only one standing in the main hall.
"The size doesn't matter, this place is much better, trust me," Sahro affirmed confidently before walking up to the reception desk. A single bald man with thick glasses was drowsily leaning back in his seat, a thin line of drool at the corner of his lips. The Black Heir coughed lightly, a vein popping up on his forehead when it failed to wake up the bald man. Without hesitation, he pushed the receptionist just enough for him to fall from his chair, crashing on the ground with a loud sound.
"Agh! Curses, which miscreant dared to..." The bald man scrambled to his feet, adjusting the position of his glasses. He squinted as if he could barely see anything, his face suddenly lighting up when he recognized his interlocutor.
"My, but that's my favorite Fixer! How is it going?" He chuckled and shook the Black Heir's hand firmly, before glancing at the other members of his group.
"Great, Loran. I'm back from my vacation in the Northern Town, you didn't miss me too much I hope?" Sahro replied with a grin, before receiving a nudge in his shoulder from the bald receptionist.
"Hmf, missing you?" Loran grumbled, before putting his chair back up and sitting down on it with a sigh, "...We're as unmanned as ever, what can I say? Thank the gods you're back though..." He squinted and looked at Glenn's face for a few seconds, "...and it even seems like you brought some help."
He turned back toward Sahro and leaned forward conspicuously, hiding his mouth with his hand.
"What are you doing with the Devil's Hand? This old coot Manalok would have never let go of such a talent!" Loran whispered, Glenn, managing to catch every single word of it. His heart missed a beat when he heard the moniker, hoping it wasn't what he was thinking.
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Sahro frowned and looked back to the team.
"What? What do you mean the Devil's Hand?" He questioned confusedly. Loran pointed at Glenn with his head not-so-discreetly, Sahro grumbling in understanding.
Glenn sighed as both voices in his head exploded in laughter.
"Hahahaha, the Devil's Hand! Haha, I guess we can thank Diamanes for that!" Nelg couldn't stop laughing, soon followed by Diamanes' grain of salt.
'Hahaha, and now you even have a title! The "Devil's Hand"! How grandiose, how fitting! Hahaha!'
The young man bit down on his lower lip before smiling coldly at the bald receptionist.
"Excuse me, since when do I have a nickname? That's the first time I heard of it," He squinted toward the bald receptionist, who shrugged dismissively.
"I don't know, maybe a few months? You're pretty much at the top of the Fixer's list, and we're always hearing about events with your name included in them. If I'm correct, there's that song calling you the Crazy Man, or the Crazy Hero, I don't remember. But yeah, you're a celebrity, Sir Glenn! Be proud!"
Glenn's cheeks flushed with red, forcing him to cover his face with both of his hands.
'This is shameful. I'm going to sue the fuck out of the one who wrote whatever song he's speaking of!' He thought desperately.
'Actually, I'm pretty sure the writer in question was our kind friend Montana. Don't you remember that song from back then?' Diamanes remarked, Glenn's face draining of all colors as he did remember.
'Shit, that guy nailed a fucking number one hit. What did he call it, Demon's Grin? I'll engrave him one, from Demon's Grin, if I ever meet him again!'
The young man's panicked thoughts were interrupted when Loran clapped his hands loudly, garnering his group's attention.
"Anyway, you guys are more than welcome in the Eastern Town. As you can see, we have a ton of work," He nudged his chin toward the nearby Contract Board, which was covered in contracts, "...and no workers whatsoever. You're all free to use the top-class facilities, it's not like anyone else would be using them, anyway..."
Milena gasped happily, before going off without a shred of hesitation. Javier had already disappeared at some point in time in the conversation, leaving Glenn and Sahro to explore the Workshop's facilities. The layout was similar, if not the same to the Northern Town's Workshop, only in a smaller version, and much more emptier.
The whole place was dead silent. Only the sound of the two young men's steps roaming the hallways of the Workshop was echoing in the hallways, void of other people.
"...What a pleasant place," Glenn remarked with a sarcastic tone. Sahro nodded in agreement, at his friend's surprise.
"It's silent, there's no one to disturb me, and we have access to every facility. This is the perfect place," He affirmed confidently. Soon enough, they arrived at this place's Dormitory, reaching the upper floors rapidly. They arrived at the Dark Gold's floor, which Glenn entered using his Identification knife. Sahro looked at him amusedly, before continuing the climb for the highest floor.
"What are you doing?" Glenn asked the Black Heir confusedly, failing to understand why he was going for the floors closed off to them, the Platinum and above-ranked floors. Sahro didn't reply, only sneering as he kept on climbing up. Glenn hesitated for a second before following him, soon reaching the Dormitory's top floor.
There was only a single door leading to the Platinum floor, gleaming with a silver, mystical light that exuded richness.
"There's is nothing above Platinum?" Glenn questioned Sahro, who shrugged with an uncertain expression.
"I don't know. That's the last floor, but perhaps there are other ways for above Platinum ranked to reach their dorms. Anyway, let's go in..." Sahro planted his new Dark Gold knife in the keyhole, opening the Platinum door with it. Glenn couldn't even utter a word as the door opened without a struggle, letting them enter the most luxurious facilities the Cleaner's Workshop could offer.
...Or that's what Glenn thought, but they still had to choose a suite. Nonetheless, even the hallway leading to the rooms was luxurious, made out of gleaming white marble, with golden and silver linings forming complex drawings on the floor and ceiling. Golden magical orbs were shining their lights softly in the hallway, welcoming the visitors warmly. Sahro stopped in front of one of the rooms and opened it without a care, before turning back toward his awed friend.
"I'll let you choose your suite, I have to pick up a few things I left here last time I came."
Glenn nodded absent-mindedly, letting the Black Heir do his things.
"...That's the ultra-rich kind of suite, right?" He muttered in disbelief as he walked in front of the widely spaced doors, each adorned with a silver plate bearing the name of the suite.
"The Celestial Suite, the Twilight Suite, the Dream's Suite, the Peerless Suite..." It kept on going without stopping, the hallway seemingly extending infinitely.
"No way this is all fitting the Dormitory...there must be some kind of space machinations to explain it..." Glenn rubbed his chin before stopping in front of a random door.
"The Fated Suite...Why not?" Glenn grinned and pushed the door open, or at least he tried. His cheeks flushed red when he remembered he had to use his knife to open it, or it wouldn't work. With a quick summon of his Identification knife, he opened the door and entered the Platinum suite.
"Wow. That's...wow," Glenn was speechless.
The first room was a vast, opulently decorated salon with high ceilings adorned with crystal chandeliers, with some luxurious-looking leather furniture. There was even a grand piano in the center of the room as if to shock him even further. The rest of the suite wasn't any less impressive: a private dining room with an absurdly long hand-crafted mahogany table that could probably seat twenty persons, a wine cellar, a personal library furnished with ancient tomes, a master suite, and guest suites...
"As if you're ever going to have guests..." Diamanes remarked sarcastically.
"Shut up and let me enjoy the moment..." Glenn muttered with his eyes wide-opened. There was also a spa, a training room even more furbished than the one he had back in the Northern Town, a fucking private terrace with an infinity pool, and a kitchen that was magically furnished in ingredients and already steaming meals.
"Is this a dream...?" Glenn whispered as he crumbled on a sofa in the salon, sighing in pleasure.
"I think I understand why Sahro was saying he was treated much better here. The bastard had access to literally everything. Damn." Nelg chuckled in awe.
"As you said. Damn..." Glenn leaned back on the sofa, feeling his eyelids drooping down. He shook his head hurriedly and jumped out of this comfortable trap.
"Shit, I can't lose time here! Redan is still MIA, I have to find him!" He hissed through his teeth before hurriedly coming out of the suite, closing the door behind him. His motivation to go and save Redan had just doubled: the sooner he would get it done, the faster he would get to rest peacefully in the Platinum suite.
Well, after killing the hell out of the Baron, and decrypting Project: Damocles, and all that...
"I'll never get a break, will I?" Glenn realized despondently.
"No rest for the wicked, ain't that right?"
"Shut it..."