The night was cold, decorated by silver rays of moonlight cutting through dark clouds.
For some it was a time of rest, a moment of respite in preparation for tomorrow. For others, it marked the beginning of an exotic adventure.
Central Moldun was a city that thrived on the hours after dark. Although it had equal amounts of entertainment for both day and night, the night entertainment was more sought after.
A majestic building, towering over its neighbors, stuck out like a blazing phoenix in the night. From its entrance trailed a snaking line of refined gentlemen, each filled with anticipation and vigor.
This was the Flowering Lotus Hotel in Central Moldun.
Inside the lobby, a youth stood on his tiptoes for the small vertical boost. It was just enough for him to place his arms flat on the front desk, a desperate attempt to appear more imposing, more mature.
Behind the desk perched a maiden with a perky dimpled smile. Dressed in a uniformed skirt and jacket, her eyes glowed as she pressed her lips together.
“The hotel is full?”
“Yes…”
The boy’s eyes dimmed upon hearing the woman’s response. He asked for a room, and in all his naivety, he never once considered the possibility of none being available.
Seeing his heartbroken appearance was soul wrenching for the poor maiden.
Earlier, her entire world view flipped onto its head the moment she laid eyes upon him. Briskly shuffling about in line, patiently waiting his turn, she could hardly concentrate on the customers before him.
With his small frame, and gentle appearance, her maternal instincts were on full display. When she met his clear black eyes, she knew that he was an innocent treasure that she absolutely needed to protect from the world.
A slow panic set in as she realized the teen was about to leave. She couldn’t bear to turn away this poor boy and let him fend for himself in such a tumultuous city.
There had to be a solution.
She nibbled on her lip in thought before her eyes lit up. Quickly scanning the guest list for the night, she singled out a few candidates. One of them was a regular who she despised greatly.
“No, no, actually…I just looked, and uh, there was an open room! It’s um…”
She looked at the room reserved for a man named Sun Fang.
It’s the most expensive room too… 10 high rank spirit shards a night. Curse that bastard Sun Fang.
She lightly bit her lip once more before smudging away Sun Fang’s name off the list. Her signature sweet smile returned even brighter than before.
“It’ll be 10 low rank spirit shards per night!”
The boy’s eyes went wide. He nodded his head and pulled out two mid rank spirit shards.
10 low rank spirit shards is twice as much as what Chenda paid. This must be an expensive hotel!
The boy secretly thought to himself.
The woman sighed in relief seeing that the boy was able to procure some money. She happily accepted the two mid rank spirit shards.
“Great! And what name should I put down?”
She tweeted while her head bobbed to an invisible beat.
There wasn’t a requirement for guests to give their real name. In fact, most regulars chose to be listed under a pseudonym for a layer of anonymity.
However, she hoped that her offhanded question would allow her to chance upon the boy’s name. After all, she was risking a lot to accommodate him—not that he knew that.
The boy looked down in thought, and his lips twisted to the side. After some brief consideration, the woman shook her head and simply wrote down Little X in the hotel’s registry.
“No need, it’s been taken care of. I went ahead and provided a fake name for our esteemed guest. If it suits you, you’ll be listed as Little X. Please take this token.”
She revealed a small violet jade stone with engravings etched into it. A leather band was laced through a hole, effectively turning the token into a necklace.
“Channel energy into the token and it’ll reveal your room information. Give it a try!”
The boy grasped onto the piece of jade. Almost as if instigated by the token, his body circulated a thread of energy through it. Before long, the information in the token appeared in his head.
“Room 401…”
He mumbled in wonder.
“Exactly!”
Her endearing voice failed to conceal her enthusiasm, a stark contrast from how she handled the other customers.
“You may proceed to your room whenever you wish. The token will become inactive after twenty days. If you wish to extend your stay, you only need to come back to the front desk and then we can help you. Thank you for your patronage!”
After a short bow, she motioned with her arm, inviting him in. The boy looped the necklace over his head and wandered off to find his room. Like clockwork, the next customer in line came to the front desk.
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Noticing the seemingly endless line, the woman let out a sigh of exhaustion. The lines were always painfully long. Each person in line was grasping at the attempt to secure a room, even though there weren’t enough to accommodate even half of the people.
The boy’s docile appearance filled her thoughts. Lost in daydream, her face immediately flashed with discontent at the sight of the next customer. She could recognize the sallow and pompous face anywhere. His mere presence was a stain upon a tiring, but otherwise peaceful night.
“Hello esteemed guest. Do you have a reservation tonight?”
She spoke in a bright tone as the man swaggered forward with a disgusting smile. It was her job after all.
“Little Meya, you still don’t recognize me? Even though I come here so often. Say, tell me when you’re going to spend the night with me? You know I can make it worth your while.”
His eyes scanned her as if he were trying to undress her with visual prowess.
“Please state your name and whether you have a reservation esteemed guest.”
Meya replied, completely unfazed. She was used to this man’s behavior at this point.
“Tsk. Sun Fang. One day I will have you. Oh, and please tell Lady Yun to visit me tonight—unless you want to take her place.”
The girl ignored him while pretending scan the pages of the hotel’s registry.
“I’m sorry sir, but I don’t see your name listed for a reservation. The wait for the next available room is five days. Would you like me to place your name down?”
Sun Fang, who had already extended his hand for the room token, was struck speechless. A moment later his face contorted with rage.
“Who are you trying to fool?! You damned whore. What do you mean my name is not on the reservation list?? Everyone knows that I make my reservations for the first week of each month for the penthouse room!”
The man’s hysterics rose in pitch. The commotion didn’t go unheard as a tall woman briskly made her way to the front desk.
“Please calm down Senior Sun. What seems to be the issue?”
Her soothing and comforting voice took control. It was like hearing melted chocolate over strawberries on a fluffy recliner.
“Manager Xin, this slut said my name wasn’t on the list!”
He jabbed a finger toward Meya followed by a vicious glare.
Manager Xin knit her brows. No one was allowed to slander her employee. No matter who was right or wrong, she didn’t tolerate this type of behavior.
She hid her displeasure with a neutral face, but her eyes remained locked on Sun Fang. Her hand extended out to Meya, who then handed over the hotel’s registry.
Promptly flipping to the last page, where room 401 was listed, she paused in shock. Sun Fang’s name was nowhere to be found.
Little X?
She read the name before glancing at her employee, who looked away with a straight face.
“Interesting…”
Manager Xin muttered before passing the registry back to Meya. She then gave a small bow to the indignant man.
“I apologize Senior Sun; however your name is truly not on the reservation list. Perhaps there was a miscommunication. Additionally, I will advise you to refrain from verbally degrading my employees. Would you still like to reserve a room?”
Sun Fang was crestfallen after hearing Manager Xin’s confirmation.
“I’m… not on the list?”
At this point, it looked like he ate a fly as he held his breath and ground his teeth together.
“You people know full well what I’m capable of. I demand a room tonight, otherwise… Meya here can spend the rest of life watching her back.”
Sun Fang stood tall, glaring at the two woman. He came from power and money, and he refused to take no for an answer.
“And you would do well to remember that all employees of the Flowering Lotus Hotel are under the protection of Madam Lexene. Should something happen to any of us, you will be the first person we’ll demand an answer from.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
The mere mention of Madam Lexene was like a secret incantation to incite fear. The man harumphed and stalked away, exiting the hotel.
“Was he on the registry or not.”
Manager Xin asked her employee. Her voice barely audible, but just enough for Meya to hear.
“Hmm? No, I don’t believe I saw him there.”
She shook her head innocently.
“I’ll let this slide, but don’t pull this stunt again. Got it? Also, be careful. Even though I mentioned Madam Lexene as a deterrent… who knows what length a feral animal is willing to go.”
Manager Xin didn’t even wait for a reply before walking off. The hotel wasn’t going to run itself.
Meya let out a sigh of relief; the storm had passed. Was it all worth it?
She thought back to the boy’s bright eyes and sinless face peaking over the countertop. She attempted to bury her excitement, but everyone noticed her uplifted mood regardless.
Normally, Meya was a stable employee who worked well and without flaw. Despite this, she couldn’t feel more alive, especially after exacting some revenge on a certain obnoxious insect.
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The root of all this happily explored the wonderous hotel, oblivious to the trouble. His eyes absorbed everything at once as he searched for room 401. Despite his efforts, the rooms were only labeled in the 100’s.
Eventually the boy turned a corner, entering a large and finely decorated room. Guests were casually strewn about, laughing as they consumed food and drink.
Some men, red in the cheeks with intoxicated eyes, clutched onto scantily clad women in both arms. While other men chose to share a romantic meal with their loved one sitting across.
A gentle tink resounded as two wine glasses connected, breaking the boy out of his reverie.
It was a social dining area, some sort of internal restaurant, but more importantly, it wasn’t room 401. Thus, he decisively left the room and roamed the halls once more.
During his exploration, he found many different rooms like the one before. Dining areas, socializing areas, training rooms, entertainment rooms, were just a few of the various types.
One of the rooms had a distinct blue smoke emanating from it. Just a single whiff was enough to muddle his thoughts, which was a peculiar feeling due to his high resistance to toxins.
Just how powerful is that smoke? Would I even be able to function in there?
Eventually he came across stairs, and upon entering the second floor he noticed that all the rooms were labeled with 200’s. He speculated that the higher he went in the building, the higher the room numbers would increase to be.
After discovering the stairs, it became a simple matter for him to visit the fourth floor. However, his adventurous spirit got the best of him.
I’m already here on the second floor, I might as well explore!
He shuffled his way through the second floor with bright a starry eyes. However after making a lap, he realized that the second floor largely mimicked the first floor.
He repeated the process for the third floor, but he quickly lost interest since it shared the same floor plan as the first two.
Tired and full of expectation, he finally made his way to the fourth floor where the room of his dreams would await. Little did he know that his small adventure would make him the juiciest topic amongst the employees of the Flowering Lotus Hotel.
Arriving at the top of the staircase, he expected to see a similar layout.
“Uh…”
To his astonishment, he gazed upward at single massive door. This was the first time coming across a floor with blocked access.
“Is this where my room is?”
He muttered while walking up to the door.
The jade token around his neck flashed purple when he got close. He tried the handle, which gave way with a satisfying click and the door easily opened. A light brush of air tickled the back of his neck as the door sealed itself shut behind him.
Before him was the largest room he had ever seen. A well-stocked bar formed a circle in the center, while impressive chandeliers dangled from the ceiling. Along the sides, exotic plants with cold colors breathed fresh air into the serene environment.
The most captivating feature was the walls and ceiling, both made of a type of crystal that allowed the moonlight to illuminate the area, giving it an ethereal look.
He walked forward, eyes were full of shock as he took in his surroundings.
Pacing around the lounge area, he carefully felt the furniture cloth beneath his fingertips. It was soft and comfortable. Even the floor that he walked on alleviated the tension in his feet.
A strong urge to sleep on the couch assaulted him, but he had to stay strong!
He continued on and noticed a hallway in the back. The left side was labeled 400, while the right side was labeled 401.
“So it turns out there’s two rooms on the fourth floor.”
He lingered outside room 400 and wondered what kind of person his floor mate would be.
“Should I knock? What if they’re sleeping?”
He shook his head and made his way to room 401. His jade token flashed once more, and he easily entered.
He held his breath while his eyes feasted. If the outside lounge was a marvel, then his private room was a miracle.
It had everything he imagined and more. The side wall was made of the same type of materials as the lounge area, allowing him to look out across the city and take in the beautiful sight.
The moon’s fading light dyed the skies a soothing shade of blue. The streets and buildings below were teeming with life as people traveled from place to place with excitement.
It was as if he were the lord of the city, casually observing his subjects.
He secretly wondered what the view from room 400 would be like since it was on the other half of the hotel. Unfortunately, that wasn’t his room, but he made a mental note to try and ask the owner for a quick look.
He did a quick tour of his room and found that it was just as large as he assumed it would be. It had its own personal training area, a private pool and spa, an entire kitchen area, multiple rooms for guests to stay in, and a variety of special purpose rooms.
Of course, each room adjacent to the hotel wall also had the same crystal material for the view outside.
Some hours passed since he had first set foot in the hotel, and the temptation of dreams was simply too inviting. Collapsing onto a plush couch, he snuggled in deep and watched the sun’s crown peek over the horizon.
His eyelids were like magnets as they drew to a close, a blissful way to end an exhaustive journey.
“Room service!”
A sweet melodic voice echoed from all directions.
“W-what the-!”
He gasped in surprise and looked around the room; but he was still alone, which only furthered his confusion.
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At the front door of 401, Meya waited patiently.
The night was not lining up with her vision, but here she stood with a chest and heart full of honey. She thought back to the moment her shift ended.
After an entire night of dealing with pesky customers, she immediately sought out Manager Xin.
“Manager!”
She gave a quick, but formal bow.
“Yes Meya?”
Manager Xin, who was at least half a foot taller than Meya, looked down with a stern face.
“Please assign me to the fourth floor for the next 20 days!”
Meya prayed that her manager would concede to her request.
In reality, she didn’t have much expectation in being able care for the fourth floor. This is because the fourth floor was one of prestige. Often times the caretaker would receive many benefits due to the wealth of the floor’s customers, making it a highly contested position.
Regardless, she had to try!
“Lady Yun is currently assigned to the fourth floor. What am I to do about that?”
“Please discuss with Lady Yun!”
Meya eventually knelt on the ground, a foreign act for the willful woman.
“Please Manager Xin.”
Manager Xin sighed and rubbed her temples.
“Do you realize how many people have come to me in the last three hours asking me for the fourth floor??”
Manager Xin replied in frustration.
Meya, still facing the floor, froze in shock.
“W-what do you mean?”
Meya stuttered, finally looking at her manager.
“You’ve been working at the front desk so probably haven’t heard, but everyone is talking about the youth who was roaming the floors earlier. Literally I can’t go anywhere without someone bringing it up. Even the customers have become curious.”
Manager Xin palmed her face as she explained the situation. This only shocked Meya even more.
“Apparently Lia tailed the boy for quite some time on the second floor. He explored the entire floor, and then the entire third floor afterwards. She stopped tailing him once she realized he entered the fourth floor.”
Manager Xin shook her head.
“Unless that boy is Madam Lexene’s-”
She stopped herself and quickly looked around before speaking any further.
“Tell me Meya, is Little X related to Madam Lexene in any way?”
Dropping all pretenses, Manager Xin’s imposing height cast a shadow over Meya, who remained kneeling on the ground.
“N-no, Little X just paid for the room on the fourth floor… which was conveniently available.”
She didn’t forget to mention that the fourth floor was open at the time.
Manager Xin pursed her lips and pulled Meya off the ground.
“Follow me.”
Leading Meya by the hand, Manager Xin passed some hallways before settling in a private room.
“Speak. Tell me everything that happened.”
At this point, Meya knew she couldn’t keep dodging what happened earlier.
She explained her selfish moment and how she erased Sun Fang’s name off the list due to how unlikeable he was. She even mentioned how she discounted the room to a mere fraction of its price.
Manager Xin remained quiet with her arms crossed and her eyebrows bent.
“I’m sorry Manager Xin, I promise I will make this up to you! Please let this slide, just this once!”
At this point, tears threatened to stream down Meya’s face. How badly had she messed up?
What had even come over her?
“You let him, a boy like that, stay on the Fourth Floor?!”
Manager Xin was furious, but it wasn’t for the reason Meya thought it was.
“I-I’m s-sorry manager!”
Meya sobbed even more.
“Ugh. Meya, stop crying. I’m not angry because of what you did. I’m angry because of who you did it for.”
Manager Xin shook her head and looked up at the ceiling.
“Even though you’re new here, you should have heard the rumors already about Madam Lexene.”
“T-The rumors?”
Meya slowly reigned in her tears once she realized she wasn’t being punished.
“I t-thought the rumors w-were just slander.”
She hiccupped a reply out as she calmed down.
“It’s not slander…”
Manager Xin’s voice was barely a whisper, causing Meya’s eyes to widen in surprise.
“Do you understand what you have done?”
Gloomy eyes and a bleak tone filled the room.
“No one will be able to save that kid if they meet. So tell me Meya. Do you still think what you did was fine?”
Manager Xin spoke sharply, but her words struck a chord in Meya.
Meya’s vacantly stared at the wall and muttered in half sentences, her thoughts a rampant mess.
“The rumors are true? Madam Lexene… room 400 is her room. They’re true? No they can’t be true. What have I done? What have I done… they can’t meet.”
Manager Xin let out a pent-up sigh.
She was also young and willful once, which is why she didn’t fault Meya too badly for this incident. However, with age comes experience, and Manager Xin was privy to some of the harsh realities in this world.
Despite how strict and cold Manager Xin seemed, she was extremely soft-hearted inside. She would always defend her employees even if they were wrong, as long as they learned from the encounter afterwards.
A simple solution she thought of was to have the boy swap rooms with another customer. As long as the boy was willing, almost any customer in the entire hotel would instantly swap their room for his. However, there were a few issues was this.
First, it relied on the idea of the boy being willing to swap rooms. While he did get the room illegitimately, technically he was now the owner of that room for the twenty-day duration. Since it’s already in the system that he’s room owner, the change would raise an alert to all of management.
This wouldn’t normally be an issue, but who in their right mind would give up room 401? That on its own would be a red flag—should Madam Lexene find out about it.
Aside from the room history, the plan also assumed that the boy wouldn’t continue wandering around the hotel.
This was inherently the most dangerous point. It didn’t matter what room he stayed in if he was going to remain in the public eye.
Madam Lexene was known to have many spies throughout the city. The chance of the boy having been already spotted was not small, but not large either. If the boy were to be allowed to walk around then he would eventually get reported to Madam Lexene.
The best solution was to silence all news of the boy and keep him occupied in his room for the entire 20 days. Afterwards, they could only pray that he moves on to the next city.
Finding someone to occupy him wasn’t an issue. The maidens that worked in the hotel were practically throwing themselves at Manager Xin to work on the fourth floor. Each of them wishing to build a friendship with the new wealthy patron.
The issue was that she couldn’t trust every maid that worked in the hotel. Should she assign the wrong person, then all of her efforts would be moot.
The best-case scenario was to assign someone to act like a guard of sorts. Someone to always act preemptively, preventing him from being easily noticed. After coming to this conclusion, Manager Xin looked at Meya with a different light.
“Well little miss, it looks like you’ll need to make up for your actions.”
Manager Xin repositioned her stance.
Meya had gone quiet long ago, filled with endless regret.
“Mm… I’ll make up for my actions Manager.”
She spoke robotically.
“Yes, so to make up for your actions. Care for the boy yourself.”
Meya’s eyes lit up as Manager Xin gave out the task.
“Your job from this point and until he leaves this city is to watch over him. Ensure that he is out of sight. If he walks outside, you make sure that he is hidden or disguised. I don’t care how many layers of clothes you have to dump on him, just make sure he can’t be recognized.”
That’s right! I can keep him hidden away!
Her bubbly attitude slowly came back, and her confidence was restored. Manager Xin smirked as she was easily able to see the changes.
“I promise manager that I will do my job to perfection!”
Meya announced with determination as she fiercely bowed once more.
“Yes I know you will. You always do. Well… almost always.”
Meya blushed, remembering her recent antics with the forged registry.
“I’ll gather all the workers for an impromptu meeting. No one is to speak a word of the boy from this point forward, or there will be consequences. Additionally, you have one week to get close to him and convince him to lie low. Otherwise I will take matters in my own hands and assign Lady Yun to him.”
Meya coughed when she heard the last part, her form of wordless protest.
“You know that Madam Lexene will be occupying room 400 during the second and third week this month. That’s your time limit. Get that boy under your control before she arrives a week from now. That is all.”
Manager Xin walked away, disappearing from sight. Not long after, Meya’s employee token buzzed with a message.
“In two hours, all employees are to report to the first-floor meeting room.”