Chapter 72 Rumors of the Card-Clad Inn Town (Part 2) Inquiring, the Mysterious Old Man...
Ray and the butler exchanged a glance, their expressions differing, clearly indicating different attitudes towards the answer.
"Do you want to stay in this room, or would you like to move to another room?"
"I'll ask you," the butler asked, trying to keep his demeanor calm.
"Can I stay with you? I'm so scared! Waaah..."
The woman began to break down and cry.
The butler made no attempt to hide it, rolling his eyes and looking at her with a slightly disdainful expression.
"Put your clothes on, and you can sit in the lobby on the first floor later. The candles there won't be extinguished at night, and there are male servants on night watch."
"Thank you so much! Thank you so much!"
The woman, disregarding all shame, roughly pulled on her clothes with her back to Lai and the butler, accidentally revealing her bare back. Lai quickly turned away.
"Let's talk."
"That's what Lei said to the butler."
"good."
The two arrived at the window next to room 301, and the butler placed the candlestick he was holding on the windowsill.
Has anything like this happened at the hotel before?
Lai stared into the butler's eyes and asked directly.
"It has happened before, but never like this today."
The butler answered Ray's question calmly, as if he weren't lying. Ray didn't glean anything from his eyes either.
"Didn't the hotel owner take any measures to deal with that thing?"
"Oh no, she must have been mistaken. How could a skeleton that has lost all its flesh and blood possibly move? Maybe it's just a madman who likes to run around naked."
Ray stared at the butler with a suspicious look, making him feel uneasy. The butler knew this matter couldn't be so easily dismissed, so he sighed deeply and let slip some information.
"In fact, we have already asked church clergy to perform exorcism rituals, and we have also invited powerful knights and mages to come here to check the situation. But so far, nothing has worked, and guests continue to encounter such things."
The butler continued to explain.
Who lives on the fourth floor?
"Ray asked."
"He's the innkeeper. He's a very mysterious person and almost never comes down from the fourth floor. Every day, my male servant and I deliver his food upstairs on time."
Ray shifted his focus to the boss.
Have you seen him?
“I’ve seen him. He would make a brief appearance every year when he paid my salary. Without a doubt, he’s just a reclusive but very generous boss, and he never causes trouble for us employees. Nor will he get furious if employees damage the hotel’s facilities.”
It seems the housekeeper has a very good impression of the boss; his face is filled with gratitude and joy when he mentions him.
Countless questions and doubts swirled in Ray's mind, but he couldn't find a way out of it.
Creak.
The sound of a door opening.
Ray and the butler turned their gaze toward the door of room 301. There stood Lamb, still sleepy-eyed, scratching his curly hair.
"What's wrong? What happened? Why are you all standing at the door?"
Lai, the butler: "..."
Such a loud noise didn't wake Lamb at all; his sleep quality is truly remarkable.
Ray briefly explained how things had unfolded, and Lamb immediately perked up.
“It’s already past midnight, almost dawn. Let’s go downstairs and sit down to discuss this. Maybe we can discover some details we didn’t notice before.”
Lamb suggested.
Ray felt that Lamb simply wanted to watch the drama unfold, but there was no better solution at the moment. Going back to his room would definitely prevent him from falling asleep again, and going downstairs to sit seemed harmless.
The housekeeper was feeling sleepy and kept yawning.
This incident didn't affect him much. Clearly, the frequent hauntings at the Kako Inn had forged his incredibly strong heart and insensitive nerves.
"Let's go, let's go, let's go downstairs together."
The butler continued, picking up where Lamb left off.
The woman had already changed her clothes, and the man, wearing only a quilt, followed the others downstairs.
"Only three rooms were occupied on the third floor?"
Lei asked the butler.
"Yes."
Ray realized that he seemed to have been tricked by him at the beginning.
The five people went down to the lobby on the first floor. Wood was burning in the fireplace, and candles were burning continuously. The firelight and candlelight illuminated the lobby brightly.
"Let's keep our voices down, the guests upstairs are still asleep."
Lei was skeptical of what he said. Were there really any guests on the second floor?
The butler instructed several people, took out a bottle of rum from the liquor cabinet, and began to pour himself a drink.
"Want a drink? This one's on me, it's free."
The butler, with a professional smile on his face, asked Lei Yi in a very friendly manner.
"A drink, please."
He poured Ray a glass of rum that was about eight-tenths full.
The alcohol initially tastes slightly sweet, followed by a pungent, spicy flavor. Rum generally has a high alcohol content and is considered a strong spirit.
"How does it taste?"
The butler wore a mocking smile.
"good."
Lei raised an eyebrow, not falling for the little prank.
He used to be able to drink several glasses of 60-proof sorghum liquor at the dinner table, so this kind of rum was just average for him.
The butler pursed his lips.
"What do we do next?"
Lamb asked.
"wait."
The butler replied, tilting his head back and taking a large gulp.
Waiting for what? Are we waiting for that skeleton to reappear?
Lamb looked completely puzzled.
The frightened woman sat silently in the seat closest to the fireplace, finding only the warmth of the burning wood to offer her any sense of security.
Where there is light, endless darkness is always dispelled, so all living things always chase after the direction of the light.
"How many years have you been working at the hotel? It seems like you've become quite used to this kind of thing."
"I said it half-jokingly," Ray said.
He started trying to get information out of the butler, but Lai always felt that there was something strange about the butler.
"If you think about it carefully, it's been almost thirteen years. Back then, my hair was just as thick as yours."
The butler looked at Lei's thick black hair with envy.
"..."
It seems the butler is also very concerned about the bald patch on his head and harbors deep jealousy towards his hair.
"Do your wife and children also live here? Aren't you afraid they'll encounter this thing too?"
"Then Ray asked," Leigh continued.
“I have no wife or biological children, and I am a staunch celibate.”
The butler answered Ray's question with pride.
"I'm sorry for the offense."
"It's okay, it's normal for you to be curious."
"Where's the boss? Doesn't he have any family?"
In fact, the question Ray asked touched on other people's privacy and was rather impolite. But in order to find out the truth, he couldn't care less about that.
"The boss? He doesn't have any family either, he's always lived alone upstairs. He likes to collect wine, and the wine in the cabinet is only a small part of his collection, just the kind he can take out and drink regularly."
"He also has a large winery elsewhere."
The butler glanced around and whispered to Ray: The male servant was dozing off at the table in the small dining room.
"He never goes out?"
Never.
Is he afraid of sunlight?
"Are you suspecting your boss is a devil?"
The butler immediately realized what was happening and asked in return.
"No, it's just out of curiosity."
No one would believe that. The butler was well aware of Lai's suspicions, but he still went along with Lai's questions.
"The boss isn't afraid of the sun. Once, when I was delivering food, I saw him sitting by the window, basking in the sun."
That's really strange.
Over the years, despite all the rumors surrounding the hotel, why does the owner still insist on keeping it open?
Ray stopped asking questions and silently sipped his rum. The butler was happy to have some peace and quiet and poured himself another full glass.
The two lovers sat far away, their faces pale, lost in thought. After this lesson, they probably wouldn't contact each other again.
No one spoke to Lamb; he sat in his chair, looking around idly.
For a full hour, no one spoke a word at the long table in the hall; this seemingly harmonious atmosphere revealed a cold indifference between strangers.
Lamb finally couldn't sit still any longer and stood up. The three men present all turned to look at him, while the woman remained wrapped tightly in the blanket, looking dazed, as if lost in thought.
"Brother, my legs are a little numb from sitting, I'd like to walk around the lobby a bit."
"Go."
With Ray's permission, Lamb began wandering around the hall.
Although the lobby was decorated luxuriously, it was all in the style of many years ago; the cabinets in Linda and Hagrid's room were in the same style.
Looking at the paintings hanging in the hall one by one, Lamb couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.
The first one is titled "Garden." It depicts large patches of small purple and white flowers against a backdrop of a twilight sky.
The second image is titled "Carnival." Judging from the scene, it should be around dusk, with a group of people raising their glasses in celebration. Lamb felt like he had seen the various decorations somewhere before.
Next came the portraits of various figures, the intricately carved borders wiped clean of every speck of dust. He couldn't help but admire the professionalism of the inn's servants.
Creak—a hidden door in the corner of the first floor was opened from the inside.
The middle-aged man in an apron looked at the group of people sitting at the long table in the hall with a bewildered expression.
"Butler Jin, what's this?"
"Lucy, there's nothing here, you can go and get back to work."
Jin dismissed Luce with a single sentence. Although Luce was a little confused, he still obediently went to the back.
"Lucy, the inn's cook."
Jin explained to everyone.
Judging from the housekeeper's attitude, what happened tonight might really just be swept under the rug.
The swishing sound of vegetables being washed in the kitchen broke the silence of the restaurant. This very lifelike sound pulled people out of their astonishment, and everything that happened last night seemed like a dream.
"Ah, it's time for breakfast."
A sentence Jin muttered to himself.
"After dinner, I will refund everyone's room fee from yesterday. I sincerely apologize for what happened last night. The hotel will also offer some small compensation. I hope everyone can keep this a secret, otherwise, who knows what might happen next?"
The butler's smile carried a hint of threat.
Are you threatening us?
The man, who had been silent all night, finally spoke.
"No, no, it was just a friendly reminder."
"How much?"
The woman asked.
"Twenty silver coins each."
The woman's eyes flickered slightly.
“Give me thirty, this has never happened.”
The butler stared coldly at the woman, making her feel uneasy. She felt as if the butler had seen through her deepest thoughts.
"Okay, I hope you keep your word."
The woman swallowed.
" must."
With the leader in place, things became much easier. The man was initially very reluctant to agree, but the butler's words silenced him.
Rather than leaving empty-handed with no end in sight, and risking a grudge against the Cardhouse, it's better to just grab the money and leave...
Lamb looked at Ray, indicating that he would let Ray make the decision and he would listen to him.
"Is this compensation for the unpleasant incident that happened at the hotel last night?"
The butler answered somewhat hesitantly.
"Yes."
"Then we accept the hotel's sincere apology."
Lei gave a friendly smile.
Luce pushed the food cart into the living room.
"Breakfast is ready, ladies and gentlemen. Today's breakfast consists of toast, quail eggs, smoked sausage, and jam."
"Thank you, Luce."
"You're too kind, Butler Kim."
Luce laid out plates of food on the large table in the small dining room for everyone to help themselves.
"Wake up, you slept all night again, didn't you!"
Luce woke up the male servant who had been lying down all night.
“Oh, Luce, there are hardly any guests at the inn, why do you insist on guarding the lobby?”
Jin's face immediately darkened.
"idiot!"
Luce slapped the still-drowsy male servant awake.
"Ah, good morning, Butler Kim! And distinguished guests, I will immediately prepare fresh hot tea for you."
Seeing Jin Li standing ramrod straight, the male servant trembled and made an excuse to slip away.
"Go."
"Yes, Butler Kim."
"Please excuse my poor appearance. I'll go change my clothes and be right down. You are all free to enjoy your breakfast."
Jin left the hall and went upstairs, leaving only Lai and a few others in the hall.
"Let's pack our things, have breakfast, and set off immediately."
"Okay, bro."
Ray led Lamb upstairs, the wooden stairs covered with carpet, making no sound at all.
"How dare you betray me..."
The two only heard that one sentence, and then they knew nothing more about what happened downstairs; it was none of their business.
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-08-30 21:55:42 and 2023-09-03 06:43:39!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the grenade: CupMoting 1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 20 bottles of "How Outrageous Is It?", 10 bottles of "Ruyi Ruyi Is It To My liking", "Pili Pala BOOM", and "Three Insects in One";
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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