Chapter 367: Shocking Debut
=The snow monkey thing? Yeah, we collect bits of knowledge from everywhere, remember?=
=Oh that? Lack of interest, what else?=
=We live in a world where the arrays can either tap into the flow of nature’s aether or summon geysers and explode. Not a lot of people who can make arrays would want or need to learn how to make something as mundane as an array that makes perfectly hot bathwater.=
=Well, some schmuck in the middle of a nowhere port is about to become incredibly wealthy while providing hygeine for all, so…roll with it?=
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[Hey, are you guys done back there?,] Nepherage asked with a touch of impatience, [there’s a line forming in front of the hotel and if we take any longer, the hotel is gonna get even more crowded and it’ll be harder to locate those jackasses.]
[Kidnappers…or…former enemy?]
[Both.]
[Un momento por favor,] Jasper answered, [I’m merely waiting for Razor Maiden to finish her work.]
[You try maneuvering a needle with literal finger knives. It ain’t easy. Also, was making the outfit out of three different colors completely necessary?]
[Of course it is! If I’m going to be pretend to be a powerful elite, I need to look the part.]
[I’m pretty sure just flexing your aether circulation would be enough.]
[Maybe, but this is more fun.]
After “Jasper” managed to find an empty barrel to use for a quick bath, convincing Frosttusk and Nepherage to scrub their out of reach places, and Razor Maiden returned with the bolts of fabric, the kaijin prepared themselves for the next part of “Jasper’s” crazy plan, making them look good.
[Wait, Razor Sis? When did you learn? To sew?,] Spring Brawler asked as he helped the others make “Jasper’s” new clothes via holding the bolts of silk vertically.
[Oh hey, your language skills are improving,] Razor Maiden noted as she continued to cut through the various bits of fabrics on “Jasper’s” body into specific shapes, [but back to your question, I picked it up during the downtimes we spent at the library.]
[Ah.]
Despite assuring their lord that as kaijin they didn’t have to worry about human things like “rest”, “hunger” and “thirst”, Zhen Liu insisted that when not actively training with him or fighting in general, they at least spend time relaxing at the Library of Nowhere or something.
“Look, I’d feel bad about working y’all to the bone, so consider this an order then. Go chill out in the library, maybe pick up a hobby.”
Nowadays, whenever the kaijin weren’t busy training or removing someone’s spine, they would be in the Library of Nowhere and read some of the books that weren’t just dedicated to aether arts or cultivation.
It also probably helped that both Logos and Pathos provided plenty of suggestions for everyone involved.
[You almost done, Razor? My arms are getting sore from holding them up like for so long.]
[Almost…,] Razor Maiden trailed off before slicing off one last loose thread, [now I’m done.]
With the okay given, Jasper proceeded to drop their arms to the side and quickly admire Razor Maiden’s handiwork. It was a very nice suit.
[Excellente. Now then, you guys get changed too, and let’s go turn some heads.]
[Okay…]
[Fine, but I’m not wearing a maid uniform.]
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“Rejected, rejected, approved, rejected, approved, welcome back to the hotel esteemed guest…”
In the world of Valresta, there were places that were only accessible to those who had managed to reach sufficiently high enough rank in their cultivation.
In practical terms, this usually referred to being a high rank to deal with the native dangers in a region, being allowed inside certain wandering ruins, or being able to swallow high tiered aether medicines without exploding, dying or mutating.
However, in civilized spaces, it usually determined what establishments someone was allowed to enter or organizations they could reach out to…or extort.
The Royal Reef Hotel was one such establishment, having rules and a checkpoint in place that only allowed those at the Aether Master and above to enter. Supposedly, the idea was that elites attract elites, so if more and more powerful people visited the hotel, their mere existence would attract even more powerful people.
In order to enforce such an idea though, the hotel employed the use of a First Ring Aether Grandmaster guardian and a special crystal meant to measure the power of anyone wanting to get in. The fact that the guard was an Aether Grandmaster was a pretty good indicator of the prestige the hotel had acquired over the years…sort of.
‘Yeesh, I can bury at least three-fourths of these guys in the ground with nothing but a pinky finger. If Thaddeus wasn’t blood, I’d have asked for a raise by now.’
The warrior guarding the hotel was a cousin to the hotel’s owner, Thaddeus Hickerbottom, named Sawyer Hickerbottom.
Sawyer used to be a member of the Royal Guard back in the Iron Heart Kingdom capital, but had recently retired after serving faithfully for several dozen years.
He had initially planned to spend his retirement doing nothing, maybe mastering chess and fishing, but he soon got incredibly bored of doing so. It was during this boredom that his cousin Thaddeus set up the Royal Reef Hotel and he offered to act as a guardsman to the place.
It was better than doing nothing and he got to see all sorts of people come and go. That being said, he really hated the days when Thaddeus would invite international performers.
‘Swear to the heavens, everytime he gets someone famous, my job gets ten times more annoying,’ Sawyer thought to himself as he turned away yet another “scion” that was only an Acolyte at best.
At this point, Sawyer was tempted to just state that the hotel was at maximum capacity for tonight’s show, until…
“Huh? Does anybody feel that weirdly intense pressure coming towards us?”
“My good man, I think you’re feeling that incoming entourage.”
“Huh? Whoa!”
“My my, what a lovely hotel~ I wonder who attracted such a big crowd?~”
Coming towards the entrance of the Royal Reef Hotel was a rather interesting group of people.
It was a small group of five, a young master accompanied by servants which was nothing too uncommon, but there was something about them that just drew people’s attention.
Some were drawn to the bearded man who was a clear two heads taller than the average man in the fine butler outfit.
“By the four winds, I didn’t know people could get that…big.”
“Ya think his hands are an indicator, or…”
Others were drawn to the heroic looking woman in that same butler outfit with a fiercely beautiful face.
“Huh…I don’t know if I’m attracted or jealous…”
“Aren’t you here with your husband?”
“Uh, well…”
“No no, I agree with her…”
“Bruh.”
A smaller yet respectful amount of people couldn’t help but stare at the clearly younger maid and butler duo in the back, with the former giving off this sense of dangerous attraction, while the other gave off a warm vibe…head empty though.
“Why do I feel like that maid in the back could straight up slice off my head with nothing but a stern look?”
“I don’t know, but I want to headpat that butler.”
“He is like several feet taller than you.”
“So? I can have him lay down in my lap…”
“Girl.”
But regardless of who everyone stared at initially, everyone’s gaze was eventually drawn to the adolescent young master wearing a gorgeous tailormade suit, made of silks dyed indigo, azure and gold.
“Oh my gosh, he is adorable!”
“Wait, that’s a boy? It looks like a girl to me…”
“I thought the term hir?”
As the entourage got closer and closer to the hotel’s entrnace, the crowd and line that had initially formed had subtly begun to part like guards making way for a monarch. Even Sawyer was somewhat caught in the feeling, but he stopped himself when he recalled that he was technically retired.
‘Who the hell is this kid?,” Sawyer wondered.
Granted, he was about to get an answer to this question in a couple of seconds.
“Pardon me good sir,” the child greeted with a formal yet melodic tone, “but do you mind telling me why such a large crowd had gathered here this evening? I was about to get on a carriage to head home for the evening until I saw all of these people standing about. Did a tragedy occur here? Or is it perhaps a wedding?”
“Is…is that kid singing or talking?”
“I don’t know, but shut the fuck up so I can listen.”
“No, no, nothing like that,” Sawyer answered with a wave of his hand, “a singer from another continent is performing tonight. I’d invite you in, but the rules are that only Aether Masters and above are allowed inside.”
Adding to his point, Sawyer pointed towards the aether measuring crystal ball besides him.
“Well, them and their respective entourage and/or guests.”
“Oh really? Then that’s no problem at all. I just inject aether into this, correct?”
“I’m glad you-wait, what?”
Before anyone could react, the adolescent quickly walked up to the crystal ball and moved to place their hand upon it.
