Active [On the Border of the See and Widersia, as Far South of Clockhaven as the River Goes] - The Phantasmagoria Opens

[IanThe170]

Lialeth Vianno

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It appeared that Decimus could confirm her idea of teleportation. However, the idea was starting to leave a bad taste in her mouth. If the crystals in the hotel and its perimeter did not pick up anything strange, they may potentially be dealing with a powerful mage or perhaps the girls carried around an artifact of some sorts that enabled them to be teleported away. Assuming they were of course and it was not, but a temporary illusion in the area or even just pure invisibility cast upon them, whilst they were getting kidnapped. There was also the very minor chance that the girls themselves chose to teleport, but Lialeth wondered if there would be any way to actually prove such.

If nothing else, her suspicions of one thing were confirmed. Hurting oneself may very well be a common thing in this city. That or physically assaulting someone. It was hard to judge with Mr. Limestone as an example, but she would try to keep that in mind.

It seems room 348 would be their next target. So she took the key that was given to them by Mr. Limestone. "Thank you and I wish you luck on the search through the crystals!"

There was one thought clouding Lialeth's mind, however. The extravagance of the hotel. She had seen extravagant places before, but it felt off. The girls were just some common folk, or so she was led to believe. Would they really be able to pay for all this? Or, potentially, more accurately, could their parents afford this? A week long stay in a hotel like this? Whilst also enjoying festivities all week round?

Admittedly, she did lack some common sense, especially in regards to money and valuables, seeing as she only had her dress to her name currently. But even so. She decided to ask Decimus for some confirmation, whilst they were in the elevator. "Mr. Valerius, how expensive do you imagine the hotel stay would be here for a week? Along-side frivolous spending in a festival such as this? I may be wrong, but it is hard to imagine most common people being able to afford something like that. It may have been possible with a fair bit of saving where I was from, but here it just seems... Doubtful... They'd surely have had to save up a fair bit of coin, no? There would also be the travel expenses..." Lialeth started to wonder about the possibility of loans being involved here.

Once they'd make it to the room, she would naturally enough, unlock it and proceed to move inside.

 

[Maxxob]

Decimus Valerius

Spoiler: Minions

Titles: [Human - Mundane], [Native], [Military Cadet F] - Widersia - Color #a13a3a
Language Keys: "..." - Common ; "[...]" - Terran

Mephisto IanThe170

When Mr. Stone casually mentioned having already analyzed the other crystal balls and finding nothing unusual, Decimus responded with a low, contemplative hum, giving Lialeth the silent cue to verify the claim. His own attention, however, was drifting elsewhere, settling on Mr. Lime, the more animated half of the grotesque duo.

He observed the peculiar sight of Mr. Lime greedily stuffing his mouth with candy, snagged right from the body of his stitched-together counterpart. It was an unsightly display, a childish and grotesque indulgence that seemed out of place even for such a strange creature. What a hellish existence it must be, Decimus mused, to be shackled to such a gluttonous, undisciplined partner. But as the creature's sticky fingers worked, something else caught his eye—the emblem on the candy wrappers.

The same cartoonish black stag skull he’d seen before, at the hotel counter and emblazoned across the posters for both the Night Parade and the Twilight Carnival. The recurrence of the symbol piqued his curiosity. Was this the brand of a confectionery tied to the events? Or perhaps a more deliberate association, some kind of sponsorship or signal? Either way, it was unusual. “Say…” Decimus’ voice broke through the room, cutting through the awkward, candy-fueled silence as he pointed an index finger at Mr. Lime, who was still reeling from the harsh strike delivered by Mr. Stone. “... where exactly does one get those candies with the black stag symbol on them?”

His question was simple, but the gaze behind it was sharp, searching for any flicker of reaction. The answer, whatever it might be, would help him draw a line between the pieces of this puzzle. Still, he already had the next step in mind—the room where the Morton girls had stayed, 348. As they moved back through the opulent hall of the hotel, Decimus’ eyes swept over his mechanoid troops, still standing sentinel, their polished visors reflecting the dim lights. “[Follow me.]” The command, crisp and precise, echoed through the lavish surroundings, the wordless promise of action.

The constructs responded instantly, their mechanical limbs moving with a synchronized efficiency, each step producing a sharp, metallic clank that reverberated off the marbled floors. The sound was a stark contrast to the serene luxury of the hotel, like gears grinding through silk. As they proceeded toward the room, Lialeth brought up a topic that had been lingering in the back of his mind.

“So, you noticed too.” Decimus glanced over, acknowledging her observation with a nod, his eyes narrowing in thought. “It’s possible the girls aren’t royalty, but they may come from money. Widersian industrialists, perhaps. Some of them have pockets as deep as any noble family.” His tone was contemplative, but there was a weight behind it, a sense of the world he’d seen. “That might explain how they could afford to stay here for a week. But…” He paused, taking a long, deliberate drag from his smoking pipe, the warm glow briefly lighting up his features. As he exhaled, a thin ribbon of smoke curled lazily into the air, dissipating around him. “... loan sharks might have been what enabled them.”

The insinuation lingered, as the wisps of smoke did, the idea that these girls might have been entangled in something darker, something that had drawn them into the shadows. And if that was the case, they might be dealing with more than just a straightforward disappearance.