'Thoughts'
"Talking"
"Talking in foreign language"
~ Parseltongue ~
[… Moon Cell talking in his head…]
…
Chapter 3 – Contract
…
Returning to the penthouse with the girl in tow was… strange, to say the least.
Her reaction to the hotel, and the penthouse, it was mostly muted and subtle, but the surprise and curiosity were there.
She did not talk much during that time, seemingly content in following him wherever he went, and that was a point in her favor, considering as Hadrian preferred the silence since he was not in the mood for chatter. She was an observant little thing, taking in everything she saw, be it a new item, people, rooms, and exits.
The last one made Hadrian shake his head ruefully, as it gave him another hint of the girl's troubled past.
No teenager that young would take the time to note the distance and locations of exits in a building.
While he may not be one to talk, given his own unique upbringing, but even he knows that some of the girl's actions were somewhat uncommon in the standards of mundane society.
On the other hand, Hadrian managed to surprise her when he attended to her sprain ankle and gave her one of the guest rooms.
Given the wide-eyed look she sent him, she was obviously caught off guard when he left her on the guest room bed, only to come back with a first aid kit (a custom kind, one that was specifically made and passed onto high-ranking members of AEONS) for her sprain a minute later. She was mostly quiet (but compliant) throughout the entire process when he patched her up, which made it easier on him.
The stare she gave him through it all was a bit unnerving though, but Hadrian ignored it and simply went to work on attending to her sprained ankle as gently as he could.
Perhaps it was the unusual items that garnered a stare from her, considering as he did merely spread a small amount of special healing gel around her ankle and then covered the affected area up with some white bandages.
The gel was probably the most unusual as there had never been an item produced like it in any pharmaceutical stores where anyone can simply purchase it.
If that were the case, then Hadrian could understand her behavior.
But, as an empath and someone experienced in judging one's character, he felt that that was not merely the case with her stare.
Not long after, evening came by, and he was just setting up the food on the table that the kitchen staff had recently delivered.
With his guest behaving in her room (thanks to the automaton checking for him), Hadrian thought to bring her some food, so she doesn't need to come down and put stress on her ankle.
Leaving his blazer, mask and weapons in the lounge, the covert mage made his way to the guest room, Maya following him in tow.
The door was easy to push since he had left it ajar. And when he entered, Hadrian was not surprised to see the young redhead was still awake.
But at least, she looked a bit relaxed now.
The girl was sitting up against the headboard and seemingly staring at something before her eyes landed on him due to the audible 'chink' of the doorknob turning.
Hadrian sighed in his head as he noticed her shoulders tensing once again, though it was a bit of an improvement as she only looked surprised this time.
Whether that was by his entrance or the food he brought, he doesn't know nor does he care.
"Here, I've brought you dinner, so you don't have to strain yourself in climbing the stairs back and forth." Hadrian explained in Russian.
He moved across the room and left the tray of food on the small dining table that was (luckily enough) near the bed she was currently occupying.
"Eat and rest for today. Just leave the dishes there once you're done. I'll pick them up later. We can talk tomorrow, so save any questions you have for now. Goodnight."
After saying his piece, Hadrian closed the door behind him and walked downstairs where his own food was waiting for him.
Maya was already ahead of him by the time he reached the table, climbing up on it and sitting on her hindquarters as she watched him sit.
Dinner had been a quiet affair. It was just him and Maya eating on the table, occasionally checking up on his guest who was also eating her food (via automaton's scan).
After washing the dishes and drying them, he placed the cleaned plates, glasses, and utensils on the service trolley. It was simply his way of easing on the kitchen staff's burden for his own mess.
Even though it was his first time staying at Crown Plaza, he had heard from his grandfather that the hotel was especially busy during the holidays due to its mass popularity all over the globe.
Hadrian debated on retrieving the dishes in the guest room, then shook his head and dismissed the idea.
The girl was already fast asleep, most likely tired from recent events and lulled to rest with having her belly filled with good food.
He could try and sneak his way inside to retrieve the dirty dishes, but he was sure that she would not appreciate his intrusion (even if he owns the entire penthouse).
The girl seemed to like her privacy and personal space, and he would rather not breach that line if he can help it.
Granted, he owns the penthouse and was basically letting her stay here, but he gave her the room to have a peace of mind, not to make her on guard around his presence.
Quietly making his way to the terrace with Maya held against his chest, Hadrian slid the glass panel closed after him and walked to the edge as he fished out his air pods and holo-phone.
After putting the earbuds on, he pressed on a name and made the call, waiting until it was finally picked up.
"Good evening, Sir Rey." The smooth and melodic voice of a British woman greeted from the other line.
"It's done." He said calmly, as if discussing the weather.
"I see. Then, the funds shall be transferred into your account within six hours. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"Does the target have any hideouts with valuables?" He asked, smiling when Maya purred against his cheek as she leaned closer for his body heat.
"He does have a few. Would you like me to forward a request for a 'raid'?" The woman, an AEONS operator, asked.
"Yes, please."
"A fee will be made for this action. Five percent of your reward will go to the agents selected for the raid, and another five will go to the organization. Do you still wish to proceed?" She asked for confirmation.
Hadrian didn't know there was a fee, but he went with it anyways.
Although, he did mentioned Luka Azarro to lead the raids.
The man had been quite dependable during the time he escorted him to the hotel, and he knew that the man would get the raids done and smoothly without any issues. It was the least he could do for the guy for being chosen as his personal aide during his time as Rey.
Luka was probably itching for some action after being assigned to babysit him.
After saying goodbye to the female operator, Hadrian received another call after a minute of silence.
Surprised, it was a video call from his baby sister, little Elsa.
Despite her age, Elysia Faye von Aelrheit already held signs of taking after their mother, Ava von Aelrheit.
Like her brother, she has a long glossy black hair that tinged with blue under direct light. Her hair was currently tied into a loose bun, bangs hanging just above her eyebrows. Unlike Hadrian though, her eyes were not a clear and piercing violet color, but a vibrant sky-blue color, almost closer to the disguise he was using now. She has the color of their father's eyes, while he with their mother's.
It was close to midnight in the UK, which is why his sister was currently wearing her white PJs.
Seeing her adorable smiling face, it was enough to make Hadrian smiling as well.
"Brother! Maya!" Elsa greeted happily.
"Well, good evening, little one." He returned with a short wave. Maya meowed in greeting.
Elsa's cute face paused, then her excitement dialed down as she closed her eyes briefly and breathed in and out.
Noticing her actions, Hadrian simply waited and smiled, knowing that she was remembering her etiquette lessons.
Lessons on etiquette had been a difficult experience for Hadrian to endure, at least the first time it had happened to him in his previous lifetime. But from what he had seen in the past, Hadrian was aware that the lessons were more difficult for the opposite gender as it was different in their case. He even heard that there was a plethora of lessons to cover for females of nobility, which perplexed him still in the present.
Hadrian can only sigh in his head and offer his little sister his sympathy for what she will about to endure in the coming years.
Gentle and thoughtful as their oma (grandmother) was, the matriarch of the Aelrheit household was quite strict when it comes to etiquette.
Their goofy opa (grandfather), on the other hand, was the opposite. The old man has his moments of elegance and poise, but he was eccentric and silly most of the time. How the pair managed to stay together and still remain romantically in love for more than 80 years, Hadrian will never know.
He can only shake his head with a wry smile and tip a hat to his grandparents for their unbelievably strong union.
Hopefully, it would continue to stay strong for as long as they live.
Once she gained her composure, her eyes opened and she looked elegant, a demure smile on her lips.
Still, the excitement in her bright blue eyes remained present, as it often does whenever she converses with him.
"Oh, good evening." She gave a demure curtsey (the best she can do while in a sitting position), then jump back into her exuberant self. "Brother, how are you?"
"I was fine earlier. Better now that I've seen you." Hadrian's smile widened when she giggled at his smooth and playful response. The, he adopted a sobering demeanor, smile fading slightly as he asked her in a gentle tone. "On a serious note, is everything alright there? No issues, I hope?"
"No, no issues." She shook her head adorably. "Opa was just about to tell me some of the magical creatures you encountered in the past."
His little sister was four, yet she can already speak elegantly and articulately. As expected of his sibling…
"Oh, what kind?" Hadrian asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Acramantula." She answered with a smile.
Already, his sister was proving to be different from most children. She was four, yet she does not appear the least bit disturbed by spiders and such.
Minor things (insects, animals, etc) that would disturb most people, do not seem to bother her at all.
Hadrian sighed, feeling like scratching his head but restrained himself since both of his hands were already preoccupied.
"Hn, is opa there then?"
"He is." The screen shifted as she moved the camera to where their grandfather was.
And there was the old magician, sitting up against the headboard of his sister's bed with a book regarding magical creatures in his hands.
The old man said nothing, but his thick gray brows wiggled up and down in suggestion.
What that means, Hadrian doesn't want to know.
The elder magician's actions elicited a giggle from his younger sibling.
"Keep it filtered, opa. No need to go into detail." Hadrian warned.
"But those were the good parts." Zelretch pouted.
"I don't care. Elsa is still young. There's no need to scare her with those details. Now, give the holo back to her." Hadrian said in a firm tone.
Ignoring the old man's sigh and childish mumblings of him being a 'killjoy' and a 'stick in the mud', the camera shifted, and soon, his baby sister's giggling face was back in view.
"Opa's making funny faces." She pointed out with a grin from behind her small hand.
"Ignore him. He's just being his silly self. Speaking of spiders, I picked one up on the way home." Hadrian stated, smile returning as he changed the subject.
His sister perked up.
"Oh? What is it?" She asked excitedly.
"A little black widow." Hadrian said offhandedly, not elaborating that it was a young girl than an actual arachnid.
"A black widow…" Elsa's adorable face became thoughtful as she muttered. "Isn't that the type of arachnid from the mundane's findings, bruder (brother)?"
"Why yes, indeed." Hadrian nodded, pleased that his little sister was taking her lessons well.
He had been the same age as her when he was being taught lessons about what was known to normal humans, the non-magical animals, their different cultures and whatnot.
Although, the two of them were thinking of two different things in this case.
"She has a bit of a temper, and she's young. What do you think I should do with her?" Hadrian asked, feeling somewhat amused inside.
"Hmm… take care of her." She said after giving it some thought.
Surprised, Hadrian was a bit taken aback.
"Eh? Take care of her, not let her go?"
"Yes, take care of it." She affirmed with a resolute nod.
"Okay, little one, why is that your answer?" Hadrian was honestly curious.
"Umm… it's a young, stray little spider, right? So, she must have been alone and hungry for a long time. But now you found her, you can take care of her, brother!" She answered with the logic of a five-year-old, as if it was that simple and easy.
And though she looked adorable, the determined glint in her baby blue jewel-like eyes and her tone (as genuine as she could get) means that she stood by what she said.
Even though his sister was in view, their grandfather's amused expression can be seen at the edge of the screen.
Hadrian ignored him in favor of his younger sibling.
"But she's a black widow, little one." Hadrian protested, chuckling.
"So? Brother is strong. I'm sure you can handle it if she tries to bite you." She countered, stopping him from rebutting.
Against that logic, Hadrian can't help but sigh as he found himself surrendering to his little sister's response.
"Fine… I'll take care of her." The mage in disguise accepted reluctantly.
"Great!" Elsa's face brightened, making Hadrian huff and smile wryly.
They were interrupted, however, by their grandfather, who chose that moment to speak up.
Hadrian can't see the man fully, but his deep gruff voice can hear clearly in the background.
"Ok, that's enough chatter, kiddos. We still got a book to burn through, little one. Elsa, say goodbye to your brother for now. I'm sure you'll speak more on this subject next time."
"Yes, opa." Elsa sounded a bit disappointed, but she smiled once she turned back to the camera. "Umm, sorry, brother, but opa…"
"It's alright. I don't mind, little one. He's right, after all. It's getting late there, and you need to rest soon." Hadrian assured with an understanding smile.
"Then, goodbye for now. I hope we can speak more soon."
"Sure. Where are my familiars, by the way?" Hadrian asked, noticing the lack of furry and feathery familiars in the background.
"Already asleep in their beds. We played lots of games earlier. The exertion must have tired them out. They're going to be disappointed they missed you." She said with a smile.
"Ah, maybe next time then." Hadrian smiled.
"Love you, brother. Maya. Take care, both of you."
"Love you too, little one. Give the little ones some head pats for me, ok? Good night."
With a wave of goodbye, the video link cut off and the screen went into a black background.
Staring at the screen for a few moments, Hadrian sighed as he looked up the night sky.
Seeing smoke in the distance, Hadrian felt that something was amiss… and then, he remembered.
"Ah, that's right. I forgot…"
Using his right hand, Hadrian activated a few of his magic circuits and snapped his fingers in the direction of the smoke and fire that he saw in the far distance.
The orange and blue flames that stood tall from a certain building had vanished as soon as he willed the fire to extinguish.
At least the firemen won't have a difficult time putting out the flames anymore.
As he watched the black fumes of smoke go up from a certain building, Hadrian thought back on his sister's words.
"Take care of her, huh…" He mused aloud. "How do you take care of a teenage mercenary with a temper and going through a rebellious phase?"
No one answered.
Even Maya, who was more interested in staring at the falling snowflakes above their heads, but that was to be expected.
Still, he was not the kind to go back on his word, even if he doesn't really want to take care of the redhead.
One thing was for sure.
The little redhead's life just changed from the mere suggestion of his little sister.
Funny thing was… the redhead didn't even know it.
…
…
[… Next Morning …]
Hadrian woke up just as the digital clock next to his bed started ringing.
Seeing that it was four in the morning, he reached for a small remote next to the clock and pressed on a button.
The dark gray curtains covering the windows on the left side of his bed slowly but steadily opened, revealing the dark and cloudy sky of Moscow.
Since it was still dusk outside, the sun has yet to appear in the far distance and the moon remains present.
Various sounds in the city were also prevalent, cars and some people could be seen in the road and streets respectively if he glanced down by the window.
Taking a minute to stretch his arms and relieving the knots in his neck, Hadrian moved out of the bed after he heard some satisfying pops from his little warm-up.
Greeting Maya with a smile and a soft spoken 'good morning', which was returned with a warm 'meow' from his little familiar, Hadrian went to the bathroom to wash his face.
After his short morning ritual, he went to the walk-in closet that was located next to the master bathroom.
Choosing a black t-shirt, black jogging pants and training shoes with a black and white color scheme, he left the master bedroom ready for his morning exercise.
After urging Maya to come to him, Hadrian closed the door of the master bedroom gently behind him and went downstairs.
The master and familiar duo made their way to the glasshouse pavilion by the patio, where Hadrian intends to do his morning exercise.
While there was a pool inside, there was a reinforced glass panel that can cover the pool to create more space, which Hadrian thought fit to use as a training room due to its space and capacity. It was not the same as the one he had back home, but he figured that it was enough for him to get some proper training done.
As long as he doesn't go too far, he was sure the pavilion can survive his morning exercises.
Once inside the pavilion, he went to the main controls and pressed a few buttons.
The glass surrounding the pavilion immediately turned black and a couple of lights on the ceiling activated, brightening the area, while several reinforced glass panels began to slide in and cover the top of the pool, creating the much-needed space that Hadrian was looking for to start his morning exercise. There were lights deep in the pool that pierced through the water, rendering the light blue tiles of the pool floor to pop out.
With his privacy secured and his familiar settled (Maya was relaxing on a white sunbed by the pool), Hadrian began his exercise routine.
Since he has no one to spar with, he settled for the holo-enemies the alien artifact conjured for him in his mind.
To an observer's viewpoint, it must look like he was a lunatic striking at nothing. But, in his eyes, there were almost life-like enemies rushing at him, one after another, sometimes even two or three at once. The manner in how the artifact made him feel the impact of the pain from their assaults, along with the resistance to his attacks when the weapons in his hands made contact, made the combat simulation on a different level.
'Hmm… perhaps I should mention something like this to opa.' Hadrian mused, thinking of how it can benefit the organization's people in combat.
For an hour and a half, he didn't stop swinging the nameless steel swords that he often used for practice. He hardly noticed the sweat that already soaked his upper clothing until his holo-phone (which he left previously next to his familiar) began to make a soft chiming noise, an alarm that he had set earlier to remind him of his next schedule.
Walking over to the sunbed, Hadrian rubbed Maya's head with a smile before reaching for his holo-phone to stop the alarm.
Seeing the time on the screen, it was now '5:45 AM', which meant that it was time for him to start the day.
As he and Maya made their way out of the pavilion and return to his room (after he set it back to its default glasshouse state), Hadrian thought of what should be done for the day.
Before he went to bed last night, he received some new news and got a few things done.
First, the rest of the money for the mission had just been deposited into his account recently (after the six-hour mark was done), what with the company marking the mission as complete and over with. And he was also told that Luka and a few men from AEONS will be doing the raid to the target's safe houses tonight.
So, more fun to them.
Second, he spent a bit of time in the (temporary) workshop and made a few blueprints of new items. He does not know where the items will apply yet, but Hadrian figured he would have some use for them in the future. For the moment, they were set aside as minor projects that he can entertain himself with whenever he was bored, or simply uninspired to work on the main ones.
Third, he knew what to do with the little redhead. During the few hours in the workshop, he made something for her and set some conditions in a way that would also allow him to take care of her, which would fulfill his promise to Elsa in a way.
But, in the end, the decision will be for her to make since it does affect her future.
Hadrian simply hope that the redhead would read the document carefully before signing it.
Most people were prone to skimming over the details and be surprised by something that they should already be aware of.
Shaking his head, he went to his bedroom so he can clean himself, Maya following in tow.
…
…
After cleaning himself and a change of fresh clothes, Hadrian took a seat at the dining table.
Plates of freshly cooked food were already assembled by the time he came down.
There was a small note on where he normally sat.
The small paper was waiting next to a plate, and it says 'please enjoy' in elegant, cursive writing with Lionel's name at the bottom.
The man was not only good at his job, but can think ahead of his clients, a rare quality to witness in most people.
Lionel knew of Hadrian's schedule and would order food again (since he had yet to do a bit of shopping), and so, he went ahead and did it for him anyways.
Noting to give the man a small raise as per his gratitude, Hadrian just took a bite out of a toast with scrambled eggs on top when he saw a certain redhead made her way down the stairs.
Quickly and subtly, he took in her movements and noted that her ankle had already healed.
He also noticed something else.
Her movements were smooth and efficient. No energy was wasted as she made her way to him, her worn-out black boots padding softly against the carpeted floor. Even though she was not sneaking and seemed to be in no hurry, he was certain that she had been trained extensively for espionage since she literally made no noise, even as she walked down the stairs.
Hadrian would muse on the matter more if not for the expression on her face.
It was still bright in the day, yet the girl looked displeased already.
Idly wondering what disturbed her morning, Hadrian adopted a calm and polite demeanor the closer she walked to the table.
Swallowing a piece of toast and bits of scrambled eggs (both of which were perfectly cooked), he gave a small wave of greeting.
"Well, good morning. It's nice to you walking properly now." Hadrian said in Russian with a small smile.
The girl seemed to have other plans as she stopped in front of him with a scowl on her lips.
"Where were you?" She demanded, staring him down with her dark green eyes.
Hadrian blinked, ignoring Maya blissfully digging into her meals beside his plate.
"Pardon?" He asked, tilting his head in confusion.
The girl looked taken aback, eyes widening for a second before she shook her head, as if to shake off a trance, and glaring back at him again.
Hadrian wondered if she was bipolar or something, given how quick her emotions changed.
"I went looking for you all over this place, but I didn't find you. So, where were you?" She gestured to the penthouse, frowning as she did so.
"By the pavilion, exercising." Hadrian said, pointing in the direction of the glasshouse pavilion.
"Pavilion?" She glanced to where he pointed at, and she stared at it with a curious expression.
"Yes, I was there since morning." Hadrian paused as he leaned against his seat with a thoughtful expression, utensils still in both hands. "Since late dusk, actually. Then, I went upstairs, got cleaned and change into some new clothes. Now I'm here, eating breakfast with Maya." He turned to her with a smile. "You're welcome to join us, by the way."
Looking a bit off guard by the additional details he gave her, the redhead blinked a few times before her face morphed into an expressionless façade once more, which seemed to be her default mask as he watched her take a seat to his right from the corner of his eyes. Her movements were almost robotic, as he took note of her somewhat tense frame.
Curiously enough, she didn't immediately reach for any of the food on the table.
Instead, he was rewarded with the sight of her looking at every single dish with narrowed green eyes, guarded and suspicious.
Hadrian sighed in his head as he noticed what she was doing.
Just from this sight alone, he can already tell, caring for the young girl was going to be a wild rollercoaster experience for him.
"None of these are tampered with, I assure you." Hadrian commented, smiling wryly when the redhead turned to him in surprise.
Slowly, she seemed to accept his response with a nod to herself and, carefully, reached for one of the plates and helped herself with the food.
Breakfast was a silent but comfortable affair. Their utensils and the soft sounds of Maya eating her food were the only noises that occupied the table. At least, it was comfortable for Hadrian as he simply ate another helping of breakfast (soufflé pancakes with strips of bacon on the side, and fresh orange juice to drink).
His little red-haired companion looked relaxed as she ate and drank, but she also seemed a bit tense.
'Like a cautious kitten ready to bolt…' Hadrian observed, wryly amused by the mental image.
It was only when Hadrian stood up (having finished eating) and gathered the empty dishes did he spoke to her again.
"We'll speak about business later. Let me clean the dishes first. You can go wait by the lounge." Hadrian paused, staring at her for a few moments before he tilted his head and mutter under his breath, much to the redhead's confusion. "Ah, yes, that reminds me…"
Laying the empty dishes gently by the counter, Hadrian walked around the dining table, passed a confused-looking redhead (who had stood up from her seat, for some reason), and up the stairs.
Since his guest was not inside, he entered the guest room and grabbed the tray with empty plates and a glass.
Other than crumbs, there were no leftovers on the plate, which pleased him inwardly that his guest ate all the food he prepared for her last night. He was also glad to note that the little redhead was most respectful to the room that he gave to her. Most things in the room were untouched, apart from the pillows, the duvet on the bed and the curtains by the window.
He was about to leave when he noticed that the redhead in question suddenly appeared by the door, Maya following her.
Hadrian knew that Maya was just being her usual clingy self, but, unexpectedly, the redhead seemed to have followed him out of curiosity as well.
"I told you to wait for me by the lounge. I just came here to get these, after all, since I couldn't last night." He gestured to the tray with empty dishes in his hands.
Exhaling through his nose, Hadrian walked past the girl, mindful not to step on Maya as she began to follow him.
"If you're so inclined on following me around, you might as well help me wash the dishes while you're at it." Hadrian called over his shoulder, regardless of her decision.
There was no need for him to since the staff would take them downstairs in an hour or two, but having travelled on his own from time to time in the past (despite his privilege status), Hadrian's personal ethics adamantly refused to be coddled more than he already was.
The free breakfast spread might be Lionel's doing, and he was grateful for that, but washing the dishes and easing the burden on the staff was the least he could do.
Few minutes later, he was standing in front of the sink while she was beside him.
There was a two feet distance between them, one that the girl made on purpose, but Hadrian didn't mind as he simply went to work on cleaning the dishes while she waits for him to dry them (which he instructed her to do as he got started) with a white towel that he gave her.
Maya herself was sitting by the dining table, watching them work patiently with her tail lazily swishing back and forth in idle curiosity.
During the chore, Hadrian mused aloud.
"You know, I can consider this little help you're doing for me as a favor returned." Hadrian smiled faintly as he saw her blinked in surprise from the corner of his eyes before turning to look at him with an incredulous expression. "What? You're already doing something anyway, so you can run along after this, if you like?"
"You can't be serious." She said in monotone. Her face remained expressionless, but the skepticism was obvious in her voice.
"Quite the contrary, I'm not jesting." Hadrian said, smile widening at her annoyed glare.
"Drying dishes is not a proper repayment. This is just a chore." She pointed out in a deadpan tone.
"Maybe for you, who says it can't be one for me?" Hadrian calmly retorted, bright cyan eyes alight with amusement.
"Well, for me, it's not a suitable way to return a favor." The redhead said again with a firm tone.
Getting nowhere in arguing with her, Hadrian sighed and merely turned back to washing the dishes.
"Why are you so insistent about this anyways? It's not as if I'm in a desperate need of that favor of yours." Hadrian asked as he lifted a glass up and inspected it for any leftover stains or dishwashing soap.
"I told you before. I refuse to be in debt to anyone, anymore. That's why I'm doing this…" The admission was delivered quietly, but there were a mix of emotions in them that made them powerful, resolute in their form, despite the low volume of her voice and the somber expression she wore as she said it while looking at her reflection in the window's glass in front of the sink.
Looking at the redhead for a few moments, who looked deep in thought, Hadrian turned his gaze away and sighed.
Troublesome girl…
…
…
With the dishes clean and dry, Hadrian left them on the trolley to be sent back.
Walking up the stairs, he went to his study and retrieved a black briefcase before exiting the room and returning to the lounge where the redhead was waiting for him. He had to be quick in going to his office since the young girl seemed not quite content with waiting for him downstairs. In fact, when he returned, she seemed ready to follow him given the impatient look in her green eyes.
Sitting down on a single chair, Hadrian placed the briefcase on the coffee table and opened it. He then pulled out a few pages of paper with a black paperclip at the top corner.
"I suppose this is a good time as any." The former King of Lucis mused aloud, prompting a curious brow from the redhead seated on the couch. "Tell me, little spider, have you seen the news recently?"
"No, why?" The red-haired girl shook her head slightly in negative, a thoughtful frown on her face.
Blinking in surprise, Hadrian turned to look at her.
"There's a TV in the guest room, you didn't use it?" He asked, raising a brow.
The girl simply looked confused as she stared at him in return.
"TV? I didn't see any TV there." She said, skeptical.
Hadrian blinked a few times, then closed his eyes as he sighed in exasperation.
Since this world's era was still in the early 2000's, modern devices such as flat screen TVs were not yet widely common.
Unfortunately, Crown Plaza and other establishments like it under his family's purview were ahead when it comes to advance technology.
The hospitals and research labs owned by his family were far more advanced with their equipment and medical research.
"Did you notice a black rectangular glass hanging on the wall in front of the bed?" Hadrian asked, chuckling when he saw her paused for a moment before nodding. "That's a television."
Surprised, the girl blinked a few times.
"Really?" She asked, monotone but curious.
"Yes, really." Hadrian nodded with a wry smile. "Look over there by the fireplace." He watched as she turned her head to where he pointed. "That's a television also. You'll see devices of that shape around Crown Plaza. This hotel and other branches of it from all over the world are somewhat ahead when it comes to certain technological devices. Perhaps it might advance even more in the future. Anyways…"
Trailing off, he grabbed the remote (which happened to be on the table, behind the briefcase) and turned on the TV.
The screen immediately came to life and showed a news channel.
A female news reporter began to speak in detail about a certain building he had visited yesterday.
"– breaking news, a large fire has begun in the downtown section of Moscow yesterday around late afternoon. The fire had affected 4 buildings under half an hour. The fire department sent five groups of firemen, and according to the reports, they all had trouble extinguishing the fire. People on the site had interviewed some of the firemen and they think that it was no ordinary fire."
"– the police have been called and arrived at the scene, as it was discovered that some of the buildings involved in the incident were found to have relations with suspicious illegal activities. Over fifty people were apprehended by the authorities, and more were being chased after due to having been seen escaping from the area after the police's arrival last night. The chief of police has stated that they will be monitoring –"
After that particular news, he muted the TV and placed the remote back on the table.
Turning his head to the left, Hadrian was not surprised to see the little redhead watching the news with an observant expression.
"Hmm, let's discuss what we just heard. The building that that female reporter mentioned in the news, that was the marketplace. I'm sure you've noticed it just by the location of the building alone." Hadrian continued when she turned to him and nodded in confirmation. "Well, there's no roundabout in saying this, but I did that."
For a few moments, it was quiet before she blinked once, twice, then her green eyes widened as she finally processed what he said so casually.
"Huh?" was her response.
"The reason… well, there's no actual reason other than the fact that most of the people pissed me off there." Hadrian shrugged, aware but ignoring the incredulous stare that he received from the redhead.
"What were you doing there?" She asked, brows furrowed in thought as she tried to make sense of his reason.
"My target was deep inside the building, so I went in there and killed him." Hadrian glanced upwards in thought as he continued in a musing tone. "Some group of mercenaries tried to get in my way though. I had no quarrel with them, but they decided that avenging some filth was worth throwing their lives away. As a result, I was forced to cut them down as well. Then, I lit a fire in one of the rooms in that building before I left, and the rest is history."
Hadrian ended his brief story with a satisfied smile that seemed to stun the redhead into silence for a few moments before she snapped herself out of trance.
"You had a target there? And you just burned down…" She looked at the TV for a second before continuing her summary. "… almost burned down the entire marketplace because you didn't like the people there. That's it?"
"Yes, pretty much." Hadrian smiled, dimples showing, and nodded.
"Okay…" The girl muttered as she leaned against the couch, a mixed expression of dumbfounded and disbelief on her usually stoic face.
It was quiet for a few moments as Hadrian let her have some thoughts to herself, then he broke the silence once more.
"Now, you're wondering… what does that have to do with you? Why would I tell you about my recent activity when we only just met? Why indeed." Hadrian smiled as he watched the redhead slowly tensed and turn to him with her face returning to its impassive mask. "Real answer? It doesn't relate to you at all, but it will be if you continue to push this favor of yours to me."
"What do you mean?" She asked after several moments of silence.
"I'm saying that you should walk away after I withdraw this favor of yours later on." Seeing the realization dawning in her eyes, Hadrian nodded and continued. "Yes, I have work for you. But unfortunately, that's for later. I have yet to receive my next mission, you see. For the meantime, you can stay in the guest room until it's time for the next assignment. Oh, and here."
Hadrian dropped the few pages of papers with a clip-on on the couch, next to the spot where the red-haired girl was sitting.
"What's this?" She asked, wasting no time to grab the papers, and reading it with a keen expression.
"It's a contract. To make this deal of ours official, even if it is just temporary." Hadrian explained briefly with a small smile.
It was good foresight on his part to have the contract printed in Russian instead of English. Otherwise, he would have to translate the details of the documents for her.
"It's just a favor. Why go this far?" She raised a curious brow as she looked at him above the papers she was still reading in her hands.
Hadrian shrugged, right hand supporting his head as he leaned back in the chair and crossed his leg over the other.
"In my workplace, we prefer assurances and official documents to the deals we make." He said vaguely, not elaborating any further than necessary.
By the skeptic expression on her face, the redhead seemed to think that he was simply being dramatic.
But as she read the contents, Hadrian was treated to an amusing sight of her brows rising as she seemed to have come across something surprising.
"… does this say that my memories will be erased if I tell someone about one of your secrets?" She asked incredulously.
"It's proprietary tech, so don't go and tell people, understand? And just so you know, it works both ways. The penalty also applies to me if I tell someone about one of your secrets. The contract exists to protect both of us, and create a measure of trust between the opposite parties. Temporary as it is, I figure that this is the best way to start our first and final deal." Hadrian explained, smiling faintly as he watched her blinked a few times.
And he did not lie.
The contract may be magical in nature, but it was also not a lie to consider it as a piece of advance technology.
In his eyes, magic was an area of study that has its own systematic structure and rules, much like natural science in that regard, albeit more advance and mysterious in its origin.
The clause regarding vanishing memories was true. If either of them was to inform other people about the other's secret, the contract will (literally) turn red. That's how Hadrian will know whether she is worth trusting. While he has no intention of telling other people about redhead's secret (if he does find something about her), can the same be said with the young girl?
He only met her, after all, so he does not have a full grasp on other facets of her personality yet.
And while she does not seem to be the kind of person to tell people, the contract was more of an insurance to keep his own secrets safe.
Knowing the workings of AEONS, it might take a few days before another mission gets sent to him, which would mean a few days of living with the girl. Thus, who knows what she would see while living with him until the next assignment. Hadrian would rather not leave it to chance, and so, the contract was made. He designed it in a way that it would only involve him and her.
It was more of a personal contract from him, rather than the ones prepared by AEONS.
Expecting that she might need some time to think it over, Hadrian got up from the chair and walked towards the stairs, Maya immediately following him.
"Looks like you're having second thoughts. If you need time to think, sure. You can even stall it for a day or two. I already signed the contract, so I'm waiting on you now." He said over his shoulder, ignoring the padding of feet from behind him as he climbed up the stairs.
"Where are you going?" The girl asked, following him into the master bedroom.
"Outside, to buy groceries." Hadrian said as he grabbed his coat and wears it. "As good as the food here in the hotel is, I prefer to cook my own food. You could even say I just miss cooking for myself."
"I'm coming with you." She announced, a firm expression on her face as she placed herself in front of him.
Hadrian paused, then looked at her up and down.
"In that? With the clothes that you wore yesterday?" He blinked as a thought came to mind. "Wait, have you even showered yet?"
Despite her great control over her emotions, the redhead could not prevent the rising heat on her cheeks and the sheepish expression that crossed her face.
The sight was adorable enough for Hadrian to give her a few pats on the head, which was promptly smacked away by the girl.
The annoyed glare she sent him did not even bothered Hadrian in the slightest.
...
Author's Note
...
While I'm well aware that flatscreen TVs are already available even before the 2000's, the ones in Crown Plaza are different.
They are more akin to the flatscreen TV's of today. Touch screen function and all that jazz.
Now, the reason for that is because the era of where Hadrian and Zelretch originated from was in the 3060's. In the world of Fate/Extra, Hadrian was born in 3067.
So, yeah, any devices they produced will be too advance to replicate easily in the current era of this MCU in the story.
A certain genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist might be able to do it.
But not without learning half of the key components of what their technology is made of: magecraft.
Anyways, that's all for now.
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Till next time! :)
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