Chapter 184 – The Gray’s Invitation

The Gray’s Invitation

In the Grand Hotel, guests could have breakfast in the wide lounge facing the entrance. There were plenty of spaces between tables. The breakfast menu consisted of white bread and white sausage; as always, the city’s obsession with the color showed. The vegetables, at least, had varied colors, but the main dish was definitely white.

「This hotel chain sure is amazing. They incorporate the local features and specialties and everything that should be standardized is standardized.」

「Really?」

Lavia and Paula didn’t seem to understand, but Hikaru was deeply impressed.

「You can say they’re just hotels that open business in large cities, but there’s more to it. It’s difficult to incorporate other countries’ culture while maintaining their standard of quality. Sharing information across borders is not easy, but the quality is the same for all the branches.」

「Thank you for the compliment.」

A waiter came and poured water on their glasses. He wore a strained smile, perhaps because it wasn’t some old wealthy man who gave praise, but a teenager who acted like an expert.

「May I ask how this hotel maintains this quality of service?」Hikaru said.

He felt embarrassed that the man heard him, but he took the opportunity to ask a question.

「Whenever a new branch is opened, experienced staff from other branches stay for a year to teach the local employees about the Grand Hotel’s creed.」

「I see…」

「If you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.」

The waiter bowed and left.

「Hikaru, what’s a creed?」

「It basically means management philosophy. In this case, it might refer to their fundamental values in providing service, or something along those lines.」

「Oh…」

「How do you know that, Hikaru-sama? Have you worked at a hotel before?」

「Of course not.」

「I can’t imagine Hikaru being a hotel staff.」

Lavia chuckled. What’s so funny about it? Hikaru thought.

「Is the adventurer Hikaru here?」

A loud voice came from the entrance. It belonged to a monk wearing gray habit, and he came with four other men. Merchants mostly stayed in the Grand Hotel, so their garment stood out.

「Oh, crap…」

Hikaru was at a loss for words. The familiar man threatened hotel staff, asking them where Hikaru was and walked with heavy steps towards his direction.

「So you’re Hikaru. You should be honored. A Red Priest has sent me to… Wait a minute, you look familiar….」

It was Gelop.

「You got me mixed with someone else. Please leave.」

「Bullshit! You’re the only adventurer with black hair and eyes around here!」

Hikaru sensed trouble. Gelop regarded him with disgust, recalling the time they had a dispute in front of the tower.

「A Red Priest has summoned you. Come with me.」

「What does he want?」

「Just come and you’ll find out!」

「It’s a no, then.」

「…What?」Gelop’s eyes widened.「What did you say?」he repeated.

「I said no. Why should I go when I don’t even know what he wants from me?」

Besides, they messed with Paula before. Hikaru’s anger from back then still hadn’t subsided.

「Damn you!」Gelop shouted, his face red with rage.

The people in the lounge looked at them, wondering what was going on. Hotel staff ran towards them, but they couldn’t say anything against the Grays. The other men were stopping them from interfering as well.

「It’s an honor to be summoned by a Red Priest, yet you refuse?! And I, a guru, personally came to fetch you!」

「As you can see, I’m not affiliated with the Church, and I’m from Ponsonia. You can’t use your power over me.」

「Drop the tough guy act, lowly Ponsonian, and come with me!」

Gelop reached for his collar, but Hikaru grabbed the man’s wrist. Hikaru was stronger with his one point in Strength. Gelop’s hand wouldn’t budge. Strength sure comes in handy in situations like this, Hikaru thought. Maybe I should put more points on it in the future.

「I’ll say it again. I’m not part of the Church. I’m just an adventurer. Tell me what this great Red Priest wants. If you don’t, I suggest you leave.」

「You think you’ll get away with making an enemy of the Church?!」

「So you’re not telling me? Then leave.」

Hikaru stoop up and pushed Gelop with all his strength. The monk fell on his backside. He looked up at Hikaru, fright all over his face. Gelop’s followers, who stood dumbfounded for a moment, helped him up in a hurry. The fear vanished from Gelop’s eyes, and his face turned bright from shame and anger.

「H-How dare you! I’ll tell the Red Priest about this!」

「Go ahead. No one’s stopping you.」

Hikaru didn’t intend to stay in Agiapole for long anyway. If they wanted to harm him, he had his Detection and Stealth to count on. Once the foreign minister had verified the completion of the request, they could leave right away.

The Gray Deacons assisted Gelop out of the lounge. A hotel staff watched the whole scene blankly.

「I apologize for the disturbance.」Hikaru said as he tried to give a huge tip.

The staff, however, didn’t accept and simply grasped Hikaru’s hand.

「Did you tell anyone that you were staying here?」the man asked.

「What? Well, I told the Adventurers Guild receptionist. That man, uh… fatty? I think he asked there.」

The staff looked relieved. He might’ve been worried that someone from the staff leaked a guest’s information.

「I’m glad you’re okay. We’re supposed to inform the guest as soon as possible of a sudden visit. But unfortunately, we can’t stop those persons of virtue.」

Wait a sec. This is a completely different reaction from what I imagined. In this country, the Church was absolute. Hikaru expected them to dislike him for picking a fight with a Gray Deacon. Not to mention it was Gelop, one of status among the Grays.

「We got some entertainment first thing in the morning, huh?」

「Goodness gracious.」

「 have a feeling business will be great today!」

The other guests were abuzz, even clapping their hands.

I guess… Nah, I’m pretty sure that guy is hated around here.

The people didn’t loath everyone from the Church, of course. There were good people among them too, like Sophie’s brother. But as Hikaru sensed, there were some twisted people among the higher ranks.

「It feels weird. I just made a scene, but people are happy.」

「People like that are everywhere, huh?」Lavia, who kept on eating her breakfast even though there was trouble, said as she sipped her post-meal tea.「Ponsonia has some rotten nobles too.」

「What?! He didn’t even hear you out and told you to leave?! And he even resorted to violence!」

「I deeply apologize I couldn’t fulfill your orders.」Gelop bowed deeply.

One monk behind him had a swollen face. The priest thought the adventurer named Hikaru hit him, but it was actually Gelop’s doing. He needed to vent out his anger.

「U-Unforgivable! This is blasphemy against the Church! Someone call a Blue Knight!」

The priest was greatly agitated, mostly because he recently just got promoted. He felt he was being mocked for being a newbie Red Priest.

「You called, Father?」

「Oh, Miss Conia!」

Conia Mercury, a Blue Knight, arrived. The priest quickly explained the situation to her. He told her about the adventurer who delivered a letter from Ponsonia’s princess and how he disrespected the Church. Katina asked the priest to recruit Hikaru, but if the boy had problems with character, he was ordered to arrest him.

「He hit a monk?」

The adventure arrived from Ponsonia at an incredible speed. Conia found it hard to believe that such a capable person would hit an unarmed monk. But seeing the monk’s swollen face, she frowned.

「I’ll see him right away.」

「I’m counting on you.」

Conia left the tower with ten knights.

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