[Author's Note: Vladmir is that vampire guy Adam met in the deepest part of the underground market in the Coast city.]
…
[Vladmir's POV]
.
"Just what am I doing?" I sighed as I walked into the underground market, looking around for specific people that could have some valuable information about the angel.
'It's the right choice, right?'
Just how desperate have I become to fall into this state? Following someone else's order, fulfilling someone else's desire and hoping that I could find what I am looking for. Not sure if my brothers and sisters in the afterlife would be happy with what I am doing.
"Well. At least it serves as a pastime," I then decided to not think much of it. It wasn't like I had a proper direction, either. So where the winds of fate were to take me, for now, I should follow that path.
'Just need to make sure that I don't end up losing my neck in the process.' A dry smile appeared on my face as I touched my neck slightly before looking ahead. One step at a time, I reached one of the people who could possibly hold the information that the guy needed.
"Are you Adrian James?" I asked a white-haired, dark elf wearing a proper black suit, as he turned his eyes towards me. He was currently serving as a bodyguard, guarding the entrance towards the information guild.
Though he looked like an average bodyguard, very few people knew he was one of the top guns of the dark information guild holding quite an authority. There were reasons for him to act like a 'bodyguard', but that is none of my concern.
"I am," he spoke as our eyes matched. And a certain purplish hue appeared in my eyes, turning it purple from the previous deep red.
'[Innate Skill: Complete Charm!]'
I used my skill as I put him under my charm before speaking," can I have a private chat with you? I need to buy some information."
He observed me for a few moments before looking at the surroundings. And then, after making sure that nobody was watching us, he nodded and signaled me to follow behind him as he went inside the building he was guarding.
We entered the hall first and then kept walking until we reached the end of the hall. In the last room, which was a dozen times more lavish than the outer appearance of the building, we both sat comfortably on a red sofa.
I looked around the hall with a curious look. While it was true that it was lavish, what caught my attention was the amount of mana artifacts present in the room. To the naked eye, this seemed like a lavish decoration, but to those who have enhanced perception, it was nothing short of a gold mine.
"What kind of information are you looking for?" Adrian asked me as he observed me carefully. His eyes, which were still affected by my charm before, were now glowing red as I increased the effect of the skill.
"Do you know anything about the angel that happened to fall on Zarraf recently?"
"I do."
A smile formed on my face, as I could relax a little. If by any chance the information guild didn't have any information, I might have had to search at least 30% of the underground market manually. Even then, the chances of finding out about the angel would have been less than 10%.
"We don't know the exact timing, but the angel appeared on the outskirts of the Coast city and was found by the viscount's son. Sightings have said that the viscount's son made a deal with the angel of some sorts but before anyone can find out what kind of deal, he went into a coma."
Adrian paused for a moment before he began narrating everything that he knew about that angel.
"The angel was then sighted in the Coast city and in the underground market by some of our agents. Though peculiarly only non-humans could see her, or if I were to be precise, only non-human remembered her. Anyone else had their memories wiped as if she never existed."
"The angel traveled to the underground market, bought a bunch of artifacts and stuff, mostly tracking devices, before one of the merman found her. Though we are not sure why, the angel then went with the merman towards the Mermaid Queen. Given the contract of the guild with the Mermaid Queen, we were forced to take a step back after that investigation."
He paused there before his eyes opened as if he recalled something.
"Ah! There was one more piece of information. The angel was supposedly running away from some people. A few objected. They were demon worshippers, but there were no non-humanoid demon worshippers in the city. Hmmm… we also had an unreliable rumor that was circulating."
I looked at the dark elf with a little bit of curiosity, asking," rumor?"
"About a duo following that angel. A black-haired girl with greenish eyes, and her partner wearing a black cloak and a white mask. We found it peculiar because no one matching that description had entered or left the underground market. I mean, green eyes aren't really a-" the dark elf, Adrian was explaining about the situation, but my mind paused on the description of that girl.
It might be a total fluke. Maybe the person who saw it was mistaken. Maybe the entire thing about the duo is nonsense… but that description… I couldn't stop myself from making sure.
"Who was the person who had seen that duo?" I interrupted Adrian, while maximizing my charm magic. The charm may cause side effects, it might even paralyze Adrian mentally. But that was the least of my concerns.
"It's the homeless guy, Luthor. He should be near the central market. Shabby gray hair and peculiar gray eyes. He wears a brown coloured ragged shirt. You should be able to notice him given his lack of left hand," As if a mechanical robot with no soul, Adrian answered monotonously, holding nothing back.
-Whoosh!
And I ran. Ran at my fastest speed, like a shadow gliding through the darkness. I kept moving from one alleyway to another. Until I reached the place which Adrian has described.
I looked around the area, trying to find that person. My senses heightened, my eyes gawking over everyone present in the area. I tried to find that person as fast as possible. And didn't take much time as I found him begging in one of the random corners.
Just as Adrian described, he had that grayish shabby appearance with the lack of a left hand. He seemed ordinary. Nothing about him stood out other than a few scars on his body. But even that looked ordinary, given the location we were in.
Narrowing my eyes at him, I then touched my heart, which was beating a bit louder than before. Though since it could be just a random hunch, I calmed myself. But still, I should try to find everything I can.
With some determination and some hope in my eyes, I took my first step. But then I halted. No… I could barely move as the fear crept up my skin. Because I sensed something. My instincts screamed…
I couldn't turn, so I peeked. I looked to the left as the silhouette of a woman appeared in my vision.
A girl with black long hair and green eyes as if emeralds were embedded in her face. Her face seemed childish, but from her body, one can expect her to be around 20 years old.
'It…'
I couldn't think properly as I looked at the figure of the girl that I had been searching for decades.
The girl…
Luciana Wiregia was standing about a hundred meters away from me.