The Preying City

It was 8 in the morning when Vincent woke up. Freshening up, he headed to the dining hall. The guests were enjoying breakfast with their company in the beautifully built hall. The servers paced around in a professional manner tending to the needs of the customers.

Vincent grabbed a couple of toasts, a good helping of fruit jam and a poached egg. He moved to a quiet corner and sat on a small table. The white table cloth was washed clean without a single stain on it and silverwares were arranged neatly on top of it.

Looking around, he noticed that all the lone guests were occupying the quiet corners while people with company were enjoying pleasant conversations in the brightly lit middle parts of the hall. A server brought over the day's paper after noticing a lone gentleman having his breakfast.

"Can you get me a cup of coffee please?" The server went away after nodding.

Soon, Vincent was sipping his coffee as he flipped through the paper giving the big titles a cursory read. His eyes stayed on an inconspicuous news for the longest time.

"A wolf found dead in the middle of the city"

"A giant wolf's corpse was found in the street right outside the red light district. This incident brings about a peculiar topic to light. A topic no one is willing to talk about. How is it that a wolf had made its way all the way to the middle of the city?

The most likely answer is that the gangs had smuggled the poor animal to make it participate in dog fights. It is a popular sport among certain kinds of people and the gangs are happy to oblige since it opens up a great gambling platform for them."

The article then proceeded to explain how the animal had most likely escaped and the gang members had no choice but to put it down in the middle of the street. The culprits had also taken away the beast's fangs as proof. It also bashed on the inefficiency of the police force who couldn't prevent smuggling of such a big creature.

'This is really convenient. This might be the news coverage but the authorities are probably investigating the case. They might have supernaturals with abilities to gleam something from the scene. I can't afford to slip up or else it will come back to bite me.'

Putting aside the paper, he began enjoying his food. The hotel didn't have a good reputation for nothing. The food really was top quality. The jam was freshly made and had a very sweet and tart taste. Paired with the toast, it's sweetness was well balanced and it worked very well together.

Vincent checked out of the hotel and went out the lobby at exactly 10 a.m. Lachlan, the old coachman was already waiting for him. He hurriedly greeted Vincent and took the suitcase from his customer. The coach was soon on its way to a company that provided service to people who were looking to rent out their rooms and people who needed one.

The employee was a middle aged woman with a round face and short legs. She put on a big smile and asked, "What kind of room are you looking to rent?"

"A place with a bedroom, a sitting room, a study and an attached bathroom. It would be better if a separate small kitchen was also present."

"How much is your budget?"

"Money isn't a problem. I am willing to pay enough as long as I am satisfied with the place.

A rich customer had just come in and the lady started putting in extra effort in hopes of being able to seal the deal. "Which district do you want the place to be in?"

"It would be really convenient for me if you could set me up with a place in White Pearl district."

"Certainly, the place is far from the industrial areas and the environment is much more peaceful as well. Please wait here for a moment. I will check up on our records for places that fulfill your conditions."

Vincent took a sip of his lemonade as he looked out through the window. Lachlan was stroking his horses forehead and waiting patiently. Vincent on the other hand grew bored and couldn't wait for the woman to be back soon. The room too was dull with nothing interesting to look at.

The woman returned with a bunch of doc.u.ments in her hands. She proceeded to show him each doc.u.ments individually. The papers had a photo of the place attached along with the conditions placed forth by the owner of the house. After going through every doc.u.ment individually, Vincent decided on a house on daffodil street.

"Is it possible to visit the house right now? If possible, I wouldn't want to spend another night in a hotel."

"Certainly. Please let me call a coach and we can be on our way."

"That won't be necessary. I already have one waiting outside." The group headed for daffodil street and stopped in front of a two storey house. It was painted blue and white and looked very cozy. The windows were large and shaped elegantly. Overall, it was a very pretty looking house from the outside. The neighborhood also looked well off and welcoming.

The woman readjusted the doc.u.ments in her hands and knocked on the door. Vincent stood behind her and calmly waited. A soft answer came from within and a young girl opened the door. She wore plain clothes and had her hair tied in a bun. She looked at the group outside and asked timidly, "Who might you be looking for?"

Putting on a kind smile, the woman asked back, "Can you get Mr. or Mrs. Lee please."

"Please wait a moment." Closing the door, the girl went to get the lady of the house.

Soon, a woman in her mid twenties came back with the timid girl. She wore a blue dress and a matching shawl over it. Her face had a m.a.t.u.r.e and serious look to it and her mannerisms matched her looks.

"Mrs. Rosette, good day. Could this gentleman be here to check the room?" Mrs. Lee got straight to the point and asked.

Vincent took the initiative and put his hands on his hat. Raising it slightly, he bowed slightly and spoke, "Good day Mrs. Lee. I am Vincent Burns. I am indeed here to take a look at the rooms. I hope we didn't come at a bad time."

Mrs. Lee observed him the whole time and smiled after approving of him internally. "It's a good time. I was just reading a book. Please do come in."

Vincent and Mrs. Rosette were taken to the parlor to be entertained. Vincent observed each room and found them satisfactory. Not only was the house designed well, the decors and paintings placed on the house complemented each other well. The lady of the house was a generous host as well. The timid girl had immediately brought over tea and cookies.

"What do you do for a living Mr. Burns?" You had to know your tenants well before accepting them. Failing to do so would often invite trouble and bad relationsh.i.p.s later on. Though this was her first time renting the place out, she had got enough advice from her friends and she intended to reject anyone who didn't satisfy her requirements. So far, the young gentleman looked good. He was dressed in an excellent manner and looked rich as shown by his gold rimmed spectacles and golden pocket watch chain.

"I am a certified doctor. I will start working on the Orient hospital soon."

"Oh my. A doctor at such a young age. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"I will turn 21 soon."

"Where did you study?"

"I graduated from Imperial Arcadian University."

"How impressive."

"It's nothing that impressive. I just had the privilege of being admitted early and receiving tutelage under great teachers."

'Not only does he have a great track record. He is well mannered and humble to boot. Young, rich and smart. Now, let's get an understanding of his family.' Mrs. Lee had a great first impression so far.

"What about your family?"

"My mother was my only family and sadly, she passed away six years ago." A gloomy expression made its way upon the young man's face and Mrs. Lee felt bad for bringing it up.

"I am very sad to hear that. May her soul find peace in the benevolent mother's embrace."

The benevolent mother was the goddess of love and kindness. People of Estil kingdom believed that she was the one who created all humans and hence everyone returned to her embrace once they died.

Mrs. Lee asked some more light hearted questions to mend the mood. Once she felt like everything was back to normal, she went back to inquiring about him again. "Will you be living alone?"

"Yes, I am quite used to occupying big spaces. I won't feel comfortable unless I have at least a bedroom and study to myself."

"Indeed. I didn't appreciate such space when I was younger. Now that I have two kids, all I wish for most of the time is some time and space for myself. How about we check out the rooms now?"

Vincent nodded and followed the lady as she began explaining about the house. It turned out to be a house built by Mr. Lee's grandfather and he inherited it after the old man's death recently. Mr. Lee worked as a secretary and had no means to build such an impressive house.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee had really hit the jackpot by inheriting such an expensive property in such a prosperous area. Sadly, the upkeep of the house cost them a lot as they had to keep up their appearance in front of their neighbors and it was very taxing for them financially. They had finally decided to rent out the house a month ago but they barely got any prospective tenants as the price wasn't something just anybody could afford.

Vincent was satisfied with the place. Not only did it have all the rooms he was looking for but it was also just 10 minutes walk away from the Orient hospital. "Mrs. Lee, I am very satisfied with the place. Let's settle on a price."

"How about 12 pounds per month? You will be required to pay for the first six months in advance."

12 pounds every month was a considerable sum for most people but Vincent could afford it. Besides, he needed all the extra space for reasons he couldn't tell others. He nodded and spoke, "How about 18 pounds per month for the rooms, meals, cleaning and laundry services? I am willing to make a down payment for the first year."

Vincent threw more money her way to ensure that he would get more than enough privacy and that he would be excused for things he might have to do while inconveniencing the others. He could pay for just the first six months, but he decided to splurge a little more at the beginning. People judged others based on their preconceived notions after all. Doing this, he would be spending the same amount of money in the long term while creating a stronger impression.

Mrs. Lee accepted without a second thought. Not only was the tenant very agreeable, he was also generous with his spending. It would be stupid of her to not accept such conditions.

Mrs. Rosette drew up the contract and handed it to Mrs. Lee. Reading the contract, she signed it and passed it to Vincent. Finding everything in order, he signed the doc.u.ment and took out his wallet. He counted the money and handed over a thick stack of cash to his new landlady. She counted it twice to make sure that she received the right amount of 216 pounds and paid Mrs. Rosette her commission.

Lachlan helped bring his suitcase to his room and left after getting paid. Vincent locked the room and began exploring everything once again. The bedroom was spacious despite having a big bed in it. The study was well equipped with a study desk and book racks. The sitting room was lit up amply and was very cozy and suitable for entertaining guests. Washroom and kitchen were both small but functional.