The green guards placed the stack of books on the first of the pavilions stairs, and silently retreated to their original central positions. By making themselves sparse as they got to the stairs, Ordrigg understood this manner as a retreat and to get on with his business. As the group of 3 entered the building with the books, a set of 7 lanterns illuminated green stained wood tables with dark black chairs. Several people occupied a few of the tables and went about doing whatever their agenda presumed. Whether it was researching, writing annuals, sipping a cup tea with their compatriots, Ordrigg simply ignored them. He occupied a vacant table by the far side overlooked by a painting. This painting was a portrayal of an archaic battle, and the texture of the painting made it appear quite fragile to the touch. He could not validate whether it was real, but the appeal from the room, was trying to garner the feeling of authenticity. He grabbed a bluish book with the title of Stratagems in the art of horkgotopic philosophy.
Ordrigg sighed and began skimming. The manner of rhetoric was purposely awful to obstruct all but those who knew what they were looking for. Luckily Ordrigg was not a neophyte when it came to double speech, but even then the information he gleamed was pretty useless. It was supposedly a revolutionary war philosophy indited in the fallen Telphet nation, which focused on going for the kill and troop positions. As it was not his area of expertise, he could not put a number on its importance. He went through several tens of books using this same method. Some books gave information that was too vague, others too glorified, a supple amount incomplete, a minute amount too pessimistic, and a few gave details that were a finite bit different than his knowledge. This information made his face contort; from the several books the information proved that it would be cumbersome to uncover any extra information about business, history, or philosophy that did not concur with his current knowledge. They preferred using allegories, anagrams, double speech, idioms, and other sophistries instead of being direct.
A war of words was it? It seemed some things between societies would never change. Alas.. only the last 4 books would provide more fruitful interpretations, as they were merely catalogs of the different characteristics of the botany and ecology within the close three kingdoms. He opened the first book with an unrelenting hunger for the information inside. The first book incorporated herbs,various herbal remedies, and a few tea recipes. There were even a few salves and preservations procedures. In reality he only cared about the tea recipes. The second contained information pertaining to dangerous plants such as detailing how and what toxic parts, their potency and relative danger level, and procedures of harvest. The most promising toxic plant that was relatively easy to harvest was a rheugarth root that grew as the fungus on the root system of the Hucklethorn tree. The third book focused on the interactions between avian and pollinator species with river and tapestry flowers. The fourth focused on cave ecology and mushrooms, as well as bioluminescent species.
His memory was not impeccable, with the exception when it came to learning about his hobbies of teas and herbs. He would be able to recant more than 97% of the content upon first read. Maybe this was why he found it enjoyable as a past time. He made many notes and devised ways he could make many gardens. Only in his garden with a cup of tea, would there be a sacrosanct place of sanctuary away from chaos, the schemes, and problems. He truly wanted to live as if he was not an experiment. Just thinking about it, he almost made a unsightly appearance. Ordrigg stood up and yawned. He realized he might have been enraptured in reading longer than he had anticipated. When he looked around, there were only a few groups of people around. Out of those groups, he was sure only one or two were there when he had entered.
The servants stood by his side with composure and diligence. Truly the obedience that these two exhibited made him forget they were there. "Have you guys had anything to eat?" Ordrigg asked the servants thinking they never left his side. They were silent however the grumble from both of their stomachs said otherwise. "Well that settles it, take me to a place you would recommend we can get a pleasant meal. I know I can be provided a meal, however I would prefer a place outside and with company." Sarkouyr as Ordrigg found out was the other servants name spoke out "You are aware by going out of the palace, you will be exposed to a certain etiquette which requires you disable any mode but the casual one on your suit." The mask on the servants face came down and a look of amusement was plastered on her face. Ordrigg decided it was risky but they might as well. Simply hiding may have been the better option but he wanted to get out before he was put to work by Oxana. "This doesn't include wearing a mask separate from the suit right" Sarkouyr almost rolled her eyes hearing this statement; this person could be a little less prudent? "Mask or any disguise are not permitted in these restaurants, it is a type of courtesy" Both the servants said in unison. "Ok...when we get to the restaurant, I will put my casual wear on" the servants did not even bother responding before guiding him to the restaurant of their choice. They did not need to take the books back, as the books had a device which would find themselves in the appropriate bookshelf and position.
It was uneventful walking out of the library. A few people glanced his way due the suits but nothing that would cause people to scoff at. The guards knew who they were and let them past. It was getting darker, and they needed to hurry to the restaurant if they wanted to eat there that day. 20 lunarhens later and they arrived before the restaurant. The restaurant was a tea house but fortunately not the same as the one on the disposed card. A detailed and fine building, but nothing as grand as the palace. Ordrigg deactivated his suit which reverted it to casual wear. He walked in with the servants and were guided to a table by a server. The employees were professional and walked him to the table showing the appropriate decorum their training would allow. The waiter handed the three menus and asked what they would enjoy to drink. "One green juice (vegetable juice).....one red burteen( a star shaped strawberry lemonade) ...I will have your best chai tea please". The waiter bowed before turning around. If anyone saw the waiters face it would be blush red and would make the occasional glance towards Ordrigg position. That and quite a few of the people around the restaurant would look his way. The two servants were less up tight and were conversing amongst each other. Ordrigg felt more comfortable with them being this way. Looking over the menu, he found something light for him to eat. A couple minutes later and the waiter returned with the three drinks. The waiter asked what they would like to eat and they replied in part. They finished their meal roughly 25 minutes later, and Ordrigg started to feel weird and hot. He had enjoyed the chai tea but felt there was a taste that had been off about the tea. Throughout the meal, the waiter kept on the trying to converse with Ordrigg but he simply thought it was because they look similar to rich customers who might tip well. 5 minutes later and Ordrigg felt that something was wrong, his body was a little weak and he was feeling unnaturally aroused. He didn't let it show on his face but inside he decided he should go back to the bed room to sleep it off before anything unnecessary happens.