Neirin looked from left to right to the whole Hilstone salon seeing the bright chandeliers and the walls. The windows were big enough to make a way for the sunlight coming from outside. It made everything inside sparkled and looked warm and welcoming.
There were different tables and chairs in each corner for people to seat from. Everything was so luxurious and elegant. Just by looking at this, a person can already assume that this place wasn't only for normal people but for people who had a very critical role in the noble society.
Neirin glanced to her left. There were servants serving the nobles from time to time and Neirin can hear different murmurs coming from all different directions. There were even music coming from the right side of the room. She smiled inwardly a little bit assured that everything was running smoothly.
Just as she stood on the entrance, a servant wearing his black suit as his uniform approached Neirin with a smile on his face. He had a name on his chest. Neirin stared at it reading his name.
Benjamin.
"My lady, can I help you tonight?" He asked. He flashed his smile as he politely bowed. Neirin carefully made an assessment about him. He has a dark brown eyes, he looked cleaned with his hair cut and his uniform was ironed neatly, but, what stands out of him the most was his welcoming smile.
She was rather satisfied for his professional attitude of not feeling contempt and disgust to a woman wearing the suit of most noble men.
"You may raise your gaze. Is Benjamin your name?" Neirin asked for confirmation as her eyes wondered to the whole interior of the salon.
On the stage, there was a woman who was reading a poem based on a tragic romance that seemed to be popular among the ladies while the gentlemen were having their own private conversations on certain rooms as though they were afraid that most women present would hear them. Every person inside the room had their own different topics and world.
"Yes my lady, that is my name," Benjamin answered. His voice was somewhat warm and deep. Neirin felt like he was really suited for this job.
Neirin felt the contempt gazes of most women that were glancing at her. She already knew what was going on inside their minds. Regardless of any malicious and degrading thoughts and opinions they have, Neirin all just shrugged it off.
Neirin shifted his gaze back to Benjamin. She smiled politely. "I would like to request a room."
Benjamin looked a little bit surprise as his eyes widen for a bit. However, he was fast to collect himself. "My lady, I am very sorry to tell you but there were no available rooms for now. It all has been book by our noble men." The servant took a step forward wanting to give another suggestion. "If you want to, my dear lady you can book for a room tomorrow."
Neirin chuckled and shook her head. "I want the room of miracles," she uttered rendering in complete shook and surprise the servant who were serving her.
She wasn't confused by his reaction at all. In fact it made sense to her for this phrase can only be known by the master of the house himself. Hence, the former duke Sebastian Halstead and the current reigning duchess of the Halstead should only know this phrase.
In that instant, as though a bucket full of ice was splashed to him, the servant named Benjamin immediately gave a bow full of respect. Gazes were stirred in their direction but most of them just shrugged it off, thinking that the servant had done something wrong to ask forgiveness to the woman who was wearing a scandalous outfit.
"Are you perhaps the duchess, your grace?" he asked. His hands were trembling.
"No need for you to be stiff. I am only here to visit." Neirin gestured her hands urging him to take the lead. "Can you lead me to the room that I desire?"
The servant immediately nodded. His attitude completely shifted as he gestured his hand to escort the lady. "Yes your grace. Please follow me."
Neirin followed him while her Knight, Clarence, who had been beside her the whole time, followed her, Without any complaints.
--
The servant Benjamin lead Neirin and Clarence in a secluded room after turning to the hallway that leads to the ground floor of the salon. This room did not have any number instead, it has a different door knob from the rest of all the rooms inside the salon.
It was made with dark silver materials that shines when a light touches it. The whole hallway did not have any lights. Neirin and Clarence did not complain instead, they both thought that it was only natural.
As the servant Benjamin twisted the dark silver door knob, they entered a room made with whole wood without any decorations inside. The only light the illuminated the whole room was the light that Benjamin was holding. The illumination of the light created a shadow on the wooden walls adding a creepy atmosphere.
After entering, the servant turned at her and said in a very polite manner, "Your grace we have arrived."
Neirin nodded. "You did well. You can go now." She praised. The servant nodded and left the room without any words.
Neirin then glanced at Clarence who seemed to be in confusion. "Are you confused?" she asked.
Clarence looked down. "My lady, does that servant led you in a different room?" From her eyes, Clarence seemed to be ready to create a trouble if she answer yes.
However, in contrast to his expectations, Neirin shook his head. "We arrived at the room, Clarence. No need to fret."
With that being said, Neirin turned and walked to their left. On that wooden wall, there were lines that did not fit the whole pattern of the woods in that room. The woods were had crooked edges like a puzzle pieces. Without any thoughts, She lifted three wooden planks and changed their position on the wall like she was solving some puzzles.
As soon as she was finished, the woods formed a perfect square with a small hole inside. Right on the heels of that, she took the key she took earlier from her room. This was the key that the duke had given her the moment he died.
This wasn't just an ordinary key.
The main office and guild of the whole court of miracles were underground. More specifically, the court of miracles was the whole underground city of the capital Devonshire. This information was only exclusive to the nine guild masters of the court of miracles and to her, the headmaster. In the whole capital of Devonshire, the entrance to the court of Miracles wasn't only in the Hilstone salon.
The key she was holding was a key exclusive only to her or to the headmaster of the court of Miracles. This key had the ability to open all the possible entrance of the court of miracles all over the continent.
As soon as she put the key inside and twist it, the three walls inside the room collapsed and a door rose from the ground. Clarence who was confused from the very beginning was utterly shock as he can't mumble any words.
Neirin glanced at him. She chuckled inwardly before putting her key once again to the door knob of the door.
Right on the heels of that, the door opened revealing a lift that leads on the lower ground of the salon. Neirin did not hesitate to enter the lift while Clarence blinked several times before the realization washed over him.
As he want out of his trance, he noticed that his master was looking at him oddly. His ears suddenly turned red as he swallowed. He immediately move to go inside.
"I am sorry, your grace." He said and went inside scratching his neck.
Neirin chuckled. "It's okay." Neirin then pushed the H button on it. The lift instantly move. It was fast enough for them to assume that they were falling. Clarence panicked again but Neirin assured him that this was all normal and that he should not panic.
Feeling embarrassed, Clarence can only give a nod.
After a few minutes, the door of the lift opened revealing a dark hallway that seemed to the void and darkness. Clarence who was confused from the very beginning felt like he was taken out of his world. Like those fantasy novels, he felt like he had been transported to a different dimension.
He glanced at Neirin who were confidently walking out of the lift. Without thinking, He grabbed Neirin's arms. She was surprise and her her questioning gaze landed on him. Clarence blushed even more.
"Y-Y-Y Your grace, where are we going?"
Neirin subtly smiled. She found him a little adorable looking like that. "No need to be afraid. We're at the entrance of the court of miracles."
--