At dusk, Vicente and his group followed the direction provided by the man who had passed them earlier that day, eventually making their way near the Rain Hotel.
This was one of the few hotels in the city, so it had been an easy task for them to locate it after some asking around.
Upon reaching their destination, their group came to a halt in front of the hotel that lay just across the street from a small plaza.
"Where is he?" One of Vicente's young subordinates asked in a low voice as they observed the surroundings, ostensibly standing still as if they were admiring that beautiful square.
The area was well-illuminated, with oil lamps adorning the square and magical lamps lighting up the vicinity around the well-known local hotel.
Even during the night, one could see as the candlelight bathed the square, which was meticulously maintained, boasting a beautiful lawn and neatly trimmed trees.
Vicente reassured his group, "Remain calm. He will only deliver information to us. It's not something grand to the point where we should be overly anxious about it."
At the moment, Rory was not with them and had stayed behind at the inn to familiarize himself with his newfound powers.
After the Awakening, one needed to devote some of their time to meditate and rediscover everything about themselves. Otherwise, a magician could potentially risk seriously injuring weaker people around them from not being completely aware of how to control themselves or their abilities.
When one awakens their powers, individuals would naturally experience an overwhelming feeling about their newly acquired characteristics. But just by dedicating some time for self-discovery and training for at least a few hours, one would develop a good understanding of what they were capable of.
Rory was currently engrossed in this very process, while Vicente and his men had no time to waste and had come to this place to attend to other matters. To ensure Rory's safety, one of them had stayed behind to watch over him.
"Boss, someone is approaching us," the eldest of Vicente's subordinates whispered as they noticed a man who was taking the trash out of dumpsters around the square.
One of those dumpsters was in close proximity to the group, and that man seemed to be drawing closer to them, all the while whistling as he appeared to be doing his job.
"Pretend that you are leaving. When you get to the second dumpster I came from, act as if you are going to dispose of something in the trash. What you seek is there waiting for you," he muttered in a low voice before picking up the garbage bag and leaving.
Vicente's men tried hard not to show any reaction to this man, not understanding the need for him to act so cautiously with them and these peculiar instructions.
Vice, on the other hand, let out a sigh and said, "Let's go. We've seen enough of this part of town."
With that, they stopped watching that man and made their way in the direction from where he had approached them.
"Boss, why was he acting like this? We're not from the city. I don't know what kind of danger could be associated with us," one of the men queried.
Vicente then commented in a hushed tone, "Perhaps it's not us, but it's him who is being watched."
Gulp!
"What do we do?" The older member of the group continued with an ugly expression, but there was a sharper look on his face while one of his hands was inching towards the gun holstered at his waist.
"Continue acting just as he instructed. It's not uncommon for those involved in secretive matters to be watched or to have to operate discreetly." Vicente commented quietly. "Perhaps this is for his own protection. Or maybe this is to help us, or it could even be both.
Either it's that they don't want to reveal what we intend, or it's because they don't want to connect with us. Sometimes, the one who introduces something to someone is as responsible for its emergence as an ally."
"Is that right?"
"Hmmm," Vice muttered. "I'm sick of it. Throw that away." He handed a bag of food to one of those men.
In response, that person quickly tossed it into the trash, adeptly swapping what was inside the bag for the package that was left there for them.
"So?" Vicente inquired as their group made their way to the inn where Rory and their other comrade remained.
"It appears to be just papers... There's nothing suspicious, boss."
"Perfect. Once we get back to the inn, I'll examine it."
...
After discreetly securing the materials they wanted, Vicente's group returned to the inn.
For the next few hours, he didn't sleep and was committed to learning power division within Millfall.
This city could be broadly divided into five areas of roughly similar size, covering a significant part of the city's territory.
The first of these was the central area controlled by Viscount Symons, who was supposedly the most powerful figure in Millfall.
Surrounding the center were four areas of equal distribution, marking the operations of four different powers, two belonging to the criminal underworld and two aligned with local noble forces that operated openly during the daylight.
If Vicente and his people decided to act in these areas managed by Barons and the Viscount, they would likely have to incur the wrath of the royal forces, or he would have to pay hefty fees.
If he were to venture into one of the two underworld power-controlled areas of crime, Vicente was sure that they would have to face the inherent dangers of those living outside the law.
As for territory wars, business, or anything else, it had risks, be it here or on Earth, so Vicente and his people would have to be cautious and constantly be vigilant in these two areas, one situated further north and the other at the further west of the city.
However, a small portion of the city remained untouched by the presence of these powerful groups!
Studying the local power map, Vicente couldn't help but immediately think of building his family's headquarters in this untamed area!
'In this location, I won't have to worry about encroaching on the territories of old groups, and it will be easier to be able to camouflage our operations for longer.' Vice thought to himself, recollecting that some plot of land was available for purchase in that very area.
As for the nature of businesses run by these groups, Vicente still remained in the dark about most of their activities. Nonetheless, armed with the information regarding the extent of influence of each local group, he and his people would be able to find more after investigating further by themselves.
With this plan in mind, as the sun began to rise in Millfall, Vicente finished readjusting some of his strategies.
'In a few more weeks, my powers will awaken. After that, we can proceed with our plans!'
He thought as he watched the dawning of the new day, clenching his fists as he remembered his mother, Andrew, and Lauren.
Thus, time passed swiftly, and it would soon be time for Vicente to undergo the same Awakening experience as Rory, delving into his talent and the possibilities it might unlock for him!