As the first rays of the morning sun streamed into his room, the Observer breathed out a white mist. He took in another deep breath before finally opening his eyes. It would still be a few more months before he was completely healed, but things were definitely getting better.
Getting to his feet, he spread out his divine sense over the hotel, making sure to avoid the other bedrooms. Soon he found what he was looking for, a very distasteful-looking bathroom. He had originally planned to follow a normal person's routine. Take a bath, brush, change clothes, and then get breakfast, but seeing the current state of the bathroom he decided to skip the first task. He was an immortal, even if he didn't take a bath for a month most people wouldn't notice. His body had long gotten rid of the impurities that caused most people to smell unclean.
Still, he didn't feel too comfortable ignoring it completely. It had been a part of his daily routine since he was a mortal. Therefore he resolved to look for a bathhouse in the city later. Or maybe check into another hotel, one with a better bathroom.
He completed most of the remaining tasks before leaving the room and heading to the reception area. He knew that Elina was already at her station due to a quick check with his divine sense.
As he got to the reception area, Elina who was reading a new magazine 'Guide to the Supernatural' set aside her reading material as she sat up straighter. "Good morning, Mister Reynard."
"Good morning, Miss Elina," the Observer mimicked her formal greeting. "How many of these supernatural magazines do you have?"
Elina seemed to stiffen up as she watched his expression, as though she were trying to figure out whether he would judge her for her hobbies or not. "A few," she eventually replied.
"So, you believe in the supernatural?"
That seemed to trigger some defensiveness in her. "Who wouldn't", she retorted, "The Hughman event, that scandal where they discovered that most leaders of political parties performed rituals, the Attaman haunting, and, who could forget, the fact that twice a day a mysterious bell rings in the Twilight district, and I am not buying for a second that it's just hidden or any of those fake explanations those physicists give."
After making sure that her little rant had ended, the Observer gently remarked. "You know, I wasn't trying to judge you. Was just curious, that's all. I myself believe in the supernatural."
"Oh."
Leaning gently against her desk, the Observer asked. "So, what were you reading exactly."
"The Lunar Nightmare," Elina said as she opened the magazine, turning to a page that showed the depiction of a beam of moonlight twisted into an abnormal shape. "They were discovered recently by Milan Rigerr. They only appear during the fool moon in very specific places. If they get you, they trap you in an illusion, and if day breaks without you regaining your senses, you remain trapped in the illusions forever."
She then went on to explain how to banish them, and how to escape if one was trapped in an illusion of their making. Then, under the Observers careful questioning, she went on to explain several more entities to him. In the end she asked. "Is that all you came here to do this morning? Ask me questions?"
The Observer straightened, as his eyes lit up in remembrance. "That's right, I wanted to ask where are could get breakfast."
"Well, we serve breakfast, but you're going to have to wait for the cook to finish preparing it. If you can't wait, there's a cafe nearby, but it's a bit expensive."
"Well, it's been long since I had good food. How can I get to the cafe?"
"Just go outside and ask anyone for the White Cafe. They'll direct you. It's a pretty popular place so practically everyone you meet will know the location." After receiving her instructions, the Observer gave Elina a small bow before leaving the hotel.
Outside, he followed her instructions and after asking a couple of strangers for direction he was led to a quaint little cafe. While having some semblance of modesty a glance was all one needed to tell that this place only catered to those with a bit of money to spend.
After giving it a quick look and scanning it with his divine sense, the Observer walked into the cafe and quickly found an empty seat. Since it was still a bit early in the morning, the cafe wasn't filled and soon a waiter walked up to him.
"What would you like to have, sir?" the waiter, a young boy who seemed to be in his early twenties asked.
"Breakfast."
"Alright sir, that will be 3 deram."
'A bit more than half the price of the hotel. That's not too bad,' the Observer thought. It was a bit expensive, but he could afford it. He quickly paid and the waiter soon left to bring him his food and came back with it.
The breakfast consisted of fried eggs, adorned with small savory cuts of meat and drizzled with spices. Beside that was a sizable slice of freshly baked bread, whose heat the Observer could feel from his seat even as the aroma filled his nose. A small tray of fruits was then placed by the side along with a cup of what looked to be tea.
Inhaling deeply, the Observer couldn't help but smile as he scanned the spread in front of him. He wasted no time and dug in.
Midway through his breakfast, he sensed the door of the cafe open. Looking up, he saw no one. Despite that, he stopped eating, even as he unleashed his divine sense. His divine sense revealed what his eyes could not see. Two figures, cloaked in a sort of gray mist walked toward his table.
He looked straight at them even as his face turned expressionless. Ever since he discovered the existence of gods, he had theorized that there would most likely be people with supernatural abilities, as well as entities that weren't normal. That was why he was so interested in what Elina's magazines had to say, as they could give him some insight into things that might exist in this world.
The two figures came to a stop in front of his table, and fearing a confrontation, the Observer spoke. "What do you two want?"
It was then that the cloak of mist surrounding both of them fell away, revealing a man and a woman. The man had tussled brown hair and wore a gray robe over his clothes. The woman on the other hand was a natural beauty, with black hair that seemed to absorb all nearby light, slightly pale skin, and eyes that seemed to emit kindness. Even though they had just met, the Observer could tell that he was going to like her.
The man wearing the gray robe took a step forward, an all-knowing expression on his face. "Hello, cultivator," he paused after he said that, as though he were expecting the Observer to look surprised.
The Observer kept quiet, choosing instead to watch him silently. Even as he did so, his mind turned to Elina's words, when she told him that he seemed like a charlatan. 'If only you could see this guy, then you'd know what a true charlatan is.'
"Do you have nothing to say?" The man asked.
"What am I supposed to say? You're the one who came to meet me."
The man's expression soured a little and he started to speak when the woman laid her hand on his arm, stopping him. Giving the Observer a little bow she spoke. "Hello, sir. I am Aeliana, and this is Theron. Can we speak with you for a moment?"
The Observer much preferred her to Theron. Turning some of his attention back to his food, he motioned for them to sit.