The Distinguished Mr. Rose Chapter 26: Chapter 26: He Stalks Out of Sight

Read chapter 26 of The Distinguished Mr. Rose by QuiteTheSlacker on NovelPedia.

Chapter 26: He Stalks Out of Sight It was, admittedly, a difficult task to sneak about. The halls were filled with much less hustle and bustle now that it was in the evening hours, or at least that was what he assumed since there were no windows around, but a few servants did pass by occasionally. Lucius would much prefer to avoid an awkward confrontation. The solution, then? He clung to the ceiling. Lucius leapt into the air and held himself firmly in place between the corner overhead. With the right pressure and an impeccable balance, one could scale even the steepest of inclines - like the esteemed mountain goat. “Oh-hoh, this reminds me of the time I infiltrated the U.S federal gold reserve, Fort Knox,’ he mused to himself. “Security here is much less strict compared to back then. But, a gentleman must never let his guard down. Let’s proceed with due caution, old sport.” Fortunately, the edges had no shortage of shadows he could hide himself in. The people below were none the wiser to the man skulking about. After a jolly good period of exploration, Lucius came to a conclusion: the castle was really, truly, absolutely stuffed to the brim in treasure. Every corner of the place was filled with such excessive indulgence - gold, jewels, trinkets and paintings - that it would make even the wealthiest Arabian oil baron seem humble in comparison. The decorations were no mere attempt to show off, either. From the kitchens to living quarters, chambers both big and small alike, and even more personal spaces such as lavatories… every single room flaunted the vast wealth of this, supposedly, holy nation. Judging by its conditions, this wasn’t fitted recently either. They showed signs of wear likely decades in age. Luxury was all well and good, but it wasn’t quite what Lucius was looking for. He wanted to find a clue into the Emperor's whereabouts. So far, though, the gentleman had yet to come across anything of worth. Lucius decided to change his strategy. Instead of wandering aimlessly, he would follow someone of higher rank. The more noble they looked? The more likely they’d visit more juicy locations. Lo and behold, he found one after a bit of searching. His target was a sharp, studious looking man, with slicked back curls and a pair of thin frames that seemed to resemble glasses. He wore long robes that’d compliment a scholar more than a warrior, but there was no mistaking the emblem on his sleeve: a gold and black eagle. This man was one of the Twelve Peers. He rushed off in a hurry with a bundle of important-looking documents barely contained in hand, unaware of the one scuttling behind him. Eventually, after traversing through multiple turns, stairways, and long corridors, the man reached a hidden room that had a coat of arms carved above. He opened the door, and there, waiting for him on the other side, was the Head Paladin Roland himself. The stern and rigid countenance he presented during the banquet dinner was gone, replaced by a haggard soul buried under a mountain of paperwork. “Roland, my friend, your eyes droop with a weariness not-so dissimilar to our academy days,” the scholarly fellow chuckled, walking over and adding to the pile. Roland raised his head. No sooner did he gaze at the man that his once-gloomy mood quickly lifted in spirits. “Olivier, you are a welcome sight in these tiring times. Please, take a seat. I would greatly appreciate your company.” He stood up and tidied the room to the best of his ability. One could hardly take a step without crunching on some poor, abandoned parchment, but eventually he wrestled enough space for the two of them to somewhat relax. But before he could sit down, Roland suddenly jerked his head up and almost discovered Lucius—almost. “How odd. Did you come alone, Olivier?” “Indeed I did. Is something the matter?” Roland sighed and shook his head. “... Perhaps it is merely my nerves. I have been ill at ease ever since the Archbishop began rambling on about receiving a revelation