Madam Sharon
Chapter 30: Madam Sharon
"I'm glad you were able to attend this party, Mr. Hastur. You arrived on time, I expected nothing less after the impression you left on me last time." Member of Parliament John Maynard welcomed William with many flourishes.
His words might sound too typical of a politician, and they were, but that didn't mean they weren't sincere. William smiled slightly, maintaining his role as a religious ascetic.
"It is also good to see you again, Mr. Maynard. As you know, I must act in a way that does not damage the reputation of the Church... or so I am told because I do not believe that it is important enough to sully something so vast." ." William responded with a humility that was highly prized in the Loen Kingdom. He had had to learn many things in order to properly carry out his mission, and even if it took him a few weeks, he was able to become at least proficient in them.
Sure enough, John Maynard laughed softly and motioned for him to enter.
"By the way, I didn't know you were a musician, Mr. Hastur." The host noticed the guitar case William was clutching like a briefcase.
"Oh, I'm not. This is kind of like a lucky charm that I carry around everywhere." Of course, he already had an answer prepared in case someone asked him about the case.
"Is that so? We all have our quirks, I guess." The Member of Parliament stroked his mustache and did not consider it much further.
William glanced sideways into one of the corners as the host stood in the doorway to greet the other guests. He noticed that Royale Reideen, his mission partner, a member of the Tingen Nighthawks, had managed to sneak in unnoticed.
'Her infiltration skills are excellent, it seems to draw attention away from her and with all these people you would never notice her.' He looked away quickly, not wanting to give the other guests any clues. 'Do you sense any Beyonders in the room, Debris?'
"Apart from that girl and you, there doesn't seem to be anyone else." The sword answered him. Debris's voice seemed clearer than before reaching Sequence 8, causing William to confirm the fact that it was growing along with him.
'We should wait, I've had a bad feeling all day.' He calmed his spirits seeing how people danced and talked, even a couple of women asked him to dance with them. He didn't know much about dancing, so he just did the most logical moves, following his partner. He might not be a renowned dancer, but he could keep up with the music, so the women weren't unhappy with him.
It was then that he saw someone enter. She was a more or less mature-looking woman, in her thirties, although she still retained a certain remnant of innocence in her eyes. She was a true beauty, but William felt none of it.
Their eyes somehow met among so many people, and he felt cold sweat run down the back of his neck.
"Darling, she is more powerful than that clown you faced." Debris issued a warning, and William took it seriously.
'A Sequence 6 at least, then.' He thought grimly. He looked at her for only a second, as if he were investigating the newcomer, and then he looked away from her. He prayed that she hadn't noticed her irregularity. 'I must tell Royale.'
Many guests were now focused on the beauty that had just arrived. Some men looked at her, trying to ogle her with her eyes, there were even some women in the same situation. The others looked at her with some reluctance.
This contrast implied that she was a controversial figure within high society.
Taking advantage of the distraction, William slipped away and reached Royale's side.
"It's her, Sequence 6 at least. You must return to Blackthorn Security Company and bring reinforcements, preferably with a Sealed Artifact." He turned his back to the woman, so she wouldn't be able to read her lips even if she happened to look their way.
"But the Captain said…" Royale wanted to tell him that it wasn't safe to stay with such a dangerous Beyonder, but William stopped her.
"I have a bad feeling, that woman might be up to no good. I won't act rashly, I just want to keep an eye on her until you get here with the others." His fist tightened around the handle of the guitar case.
Royal stopped. William was of a higher Sequence than hers, and therefore he was her superior.
"Okay, but don't do anything crazy. We can't afford to lose you now." Her tone was flat and emotionless; however, William knew that she cared deeply for all the members of the Tingen Nighthawks.
He nodded seriously.
"Come on, go."
She did as she was told, and she slipped out one of the windows unnoticed, hidden by darkness.
"Mr. Hastur, I have finally found you." Member of Parliament John Maynard's voice came from behind William, causing him to turn to look at him.
'This has to be a joke.' At John Maynard's side, there was the source of all his current concerns.
"I wanted to introduce you to Madam Sharon. She is quite a famous person at these kinds of high-class parties." Maynard mentioned some familiar aspects of the woman, such as that she was the widow of a Baron.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am." William used all of his willpower to maintain his character and gave a simple greeting.
She simply responded with a nod. "It is surprising to see a member of the Church in these types of parties, they must pay a better salary than I thought." It was a subtle mockery of the Church, though both men understood the intent.
"Madam, that..." John Maynard was suddenly flustered and began to question whether it had been a good idea to introduce them. Madam Sharon was widely known for her lack of respect.
William stopped him, however.
"It's okay, Mr. Maynard." He said. Then he turned to Sharon. "Actually, I am a merchant affiliated with the Church of the Evernight Goddes. All my money has been earned from my travels. The only thing that binds me to the Church is my faith."
His answer with a smile made John Maynard internally praise him for his mettle.