Chapter 200: Another Bodyguard.
As the big day approached, tension continued to rise and Blue Ember soon became like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. Things remained the same on the surface, however.
Guests continued to flow in, both from the Romanos side and from the Stahlwölfes side. The list of invitees quickly shrank, with very few declining to attend, citing unforeseen circumstances that had forced a sudden change of schedule. In such situations, a replacement would be sent to represent the absentees, and when that happens, the Stahlkorps are tasked with vetting them to ensure they aren’t a threat in disguise.
Since he was one of the few members capable of using Tongue of Truth, Shirogane Ken had been rather busy as of late. Screening suspicious personalities was slowly getting on his nerves, and with how draining it was on both his mana and mental fortitude, his performance began to decline eventually, giving him the perfect excuse to take some time off.
In his spare time, Ken made a habit of going to the bars on the lower floors. The drinks weren’t what attracted him, of course. If he wanted something to drink, the break room where the rest of his colleagues spent their time had an exceptional selection.
What brought him to the lower floors was the company. Playing around with the Stahlwölfe women was a big no-no, and the same went for the Romanos. He couldn’t antagonize his employers and their guests so his only choice was to go to the lower floors to find a date.
The fifteenth floor was a good starting point. It marked the third column of the hotel. The guests staying there weren’t too poor, but not fancy either, which made them an easy pick.
Soon after his arrival at the floor’s bar, Ken sat down in one of the empty booths and ordered himself a drink. While waiting for it to arrive, he channeled some mana into his eyes and surveyed the dimly lit interior of the place, looking for a certain someone.
One thing Ken had always found problematic was the number of cosmetic enhancements women undergo in this day and age. Many saw no problem with fake skin and altered bodies, but those people simply lacked taste. He had nothing against enhancements that served a purpose, but ones that altered appearance for the sake of it left a bad taste.
As one of the rightful heirs to the Shirogane throne, Ken restricted himself to only natural beauties who had no need to rip themselves apart. One of the Arts he was good at gave him the ability to see through the nearly perfect facade, revealing the enhancements people incorporated into their bodies.