{T/N: I said I'd TRANSLATE an LOTM fic that was recommended by a reader in one of the previous chapters... That time has come... I'll be giving it a go in the morning...}
...
As the guests gradually dispersed, Florent initially planned to leave as well...
However, Quevedo stopped him with a mysterious smile, "Heh, my friend, don't go just yet. I want to show you something different."
Though puzzled, Florent decided to humour his friend...
He glanced at Erich who wore an expression of calm anticipation, sitting steadily in his seat. When their eyes met, Erich merely nodded without a word.
Florent found this odd but assumed the philosophy enthusiasts had some post-salon activity planned. He decided to stay and see what his philosophical comrades were up to.
Soon, Karl finished seeing off the last of the guests and returned with the same knowing look, joining the three at their table.
Noticing there were now four people, Karl raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply gesturing for a servant to bring him coffee before sipping in silence.
An eerie quiet settled over the group...
Florent grew increasingly baffled, 'These three clearly know something I don't, yet none of them are speaking. Are we performing a mime act?'
Then it hit him, 'This feels like a game of who-cracks-first...'
Determined not to lose, Florent slowed his coffee consumption and waited for the others to make a move.
As he drank, he studied the trio. To his left was Quevedo who radiated mischief despite his silence; to his right, Karl, cool and detached; across from him, Erich, whose calm was almost surgical.
Florent himself remained neutral, neither warm nor cold, but intrigued enough to play along.
'Are they seriously playing the silent game?' he wondered.
But his own innate reserve (the detachment of an outsider) kept him from breaking first.
Finally, Quevedo, ever the social butterfly, caved. He set down his empty cup with a clatter, startling the tidying servants. Then, seeing the other three still frozen in stoicism, he groaned.
"Damn it, Florent! I thought you'd ask what's going on since I didn't tell you. But no, you're just as bad as Erich and Karl." He shot Karl a mock-accusatory look, "And you! After being so excited earlier, I expected you to ask. A total failure..."
Florent drained his lukewarm coffee with a smirk, "I thought we were playing who-breaks-first. It turns out that wasn't the case?"
Quevedo chuckled, "That's a children's game from rural Loen, supposedly based on Evernight's teachings. But no, that wasn't the plan," He paused, then grinned. "Though we could play. Sounds fun."
When only Florent humored him with a laugh, while Erich and Karl remained icily unamused, Quevedo abandoned the tangent.
Deciding Quevedo had derailed things enough, Erich interjected, "Karl, ignore Quevedo. He has a talent for complicating the simple, though he's reliable when it counts. Let's move to the prepared room and discuss actual matters."
Karl stood without comment, gesturing for them to follow.
The designated room was modest, dominated by a single table but adorned with lavish decor rivaling the salon's opulence.
Once inside, Karl dismissed the servants, locked the door, and scanned the room before declaring, "We're clear. Be seated."
Florent complied, noting Quevedo had already plopped down while Erich, like himself, waited for permission.
As silence threatened to stretch, Quevedo (ever the dramatist) rose with a conductor's flourish, humming theatrically.
"Gentlemen," he intoned, "you stand at the threshold of the world's hidden face, the realm beyond the mundane! Come, let me guide you into the extraordinary!"
Florent fought to keep his expression neutral, managing only a strained smile. Karl remained impassive; Erich looked vaguely pained.
Undeterred, Quevedo continued, "Yes, this world's underbelly is anything but ordinary. It is 'extraordinary', and I've been granted entry. Let me unveil its secrets!"
As his grandiose delivery concluded, Quevedo finally noticed his audience's utter lack of reaction.
Unfazed, he smirked, "Alright then. Florent, since you're clearly part of this world, no, a Beyonder yourself, why don't you introduce yourself properly?"