Rey felt his body lock into place.
The moment he had this realization, he felt like he should not move. Rather, he instinctively exercised even greater caution and chose to create more distance between him and the silhouette before finally even breathing.
’That... It should be Logan. What is he doing outside so late at night? Especially in such a district...’
This was the last place anyone would expect someone of Logan’s status to be in at this point in time.
But perhaps that was precisely why he was here.
Although Rey didn’t know the reason for his presence, and he had very little reason to care about the affairs of the Desgarron Family, he understood that Logan was likely up to no good.
’I have very little leverage at this point, and building wealth from scratch is even slower than I expected. Maybe I can discover something interesting this way.’ He told himself, finally pushing his body forward.
’If things get too dangerous or complicated, I’ll call it quits.’
Thus began the chase.
Although Logan’s pace wasn’t especially fast, it was still far more than a normal person could handle.
His shadowy self also made it difficult to keep an eye on him in the night.
’If not for this body enhancing my speed and improving my senses, I would have lost him by now...’ His thoughts moved as he continued advancing without a single sign of exhaustion.
This was something he didn’t appreciate enough.
Even with his speed, he would have eventually had to let the silhouette go due to just how long he had been chasing it.
But having an endless pool of stamina allowed him to push forward at the same pace.
He was undeterred.
And so, after an entire hour of constantly running after Logan without resorting to Ancient MajiK, Rey finally began to slow down.
It wasn’t because he was tired.
No...
’Looks like he is near his destination.’ Rey noticed Logan’s pace had reduced and he was instead being more cautious about his surroundings.
However, whatever Artifact or Technique that Logan was using would likely not have an effect on a Soulless like Rey.
His current existence was simply paradoxical.
Too chaotic to be discerned
Just to be safe, though, Rey maintained a safe distance so he wouldn’t be in range.
He followed Logan like this for another ten minutes until the man finally arrived at what resembled an old, abandoned church.
The building was worn down and had clearly seen better days. Its sheer size told Rey that this place was likely once a cathedral, and its faded paint told stories of its past glory.
Now, it had fallen victim to the cruel hand of time.
It was practically falling apart at this point.
’I can only watch from here...’ Rey kept a distance from the cathedral since he feared that the place would have a sophisticated surveillance system.
Although he could not detect any barrier, he had to suspect that one existed.
He wasn’t wrong.
Not long after ’Logan’ entered the cathedral, Rey noticed other silhouettes also entering the same dilapidated building.
All of them resembled the one who visited him that night.
’Was I mistaken? The one I was pursuing might not even be Logan...’ Rey found himself reeling at the sight.
Still, he kept his focus.
Due to the terrible structure of the building, many stained glasses had cracks and holes in them, allowing him to see through them.
His enhanced sight and hearing also let him invade the place despite his distance.
He could see all the shadows gathering together.
He could also hear their voices.
Distorted... muddled... and very dark.
At least for a moment.
"We are all here..." Once this voice echoed in the cathedral, the one who spoke it undid their shadowy form, revealing a beautiful woman underneath.
She appeared to be in her late thirties, having black and white hair, with pale skin and beautiful blue eyes.
The others who gathered also began to undo their shadow selves, also revealing their rather distinct appearances. Some were elderly. Others were teenagers. There were males and females among them.
What Rey quickly noticed was how many of them he recognized.
He spotted guards, maids, cooks, and all kinds of people that he either caught a glimpse of or had brief interactions with in the Desgarron Manor.
’So many... They are all servants of the Desgarron Family!’ He nearly exclaimed.
And, of course, Rey also spotted Logan.
The old man was indeed with them!
’If that is the case, then this gathering must be about—’
Before Rey could speak, the woman’s voice echoed once again, this time serene and cool, like fresh water and spring.
"How are things developing in the Desgarron manor?"
Her gaze, as well as the other gazes, were on Logan. The mustached man had a stoic demeanor. He didn’t flinch despite receiving so much attention.
Instead, he sighed and responded.
"Augustus’ slave is dead. I know he had a hand in it. At first I suspected that he caught wind of our plans somehow, but after doing some digging, I have reason to believe this is due to his arrangement with the Coliseum’s current owner."
"Duke Kahn?"
Logan nodded and continued. "As you can tell, the slave’s death changes things quite a bit. We are now down a member when considering the optimal number of people required for the plan’s fruition."
"It would appear so."
"Indeed..."
The members continued to discuss while Rey watched them in silent confirmation.
’As I suspected. Logan is a part of a much larger body that is scheming against the Desgarron Family. He isn’t the only one. It appears the Desgarron Family is infested with many enemies. It was a systematic takeover. I was a pawn they planned to use. Judging by his words, it seems he was planning to incorporate me into this mysterious organization so they can complete their plan...’
The big question was... why?
What was this plan of theirs, and what part did he have to play in it?
"Do we have to wait for another opportunity?"
A dissatisfied voice drew Rey back into the conversation, causing him to focus once again.
"It will be difficult to have a pawn as competent as the one we just lost. Isn’t this why we held off on the plan for this long? To think we will have to wait again..."
"It can’t be helped. We can only trust one of our own. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks. We require a certain number to guarantee our success in this plan, and we all agreed from the beginning that we wouldn’t rush things until all the conditions were fulfilled."
"I know, I know... I just find it harder and harder to stand that place."
"I understand you. The humiliation is definitely something immensely frustrating."
"We still have to be patient..."
"Easy for you to say. I have been serving in that filthy place for two years now. You don’t know what it’s like"
"What did you say to me? You think I’ve had it easy? At least you are in a sheltered environment doing chores. Do you know the kind of dangerous affairs I had to get involved in to raise capital for our plans?"
"Sheltered? Chores? You—!"
"That’s enough!" The woman sighed aloud, putting an end to the start of a heated argument between two members.
They were both young and had an air of immaturity around them.
It was no surprise that they got so passionate.
Rey smiled upon seeing this.
’Maybe I can use this somehow...’ He began to think to himself, even when he still couldn’t comprehend what was unfolding before his eyes.
There was one thing he noticed though.
A major clue.
’They all seem to despise the Desgarrin Household and have invested a great deal of time and resources into their plan...’
The question remained:
Why?
Did the Desgarron Family slight them in the past? Perhaps they had some relation to this cathedral which they occupied.
’If I knew things were going to be like this, I would have held more interest in Logan’s affais...’ Rey felt a tinge of regret, but he let those emotions slide.
There was no need to think about it.
He was walking on a thin rope back then and any mistake could cost him everything.
He made the right choice then.
’These people should possess considerable resources and influence. They also need an extra hand. If I play my cards right, maybe...’