Chapter 527 - 523: Rising Suspicions
"Get the Information of Ryder Flynn. I want that on my table by tomorrow. Also, check if he has any relationship with Aluren or not. If he is with Aluren, then it's not shocking. But if he isn't, then this would be interesting," Itsuki told his assistant.
The Assistant nodded in response. It wasn't often that she saw Itsuki so curious about something. It seemed as if something had attracted his attention this time. She felt pity for whoever it was as she turned back and left the room.
"Aaliya is my subordinate, helping me keep an eye on Aluren and handle an important part of my business in the states since I personally can't go there. The way she described this person, to be able to change reality, he isn't normal. And if he isn't normal, then what is he?" Itsuki muttered as he rested his head on the table, losing himself in deep thought.
"The way she described it. She isn't crazy, I'm certain. So someone not only changed the footage, making him invisible from cameras but also altered the memories of the men. Moreover, five bodies had disappeared. As for one of the dead body walking out, impersonation is most likely involved."
" So many things... It reminds me of one particular god that could do such things with ease. That trickster Janus with his strange abilities. But he wouldn't be here. Who appears with similar abilities? I can't let such strange elements stay unknown since they might affect the Trial of mine," he further said as if talking to himself.
"The only way this could be possible is if that person is related to Aluren who helped him with some of these abilities like those toys he calls kings. But he knows Aaliya works for me. After the mess with Adrian, he wouldn't interfere in these matters which relate to me. Should I contact him directly and ask him to see who this guy is?"
"After I get the report on that guy, I'll ask him. Since it can affect us all."
....
Back home, Ryder had left the world of Divinity. It was morning when he left the room as he heard a strange drilling sound coming from outside.
He wanted to check what was happening.
Leaving the room, he realized that the sound was coming from the stairs.
"What's happening here?"
Reaching the stairs, he saw a person drilling. The main butler of the Mansion was standing behind, watching the work.
"Oh, good morning Sir Ryder. Did the noise disturb you? Just a little bit of renovation going on here. How about you use the other stairs if you want to go down for now?" The butler told Ryder, pointing towards the second stairs nearby.
"I'm not going down. I just heard the noise and came to check up. I still need to freshen up."
Ryder went back to his room after checking what was happening here. He took a shower and got dressed before he finally left the room.
He already had plans for today, and that also involved Aaliya. The only reason he hadn't killed Aaliya was because of this research.
If he had killed her, the confession on the letter would be proven useless since the company could have claimed that someone forced Aaliya to write that before kidnapping her. So he wanted to use some mind tricks.
He wanted to show us that he wasn't that easy to mess with. After the small show before, finally, he was going to contact her again to finish this.
...
Alice had gone to college, and Shu had left for a business meeting as well, leaving no one but Ryder, who was also leaving.
After informing the butler, he left the mansion. He was again going to meet Aaliya physically.
...
A silver-haired man was sitting in an air-conditioned room, talking to someone over the call. He was speaking in Russian while the other side also talked in the same language, believing that this man didn't know English.
"Verno. Eto vse chto ya mogu skazar po etomu povodu."
After a lengthy conversation, the well-dressed man disconnected the call.
"Who was it?"
Another man was sitting in front of the silver-haired man, who asked him as he saw him looking upset.
"Hah, The authorities in the states. Apparently, Luke is being investigated for keeping a couple of hostages before going on a run. I'm amazed they managed to get my number," the silver haired man said.
He was none other than Adrian who had sent one of his men to bring Alice here. It was unclear how it happened, but that man disappeared someday. There was no contact from him. And calling that number wasn't working either.
That much was enough for Adrian to guess that his man was dead. But what amazed him was that people were able to contact him because of that guy.
"I told him to stay away from Aluren if he saw that guy. I'm sure he didn't listen and messed with that guy. That's why he died. Aluren should be the one who also gave my name. That bastard, one day I'll really kill him. He was lucky last time I didn't," Adrian said as he placed his phone on the table roughly.
"Do you plan to go there personally?" The other man asked Adrian.
"Sigh, I badly want to. But I can't. This is a mess. Alright. I have a plan. Tell me how it is."
...
Adrian started describing the plan to the other guy, who had many vivid expressions throughout the explanation.
"Are you sure?" he asked Adrian.
"I'm sure."
Seeing the determination of Adrian, the other person could only agree.
"Alright. But just know, it can just as easily invite a war on our land. Think again," the man told Adrian again.
"Hah, why would I be scared of a war? I don't even know what fear feels like, so don't worry," Adrien answered.
"Sigh, alright."
...
Ryder reached the building which belonged to the company which was said to rule over a pharmaceutical empire.
It was also where he had met with Aaliya.
Without worrying about a single thing, he casually entered the building and walked to the receptionist he had met before.
"Hello, pretty lady. How are you doing? Can you tell Aaliya that I'm here to meet her? Last time I couldn't since something urgent had come up. I was thinking I could finish the meeting today when I am free," he told the receptionist, who seemed stunned to see Ryder.
Ryder was the person her boss was hallucinating about. She imagined meeting him and him killing her men. It all seemed like a dream, but she did remember Ryder not meeting her boss last time.
She wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do. Was reminding her boss about Ryder a good idea?
"Wait a minute. I'll tell our manager about your arrival. He will handle the rest," she told Ryder. "Please wait on the sofa there."
Without arguing, Ryder walked back to the sofa calmly and started waiting.
...
Only about five minutes had passed when a middle-aged man arrived near Ryder.
"Are you Mr. Ryder?" the man asked Ryder.
"Yes, who might you be?" Ryder asked in return n
"I'm Rom, the manager here," the man answered.
"Rom? Don't tell me you have a brother named Ram, too," Ryder replied as he smiled wryly.
"I can't say that's the first time I heard that joke. It's pretty boring at this point," the middle-aged man replied without a change in his expressions.
"Man, it wasn't a joke. I was genuinely curious. Anyway, I'm here to meet Aaliya. Take me to her."
"Madam can't meet you this time. She's not feeling healthy," the middle-aged man answered.
Through the conversation, his eyes kept staring at Ryder, wondering what it was about this man which was making his boss hallucinate him killing the bodyguards?
This man didn't seem very strong. There was no intimidating aura about this man. In fact, he seemed like a harmless bird. The thought of this man killing a person seemed like a big joke.
But even if he knew that, he couldn't do anything since it wasn't him who was hallucinating but his boss.
"She's unhealthy? How about you take me to her? At Least let me wish her well? I do know she's in the office. So don't waste my trip. I'll go after seeing and wishing her well, I promise," Ryder told the man, talking normally.
"I told you, we can't. Please leave. In any case, you don't have an appointment. Next time you want to meet her, call her office and make an appointment. After that, you can come meet her. Please leave now," the middle-aged man again refused.
"Sigh, I thought I could surprise her like this. But you're making it impossible. Whatever, I guess I'll spoil the surprise," Ryder said, sighing.
He brought his phone out of his pocket as he called a number.