Chapter 341: Cole's Predicament (3)

"Speak. Where is my friend?" 

Aiden's tone as he asked the question, even though it was calm, carried a not-too hidden threat as well. His tone was much gloomier, with an added otherworldly power to it. Combined with his terrifying set of glowing golden eyes, it caused quite a fright to stir in the old innkeeper.

He yelped in shock, taking a step back, raising his hands in front of him in a protective manner.

"I… said… SPEAK!" Aiden roared out angrily, hitting the top of the counter so hard that the sturdy surface actually cracked under his might. His voice thundering in the inn caused a sudden silence and all eyes to look at them.

"Aiden, calm down. I'm sure this gentleman here would not hesitate to explain himself to us. After all, we just want to know about someone that used his establishment. He doesn't want any trouble on himself, no need to worry." Drake stepped forward, gently grabbing his friend's left shoulder, and looked at the innkeeper with obvious threat glinting in his eyes. 

A nasty grin stretching his lips, the meaning behind his words, or to be more precise, the THREAT that it carried was clear and obvious to the old man. He gulped audibly before stepped forward once again and looking at the long, dark-haired, monstrous-looking boy.

"D-dear customer… W-who are you r-r-referring to?" He asked meekly, averting his gaze and instead focusing on the counter. His eyes wandered to the small cave-in that the boy had made on the wooden board, wandering away a moment later without showing any change of emotion.

"My friend came with me when he took two rooms upstairs. Short, brown-haired boy, around the same height as us, thin frame. He checked in as Cole Phamas. Did he check out recently? Have you seen him?" Aiden asked, with a slight annoyance in his tone. He felt that from the man's reaction he was obviously aware of who he was looking for, yet he ran these pointless circles.

"I-I-I…" The old man shook his head vehemently, denying all thoughts and accusations. "I-I h-haven't seen this person. No. I-I d-don't know who the d-dear customer is talking about." He stammered, refusing to speak up.

Aiden could only sigh at this, before placing both his hands atop the counter. Averting his gaze, he looked at the wooden top, focused more on the thin spiderweb cracks that he had caused a moment ago.

"You see…." He spoke up after a brief moment, shocking all three in the process. His tone completely transformed, carrying an unfamiliar dark, deep undertone. He was speaking coldly, his words were filled with contempt. 

"…I am really starting to hate your kind. You… humans, the weakest of all I have seen so far, yet acting as if you were the kings of this world…"

His tone and words starting to scare the siblings as well, Drake reached out again, trying to calm him, looking more worried and concerned than scared.

"Aiden… Don't get mad… He is just afraid… He is a simple man, a husband, he can't fight against the forces that we are facing. Don't lose yourself."

"Yeah, Aiden. It's not worth it. You already made your point, I am certain he wouldn't lie to us anymore." Scarlet added, looking at the shivering old man with a scrutinizing gaze. "Right, Mr. Innkeeper?"

"Y-yes! I-I-I am s-sorry, I j-just remembered! Mr. Cole Phamas… right? Umm…" The old man hurriedly nodded at the red-haired girl's words, gabbling his words in attempt to hurriedly get it out.

Listening to all of them, Aiden sighed, his fingers plunging into the wooden board as he tried clenching his hands.

He closed his eyes, as he continued to inhale and slowly exhale for a couple of seconds longer before he opened them back up again.

Once his eyelids parted for the second time, the golden light was no longer there, his outlook returned to relatively normal. His lips parting, he spoke in his normal, calm, mostly emotionless voice once again.

"Yes. Cole Phamas. When did you see him last? Did he check out? Do you know where he went?"

This time, the old innkeeper did not deny anything, he revealed what he knew instantly.

"Umm… He did check out yesterday morning, although he never came here himself. T-that… umm... That robed man that just left, came and informed us that they have taken in the young man into their fold and that he would not be returning to this place any more."

He gulped as he saw that that the boy's grip caused further cracks to appear and spread on his counter before continuing.

"H-he also informed us that I shouldn't worry, this is related to the Academy and that nobody, not the guards, the nobles, or even the royal family would dare to bother about the matter. In fact, he just returned and gave me a warning that if the word would get out, they would come for my family and 'invite us' as well."

As he said this, he could no longer contain himself, he fell on his knees on the ground and cried out whilst battling with his flow of tears.

"I-I… I'm sorry… I can't anger them… I'm just an old man, I can't endanger my family! Please… young sirs and madam…" He kowtowed on the ground, hitting his head loudly against the wooden floorboards as he begged.

"Please, I beg you all… Don't do anything that would anger this group! I can't fight against them!"

While the brother and sister pair looked shocked as they listened to the old man's tale, Aiden's expression remained unreadable. As the man finished, he looked at him for a while longer, before asking in an insipid tone.

"What did you mean by 'joining their fold'. What does that entail?"

The old man remained on the ground, kowtowed as he responded amidst his desperate sobs.

"I don't know young sir! I am just a simple man, running this inn, I have no knowledge about the dealings of something as prestigious as the Academy! Please forgive me!"

"Aiden…" Drake gave a gentle, light squeeze on his shoulder as he spoke with a worried and equally as sad, sorrow tone of voice. "…it means the same as what happened to… to…"

"To our little brother, Dan." Scarlet finished his brother's words with a deep frown. She was actually just as disturbed as his brother. What did they mean by that not even the royal family would dare to speak up? What was his father doing?!

The air trembled around Aiden, as he remained still after listening to the siblings. He closed his eyes once again and sighed several times before he nodded towards the old man's shivering figure still in his kowtowed posture.

He slowly let go of the half-destroyed wooden board of the counter and took a step back.

"I see. Thanks for the information old man. Don't worry, we won't say a word about this. You have nothing to worry about." He turned around and without saying another word, left towards the door. His hands were tightly clenched, the air around him visibly distorted as he walked.

Even though he did not let his anger or aura to go unrestrained, it was still a terrifying sight. 

A couple of steps later the siblings joined him after placing a few coins on the destroyed counter and turning around, looking at Aiden's figure with worried, concerned gazes. As they walked out of the building, the place remained silent, all eyes followed their departure with a mixture of shock, fright, and interest behind their gazes. 

The old innkeeper remained on the floor all the way as he followed the youngster's receding back. He was still shivering in fright… His heart couldn't calm down. A moment later as the trio left the building, the back door snapped open, the figure of his wife appeared, rushing towards her husband.

"Dear, are you okay? What happened?" She asked with concern as she helped her man up.

The old man, however, shook his head, before taking a sigh and looking at the door with a deep gaze.

"Nothing. We shouldn't concern ourselves with any of this. Whatever is going on, is way above us, its best if we remain out of any of it." 

He stood back up with the help of his wife and walked towards the counter, taking the coins that the royal siblings left for him. 

"Do not talk about what happened to anyone. Let's just fix this and return to our work."

He spoke, looking at the door with a complicated look. The moment he felt the majestic pressure, that inexplicable presence oozing out from the boy, he knew that this is not something he should be involved with. He was just a small figure, a nobody, he had no place in between these powerful figures.

Although he was a nobody, he was still an adventurer in his earlier days, he could sort of understand the power of others. He could easily guess that the violet-robed man was a powerful mage, but when he felt this inhumane pressure, this incredible power coming from the boy, he couldn't even guess how powerful this youngster could have been. 

One thing, he was certain about: Something big is going to go down in their little city!