Chapter 399 Below The Council's Library

Music Recommendation: The inexorable Advance of Mr. Delaney- Max Ritcher

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In Darthmore's Council building, Vincent walked in the corridors along with Patton, who closely followed him with one step behind him. As they walked, they came across council members, who weren't invited to the soiree held in the Moriarty mansion the last evening, congratulating the pureblooded vampire,

"Congratulations on your engagement with Marquee Hooke's daughter, Mr. Moriarty!"

"I was surprised when I heard this morning that you were engaged. My hearty wishes to you both," another councilman offered his good wishes.

"Thank you, Mr. Brome and Mr. Alington," Vincent smiled brightly. He asked, "Aren't I a lucky man?"

"Oh, you are!" Mr. Brome smiled, which faltered when Vincent and Patton walked past them. He whispered to Mr. Alington, "It seems like Vincent is very keen on getting married to the Marquee's daughter. Not to mention, the wedding is in the next six days."

"Who wouldn't be eager to get married to a high positioned person's daughter? I sure would be!" Mr. Alington responded as they continued walking in the opposite direction compared to where Vincent was walking. "It isn't easy to land a marquee's daughter for marriage. Not to mention, at the end of the day, the Moriartys might be pureblooded vampires, but they are only Viscounts. They must have finally realised their low social status and decided to up it with the Hookes."

And while the two council members continued to discuss the matter in whispers, on the other side, Vincent was congratulated by a few more councilmen on his way. Once they reached a quieter corridor, Patton turned behind and then asked,

"Mr. Moriarty?"

"What is it, Patton?" Vincent asked in a nonchalant tone, with a faint smile on his lips as if he was enjoying the attention he was receiving from people in the Council.

But that wasn't the entire truth. Patton, who had spent enough time with Vincent, knew something was going on in the pureblooded vampire's head. The pureblooded vampire didn't smile without reason, and when he did smile, one had to be wary of the oncoming storm.

"A lot of the councilmen have been discussing your almost engagement with Lady Rosetta Hooke," Patton started, wringing his hands and continued, "But there has been a sliver of a rumour that I caught wind of. It is about the Hookes, who are in debt and have had a hand in Lady Camille Wright's murder for her money."

"Is that so?" Vincent turned to look at Patton, his red eyes holding colour like it never had before. He asked, "Would you like a little vacation up to the North, Patton?" He calculatingly smiled.

"To the North, Sire?" Patton repeated in question.

"Find out the names of the assassins, who the Hookes might have hired in the past or at least contacted. Surely, there must be at least one person they might have thought of killing and it got buried. It isn't uncommon in our society," Vincent ordered Patton, who nodded.

"I will be on my way," Patton offered a bow and quickly left the place.

Vincent made his way to the Council's library, where an entire building was dedicated solely to it. The walls of the building were made of dull, grey stone, and the top of the roof was tapered sharply. Climbing the stairs, he stepped on the red carpet that led inside the building.

Once he entered, he noticed the many tall and wide racks on either side of the room. But this was only one floor, which contained books related to the understanding of the Council, for general use, but not for public use.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Moriarty! Congratulations beforehand for the wedding going to take place this week," the head clerk in charge of the library wished when he noticed Vincent there.

"Seems like everyone has heard about it. How are you doing, Ronald?" Vincent greeted, as he looked around the place and noticed only a few recently appointed councilmen there.

"Excellent, Mr. Moriarty. What brings you here today? Is there anything I can help you with?" But then Vincent Moriarty knew his way around the racks on this floor as he had spent enough time around here during his beginning days of work in the Council, the clerk thought.

"Do you know where the old records belonging to Crowbury are kept? I have some work with it," Vincent said, and the clerk nodded.

"You are looking for the records that have been placed on the floor below this. Let me lead you there," the person said. They took the spiral stairs that led them underground. On their way, the man said, "It is good that you are here for it. Sometime ago, I heard that most of the files in here will soon be thrown away as they are loose information. So that they can use this underground space for something better."

"Is that so," Vincent responded, "I don't think I have heard about it. The word hasn't reached Clayton yet, so there's still time for it."

"True true," the clerk answered. He picked one of the burning lanterns that were left to hang on the hook of the wall. He said, "I heard it from one of the men who was earlier working for Mr. Sylvester. But with the man gone, I guess it will take much longer to get it done."

Vincent took hold of another lantern. Even though there were torches of fire burning all around the underground floor, to have a better look at the files in the racks.

He questioned, "Did you hear what they were planning by making space in here, after getting rid of these things in here?"

"The person said something about having meeting rooms to discuss confidential matters," the clerk answered, and he looked around the place before pointing his hand that held the lantern in the front direction. "The records for Crowbury are in the last second section, Mr. Moriarty. Would you like me to help you with it?"

"That's fine. I will find my way through them. Thanks, Ronald," the clerk bowed and walked back up the stairs to continue helping the newly joined councilmen.

Watching the clerk leave, Vincent turned back when he heard the shuffling sound of parchments coming from behind one of the nearby racks. When he walked near it, he came across one of the inner circle members of the Council.

It was Mr. Hart.

"Oh, it is you, Vincent. I was wondering who was here," Mr. Hart held an open file in his hand and closed it. "Came down here for work, have you?" He asked.

"No, for something personal," Vincent offered a bright smile. He said, "To look into the records of when my mother was murdered."

Mr. Hart was thrown off track by Vincent's words, as he didn't know how to proceed with the subject.

Vincent then asked, "What do you have there? Looks like something important." His red eyes curiously looked at the person.

"This—uh, this is about an old case. About the little feud that took place between two families regarding their land. I will see you later," Mr. Hart hurriedly left the place with the file in his hand.

"That wasn't suspicious at all. Wonder what you are hiding apart from your many mistresses," Vincent remarked.

He then walked towards the rack that the clerk had pointed him to, with his hand holding the burning lantern.