The group stood slightly apart from the rest.
Four figures.
Positioned close enough to converse, yet distant enough to avoid attention.
Antonio slowed just enough to observe them without making it obvious.
One leaned casually against a pillar.
Another held a glass but hadn't taken a sip.
The remaining two stood facing each other, speaking in low, measured tones.
Antonio stepped forward.
No hesitation.
Austin followed half a step behind.
"Evening."
The conversation within the group stopped.
Four pairs of eyes turned toward them.
"…You seem new," a tall man with a smooth, unadorned mask spoke.
"I am, but my brother has already been here once," Antonio replied.
The man leaning against the wall turned his gaze towards Austin.
"And who might you be?"
"Green Baker. And this is my brother, Thorn Keeper," Austin replied, stepping forward slowly.
"Haven't heard of you," said the man holding his glass.
"Isn't that the motive here?" Austin replied with a smug smile.
"Aren't you a talker?"
"Then, may I get the… names of you gentlemen?" Antonio asked with a slight pause.
"Pale Observer," said the man leaning against the wall.
"Silent Warden."
"Quiet Arbiter."
Answered the two men standing next to each other.
"Mute Spectator," answered the man holding the glass.
Ahh, I feel like I am going to die of cringe.
Antonio thought to himself, trying not to make an awkward face.
Austin gave him a tap on the shoulder to snap him out of his thoughts.
"I know how it feels," Austin whispered.
"So, I believe none of us are here to gossip about our daily lives?" Austin said with a sly smile.
"Is that even a question?" replied Mute Spectator.
"Of course. Then, shall we get down to business?"
Antonio waited in the back, observing Austin converse with the group.
Well, he was a businessman before coming here. Nothing too surprising.
Antonio turned his attention to the rest of the hall.
Trying to find anyone who seemed odd or out of place.
"And the textile business that my brother and I are currently leading has provided us with some significant profit lately. So, we've been looking for some smart investors."
"And how much of a profit are we talking about here?" Quiet Arbiter asked.
"70 percent."
Silent Warden frowned.
"What? If you were really able to gain that much profit, wouldn't it have been covered in newspapers? And as I remember correctly, there has been no such news lately either. Are you really trying to deceive us here?"
"Deceive? Be careful with that word, sir. There is no deceiving here. Only a game of intellect," Austin answered with a scoff.
"What do you mean by that?" Pale Observer questioned.
"Dealing in secret is nothing new in the business of merchants. You just have to be smart enough not to get caught," Austin answered while taking a glass of wine from the table.
All four of them collectively looked at each other in silence before turning their attention back towards Austin.
"So, can I get some details on this?" Mute Spectator questioned while raising his glass of wine towards Austin.
Austin gave a slight smirk, having prepared and waited for this moment.
Austin began talking as Antonio quietly observed his surroundings, looking for someone.
He moved his eyes from one table to another, trying to identify the men beneath the masks.
And then, he saw it.
Silently standing by the window was a man with an owl mask and a group of men who conversed with each other without a hint of stopping for anyone.
Seeing that Austin was handling the men, Antonio moved away silently, towards the figure standing by the window.
The closer he moved, the more he suspected that the man he was looking for was the one in front of him.
Same build.
Same height.
But a different hair color, which was to be expected.
He moved closer while pretending to get a drink.
As he was about to pick up his glass, he noticed—
The same blue eyes as Antonio.
A burn mark on the neck.
And a ring with a purple gemstone shining in the light.
This time, Antonio was sure that the person in front of him was Antonio's father, Victor Holmes.
"Excuse me, sir. May I have a bit of your time?" Antonio approached slowly with his hands behind his back.
The man turned towards Antonio.
For a moment, silence.
Observing.
Inspecting.
But he quickly gave a response.
"Yes? Is there something you need from me, sir?"
"I wouldn't deny that I do. May we talk somewhere in private?" Antonio requested, extending his hand.
"And why should I abide by that request?" Victor scoffed.
"It wasn't particularly a request, sir. Or should I say, Mr. Holmes."
Victor, shocked by the sudden remark, almost jolted backwards but composed himself quickly enough.
He looked around to see if anyone else had heard something.
Everyone had been busy in their own world of words.
"Where do you need me to be?" Victor asked, lowering his voice.
"Follow me," Antonio ordered with a smug smile.
Antonio made his way to one of the dim corners of the hall, where a tall pillar stood, with Victor following closely behind.
Not too hidden for anyone to become suspicious, yet enough for no one to pay attention to what they were talking about.
Antonio turned back.
His gaze sharpened as he spoke his next words.
"I'll get straight to the point. Do you know a man named Gray Watcher?" Antonio questioned, his gaze fixed on Victor.
Victor remained silent for a moment.
Collecting his words before answering.
"What exactly do you want to know about him?" Victor questioned, raising a brow.
"Everything that you can tell me."
"Gray Watcher… I don't know much about that man either. But what I do know is that he has never once failed his contractor. I, myself, had formed a contract with him once. That man is one of the most mysterious figures of the Veiled Conclave. Until now, he has attended every single gathering of the Veiled Conclave I was in. It's not too hard to identify him. A silver owl mask, wearing a black glove only on his left hand, while his right hand has a ring on each finger. Some even think that he is the one who made the Veiled Conclave."
A pause.
Antonio looked away for a moment, admiring the chandelier above his head before turning his attention back to Victor.
"What contract did you form with him?" Antonio questioned, his gaze piercing through Victor.
A frown formed on Victor's face.
"Aren't you prying a bit too deep?" Victor questioned, glaring at Antonio.
"You're forgetting that I still am the interrogator here. But let me make it simple just for you. I don't want to know anything about your business or its secrets. Just tell me what kind of work Gray Watcher was assigned."
Victor let out a deep sigh before closing his eyes to think for a moment.
"I can't tell you anything in detail, but his main job was to double the amount of material being exported and imported from my merchant guild."
Antonio pondered for a bit before turning his back and waving to Victor.
"That'll be enough. Don't worry about your identity. Just act like we never met from now on."
Before Victor could say anything, Antonio had already walked far ahead of him.
Victor watched as Antonio disappeared into the crowd before turning to leave.