Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 253 - 239: Hotel

"Did you guys get the information?" Aurianna asked, sitting down at their first meeting point while chewing on a sandwich.

"Yes, it seems we have to go to a pub named Cherubs Café, say the secret code ’Thirty Rising Suns,’ and boom, we’re inside the black market. Some of you will have to stay behind, though," Jugi explained.

"Then you should go and get the tickets. Wait, how many tickets do we need?" Aurianna asked, glancing around at everyone.

"There’s Stephanie, Candy, Idina, Faston, Saem, Dami, Rufus, Giev, and Echiya," Aurianna counted aloud, but her brow furrowed with each name. "Wait, since when were you guys nine?!"

"Well, you never seemed to notice. Faston and Stephanie are actually the busiest women on the ship, so you rarely get to see them," Saem added with a casual shrug.

"Makes sense, I guess..." Aurianna mumbled, still a little dazed.

’How did she not know? Lol,’ Jugi thought, sharing a blank stare with Jade and Avriel.

"So then, adding Jugi, Hadina, Avriel, Jade, and myself, that makes 14. Zagan is a pet, so he gets a pass. So buy 14 tickets," Aurianna declared, flashing a smug grin.

’Why does she have that smug look on her face?’ Jade wondered, feeling a twinge of annoyance at her expression.

"And here are five magic coins, just in case," Aurianna offered, holding out her hand to give Jugi the coins. But just as he was about to take them, she clenched her fist shut.

"Aurianna, let go of the money," Jugi said with a passive, agreeable smile, gently gripping her palm as he pried the coins from her hand.

"Ahhh! My money!!" Aurianna cried out dramatically.

’So greedy,’ Saem thought, shaking his head as Jugi vanished to complete the task.

"Humph, let’s totes find a hotel already!" Avriel said, stretching with a lazy yawn as she placed her hand behind her head.

"Alright, let’s find the best money can buy!" Aurianna declared with renewed enthusiasm.

"I totes thought you didn’t want to spend so much, considering how you were crying when Jugi took those five magic coins," Avriel teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Just because I don’t want to spend too much doesn’t mean I’m gonna put myself through the torture of staying in a crusty shed," Aurianna replied with a serious expression.

"Well, I totes found one a few minutes away. It’s super large and totes cool. Let’s go!" Avriel said with a grin.

"Then lead the way," Aurianna said, standing up and motioning for the group to follow.

As they started walking, Aurianna glanced at the remaining gold in her hand, her expression shifting to one of deep thought. "Wait... did I give him too much?"

"We’re here," Avriel announced happily as they stepped into the grand, luxurious hotel. All sorts of races and people bustled around them, making the place feel vibrant and alive.

"Why are there so many people here?" Aurianna asked, her face twisting in mild disgust despite the breathtaking beauty of the hotel’s interior.

"Probably trade relations or the auction happening at the Flonkong Organization," Jade replied calmly, his gaze drifting over the crowd.

"How do you know?" Aurianna raised a brow, curious.

"I overheard a couple of guests mention it. Nothing to worry about," Jade shrugged, keeping his cool demeanor.

"The reception is over there, Aurianna. Follow me!" Avriel said excitedly, bouncing forward.

"Are we getting separate rooms or sharing?" Hadina chimed in, her eyes twinkling. "Hehe, it’s obvious me and Aurianna need one room—we’re married after all," she mumbled smugly, completely oblivious to Jade’s odd look.

’Does she actually think a familiar contract is the same as a marriage? Such an innocent soul... she doesn’t even realize she’s more like a slave,’ Jade mused, covering his mouth to stifle a tear as he genuinely pitied Hadina’s naivety.

While the others were wrapped up in their thoughts, Aurianna and a few of the group found themselves captivated by the stunning architecture. The grand windows, framed with gleaming gold, let in streams of afternoon sunlight, casting warm glows across the ruby-colored rugs that adorned the marble floors. Bright, floating lights hovered in the air, and chandeliers shimmered from the ceiling, casting sparkling reflections across the room.

Tall marble columns supported the structure, and staircases spiraled elegantly to the highest floors of the hotel. Guests lounged in plush, fluffy chairs scattered across the hall, chatting while waitresses attended to their every need.

"It smells nice in here," Aurianna muttered under her breath as they approached the reception desk, her attention now turning to Avriel.

"Ehh, why are you staring at me?" Avriel asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"You brought us here, so ask!" Aurianna huffed, folding her arms impatiently.

"Fine, fine, no need to be so grumpy about it!" Avriel grumbled, rolling her eyes before stepping up to the reception. The receptionist, a refined-looking woman, smiled professionally at Avriel. Although she appeared human, Avriel quickly noticed that she was a High Human.

"Good afternoon," Avriel began with a bright smile. "We’d like to book some rooms, preferably something nice and spacious. We don’t mind spending extra if it means top-tier quality."

The receptionist’s eyes flicked over the group, assessing them with a practiced gaze before nodding. "Of course. We have some suites available that should meet your standards. How many rooms will you need?" she asked smoothly.

Hadina, standing just a little too close to Aurianna, quickly interjected, "Just one for me and Aurianna, please!"

Aurianna shot her a deadpan look, sighing as she facepalmed and pulled Hadina on the ear, causing the octopus to wince in pain.

"Ma’am, what type of rooms would you like?" the receptionist asked politely referring to Avriel.

"Y’know, the kind with multiple rooms inside but a shared bathroom and living room," Avriel explained casually.

"Oh, you mean the family room?" the receptionist clarified.

"Exactly! It should have nine rooms in each. One for Saem’s group and one for ours," Avriel said, gesturing to the entire party.

"That would be three gold coins per night, for each room—the luxurious ones, of course," the receptionist replied with a pleasant smile and Saem’s heart aches hearing that amount. That was way too expensive!!!

"Here!" Avriel said, handing over 42 gold coins without hesitation.

"Hey, where did you get that kind of money?" Aurianna asked with a suspicious gaze, her eyes narrowing.

"It’s our money, Aurianna," Avriel cooed, waving her off as if it were no big deal. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Youuu..." Aurianna grumbled, her suspicion growing.

"I’m using it for your sake, so don’t get grumpy!" Avriel huffed, flipping her hair dramatically.

’She took it from the donations this morning!!’ Aurianna thought, her face twisting in displeasure. Still, since it was for her benefit, she let out a reluctant sigh.

"Yo!" Aurianna suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her and turned to see who it was.