[Spirit of Lust] Chapter 217: Arriving at the party. (Patreon)

Will and the three older women waited outside the building for Belphegor to pick them up in the limo, but the old man shamelessly forced the task on Aoi after arriving and went to sit at the back with Will, Amelia and Cynthia.

“The address is in that GPS thing,” he told Aoi. “You can take it from here, right?”

Aoi didn’t have a problem with taking over driving duty. Will would bet she even felt more comfortable with her own hands on the wheel.

It was Will’s first time inside a limo. Blue lighting on the roof, two rows of seats opposite to each other, a mini bar… And with Cynthia and Amelia in those provocative dresses, Will was of the mind that they could’ve totally snuck in a couple rounds. They were sitting at both sides of him, so reaching for them was extremely tempting… but the old man’s presence was a bit of a turn off. 

“I get the feeling I’m getting in the way here,” Belphegor said with a soft chuckle. “So let me make it up to you. Here’s what you can expect once we get there: good food, good drink, good entertainment, and a selection of the most self-centered people you will ever meet.”

Will winced while Cynthia laughed. “I suppose we will now be counted among them. Not like we’re going there with altruistic purposes.”

“Aoi is, and I respect her for it,” Amelia said, smirking, “but I want to see what these people have to offer us.”

Belphegor laughed. “Yes, I know you two will fit right in,” he said to Cynthia and Amelia, “and I’m sure Ms. Aoi will be more than capable to handle herself and act the part of a bodyguard.” He then looked Will straight in the eyes. “It’s you I’m worried about, boy. There are all sorts of individuals there, and they all want something from someone. Some are idiots who made it there by pure luck, others have the insight of the devil himself. They will see you, know there’s something to be gained from you, and won’t have any qualms tricking you to get it.”

Cynthia frowned and smiled wryly. “And Will here can be… a bit naive.”

“And idealistic,” Amelia added.

“And that’s fine,” Aoi interjected. “Just because we’re going to a gathering of selfish fools doesn’t mean he has to be one of them.” Despite her words, however, she sighed in defeat. “Still… Dealing with those people will be a whole different kind of ordeal. You better leave it to Amelia and Cynthia, Will.”

Will understood where they were coming from but still was starting to feel looked down on. Cynthia kissed his cheek and held his hand. “This is just our area of expertise, dear. Let us handle it.”

Amelia kissed his other cheek and put her hand on his thigh. “Trust us. We’re used to dealing with selfish fools.”

Will sighed. “We’ll see how things go,” he said, not committing to anything. 

Belphegor laughed. “Well, this should be fun to watch, at least.”

With how… supposedly secretive the whole thing was, Will expected it to take place far from town, like where the organized fights were, but it turned out to be the opposite. The party would take place right in the center of town, in what was arguably the tallest, most luxurious hotel in the entire city.

Theirs wasn’t the only limo around, and the people walking into the hotel were dressed the part. Will had thought that maybe they’d overdressed, but now he feared the contrary.

Someone from the hotel staff took their limo and went to park it while they walked to the front of the hotel. A red carpet and a corridor of lights on the floor welcomed them along with security at the doors.

“Names?” the man asked, looking up from his clipboard. He was tall and buff, definitely looking intimidating in that dark suit and glasses. However, Will knew well that physique wasn’t everything when magic was involved, and the man knew it, too. It was subtle, but a faint, colorless aura oozed off of him. Just enough for those sensible enough to see it to know the man was standing there for a reason.

…

For a brief moment, Will found himself wondering if he could take him in a fight, but not knowing where or why that thought popped in his head, he threw it away as soon as it came.

Belphegor stepped up with hands in the pockets of his suit and a casual smile. “Jack Evans. There are my guests: Cynthia Evans, Amelia Wilson and William Sawyer, accompanied by their bodyguard, Aoi Miyamoto.”

Will noticed the man’s eyebrows rising. He glanced to the back of their group, towards Aoi. “My, never thought The Samurai would be coming to one of these parties. You’re all on the list. Remember, no violence or magic during the gathering. Keep the squabbles out of here. Please, enjoy your time here.”

They were let into the luxurious hotel lobby, then led by the staff to a ridiculously large banquet hall. There were already at least 30 or 40 people inside. There were glass chandeliers on the ceiling, a smooth white floor of marble tiles, long tables along the walls with red tablecloths over them and teeming with a plethora of dishes and drinks. There were tables and chairs for groups, too, but those were empty when they went in. Most people were standing, walking and making connections. A band played soft jazz over by the stage at the far end of the room, and the people at the bar were making cocktails for the guests.

“Yes, I think I like this,” Cynthia said with Amelia nodding along. Will still wasn’t sure… but at the very least he didn’t hate it.

“So… What do we do now?” he asked.

“You can do whatever you want now,” Belphegor said. “Call me if you need help. The bartender here makes incredible cocktails you can’t get anywhere else.”

The old man left, leaving Will, Amelia, Cynthia and Aoi alone.

Cynthia sighed. “We can either go on the offensive and start approaching people or wait and see if others approach us. I’d rather take the initiative, personally.”

“Agreed,” Amelia said. “Nobody knows us, so it’s unlikely others will pay much attention to us if we don’t stand out in some way.”

Thing was, their group did stand out. Eyes were on them the moment they stepped into the hall, and not a minute later, two men were already approaching. Their lecherous eyes couldn't have been easier to read, and they put Will on edge.