Maven's Parties: He Sure is Popular

"You guys decided to attend after all! I'm so glad to see you here!" Mr. Maven beamed at them. "And you're all looking lovely."

Daphne was dressed in a forest-green slit dress, hair done into an elaborate bun. Nishan and Saltavore both wore dark-blue satin suits, Nishan wearing a black tie while Saltavore wore a black bowtie. Seraphine wore a simple white dress, while Terrence and Loki wore white shirts and black pants.

"Thank you," Saltavore said. "Thank you for having our things arranged for us already."

"Of course," Mr. Maven nodded. "It's the least I could do."

[Name: Maven Quo]

[Race: Halfling]

[Speed: 25/25]

[Stamina: 40/40]

[Ability: Charm]

[He can use his Ability to charm people into believing whatever he says]

[Weakness: He himself is easily roped into schemes]

Mr. Maven had already left and was talking to someone else, so Loki told them what he had Inspected.

"So he probably is what we think he is," Terrence hummed. "Just a player who charms people easily and is charmed easily."

"Still, we shouldn't let our guard down too much," Nishan sighed. "Let's just get mingling and hope we can find some clues."

Loki's Xp was now 1170/1200.

"We're never going to find anything," Seraphine groaned into her bed. "It's our fourth and last day here, and we still haven't found anything new! After this our next holiday is Christmas!"

"Don't remind me," Daphne said dejectedly. "At this rate, I don't think I have much of a choice. I'll have to either marry Mr. Sor or join The Snakes."

"Don't be like that," Terrence's effort to cheer everyone up was pitiful. "Mr. Maven is holding a private event today, maybe we'll be able to find out something there?"

"But will any clients, or anyone from The Snakes be there?" Nishan asked. "We can't do anything if they're not there. Loki can't use his Ability to do anything if it's in school because we won't have any excuses to go anywhere. Today is our last day."

"We might as well check it out, right?" Saltavore sighed, getting up from his bed.

The six of them trudged down the stairs. "Excuse me, but do you know where Mr. Maven is?" Loki asked a nearby maid.

"Oh! Follow me. I'll bring you to monsieur." The six of them followed the maid to a room. "Monsieur is in here," the maid gave a quick bow and left.

Daphne knocked on the door lightly. "Come in," someone said from inside. They entered the room to see Ada there.

"What are you doing here?" Terrence asked, stunned.

"Don't be rude," Ada raised an eyebrow. "Am I not allowed to see my associate? And what's it to you?"

"I apologize for my brother's rudeness," Seraphine said. "We're just surprised to see a teacher from military school here, that's all."

Ada huffed. "No respect," she muttered. Loki stepped towards Ada suddenly and placed a hand on her head before she could say anything.

[Mind See, Mind Do has been activated: -7 Speed]

[Speed: 5/12]

"I'm Arnold Phoenix," Loki used his Ability to make Ada see Daphne's father standing in front of her. "Where did you put the documents on The Snakes? The documents show every member of The Snakes and every client of The Snakes."

"You were the one who kept them, Arnold. Why are you asking me?" Ada frowned.

"I told you where they were, didn't I? I forgot where I kept them," Loki said. "Had to think about how to convince Daphne to join The Snakes. Infuriating, but the last pure-blood Phoenix Original, so we want her. I can't tell Regina, or she'll scold me until I'm half dead."

"Well, you kept the documents in a magic safe made out of metal that had been enchanted by Laufeysons. No one can open that safe, not even you. The only person who can open it is a Laufeyson. There is a slit that allows us to put in the documents, and therefore ask one of our secretaries to read it with their Abilities, but whatever we put in there can't be taken out because of an enchantment placed by a Laufeyson. That safe is in your study." Ada blinked as the illusion started to melt away. "Wait, you're not Arnold!"

[Memory Warp has been activated: -4 Stamina]

[Stamina: 8/12 Stamina]

"Once we saw you, we left to look for Mr. Maven. Nothing else happened."

As Ada stumbled backward, Loki and his friends hurried out.

"Now we know where to get the documents!" Daphne whispered breathlessly. "To think that it was in my house all this time!"

That night, after dinner, Daphne asked Mr. Maven, "Could you get a limo to bring me back to Phoenix Manor, please? I left my favourite charm bracelet there."

"Of course," Mr. Maven nodded. "I'll have the limo arranged for you at once."

"And can I bring Loki as well? I need a bodyguard."

"Sure."

Once in Phoenix Manor, Daphne let out a small sigh. "Come on."

"How do you know your parents won't be here?" Loki asked as they walked towards Mr. Phoenix's study.

"While staying at Mr. Maven's mansion, my parents told me that they would be out with my aunt and uncle for business for a couple of days," Daphne answered. "We're here."

She pushed open the door and the two of them slipped in. "Over there."

Loki reached towards a metal safe in the corner of the study.

[Ancient Laufeyson magic detected]

"It's the right one," Loki gripped the handle and opened the safe slowly. Inside, there were hundreds of documents. Daphne briefly scanned the papers, letting out a soft whistle. "We got what we're looking for, alright. I'll finally be free!"

"Not to burst your bubble, Daphne," Loki said as he closed the safe and the two exited the study. "But we still need to get these documents to the government."

"Once we return to school, after class, I'll go to a nearby government office and drop this off," Daphne said as they left the manor. "This has to work. It has to."