Chapter 234: Staff Only

Meanwhile, as the two troublemakers embarked into the Hotel's underbelly, Solomon and Zazel would track down and follow after the Staff members, seeing their directions and what they're doing, starting with the kitchen area. The two made sure to hide among the cabinets, quickly slipping into the open ones and hiding posthaste if ever they get close, being careful not to make a sound. Once they past by, the two continued to explore their given area, splitting off to cover more ground. The Kitchen itself was nearly spotless, save for the small holes that existed within its confines every now and then. The dishes they make gave their distinct, perfect aroma, whilst the clattering of ice came down at such cups and mugs, being filled with their given beverage. Some of them would talk amongst one another, though neither of the two tried to get close, due to the space being too open, and thus getting them caught if they were not careful. Solomon would be utilizing Shady to connect himself directly onto other parts of the area, letting him sink into the black miasma and come out the other end without giving away his location. Zazel, meanwhile, would utilize one of the sigils, Kimaris, to turn the nearby produce into rotten ingredients, letting their stench catch wind of the staff members, distracting them long enough for the Devil to slip by and continue his exploration.

The two would quickly meet up and make their way into the staff-only rooms, closing the door softly so as to not catch any further attention. When the two turned around, they would be met with all sorts of frames and certificates. Such frames held all sorts of photos, mainly towards the Goblins before being shaped into such a humanoid state. Furthermore, such photos also housed what looks to be a child, one with a familiar hairstyle, but not much else. The child appeared to be crying in one, cowering and containing himself under a giant tree. Other photos seemed to have been from the encounters with the Goblins, implying that they were the ones that found him first. Zazel would be quick on piecing it together, due to his previous knowledge of what Gabriel was like. Solomon, however, understood its context just with a few glances, seeing the interactions made and the sudden tonal shift from the first photo to the many others. "I see.....He was raised by them, pretty much. Makes sense then why he wants to save his people.." Solomon would comment, looking towards each and every frame to see his daily activities in his youth: Fishing, Sword fighting with wooden sticks, Cooking with all sorts of berries and different leaves to create a shake, and even planning celebrations to honor such a new family. No matter their height, weight, or body shape, they all did their best to ensure he was living a proper life.

Then one more photo came. One that was larger than the rest.

A Self portrait. A Frame of a Demon, one with two sets of horns, curving across the frame, making up the picture's size. The demon possessed four eyes, drinking away from a wine glass, adorned in a suit of red and black, practically hugging his bulbous build, a sinister smile upon his face, his lips attaining scars all over it. The suit itself also came with iron plating, covering the shoulders, elbows, and abdomen, as if his clothes served as his personal suit of armor. In his smile, the children could notice a few golden teeth, two implanted on his canines, and one implanted in his top incisor. He even adorned a few rings and bracelets around his crooked hands and hellish fingers. It was somewhat unsettling, yet the boys pushed onwards. The two would get towards the certificates, reading through them to see how much they maintained such a business: Employee's of the Month, Inspection checks with a solid A grade, and even a few deals from certain kingdoms, almost like they were a sponsorship. The boys recognized quickly that most, if not, all of them are forgeries, if anything than to keep the act of being a proper hotel alive. Solomon shifted his focus towards the picture again, whilst Zazel began to snoop around such quarters, trying to dig a little deeper at the truth. It was upon second inspection on the Demonic figure that the Biblical Sorcerer had a epiphany. "Hey, the guy said that the person responsible was a Demon, right?" He would ask.

Zazel would nod to his answer. "That's what he said, alright. You thinking he's the guy?"

"The guy has literal bull horns and an evil grin. I think it's a good guess. Question now becomes what he does in this place. He can't simply be just the boss of the establishment."

"Well...You remember what he said about signing a contract?"

Solomon looked back towards Zazel as he said those words. "You're saying he's the guy who did the deal?? He looks like he's running a failing amusement park, how exactly is he-"

"No, no, no, Not LITERALLY doing the deal! Think of it more like a bouncer, y'now? A Guard keeping watch and ensuring nothing gets ruined, whether its the product...."

"...Or the people behind it." Solomon glanced back at the painting again, being deep in thought once more. It clearly lines up, considering the King's previous words, as well as the explanation for such a sudden shift: Magic. Most likely, through the contract, it had them be given a method to become human, acting as the loyal servants that the King wanted. Based on his reaction, however, it was clear that such aspirations vanished once he saw their new state. The two decided that they need to pay a visit towards the boss, so without a moment to spare, they began to leave the room, noticing the members were nearly finished with tending the decrepit meals, having them take the extra time needed to find and hop onto a cart, hiding into its compartments and being silent. The boys prepared their spells in the case they would investigate and try to fight back, yet to their surprise, the staff members didn't notice a thing, as one of them would carry the cart away from the kitchen, letting them peek over to see where they are heading next.

Slowly, it would be rolled up towards an elevator, solid black and white, with mirrors on their sides, prompting them to reel their head back and stay still. A Button would quickly be pressed, and shortly after, it began to rise. Their one-way ticket to see the boss for themselves.