New World with Four Husbands-Chapter 640: Moving in shadows

After sending off Coco’s friends and bid a farewell to Zaque, Cleora started making her way to the nearest inn, lost in thought.

Suddenly, a prickling sensation between her shoulder-blades sent a shiver down her spine which caused her to pause mid-step, gaze flicking toward the dark entrance of an alleyway just ahead.

She walked closed to the alleyway, eyes narrowing to the darkness.

Just then.. Something shifted in the shadows, something that looked awfully like a figure, lingering just long enough within her line of sight for her to realize she wasn’t alone, but by the time she turned to investigate, the alleyway was completely empty, the only sound being the faint rustle of wind through the trash.

Cleora stared into the shadows for a few more seconds before turning around.

"How was your investigation, Leo?" Cleora asked, back straightening as she blocked the entrance of the alleyway to make sure no prying eyes would dare look behind her.

As if in response to her question, a figure emerged from the darkness of the alley.

Cleora didn’t jump, but she looked over her shoulders, eyes narrowing slightly as the figure stepped into the faint light cast from the magical lamp right outside of the alleyway— revealing a familiar face.

She tilted her head as the tall humanized flying pig paused behind her, meeting her gaze evenly.*

Then, without a word, Leo knelt down before Cleora, head lowered respectfully as he reported his findings. "It was very fruitful, master. You were correct. I found a lot of suspicious things about that human."

The king beast’s voice was low and even, eyes fixed on the ground between them as he told her his report.

Cleora simply hummed, a hint of satisfaction in the sound as she raised a slender hand, gesturing for him to continue whatever he found.

However, Leo shifted in his spot, raising his head just enough to meet Cleora’s gaze.

His expression was serious, eyes flicking to the shadows surrounding them and his mouth flew open, his voice was too quiet to hear. "*I cannot share the rest here, master. Unfortunately, I am sensing another powerful presence near us."

Cleora’s gaze narrowed, following his line of sight into the shadows. She didn’t feel the need to be concerned, but she decided to be thoughtful of her familiar.

Cleora let out a quiet hum once more, her expression unreadable before she gave Leo the slightest nod.*

"Very well." She stated, her voice smooth and even. "Let’s head to the inn and reserve a room for the night. Also, now that I think about it.. I’m feeling rather cold."

She turned on her heel and walked to her left, not bothering to glance back as she walked toward the glowing windows of the nearest said establishment.*

The humanized flying over remained crouched for another second— long enough to ensure no one had been eavesdropping before rising silently and following behind her at a respectful distance.

Cleora stepped into the inn and like a switch flipping, the moment she crossed the door, the expression on her face shifted.

The cold indifference of her earlier demeanor melted away into something far more polite and friendly— a small smile that could either be charming or terrifying, depending on who was looking.

The man behind the front desk stiffened instantly as he recognized her, his grip tightened around his pen; his breath hitched in his throat when their eyes met.

Duchess Dilitriodix.

He swallowed hard before forcing himself to straighten up slightly, not quite bowing, but close enough to show respect without outright groveling, just in case the Duchess of the north was undercover or something.

She looked like she was wearing a dress that wasn’t from any famous tailor shop.

Cleora came to a stop in front of the desk, her smile widening slightly as she gazed down at the man behind it, immediately noticing the way he tensed up.

"Room for one." She uttered, voice was smooth as honey, almost sickly sweet with her eyes roaming across the various keys hanging from behind the man. "And if I may, I would like to get the best one."

The man swallowed, unable to look away for a moment before he finally managed a nod, reaching for the keys in question without taking his eyes off her for a second.

The man reached for a key on the farthest left— a silver key with a number embedded on it and carefully handed it to Cleora, his fingers brushing against hers slightly in the exchange.

"H-Here, my lady." The man stuttered out, his voice wavering; he sounded almost breathless, the words coming out in a whisper. "It’s the best room."

Cleora kept her smile soft as she met his eyes again, this time, something sharp sparking behind them.

The man’s gaze dropped when he saw her look at him, frightened that she might be planning something, before forcing it to find a way back to her face.

His throat bobbed when he swallowed again, feeling nervous.

Cleora finally closed her hand around the key, the metal cool against her skin. She smiled, her gaze flicking back to the man behind the desk for just a moment before turning away.

With a light, airy tone, she called over her shoulder. "I expect room service tomorrow morning, okay?"

She didn’t wait for a response and was already walking toward the winding staircase in the far corner, the sound of her footsteps against the carpeted floorboards filled the heavy silence as she ascended the stairs, disappearing into the darkened second floor.

Cleora made her way up the staircase, each step quiet and careful as she ascended to the third floor.

Once she reached the third floor, she walked down the hall and eventually came to a halt in front of the door marked 306.

She quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside, shutting it silently behind her and locking it.

Just then, Leo dropped himself off from the window and landed on the floor with a thud.