A luxurious hover car with black tinted windows drove into a garage. From street level this garage appeared to be underground, but although it was below a certain high-rise building, the garage was level with the sprawling lower city which existed like a parallel society below.
However, the people driving their luxurious cars into the brightly lit garage wouldn't spare the place outside the walls a thought.
Even Silva and Felix were the same. Especially at this moment, their minds were naturally occupied with Cynthia's situation. They got off the car shadowed by the silent Sam, their ever-loyal bodyguard, and looked around, noticing that a few of their friends had already arrived.
Luckily Cynthia had given Silva and Mel the code for the garage before. Thus, they could now gather here below the blond woman's home.
Silva waved her hand towards the three people waiting in front of an elevator. They were an extremely gorgeous woman, a somewhat chubby young man, and his smaller friend with a muscular figure.
Apart from Fortune, Bloody Edge and Radiant Shield looked somewhat different from their characters in the game. However, since the friends had met before, Silva naturally recognized everyone.
"Rachel, Kel, Dom. You really came."
"Of course we did! We are also worried about Cynthia."
"Yes. I hope we find some clues."
"Or maybe she really slept in."
The friends talked solemnly waiting for the rest to gather. However, just then Silver Blade noticed something:
"Hey, look at that car over there!"
"Eh, what are those people doing in there?"
"I don't recognize those two in the front seat, but doesn't that girl look like... Serena?"
"You're right. And Liam is next to her, no?"
The friends were puzzled. They took a few steps to get a better look and clearly recognized the siblings.
Silva's group tried to gesture with their hands, asking why the siblings didn't leave the car. Felix quickly got impatient and was just about to shout when Serena noticed his actions and furiously gestured with a finger in front of her lips.
Felix held himself back at the last moment. Confused by the siblings' strange behaviour Silva's group decided to go over.
Noticing everyone come closer Serena carefully opened the window and hissed a whisper:
"Please be careful. Liam is in the game."
"What?", hissed Silver Blade in shock. "Why now? Isn't it dangerous?"
"C informed him that he has his qualification match now."
Kel frowned faintly. Being in a similar situation he didn't approve of Liam's decision, asking in a low voice:
"Why didn't he forfeit like me? Liam doesn't strike me as someone who would risk his health for the competition."
"He said it's ok...", whispered Serena, feeling inexplicably guilty.
"Well, he did it before...", reminded Dominic.
At that moment movement suddenly came from Liam. He opened his eyes, taking a moment to assess the situation.
"Hey, everyone. It seems we have already arrived."
Silva's group greeted him while staring at his eyes. Not finding any hint of exhaustion they felt relieved. Liam wasn't sure why everyone was looking at him strangely. Just as he wanted to ask, another car entered the garage.
The car found an empty parking spot and a young couple got off. The friends naturally recognized Silent Acacia and Quickstep or rather Adrian and Quiana.
The friends already knew that Mel was waiting in the lobby upstairs. They didn't have the mind for anything else. After a brief exchange of greetings they took the elevator which stopped in the spacious lobby.
Quickly saying the waiting Mel hello, the large group approached the porter who eyed them suspiciously.
"Let me do it.", said Silva as she was one of the two people who had been to Cynthia's place before. She approached the reception with a straight back, emitting a hint of pressure.
"Morning. Please inform the Meyenn family that Silva Colville is here for a visit."
"Yes, ma'am."
The porter didn't dare to hesitate, quickly sending the information upwards. A moment later he received a signal.
"Miss Meyenn has agreed to meet you."
"Thank you."
Silver Blade nodded and quickly led the group towards the elevator. It spoke volumes that the elevator was big enough for the group of almost a dozen people.
The porter looked at the group's backs, somewhat hesitant. But he decided not to say anything. Since they were all here with Silva Colville, there surely was nothing strange going on.
Thus, Liam and his friends smoothly drove the elevator upwards. It took a few minutes until the elevator stopped at the second highest floor with a crisp ring.
When the doors opened the hallway of a modern, spacious flat came into everyone's view. A woman was already waiting for them. Wearing straight, beige trousers and a stylish blouse with a scarf draped over her shoulders despite being indoors, the woman appeared like a typical upper-class citizen.
She showed a polite smile expecting Silva. But her face froze as she noticed the big group.
"Hello, Miss Meyenn."
Silva greeted politely while taking the first step, followed by the others. They pushed into the hallway, forcing Miss Meyenn to take a few steps back.
"Miss Colville. It is my pleasure. But... who are those people?"
Holly Meyenn tried to keep a polite facade, but everyone could feel her displeasure when she glanced at anyone else but Silva.
"Miss Meyenn, these are my friends. We had an appointment with Cynthia today, but she didn't come. Thus, we came here worried that something might have happened to her."
Miss Meyenn gradually found it difficult to uphold her polite smile. Everyone found her reaction quite strange.
"These are you friends, Miss Colville? You even know Mel?
Now I understand! You are the people from this guild! First you led my daughter astray, and now you dare to show up here?!"
Miss Meyenn jerked her head up, almost losing the pair of glasses stuck in her bound hair. Her chest heaved. It was apparent that it took a lot of composure for her not to react any more violently.
The friends felt their stomachs sink as they looked at each other. Gradually they realized what was going on. Apparently, Cynthia's mother had found out about her deeds in the game.
And this was indeed the case. As the news about the tournament were everywhere even Cynthia's parents, who actively avoided anything that had to do with gaming or other 'low-class' activities as they would put it, couldn't escape seeing reports about the tournament.
One could imagine their shock when they suddenly recognized their daughter in a viral interview. They immediately confronted Cynthia, demanding her console.
The young woman didn't know what to do. She couldn't beat up her own parents. Thus, she obediently handed over her console before crying herself to sleep.
The friends didn't know exactly what had played out, but they could guess the gist of it. Mel let out a sigh.
[Balm: I told her before that she should have admitted everything to her parents. Now it's not only about Cynthia playing secretly but also about her lying to her parents.]
Everyone felt conflicted. Although they didn't agree with Cynthia's parents' stance towards gaming, they could understand her mother being furious.
Still, Cynthia had a guild to lead. She was nineteen and should be able to make her own decisions. So many people were already depending on her.
Thus, Silva was prepared to confront Holly. She took a deep breath and spoke with a sombre voice:
"Miss Meyenn. I understand that Cynthia has been in the wrong for not telling you. But the guild needs her! Her presence in the ongoing tournament is important not only to her but to potentially thousands of people, maybe even millions.
Please, let Cynthia continue playing Fate of Crunaboul and take care of her guild. Everything else can be sorted out later."
Holly listened secretly grinding her teeth. If it was anyone else trying to interfere with her parenting like this, she would have thrown them out long ago.
But this was Silva Colville! Holly and her husband were ambitious businesspeople. Thus, they were overjoyed when Cynthia brought home a Colville for the first time. Having a good relationship with Silva meant opening many doors on Falva Star despite Silva's weaker status in the family at that time.
Suddenly Holly froze as if struck by lightning. A thought came to her mind. It was Silva Colville who asked her to let Cynthia enter this game. What did this mean?
Holly frowned as she asked strangely:
"Miss Colville. Are you also playing this game?"
"Of course!"
Standing behind Silva, Liam rolled his eyes. He recognized this gaze in Miss Meyenn's eyes. Purely contemplative, utilitarian. Liam found it quite sad that Silva being part of the game seemed to have a more convincing power than whatever Cynthia said to her parents.
However, realizing what kind of person Cynthai's mother was, Liam tried to argue in a way she would approve: