activa-t Chapter 13: The scent
Chapter 13: The scent
Chapter 13: The scent"I... I am so sorry," the receptionist stammered, her voice trembling as she set down the phone. "I... I didn't know it was authentic," she stuttered, already aware that she had incurred the wrath of the black-haired lady—Angelica.
"Oh, if I don't find what I'm looking for, I will make sure you pay dearly for that," she said, the usual amusement on her face nowhere to be seen. Instead, her expression was cold, sharp, and calculating. She had already spotted Annabelle leaving the hotel, looking slightly shaken—an oversight in her initial plans. She had intended to catch Annabelle with whoever she was meeting, and she had a strong suspicion about who that person was.
However, from the moment she stepped into this place, the receptionist had wasted her precious time, even after she revealed her identity—something that should have made this process far easier. Yet, the foolish woman remained stubborn, insisting on confirming her credentials, all because the room she sought had strict orders not to permit just anyone inside.
And thus, a wasted opportunity to piece together all the missing fragments.
"Tsk." Angelica clicked her tongue, watching the utterly terrified, now deathly pale receptionist fumble through a drawer,
'Who uses that sort of flower to make perfumes?' she wondered. After all, Noktox was incredibly rare. And, much like certain chemicals, it was peculiar in its own way—just as some substances could taste sweet to one person, bitter to another, sour to someone else, and completely flavorless to yet another.
In the same way, not everyone could perceive the scent of Noktox. So someone using it in perfume didn't add up to her. The only reason she even noticed was because, since childhood, she had realized she had the rare ability to detect it. But finding others who could? That was almost unheard of.
She stared at the figure for a long moment.
Then—she continued her sprint.
BAM!
She kicked open the door after hastily inserting the key and found herself in a vast, lavishly furnished room.
"They're all... gone?" she thought with a frown.
The place was deserted. No one was around. But vials, utensils—scattered everywhere—hinted that whoever had been here had left in a hurry.
"No, I'm too late."
She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Then—her eyes landed on the door.
Wait.
She rushed to it, yanked it open—
A bathroom.
And then—
"No way."
Her eyes widened.
Noktox.
She gasped.