CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 279 - AN EXECUTIVE FLOOR DECISION

The glasses I’d hastily purchased from a corner store actually sat more comfortably on my face than the other set. But they still managed to give off a professional enough look, despite not costing me very much.

Just the looks of intrigue from the old cashier. As someone dressed in an outfit that might not usually enter their establishment at this time of day did just that.

Still, they felt rather foreign after a lifetime of perfect vision. You’d think I’d be more accustomed to ignoring the edges of things in my eyesight by now, but it’s actually *compounding* the issue I’ve always had with the blue misty edges of the system interface!

By the time I hit the lobby of Lunarizon Tower, there was only a tiny part of me left that cared about how stupid this all was. For one, I’ve told her so much and now I’m just waltzing into her place of power.

And two, there are so, so many werewolf scents. But three... hers is also there, quite unsubtly among them, like it is being vented straight from her office.

Maybe it is? To intimidate visitors from other packs. Her people even made those necklaces...

Soon enough - so soon I didn’t even walk all the way to the main reception desk - I’m met by someone who introduced himself as Keelan. Human, nervous, and glancing at me like I was an individual not to be offended.

Well, so much for an element of surprise to this hunt. My escorts in the shadows today must have phoned ahead. Or Kyrie panicked and Claire started paying attention to my route because of it...

The polished, steel walled elevator with white doors and guardrail... and orange glowing buttons that I was taken to climbed steadily toward the upper floors. At least according to the numbers increasing one digit at a time at a fairly rapid pace.

"I’m told Ms. Voss is expecting you?"

"Of course. We have very important businessing to discuss."

Speaking the lines without any emotion, I give it a couple seconds before glancing over to see what sort of face he is making. His own nice clothes seemed like a sort of corporate and unremarkable uniform on his slim frame.

"That was meant to be a joke. You are permitted to laugh, should you have found it funny."

"Oh. Ah...ha. Good one?"

All I received was the bootlicking of a corporate drone, showing deference to someone that is *apparently* important without being told why. I honestly don’t envy such a job. It feels like it would be all the awful parts of attending social functions of the nobility but also...

Well, yes. I do seem to compare pretty much any sort of worker to a servant. Look, Vrika, I understand that it’s rude - but what else do you want me to do?

Tapping my palm on the damp nose of my wolf, I shake my head at it within my soul. Back in my world, I mostly interacted with only the rich, their servants, or - rarely - the very poor who had no jobs at all.

’Upward mobility’... class dynamics are much more fluid here, than how I grew up understanding them. From what Helene knew of history, you could even call it tumultuous and boiling compared to waters that barely rippled for long.

But I guess that is what to expect from a monarchy that edges quite close to dictatorship. From what I’ve seen of the Duskpaw and the Rimecoat packs... their Alphas, despite ostensibly having elders, a Beta, and other important advisors, also work quite similarly.

Firm hands and oppression when deemed necessary. Though the word ’autocracy’ comes more to mind. And it really makes me wonder again - like I have not in quite a while - just how Helene’s brain came across any of the concepts in a way that made her internalize it enough for me to understand as well..

"So... was she?"

"You’ll have to repeat the question, please."

"Expecting you. Sorry, it’s probably none of my concern. You just weren’t on the evening clipboard of arranged meetings - and that’s highly unusual around here."

"I’m sure she knows I’m on the way. Which is why you were informed, no?"

The elevator chimed a noise as we reached the 58th floor before its doors opened. Keelan led me down a short hallway lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a fairly stunning view of the city below.

Over fifty floors cannot really be compared to ’only’ the 15th at Perigee. It’s actually quite dizzying, yes - and I like high places.

Starting to pull out a keycard on a lanyard when we reached a very solid looking security door, the man almost taps it against a surface when the door opens on its own and a voice comes through the speaker attached to a camera on the wall above it.

"Thank you, but I can handle things from here. You can return to your posting. Without spreading a lot of gossip, please."

Claire’s voice on the job is a little less emotive, I see. But this thing... sort of like one of those ’doorbell’ security cameras? It’s interesting.

While I kept myself from prodding at the lens, he nodded to the empty air and hurried back toward the elevators without another word. Probably relieved to be done with mysterious and sudden escort duty.

"Are you going to just stand there, Ms. Lomdi? I doubt you can raise my boss’s tension any further."

Brisk and businesslike still, the door shuts behind me on some sort of security seal system. The executive office space was exactly what I’d expected - spacious, elegant in the modern aesthetic, and designed to intimidate.

The glass that dominated the outer walls were already impressive, while the others closer to the interior were lined with tasteful artwork probably picked to evoke certain feelings. But my attention was immediately drawn to the woman standing there waiting.

Looking a lot like she knew what game I was playing, but also like she was not sure how serious... or how far I was taking my disguise. Two fingers raised up and adjusted the center of my non-functional glasses.

"Hello. I’m reporting in for an evening as an in-office assistant. Could you direct me to your CEO so I could get started?"