Ebony Pov

  After pushing the service cart with ing tools behind the door of the ste room , I was ready to close and then lock the door , thus ending my shift today .

  Clover : " Ebony ...... Wait ! "

  However , a sudden shout from my senior , Clover stopped me . Holding the key in the door lock , I turned my head to look at the worried fay co-worker .

  Clover :" I know this is sudden , however , I ask you to take care of the lobby for me "

  Clover says with a panicked and nervous tone in her voice , which stops me from immediately refusing her request . After all , I'm not stupid or niough to do someone else's job when I'm doh mine myself . However , the pani her voice reassured me that it is not because of her ziness or malice she wants to dump it on me . Rather, some urgent emergency situation happened , through which she has to leave immediately .

  Ebony : " Yes , of course I finish it quickly for you . But if I may ask , what happened ? "

  I ask wanting to know at least why I have to help her .

  Clover : " My son fell dowairs and was taken to the hospital . My husband is with him , but in all the panid stress he does not remember whether he closed the door to our house behind him ."

  Hearing her words I unsciously covered my mouth with my hand , thus hiding my shock at the tragedy of my co-worker . Looking at her worried face I could only shake my head in sadness and sympathy .

  Ebony : " Then go home quickly and then go to your son . I will take care of everything . "

  I say seeing that she is still standing in front of me . Despite the relief caused by my words , tears still rush into her eyes .

  Clover : " Thank you Ebony , You save my life . You see I have already ed everything there , but apparently something has happened in the lobby and there is now something to . I was about to go back to do it , but I was stopped by a message from my husband .

  Clover : " I know there's a storm and it's unlikely someone would break into my house right now , but I wao check it out anyway and then go to the hospital to see my son . I'm sorry for dumping it on you , but except you everyone from our shift has already finished a .... "

  Seeing that with every word she puts more and more emotion , I uand , that this is really not an easy situation for her and probably asking me for help must be hard . After all I finished my shift so nothing obliges me to help her .

  Ebony : "You don't have to expin anything to me , something bad happen to anyone in life . As a thinking being I uand this fact . So go home now before it's too te . And be careful on the road , there is heavy rain and wind outside . "

  I say , rushing her . After nodding her head in a gesture of gratitude , Clover with tears in her eyes turned around and as fast as she could , she ran through the corridor towards the staff room .

  ' I hope nothing serious happened ' .

  I think with hope that it is nothing serious . I may not personally know the families of my co-workers , but I know that Clover's son is o years old and for such a child an unfortunate fall , even from a small height , end badly . Especially sihe fall was from the stairs . After taking a breath , I focus my thoughts oing back to work , so as to quickly get it over with .

  Looking at the cart of ing tools that Clover left o me , I opee room dain . Pulling out my service cart , I remember to then push Clover's service cart inside . Log the ste room door behind me, I set off with the cart to the lobby. Fortunately I was already on the first floor , so I did not have take the elevator . But before I directly ehe lobby , I first headed to the staff bathroom , located on the way to the lobby , where I filled ay bucket with water .

  After this stop , I went directly to the lobby , which was right o the bathroom . Pushing the cart into the lobby , I saw that it was empty , surprisingly there was not even a receptionist behind the ter . It was quite strange , while the ck of new arrivals or current guests in the lobby be expined by the weather ditions outside and the te hour , by which most guests may already be asleep in their rooms , the ck of presence of a receptionist or a random guest hanging around the lobby is quite strange .

  But being ho , instead of thinking about it I focused more oask to just get home as soon as possible. Looking for a problem in the empty lobby I noticed that on the white marble floor , from the door all the way to the elevator , stretched a lorail . Which must have beeed by an unfortunate visitor who failed to take shelter from the rain .

  Looking at the fact that this was the only such trace , I was able to certainly firm that Clover had indeed already ed up here and the unfortunate guest must have returned just moments after she had finished . Sighing, I already khat in addition to the lobby itself, one of the floors will also o be ed . After all, since everyone had already finished ing their floors and this guest came in after ing , it means that some floor also o be wiped .

  ' But there is also nothing to bme the guest , after all , she or he also had to ge quickly after such rain . '

  I think f myself a little , despite knowing that I will not finish quickly . Taking the mop and water bucket out of the cart , I began to work in plete silehe only sounds apanying me , was the sound of my mop wiping the floor and the quiet sound of rain and wind outside .

  Surprisingly this gave a calm and pleasant atmosphere to my work . But this quiet and peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by the distinct sound of another bucket being pced on the ground . I'm not going to lie I was frightened by this sudden break in the silence . Out of fear I instinctively quickly turned my head towards the sound , only to see the receptionist , who after looking at me shook her head .

  Receptionist : " What are you still doing here ? Haven't you already finished your shift ? "

  She asks me in her calm and melodious voice , when in the meantime she herself began to the wet trail from the floor with her own mop . I , oher hand , wanting to answer her , realized that I did not know her o make matters worse the badge on her chest was too blurry for me to read . In fact , the only reason I know her at all , is that she always stands at the reception desk when I left work , and it is also for this reason that I never had the opportunity to meet her .

  Ebony : " Clover asked me to up the mess because something happened , making it impossible for her to do it herself .....".

  Despite my initial hesitation , with focus and ess I answered her question in such a way as not to give away too muformation , after all I do not know how muformation I freely share . In respoo my words , the receptionist only sighed .

  Receptionist : " This poor woman , she must have been so panicked after that phone call that she did not hear me . She just ran out , I thought she heard me . I told her it was no problem for me to do it myself ."

  Said the receptionist shaking her head , without stopping floor ing .

  Receptionist : " Well , it's hat you are helpful but you go home , I ha myself ."

  Says the receptionist seeing that I tio work .

  Ebony : " I do not want to be rude but I decided to stay and do it , I have already started so I will not leave until I finish . Besides I promised to do it and I would feel bad if someone had to stop their own work because of my u promise . "

  I say with a smile without stopping work with the mop .

  Receptionist : " No one is in the lobby . I have nothing to do . "

  Says the receptionist sighing .

  Ebony : " I was just thinking about it earlier , generally at this time there are no such emptiness . Did something happen ? "

  I ask , to tihe versation . After all , the work itself is b , making the time drag on . So perhaps , the time will pass faster during the versation.

  Receptionist probably thought the same , so instead of fog the versation to vince me to go home receptionist looked at me and tinued .

  Receptionist : " I was not there from beginning to end but I was just in time to see uest came in torn , dirty a clothes . But the worst part is that she seemed to be covered in blood . Or at least that's what it looked like , looking at the stains of tinted red in her hair and clothes . "

  Says the Receptionist with a clear disfort iohat frankly escaped me during the versations because of the shock caused by this information .

  Ebony : " Perhaps she was assaulted ? What happeo her afterwards ? An ambunce was called ? What about the police ? Why haven't I heard anything ? "

  I asked feeling worried because it was obvious from the versation that we were talking about a woman . Who knows what might have happeo her . From the description of the state of her clothes I could only deduce the worst . Vale is not the worst in terms of crime , but to say that it is safe here is incorrect . Some neighborhoods are very dangerous , even more so after nightfall .

  Receptionist : " Calm down , I don't know anything . That girl without asking for help or paying attention to anyone , went straight to the elevator , leaving the mess behind . "

  The receptionist said , stopping the wiping of water from the floor . At that moment I noticed that I myself , unknowingly stopped w . Instead I turowards the receptionist , in whom faervousness and fear were clearly visible . But as before , allowing myself to be carried away by emotion I overlooked her facial expression .

  Ebony : " So why did no oop her if she was in such a state ! Everyone just watched this pirl go to the elevator ? "

  I say with anger , at the ck of response from people to the apparent misfortune of someone else .

  Receptionist : " You don't uand . I said she looked battered and tired , however not injured . At least not injured enough that the amount of " blood " on her clothes , was hers . "

  Hearing the receptionist's words, I fell silent. Looking at the frightened face of the receptionist , I lowered my gaze to look at her mop-holding hands , which were visibly trembling . Just then I was struck by the realization of the meaning of her words .

  Ebony : " Do you mean ....? Is that why the lobby is so empty ? Is that why you are afraid ? "

  I ask with realization why it is so empty here .

  Receptionist : " It's not about her clothes or body , it could just be dirt . A simple discoloration that looks close to red . Atmosphere ...... The atmosphere throughout the lobby ged when she came inside , when I looked at her ...... I thought I was looking at an animal . She was a faunus , but this was not about her race ...... Something about her ..... Gave me the feeling that if I stopped her...... I will die . "

  Says the Receptionist looking at the elevator with , as if the person she just told me about is about to e back here .

  Ebony : " Did you call the police ? "

  I ask feeling uned , If her words are true then this matter could be dangerously serious .

  Receptionist : " I asked the shift leader about it , but he said we 't call the police just fuessing . Because of her rain-soaked and dirty , damaged clothes there was ainty that it was blood We also could not call for help for her , unless she herself asked for it . The only thi was the atmosphere around her , which frightehe uests . "

  Receptionist : " The head of the shift said that as long as she did not hurt anyone , he at most talk to the girl about it in the m . In the end , as long as the girl has not done anything to anyone , and we have no evidence of her guilt , our hands are tied . The only thing he assured me was that , there is a security guard sitting in the monit room all the time , whom he had already informed about everything . If something was to happen , there is also one security guard in the parking lot . "

  Says the receptionist , calming down . Apparently the fact that she is not alone in her shift gives her peaind .

  Ebony : " If I may just ask ? Who was that girl , you say she is uest ? "

  I say , asking her a question which is nagging me . A question or rather a hunch , which troubled me from the moment the receptionist mentiohe atmosphere around the guest and the fact that she is a female faunus . After all , I already have a history with someoting that description .

  Receptionist : " You know those two girls renting a room on the sed floor ? One has bck hair with a bow on top od her head , her eyes are amber old . The irl , her roommate is the very girl I mentioned .... "

  Hearing the description from the mouth of the receptionist , I am reminded of that exceptionally beautiful , strange and scary white-haired wolf girl who was oalking to her refle in the mirror .

  Ebony : " She has a wolf tail and ears , white hair with dark tips and a scar running across her left eye ? "

  I say , giving a detailed description of the characteristic features that ot be ignored .

  Receptionist : " Yes exactly , that's her . "

  The Receptionist says , nodding her head . Hearing her words firmed all my worries . I hate to admit it but there was something wrong with this girl all the time . As much as I don't want to do it , I feel I have to check if they are okay . Or rather to see if the bck-haired girl is safe .

  Ebony : " Sed floor ? We are almost finished here , why don't I go upstairs to start ing there . you finish here ? "

  I ask , looking at the Receptionist , who after my words looked at me strangely .

  Receptionist : "You know what , Go . Just be careful ."

  Says the receptionist apparently uanding what I want to do . As foing there myself , I don't have much opportunity . The receptionist has her work so she must be in the lobby , only I have an excuse to go there . I just hope that my worry is unnecessary .