My Laughing Coffin [SAO fan-fiction]

Chapter 16: Shorebrook Estate

While Esther napped for the three hours it took to reach Shorebrook, I took the liberty of reading the details of our body guard quest put out by Mr.De'Suess. It was a pretty standard questline with a couple stipulations revolving around our hours of operation. Firstly, and perhaps most surprisingly, we weren't going to be the only bodyguards there, a few other duos of hired muscle would accompany Mr.De'Suess every few hours to maintain the alertness of whatever guards shift it was. While we weren't on the clock, we were required to stay within Shorebrook but were otherwise free to enjoy ourselves at the event.

"All bodyguards MUST be sober four hours prior to their shift." I read aloud. What kind of idiot would apply for a combat quest and get drunk on the job?

"That's bullshit." Esther yawned. Well I guess I got my answer.

"You a drinker?" I asked, closing the quest tab and exiting my menu.

"I'm a drink connoisseur. Wine mostly."

"Sounds like you'll fit right in with these elite types." I observed.

"In the real world, I used to sell wine to the elite types, I can hold my own in a conversation at the least." She shrugged.

It had suddenly dawned on me that this was the first conversation about the real world I'd had with anyone aside from Nomad, talking about SAO had become my norm-- it was sort of odd trying to show interest in the other life I forgot we'd had before this game.

"You are just an enigma of storytelling, aren't you." I said in disbelief.

"You're just jealous that I'm more interesting than you." She teased a laugh from me.

The carriage lurched to a halt, and the NPC driving opened the door for us. I stepped out and flexed my back before turning to face Esther. She helped herself from the carriage and looked around, with a look of confusion that nearly matched mine.

I wasn't certain where we'd been dropped off at, but as the bodyguards of De'Suess I'd assumed we'd arrive before the party began-- but the event was already in full swing! Men and women twirled to the sound of a mad violinist, night had fallen and the blue sky was illuminated by lanterns of fire, the high society of Shorebrook bounced wildly across the lawn while inside they chatted of politics and arranged marriages.

I'd come to the confusing conclusion that Mr.De'Suess may be an NPC and not a player, and as Esther latched herself to my arm from the sudden appearance of so many people-- I could tell she was just as off-put by the situation as I was.

"What the hell did we get ourselves into." She hissed through her teeth. "These are all players!! Who the hell has this kind of money?"

My eyes darted back and forth as the carriage pulled off. I hated this, this was not my crowd, I missed Nomad, I missed Lavender. This place was worse than the dungeons I'd crawled through, and as we stepped into the crowd to be swept up by the dancers, I'd felt as though I'd stepped into a pit of snakes.

Esther held a gorilla grip on my forearm as we traversed the minefield of SAO nobles. Which I hadn't even realized was a thing-- we are trapped in a death game yet somehow there was a higher class of players that weren't on the spearhead of the Assault Team. If I wasn't currently beating noblemen off of Esther, I'd say the scenario was unbelievable.

My 'date' was beyond glowing tonight, which forced me to drag her past nearly every male player that caught a glimpse of her. Masters of large guilds both combative and trade related, owners of large in-game companies, ambassadors of alliances and makeshift governments from the lower floors of Aincrad-- there wasn't a person here that wasn't high on their own piss, suddenly the prospect of meeting De'Suess turned my stomach. If his guests were this pompous, what would the organizer of the event be like?

My mind throbbed from the thought of this place. Fortunately, Esther took over as our navigator and guided us to the house where we'd successfully cleared the sea of dancers.

"I want to leave." I stated flatly, expecting a unanimous agreement.

"I'm all for dressing up, I look hot as fuck-- but so help me if you leave me here-"

"Mr.Grimm and Ms.Esther I presume?" Called a voice, summoning a headache that could've only been the result of bad karma.

Esther perked up and smiled as she forced me to face Mr.De'Suess. In both stature and shape, this man was an egg. He sported a thin black handlebar mustache and his golden hair slicked back from grease that might as well have been glue.

De'Suess wore a toothy grin of yellow teeth like a medal. "Outstanding that you've made it on time! I was just coming to greet you but you've sought me out on your own! I'd expect nothing less of the Orion Arm Company!" He praised, guiding us deeper into the stomach of his estate.

"This is a lovely party Mr.De'Suess, we're envious of the players invited here as guests to this event."

"Regrettably, I'm in need of bodyguards more than beautiful guests Ms.Esther-- but should you make yourselves useful I'll see to it you're invited next year!" He egg laughed, waddling up the staircase to show us to our rooms. "Mr.Grimm, according to the details your guild master sent me-- you're quite a few levels higher than the ordinary mercenaries of the Company, even a few more than Ms.Esther here, I must say it's quite reassuring to have you around."

"You're too kind Mr.De'Suess, I assure you your life is in good hands." I said, apparently not as smoothly as I thought.

"I'm quite certain you're right! I do believe I've heard of you prior to your association with the Orion Arm Company-- what was the name of that guild again.." He ran off, seemingly unsure of my connection to the Sapphire Crusade.

I felt slightly proud of the recognition, but my pride was cut down by the sudden shock of pain shooting up my arm from where my companion held onto me. Esther's pinch earned her a quiet grunt and my full attention. I looked down at her with a scowl of annoyance across my face, but her eyes... her eyes were wide with fear staring at the back of De'Suess' head. I attempted to catch a glimpse of what she'd been staring at before our host came to an abrupt stop.

"Ms.Esther, this is your room here." He turned, opening the door to a massive room.

Decorated in a Victorian aesthetic, the elegant room showcased a massive queen-sized bed encased in curtains with red sheets and an assortment of pillows. A sofa hugged the wall with a glass coffee table placed in front of it and a bookshelf directly to its right. Sharing the wall with the bookshelf, another door hung open revealing a full bathroom fitted with a walk-in shower.

"Mr.Grimm, if you'd leave the lady and follow me to your room I'd--"

"No, I would prefer it if we shared a room. We are a couple after all." Esther spoke up, interrupting De'Suess, and throwing me the curveball of the century.

De'Suess laughed it off and put up no fight to separate us, even going so far to apologize for his flirtatious compliment from before. De'Suess stepped into the room and gave a brief tour, which of course was unneeded considering we could see the entirety of the room. But a man that like the sound of their own voice provided ample time for me to observe the source of Esther's sudden shift in attitude.

A tattoo on the back of De'Suess' neck, barely noticeable, nearly hidden from the collar of suit and the length of his golden hair. But there was no mistaking it's shape, no mistaking its meaning.

De'Suess spun on his heels at the entrance of the room and bid us a farewell that couldn't have came any faster.

"Welcome to the Shorebrook Estate, i hope you enjoy your stay Mr.Grimm,  Ms.Esther." De'Suess smiled and closed the door of our suite behind him.

"Grimm.." Esther whispered.

"I know.. I saw it.." I muttered, my voice rattling with anxiety.

The tattoo of the neck of De'Suess, was the a black tattoo of a coffin with the face of a jester and the boney arm of death creeping from the casket.

Laughing Coffin.

We'd truly traveled into a den of vipers.

[Author's Note: BING BONG, plot twist and cliff hanger all in one haha. Please leave questions, remarks, and any grammar mistakes you find in the comments! Thanks for the read, hope you're enjoying the story as much as I am!]