An hour later, a simple black sedan, unassuming and practical, picked Mateo up from the hotel.
The driver was a quiet man who simply nodded and held the door open, a stark contrast to the flashy, branded vehicles he had become accustomed to in Barcelona.
As they drove through Dortmund's evening streets, Mateo found himself studying the city through the window: the warm glow of streetlights reflecting off wet pavement, the comfortable mix of old and new architecture, the sense of a place that had grown organically rather than being designed for show.
The destination wasn't one of Dortmund's Michelin-starred establishments or a trendy, exclusive club. Instead, they pulled up to a cozy, family-run Italian restaurant tucked away on a quiet side street, its windows glowing with a warm, inviting light.
