“Oh, it’s just you. Ruri.” Eullina jumped as she sensed someone at the door of the woman’s bathing quarters. The Tiger Wing was mostly empty, and only 3 people dwelled on the third floor.

“Sorry, am I disturbing you?” Rureya pulled the sliding door halfway and peered through. “I can wait until you’re done-”

“No, no, please. Join me.” Eullina shook her head. “I was just afraid another ‘accident’ would happen.” At Eullina’s insisting gestures and continuous prompts, Rureya slipped into the steaming water.

“Have you settled in yet?” Eullina eyed the slave’s brand on Rureya’s shoulder.

“I’m not used to having so much free time.” Ruri shook her head. “I don’t even know what to do with it. A few days ago, I would have beem waiting on Master Rowan.”

“It’s no longer ‘Master Rowan’ Ruri.” Eullina snorted. “Just ‘Rowan the Coward’.”

“...I don’t think he was an idiot. He was always teaching me things, despite the fact that I was just a slave.” Rureya said defensively.

“What if he just wanted to show that he was better than you? That sounds a lot like the Rowan we see in public.” Eullina scoffed.

“...Mas- Rowan isn’t like that!” Rureya shouted, ripples running along the water. Embarrassed at herself, she quieted down before explaining. “He is indeed prideful and very bad at communicating with others, but he is earnest towards his goals.”

“Hmph. I just see him as an idiot..” Eullina grumbled. “Do you even know why he sent you here?”

“...Whatever the reason, I trust that Rowan did it for my own good.”

“You have absolute faith in him don’t you?” Eullina could see the conviction in Rureya’s steel gaze. “He has you brainwashed, I tell you.”

“We grew up together. He’s not that type of person that uses underhanded methods unless it is a last resort. I am- was just a simple slave, but he showed me great kindness.”

“Tsk.” Eullina grumbled as she stood up to leave. “The two of you are just cowards.”

“What do you-”

“Good night, Rureya. Don’t soak too long.” Eullina smiled bitterly as she made her exit.

“Is this really the place Orshan told me about?” Airen peered into the dark store. There was nary any light illuminating the inside, but it was neither dusty nor damp inside. Airen had asked Orshan if there was a place where he could acquire… uncommon goods.

“Um hello?” Airen ventured inside, his footsteps on the cold hard stone echoing disturbing the eerie quiet. “Is anyone in? Orshan said I could find adventuring gear here...” His words were answered by silence. Airen decided that there was no point staying if nobody was there.

“...You? An adventurer?” A voice called out from Airen, and he felt a cold hand on his back. He quickly turned back to see an old crone running her hands along his arm.

“Boy, if I was a specter or revenant, you would be as good as dead.” The crone shook her head.

“I believe you’re scarier than any specter or revenant, wise woman.” Airen ventured, guessing that the crone in front of him must be a talented mage of sorts. He had not sense any bit of the woman’s presence at all, and there was no sound as she approached.

“Hmph. Flattery is a skill that can be appreciated.” The crone let go of Airen’s arm. “Your muscles are still developing, but your reflexes are good. You seem to have an abundance of experience despite your looks. What do you need?”

“Some rope made with a spider magical beast’s silk, ten branches from the Winf Tree.” Airen replied. “And some caltrops and pouch of Petrified Embers if you have them.”

“Exploring a dungeon I see...” The crone turned around and wandered around the shelves, Airen quickly following after him. “But caltrops…that’s something not everyone comes in here to buy. Those sort of items are not… looked kindly upon here in the Red Slate Republic.” She reached behind what appeared to be a giant wooden mask and pulled out a length of white rope.

“Here is the silk rope you ask for, this one was made from a Stoneback Spider’s Sac.” She turned and shoved the light but strong bundle of rope into Airen’s hands, before wandering away again. Despite her height and size, Airen had to struggle to keep up with her.

“Ten sticks of the Winf Tree, a strange type of wood that burns ever so slowly, making great torches and campfires. It’s used to be a very popular item back in the day, but now people just use lanterns, but you can’t use a lantern to cook monster meat.” The crone cackled, a sharp hacking laugh that put Airen’s hairs on edge. She pushed the large sticks into Airen’s hand and walked off again.

“Caltrops… what type would you like boy?”

“Um, there are several types?” Airen asked.

“Of course there are.” The woman snorted. “There are ones that are simple metal spikes, and then there are ones which are glass marbles that explode with magic when stepped on, and then there are ones that stick onto the surface that touches them. Did you really come here knowing so little?”

“Um… I was thinking simple caltrops.” Airen replied. “...I thought it would be wise to scatter a few as a precaution.”

“Ah. With your physique I had thought- no. Never mind. Here you are, a bag of eight-spike caltrops.” Without turning around, the crone reached to her waist and tossed a small bag at Airen. “These are the ones I prefer to use, and they’re relatively easy to craft out of pieces of old unused metal.”

“As for the petrified embers...” The crone seemed to vanish into the darkness of the store. “I’m afraid they are a bit above your price range. I can recommend a reliable flint rock taken from the core of a Berum Golem.”

“How did you know-”

“There’s twenty gold coins in your pockets boy. If you were to forego the rope and go with normal woven rope, then you can have the embers. But the rope is more important no?”

“The rope is more important.” Airen nodded, still disturbed at the fact that the woman knew what was in his pockets. “How much is-”

“No need, I already have your payment.” The crone tossed a bag- Airen realized it was his gold pouch, towards him, devoid of coin. “Since you’re a first time customer I’ll throw in a little extra.”

She turned to Airen, and vanished entirely. Airen glanced around, and at the very last moment, felt something being slipped into his pockets. He turned but was too slow to catch the crone’s arm leaving.

“Good reflexes, but not trained enough.” The crone nodded as Airen pulled out four star-shaped pieces of metal. “Those are called Wakki Stars, or at least what the people here call them.”

Airen recalled the shape of these dangerous metal stars. How can he not when he once fought a man in the Archive that defeated him with these?

“The blades that fly from the hands...”Airen murmured quietly.

“Oh? I had not expected someone not from the Dew Plains to know about the Hidden Weapon Arts. You’re an interesting one as I thought boy.”

“Wait- what?”

“The way you talk. The way you walk. If you look, there are signs.” The crone paused. “You’d best get going now. If you survive your first adventure, I may be willing to buy or trade for some of your spoils. You can have anything, for a price.”

With that, the old crone disappeared in the darkness, leaving Airen clutching a bunch of items and an empty coin pouch.

“Councilman Levint. You seem rather perturbed today. Has your daughter been giving you problems again?” A similarly dressed man chatted casually with Levint as six people sat around a large round circle, half of them empty.

“I wish that was the case Boshan.” .

A woman with a fan chuckled. “I heard that someone got outbid today at the auction.”

“I was.” Levint nodded without denying it. “I would not be so annoyed if I didn't even know who I had lost to.”

“Surely it was one of the great families, or a servant of one of the other councilman.” Another voice joined theirs.

“If that was only the case.” Levint’s hands curled into a fist. “Normally I would expect someone to be gloating about their ‘victory’ but nobody has said anything. When I asked nicely, the Irona family had said that they need to maintain customer confidentiality.”

“Perhaps a new player has entered our midst? Someone from the other countries?”

“...I doubt anyone can throw out nearly two thousand gold coins as if it was nothing. We would have received word if someone of such status came from across the borders.”

“Well, what about our other- ‘benefactor’?”

“He has never expressed any interest in the Red Slate Republic’s tidings, except for the slaves.”

“Speaking of which, I heard that your business has been… quite profitable lately.”

“Haven’t we all been quite profitable? If I recall, each of us have been receiving a portion of the goods coming out of that mine...”

“That is true. Although it irks me that Dumeis is receiving a larger portion.”

“Hmph. That is to be expected. Despite the fact that he isn’t even here, he is the Red Slate Republic’s strongest public asset, along with the other three. ”

“You don’t count yourself among them then?”

“Why should I? I don’t even have any interest in petty squabbles and games. As soon as I fulfill my end of the bargain I will be leaving the council.”

“...For your sake, I hope you will reconsider that.”

“Is that a threat?”

“I never said it was.”

“Watch your tongue carefully, spymaster” The voice was dripping with spite. “I don’t know what sort of plot you are hatching behind my back, but know that it will come to light eventually.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Now, now. Can we stop bickering about the most foolish things?” One of the woman sighed.

“What else are supposed to do when half of us are missing?”

“I don’t know. Have lunch maybe? I’m quite hungry.”

“...If we’re not having a meeting, then I am leaving.” One of the figures at the table stood and walked away.

“Ah, there he goes.”

“I suppose I will leave as well, these chairs are uncomfortable.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“...And so there was three. What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Please do not talk to me.”

“I thought we were friends!”

“You don’t seem to quite understand what I mean when I said I hate your guts.”

“Quintel?”

“It’s the middle of the night… I expect there is a good reason for this.”

“There’s a group at the gates, and they said they are from the Irona family. The young lady of the family is also there.”

“...What does the proprietors of the Irona Auction House doing here? Did another student cause trouble again?” Quentil sighed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

“I don’t know, she said she had some business with an ‘Airen’ from the Tiger Wing.”

“Airen? Why?” Quentil was wide awake now and he quickly moved to get dressed.

“Shall I turn her away?”

“No… that will be suspicious. Send for Orshan and Leifaur to escort her to their quarters. I will contact the Auction House and check if this is an official visit.”

“As you say, Headmaster.”

“...Cordelia was it? How did someone like Airen attract the attention of someone like her? Or… was it the other way around?” Quentil murmured to himself.