Chapter 53
After finishing my conversation with the Duchess, I headed to the bustling district with Derek and Bell.
The family crest attached to the carriage was covered with fabric again. It was better to hide my identity if I wanted to properly investigate the Information Guild.
“By the way, what information are you planning to request from the guild?” Derek asked, shrugging his shoulders.
“For now, I need to ask about the patterns left by counterfeiters. I also want to gather information about Ashil Myura.”
“Ashil Myura, you mean the Duke of Ashil Myura from the Ram Empire?”
“Yes, he’s someone who is destined to become an emperor someday, so I should at least know what kind of person he is. If he ever has any ulterior motives and decides to attack the kingdom, the first place to be destroyed would be the Grand Duchy.”
Since my last conversation about Duke Acanthus, I couldn’t shake off my thoughts about him. Especially the fact that he could speak Castorian kept bothering me.
The Ram language and Castorian have similar grammar and vocabulary, so learning it isn’t too difficult. However, if he took the time to learn a foreign language, there must be some reason behind it.
For example, he might have some ulterior motives regarding the Kingdom of Castoria.
“Then, do you have any idea which Information Guild is reliable? I’ve heard there’s a significant variance in capabilities among the guilds.”
I smiled slightly.
“I’m planning to find that out starting now. Which guild has good capabilities?”
“How?”
“There’s a simple and quick way.”
“What is it?”
I curled my finger and pointed to myself.
Derek looked completely puzzled and turned to Bell, who merely tilted her head in confusion.
“Ah, now that I think about it, wearing a wig would be better. Let’s go buy a wig first. And Derek, you need to change into more ordinary clothes. Your current outfit is too eye-catching.”
Both of them looked at me suspiciously, as if wondering what I was planning to do this time.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
In the first Information Guild we entered, I requested an audience with the Master. The guild members sneered at me, noticing my extravagant dress.
“This isn’t a place for women. And you want to meet the Master? Do you think our Master has that much free time?”
I immediately gestured to Derek. He opened his coin purse and showed them what was inside.
Upon seeing the purse filled with gold coins, the men’s eyes widened in surprise.
“As you can see, I have a lot of money. I’d prefer to spend it in this guild, but if you refuse, I have no choice but to take this money to another guild.”
I spoke in a calm voice.
“I’ll ask again. Can I meet your master right now?”
“W-wait a moment!”
They quickly led us to a room. It wasn’t long before a middle-aged man appeared.
He sat down at the table across from me. Observing me with sharp eyes, he finally spoke.
“So, what information do you want?”
“I need to find out about someone.”
“Who?”
“The Young Lady of Iskas.”
Derek and Bell, who were standing next to me, looked at me with wide eyes simultaneously. I kicked their foot lightly, and only then did they turn their attention back to the front.
“I’ll give you a day. Bring me all the information you can find about Lady Iskas.”
The man stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Are you talking about the next Grand Duke of the North? Why are you looking for information about that woman?”
“The reason is obvious. Since the lady has come to the capital, I want to approach her and build connections.”
As soon as the debutante ball ended, the nobles rushed to send me invitations. This was proof that the nobles here had a significant interest in me. So, there was no reason to doubt why I was asking the Information Guild about Lady Iskas.
As if to confirm my thoughts, the man nodded.
“I’ve received similar inquiries. However, Lady Iskas just made her first appearance at the debutante ball yesterday, so there’s almost no information available. I’ve heard she’s staying at the Duke’s residence, which isn’t easy to access. A magician’s house isn’t something you can just barge into. A day is not enough time. If you give me three days, I’ll provide you with reliable information.”
“I can only give you one day.”
I took out three gold coins and handed them to him.
“If the information you bring is satisfactory, I will pay you double tomorrow. Also, I’d like to continue doing business with you in the future.”
The man smiled as he took the coins.
“The young lady’s determination is impressive. Very well. I will find information that will surely satisfy you by tomorrow.”
After the conversation ended, we stepped outside. As the guild building grew distant, Derek looked at me with a truly exasperated expression.
“What’s with that face?”
“Did you plan this from the beginning? Is that why you made me wear that crow-like wig and change my clothes?”
I shot a glare at the insolent guy who called my carefully chosen wig crow-like.
“This way, I can determine how useful the information those guys bring is, right?”
“They don’t even realize the lady of Iskas is right in front of them and will be poking around in the wrong places. Goodness, it’s not like you’re training a stray dog; it’s pitiful!”
“Anyway, I’m going to make a contract with the place that brings the best quality information. I’ll cut off any place that spouts nonsense just to get extra money.”
Upon hearing that, Bell shook her head vigorously.
“I hate to say this, but sometimes I find Ar unnervingly creepy.”
“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
We then visited four more places.
Each of them initially tried to dismiss us, claiming they had nothing to discuss with a woman, but the moment they saw the coin purse, their attitudes changed instantly. They seemed ready to resurrect even a dead master.
“This time, it’s here.”
I swung open the door to the sixth information guild. As soon as I entered, I immediately noticed that the atmosphere was different from the places we had visited before.
The guilds we had visited were all dark and filthy. I would bet my entire coin purse that it had been at least ten years since the last cleaning.
In contrast, this place was remarkably pleasant at first glance. The furniture, though somewhat worn, was far from cheap.
Most strikingly, the paintings hanging on the walls caught my eye immediately. One painting, in particular, stood out prominently.
It depicted a shepherd in shabby clothes leaning against a wooden post, asleep. His face was filled with exhaustion and fatigue, reflecting a hard day’s work.
Unlike other paintings that emphasized the joy and leisure of rest, there was none of that here. The rough brushstrokes and the contrasting use of light and shadow were distinctly different from typical artworks.
“Did we come to the wrong place? The atmosphere is so different from the others we’ve been to.”
Bell looked around, puzzled.
To my eyes, this place resembled an ordinary office more than an information guild. Everything was neatly organized.
At that moment, the innermost door opened.
A slender young man emerged from the door. He widened his eyes slightly upon seeing me, then asked in a calm voice.
“How may I help you?”
“I would like to meet the master here.”
“Do you have an appointment with the master?”
“Not at the moment.”
“In that case, how about making an appointment for today and returning later? This place operates on an appointment-only basis.”
While other guilds were busy trying to chase me away, claiming this was no place for a woman, this man’s attitude was completely different. He was professional yet kind, without any prejudice.
Now that I thought about it, he had quite a handsome face. Was the theory of the Duchess that good looks accompany a good spirit truly a fact?
At that moment, Derek opened the coin purse and showed it to the man, just as he had done in other places. I pointed to the gold coins inside and said, “I would like to do that, but unfortunately, I don’t have the time. I need to visit all the information guilds in this area today. If I can’t meet the master, I’ll have no choice but to take this money to another guild.”
The man, who had been silently gazing at the gold coins, curled the corners of his lips into a smile.
“Indeed, seeing this would sway most people. Having a lady with this level of wealth as a client would bring great benefit to the guild.”
He then raised his head to look at me.
The moment I met the piercing red eyes of the man, I realized I had completely misjudged my opponent.
He was not just a simple employee. No one working under someone else would possess such a predatory gaze.
In the man’s eyes, I found no sign of agitation. There was no greed to capture this easy target and make a fortune. His red eyes, resembling jewels, were cold and steady like a flame.
“But is the only thing you have to boast about to me simply money? I believe you possess something far more valuable than that.”
“What do you mean by something more valuable?”
“For example, perhaps the infamous Black Dragon Knights from the North, who are feared even by the Imperial Army?”
