Ning looked at the piece of paper in front of him. On it was written the prices of food and drinks, as well as the price of calling additional girls to the room if they wished for it.

The girl to his side continued playing the stringed instrument, feeling the room with a vibe that Ning hadn’t felt in a very long time.

“I don’t believe I have seen you here before, sir. Is this your first time?” the girl asked.

“First, and most likely last,” Ning said.

“Oh, that’s not fun,” the girl said with a worried tone to her voice. “Is something troubling you?”

Ning sighed. “Okay, listen. I’m not here for any of this. I know what you’re trying to do and I can tell you there’s no need for it,” he said. “I came here looking for information that I’ve been told I can get here. Can you help me?”

The girl’s rhythm fell off for a second before she got back into it with the next set of plucks of her instrument. “This is an entertainment house, sir. I am here to entertain you. Would you like for me to dance for you? If you’re hungry you can order some food too.”

Ning looked at the girl for a moment and thought of something for a few seconds. “Can the people outside this room hear us?” he asked.

“No, every sound is cut off from the outside. No one can hear us at all,” the girl said.

“Then how do you call for them? Is there any mechanism in the barrier around us that can help you notify others?” he asked.

“No, we simply have people around the building keeping an eye on our Essence. If we need to call for someone, we simply have to use it,” the girl said.

“And you are certain that aside from the aura, they can’t see anything else? They can’t hear anything else?” he asked.

“I’m certain,” the girl said.

“Prove it,” Ning ordered.

The girl hesitated a bit. “How would you like me to prove it, sir?” she asked.

Ning thought for a moment and asked, “The girl outside, Jenna… she must be your superior, right? Tell me something bad about her.”

“I’m sorry? I can’t say something like that,” the girl said.

“Fine, if you won’t say anything then I will leave,” Ning said and stood up to leave.

“Sir wait!” the girl stopped playing the instrument. “Please, you don’t have to leave just like that. Aren’t you here to get some entertainment?”

“No, I’m here to get some information, which you either don’t have or don’t want to give me,” Ning said.

“Are you… really not here for anything else?” she asked. She couldn’t believe someone was coming here to get some information. They definitely had information, but was it really something that could help him?

“No, just the information,” Ning said.

The girl hesitated for a bit and spoke, “Alright, I can do that, but you will have to buy something expensive. Since I’m giving away information, I might as well make you pay for it.”

“I’m fine with that, but can I trust that you will have the information, or that you even have it in the first place?” Ning asked.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for, so I can’t tell you whether I have the information or not, but I will definitely give it to you if I have,” she said.

“Okay, and I don’t want anyone else hearing this. Is no one outside listening to us?” he asked.

“No, there isn’t,” the girl sighed.

“Prove it,” Ning said.

“I hate Jenna for always bringing me the guests with less status and sending the guests with higher status to the room over. Is that badmouthing enough proof?” she asked.

Ning smiled and went back to sit beside her. He looked at the menu and ordered an expensive set of snacks and drinks.

He felt the girl flare her essence and very quickly a person walked in to take the order.

“Can you start now?” he asked.

The girl took her instrument and started playing it. “What do you want to know about?” she asked.

“Who is the one in control of the Whiteowl region?” he asked.

The girl’s eyes narrowed for a second. “Anyone can tell you that. It’s the Foreman family,” she said.

“But they are not officially recognized, are they?” Ning asked. “Why is that so? Why have they not officially moved on to become the ruler of this region?”

“They can’t,” the girl said. “The Ilia family and the Goren family are becoming a hindrance to them.”

“The Ilia and Goren family? Are they big families?” Ning asked.

“Not very,” the girl said. “They are nothing compared to the Foreman, but they hold just enough power to make a say in things if they stick together.”

“The two families must have realized that they would be in trouble if the Foreman officially took the rein huh?” Ning asked.

“It’s not that,” the girl said. “It’s more so that they don’t want Foreman to win because they believe that the Foreman manipulated events to get here today.”

“Manipulated events?” Ning frowned for a moment before his eyes narrowed. “You mean… the Grazer family? Did the Foreman cause the fire that killed all of the Grazers?”

“No one knows and it is all speculation at the moment,” the girl said. “However, the other two families are using this coincidence as a way to not let Foreman become the ruler of this region.”

“From what I’ve heard from my rambling clients, there is an agreement going on between the Foreman and the other two families,” the girl said. “They are to wait 30 years before taking the throne just in case someone from the Grazer family had survived and wanted to take it all back.”

Ning frowned. “Is that it? Is that why they haven’t taken the throne? Because of an agreement?” he asked.

𝑜𝒱𝐞𝐋xt.𝑐𝗈𝑚

“That’s about it,” the girl said. “But from what I’ve heard, the situation might play out differently from anyone imagined.”

“What makes you say that?” Ning asked.

“That’s because—”

Just before the girl could answer, the door opened and another girl came in with the food.

Ning did his best to fake a smile but the burning curiosity in his heart was making it quite difficult to do so.

‘Because what?’ he wondered.

He watched the other girl place down the food and drinks and walk away. As soon as she closed the door, he turned around to the girl for his answer.

“Because of what?” he asked urgently.

“Because… there is a rumor going around that someone from the Grazer family actually managed to survive the fire, a son,” she said.

“A son?” Ning asked.

“Mhm! They say he’s been hiding in the north all this time. With just about 4 years left before the deadline of the agreement, the Foreman must be trying their best to get rid of him. That’s what the people from the other two families believe at least,” she said.

‘A male being hunted in the north?’ Ning couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There was a person in his mind that perfectly fit the description.

“Clara!”