Stilleulën Daras
The sign hangs on a wooden pillar. An owl painting sits above the name, extending the shape of the sign.
The entire sign is etched with glyphs, connected by thin strands of mana conductors.
Rosa glances below.
The strands are disconnected from the mana stone chambers. Sealed.
No one can mess with it. Not without the key.
She takes a deep breath and brings her glance forward.
The establishment is the biggest she has ever seen in Triveli.
Wooden double doors crafted with vine detailing.
Light glyphs cover the doorframe. Unlit in the daytime. But she can imagine how beautiful it would be at sundown.
She reflexively looks up. As if the building itself is looking down on her.
You don't belong here.
A bob.
Her throat moves before her mind catches it.
She moves forward. Her chest tightens. Just slightly. A pressure with each step.
Her hands stroke the carved wood of the left door.
She takes another deep breath.
She forces herself to push. More pressure to her palm.
Creaaaaak
The door opens just enough for her to squeeze in.
She takes a peek inside, hovering just enough so her right eye can see what lies beyond.
Several men are inside. Some sit in pairs. Another sits at the bar counter, enjoying his drink.
Two hooded men in separate corners.
She immediately reaches for her satchel.
Mana stones. Check.
Glyphs. Check.
Sigil scrolls to mask her presence. Check.
She is prepared. This is not Eisenvalt. Her mana is steady. No seep from void element.
Creaaaaak
She pushes the door further. She can now see the whole hall.
The room stretches wide. Too wide. Too few people.
Beneath her is a red carpet with golden trims and patterns, stretching to the center of the room.
Large wooden tables are evenly arranged on either side of the carpet.
The center has bar counters arranged in a wide circle.
Shelves are organized behind the bartenders.
Not one. Not two. Several.
She walks, following the red carpet. The room feels bigger and wider with each step.
Until it becomes too much.
She stops briefly, taking another deep breath.
She glances left and right. People haven't moved from their positions.
Still safe.
She takes another step. Then another. Closing in on the counter.
She looks at the bald bartender, dressed in a fancy suit.
Crisp white long sleeves and a black vest layered over his back.
"...Excuse me…"
Her voice comes small. Too soft.
The bartender doesn't turn around. His arms constantly moving.
"Excuse me!"
She raises her voice. Too high. Almost like a squeak.
"Hm?"
The bartender turns around, wiping a glass with a clean cloth.
Serious face. Notable wrinkles on his skin, with a thick moustache.
His gaze falls down to her.
His lips curve to a gentle smile, his eyes soften.
Here it comes.
"Oh, hey there!"
His voice is soft. Coddling, almost.
"Are you perhaps lost, little miss?"
Twitch
A familiar tension on her temple. A familiar clench on her jaw.
An old dance. Familiar. Again.
"I am not lost. I'm looking for someone."
His smile doesn't waver.
"Oh. Looking for your parents, perhaps? What do they look like?"
"I am twenty three…"
Silence.
The curve of his smile slightly drops.
"...Excuse me?"
"I am twenty three. I have my guild identification card."
The bartender blinks.
Silence.
Blinks again.
His hand finds the back of his scalp, gaze falling to the counter.
"I— uh, I am sorry, miss. May I see it? Just in case."
She lets out a long exhale. Her hand reaches for her pouch, where she keeps her documents.
She pulls out the paper, lightly hardened from coated resin.
Then hands it to the bartender.
"Rosalina Grace…"
His eyes twitch.
"Grace? As in… the same as Callista Grace? The Royal Wizard?"
Her breath hitches. Her eyes cast down to the counter surface.
"...Yes"
"My apologies, lit— uh, miss. How can I help you?"
He extends his hand, returning the card.
Rosa weakly accepts it and returns it to her pouch.
"I am looking for an ashen-haired woman."
Her eyes still cast down. Her voice softer, defeated.
"I believe she booked a room sometime this week."
The bartender nods.
"Right. In a minute."
He leaves the spot, heading to his lean companion near a large book on top of the counter.
They whisper. Too quiet for Rosa's ears.
"Sharvessaich…"
Rosa's voice flows softly from her lips. Too soft for anyone to hear.
Warmth spreads towards her eyes.
The decorative carvings become clearer.
She can estimate the depth more precisely.
She glances at the way their lips move.
The lean man glances back, then puts his hand up to cover his lips.
Regular bartenders don't do that. Most likely trained.
Callista Grace. Royal Wizard.
The words echo in Rosa's mind.
This place doesn't even offer her the comfort of being unrecognized.
"I don't like taverns after all…"
Regret fills her voice.
News travels fast in taverns.
The youngest Royal Wizard admitted.
Royal Wizard from a commoner's family.
First parallel caster in Rausendaal.
Footsteps in front of her grab her mind back.
The bald bartender returns.
"Maren Lindholz. Second floor. Room number four. You're expected."
You're expected.
The words hang in her ears.
That woman knows she survived.
"Thanks."
Her voice heavy. Tense.
She turns around and heads to the stairs.
Even the carpet stretches to the stairs.
Upstairs. Still carpet. Stretching across the long hallway.
The windows are decorated with double curtains. Transparent and red, complete with gold trim.
She walks past the first door. Numbered.
Number two. Then number three.
She stops in front of the next door.
Number four.
Again. Another long exhale.
She clenches her fist, tensing too much for mere knocks.
Knock knock
"Come in."
The voice is flat. Disinterested.
Rosa grabs the handle. Takes another breath.
The knob clicks as she turns it. Then pushes.
The hinge doesn't creak as much.
Behind the door is the woman. Ashen-haired. Green dress.
Perched comfortably on a glass chair. In front of her, a table. Another glass furniture piece.
The woman sips her cup of tea, legs crossed.
Rosa brings her foot forward. Then another.
She hesitantly looks around the room.
Fabrics. A lot of fabrics.
Red carpet on the entire floor.
Square red fabric on the table, the window, the entire wall, even the bed and the empty makeup station.
Nothing is undecorated.
She finally reaches the table.
"Sit down."
Rosa glances at the table once more.
There's only one chair. The one the woman is using.
The woman gestures towards the corner.
Rosa follows the direction.
Bed. Empty makeup station. Then the corner of the room.
An awkward empty space with a single glass chair.
Looking down at the same corner, she notices the same darker red pattern.
The same pattern as under the table the woman currently uses.
A clench. Pressure builds in her jaw.
Her gaze sharpens. Not from magic.
"I am fine."
She replies. Flat. Low voice.
"Suit yourself."
The woman replies with unchanging dismissal.
She does not look Rosa in the eyes.
Instead, she pours herself another cup of tea.
Filling it to almost the brim.
Rosa notices the shift in her face.
The woman's expression shifts as she looks at her own tea.
Flatter. Even more disengaged.
Then she glances at Rosa. Still at her eye level, even while sitting.
She gently gestures the cup towards her.
"Here."
And places the cup down on her side of the table.
She does not slide it over.
"I said I am fine."
It comes out firmer than Rosa intended.
"Suffice to say, I am impressed. You survived."
The woman places both hands on her knees.
Despite what she says, her words lack any enthusiasm.
"I believe you have the list? I want the names of ores and minerals residing in Eisenvalt."
Rosa's fist clenches as something boils up from her core.
Rage.
She takes another long inhale. Then an even longer exhale.
She suppresses the throbbing vein on her temple.
And instead, curves her lips into a smile.
Warm, yet it never quite reaches her eyes.
She grabs a paper from her pouch, covered in messy, reckless handwriting.
She holds it like a mother about to hand lunch to her daughter.
"I got them all here! A complete list, poured in blood and sweat~"
She sings with a sweet, honeyed voice.
That tastes like ash in her mouth.
A gentle clink on the table. Metal against glass.
She saw how much it was two weeks ago.
Yet she can't help but be surprised for the second time.
Possibly three months of installments with extra in that bag.
"This is for the survey. How about the void element?"
Rosa's smile doesn't flicker.
"One at a time, shall we? My, how eager~"
She flicks the note in the air. Not towards the woman. Not bringing it any closer.
"I have several questions, of which I am dying to know some of the answers. I want to make sure I understand before I hand it over."
The woman taps the bag of coins with her finger.
"Proceed."
Rosa's smile blooms further. Still doesn't reach her eyes.
"I wasn't the first, was I? Nor was I the only one. No, of course not. I can imagine how you'd require several perspectives."
She softly waves the paper in front of her.
"I mentioned a body count waiting to happen at our first meeting, didn't I?"
She chuckles. Forced.
"Turns out it is, in fact, a body count after all. Above zero, even. Accumulated over several months, perhaps? I am honored to receive such a generous invitation to join the count."
Liesel.
She will never forget the name.
She squints towards the woman, soulless smile still in place.
I will never forgive you.
"Several months of traveler spikes to Eisenvalt… those aren't random. Should I feel even more honored to be part of such a large operation?"
The woman doesn't answer.
Neither of them breaks the silence.
The woman's finger doesn't stop tapping the gold bag.
"Your curiosity has been noted."
The woman breaks the silence first, closing her eyes as she leans back.
"I am informed of your eagerness to snoop around. About me, specifically."
Rosa brings the paper to her lips.
"My~ News sure travels fast, doesn't it?"
A soft yet sharp exhale escapes from her nose.
"Maren Lindholz. Lovely name. Well-known, common surname. Got me curious what's underneath it."
"What is your—"
"You slipped up."
Rosa sings in a higher pitch, cutting her off.
The woman's eyes widen. Her gaze drifts in Rosa's direction.
"Must have quite a network. Knowing I survived, that I was coming here, that I was snooping around about you. Not to mention how fast."
Rosa looks around the room.
"Fancy establishment. Heavily decorated. All for presentation. Comfortable enough place to discuss a potential assassination plan, I'd say. Expensive, no less."
Same cadence, same sugary voice, same venom.
"Private business? Wealthy merchant? Probably, but we're talking about building a mage-killing weapon. If word got out, their business would be in jeopardy. Not worth the risk. That leaves us with a state-level operation."
The ashen-haired woman keeps her silence.
Then Rosa feels it. Her gaze. Direct eye contact, like she finally matters.
The smile touches her eyes.
SHIVER
Her body jolts out of nowhere. The room temperature drops.
Electric shivers run through her entire body from the spine.
The smile is gone now, replaced by caution.
The woman raises her hand. Palm forward.
"Apologies. Continue."
Then it's gone. Fear. Now Rosa can name what it was.
Rosa turns around. The door.
Glances down. The carpet.
Glances up. Stark white ceiling, decorated with fabric.
Left and right. Nothing.
She returns to face the ashen-haired woman.
She takes another deep breath. The chill begins to disperse, as if carried out by the long exhale.
"Runic weapons."
Rosa continues.
"Void element is nasty. It drains your mana in a constant, persistent, and relentless manner. Yet runic weapons don't seem to be affected."
"And you know that from?"
"Experience."
Another silence. Stretches into seconds.
The woman sighs.
"You've gotten soft…"
Her voice is quiet, tired. Rosa can barely hear it.
Rosa's face turns serious. Her voice loses the performance.
"Runic weapons aren't affected. State-level operation. Question is, which state?"
Another long breath. The shaking eases up. And stops.
"Which state would benefit the most? Elven-aligned? No— runes threaten their monopoly, void elements threaten their mages. They banned both for good reason~"
Her syrupy performance returns.
"So dwarven it is~ I don't need to name which neighboring dwarven-aligned state probably has the most grudge against Rausendaal~"
Rosa tilts her head with a lukewarm smile.
"Did I hit the nail?"
"Hmhmhm…"
A soft chuckle. The woman places her curled fingers against her lips.
"Heheheheh…."
Louder. Then stops.
"You amuse me, Rosalina Grace. The sharpness. Is it from your sister?"
"She has nothing to do with our discussion."
The reply comes firm, quick, and sharp. Lacking the warmth that came before.
"Still… Let's say you know it's the state you thought it was. What does that change?"
The woman shifts forward. Props her chin against her arm resting on the table.
"Your shop is still failing."
Rosa's eye twitches.
"The debt is still choking you."
Rosa's teeth grit.
"And you're still nowhere closer to being a Royal Wizard."
Rosa's breath hitches.
"You need this money."
The woman smiles. The same kind of smile Rosa just used. Pure venom underneath.
Rosa unclenches her jaw and takes yet another deep breath. The longest one so far.
Rosa's smile returns.
"You're right~ Let's get this over with."
Rosa walks closer to the table and presents the note with both hands.
"Wise choice."
The woman reaches out, hovering her hand above the table.
"Gleute."
A spark trickles from Rosa's hand, raining down on the paper.
Spark becomes ember.
Ember becomes flame.
The flame engulfs the note and the handwriting she remembers fondly.
The ashes crumble to the table beneath.
The woman's hand freezes. Hanging in the air, near the spot where the note was.
Rosa doesn't miss the subtle movement of her eyelids.
Then her hand reaches for the tea.
The same tea she was apparently bored with.
The same tea she offered.
The same tea Rosa rejected.
Rosa's lips twitch, curving even more upward.
"I believe our business is now concluded~"
Her voice reaches a higher octave.
She turns around and walks away.
"A moment."
Rosa's step freezes.
"Just a warning… we don't tend to keep loose ends."
More shivers. Softer this time.
She shifts her legs. Rebalances herself, and turns around.
Meeting the woman's eyes properly. Raw.
Performance discarded. Sharp eyes to sharp eyes.
Her hands are shaking. Cold sweat drips.
Then Lilia's face pops into her mind, wearing the same annoyingly warm smile.
She doesn't know how. But she knows she will manage.
She has Lilia. She has Helgen. She has the others as well.
I'll be okay.
Her lips curve once again.
Except this time, she can feel the confidence in it.
She will be fine. Everything will.
"Then let them come! I will be ready."
Rosa turns her back. Walks out. And slams the door shut.