Zenia woke up feeling refreshed. She already planned everything before she went to bed. She changed into her male outfit and made her brows bushy. She also put on the fake mustache and wore a hat.
She looked at herself in the mirror and was satisfied. She even used makeup to make her skin looked dull and a bit dark. She was planning to explore Lunaria since the problem of gathering poisonous plants had been resolved. If she was to investigate a place, she would go to Lunaria.
She had been warned that Lunaria was a dangerous place, but she had a feeling that she would discover something. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she gave in to her curiosity.
She was about to set off when she noticed the letter that Vaughn left on the desk. She unfolded it and began to read. Her brows creased when she read the first line.
[My dear wife,
I don't have the heart to wake you up, and so I left without saying goodbye. By the time you wake up, I might be a few miles away from the capital. Rest assured that I will tell every one of the things that we had discovered.
When you reached the capital, go to the Royale Palace Inn and look for Mathilda. She will take care of you and wait for me patiently. I will come and give you a letter of recommendation from the Crown Prince.
Don't go to the forbidden place because it's dangerous. Be good and behave well. Remember, don't go there.]
'Too late, I am already on my way there.' Zenia snickered as she tore the letter to pieces.
She lit up the brazier and burned the letter. When the torn letter was charred down to the last piece, she put off the fire and get out of the room.
She already retrieved the brown horse from the stable when she remembered that she had not turned in the key yet. She went back to the inn and was surprised when she saw a woman and a young man talking to the manager. She instinctively lowered her head and went to the dining area. Her heart thumped so fast that she could hardly breathe.
'Is it her?'
"What can I do for you, young miss?" The manager sounded like a giddy young man who was discovering the feelings of love for the first time.
"I'm here to ask some questions sir," replied the woman in a coquettish manner.
Zenia began to sweat profusely. The woman was no one else but Elida.
"Go ahead young miss, what is your question?"
Elida showed him the picture of Zenia dressed as a man.
"Have you seen this man, sir?"
The manager looked at the picture and frowned. 'Is this man her husband?'
The manager returned the picture. "I'm so sorry young miss, but I haven't seen him. Is he a traveler?"
"He is my fiancé and he just disappeared one day. I've been looking for him for a long time now. So please sir you may have seen him somewhere." Elida held the man's hand and cried her heart out.
The manager bought the act and felt sorry for Elida.
"Don't worry, young miss. I will ask around and let you know. For the meantime, why don't you book a room here for a couple of days? I see what I can do to help you."
Elida used the corner of her handkerchief to wipe the invisible tear in her eye. The manager was moved and sighed.
"I'd like to stay here, but I don't have much money left on me. I and my younger brother have been traveling for so long that I failed to see that our resources had been used up. We cannot afford to stay in such a posh inn." Elida tried to sound even more pitiful.
The manager was on the verge of tears as he listened to the young woman. Zenia cringed as she listened.
'This woman is truly shameful. She's trying to stay here without paying.'
"I can give you and your brother a room near the kitchen. No one is using it anymore and it can fit two people. You can stay there for as long as you want." The manager gave her a flirtatious smile.
"Really? Oh, thank you so much, kind sir."
"Why don't you sit at the dining area first and I will let the kitchen prepare something for you to eat."
The manager walked to the kitchen as Elida and the young man sat two tables away from where Zenia was seated.
"Why are you still looking for that man? The Ninth Prince said that they could not find him. He disappeared like smoke." There was impatience in the tone of the young man.
Zenia looked at the pair in secret and studied the young man for a bit. She did not encounter him in the Principality of Ismund, yet he seemed to know so much about what happened there. Zenia had a hunch that the young man could be one of the trusted aides of the Ninth Prince.
The abominable thing about curiosity was the difficulty of ignoring it. Zenia knew that she should get going, but she wanted to know more about the reason they ended up in Solaria. She and Vaughn clearly saw the Ninth Prince's group heading to Lunaria.
'Are they going to meet someone here?'
"We are already here, might as well ask around. Besides, we can keep the money that the Ninth Prince gave us to pay for the room." Elida smiled impishly.
"When do you expect your contact? I have the letter from the Ninth Prince granting him permission to join the group in Lunaria."
"He will come here soon." Elida looked around as if searching for something or someone.
"How do we know that it's him?"
"He got a large mole on his right cheek."
"Don't you personally know this man?"
Elida looked at the young man. "No."
"You recommended someone you really don't know to the Ninth Prince?"
"Relax, I did some business with him before and he worked flawlessly. I just couldn't bear to look at him and remembered that he got a mole on his right cheek. I will immediately know him once I've seen him."
"Does he know how dangerous the mission is?"
"Why would I tell him that? The important thing is he agreed to do it."
"You're really despicable." The young man let out a hearty laugh.
A man suddenly appeared in the entrance of the inn. That man had a mole on his right cheek.
"That's him!" Elida said excitedly.
Zenia looked at the man. She flinched at the sight of him. The man grinned from ear to ear when he saw Elida. Zenia felt like throwing up when she saw the swelling gums and alternating black and white teeth of the man. She had never seen such a thing in her life.
"Hello, Ms. Elida." The man greeted with indescribable liveliness.
"Hello, Mr…"
"Elliot."
"Hello, Mr. Elliot. You do understand that you need to go to Luna Inn at Lunaria?" Elida sounded like she was convincing herself and the man.
The young man who was with her just shook his head. Zenia knew at a glance that the young man was criticizing Elida in his mind.
"I know. I have been there so I know."
The young man took something from the inner pocket of his coat and handed it to Mr. Elliot.
"You will need to present that letter to the innkeeper. He will guide you to the Big Boss."
The man nodded and bid them goodbye. He walked out of the inn and went to the horse seller. Zenia wanted to follow, but intuition told her that she should wait a while.
"What is the mission?" Elida whispered.
The young man looked at Elida and was keen on not telling her anything.
"Ow, come on. There's no one here who could hear us." Elida assured the young man as she continued whispering. She didn't know that Zenia could hear them loud and clear even though she was two tables away from them.
"It has something to do with a group from Ishelon."