With no time to lose we wander together through the busy streets of Tovol till we reach the Roasted Boar.
"Oi!" Ritsu calls. "You weren't for half a day and already here ahain? Got kicked out?"
I'm a bit surprised, not by the attitude itself but her displaying it even in front of customers. Unlike this morning, the bar is now filled with many people.
Instead of saying anything I just take a small pouch which contains the money we got for turning the three criminals in. At least the adventurer guild was fair enough to give us that.
'And if we were really connected to the criminals in the end, they would probably get it back one way or the other...'
"Got money? Why didn't you say that earlier!"
She prepares two stools at the bar counter and signs us to come over.
"Don't be too rash, okay Myrna?"
In the corner of my eyes I can see Myrna's annoyed expression. The idea of Ritsu being maybe connected to the criminals doesn't get on her goods.
"Yes," she mutters.
Together we walk to the prepared stools, where I cake out the 1 silver coin and two copper coins we still owe her.
"With that we should be even, right?" I ask.
"Yes," she replies with a big smile on her face. "Yes, yes definitely. You are the first ambushed customer ever who actually managed to pay the debt so fast!"
'The first who pay so fast?'
"So there are actually other ones who pay you back? I ask out of curiousity.
"Of course! Do you think I'm running a welfare here?" she replies snippy.
"Well, my thoughts were something like they couldn't pay you back. I even wondered what may would happened to them," I joke.
Somehow, however, it seems, that I am still not fully in the ring when it comes to social interaction.
"Oi, Oi." she says, now quieter than before. "That's some serious stuff you're uttering. Nothing to joke about, you know?"
"That was no joke though." I retort. "I really wonder what happens to people who can't pay back there debt here in Tovol."
Between us is a mood which fits the definition of frosty very well. I did not plan it that way, but since it turns out like this I don't see a problem in continuing it.
We maybe stare at each other only for seconds, but it feels like eternity. To my luck, however, Ritsu ends our staring contest with a sigh and walks to a shelf behind the counter.
"What are you up to?" Myrna growls.
"Calm down, little fox."
With a box which she needs to carry with both her arms, she returns to us and place it down right in front of us
"Hmm?"
As I look down I see a seemingly endless pile of papers with different sizes.
"Are those.."
"Promissory notes," Ritsu finishes my sentence in answering it. "Yes. Every customer who can't pay his debt right off has to fill in such a note. The city hall gets a copy and debtors aren't allowed to leave the city before paying back their debt."
I am surprised by the fact they have such mannered ways to handle people who can't pay their debt right off the track.
Looking at Myrna's face I can see she struggles to understand the meaning of those papers.
"They are signed by the people who can't pay now. It's like a written promise to pay later, definitely. To summarize it simple." I explain.
"So Ritsu has nothing to do with it?"
"It seems so."
"You guys mind telling me what you are on? I don't get visited every day by customers who pay a debt and then accuse me of some illegal activities, you know?"
"I'm sorry, Miss Ritsu. It's a bit complicated but I'll try to keep it short."
I summarize the events that happened after leaving the Roasted Boar for the first time and leave almost nothing out. It's not for her to know, that Myrna and I talked about getting rid of the bracelets another way.
"That's some serious stuff. I'm still pissed though that you even thought for a second I could be involved."
"Haha... I'm really sorry about that." I smile.
"But you guys could be right with something. Mind following me to the storage?"
The storage room is an open room right on the left side of the counter from which you can still hear everything that goes on in the bar. If one does not stand in the doorframe, however, it's not possible to know that someone is in there.
With only just us three in the storage, Ritsu explains what's on her mind.
"You know... based on what you told me it may be possible that some thiefs in this town are behind it. Or at least working for someone who organize it." she starts. "It started around three weeks ago. My sister got the information first, since she works at the city registration. Since three weeks there is an increasing amount of adventurers, merchants and the lots who turn into slaves..."
It matches really well with what we feared so far. As Ritsu explains, she and her sister Liana took countermeasures to prevent people from becoming slaves. But Liana doesn't work there all the time, so when she's not at the registration building, people still can fall in that trap. There are also some people who come to Ritsu's in by luck, but the number is small.
"So there is someone on this city who profits from acquiring and selling slaves..." I summarize.
"Yes and I believe it's some higher up. My sister tried to gather more information regarding that case and within a few days, her job was in danger."
"I see. Thanks for your information."
"What do you plan to do from now on?" Ritsu asks.
"Trust me. I think it's better if you don't know," I reply with a smile.
"Hmph. No matter who, adventurers are always cocky," Ritsu pouts and goes back to the counter.
"You plan to help them, don't you?" Myrna asks.
"Yeah, and I need your help for that."
"You can count on me!"
"Good. I will take a walk later on and check who is in charge at the registration building. Meanwhile I want you to stay here. Listen to the customer's conversations, okay? Also, please check if someone feels unnatural. I think maybe both of them are observed."
Myrna nods. "I understand."
I can see that she doesn't like the idea of splitting up. Maybe it's just thee point of me going out in the darkness alone, but we need to get as much information as possible.
Since it's still afternoon, we spend our time together in the bar, eating and get to know each other better. Only after the sun is setting, I leave the Inn and head to the city gate.