After giving the horse to the groom and tipping him a copper coin, Jorgen walked into the main street of Goldshire. Although he had passed by many times with the troupe, this was the first time he stayed here. He couldn't help but stomp his feet to feel the solid ground. Because the Darkmoon Faire was going to perform nearby, it was much livelier than usual here. Jorgen's eyes glanced over the bushes in the distance, and he could vaguely see the colored flagpoles and canopies erected in the clearing in the woods. Some strange howls came from over there, but the townspeople were already used to it.
Some guards came to inquire about Jorgen's identity and suspected that they had seen him in the troupe sent from Stormwind City, but he denied it. "I've heard the name Darkmoon Faire many times, so this time I just want to see it with my own eyes," he said. He left Stormwind City, but did not report his itinerary to anyone, which would be punished. But he never expected to get out of this incident unscathed, now he just wanted to buy some more time and freedom for himself.
Jorgen came to the inn and ordered a drink, sitting down at the counter. This was where people without drinking partners and unwilling to stay long often lingered.
"Haven't seen you before, sir," said the innkeeper behind the counter, "first time here?"
"Yes."
"From Stormwind City?"
"Why ask that?"
"I just saw that you haven't traveled far."
"You have pretty good eyes."
"It's just the basic skills of the trade, helping me identify those beggars who don't even have enough money for a drink. Don't mind, I'm not prying."
"I'd like to ask a few questions."
"Please go ahead, as long as I know."
"Was there a man named Tortoro Emowa who used to live here?"
The innkeeper squinted.
"Don't you know or don't you want to answer?"
"There was such a man, sir. Tortoro Emowa, a thief. I remember he's been in prison for years. Pity those glasses never came back to my hands."
"Are his family still living here?"
"A wife and a daughter. Are you looking for them?"
"I have some business with them."
The innkeeper scratched his bearded chin, looking rather embarrassed, and opened his mouth several times without saying a word, seeming to struggle to choose the right words.
"May I ask bluntly, are you perhaps a nobleman or official in disguise? Or has Tortoro died in prison and you've come to inform his family?"
"No, none of that. I'm just an ordinary man."
"No. No ordinary man would come looking for them."
"I don't understand what you mean."
The innkeeper placed his palms flat on the counter and pushed himself up.
"Sir, you're not here to make trouble, are you?"
"The way I see it, you're the one making trouble. I need to see them for personal reasons, but you keep questioning my identity. But no problem. Such little trouble, we can easily solve. "
Jorgen put a silver coin on the counter. The innkeeper looked at him, then reached out to flick the coin, but Jorgen pressed it down with his index finger.
"Tell me where his family lives. If you don't want to, I'll ask someone else."
The innkeeper's strange attitude aroused Jorgen's vigilance. He hoped to complete this as much as possible without alerting any officials. If it was before, he would have shown the insignia of Military Intelligence Section 7.
The innkeeper snorted. "Out the door and turn right, it's the third house after the blacksmith's."
Jorgen removed his index finger, and the innkeeper immediately flicked the silver coin into his apron with his right hand, while his left hand had already caught it steadily under the apron.
"One request, sir. Whatever you're going to do, don't let them know I told you."
Just then, a waitress came to the counter and said to the innkeeper, "There's a strange customer over there."
"What's the matter?"
"She's sitting over there alone, ordered some things at random but hasn't eaten anything. When paying, she gave me a gold coin. I was almost scared to death."
"A gold coin? What did she order?"
"Baked potatoes and cream cheese."
"Just that? A gold coin is enough for fifty portions." Have her change it to smaller denominations. I can't afford to lose that much."
"I told her that already, but ... she said she only has gold coins."
The innkeeper leaned over the counter, his face almost touching the waitress's nose.
"Which customer is it exactly?"
The waitress pointed to a corner where a person covered in a dark cloak was sitting. Jorgen turned around to take a look.
"She has a sack," the waitress lowered her voice, "full of gold coins. Really, I've never seen so many gold coins stacked together before. Why don't we suggest she buy this shop?"
"Don't take her money, drive her away. This kind of person will attract robbers..."
"Really drive her away? What a pity... I don't know how to speak to her..."
"Let me ask her for you," Jorgen said, "maybe she's someone I know."
"Sir, whatever you want to do, just don't make trouble in the shop. Let me refund your drink money, please leave here with her, I just want to make a little money in peace and quiet." Said the innkeeper.
"Don't worry."
Jorgen walked up and stood next to the customer, then knocked on the table with his knuckles. The other party looked up and met Jorgen's gaze, then turned and ran immediately. Jorgen chased after her and grabbed her cloak at the corner, pulling her over.
"Why are you running?"
"Let go of me," Bossia pinched Jorgen's wrist, trying to push him away.
"I'm not here to catch you, stop making a fuss. Do you want those guards to notice a female paladin fighting with someone here?"
Bossia looked at the guards looking this way and relaxed her grip, pulling her slipped cap back over her hair.
"You're really not sent by Shawl to catch me?"
"Come talk here." Jorgen pulled Bossia behind a wall out of sight on the main street. "If I were, you'd probably be knocked out in a sack by now. I didn't even know you had left Stormwind City privately. When did you leave Stormwind City?"
"This morning. I bribed some entertainers to get out on their carriage."
When she said the second half of the sentence, Bossia seemed rather smug. Jorgen couldn't help but sigh. "Do you really not understand the common sense of survival outside, Miss Paladin? This kind of sneaking around, don't actively tell anyone, even familiar people. Also, I heard you only brought a whole bag of gold coins, no change? How much did you spend bribing those people?"
"None of your business."
"I must know how much you gave them, in case they bring people to rob you."
"I'm a paladin, would they dare?"
"Even if you were a princess of a country, it would be useless. Experienced people know how to identify safe targets. Say, how much did you give them?"
"...Five gold coins."
"Five? You..." Jorgen shook his head, as if admonishing himself not to get angry. "Forget it. Five is enough to stun them for now, they probably haven't thought of any long-term plans yet."
"You make me very angry by saying that. After all, I have been through combat training as a paladin."
"Also, what are you wearing under there? A full set of paladin armor?"
"Don't pull my robe. Anyway, as you said, I have no survival experience, so I have to wear this to protect myself, right?"
"Forget it, we'll talk about these things later," Jorgen said. "Tell me why you had to escape from Stormwind City. You know you will be punished for this."
Bossia lowered her head, looking very uneasy. For a moment Jorgen thought she was going to get ready to run away again. But finally, she spoke.
"Why do I have to tell you? Do I have to let you know everything? Let's just part here, pretend you didn't see me, how's that?"
"Why do you think I would risk rebelling against the MI7 to temporarily save you? I've already taken the gamble, and this one is a must-win. You are also part of this game, whether you like it or not. You can't abandon others for your own sake. Impossible. "
"So I'm trouble for everyone? I can't even have a little freedom for myself?"
"If I'm not mistaken, all members of the Church Guards swear to dedicate themselves heart and soul to the Holy Light. From that moment on, you have no freedom because you no longer represent yourself. I can't tell you exactly what happened, but Bossia, the trouble you're facing now is not personal. Loss of freedom is not just for you alone. Do you understand? "
"I... I just couldn't stay in the Cathedral anymore. I want to know what happened to me and Neil... There's no one around willing to help me. I had to rely on myself."
"I'll help you, Bossia. Our goal is the same. In fact, I didn't come here with permission either. Now I know you escaped, you know I escaped, in our line of work this is called intelligence exchange. With intelligence exchange, it means that both parties are willing to cooperate. Do you understand?"
"... Does this mean we should trust each other?"
"No. This means we can't betray each other, or we will surely retaliate. This is the cooperative relationship between MI7 agents. If you want to investigate the truth, do it my way. Praying and all that holy light stuff won't work."
"It feels weird... cooperation just to avoid betrayal."
"In fact, things like this are not as cold as they sound. It depends on who you're cooperating with. I just inquired about the whereabouts of Tortoro's family and was about to go talk to them, here they call it gathering intelligence. Since our cooperative relationship has been established, you have to come with me, so we can ensure each other's safety. Don't think about running away again. Do you understand?"
"I never thought about running away." Bossia placed her hand firmly on the hilt of the sword at her waist.