"What a joke." Catherine exclaimed: "One gold coin? Are you robbing me?"
"Miss Knight, you should understand." The boss put on a business-like smile: "In Quinzel town, there are fewer than three people who know about his ability, and among these three people, I am the only one you have access to. So, this is a monopoly price. Of course, you could reject this price, I won't mind."
"Fifty silver coins." Catherine gritted her teeth and said, "plus three rooms for us three to stay overnight at your place. If you still don't accept, we'll figure out another way."
"Deal."
Reluctantly counting out fifty silver coins and placing them on the bar counter, Catherine asked irritably, "Now can you finally tell me what his name is and where I can find him?"
"Twenty-three days." The boss calculated using his fingers. "As usual, he should either be living in the abandoned cabin of the Night Watcher at the cemetery on the north side of the town, or in an abandoned dwelling in the southwestern corner of the outer ring of the town. The dwelling is easy to find, it only has three walls and two posts and is roofless. Hmm, if he is not in either of these places, you can go to Old Buck's Mill outside the town. If he's not in the first two places, he'll definitely be here."
Catherine was stunned, agape and unable to respond for quite a while: "What do you mean by twenty-three days, the Night Watcher's cabin, and the mill?"
The boss shrugged and replied nonchalantly: "That's why I told you earlier, I wouldn't recommend hiring this man."
"What exactly is going on?" Catherine asked a bit annoyed. "We've already paid you, can you be more clear?"
"This man is also a lunatic." The boss put down the plate in his hands and turned serious: "This man came to our town ten years ago. Sometimes adventurers hire him over the years and the wages aren't low, so his income isn't meager. But every time he makes money, he squanders it at the first chance. Drinking the most expensive wine, seeking the most expensive women, living in the most luxurious rooms, no matter how much money he has, he can always manage to spend it all in a few days. After spending all his money, he resumes his usual behavior. During the day, he either aimlessly wanders the streets or sits by the road in a daze, not speaking to anyone. When he runs out of food, he waits until the central market closes, then tries his luck scavenging for food there. At night, he goes to the places I just mentioned to spend a night and continues to wander aimlessly the next day."
"This, his way of life, has he miraculously made it to this day?"
"Indeed, the townspeople are all puzzled. Some may say he loves pleasure and extravagance, but most of the time, he lives worse than a dog. Some may claim that he has a strange personality and loves hardship and poverty, yet occasionally, he indulges in a high-class lifestyle. Miss Knight, you may not understand. Long-term enduring poverty and hunger isn't the most frightening thing, the truly excruciating period is when one suddenly becomes poor after having wealth. The drop in living standards, the cold, the hunger can all drive one mad. But this man seems to enjoy this feeling, repetitively experiencing this kind of decline over and over again. No one knows what he is thinking, and everyone considers him a madman." The boss continued to speak while curling his lip: "In addition to being an alcoholic, he's also extremely lustful. As long as he has money, every night he will have a different beautiful woman. Some are courtesans, some are girls from the town trying to make some extra money, and some are mercenaries or adventurers moonlighting as courtesans for extra cash. No matter who they are, as long as they are beautiful, they will interest him."
"So, is he penniless right now?" Catherine asked curiously.
"Indeed, twenty-three days ago, he finished his latest job. After returning, he drank Casley Wine transported from Falar and the finest Vegas barley wine here for two days and nights, utilized all five barrels of it, and took Nana to the best Black Swan Inn next door. Oh, Nana is the most beautiful courtesan in Quinzel town. According to my estimation, his earnings should last him less than five days. So he must be penniless now. But I must say, it's actually quite easy for him to earn money. Once he is in work mode, he becomes incredibly competent. Many adventure teams that have worked with him have wanted him to join their team long term, but he has always refused."
"And the reason for his refusal?"
"Reason?" The boss snorted with mockery, imitating an empty and hoarse voice, "I haven't spent all my money yet, I won't go."
Catherine wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, "I need to think about it again. Thank you for the clues. Tell me where our rooms are, we are going to rest now. Also, please prepare three dinners for us and send them to the room later."
"Your rooms are the third and fifth on the right-hand-side upstairs. You can go up yourselves." The boss didn't pay any more attention to the three ladies and bent his head to pick up a new plate, "By the way, his name is Pannis."
"Catherine, you're not a god, you can't save everyone." On the way back to the room, Lina suddenly looked away from her book and said to Catherine.
"What do you mean?" Catherine asked with confusion.
Lina's expression was earnest as she urged, "I know you very well. You felt very angry at that swindler on the rode, but it wasn't because he lied to us. It was because his lies and recklessness indicated his indifference towards his own life. You took back his wages to teach him a lesson. And just now, when you heard about that adventurer, I knew what you were thinking. You're pondering over the reason for his lifestyle, guessing the story behind his endurance of pain, and your sympathy is overflowing, you want to save him, right?"
Catherine fell silent, failing to respond.
Lina sighed, "I'm not against what you're doing, but I just want to tell you that including yourself, who doesn't have a secret story to conceal? If you intend to rescue every such individual, you'll die of exhaustion. You're my sister, and I don't wish to see that day."
"I am a knight." Catherine's tone was definitive and compelling, "Perhaps you're right, I can't rescue every individual that needs help, but I'll try my best to rescue every individual around me who needs help, it's my duty."
"Well, do as you please." Lina sighed helplessly, "I'll always stick by you till the end, my sister."
"Haha, I understand now. Combining the rat tail leaf will cause it to solidify, the lizard's tail will create deadly poison, and adding swirling flower pollen will result in an explosion, hahaha, that's incredibly interesting." Vivian, who had been thinking silently, suddenly burst out laughing.
"Back to the room already, you fool." Lina slapped the soft hat on Vivian's head hard and said fiercely.
"Oh."