Inoue awoke early the next morning, the first light of dawn filtering through the small window of her room. The inn was still quiet, the other guests likely still lost in sleep. She lay there for a moment, gathering her thoughts, the memory of Roman lingering in her mind. It was the fuel she needed, a reminder of why she was here, and what was at stake.
After a quick breakfast with Guil and Lea, the trio set out into the bustling streets of Sylvenmere. The market district was already alive with activity, merchants setting up their stalls and early risers haggling for the best deals. The air was thick with the smell of fresh bread, spices, and the occasional waft of roasting meat.
They split up as planned. Inoue headed deeper into the market, weaving through the crowds, while Guil and Lea made their way towards the headquarters of the Tempest Knights. The two gave her encouraging nods before they parted ways, and she returned the gesture, though the knot in her stomach tightened.
Inoue focused on her surroundings, taking note of every detail as she moved from one stall to the next. The market was a labyrinth of colors and sounds, with stalls selling everything from exotic fruits to finely crafted jewelry. She approached a few merchants, trying to be subtle as she asked about Dross, but most either shook their heads or gave vague, uninterested responses.
It wasn't long before frustration began to set in. Sylvenmere was enormous, and the market alone was overwhelming. She had thought that someone here might know something—anything—that could lead her to Dross. But as the morning wore on, her hopes began to dwindle. The people here were focused on their own lives, and Dross was just a shadow, a name with no face.
Then, just as she was about to give up on this line of inquiry for the day, she caught sight of a hooded figure lingering near the edge of the market. Something about the person's stance, the way they seemed to be watching the crowd rather than participating in it, caught her attention. She couldn't see their face, but there was an air of wariness about them, a sense of someone who was trying to stay unnoticed.
Inoue decided to take a chance. She approached the figure slowly, careful not to startle them.
"Excuse me," she said softly, hoping to come across as non-threatening. "I'm looking for someone. Maybe you could help?"
The figure stiffened, and for a moment, Inoue thought they might bolt. But then the person turned slightly, enough for her to catch a glimpse of a scarred face beneath the hood—sharp eyes that flicked over her quickly, assessing.
"Who are you looking for?" the figure asked, their voice low and rough, but not hostile.
"A man named Dross," Inoue replied, keeping her tone even. "I've been told he might be in Sylvenmere, but I haven't had much luck finding him."
The hooded figure was silent for a moment, as if weighing the risk of responding. Finally, they spoke again, their voice barely above a whisper. "Why do you want to find Dross?"
Inoue hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "He took something—very important from me. I need to find him. To make things right."
The figure's eyes narrowed, and Inoue could see the gears turning behind them. Finally, they gave a small nod, almost to themselves. "There's a place in the lower quarter," they murmured. "A tavern called The Broken Dagger. It's where people like Dross tend to show up, people who don't want to be found. But be careful. Asking the wrong questions there can get you into trouble."
Inoue felt a spark of hope flare to life in her chest. She nodded, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice. "Thank you. I'll be careful."
The figure gave her one last look, then melted into the crowd, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared. Inoue stood there for a moment, letting the information sink in. The Broken Dagger. It was a lead, possibly the best one she'd gotten since arriving in Sylvenmere.
She quickly made her way back to the inn, eager to share what she'd learned with Guil and Lea. As she pushed through the inn's doors, she spotted them sitting at the same table in the common room, deep in conversation.
"Inoue," Guil said as she approached, looking up with a hopeful expression. "Did you find anything?"
Inoue nodded, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "I did. There's a place called The Broken Dagger, in the lower quarter. I was told Dross might show up there."
Lea's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "The Broken Dagger? I've heard of it. It's not exactly the safest place in the city. It's where people go when they don't want to be found, or when they're looking to get into trouble."
Guil grinned, his excitement palpable. "Sounds like exactly where we need to go, then. What are we waiting for?"
Inoue hesitated. "We should wait for Reinhardt. We werent allowed inside yhe headquarters. He might have found something that could help us."
Lea nodded in agreement. "She's right. We don't want to rush in without a plan. Let's wait for Reinhardt and see what he's found. Then we can decide how to approach The Broken Dagger."
The group agreed, though Guil was clearly impatient. They spent the rest of the afternoon in the common room, going over what little they knew and discussing possible strategies for approaching the tavern. As evening fell, the tension in the air grew thicker, the anticipation of what lay ahead weighing heavily on them.
It was just after sunset when Reinhardt returned to the inn. He looked weary, but there was a determined set to his jaw as he approached their table.
"I found something," he said without preamble, taking a seat. "My father's records didn't have much on Dross, but there were mentions of a man matching his description frequenting the lower quarter. The Broken Dagger came up more than once."
Inoue exchanged a glance with Lea, who gave a small nod. "That confirms what I heard," Inoue said. "It sounds like The Broken Dagger is our best bet."
Reinhardt's eyes darkened slightly. "It's not a place to take lightly. There are dangerous people there, and we need to be careful how we approach this."
Guil's excitement dimmed slightly at Reinhardt's tone, but he nodded. "We'll be careful. But we can't wait any longer. If Dross is there, we need to move fast."
Inoue took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment settle over her. This was it—the lead they had been waiting for. It was time to confront Dross, to finally get the answers she needed.
"Let's go," she said, her voice steady with resolve. "We'll find him. And we'll end this."
Lea looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "We need to plan how to approach this, Inoue. The Broken Dagger isn't the kind of place we can just walk into unprepared."
Guil nodded, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "You're right. But maybe we don't all have to go in. Lea, you're a bard—you can blend in easily, gather information without raising suspicion. You should go in first, see what you can find out."
Lea considered this, then nodded. "I can do that, but I'll need some backup. Reinhardt, will you come with me? I might need some muscle if things get dicey."
Reinhardt gave a small, approving nod. "Of course, I'll be right there with you."
"Alright," Lea agreed, "we'll head there tomorrow. But in the meantime, we should focus on our original mission. In the morning, we'll go to the royal palace to meet the king and get our reward. After that, we'll visit the guild to officially rank up our party to Gold."
Guil grinned at the thought of the palace and the upcoming rank-up, but then he added, almost out of the blue, "But Bramble has to come with us to the palace."
Reinhardt raised an eyebrow, his expression one of mild surprise. "Is it really necessary to bring the horse, Guil?"
Guil's expression turned unusually serious. "Yes. It is."
Inoue and Lea exchanged glances, then both sighed and burst into laughter at the absurdity of Guil's condition. The tension of the evening eased for a moment, replaced by the camaraderie that had always kept their group strong.
"Alright, alright," Inoue said with a smile. "Bramble can come."
"Then it's settled," Reinhardt said, shaking his head with a small grin. "Tomorrow, we'll take care of everything. The palace, the guild, and then The Broken Dagger."
With their plans made, the group finally felt a sense of direction, the path ahead of them clear despite the challenges that still lay in wait.