They approached a counter labeled 'Common Contracts'. A bored-looking clerk glanced up at them, his eyes scanning their attire before returning to his ledger. "What can I do for you?" he asked, his voice nasal and uninterested.
Lila stepped forward. "We're looking for a job," she said in a firm and confident voice. "Just give us the two with the highest reward."
The clerk raised an eyebrow. "You're new here," he said, his voice now a bit more alert. "You'd do better to start with something a little more... manageable." He flipped through the pages of his ledger before pulling out two sheets. "Here," he said, slapping them down on the counter. "Both are for the 'Missing Person' category. One's for a merchant's son who's been missing for a week. The other's for a rare book stolen from the university."
"The reward for finding the merchant's son is 2500 Lexus, and the book theft offers 1500 Lexus."
Aldwyn's gaze flickered to the sheets. "We'll take both," he said firmly. The clerk's eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing. He stamped the contracts with the seal of the Garanom government and handed them to the two of them.
The first contract was straightforward: a wealthy merchant named Matt Teague had reported his son, Randall, missing. The boy had been last seen leaving the university district, Nalisibury, for a night out in Choucsea. His disappearance coincided with a recent spike in kidnappings across the city, a trend that had the authorities on edge.
The second contract was more intriguing: the theft of a rare and ancient book entitled "The Elemental Codex" from the Library of Worlds. It was said to contain knowledge that could unlock the secrets of the world's fabric, and its loss had caused quite a stir.
Aldwyn decided to take on the case of the missing son. Lila, who always loved the thrill of the chase, took on the case of the book theft. Her eyes sparkled with excitement at the prospect of unraveling a mystery.
"We should meet back at The Rusty Nail tonight," Aldwyn said, folding the contract and tucking it into his pocket. "We can compare notes and decide on our next move."
Lila nodded, her excitement palpable. "Agreed," she said, already turning towards the exit, eager to begin her quest.
As she disappeared into the crowd, Aldwyn took a deep breath and glanced at the contract for the missing merchant's son, with the address of his last location scrawled at the bottom.
"Eastwind Alley," he murmured to himself.
The map at the community carriage stop was indeed large, displaying the sprawling layout of Choucsea in intricate detail. The rod's metal frame gleamed under the light, and the paper was sturdy, a testament to the city's attention to detail and its citizens' reliance on public transportation.
Aldwyn traced the route from his current position to Eastwind Alley with his finger, noting the winding streets and the proximity of the Rerkirby industrial area. The area was marked with a series of tiny black dots indicating the locations of the various Carriage stops scattered throughout the neighborhood.
"I'm here," he mumbled to himself, pointing to a spot on the map. "And Eastwind Alley is ... here." His finger slid over the paper and counted the stops. "Four stops away."
As Aldwyn waited for the next carriage, he couldn't help but overhear bits and pieces of the conversations around him. The murmur of the crowd was like a tapestry of whispers, each thread hinting at an untold story. A group of merchants were discussing the scarcity of goods from the south, their voices tense and anxious. A young couple whispered sweet nothings, their eyes shining with the promise of a future unclouded by the shadows of the city.
The clatter of hooves and the jingle of bells grew louder, cutting through the symphony of the street. A few moments later, a community carriage pulled into view, its wooden frame painted a vibrant crimson with gold trim. The wheels looked like they were carved from the very essence of the earth, their spokes gleaming like the rays of a setting sun. The beasts of burden that pulled it, massive and muscular, had been bred to ignore the chaos around them, their eyes glazed over with the stoicism that comes from years of service.
The carriage was a marvel of space efficiency. It could fit twelve passengers inside comfortably, with benches lining the walls and a center aisle that allowed for swift movement. The seats were upholstered in a dark leather that had seen better days, but the scent of fresh straw laid upon the floor indicated that the carriage was well maintained. At the back, a tiny compartment was reserved for the driver, separated from the passengers by a thick glass window that allowed him to hear their destination without getting caught in the cacophony of the streets.
The ticket control was a straightforward process. As Aldwyn stepped into the carriage, a conductor with a stern face and a crimson cap looked him over, then held out his hand expectantly. Aldwyn handed him the token that Lila had given him, and the conductor nodded curtly and handed it back to him. The token was an elaborate system that allowed the government to track the movements of its citizens while maintaining the illusion of freedom. Each time the token was used, the time and location of the stop was written down, with the corresponding token number. A silent reminder that in Garanom, the eyes of the city were never truly closed.
The carriage jolted into motion, the sound of the hooves echoing off the buildings as it made its way through the cobblestone streets. The journey was bumpy, but the carriage's suspension system did an admirable job of keeping the passengers from being jolted out of their seats. The carriage's windows were open, allowing the cool breeze to wash over the passengers, carrying with it the distant sounds of the city.
After four stops, it stopped with a gentle lurch, and Aldwyn stepped out into the dimly lit Eastwind Alley. The buildings here were closer together than in the more affluent parts of the city. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and metal, hinting at the industrial district's proximity. The alley itself was narrow, with tall structures looming over the cobblestone path.
Aldwyn stopped for a moment and thought about his next steps. „I have almost no clues... Eastwind Alley is relatively large with a few branches, which means it will take some time. The question is why was he here in the first place... First thing I should do is search the well-frequented localities and places and ask around there."
....
Meanwhile, Lila had arrived at her destination: the majestic Library of Worlds. The grandeur of the building was unmistakable, its towering spires piercing the sky. The air around it was thick with the scent of parchment and ink, a testament to the millennia of knowledge contained within its walls.
She stepped inside and searched for the client who had reported the theft of the "Elemental Codex". The librarian, an older man with glasses on the end of his nose, looked at her curiously over the counter. "Greetings young Lady, how can I help you?"
Lila flashed her most charming smile. "I'm here about the stolen book, the 'Elemental Codex'. I've been contracted to find it."
The librarian's expression grew grave. "Ah, yes, a most troubling affair," he murmured, peering over his spectacles. "This way, please."
He led her through a maze of bookshelves, the scent of aged paper growing stronger with every step. The Library of Worlds was a bastion of knowledge, a bastion that had been breached by a thief seeking power.
They arrived at a small, dimly lit office where a young acolyte sat, her eyes bloodshot from hours of poring over dusty tomes. "Please, take over for me," the librarian told her, his voice carrying the weight of his concern. "I need to talk to her privately."
The acolyte nodded, and Lila followed the librarian into an even smaller room where a single candle cast dancing shadows across the floor.