Chapter 55: Chapter 55 - Whispers In The City
The morning sunlight crept through the curtains of their room at The Amber Hearth, accompanied by the distant hum of the bustling city below.
The air was cool, carrying with it the faint aroma of fresh bread from nearby bakeries and fishiness from the river that ran through the city. Seraphina stirred as she woke up, her eyes struggling to open. The exhaustion from the previous days of travel lingered, though, for the first time in a while, she felt rested.
Eventually, she pushed herself up, forcing herself to wake up early, as the city was brimming with opportunities and dangers alike, and she couldn't afford to waste time.
Edwin leaned against the far wall, his sword by his side and his watchful eyes betraying the fact that he hadn't rested as much as the others. Samuel sat on the edge of his bed, groaning softly as he stretched, just like Seraphina he didn't want to wake up, but he did regardless.
"We should explore the city today."
Seraphina said, her voice cutting through the silence of the morning.
"We need to know what's happening in this city and what dangers might be waiting for us. We could also see if we learn anything about our situation."
Edwin nodded.
"Agreed. We've rested enough. The longer we stay ignorant, the more vulnerable we are."
Samuel sighed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"So what's the plan? Blend in and gather whatever rumors we can?"
"Exactly. Keep your ears open for any mention of news, rumors, and anything that could be important or useful. Anything that might give us insight into what my father has been doing— or how to stay ahead of them."
Seraphina explained her thoughts to the group, as she got up and prepared herself. Donning her cloak to conceal her identity, the group quickly got ready and prepared to move out.
Walking downstairs they were met with a greeting from the innkeeper, the ginger's eyes focusing on Seraphina once more, before quickly moving on— in her hand, she held a tray of food and drinks.
"Morning folks, are you having breakfast?"
Seraphina was initially going to deny the offer because she didn't trust the innkeeper, she didn't know why but for some reason she found her odd. But, after noticing that Samuel was eyeing the food in the tray, she agreed.
"Yes, enough for three, thank you."
She walked passed the lady and took a seat at an empty table in the corner, following behind her were the other two.
"Let's eat before we go, better to have a full stomach when exploring at least."
"Agreed."
Samuel said with a big smile on his face, causing Seraphina to roll her eyes— Edwin simply nodded but didn't say much more.
Soon enough, food had arrived at the table, a simple meal of bread and cheese, sided with eggs and ale. It wasn't food Seraphina was used to eating here, but she had nothing against it; so she carefully ate a few bites.
The same couldn't be said for Samuel, who scarfed the food down without hesitation, looking at him, one would think someone was trying to take his food.
The group quickly finished eating, the innkeeper returning to collect the plates and cups.
"Did you enjoy your meal, and your night?"
"It was good, are you the chef?"
Seraphina the lady, her eyes shifting to focus on her for a moment. The lady motioned her hands, shaking them as she replied to the question with a smile.
"No, no, I can't cook for the life of me, my cousin is the chef here. He works in the back."
"I see, give him my compliments then. We will be going now."
Without much else to say, and with the meal over, the group stood up to take her leave and explore the city, having wasted a few minutes to eat. As they exited the inn, the innkeeper waved them out.
"Be careful out there, and dinner is at 8 sharp! Don't be late if you want to eat it."
Seraphina nodded without looking back, closing the door behind them as they entered the lively city; its street was already awake with an infectious energy.
Merchants lined the streets, shouting over one another to advertise their wares, from vibrant fabrics and gleaming trinkets to fresh produce and roasted meats. The scents of spices, bread, and the faint tang of the river filled the air, even more so than the day before.
Seraphina's eyes darted across the crowd, catching glimpses of dwarves haggling with human merchants, beast folk carrying goods with ease, and a pair of half-elves engaged in quiet conversation.
No matter how many times she saw it, she simply couldn't top being amazed at the city, it was a melting pot of culture and opportunity, and she wanted to take the chance of investigating to experience it a little.
Their first stop was a bustling market square, it was the best place to eavesdrop on rumors, and even allow them to buy some supplies they were lacking.
The group decided to split up a little, they weren't going to wander too far from each other, but they decided to move around within the market square to buy what they each needed.
Edwin moved to purchase some dried meat and other supplies the group might need, while Samuel wandered toward a jeweler's stall, feigning interest in the goods.
Seraphina's eyes lingered around the various stalls for a moment before she spotted one that sold various types of weapons and armor, wandering over to it.
As she approached, a burly beastfolk man called out to her, her seemed to be a feline based on his ears and tail, but Seraphina couldn't tell exactly what type.
"Interested in weapons are you lass? I see you have one there with you, but I can tell it doesn't suit you."
"Anything interesting happening in the city?"
She asked, curiously in an attempt to strict up conversation and learn some rumors, for now, she overlooked his attempt to advertise to her.
The vendor smirked in reply and shrugged his shoulder.
"Interesting is a matter of perspective. But if you're asking about gossip, the Duke of Willows has been causing quite a stir. Recalled some of his knights from the borderlands. Word is, he's searching for someone— his daughter, they say."
Seraphina's grip tightened under her cloak, though her expression remained neutral.
"The Duke's desperate, then?"
The vendor nodded as he observed her, but he indulged in the conversation since business had been slow and he felt like gossiping.
"Desperate enough to anger the Emperor. Those knights were stationed in key areas. Their recall left gaps in the Empire's defenses, and the Emperor's not pleased."
"Interesting."
Seraphina murmured as she thought about why her father would do something so stupid. Even if he was worried about her, was it worth making the Emperor angry over?
"Is there anything else, even minor, I'm new around here you see."
"Oh, there is that Mardon's kid, what was his name. Veylenie Mardon?"
Seraphina raised her brows at the mention of the name because it wasn't one she knew, but she was curious about the news relating to him, perhaps, she thought it could be of use.
"What about him?"
"He's a Baron kid, well, that's generous. They were a dying noble family, but out of nowhere the kid appeared and challenged a Count's daughter to a fight. Apparently, it's because the Count's daughter broke off a previously agreed engagement with the family because he was a waste."
Now that was interesting, to Seraphina it sounded almost like the plot straight out of a story, a manga, or a novel from Earth; but she didn't put much thought into it and simply noted the name down to remember.
"Thanks for the info— you mentioned my weapon not being fit for me. Why's that?"
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