Crawling quickly through the cramped space, Daisuke hissed, "You again?"
Milton smirked as he led them toward an exit. "What, not happy to see me?"
Lyndoria scoffed. "Who are you? And why are you helping us?"
A muscle twitched in his jaw. "I hate how this place is being run lately. It needs a reform, or just to be burnt to the ground."
Daisuke narrowed his eyes. "That's a dangerous stance to take."
Milton snorted. "Job security used to be a given in this place—now that's changed and I don't like it. Is it so wrong to have an opinion?"
"…I guess not."
He glanced over his shoulder. "Besides, isn't that why you're here?"
Daisuke studied him. "…And what makes you think that?"
"I was eavesdropping while you spoke with Valoria." His expression darkened. "And I saw the look in your eyes. A noble wouldn't have that intense aura—only a warrior does."
Daisuke exhaled. "That's… inconvenient," he murmured, then decided there was no harm in a bit of truth. "To be completely honest, we're trying to flush out corruption in the kingdom. We suspect the brothel owners are involved."
Lumielle cast him an anxious glance, but it was Lyndoria who voiced her concern. "Was it really wise to reveal that?" she questioned, her sharp gaze brimming with accusation.
"There's a time and place for everything," Daisuke replied evenly. "And right now, this is both. The guy just saved us from a massive headache—the least we can do is show him the value of what he's done."
Milton's brows furrowed as he paved the path ahead. "If you really want to expose this corruption, you need to go higher up the food chain."
"Who?"
"…Lord Zerbst," he uttered, his voice dripping with distaste. "He owns a private club where the city's most powerful and depraved men gather. They drink, they indulge, and most importantly—they talk."
"Where?"
"Unfortunately, that's all I know," he said, then once they were safely outside, he stepped back. "Well, good luck. Try not to die."
Daisuke smirked. "Gee, thanks."
Milton turned to leave but paused, casting them a sidelong glance. "I don't know you… but my gut tells me you're worth trusting. And I have to admit, I'm impressed by the lengths you're willing to go for information. That's why I've decided to put all my chips in with you. So, believe me when I say—I wish you luck."
He turned to Lumielle and bowed. "Princess."
"…"
Everyone fell into stunned silence.
Milton smirked. "You're no common woman, nor a prostitute. The gleam in your eyes says otherwise."
And with that, he walked away.
Daisuke scratched his cheek awkwardly. "…Well, I have to admit, he's a pretty perceptive guy."
"Sure," Lyndoria scoffed, taking off her hat. "But can we really trust him?"
Zephyr's tiny head popped out from Daisuke's shirt, his eyes rolling dramatically as if questioning Lyndoria's capacity to trust anyone at this point.
Lyndoria shot him a sharp glare, to which the pup responded by sticking out his tongue tauntingly.
"Lynn does have a point," Lumielle chimed in softly. "Can we truly trust this man?"
Daisuke shrugged nonchalantly. "Trust? I honestly don't know. But I can say with confidence that he was telling the truth."
Lyndoria's expression hardened as she flicked her hair. "A shame a part of that truth didn't include the location of Zerbst's private cave."
"Can you really blame him?" Daisuke countered. "Poor guy must've stuck his neck out to get this intel. It's pure coincidence that we've even gotten this far. At least he gave us a name to work with." He turned to Lumielle. "Lord Zerbst… does the name ring a bell?"
The princess shuddered, recalling the man's unsettling habit of touching women while he spoke. "If I remember correctly, Lord Zerbst is part of my father's council. In fact, he should've attended a meeting just recently."
"In that case," Lyndoria began, "if he's still at the palace, shouldn't we set a trap to capture him?"
Zephyr bared his fangs in complete agreement, clearly itching for the chance to tear into the bastard. A few pounds of flesh off his bones would certainly loosen his tongue and get him talking.
Daisuke tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I think we should hold off for now and let him walk free a little longer."
Lumielle's delicate eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Have you gone mad?" Lyndoria snapped.
Zephyr, from his perch on Daisuke's head, placed a paw on the boy's scalp as if checking his temperature for any signs of a fever clouding his judgment.
"We were lucky enough to find a man who might have critical information on the Mhaledictus," Lyndoria continued, her tone dripping with disdain. "And you just want to let him go free?"
Daisuke frowned, holding up a hand. "You didn't let me finish."
"What's left to say?" she countered sharply.
Before another argument could spark, Lumielle raised her hand, signaling for silence.
Daisuke sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "What I'm suggesting is that we track down Zerbst, have Midnight place a marker on him, and when he next hosts one of his little tea parties, we move in and round up him and his cronies. That way, at least one of them will crack under pressure, and we'll get the answers we need."
Lyndoria turned away, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment and shame. "…I-I suppose that's a better approach."
"Rawrwu~" Zephyr agreed with a soft growl, his tail swishing in approval.
"Now that that's settled," Lumielle began. "Sophia, there's somewhere I want us to visit."
***
SNEAK-SNEAK-SNEAK.
Silvestia and Fay tiptoed toward the backdoor like a pair of humpback bandits, their movements careful as they tried to slip away unnoticed.
"And where do you both think you're going, just moments after getting back home?"
Silvestia stiffened at the sound of her mother's voice. Turning with a nervous grin, she found Lefahne standing in the doorway, arms crossed, a suspicious frown on her face.
"Ah… we, uh, need another ingredient for supper," she said quickly. "Th-That's it! We're cooking tonight!"
Fay nodded nervously, her cowlick still standing at attention.
Lefahne's expression shifted from suspicion to surprise. "You? Cooking?"
Before Silvestia could respond, her father happened upon the conversation. "Is that right?" he mused, stroking his chin.
Silvestia nodded eagerly. "Since you two are busy with the elixir, we thought it'd be considerate."
Lefahne's expression softened. "That's sweet of you."
Zurrel smiled, then handed her a pair of baskets filled with vials. "Since you're headed that way, could you drop these off at the Kaelmonts? It's the Lucid Vitae elixir and the formula. Now that we're certain it's stable, we want all apothecaries in the city to distribute it."
Silvestia hesitated but quickly masked it with an enthusiastic nod. "Of course! No problem at all!"
Zurrel handed over the second basket filled with neatly packed vials. "Don't dawdle on the way," he said, giving both girls a firm but kind look. "Get the errand done, and don't go wandering off."
Lefahne nodded in agreement, wiping her hands on a linen cloth. "And be careful. Don't let anyone bump into those baskets, okay?"
"And be back before dusk," Zurrel added. "The streets change when the sun goes down. We don't want to come looking for you."
Silvestia smiled and nodded quickly. "Got it! We'll be quick. Promise."
Then she tugged Fay by the wrist and made for the door.
***
The quaint apothecary door creaked open and the bell above it chimed. The scent of dried herbs and polished wood wafted through the air.
"Oh, my stars!" Lugene exclaimed with a smile, wiping her hands on her apron. "Had I known you two were stopping by, I would've whipped up a fresh batch of my honey-cinnamon cookies."
Silvestia returned a warm smile.
"Oh, what a nice surprise," Rue called from behind the counter, his spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose. "It's good to see you again, Fay. What brings you girls by?"
Silvestia stepped forward, carefully balancing a basket in her arm. "We're just making a delivery, per my parents' request. It's the finalized batch of the Lucid Vitae elixir along with the formula."
Lugene and Rue exchanged a subtle glance—too brief to draw attention.
"It stabilizes withdrawals and reverses the long-term effects of pixie crystal exposure," Silvestia continued. "We've confirmed it's safe and effective for widespread use. Mother and Father want every apothecary in the city to distribute it at a reasonable price. They said what matters most is saving those in need, not profit."
A quiet moment passed before Lugene stepped forward with a bright expression, voice smooth and warm. "Oh, how wonderful! It's a blessing that your parents synthesized this elixir. They're truly remarkable. If only more apothecaries had such selfless hearts. You're lucky to be raised under such gifted hands, my dear."
"Yes, yes," Rue added. "Their name will live on in this city. What they've achieved—it's nothing short of miraculous."
But Silvestia barely heard them.
The moment Lugene reached for the baskets, a sudden sharp pain lanced through her skull and a whirlwind of fragmented memories surged forward:
—Carl's gaunt face twisted in agony.
—The vendor's hand trembling as she accepted a pouch under the cover of darkness.
—A wealthy man gasping his last breath as his most valued asset—his life—was wrenched from his grasp.
—A pair of devilish eyes burning into hers as she was caught spying through the window.
—A dark figure looming over her, pinning her down.
—A bitter liquid forced down her throat. The sensation of choking. Dying.
Silvestia's breath hitched. The storm of images sharpened, the faceless silhouette solidifying, aligning—merging—with the woman before her.
She gasped, her whole body freezing.
It was her.
Lugene Kaelmont.
Her fingers went numb.
The basket almost slipped from her grasp.
Lugene had poisoned her.
Her heart pounded so violently it felt like it might burst from her ribs. How? Why? They were like grandparents to her. How could they?
Silvestia fought to mask her horror, but the way Lugene's sharp gaze locked onto hers told her it was too late—she had been seen. The woman's kind face twisted beneath the weight of recognition. For a split second, there was a flicker—something cold and hard behind her smile. She exchanged a glance with Rue whose jaw set ever so slightly.
Fay's cheerful expression faltered as she glanced between them, sensing the tension hanging heavy in the air.
"Oh! Before you two scurry off," Lugene said, her voice honey-sweet, "why don't you sit for a while? I'll put on a kettle and make those cookies. Won't take a moment."
"Yes," Rue added with a chuckle. "It's not every day we get visits from young rays of sunshine like you. Stay, stay!"
Silvestia swallowed hard.
Her pulse raced.
She forced a nervous smile, her skin damp with sweat. "Actually, we can't today. We still need to stop by the market. We're making supper for my parents tonight—Fay's helping me cook their favorite dish, so we'll need plenty of time to prepare."
Lugene's smile stiffened. "That's sweet of you both. Shame, though. I was hoping to catch up. It's been so long, hasn't it?"
"We'll visit again soon," Silvestia said, quickly grabbing the other basket and setting both down on a nearby table. Her hand found Fay's and clutched it tight, her steps angled subtly toward the front door.
"Why the rush?" Lugene said, still smiling, but her tone grew firmer. "We insist you stay. Really."
"We insist we go," Silvestia answered, her voice polite but iron-clad.
Rue gave a light chuckle, but there was no warmth in it. "Before you run off, do you mind helping us fetch some tools from the basement? Old bones, you know. Can't lift like we used to."
"Maybe tomorrow morning," Silvestia said quickly, already reaching for the door. "We've got to run now."
Without waiting for another word, she opened the door and slipped outside. Fay followed close behind, their hands still clasped tightly.
The bustling street swallowed them whole. Silvestia's boots beat a panicked rhythm against the cobblestones as she led them through the crowd with urgency, not once looking back.
Fay stumbled slightly, breathless. "Silvie… what was that all about?"
She didn't answer.
Her eyes were wide.
Her thoughts a blur.
Her heart pounding with betrayal.
And fear.