"You sure you don't want it?" Eryndor asked Caleric.
"Yes, I don't drink wine."
"Well then I'll help myself, why waste it?"
Eryndor took the glass of Coscore wine he had poured for Caleric and gulped the entire thing at once. The rich fallen noble seemed to have a thing for wine.
Bloom was trying to stand up again but she kept falling down. Mariel and Mara were watching with fascination as Bloom struggled.
"How old is she?" Caleric asked.
"8 months."
"Bloom is an early bloomer for sure," Caleric said.
Eryndor was completely drunk by then and was slouching on the couch. Thisia had left a while ago, saying she had an appointment. As a seer, and a well-known one in the area, Thisia had multiple customers.
"I can see why Eryndor does not have to worry too much about money. Thisia has a job and Mariel also has a job. What about the rest of you?" Caleric asked, looking at everyone one by one.
"Why do you ask?" Arven asked.
"Because I don't have a job. Just being in this group won't pay my rent."
"Heh, that's true. Well, I do have a job. I work at Feren Central Library."
"What? What if you get recognized?"
"That's true, however it is less likely. My job doesn't require me to show my face out in the open."
I see how it is. Indeed, I've never seen him at the library, although I had been visiting regularly for the past few days.
"I recently got a job at a workshop. Pay isn't great, but considering I only get asked to do chores and I don't have to work that hard, it's sustainable," Mara said.
Caleric heard her, then turned to Corvin.
"I do odd jobs. My money comes from the underworld, so don't ask me. If anything, I'd say the term bounty hunter is perfect for me. Kinda ironic how I myself am carrying a huge bounty on my head," Corvin said.
"So that just leaves me?" Caleric sighed.
"You should look for something easy to do that generates enough money to pay your rent and still have sufficient for two meals a day," Arven suggested.
"If you want, I can help you find a job with my connections, but I'm against it. My connections are a bit shady, and making your primary source of income stem from the underworld is something only someone as insane as Corvin can manage," Mariel said jokingly.
"I guess I will just have to find one on my own," Caleric said, sighing heavily.
The room was silent for a moment, the sound of Bloom struggling was the only noise. Caleric took out his pocket watch, flipped it open, and saw it was almost 7 p.m.
"By the way, it's in the newspaper," Arven said.
"What is?" Caleric asked.
"The news about your foster family."
"Ah right, I saw that. They say it's an unknown murder."
"Wait, which news?" Corvin asked.
Arven handed him the newspaper he had been carrying. As Corvin read the small report placed right in the center of the page, he frowned slightly.
"They are lying. They know who did it," Corvin said.
"What?" Caleric was taken aback by his words.
"Think about it. Someone as important as Aron Gnalet was murdered. The police usually don't have trouble finding the perpetrator. The problem is letting the public know of it. If they were to print the name of the perpetrator or the organization behind the assassination, it would likely cause unnecessary commotion.
"They usually don't hide it, but I can think of why they are hiding it for this one. My instincts are hinting it's exactly the organization I'm thinking about right now."
"You know?" Caleric was surprised but also slightly excited.
"Can't confirm, but I can guess."
As they were talking, Thisia walked into the room.
"Right, I also have a guess on which organization is behind this. Perhaps you and I are thinking in the same direction?" Thisia said.
"So who are they?" Caleric asked.
"I might be wrong, but there is a way to confirm it for sure," Thisia said, smirking at Corvin.
"What?"
"If it's the organization you and I are thinking of, then it's very easy to confirm, isn't it?" she said.
Corvin thought for a while, perhaps trying to remember the characteristic uniqueness of the secretive organization that could have been behind the murder.
"Aha!"
Caleric was listening quietly without interrupting. He was getting restless, wanting to become part of the conversation to find out more about the case.
"We will have to go dig up the grave," Corvin said.
"What?" Caleric blurted out in shock.
"Don't be so surprised. If it really is the organization I am thinking of, then we can confirm it by looking at the body," Corvin explained.
Caleric thought for a second, considering his options. He wasn't exactly against digging up a grave, as he did not have any ethical beliefs. After thinking and going through his available options, he figured that if he were to find more information, it was better to rely on his new teammates.
Mariel was also able to make a few guesses based on her knowledge about the different organizations active in the underworld.
Mara was left very confused by the discussion, as she did not possess any knowledge on the topic. Arven did not bother thinking about it, for he knew he did not have sufficient knowledge to piece everything together.
"Alright then," Caleric said, having made up his mind.
"Then tonight at 12."
"Why?" Caleric asked.
"Digging up a grave is illegal. What, do you want to do that in broad daylight?"
"Right... Okay."
"So it's done, you and Corvin and..." Thisia thought for a moment.
"Who's the third person, Arven?"
"No, I can't."
Looking at her limited options, and ruling out Eryndor as he was too troublesome to handle, Thisia decided it would be better for her to join them instead of letting them go alone as two.
"Since you are now a member, you'll need your Blue Preservation cloak."
You have a custom cloak for this group? I see you are very passionate when it comes to Blue Preservation. Caleric had started to better understand Thisia.
Thisia pulled out a completely black cloak from the bedroom. It was a simple cloak with a hood attached that would cover the wearer's entire face. The cloak draped well past the waist, covering the entire upper body.
"That one is mine!" Eryndor, who was drunk but still had some control, said when he saw Thisia bring out the cloak.
"Yea yea... Master Arven will make you another one, right Master Arven?"
Arven, who was bothered with yet another complicated task, clicked his tongue and said, "Fine, sure. And I don't make them, I buy them, so you will have to pay!"
"How much do I owe you?" Caleric asked as he took the cloak from Thisia.
"10 Crowns," Arven replied.
"What!?" Caleric could not believe it. That piece of clothing was worth more than what he and his sister earned in a whole month.
"Well, it is not a regular cloak. It is special. It makes the wearer agile, increasing the speed one can run at. It also allows one to jump higher and walk on walls with some practice. The cloak improves the wearer's balance, and when also wearing the hood, the wearer's face becomes dark, almost impossible to make out from outside. It is a powerful artifact," Thisia explained.
"You don't have to pay me right away. Take it easy, kid. Find a job, pay me over months," Arven said.
We barely touch 10 Crowns over 3–4 months. How am I even supposed to find a job that could pay that much? And I am sure any job that pays that high is basically elite class. Caleric considered his options. He decided to turn down the cloak, but looking at Thisia's enthusiasm and how excited she was to showcase the special cloak, he could not bring himself to do that.
Caleric tried on the cloak, and it was a perfect fit. He also found it really cool. For the first time, he began to feel the mysterious aura he had hoped for when he first thought about joining an organization.
"Alright then, you will have to reach the burial grounds on your own. Don't be late," Thisia instructed Caleric. She also reminded him that he was now a member of a secretive group and could not leak his identity no matter what.
The group meeting came to an end as everyone slowly left. There were two exits. Caleric took the more convenient one, going through Thisia's room, passing through the corridor, and leaving the Fine Divine from the main entrance.
He walked for a while and got into an arcavel. He barely had enough money to make the return trip.
I will have to get a job as fast as possible.