The city of Amande was a gleaming jewel on the surface—rich in culture, bustling with trade, and disciplined in structure—but underneath that beauty lay a festering rot. Jon and Sam, disguised as wandering scholars and merchants, quietly entered the city using false papers provided by a sympathetic spiritfolk contact.
Once inside, the air was heavy—not with pollution, but spiritual stagnation. Jon could feel it in his bones. Dark spirit energy clung to the buildings and streets like soot, faint but insidious.
Their target was the House of Cretia, a mid-rank noble household led by Liselotte Cretia, a young noblewoman known for her kindness, intellect, and surprisingly firm stance against corruption. She was rumored to have been opposing several corrupted barons under the influence of demonic spirits.
Sam (whispering):
"She's our way in. If she's who they say she is… she might listen."
They staged a meeting under the guise of merchant scholars who had uncovered suspicious spirit activity in the mines north of Amande. To their surprise, Liselotte herself welcomed them personally.
She was breathtaking in person—wavy silver-blue hair, gentle blue eyes like glacial lakes, and a calm, commanding presence wrapped in a silken gown of lavender and white. Her voice was soft but composed.
Liselotte:
"Welcome, travelers. I hope Amande hasn't been too… overwhelming."
Jon bowed, carefully choosing his words.
Jon (with quiet honesty):
"Your city is beautiful. But there is a sickness here. And I think you already know that."
Her eyes narrowed with interest.
Liselotte:
"You're not ordinary merchants, are you?"
Jon met her gaze and said nothing. She nodded.
Liselotte:
"Come. Speak freely. I'll listen."