In fact, I’d spent most of the night seated at the desk, looking over all of the information that we’d learned about Aurelion and his dealings with the city guard. I’d even been looking through the journal I’d take from the captain’s office.
There was something about the weapons we found that didn’t make sense to me.
We knew that Aurelion was somehow involved with higher up members of the city guard—Captain Seytrough specifically—if his part of the city wasn’t being bogged down with patrols. But we didn’t know if there was anyone else he might be in league with.
And even if there was, why would they give him access to key weapons that the guard and army might need? Wouldn't someone even higher up notice? Either they had an abundance of the weapons, which seemed unlikely based on Claude’s story, or Aurelion had stolen them somehow.
There was also a third possibility. One that somehow seemed even less likely than the other two. Aurelion was in bed with the false empress.
I let the thought sink in for a moment as I stood behind the desk. I was exhausted. But I hadn’t been able to shake the questions long enough to actually sleep very long.
I took another long swallow of the energizing tea that Irinda had brewed for me, splashes of citrus and ginger washing across my tongue. Unlike most of the other teas she usually made, this one was lighter in color. Some kind of white tea, she’d said. A new blend Henrietta had given her.
“So you think he has made some kind of deal with the empress?” Ophelia asked, looking at me from the other side of the desk where she sat.
I shrugged. “It could explain several things. And, based on the way she has so seamlessly sank into acting like me, it seems likely she has System access.”
“That’s a lot of maybes and what-ifs lumped into one thought.” The woman said, breaking off a piece of bread and popping a piece in her mouth. She looked as if she’d slept far better than I had.
“And even if she does have System access, so do we. We just have to be smarter about it than she is.”
I laughed. “She has far more power and resources to work with than we do. That makes a big difference.”
The woman seemed less impressed. It was easy to write off just how much the empress could do with a single word, especially when you’d never seen her in action up close.
Well… other than one time. Though, I didn’t know if we could really count that, since the false empress had made such short work of us.
I grimaced inwardly at the reminder of how our attempt to break into the palace’s vault had gone.
Focusing on the System, a small window of golden letters appearing in the air before me.
System access restricted.
Access will be restored in…
7 minutes…
Excitement practically thrilled through my body. I set the tea down to keep from sloshing the liquid on myself and began to pace, letting my thoughts run away from me for a moment.
There was a lot I needed to accomplish and I had no idea where to start. It was strange to think about how much I had let those shimmering words guide my hand those first weeks in this body. And while I had made due in the weeks since it had grown silent, I knew that I could have accomplished more.
It had been like being offered a potion of strength, only to have someone swipe it away at the last possible moment.
“Are you okay?”
Ophelia’s voice broke through my thoughts and I turned my head to look at her.
She was the exact opposite of me in that moment. Where I likely looked like a frantic mess, pacing the floor of the room, she sat, completely relaxed. If I’d have walked into that room in that exact moment, I likely would have assumed she was the [Empress of Dragons], not me.
But she wasn’t.
I took a long breath and stopped pacing, composing myself. Being stuck in this human body for so long had made it easy to fall into bad habits. It wasn’t as easy to hide my discomfort or anxiety about situations in a face that showed every displeasure so clearly.
I schooled my features, making them appear more like stone. Unmoving.
“We need to figure out our next step.” Returning to the desk, I continued, “We know that Aurelion had these weapons somehow, but we don’t know how. We’ll let Lilan figure out how he wants to put them to use, but I want us to focus on where they came from.”
“So where do we start?”
“Well, let’s look at everything we know. First, we know that the leader of the Dock Street Gang is trying to play both sides of the field right now. Whether that means he’ll betray us in favor of Aurelion or not is unclear. I’d wager he’s going to try to wait to see who has the best chance of coming out on top. Once he has an idea, he’ll probably choose a side for real. I say we take advantage of everything he has to offer in the meantime. I can set up a meeting today, and we can see what he has to say about things. If anyone knows anything about weapons coming into the city, it’s probably him.”
“What if the docks aren’t involved?” Ophelia chimed in.
I didn’t miss a beat. “Very good point. If the black steel isn’t coming in from the docks, then that means it is either coming in through tunnels like those we have here at the inn or through caravans that are making it through the guards, which further envelops the city guard in all of this. That’s not ideal, cause it means they could be coming from anywhere. But, let’s try exhausting the leads we do have before we start trying to create new ones.”
She simply nodded in return.
Setting up a meeting with Woldroff should be simple. We were supposed to be allies, and if I played my cards right, maybe I could get him to reveal something about his plans with Aurelion. The meeting they had shared—their strange little alliance dinner—had certainly laid one mystery to rest. “A” had to be Aurelion. Why the man had chosen to use a moniker so close to his own name was beyond me. It was ridiculously idiotic.
Now all I had to do was get Woldroff to admit it, while also ensuring I didn’t let him bait me into anything.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
I let out a huff of air and took another sip of the tea. I glanced over at the countdown as it continued to drop closer and closer to zero.
It was only a matter of time now. Once I had the System back, I’d be able to do more. Grow stronger more quickly.
One day I’d reach my true form again. Hopefully I had a better grasp of everything by then. I still felt as if I was grasping for handholds on a cliff made of ice. Every ledge that felt like safety quickly became another obstacle as my fingers slipped from it.
I shook the line of thought from my mind and glanced at the timer again.
It was down to 10 seconds now.
The seconds seemed to tick by slower as I watched, the excitement building within me again. I felt it rushing through me, like a bolt of lightning spreading throughout my entire body, begging me to move. To jump into action.
The countdown reached zero, the single digit hanging there in the air for a long breath.
Had time stopped?
I glanced up at Ophelia, she was looking down at her hands, picking at her fingers. No doubt waiting for me to continue our conversation.
The words shimmered, each one fading from view as the window slowly turned from gold to a dark purple that shimmered with bits of blue.
System re-initializing…
Welcome, [Empress of Dragons], your System access has been restored. New services are now available.
I stared at the words in silence, trying to discern their meaning. Then another line appeared beneath them. One that sent my heart stampeding in my chest.
New quest available…
*** *** ***
The door closed behind me, leaving me and Woldroff alone in his office. Ophelia, who had come with me to meet with the leader of the Dock Street Gang, was outside, waiting in the hallway with his bodyguard.
Woldroff sat behind the desk, watching me, his steely gray eyes narrowed as he ran his hand over the neatly manicured mustache that covered his upper lip.
I’d already been planning to come and talk to him. Then the System had returned and given me all the additional push I’d needed.
New quest available…
Hidden Trades
There are rumblings of a secret marketplace beneath the cobbled streets of Caelthara. Speak with Woldroff to learn more about one of the underworld’s most important secrets.
I couldn’t help the feeling of elation that had flooded through my body when I’d read the words. There were so many threads I needed to unravel, and having the System would make it easier to focus, especially with the changes that it now offered me.
System access expanded. New upgrades unlocked:
Increased experience from quests.
Accelerated quest frequency.
Access to spatial inventory.
Additional experience from combat.
Retroactive experience for combat encounters applied.
The last upgrade on the list had brought my level to 11 from 9. After weeks of stagnating it had been thrilling to receive the level up message. I’d immediately allocated the six stat points that I earned for it, as well as the three I still had sitting in reserves, giving myself +3 to [Dexterity], [Intelligence], and [Endurance].
“How have you been, Aria? It’s been a while since we spoke face to face.” Woldroff said from behind the desk.
“It has,” I said, taking a step forward inside. The room was much as I remembered it—a large couch on one wall, a wardrobe near bookshelves across from it. The chair, which Woldroff filled, was more like a throne, the high back covering a large part of the windows, which I could now see had been covered with iron bars. I couldn’t help but smile at that.
“I wanted to talk about our continued partnership.”
“Ah.” His face grew more serious for a moment, his hands dropping to his lap. “Is there something wrong with our current agreement?”
I shrugged. “Just seeing how we can benefit one another more. I’m looking to expand the options I have to make money. As you are aware, I have now taken over The Slumbering Drake in the Eastern Quarter, and we’re looking for ways to expand our investments.”
“I see.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “So you are hoping to, what? Get into more business related workings?”
“That could be handy. I have sufficient income to work with at the moment, but I’d love to expand that beyond where I am right now, perhaps into the markets…” I let the words hang there, hopefully being enough of a hint.
I hadn’t been wholly sure what the System meant by the name of the quest, Hidden Trades. But, my first instinct had been something related to trading goods. That could mean anything, though, from trade routes to marketplaces. Maybe there was something going on with the markets in the capital that I didn’t know about. It had seemed like a good place to start.
“Yes, I see. I had wondered when you might approach me about such a topic. It is only natural to want to expand. And I believe we can help each other quite a bit in that regard, especially given the connections that The Slumbering Drake’s ownership might open for you.”
“So what should I know?”
Woldroff shrugged. It was a movement that looked unnatural on the man’s overly manicured features.
“The market is both an interesting and dangerous place, especially for newcomers. Getting there isn’t difficult, so long as you know the right places to look. But, making friends there can be challenging. I’ll put in a good word with some of the merchants I know that operate within the shadows of the marketplace. That should help ease any tension around a newcomer barreling in, especially given the current state of things.” A look of disgust covered his face.
“Ah, the lockdown has been causing issues for you?”
“Oh dear no. A minor inconvenience at worst. We have our deals, which allow us to keep operating at full capacity despite the Empress’s clear obsession with this wild goose chase. But, that isn’t really your concern, now is it? Trade secrets and all.” He smiled.
I forced myself to return the gesture. “Of course. So where can I find this marketplace?”
“There are several entrances around the city. Though, the easiest for you will likely be the one found at the docks. It’s where most of the newcomers enter from what I understand, so it’s the path where you’re least likely to run into any hindrances. That said, I’d watch yourself, Aria. The city’s underworld is a very cutthroat place. Nobody can be trusted when you’re wandering the streets of the Bloodshadow Marketplace.”
My smile widened. “I appreciate the warning, but I think I’ll be fine. Where exactly is this entrance?”
“I’ll have one of my men draw up a map for you. It’ll be easier than explaining it. Normally, I’d offer to go myself, introduce you to a few people. Grease the cogs as it were. But, as I’m sure you can guess, I’m exceptionally busy right now.”
In the corner of my eye, text shimmered through the air.
Quest updated: Hidden Trades
Woldroff has provided you with a map that should lead to a secret entrance to the Bloodshadow Marketplace. Enter the market and discover more about the hidden trade hub of the city's underbelly.
“Of course,” I said. It was likely the map I’d be given would lead to a trap. But, at least he had confirmed the existence of the place. “Oh, yeah, one last thing before I go. Have you learned anymore about this “A” person? I’m still curious to know who they are and what they hoped to accomplish by bringing us together.”
Woldroff’s face remained like stone. If the question had bothered him at all, he didn’t show it.
“Actually, I had a meeting with them the other day. I still don’t know what they look like, but the meeting was fruitful. They have far more power than I ever expected.”
“Interesting,” I said, not having expected him to outright say he’d met with the mysterious person that had pushed him in my direction. I still wasn’t sure what Aurelion had to gain by doing so. Get Woldroff to gain my trust, I suppose, and then turn the alliance against me.
But I was a step ahead of them. I saw it coming. I forced myself not to smile at the thought.
When they did finally betray me, I wouldn’t be the one surprised.
“Do you think you could get me a meeting? I’d like to talk to them myself.”
“I will see what I can do. They are very…squirrelly. I’m sure you can understand their nervousness about too many people getting close. They have a lot to lose.”
“I understand. Well, I’ll take that map, and then I can get out of your hair.”
“Yes, of course.” He called out and his bodyguard, a large hulking man with cropped red hair and a face that looked as if it had been beaten to a pulp every day as he grew up, stepped into the room. “Please bring our friend a map showing the way to the Bloodshadow Marketplace. Anything else?” His gaze fell on me again.
“That’ll do.”
He nodded and the red-haired man shambled out of the room, leaving the door open. Ophelia stuck her head inside.
“Everything good?”
“Better than good. I hope you’re ready, cause we’re going shopping.” I flashed her a grin and then glanced back at Woldroff, who was staring at us both, as if he didn’t know what to make of us.
Well, he could keep trying to figure it out. At least until my dagger found its way into his neck. I was going to enjoy killing him. All I needed to do now was wait for the right moment to strike.
First we lay the web, and then we wait for the flies to barrel headfirst into it.
have to check out this story. Oh, and also cat girls. You can't forget the cat girls.
? Pruned Trees Re-Sprout!! ~ Ragazza Volpe Magica ~ ?
by BlueTomoshibi
"Challenging the status quo on your own is impossible, isn't it?"
Maestro Shouri leads an aimless life. Choosing a Resonator is no simple task, and an unequal world leaves him loathing the status quo. Three chance encounters threaten to shake his heart to the core.
Those who stand by his side are loyal and true--Taika, a lunar Resonator despised for her elemental affinity; Pacifica, a water Resonator seeking to find herself and her Maestro alike; and Rebecca, a fire Resonator who has only known the life of a trophy.
The bond between Maestro and Resonator is not to be underestimated, and Shouri’s soul must unlock their potentials in tandem--before corruption can bring chaos to his world. Three Resonators will change Shouri’s life. Riterra will change with it--whether or not they want it to.
What to expect
-Kemonomimi story where the cat-girls aren't pretty trophies to collect (that's the villain's job)
-Modern setting, similar to earth
-Extensive worldbuilding
-Elemental Magic and spell-casting system with LitRPG aspects (readers compare it to Soul Eater meets Pokemon).
-Musically themed terminology
-Involved battle system
-Slow building, polyamorous romance
-No smut, we're PG-13
-Very cute fluffy slice of life elements to help break up the drama