Free Web NovelChapter 23: 23: Gathering Information
---
There were many ways to gather information in his mind. He could use torture. He could steal papers. He could follow a guard. He could kill one of the shop workers and ask the other one for information. That last method was useful, but too risky inside the city on the first night. He did not know enough about House Ravencroft’s guards or their death magic. A dried corpse in the wrong place could cause trouble before he finished understanding the city.
So Lucard chose the simplest method.
He went to a pub.
The pub was called The Quiet Bone. It was a stupid name, but the place had customers. That was enough. It stood on a side street near the merchant square. Warm yellow light came from inside, which made it different from the cold blue lanterns outside. When Lucard entered, he smelled beer, smoke, roasted meat, sweat, old wood, and cheap perfume. It was the smell of mortal carelessness. After three days in the forest, even that smell was useful because people who drank liked to speak.
Several people looked at him when he entered.
Lucard had changed into black clothes, and the new cloak made him look like a young noble. His face was clean enough now, but his eyes were not soft. Some men looked at him once and then looked away. A few drunk men looked longer, but none came to bother him. That was wise. Even drunk dogs sometimes knew when a wolf had entered the road.
Lucard sat at a corner table.
A serving woman came over with a tired smile.
"What will you have, young sir?"
Lucard looked around and said, "Wine."
"What kind?" The serving women asked.
"The kind that makes men talk."
The woman paused, then smiled a little. "That costs more than normal wine."
Lucard placed a gold coin on the table.
Her smile became more real. "Then I will bring the right bottle."
Money worked quickly in this world. He had taken some coins from the hired men he killed during the journey. Dead men did not need money. That was one of the good things about corpses. They were quiet, generous, and never asked for receipts.
The serving woman brought him wine and a small plate of roasted meat. Lucard did not touch the meat. He only poured wine into the cup and waited.
He did not have to wait long.
At the table near him, three merchants were already talking about House Marovain. One of them was round, with a red face and oily fingers. Another was thin, with a long nose and nervous hands. The third looked like a caravan guard who had decided drinking was easier than standing straight.
Lucard offered them the wine and joined their table. They accept free drinks without asking any questions.
The round merchant said, "I am telling you, that shop will be counted from top to bottom by morning. When the main line sends someone, no box is safe."
The thin man lowered his voice. "Do not speak too loudly. That lady is not someone to joke about."
Lucard slowly turned his cup in his hand.
The caravan guard laughed. "Which lady? The one from Marovain?"
The thin man looked around before answering. "Lady Celia Marovain. Main line. Not branch blood. Main line."
Lucard remembered the name.
’Celia Marovain.’
The round merchant nodded quickly. "Yes, her. She came with her uncle for inspection. Lord Bastian Marovain. They say he oversees several branch shops between Gravehold, Fenwick road, and the northern trade route."
The guard whistled. "Main line came all the way here for a branch shop? That means something is wrong."
"Not wrong," the round merchant said. "Important. The Gravehold branch does not only sell clothes and noble goods. They buy treasure too. Rare herbs, old weapons, monster cores, ancient spells, cursed items, tomb finds, family heirlooms, sealed treasure boxes, anything with value. With Ravencroft land full of graves and ruins, many strange things pass through this city."
The thin man drank from his cup. "That is why House Marovain cares about this shop. People bring old things from tomb hills and sell them quietly. Some are useless. Some are dangerous. Some are worth enough to buy a village."
Lucard listened carefully to them.
A shop that bought rare items, treasures, and things from old tombs.
That was useful. Very useful.
The caravan guard leaned forward. "I heard Lady Celia can tell if someone lies during a deal."
The round merchant waved his greasy hand. "That is Marovain blood. Silver Tongue Vein. Their memory and calculation are frightening. If you owe them three pieces of gold from ten years ago, they will remember the day, the weather, and probably what color your socks were."
The thin man shivered. "My cousin tried to sell them a fake relic once. The Marovain clerk smiled, bought him wine, praised his courage, then made him pay a penalty so large that his children are still paying them after so many years."
The round merchant laughed. "That is why I never cheat Marovain. I only cheat poor people. It is safer."
"Hek! Hek! Hek!"
The other two laughed. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Lucard looked at them without expression. freёwebnovel.com
Mortals really did confess ugly things after drinking. In that way, wine was almost as useful as torture and far less messy.
He kept listening.
The conversation moved from Lady Celia to other city matters. Lucard learned that House Ravencroft’s estate was called Black Raven Manor. It stood in the upper district, behind an iron gate and a long road lined with black cypress trees. Baron Ravencroft had not been seen in public for several days, but that was apparently normal for him. The first son, Adrian Ravencroft, was often seen near the mage tower and old tomb records. He was Jenny’s fiancé, which matched what Jenny had said.
Lucard also learned that House Ravencroft’s people did not like noise near the tomb hills. Anyone caught digging without permission could lose a hand. Anyone who stole from old graves and did not sell through approved channels could disappear. Some said the family buried thieves alive. Others said that was false and that they buried them dead because House Ravencroft was still polite.
The pub had many rumors. Some were useful. Some were stupid. Some were both.
