“Thank goodness the mousefolk still had some currency with them.” Meomi said in her bald headed disguise as they passed through the Demon Rat checkpoint and into the middle sized town called Uote.
“Heh, it was free anyway, why bother negotiating with them, Flame Ripper?” Sebastia asked as she played with the coin they ‘paid’ to the guards that had the Demon Rats scrutinising them from afar.
“I totally forgot that you were well versed with coin tricks…” Flame Ripper sighed as they surveyed the bleak condition the town was in.
Ever since the Demon Rats infested the entire northern region, they had maintained the strictest restriction in that area since that was where the so called home base was. The Farm Rats did attempt to spread further down to the rest of the land, but the main issue was the ocean. They were unable to cross the bodies of water, and the northern military, or what was left in the Farming World had fiercely protected the remaining port towns.
So, unless the Scholar of the North and South had decided to personally bring the viral demon plague infestation to the other parts of the world, this was the last known spot where Gold, the previous Scholar of the East had seen the plague.
This was precisely why Gold sorely needed information. He wanted to know if the Demon Rats had control outside of the northern region. If there were, it would seem even more disastrous than he could imagine, and it would potentially change how Jin should confront the situation.
“You seem to like the bald disguise a lot? Does it remind you of someone?” Sebastia asked as they managed to check into an Inn to stay for the night. The scouting team had been on the road for two days straight with their light footed spell before they reached Town Uote. By the time they arrived, it was already in the evening.
“Yes. My father.” Meomi did not mince her words as she unpacked her items in the small room they rented. (Which, of course, was being paid with the same coins that ‘magically’ found itself again in Sebastia’s hands.)
“I see, I shall not probe any further then,” Sebastia said as she also began to change out into her proper combat gear.
“Rendezvous in 30 minutes at the top of the town’s clocktower when the sun is down. Get food if you need to and if possible some information.” Flame Ripper instructed as he was already draped in an all black attire. With just a quick peek out of the window, he disappeared like the wind.
“I will be off too.” Meomi subsequently followed Flame Ripper’s way of exiting the room and disappeared even before Sebastia could deliver a reply.
“Guess, I am the only one using the old fashion way of collecting information.” Sebastia took some perfume out from her backpack and sprayed it all around her. She also adjusted her combat gear to make sure her ‘erogenous’ areas were well endowed.
With her new disguise from the cosmetic inscription as well as a magical ring of truth which Peppers imbued to get information easily, she believed things would go well. However, the ring only had a fixed amount of charges in it, and hopefully, Sebastia was able to get the information without using it.)
The inn had a bar that served food and beer on the first floor too, as such she decided to try her luck getting information first. “Urgh, the atmosphere seems to be the same no even in other worlds.” Sebastia thought the moment she got down from her room to the first floor. Every guy in that bar turned to see the badass beauty they caught a glimpse of when they initially entered the inn.
Even the innkeeper was staring at her and prolonged the checking in procedure just to talk to her. That was also why Sebastia had decided to try to get the information from them. She might not be as convincing as Kiyu, but she believed decades of experience with Lord Moloch would prove to be sufficient. (What’s a few decades to a demonised Minotaur in the Dungeon World?)
“Jackpot.” Sebastia smiled to herself when she was all along in the bar, already enjoying the free drinks from the lecherous bartender when a rugged, tough looking guy talked up towards her. All that in less than 10 minutes.
“You seem alone, young miss. That bald guy and little kid your family?” The stranger asked though Sebastia continued to pay more attention to her drink than him.
“Clients. I am here to chill out.” Sebastia answered eventually as she took a sip from her drink. However, she also performed the sipping as sexual as could be, arousing the tough guy to get his utmost attention.
“Hmm, maybe I can assist you in your chilling out. That is if you get my drift.” The stranger came closer to her as if to check her out even more. He could clearly see her sensuous volume of fats staring at him back right at his face, and the stranger was trying his best to control himself in front of the crowd.
“Perhaps. That is if you can answer my question. If you can satisfy my curiosity… maybe I won’t mind the company.” Sebastia played the ‘hard to get’ part rather smoothly, and it already made the stranger swallowing his saliva.
“What do you wish to know?” The tough guy went even closer, caressing her arms.
“What is the status of the Demon Rats around this area? Are they very active? Have they invaded the seaports or spread to the other regions?” She asked directly to the point and suddenly the tough guy became not so tough. He quickly covered her and whisper to her ears. It was not a sign of flirting, but he was genuinely terrified.
“Why are you asking all these questions? You should know anyone could be a spy. They are putting out generous rewards for anyone asking too much. If their collaborators catch you asking these kinds of stuff, they will imprison you for interrogation!” The stranger replied in a fairly panicked tone.
Demon Rats. These two words were enough for his libido to hit rock bottom. Even the bartender who had been eavesdropping quickly moved away from her for his own sake.
“Sounds even worse than I thought…” Sebastia thought to herself before she put up a smile. “I just need to know for my client. That bald guy needs to travel to the southern area to reunite with his family. He wants to know which seaport is still safe to travel. I also heard they would need to stop either at the East or West region before they proceed further down.”
“Ah…I thought you were one of the resistance members.” The stranger said in a concerned manner when he realised the motive of Sebastia. “Recently, there had been too many raids on the outskirts of Uote. The rebels were conducting ambushes against the rats. The Jacks, I believe. Or what’s left of them anyway.”
“Heh, those Jacks? Aren’t they a miserable bunch of people, trying their best to thwart the peace that you guys have in town? “Sebastia was trying her luck to see if any of the resistance members were in the bar. She was also scanning around the crowd when she spoke ill of it.
It was killing two birds with one stone by announcing her opinion out loud. Those that hated the rats would not be able to say anything much or at least pretend to not hear it. At that moment, she was also surveying the crowd of those who were looking for the very same people that she was looking for as well. The collaborators.
Sebastia did not know how deeply rooted the collaborators were with the Demon Rats. The illusion of peace in this town was too fragile and fake. Everyone was just going on with their own lives as per normal while living in the fear of the Demon Rats.
“You have not answered my question.” Sebastia now took the initiative to whisper at the stranger’s ear and bit it lightly after she noted that there was a possibility for both collaborators and the rebels to be in the very same bar.
“From…From…what I know, the…erm they could not pass through the defences at the major seaports and decided to stay inland conquering the entire Northern Region for themselves. They seem pretty satisfied with it.” The tough guy said, and Sebastia furrowed her eyebrows as if she was in disbelief.
“Why are they just satisfied with the Northern region?” Sebastia questioned as she took her shot of booze.
“The northern region was supposedly the leading exporter of agriculture because of its rich and fertile lands for crops. Taking the farms away and you basically starve nearly half the of the world who relied on the food supplies.” the stranger said and Sebastia asked how reliable was his information.
“No shit, serious. I work as a sailor and am currently on home leave. If your client needs a boat ride, I can ask my captain to provide you with a space to travel to the south. There was no such news of …them invading yet.” The sailor confessed, and Sebastia knew it was true.
The magical ring of truth needed to be in contact with the person to know that they were stating the fact, or at least what they seemed to know. Which was why Sebastia decided to act playful and bit on his ear to let the ring work its magic.
In the meantime, she could deduce why the Demon Rats were satisfied with maintaining the northern region. If what the sailor said was true, by starving half the world would mean that the other regions would be fighting among themselves for food supplies.
If that was true, the Demon Rats could have bid their time to attack them while they are at the weakest. Sebastia could not fathom that they would able to think of such a plan unless there was someone more intelligent leading them.
“Well, the night is still young, I’m going to walk around a little. Perhaps I will visit you later in the night…when it’s less crowded.” Sebastia teased him before she gave her coin to the bartender. “Extra, to keep both of your lips wet.” Sebastia winked and the bartender poured a cup for both the sailor and himself to steady their nerves. (Little did he knew the coin was gone the moment he kept it.)
“I got to meet up with Flame Ripper and Meomi to see what they know.” Sebastia thought to herself as she walked out of the inn and went via the back alley since the clocktower was behind the inn. However, not even five minutes later, there were multiple footsteps behind her. The minotaur maid did not expect actions of either the rebels or collaborators to be that fast.
She did what every person who was being followed would do. Walk faster and then run until she found herself in a dead end. The mob were panting trying to get her but seeing how they finally surrounded her, they took out their hidden weapons like knives, daggers and even wooden clubs,
“We heard that you saying bad things about the Jacks and asking about the whereabouts of the Demon Rats. What are you exactly planning? To spread more of the plague? To be a collaborator? Who is your client?” A person with strands of silver hair came forward among the mobs. “We do not tolerate those who support the Demon Rats.”
“Sigh, just when I thought I can give someone a good thrashing,” Sebastia said, and she stared down the entire group with a menacing aura. While it seemed apparent that they were the rebel group, especially the one right in front of her, she needed further verification to prove that they could be trusted.
“I know where Gold is. Heard that he is not in a very good shape. My bald headed client seemed to have had fun bullying him at times.” Sebastia smirked as she spoke half the truth out.
Suddenly, the eyes of the guy in Silver Hair grew wide, and he tore his cloak away in anger. The growling sound got louder and louder. The rest followed suit and Sebastia licked her lips.
“Oh, thy thank our Lord and Almighty System for being kind and benevolent. I shall guide the helpless to your arms.” Sebastia prayed as she stretched and readied her palms against them.
