Rumor: The Hand I Seek

Yuki's village had been secured and he was still alive, so all is well. Battousai had elected to begin training with his apprentice and that left me free to pursue another task on my to-do list... tracking down information on this target that Battousai has been searching for for quite some time it would seem. He had given me enough of a description when we made camp last week before Yuki's recapture of Theden, his village. I released word to my operative network in the coastal regions and desert lands to search for this man. If he means this much to Battousai, then I will do duty and hunt this man to the ends of the realm and back again if I must. That would bring me to where I am now, sitting in a small restaurant near the cliffs that I would frequent back when I worked for the monarchy as an operative and problem solver. It serves dishes similar to sushi and ramen. As it would be, I am actually enjoying a casual lunch with the owner's daughter at the moment. She and I always liked to chit chat when I would come in here and I would often bring her seashell trinkets and stones from the beach that I figured she would like.

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Keeping a relationship like this one going strong and amicable is paramount for an operative. She hears much and sees much because no one pays much attention to a pretty young girl in such a small and demure frame. She and I catch up about how things have been going in the coastal regions since I left to aid Battousai. She tells me that she has seen somewhat of an increase in visits from operatives who order peculiar items, some of which are not on the menu. I smile at her and tell her that there are plenty of people with unique appetites. She refills my tea cup and tells me in a more hushed tone that I should warn my operatives to be more discrete in how they conduct their business. I tell her that an operative connected to me, if such an operative even exists, would allow what they want to be heard to be heard by anyone other than who they are talking to at the time. "There are times when I want to see how someone will react to something they overhear in a tavern or restaurant. So I will laugh obnoxiously and say it louder than necessary. Not too loud or they may figure out the rouse, but just loud enough."

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She smirks and tells me that she believes my food is ready. She walks to the back and a rolled up note slides onto my seat next to me. I nod my head as I retrieve my tea cup before taking a sip. I unroll the note while stirring my tea and read the contents carefully. So one of my operatives had a lead. There is a village called Garfwin to the west in northern territory of the R5 region. "Male present. Symbol to write matches what the eye requests. Garfwin, NE R5." The message is kept vague and slightly encrypted on purpose, but it had all the details that I needed. When the owner's daughter returns, there is another note waiting for me. I smile at her and whisper to her, "I do not think it wise for you to get involved in my line of work, Kitten. There is much danger in what I undertake. More than you need ever know. Thank you for whatever this is." She tells me that she is not afraid and that she wants to help me to repay all of the kindness and aid that I have shown to her family over the last year and a half.

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I start eating and we simply enjoy one another's company for a while. I read the note that she had hidden within my napkin and ask her if she is certain. She tells me that she is and I lay my napkin on the bench seat next to me. A clean one appears in its place. I wipe my mouth and continue eating. The person behind me finishes their meal and leaves some trinkets on the table as payment before raising their hood to shield their eyes from the sun and walk off. She asks if I am worried about the intel that she just presented and I tell her that I am not as it is being handled already. In order for my network to operate the way I want it to, my operatives would have to always be moving and growing, so they were trained to lead double lives. They worked normally as merchants, carpenters, artisans, dancers, bands, you name it because the easiest place for one to hide is right in front of the people looking for you. I conclude my meal with Kitten, my nickname for the owner's daughter because of her curiosities and cuteness.

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Upon leaving, I tell her to stay out of trouble before lifting up the hood on my own cloak and walking off. My actual walking would not last long before my image fades into the Void. I need to get back to Theden and to Battousai to report what I had learned. Before that though, I needed to get to Garfwin and check in with my operative to see if the man with the symbol on his hand was still there and if so, if it was the correct symbol. Arriving in Garfwin doesn't take long. I exit the Void on the outskirts of the village and walk in casually with my hood still raised to conceal me. I go to the village's market to check out some merchandise and a young man walks by me and acting like a brat tells me that I don't want any of this guy's junk and that if I am looking for cool merchandise that he could show me the best place to get it.

He worked as a mercantile scout of sorts for one of the more seedy merchants who is operating in the village for the time being. It is a very valuable cover identity. We talk about different types of merchandise for a while before I inquire about the target and the young man tells me that my target is still here he believes. I tell him to keep the village's eyes on him while I retrieve my lord. I could not confirm whether or not it was Battousai's target, so I would have to retrieve the one who could. I disappear down an alley and into the Void. My destination was to bring this news to the one who seeks it.

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