"Glad to see we could come to an understanding."
Medrauta smirked as she sheathed her sword, stepping toward the only brigand who was still conscious. He had wisely thrown down his sword and surrendered the moment he witnessed Medrauta dispatch his two companions with impossible speed.
"W-Whoa! We're sorry! You're the one One-Eyed Jack talked 'bout, ain't'cha!?" The brigand stammered. "We don't mean no harm, really! We're just here for th' commander's offer! The one named Marilyn!"
Medrauta raised an eyebrow. "Word sure travels fast, but I suppose that's the norm in the underground. My lady and I are looking for some information. If you oblige, I'll spare you and your buddies. Maybe even throw in a few coins."
"M-Medrauta...!" Viviane whispered. "Stop making it sound so shady!"
The silver-haired knight laughed at the irony. They were in a place dominated by criminal society, after all. Had Medrauta failed to neutralize their attack, the brigands would've already robbed them blind.
"I'll do my best, Viviane." Medrauta grinned. Upon seeing her knight's expression, Viviane quickly caught on to how ridiculous her statement sounded, eliciting a laugh from the noblewoman as well.
"S-So... What did you want to know?" The brigand asked tentatively as he sensed a lull in the conversation. "I can't say I know much, but I'll do my best."
Medrauta nodded, returning her attention to the brigand as she adopted a more serious expression. "It's simple, really. For starters, how long have you been down here?"
"Down in the underground?" The brigand frowned. He wasn't sure if he could answer a question like that. After all, he'd pretty much lived in the tunnels even as a kid.
"Down in this area," Medrauta clarified. "Below Dietrich fief."
"Mm..." The brigand tapped a finger on his chin as he fell into deep thought, an act he seldom needed to perform. "'Bout three, four days, give or take? Came down 'ere ahead of ol' Jack. Took the rails, too."
Medrauta nodded in understanding. The brigand was referring to the makeshift railway system that ran through the tunnels. Although they were originally created for mining operations, the underground society had managed to repurpose them for rapid transport throughout the network. While they were convenient, they weren't exactly what Medrauta would call safe.
"Sounds like you were in a hurry."
The brigand shook his head. "Nah. I came from the south. It's chaos down there, and I sure as hell wasn't stickin' 'round to find out what was gonna happen t'me if I stayed. Ran into One-Eyed Jack on the way here an' heard 'bout Marilyn's offer."
"My apologies for interrupting, but do you know how the civil war in the south fares?" Viviane asked. "I have friends there, and I worry for their safety."
The brigand shrugged. "Not really. I ain't pokin' my head into straight-up danger, but I think th' one they call Lady Scarlet was winnin'."
Viviane nodded, the relief evident on her face. If Scarlet was indeed winning, that would mean Leticia and Rosaline were probably doing alright. "Excellent. Since I've started asking questions already, I suppose you won't mind if I keep doing so. Do you know of anyone who's made a transaction down here during the past few days? Most likely in gold or silver pieces."
"...Lookin' for expensive, huh? Think you'll have to talk to Ricardo. He's the one who handles all that shit. Though... I did see someone in fancy clothing skulkin' 'bout one of the entrances to the underground just a little over a day ago, actually. Well, two days, countin' today."

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Crest of the Strongest Knight
FantasyIn the Avalyne Empire, there is only one way to achieve greatness: exhibition matches. Those who possess the power to bestow god-given gifts known as Crests stand tall and proud as nobles, supporting their knights who wade into battle for the sake o...