"So you're saying that almost every faction has a feud with the Sorneo family, not just your group?" Anom appeared suspicious, struggling to comprehend how a single family could provoke the ire of numerous powerful forces in the capital and still manage to survive.
The blonde continued, clarifying, "It's not a personal matter... It's more like an ongoing situation where each faction is vying for an advantage."
Anom pressed further, "Can I assume that multiple factions are involved in this mess?"
"Almost all of them," the girls affirmed, causing Anom to fall silent for a moment, contemplating the magnitude of the situation.
"In that case, if you're so certain, why not directly accuse them before the Royal Family?" Anom found this aspect particularly perplexing. Although the collective strength of all the institutions and families might not match that of the royal authority, they still held some influence due to their integration into the kingdom's system. Some factions even held positions of power comparable to those of royal members.
Moreover, if all the major powers are harboring suspicions, shouldn't the King take some action?
"We've tried," the blonde responded. "As you may know, most of the prominent families in the capital today trace their lineage back to the warriors who were hailed as the nation's founding heroes alongside the Ancestral King. Their power and, more importantly, their lineage contribute to their status." She explained with a complex expression, "The Sorneo family is no different. In fact, they are somewhat unique among the others because they specialize in medicine. Even the Royal Family relies on them for certain matters in the field."
Anom was astonished. It was his first time learning about the nuances and distinctions among these major factions.
"So your suspicions aren't strong enough to bring charges against them?" he inquired.
"Not only are our suspicions insufficient, but we haven't even been granted permission to investigate the case," the blonde responded with a despondent expression. "His Highness the King even rebuked our families for causing a commotion in the kingdom over a trivial matter."
Anom's curiosity grew. "Could you enlighten me on what caught your attention?" He was eager to uncover the event that had compelled them to travel all the way here in search of evidence.
"It all started with a poisoning incident," the blonde began, her tone thoughtful as she recounted the story, providing Anom with a clearer understanding of why the other factions were so agitated.
Some time ago, a grand celebratory feast was hosted by a member of the royal lineage, and the main focus was on talented and accomplished youths from various backgrounds and occupations. As expected in such a gathering of spirited young individuals, there were numerous altercations—some friendly, others less so.
One particular incident involved a newly promoted officer from the city guard unit accusing several members of the Sorneo House of embezzling a portion of the recently acquired stock of herbs.
The altercation between the officer and the Sorneo House members had escalated to the point where the other audience members realized that the once-entertaining show had taken an ugly turn and was on the brink of turning physical. The two parties were separated and consoled by their respective friends, and it was believed that the incident would be resolved once everyone sobered up. However, no one was prepared for what unfolded the following morning.
The next day, the officer arrived at work as usual and conducted himself in a normal manner. However, after a couple of hours, his subordinates discovered him dead in his cabin, poisoned to be precise. The news quickly spread throughout the city, fueling speculation among those who had attended the celebratory party. While the initial suspicion fell on the Sorneo House, a swift forensic examination revealed that they were not responsible. The final conclusion reached was that foreign elements sought to sow discord in the city, primarily based on the formula of the toxin, which had been previously linked to these foreign agents.
"That was the end of the case," the blonde girl concluded, indicating that there was more to the story that she was unaware of.
Anom rubbed his chin, contemplating the information shared. "Everything you've told me so far has been less useful than your admission of not knowing the key reason," he remarked.
Perplexed, the blonde girl asked, "What do you mean?"
Anom grinned, offering his reasoning. "Your elders must be the only ones who know about the incident or event that occurred without your knowledge, right?"
The blonde nodded, not fully comprehending his point.
"In that case, it's apparent that whatever they are concealing is not meant for public knowledge. Considering your position within your families and organizations, your clearance level would be the lowest. What you don't know won't be revealed to you. However, the fact that they are still acting covertly suggests that whatever it is has captured their attention. And what could attract forces of this magnitude more than a profitable return?"
The girls were not thrilled with Anom's analysis of their standing in their respective forces, but they couldn't deny the truth of his words. It was further evident from their clandestine investigation mission undertaken without anyone's permission.
"What else do you want to know?" the blonde girl asked, ready to provide more information.
Anom pondered for a moment before posing his next question. "How did that officer come to know about the Sorneo family members embezzling something?"
"He was responsible for monitoring the incoming and outgoing logistics at one of the gathering points inside the capital. The stock he claimed to have been tampered with was under his watch. It should have happened then," the purple-haired assassin-girl responded surprisingly.
Anom nodded, though he had his reservations about this explanation. "If that was the case, he could have reported the problem right then and there," he thought to himself but chose not to share it with the girls, knowing it wouldn't be of much help considering their unconventional approach.
"Next question. Why are you two here? I mean, I understand that you probably want to investigate the lower-level forces associated with the Sorneos, but what led you to choose this city?" Anom inquired.
The blonde girl turned to her friend, who nodded, and began to explain, "I heard it from somewhere... Uh... I overheard a conversation between a waitress and her sister. The waitress works at a restaurant where I frequently dine, and her sister happens to be employed as a maid at the Sorneo residence."
Anom was left speechless, but deep down, he wasn't entirely surprised by the turn of events. It was somewhat expected from these two unconventional individuals. Curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "What were they talking about?"
The assassin girl continued, "Apparently, the maid worked as a personal attendant to a member of the Sorneo House. She boasted to her sister, who worked as a waitress, about her employer. At that moment, the maid mentioned another family member who was well-known among our group. This scion of the Sorneo House was beloved among the younger generation, and the maid bragged about the tasks he assigned to her young master and the bright future that awaited him. But the crucial point came when the waitress questioned the maid about the real reason for his selection. Reluctantly, the maid revealed that her young master was related to the Sorneo family residing in the city he was assigned to. That's how he secured the position."
Anom raised an eyebrow, sensing there was something significant in this information. However, he still asked them, "And why is this noteworthy?"
The blonde quickly explained, "She mentioned it to me the following day in passing, and initially, I didn't think much of it. But then I recalled something I had seen at my elder's house: a list that included the names of locations and resource hubs acquired by the Sorneo House over the past few decades. These locations were not obvious and mostly served as gathering places for plants and medicinal herbs, which were essential to their business. Although the Sorneo House had taken control of these locations by force from opposing factions, it didn't cause much concern as they were of marginal importance to those factions. Engaging in conflict over these locations would only damage their previously friendly connections with the Sorneo House. However, when I connected it with the issue raised by the deceased officer, it became clear that there was more to it than what had been discovered before his death."
The blonde looked pleased with her findings as she continued, "I chose to come here after making the connection between these locations and what Nia had told me about the young master being assigned to this city. Pretty clever of me, right?"
Her friend, the purple-haired assassin-girl, couldn't contain her shock and blurted out, "You fool!" Realizing her mistake, her eyes widened, and she felt a sense of panic. Revealing her friend's name was a slip-up they couldn't afford. They had gone to great lengths to conceal their identities, and hearing her name uttered in that manner was unsettling.
Before she could apologize, Anom interjected, "Well, thanks for the brief explanation. Now it's time we talked about something more substantial. What do you say, Miss Nia?"
Thanks for reading!
"So you're saying that almost every faction has a feud with the Sorneo family, not just your group?" Anom appeared suspicious, struggling to comprehend how a single family could provoke the ire of numerous powerful forces in the capital and still manage to survive.
The blonde continued, clarifying, "It's not a personal matter... It's more like an ongoing situation where each faction is vying for an advantage."
Anom pressed further, "Can I assume that multiple factions are involved in this mess?"
"Almost all of them," the girls affirmed, causing Anom to fall silent for a moment, contemplating the magnitude of the situation.
"In that case, if you're so certain, why not directly accuse them before the Royal Family?" Anom found this aspect particularly perplexing. Although the collective strength of all the institutions and families might not match that of the royal authority, they still held some influence due to their integration into the kingdom's system. Some factions even held positions of power comparable to those of royal members.
Moreover, if all the major powers are harboring suspicions, shouldn't the King take some action?
"We've tried," the blonde responded. "As you may know, most of the prominent families in the capital today trace their lineage back to the warriors who were hailed as the nation's founding heroes alongside the Ancestral King. Their power and, more importantly, their lineage contribute to their status." She explained with a complex expression, "The Sorneo family is no different. In fact, they are somewhat unique among the others because they specialize in medicine. Even the Royal Family relies on them for certain matters in the field."
Anom was astonished. It was his first time learning about the nuances and distinctions among these major factions.
"So your suspicions aren't strong enough to bring charges against them?" he inquired.
"Not only are our suspicions insufficient, but we haven't even been granted permission to investigate the case," the blonde responded with a despondent expression. "His Highness the King even rebuked our families for causing a commotion in the kingdom over a trivial matter."
Anom's curiosity grew. "Could you enlighten me on what caught your attention?" He was eager to uncover the event that had compelled them to travel all the way here in search of evidence.
"It all started with a poisoning incident," the blonde began, her tone thoughtful as she recounted the story, providing Anom with a clearer understanding of why the other factions were so agitated.
Some time ago, a grand celebratory feast was hosted by a member of the royal lineage, and the main focus was on talented and accomplished youths from various backgrounds and occupations. As expected in such a gathering of spirited young individuals, there were numerous altercations—some friendly, others less so.
One particular incident involved a newly promoted officer from the city guard unit accusing several members of the Sorneo House of embezzling a portion of the recently acquired stock of herbs.
The altercation between the officer and the Sorneo House members had escalated to the point where the other audience members realized that the once-entertaining show had taken an ugly turn and was on the brink of turning physical. The two parties were separated and consoled by their respective friends, and it was believed that the incident would be resolved once everyone sobered up. However, no one was prepared for what unfolded the following morning.
The next day, the officer arrived at work as usual and conducted himself in a normal manner. However, after a couple of hours, his subordinates discovered him dead in his cabin, poisoned to be precise. The news quickly spread throughout the city, fueling speculation among those who had attended the celebratory party. While the initial suspicion fell on the Sorneo House, a swift forensic examination revealed that they were not responsible. The final conclusion reached was that foreign elements sought to sow discord in the city, primarily based on the formula of the toxin, which had been previously linked to these foreign agents.
"That was the end of the case," the blonde girl concluded, indicating that there was more to the story that she was unaware of.
Anom rubbed his chin, contemplating the information shared. "Everything you've told me so far has been less useful than your admission of not knowing the key reason," he remarked.
Perplexed, the blonde girl asked, "What do you mean?"
Anom grinned, offering his reasoning. "Your elders must be the only ones who know about the incident or event that occurred without your knowledge, right?"
The blonde nodded, not fully comprehending his point.
"In that case, it's apparent that whatever they are concealing is not meant for public knowledge. Considering your position within your families and organizations, your clearance level would be the lowest. What you don't know won't be revealed to you. However, the fact that they are still acting covertly suggests that whatever it is has captured their attention. And what could attract forces of this magnitude more than a profitable return?"
The girls were not thrilled with Anom's analysis of their standing in their respective forces, but they couldn't deny the truth of his words. It was further evident from their clandestine investigation mission undertaken without anyone's permission.
"What else do you want to know?" the blonde girl asked, ready to provide more information.
Anom pondered for a moment before posing his next question. "How did that officer come to know about the Sorneo family members embezzling something?"
"He was responsible for monitoring the incoming and outgoing logistics at one of the gathering points inside the capital. The stock he claimed to have been tampered with was under his watch. It should have happened then," the purple-haired assassin-girl responded surprisingly.
Anom nodded, though he had his reservations about this explanation. "If that was the case, he could have reported the problem right then and there," he thought to himself but chose not to share it with the girls, knowing it wouldn't be of much help considering their unconventional approach.
"Next question. Why are you two here? I mean, I understand that you probably want to investigate the lower-level forces associated with the Sorneos, but what led you to choose this city?" Anom inquired.
The blonde girl turned to her friend, who nodded, and began to explain, "I heard it from somewhere... Uh... I overheard a conversation between a waitress and her sister. The waitress works at a restaurant where I frequently dine, and her sister happens to be employed as a maid at the Sorneo residence."
Anom was left speechless, but deep down, he wasn't entirely surprised by the turn of events. It was somewhat expected from these two unconventional individuals. Curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "What were they talking about?"
The assassin girl continued, "Apparently, the maid worked as a personal attendant to a member of the Sorneo House. She boasted to her sister, who worked as a waitress, about her employer. At that moment, the maid mentioned another family member who was well-known among our group. This scion of the Sorneo House was beloved among the younger generation, and the maid bragged about the tasks he assigned to her young master and the bright future that awaited him. But the crucial point came when the waitress questioned the maid about the real reason for his selection. Reluctantly, the maid revealed that her young master was related to the Sorneo family residing in the city he was assigned to. That's how he secured the position."
Anom raised an eyebrow, sensing there was something significant in this information. However, he still asked them, "And why is this noteworthy?"
The blonde quickly explained, "She mentioned it to me the following day in passing, and initially, I didn't think much of it. But then I recalled something I had seen at my elder's house: a list that included the names of locations and resource hubs acquired by the Sorneo House over the past few decades. These locations were not obvious and mostly served as gathering places for plants and medicinal herbs, which were essential to their business. Although the Sorneo House had taken control of these locations by force from opposing factions, it didn't cause much concern as they were of marginal importance to those factions. Engaging in conflict over these locations would only damage their previously friendly connections with the Sorneo House. However, when I connected it with the issue raised by the deceased officer, it became clear that there was more to it than what had been discovered before his death."
The blonde looked pleased with her findings as she continued, "I chose to come here after making the connection between these locations and what Nia had told me about the young master being assigned to this city. Pretty clever of me, right?"
Her friend, the purple-haired assassin-girl, couldn't contain her shock and blurted out, "You fool!" Realizing her mistake, her eyes widened, and she felt a sense of panic. Revealing her friend's name was a slip-up they couldn't afford. They had gone to great lengths to conceal their identities, and hearing her name uttered in that manner was unsettling.
Before she could apologize, Anom interjected, "Well, thanks for the brief explanation. Now it's time we talked about something more substantial. What do you say, Miss Nia?"
Thanks for reading!
