Meera heard the people before she saw them. She was not far from the settlement. The faint glow of torches could be seen in the distance. Her arm, which still hurt pretty bad, bled into her shirt to the point that it was soaking. She wasn't sure how she was still standing. Still, she forced herself to the edge of the settlement.

The whole settlement was out in front of the inn—all the loggers with torches in hand. A light rain pattered on their heads as they surrounded someone who was yelling frantically and trying to pull people into the woods.

"Why don't you understand?" Sirala shrieked. "You heard that blast. We have to help her. Now!"

"It couldn't have been easy, Sirala," said another woman. "Being taken captive by those monsters, but there is nothing—"

"I'm back," Meera said, interrupting the conversation and making the burly man beside her nearly jump six feet high.

"Meera!" Sirala exclaimed and tackled Meera with a tight hug. It was good that Meera hadn't broken any bones, or Sirala would've definitely broken them.

"Hey, I'm alive, please don't unalive me," Meera groaned.

Sirala chuckled nervously. Then her hand brushed against Meera's right arm, which was wet with blood. The poor barmaid's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "What happened?" Before waiting for an answer, she turned to the woman she was talking to. "What are you standing around for? She's bleeding. You're a healer, Soraya. Heal her."

The woman looked a little older than Sirala, and they looked similar enough that Meera was sure they were sisters.

Soraya shook out of her daze and hobbled forward. "How badly are you injured? Let's get you inside and get these dirty clothes off before you get infected."

"Sure, as long as you can sell me some clean ones."

"You saved my life," Sirala said. "You can have all that I own."

The two sisters helped her even though she didn't need any help. The loggers parted ways for them as they walked to the inn. She was more excited about getting out of these damp clothes than when she got all those treasures in the Umbraclaws' cave, which reminded her of the assassin's armor. She might not even need to borrow clothes from Sirala.

She almost made it to the inn's door, where Sirala's crazed father stood at the open door, watching with disbelief. Meera wasn't sure if he was unsure about her survival or Sirala's stories about shadow monsters, which she must've told them by now.

When they reached the door, he didn't step aside. His eyes bore into Meera. "Did you kill them?" He asked. "Did you kill the bastards that took my daughter?"

Meera nodded. "Yeah…"

"Good." He stepped aside.

Before they could go in, someone called from behind her. "Did you find out about the master?"

Meera turned her dead. "He's dead."

The news hit the loggers like a blast. Some gasped, others whispered amongst each other, but most just stared. There was no hollering like last night, no sounds of celebrations. The only sound that could be heard was the pattering of rain.

"Someone go fetch, Miss Carleth," the barkeeper called. "She'll want to know what's happened to her brother."

Inside, the sisters took Meera to one of the rooms in the back of the inn. It was around the same place their washroom was at. Meera wouldn't mind a warm bath, but it felt rude to ask, but she wouldn't have said no if they offered.

Soraya helped her take her shirt off, and as it were, there were many bruises that Meera had forgotten to heal. She didn't know how proficient Soraya's healing skills were, but they were good enough to make her as good as new. By the time she finished, Sirala had returned with an assortment of clothes.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"These are all my new clothes," Sirala said. "Some, I stitched myself and haven't even worn. You can have your pick or take them all."

"Thank you, but I don't need them all. Maybe a pair of shirts and pants should suffice, that is, if you have a pair of pants," Meera said, as all she saw were smocks or skirts.

"Oh, of course, you're an adventurer, after all. I'll get you a nice pair of pants. In the meantime, you should take a bath. I've set out some hot water in the washroom for you."

Meera could kiss the girl. She happily went to the bath, cleaned all the blood off her, and then soaked in the warm water until someone knocked on the door.

“Meera,” it was Sirala. "Mistress Carleth is here. She's asking for you."

"Who is that? Can't she wait?"

"She's not exactly the type to wait…for anyone."

Meera groaned. Time for this rich girl to meet another rich girl.

She quickly got dressed in the clothes Sirala had brought her. The pants fit nicely, as well as the shirt. She wanted to try out her armor but decided there was no rush, and she had no mirror beside her chakrams, which were too small.

When she was finally done, after taking her time, she left the bath with Sirala and headed to meet Miss Carleth.

The inn was packed, but there was one person that everyone kept their distance from. Sirala didn't have to point her out. Even if Meera knew very little of the fashion of this world, she could tell Carleth was dressed very well. She sat on a chair facing the open fire of the chimney. She wore an exquisite green colored dress adorned with a gold chain with intricately designed links.

Meera took the empty chair opposite her—which she was sure placed there for her.

"You do look like a Varshan," Carleth said.

Those were the first words out of her mouth, which soured Meera's mood immediately, and she thought nothing could ruin her mood after that bath.

"Well, I'm not," Meera said. Then she pulled out some attitude of her own. Something that her mother had beaten out of her. She had taught her never to throw her weight around just because she was rich. "Are you this, Carleth?"

Her upper lip twitched. "It is Miss Carleth to you."

"Well, Carleth, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your brother is dead. Three monsters who were posing as soldiers took him. You can send a man west into the woods, and you'll find him in a cave. Mind you, he will not be in a good condition."

"I see." Her face did not even show a lick of emotion. "Tell me everything that happened."

Meera sighed and told her and every single logger apparently as to the fate of their master. Sirala also pitched in about how the Umbraclaws captured her and how Meera came to her rescue. Then Meera finished the tale by telling them about her fight with the remaining two Umbraclaw. The loggers confirmed hearing the blast. She left out the part about her returning to the cave for the treasures.

Carleth listened to the whole tale without ever taking her eyes off the fire. Meera wanted to rage and ask if she did not care about her brother at all. In the end, she couldn't resist at all.

"How can you sit there so stone-faced?" Meera asked. "Do you not care that your brother is dead?"

Some people gasped, and their reactions told her that Meera was crossing a line.

Carleth was quiet for a long moment. "I've shed my tears already. I knew he was gone the moment he vanished. I told him not to come to these woods, but he wouldn't listen. Now, he's paid the ultimate price." She pulled a small pouch off her waist and tossed it to Meera. "Your coin."

Meera caught it with a raised brow. "You don't even know if I'm telling the truth?"

"You are, and if you're not. I'll find you and put you down myself."

Meera squinted at that threat and used Identify.

[Banker – Level ??]

It took everything Meera had not to burst out laughing. A threat from a banker was like getting threatened by a five-year-old, no matter her level. Carleth turned and made for the door, and the loggers scrambled to get out of her way. The tension left the room with her, and the loggers were more than happy to see her go, but Meera was not done with her yet.

"Hey, wait," Meera said as she used Shadow Step to end up at the door, which made the room gasp. She followed the Banker out into the rainy night. "One last question. Do you know which direction Azeria is in?"

Carleth stopped moving. The only sound was the pattering of rain, and even her two bodyguards who were waiting for her at her carriage stared wide-eyed at Meera.

"That is not a name to be taken lightly," Carleth said, turning to face her. "Why do you want to go there?"

Meera paused, she almost told her she was after Narikas, the Shadowsteel Warlord, but somehow expected that would not go well with this rich girl. She remembered Oril mentioning something about bounty hunters after the champion.

"I'm on the Champion's trail, and last I heard, he was headed in that direction."

"Why are you after the Champion?" asked the banker, which launched her two bodyguards into a flurry of hushed whispers.

"I am a bounty hunter. My employer has put up a considerable reward on information for his whereabouts." Meera crossed her arms. "Do you know which direction Azeria is in?"

Carleth snorted as her lips curled up slightly. "Just because you've avenged my brother. I'll do you one better. There was news of the Champion meeting with the witch of Cliffshield Valley. It's a two-day walk from here. You can ask the barkeep for directions."

Meera nodded. "Thanks."

This was new, but Carleth could also be lying, seeing how easily she had given up this information. But if Neel had been there, Meera had to follow this lead, and if this Banker had wasted her time, she would have to watch out for Meera.