A few days after leaving the Barrons estate Bernhard and Balin were back in Bernhards main house, discussing potential leads. Bernhard is holding pen and paper in his hand trying to write down everything the duo could come up with.

“Ok, let’s review what we know about that Rose.”

“We she is trained as an witch and her age is slightly below mine. If I remember correctly, she was about 1.65 meters tall and she had either brown or ginger hair, it deepened on the light and her age. Once she colored it completely black for fun, so we have to consider her doing something similar again.”

“Great, her hair could have any color. Really useful information. Is there anything that people could immediately recognize from her? Like a scar from when she fell or an unusual beauty mark?”

Balin thought for a second until he remembered something.

“She has a unique way of speaking. She always talked very dirty.”

“That’s something. So, we have a seductress that we are searching for. That is usually something that people won’t forget quickly.”

“No no no. Not like that. She, how do I put it? Swears a lot. Like in every other sentence.”

“Seriously?”

“She thought it was funny and would help her to express strong feelings towards things. Then it just became a habit. Her mother always had to correct her speech. Madam Mine was really embarrassed by this.”

“Ok, that’s something I didn’t expect. So, we are searching for a 16-20-year-old witch of average height who is very vulgar. Not too much to go off but it could be worse. I guess we can start by asking local witches, alchemists and herb sellers, if they know something. Let’s go in 20 its starting to get cold and I need to search for my jacket.”

Balin and Bernhards search started as was to be expected. There were three competing shops with witches selling their tonics and salve in the capital alone, with many more spread throughout the country. At first having two men coming into their shops and asking about a girl made the women weary about what they were planning to do with her, but after some explaining they were more understanding. Still none of them were able to help them with their search. Even name-dropping Madame, Mine didn’t seem to ring a bell for either one of the three ladies. But at least the third shop visited did give the duo a hint based on which they could search more efficiently. She recommended them to ask for the name of common herb and mysterious ingredient suppliers in the area from where they Madame Mine lived. After all it would be likely that if she survived that Rose would stay somewhere, where her mother’s contacts would carry weight and as a supplier of her goods those businesses would probably supply the whole region and therefore have a list of names that could help the duo in their search. Bernhard bought some expensive mixtures form the lady, as a form of thank you before they left and went on their way. After quickly going back home Bernhard informed Tracy that he would leave for a while and that he wouldn’t be sure when he would come back. After packing everything necessary for a longer trip the duo left two days later. Finding the distribution company turned out to be surprisingly easy. In a village near Rivervalley they asked a regional potion maker, who told them that the main supplier for the entire region was the Yellow Caravan. Named after the primary color in their banner. They specialized in trading foreign and exotic goods but also regional the rarities that both witches and alchemists needed. While finding out who they had to ask was surprisingly quick, contacting them to find important info wasn’t. While they had smaller stores from where potion makers could buy and order smaller and more common items, it turns out that no one in any of the three regional stores knew who either Madame Mine or Rose were. After bribing a few employees, they did find some older receipts mentioning the adult witch but the personal that knew her personally was now moved towards companies’ main seat in Beachline.

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Neither Balin nor Bernhard were happy to go to Beachline. It was at the other end of the country and a long way from where they were. Balin especially didn’t like having to go there, because it reminded him when went there to find information about the Gaus group. After another weeklong trip the duo arrived at Beachline and found the Yellow Caravan headquarters and after some more asking and bribing, they found what they were searching for. A skinny receptionist called Mary in her early thirties who worked at the shop where Madame Mine frequented remembered the witch and was more than willing to talk during her break. So Balin, Bernhard and the woman were meeting in a teashop, where the woman couldn’t be stopped. She was always moving her hands, distractingly so. Even while talking she always has either grabbing the sugar, hyperactively stirring the spoon in her cup or grabbing the expensive biscuits that Bernhard offered to pay for.

“So, Madame Mine. She always came to the store when she needed something and always ordered in bulk, which is normal for bigger companies in large cities, but she was living in such a small town in the middle of nowhere. Like I do know some things about alchemy myself, it required for the job and I always wondered how she was going to use nine kilos of serene leaves before they went bad or how twenty-two bags or eichen sand would ever be necessary. Was she secretly supplying an army or something? Anyways she was such a pretty lady, I never understood why she never found a husband to settle down with and”

Bernhard stopped her.

“Excuse me, but what about her daughter? We are trying to find her, and it is very important for my friend. Could you”

“I was coming to that. Just be patient! Where was I? Oh, no I forgot. Give me a minute to remember! Oh right. So, she never found a husband and …”

Balin was barley listening anymore. This woman was seemed to try to use every word in the dictionary twice in an hour.

“God, the lesorses were less painful than her.”

Mumbled Balin under his breath, while this got a barley audible chuckle out of Bernhard, Mary seemed to only register one word.

“Please don’t interrupt a lady while she is talking dear! But lesorses. That reminds me. Me and Mini, she told me I could call her that, were sitting down to have a cup of tea after she came by to grab her order. And she told me that her village would be attacked by monsters soon. Now I wasn’t worried. Sir Egbert was there and obviously the army would intervene, but she seemed to be less optimistic and told me that from now on, at least for a while her daughter would go working at a different place and that our store loyalist program points should be transferred over too that place. Normally I wouldn’t do such a thing, especially if asked during my break time but she was soo insistent on it. Sadly, that was the second last time that I’ve ever seen her. Apparently, she died during that monster attack that destroyed that dumb that she called home an”

Balin crushed the teacup in his gloved hand.

“That dump was my home and I almost died defending it from monsters. So, you better choose your next words very carefully!”

Balin threatened her.

“Oh, I am… Sorry.”

For the first time she slowed down and became quiet.

“Just tell us where Rose went!”

“Rose? Oh right, her daughter. I assume that she went to the same place where the loyalty points where transferred to. Ähmm, I think that place was… Give me a minute, its been half a year… Sorry, this is embarrassing, usually I remember those names but this time I can’t seem to recall. But I think that it should be noted in our archives. These transfers are kept in our archives for a long while. I will search for it. By the end of the week I should have the info. Come to my office by that time! So… see you later.”

Mary stood up and left without paying for her tea and leaving Bernhard behind with the tab.

“Does this mean that she is alive?”

“There is a good chance. Don’t get your hopes up too high! We have yet to find your friend.