Adventurer's Guild, Capital Branch

The demoness pushed open one of the heavy doors and stepped inside the adventurer's guild. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior, with high ceilings and walls lined with maps and various job postings. Long tables filled the center of the hall, cluttered with maps, tankards, and adventurers of all kinds milling about.

Zoha made her way through the bustling hall to an empty receptionist desk, carrying a basket filled with freshly baked bread and pastries. She placed her basket on top of the counter and waited patiently. Moments later, the door behind the desk creaked open, and a green-haired elf girl wearing glasses stumbled out, carrying a precarious stack of documents.

"Ellia, are you alright?" Zoha asked.

The elf girl managed a sheepish smile as she set the documents down on the desk. "I'm fine, really. Just a bit off today."

Zoha smiled warmly. "Here, I brought something for you." She pushed the basket of bread towards Ellia.

"Oh, Zoha, you didn't have to! Thank you so much." Ellia reached out to take the basket, fingers brushing against the woven handle. "You’ve always been so kind."

"It's nothing, I know how hard you work. Consider it a small token of appreciation."

Ellia beamed, her green hair falling over her eyes as she looked down at the assortment of breads and pastries. "These look delicious!"

"It's the least I could do. How has your day been so far?"

"Busy, as always. The paperwork never ends."

"I can imagine." Zoha said with a light chuckle. "By the way, I need to access the guild records for dungeons opened in the last few months. Do you think you could help me with that?"

"Um, accessing those records requires a petition to the guildmaster. Then, you'll need to fill out a formal request form, detailing the purpose—"

"I understand the protocol, but I need the data urgently. I have a very fussy client who's pressing for information."

"Zoha, I really wish I could help, but protocol is protocol. If I bypass the procedures, I could get into serious trouble."

"Please, just let me in for a few minutes. I promise I won't take long."

Ellia sighed, the conflict evident in her expression. She glanced around the bustling guild hall, ensuring no one was paying them undue attention. "Alright, I'll help you, but you owe me for this."

"Thanks, you're the best."

"Just don't tell anyone else, alright?"

"Of course."

They descended a narrow staircase, the air growing cooler and the sound of the bustling hall fading away. Then, the two entered a room lined with shelves, each packed with stacks of documents and ledgers.

Ellia pulled a box from one of the higher shelves. She opened it carefully and extracted a large ledger, placing it gently onto a nearby table.

Zoha approached the table, eyes narrowing as she studied the book. "Is this it?"

Ellia nodded. "Yes, this ledger contains all the information you're looking for."

Zoha flipped through the ledger and quickly skimmed through the entries. Every dungeon was meticulously listed with its respective name, date of inauguration, owner, location, and the nearest city. The pages were dense with information, each entry penned in neat, precise handwriting.

She flipped through the pages, her fingers trailing over the parchment. One entry detailed a dungeon named "Grimhold," inaugurated three months prior, owned by Sir Malcus, and located near the city of Ventris. Another entry highlighted "Shadowfang Caverns," owned by Lady Tressa which opened four months ago.

Zoha looked up from the ledger. "Would it be alright if I had some time alone with this ledger?"

Ellia's brow furrowed in hesitation. She bit her lip, clearly torn. "You know I trust you, but these records are highly sensitive. If anyone found out I left you alone with them..."

Zoha smiled reassuringly. "I understand, but I promise I'll be careful. I just need a bit more time to go through everything. I'll make sure to tidy up and put everything back in place once I'm done."

Ellia sighed, glancing at the pile of work waiting for her on the other side of the room. "Alright, fine, I have a lot of work left to do anyway."

"Thank you, Ellia. I won't let you down."

Ellia nodded and began to turn away, but Zoha called out, "Oh, just one more thing. Are there additional copies of this ledger in the other adventurer's guilds?"

"There haven't been additional copies made so far. But anyway, I really have to go!"

"Sorry, don't let me keep you."

Once alone, Zoha quickly sifted through the ledger again, her eyes darting over the dense, neat entries until she found what she was looking for: "Twilight Grove," owned by Countess Ivris, with the nearest city being Marwood. She carefully placed the ledger on the table, her fingers tracing the delicate script.

Zoha reached into her cloak, pulling out a small vial of shimmering white ink and a fine quill. The white ink was no ordinary ink; it was enchanted to erase existing text without leaving a trace. She dipped the quill into the vial, the ink clinging to the tip like liquid moonlight.

With meticulous precision, she traced over the entry. The white ink spread smoothly, its magic dissolving the black ink beneath it. The process was slow and exacting, but Zoha remained patient, knowing that any mistake could compromise the entire operation.

As the last of the original text vanished, Zoha scrutinized the page to ensure there were no remnants of the erased entry. Satisfied, she switched to a small vial of black ink, this one infused with a binding spell to make the new text indistinguishable from the original.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

She dipped her quill into the black ink and wrote over the erased entry, her strokes careful and measured. Each letter was crafted to match the surrounding text perfectly, the flow of her handwriting blending seamlessly with the original scribe's work.

But Zoha didn't stop there. She knew that a single altered entry might arouse suspicion among any magically sensitive individuals. To mitigate this risk, she identified several other entries throughout the ledger. She carefully repeated the process on these entries, using the white ink to erase the text before meticulously rewriting the same information with the black ink. This would make the alterations appear as intentional edits rather than a targeted forgery.

In a few minutes, the ink dried quickly, its enchantment ensuring it bonded with the parchment as if it had always been there. Each modified entry looked identical to the original, maintaining the ledger's overall integrity.

Zoha's sharp eyes scanned the page once more, ensuring her forgery was flawless. She inspected each letter to make sure it all aligned perfectly with the other entries. Once she was satisfied, she cleaned her quill and tucked her equipment back into her cloak.

She carefully closed the ledger and returned it to its box before placing it back on the shelf. She took a moment to ensure everything was precisely as it had been before she arrived.

As the box settled into place, Zoha allowed herself a small sigh of relief. The first part of her plan was complete. The entry was altered, and the ledger appeared untouched. There was only one more task left: convince Countess Ivris to leave her dungeon untouched for the foreseeable future.

Zoha headed back up the narrow staircase to the receptionist desk, her mind still buzzing with the details of her forgery. As she emerged from the stairwell, she saw Ellia sorting through a new stack of documents, her green hair falling into her eyes as she worked.

"Ellia," Zoha called softly, approaching the desk.

The lf girl looked up, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Did you find everything you needed?"

"Yes, thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it," Zoha said.

Ellia adjusted her glasses and nodded. "I'm glad I could help. Take care, Zoha."

Zoha nodded and turned to leave. "You too, thanks again."

***

As Zoha stepped outside the adventurer's guild, the cacophony of the bustling city enveloped her. The clatter of horse-drawn carts, the murmur of haggling vendors, and the distant laughter of children filled the air. She moved purposefully down the steps, her boots clicking against the stone, but her stride faltered abruptly when she spotted an inquisitor walking toward her.

The inquisitor had striking blue hair and piercing red eyes that seemed to bore straight through her. The combination was unsettling, her gaze as intense as a predator's.

Zoha tensed, her body instinctively preparing for a confrontation. But instead of an accusation, the inquisitor's voice was calm and almost friendly. "Are you alright? You seem a bit tense."

The demoness forced herself to relax, feeling the tension ease from her shoulders. She mustered a smile, though it felt strained at the edges. "Just a bit tired, and I'd like to head home right now. Good day."

The inquisitor nodded, her expression unreadable. "Good day to you." She turned and walked into the adventurer's guild, her blue hair disappearing into the shadows of the entrance, leaving Zoha to exhale a sigh of relief.

Zoha quickly walked away, her pace increasing as she scanned the crowded streets for a safe place to gather her thoughts. Her eyes darted from face to face, searching for any sign of danger. She spotted a narrow alleyway between two tall buildings and headed towards it. I should be able to teleport from here.

Just as she was about to enter the alley, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Zoha spun around, her hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at her waist.

The inquisitor stood before her once more, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her red eyes gleamed with curiosity, as if she enjoyed the game of cat and mouse.

Zoha tensed again, her muscles coiling like a spring ready to snap. "Do you need something from me, inquisitor?"

The inquisitor held up her hands in a gesture of peace. "My name is Haziel. I just wanted to introduce myself properly. I know who you are, Zoha. You're an A-rank adventurer with an impressive track record. Your party has a remarkable success rate in high-rank dungeons, with a low casualty rate compared to others."

"It's true, I've had my fair share of successes. But why does that interest you?" Zoha asked.

Haziel's expression remained calm and composed. "I'm conducting an investigation regarding some issues with a certain dungeon, and I would like to get the opinion of a high-ranking adventurer such as yourself."

Zoha's suspicion grew, but she decided to play along for now. "Of course, I'd be happy to help. What do you need me to do?"

"I just want to ask you a few questions, that's all. It shouldn't take long."

"Alright, where should we go for this questioning?"

Haziel gestured toward the deeper part of the alley. "We can do it right here. It's more private and away from prying eyes."

Zoha hesitated, standing still for a moment. The thought of being cornered in the alley set her nerves on edge. Haziel noticed her hesitation and raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

The demoness quickly masked her unease with a smile. "Apologies, it's nothing." She took a step deeper into the alley, her eyes scanning the surroundings for potential escape routes.

Haziel followed very closely, stopping only when Zoha was at the edge of the alleyway. "Let's begin. Have you noticed anything unusual in the dungeons you've been exploring recently?"

Zoha shook her head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual challenges and monster activity."

Haziel nodded, jotting down notes on a small parchment. "And your past party members? Have any of them exhibited odd behavior or had unexplained absences?"

"No, everyone has been reliable and focused on the missions. We work well together and trust each other."

"What about any patterns or anomalies in the dungeons? Increased monster activity, strange occurrences?"

Zoha's mind raced, crafting a believable response. "There have been a few dungeons with heightened monster activity, but nothing too alarming. It's not unusual for that to happen from time to time."

The interrogation continued, with Haziel asking about various dungeons, specific encounters, and any oddities Zoha might have noticed. Zoha lied convincingly each time, her answers smooth and confident, revealing nothing that could implicate her.

Haziel paused for a moment, then looked directly into Zoha's eyes, her own eyes narrowing with curiosity. "I've heard rumors about your eyes. People say they're quite... unique. What's the story behind them?"

Zoha's heart skipped a beat, but she kept her expression neutral. "They're a birth defect. I've had them my entire life. People tend to talk when they see something unusual."

"A birth defect, you say? Interesting. I've always been curious about that."

"Yes, it's something I've learned to live with. It's part of who I am."

Haziel continued to scrutinize her, then finally seemed satisfied. She put away her notes and looked at Zoha thoughtfully. "Thank you for your cooperation. Your insights have been helpful."

Zoha inclined her head slightly. "I'm glad I could assist. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."

Haziel hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, just stay out of trouble."

Zoha turned to leave, but Haziel's voice stopped her. "Wait, forgive me, but there is one more thing I wanted to ask.."

Zoha paused before turning back to face the inquisitor. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry if this seems insensitive, but may I ask why you wear so many bandages?"

"I have a skin condition, the bandages help protect my skin and keep it from getting worse."

Haziel's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. There are treatments available for such conditions. I can arrange for you to see a healer."

Zoha smiled politely and shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but I've tried various treatments. This is the best way for me to manage it."

Haziel stood there for a few seconds, staring at Zoha, her gaze intense. Zoha felt a prickle of unease but kept her smile in place. "Is there something else, Inquisitor?"

"No, that's all for now. Farewell."