...

Before The Lusty Lobster, Northern District, Wolfsteeth

Quill stood before an establishment, which he could only call an upside-down trashcan if trying to be as nice as possible. It was a brothel, not even trying to be more inconspicuous or refined, as seen by the signage at the entrance. It depicted a sexy lobster riding a fish-kin, being straightforward about what the establishment was for.

However, from the wavy and wobbly walls to the peeled-off paint, it was apparent that whoever ran it did so to wash their coins, as there was no way in Quill's mind that this brothel even made half of what they would need to pay in taxes.

'This will be annoying.'

While very active and observant in the underworld, Quill didn't know every front used by small-time criminals, 'Well, whatever...' He shook himself awake, not wanting to investigate things that weren't important to his Master.

His current assignment was to investigate drug usage in this place and pay attention to what everyone said to check if all the law was followed, like if they asked if someone was married. That's it—an easy mission. Yet, it would be hard to do a good job without getting some attention from them. Usually, if they sold illegal drugs, they would never offer them to people who they saw for the first time, risking a lucrative side hustle, as others could always sell this information to the guards.

Other than that, it was relatively rare that someone would sell something genuinely illegal. There was a grey zone when it came to drugs, with the guards and estate closing an eye when they caught someone who sold or made them. While they were illegal under Imperial law, it wasn't the case for Moorgrel, who could decide on their own how to proceed. As such, the Lord and Lady tried their best to ignore those dealings, as it would take too many resources to pursue every single pharmacist, alchemist, and dealer.

However, there were cases for what Moorgrel and the Crown deemed illegal. Still, having those here was most unlikely, as even the underworld itself would go after those morons who tried to sell them, not wanting to risk another purge.

'Hmph... what should my tactic be?' As Quill walked before the entrance, wanting to enter while thinking how he should act, a bouncer suddenly asked him, interrupting his thoughts, "Hey boy! Do you have even 'nuff coin?"

Quill flipped a large iron coin to him, curious why this rat-infested nest even had a bouncer in the first place, "I gotta enough..." The bouncer caught it, smiling from ear to ear and walking to the side, away from his sight, while bowing comically, obviously happy about the chump change.

Shrugging, like he didn't care, he walked inside. While he looked carefree for everyone who observed him, inwardly though, he was frowning heavily, now being more careful as having security here was unexpected, 'Can't believe that this shithole even has a private guard...'

It was very unusual for such cheap places to have any protection at all. However, if the bouncer were some lanky youngling, barely old enough to mate, it would be somewhat acceptable, as such a guard would only be hired to throw out some drunks. Yet Quill saw that the private guard, a bison-kin, was bulky and rough and had quite the experience alone by how he walked. He became tense, deciding to observe the place more closely.

However, the moment Quill stepped over the doorstep, he was overwhelmed by a potent aphrodisiac, which forced him to use some of his skills and caused him to lose his thoughts again.

'Tsk, it's the cheap one.'

Using such incense was normal and not forbidden as long as it stayed inside a business or wherever it was used. This was why, at the door, small cloth bags were hanging on threads with a specific sand mixture inside them, absorbing the smell so it would not leak to the outside.

Walking further inside, he immediately frowned, seeing that it didn't get better, far from the brothels he loved to visit. The front was a simple reception, and to the side, there was a bigger room, a bar, and a lounge for all the workers, where the customers could talk with them if they needed some more bonding.

While it was more or less clean, he could see that most furniture had its marks and stains, looking like it used to be a restaurant, 'Need to investigate later who the previous owner was.'

It wasn't unnormal for people to sell their shitty houses in pretty bad areas for a lot, especially if they were desolate. Washing coins this way was always easier, as there were fewer people and, with that, fewer guards who could sniff around, alarming the estate's accountants.

Looking toward the lounge and the available hookers and gigolos who were waiting for their customers, it became more evident that it was a front for something entirely else.

Being very considerate, Quill would say that they weren't particularly beautiful or unique. For example, having a beast-kin who looked like a human was always exotic and fantasy of many, as having some rarities when it came to their gender. Fox-kin boys, ant-kin girls, or certain hyena-kin, who were neither of them, were always popular. Sometimes, in more prestigious establishments, workers would drink sex change potions for a good amount of coin to make themself exotic.

As such, looking at this bleak scene, barely ordinary was the best word he could choose for them. Most were visibly doing this not because they had a specific [Divinity Line] or liked the job but because they needed the coins, doing some side hustle. Therefore, their aura and skills were all over the place, making the atmosphere weird.

Quill sighed inwardly, 'Urgh, let's hope I need to have only one night...' He walked immediately toward the reception, using his acting skills as well as he could, "Hey sugar, I wanna a girl. Give me som' who ain't older than fifty an' got some small milkers, got me?"

The receptionist, a boy who barely went through his legacy, seeing as his fur had some of that snow white they usually got rid of by the end of them getting twenty, replied to him lazily, "Any other wishes?"

Quill shook his head, "Nah."

The boy nodded and looked at the girls who were lazing around, "Hoy! Luise! You have a customer!"

A lamb-kin girl stood up and walked towards them. Luise looked like she had barely gone through her first mating season, but her demeanor, even though hidden, was that of someone far above sixty.

"Hello, my dear customer..." She tried to smile charmingly at him, but it was obvious that this profession wasn't her specialty, as she didn't visibly enjoy it. She tried her best not to look annoyed, "...before we go up, do you know about the cost?"

Quill grinned at her, flipping an average silver coin at her, becoming more boisterous, "I made it big, got a ton of coin, so play ma' cute little daughta', gotcha?"

After catching the coin and examining it more closely, Luise nodded and curtsied, sounding like a little girl, "Alright, Daddy!"

She walked toward him, leaning against him, with Quill still smiling but barely able to hold a cringe as her perfume was too penetrant, which tried to overwhelm his hormones, obviously attempting to make him horny. It didn't work, making him remember his school time when everyone who went through their first mating season used the most potent aphrodisiac they could find to signal that they wanted to have sex.

As Luise was close, he thought she wanted to drag him to a room on the upper floors, wanting to get it over with. So, it came as a surprise to him when she suddenly whispered to him, "Papa, I need to make myself fresh quickly. Why don't you get a drink first? You must..." she shallowly breathed into his ears, coming close to him, "...be sooo tired after such a long day of work."

Quill was still analyzing her, trying not to flinch at her being so obnoxious, like some horny schoolgirl, not knowing what was appropriate and not. He gulped down, playing it up, and nodded, walking as if slightly drunk to the bar, still thinking about where she wanted to go. She was perfectly clean and smelled fine, besides the perfume. Even her clothes were flawless for the roleplay.

'Did it actually work?'

For the time being, he concluded that they wanted to do something with him and that his coming over as some desperate loser worked. Everyone knew that parents having intercourse with their kits were the ones who didn't have a chance with anyone else and needed someone they could groom from birth to love them—some even adopted kits, trying to make them their future spouses.

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For nobility, it made sense as a lot was at stake, and households could consolidate relationships like this. It had nothing to do with love and mainly was a political necessity. However, it was usually seen as disgusting when ordinary commoners did such things—a great way to tell the world that he was a loser.

Quill turned around, playing the drunk pervert, giving his most creepy smile while licking his lips, "Suga', what do you wanna have?"

Luise also turned around, sounding nervous and needing to remember herself all the time to play the little girl, with her bringing her arms before her chest and tilting her head slightly, "I hear' there are some yummy things, Daddy. I..." She tapped her chin slightly, "...thin' i's call'd Pink Dove, also..." She smiled, trying to play flustered, "...it gives you some grea' vigo'... and I like my Daddy with a lot of vigo'..."

Quill smiled pervertedly at her, returning to the bar, "Get hoppin' choppy. I am not here for drinks..." At the bar, he sat down, looking at the barkeeper, who had a particular glare, one which showed disgust, though, he ignored it, 'What the fuck is the Pink Dove?'

It was the first time Quill heard that such a drink existed. However, he ordered it nonetheless, knocking on the counter, trying to explicitly act as if he knew the drink, making the barkeeper cringe, "Hey, give me som' Dove, you know, the pink one!"

After a minute of observing how the barkeeper mixed, Quill deduced only some of the ingredients. It had the usual herbs and a high percentage of alcohol. Everything was as usual, 'Let's give them a chance.'

Quill looked to the side at the other girls, trying to flirt with them like a moron while still observing the barkeeper. It worked. He sneakily pulled out some flask, dropping something pinkish inside the drink, coloring it, 'They didn't...'

Quill immediately knew from the smell that it was colored blood from the Luise, making him frown as it became somewhat serious. There were only a few things that required blood, and one of them was so illegal it was an immediate death sentence.

The barkeeper gave Quill the drink, who looked inside the wooden cup and sniffed it more closely, trying not to act suspicious. However, after a good second, he recognized the smell, as he knew a couple of alchemists in High-Town who brewed this for some local nobles.

Quill panicked a little, not knowing what to do. It was a love potion that humans, who had no access to the church, used to get the affection of beast-kin by killing all emotions, creating an obsession with their Master, and binding them toward them. It also worked only on beast-kin, fauner, and furries as it used the pheromone gland they had, making them addicted to their Master's closeness.

He didn't expect that, making this mission far more dangerous than he thought, 'Hm... I really got lucky... fuck.'

He was obliged to report this to the Lord and Lady, but with Alexander as his Master, he decided first to tell him and await his further command. In Quill's opinion, it was probably some minor group that became megalomaniacal, and rather than punishing the underworld again, it would be wiser to investigate them and find out who they were.

From experience and past events, he knew that the Lady's and Lord's way of finding information was sending out the maniac of a fox-kin, who would terrorize the underworld for weeks, taking out a good chunk of guilds in the process, creating a vacuum.

As such, he frowned inwardly, deciding to report it later and first investigate as much as possible. He planned to visit this place a couple more times, and next time, he would be more sobber, trying to find the group behind this place.

He heaped the wooden cup, "To more bitches!..." Letting himself fall to the side slightly, spilling the drink on the floor, "...whoops!"

Quill looked at the puddle momentarily, mesmerized, and then back at the barkeeper, shrugging, "Well, I at least have the coin..." He slapped the counter, "...Right? Haha!"

He stood up, wobbling slightly and flipping a small silver coin toward the barkeeper, "'Ere you go, boy. Show me tha' way. I hav' nuff vigor to fuck everyone in this..." He mouthed his pronunciation bizarrely, "...precious establishment... hehe."

After putting the coin away, the barkeeper forced a smile, nodding, "Good. Follow me."

...

Private Room, Upper Floor, Lusty Lobster, Wolfsteeth

Quill looked around the room, entering with the lamb-kin named Luise while holding her hand and playing the drunk, "Oh, lil' girl..." He turned around, seeing she was somewhat annoyed but still going through it, "...come 'ere.'

The door closed, and they stood inside the ordinary room he paid for. Quill looked into Luise's eyes, analyzing her wishes, hopes, and dreams, trying to find out what she wanted in life so he could give it to her—an easy feat.

'I need her as an informant.'

Her eyes told him she was greedy and worried. For whatever reason, she needed coins, and he could give them to her the next time he visited, making her his informant. However, as he pressed her closer toward him, with her trying to act like a nervous kit, he felt some ominous presence in the room, 'What the...'

It was in the corner, a shadow that was some kind of blob of mana, slowly moving toward him. Quill remembered how Ocilia told him that she fought against some weird night-elves when hunting down Fiorello, killing them inside their shadows.

This surprising guest made him frown since he could barely find any information about who was behind Fiorello. Officially, it was concluded that it was the crazy fox-kin himself, who had just hired established groups, who went into hiding after failing their assassination.

As the shadow approached, Quill became more nervous, 'What's going on?!' However, before he could continue thinking about why this thing was here in the first place, his danger sense suddenly warned him, and he felt a slight killing intent, which let him grab Luise, holding her in front of the shadow and using her as a shield.

Luise's face was startled, "A n... cough..." She felt pain, puking blood as from behind her, a shadow pierced her throat, even surprising Quill, who didn't expect them to attack her.

Quill didn't know what was going on and as to why he was attacked in the first place, but his guesses only became worse and worse, 'Damn it! Is this a Red Guild?!'

A Red Guild was a group of people who dealt with things that even the broader underworld didn't accept. Those usually made and sold illegal potions, organs as ingredients, and much worse. Even the most prominent guilds had massive hits on them. Nobody wanted them as they were bad for business.

As such, Quill cursed his shitty luck for meeting one. They were usually seen as highly elusive and brutal, trying their best to assassinate those who found out about them.

He quickly let her go, jumping back, barely avoiding as the shadow drilled itself through the throat, barely avoiding it. He immediately used his [Mana Sense] combined with the [Divinity Line], analyzing the whole room, like a net, laying over every single object.

Finding the shadow's exact location, he used the marking spell, a changed version purely for pursuing someone. It removed specific effects, like the ability to hone one's spells at the target, but it increased the distance one could sense their mark.

Quill stood still, ready to fight, but nothing was happening. Even though he felt the shadow in the room, it didn't move. He became more confused, only to sense how the marking suddenly appeared beyond the window, outside the room, with him not knowing how this was even possible.

He clicked his tongue, irritated, "Tsk, how fuckin' annoyin'."

He pulled out a high-grade healing potion, walked toward Luise, and poured it over her, with her barely still alive. His voice was calm as he still analyzed the room, not wanting to have another surprise attack, but this time at his throat, "After you feel better, leave. Go to the Temple and say that Quill sent you. Stay there and wait for me, got it?"

Luise tried to nod, looking visibly better. After emptying one bottle, Quill put another full one next to her and walked to the window, opening it, frowning heavily as he still felt the shadow, 'Fuck... I really hoped this fucker ran away.'

He knew his priorities with having Alexander as a Master. Saving someone innocent was always more important, but now, since the shadow was still within range, he was obliged to follow it, trying to catch it, 'Damn it... I would rather fuck the lazy hooker...' He pulled out a high-grade stamina potion, opening it and holding it with his teeth without drinking.

Quill jumped out, flashing immediately toward a roof and taking sips gradually, replenishing his stamina as he flashed as fast as he could after the shadow.

...

Ten Minutes Later, Inside An Alley in the Northern District

Quill ran down a wall, jumping into an alley between an herbalist shop and an armor shop. Standing beside boxes, puddles of urine and excrement with vermin and insects running around, he sensed the shadow he followed behind some boxes.

He walked carefully toward it, concentrating his skills on the whole area. He pulled out a new stamina potion and put it into his mouth, saying calmly, "I see you, buddy. Come out, and if you answer me some questions, I will not torture you for the next months, promise!"

The pursuit was easy. With the new marking spell, it was easy to follow someone who didn't have any mana skills and wouldn't know how to get rid of it. As such, the shadow became more erratic after some minutes, jumping around confusedly.

It stopped here, which meant it ran low on stamina—it made sense, though, since Quill needed high-grade stamina potions to catch up and follow it. Such a luxury was something not everyone could have.

Behind some boxes, a night-elf appeared, clouded in a shadowy mist. Looking into their eyes, behind the shadow, they looked tired and sounded distorted, obviously using some esoteric skill, "WhO aRe YoU?"

Quill shrugged, igniting a Ziese (cigarette brand) and trying to calm down. "Why do you care? Rather..." He looked to the side, up on the roof of the herbal store, "...I would like to know who our friend 'ere is."

A cloaked person looked down at Quill, readying their bow and arrow like a hunter watching their prey. Quill wasn't lazing around himself. He was preparing his [Mystic Skills] and permanently calculating how and when to move, waiting for them to attack first so he could surprise them, increasing his chance of a successful attack.

From up top, the person sounded distorted, but just in a more amateurish kind of way, seeing it was not a specialist when it came to intelligence work, spying, or assassination, "This is not of importance, but we would like to leave, and for letting us go, you can have the brothel, my friend."

Inhaling strongly and exhaling a rainbow-colored cloud of smoke, Quill wasn't too impressed watching them, trying to guess who they were, provoking them, "Are you the remains of the Fio fucker? Wouldn't know why you even operate inside this terri..." As all his instincts and analyzing skills warned him, he ducked with an arrow flying over his head, almost hitting him. He immediately marked the other one, too, "...bad choice, buddy."