Maria stepped back into the bar.

The Oracle was right, there was a surprising number of people still lingering outside the theater. The fairly well-dressed crowd mingled in small groups, discussing things she honestly couldn’t care about or understand. Politics or local news, mostly. Several men were lining the bar stools engaging in lively conversations with the attentive bartenders. There were some disgruntled comments about them only being here because their wives or daughters wished to attend. Meanwhile, the guard stationed near the staircase to the third floor maintained an unwavering presence, carefully surveying the room's occupants. Amidst this lively atmosphere, Horst stood comfortably at the bar, engrossed in conversation with one of the older patrons.

Maria: Tanalia, can you distract him? Keep him away from his office? I want to search there first.

Tanalia: I can try.

It was like watching Tanalia flick a switch. In the blink of an eye, her posture and movements shifted. Her dress swayed with her hips as she walked like a goddess towards him. As the older gentleman rose from his stool to return to the theater, Tanalia quickly took his place. It startled Horst as she quickly slid into his line of sight.

“Oh, hello again my dear. Tanalia, was it?”

She giggled. “That would be my name.”

Maria was taken aback. She hadn’t heard Tanalia giggle before. It seemed so uncharacteristic of her that Maria couldn't help but pause and cast an awkward glance at Chariot. She shared the same expression.

“Are you not enjoying the show?” he asked.

“Oh, no I am, I just wanted to step out for a moment for a quick drink is all,” Tanalia paused, and changed the tone of her voice. “I just wasn’t expecting there to be such good company out here.”

“Ah, thank you, my dear. I’ve seen many elves come through my doors, but none have been as beautiful as you.”

“Oh do tell, I’m sure you’ve seen elves more beautiful than me. Certainly ones with bigger breasts.” She cupped her chest, and housed her breasts, flaunting them.

“Big breasts or not, I can’t deny your stunning beauty. Tell me, my dear, did it hurt when you fell from the heavens?”

Maria tried her best to hide her cringe, but she had died a little inside upon hearing that. She glanced at Chariot, and not even she could hide the awkward tension spreading across her face.

Maria: I’m sorry… keep him distracted for as long as you can.

Tanalia glanced past Horst and gave Maria a playful wink. As long as Tanalia kept him distracted, Maria would be safe knowing that he wasn’t going to return to his office. Now there was the matter of the guard watching the stairs. Before Maria could propose anything, Chariot silently gestured for Maria to follow her. She tilted her head and followed her companion. They headed for the first-floor stairway. As they passed the guard, Chariot bent her ankle and let out a loud yelp as she tumbled, nearly falling down the stairs. She caught herself before she went tumbling, and hissed. The guard quickly turned around and hurried over to her.

“Ma’am, are you alright,” he asked, helping her back to her feet.

“Are you alright?” Maria asked simultaneously. She looked around. Everyone was staring at them.

“I- I think so,” Chariot said with such a fake, fanned voice that even Maria could see she was acting. As Chariot put pressure on her ankle again, it bent, and she nearly fell into the guard's arms. “No, no, I’m not alright,” she groaned and held tight onto the guard's armor for support. Her arms quaked.

“Do you need to lay down,” Maria asked, playing along.

“M- Maybe. Yes. Could you help me downstairs?” Chariot asked the guard.

“Yes, certainly, ma’am,” he said.

“You don’t want my help?” Maria asked.

“No, no, you can stay and watch the play. Don’t let me hold you back, I know how much you’ve been looking forward to coming here. I’ll be alright.”

“Oh… alright,” Maria said, trying her best to act disappointed.

The guard helped Chariot slowly down the steps, and just as they turned the bend, Maria looked back at everyone.

The only ones looking her way now were Horst and Tanalia.

“Oh, poor girl. She was your friend, no?” he asked Tanalia.

“She’ll be alright,” Tanalia said and turned back around so that he would as well. “She’s just being dramatic.”

Maria seized the moment with no one looking and hurried up the steps. She tried her best to walk casually. She always had the fear deep down though that while trying to act normal, she only appeared all the more out of the ordinary to everyone else. Coming up to the third floor, there was no guard, thankfully. It’s not like there needed to be one, after all.

The third floor was a little bit smaller than the second one, but it was more well-furnished, with soft, comfy-looking sofas, a long coffee table, and dozens of finished glasses left unoccupied. She glanced over to the door leading to the balcony seating— it was left partially open.

There were still some elitist guests lingering on the third floor, quietly talking amongst themselves. Many of the men we wearing the finest linen Maria had ever seen, with thick, fur coats of tiger and fox. The women wore the kinds of dressed Maria never expected to see at such a formal gathering. Some of the women wore dresses that accentuated their long, bare legs or the sweep of their hips and thin waists. One woman who walked past Maria shamelessly wore a royal gown that left one breast bare.

Maria had to snap herself out of it. She didn’t have time to stare at the women, not here. A few of the elites glanced her way, narrowing their eyes as they studied her. Maria did her best to give them a friendly smile and act like she belonged. In reality, she couldn’t be sweating any more than she was.

“Excuse me,” said a woman. She stood before Maria with her arms crossed, and her hair done up into a stylish bun. Her dress was slim and hugged her body so tight that there was nothing left to the imagination.

Maria just had to act cool. “Oh, good evening,” she said in the tone she always assumed the snobby, elitist rich would talk in.

“I can’t say I’ve seen your face around here before, stranger.” The woman had an almost similar tone. “What’s your name?”

Maria paused for a moment. It was likely best to use a fake name. “Cynthia… Cynthia…” She looked around the room and spotted a vase of tall stemmed flowers. They were purple, with vibrant and wide petals “... Flowers.”

“Cynthia Flowers? That’s a lovely name, but I’m sorry to say I’ve never heard of you before.”

That worked? “Ah, well, I’m new to this establishment. I ventured far for this evening.”

“Oh, yes, I know the feeling. Every week when I attend a show I must make the long trek from the winery just outside the city. It’s a dreadful journey, it takes honestly forever. However, when Horst asks for my assistance, I can never say no, just as he is always willing to assist me.”

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Maria kept her smile, but deep inside she really didn’t want to get sucked into a conversation. “That’s great. Good for you…”

“I’m Facidra Ortagor, by the way. Co-proprietor of the Berlington Winery.”

“That's… good for you.” Maria simply nodded her head. She really, really didn’t care. She was wasting time, she needed to get out of this conversation. But what if the woman was sniffing her out?

“What about you, what is it that you do?”

“Oh, nothing important,” Maria said, shuffling away in hopes of escaping the conversation.

“That’s preposterous, you must do something grand to earn an invitation to the third floor.”

“I am a… dancer,” Maria lied. “I travel far and wide from the furthest reaches of Mytharia. My recent inquiries have led me here on business. Not to be rude, but speaking of said business, I was ordered by Mr. Horst that I was to wait for him in his office. All he instructed me was that it was on the third floor, though I am not keen on where it is.”

“Ah, you must be another woman auditioning for his part-time shows. We’ve seen plenty come through over the weeks.” Facidra flashed a warm smile, and stepped back, looking Maria over. She then reached out and cupped her breasts before hoisting them. “Hm, these are nice and firm. Yes, I would say you’ll do quite well in an audition with him.”

“I would? I mean, I’m glad to hear that. I take pride in being presentable.”

Facidra suddenly lifted Maria’s arms and felt her pits through the fabric of her dress. Maria jumped and almost giggled at the sensitive touch. “It feels like you stay clean-shaven. What about with your groin, do you keep that shaven and presentable.”

Maria blushed at the sudden inquiry. “I… what does that have to do with--”

“Oh, if you aren’t you might want to hurry back downstairs and find a way to take care of that quickly. He prefers it when women are--”

“I am, yes, I’m clean shaven down there as well,” Maria stammered.

“Then you should have nothing to worry about. You should be alright to head straight for his office.” Facidra said and pointed Maria in the right direction.

“Thank you, dear. I hope to see you around.”

“If you land the role, we might be seeing a lot of each other,” she said with a smile.

Maria hurried past her and weaved through the other ideally standing elites to reach the offices. There were two hallways on either side of the floor, both leading to L-shaped hallways that wrapped around the theater. They were nothing but offices. Maria found Horst’s at the front of one of the hallways. If there was going to be any evidence linking Greensbolt Theater to The Ringleader, it had to be in here.

Maria tried the handle, and to her surprise, the door was unlocked. She slipped in. The office was dark, with only the pale moonlight shining through the round window behind Horst’s desk giving her any illumination. Maria cast {Summon Light}, and dimmed it enough so nothing appeared suspicious from the outside.

Now, it was just a matter of searching.

The office, though small, was crammed with shelves and drawers, and a wine casket. Maria opened each one, careful not to knock anything out of place that would be obvious enough of a sign that someone was there. Her heart was racing. Nothing was happening, but the simple risk of being caught was growing greater and greater with each second that passed. The silence didn’t help. Every creak from a drawer or loose floorboard, every loud noise from the play, it all startled Maria. The voices of the actors were loud enough that she could hear them faintly.

“We are the architects of change, the warriors of truth! Our spirits burn with an insatiable desire for justice, and together, we shall tear down the walls that confine us! For in this dance of shadows and revolution, we are the choreographers of our own destinies!”

Maria rolled her eyes and kept searching. There were files, tax papers, and documents, but nothing that seemed suspicious. She checked Horst’s desk. Sitting in the first drawer was a leatherbound journal beside an array of pens, cards, and a corkscrew. She took out the journal and found a crushed map beneath it. Maria unrolled it. It was a map of a town called Roserock. It was a relatively large place, tucked into what looked like the side of a small mountain. A large X had been hastily scribbled at the peak of the mountain over the town.

Maria opened the journal next. It was a mess of loose pages and hastily written notes. If this was Horst’s handwriting, then it was worse than chicken scratch. It seemed like a list of connections, with the names of several people jotted down, as well as their occupations. In the journal was a loose letter, neatly folded and tucked between the pages. It was eligible, in a different style of handwriting.

My Dearest Horst,

It hurts me to say that I will be away longer than I have planned. The operation in Roserock didn't go quite as I had planned. Lots of the ones here are dead, to say the least. Regardless, 'The Ringleader' has asked me to find another way of reaching the bottom of the Temple of Time. There are not enough Sands of Time in the hourglass for me to reach the bottom. There are hints in the hieroglyphics here that point me towards the Fairy Kingdoms of Eldermyst. I'll be staying in Brightwater for the time being while I attempt to gain access to their archives.

I do dearly apologize that I cannot return to see you. I can only hope that you can hold this letter in your hands and think of me. It is the least I can send your way for you to touch me. You are the cornerstone of my heart. I wish we could be together again, if only for a night, but the operation must continue. Distance may keep us separated, but in our hearts, our love shall thrive. Until we meet again, hold my love close, as I hold you close in spirit.

Love, Little Red

‘The Ringleader.’ Maria pursed her lips. Horst was working with him, or at the very least, this ‘Little Red’ was. That was evidence enough as is. But what was the operation mentioned in the letter? There had to be more clues. If Little Red was willing to disclose who she was working with with Horst, then he surely had to know more. Maria kept searching, but there didn’t seem to be much else at the desk aside from the journal and map. She was on to something though, there were ties here to her father's army at least.

Tanalia: Maria, he’s heading to his office.

Maria froze up. He was WHAT?

She scrambled to put the letter back into the journal and hide it back in the drawer beside the map. She pulled the Thieves Brotherhood Jacket from her inventory and slipped it on. Thankfully she had taken the time to clean it, yet it still felt crusty, and awkward to wear, like it was just a size too small for her.

Footsteps were approaching.

Maria relinquished her light spell, and braced herself, trying to stand perfectly still. After two seconds of stillness, she became transparent.

Horst opened the door and stepped into the office. Light filtered into the room from the hallway, casting a spotlight directly onto where she stood. Maria held her breath. He may not be able to see her, but he still might be able to hear her. She had to control her breathing. Thinking about it now, she wasn’t in the best of spots. She was beside his desk. He could still bump into her if he came back here.

Horst strolled over to the wine cabinet and opened it. The hinges creaked, and Maria started to sweat. Her chest was aching. How much could she move? A little? A lot? What if she had an itch? Why was she only just now considering these?

“If she’s into wine, then she’s going to love this,” Horst said excitedly. He licked his palm and slicked his hair back again before coming around to the opposite side of the desk where Maria was standing. She couldn’t even turn her head to look at him. Was it if she moved a muscle she’d become visible again? Or could she move subtly?

Horst pulled the chair out and opened the drawers on the opposite side. “Now, where did I put it?” He searched the drawers, before closing them both and moving to the other side of the desk.

Maria froze completely as his hand nearly brushed against her leg. He opened the bottom drawer, pulling it out just far enough to where it almost bumped into her. For a split second, she saw something in the second drawer. It was colorful and big. Horst closed it before she had a chance to get a good look at it, then opened the top drawer.

“Ah-ha!” he said and pulled out the corkscrew. He opened up the wine bottle, filling the room with a strong fragrance of berries before tossing the corkscrew carelessly back into the drawer. Maria had pursed her lips, biting into them as sweat dripped down her forehead. As Horst made his way back to the door, she quietly let out a sigh of relief and unintentionally shifted her body slightly, just enough for the floorboard beneath her to creak. Horst stopped, and looked back, glancing awkwardly.

Maria froze.

He stayed for a moment, raising his eyebrow before shrugging, and shutting the door as he left.

Maria kept still long after he was gone. Finally, she gasped for breath, and moved, putting a hand to her chest. She became visible again. The shift hadn’t been enough to dispel the invisibility effect. Maria let out another nervous sigh. She needed to get out of here, quickly. There had to be something that could lead them to The Ringleader.

Maria cast {Summon Light} again. She bent down and opened the bottom drawer. Inside was… a jack-in-the-box. Maria lifted it out slowly. There was a crank on the side. A toy like this was the last thing she was expecting to see in Mytharia. Without turning the crank, she tried plying the box open, but to no avail. There was only one thing she could do.

She grabbed the crank, and slowly turned it.

A jingle started to play, and she stopped. It was loud. But was it loud enough for anyone outside to hear? She wasn’t sure. Maria braced herself and kept turning. The tune was ramping up, and as the lid snapped open, a small figure popped from the box, causing Maria to jump. It looked to be a little stuffed doll of The Ringleader, mask and all... and as Maria glanced up, there he was standing in the middle of the room.

Maria’s eyes grew wide, and before she could even scream, The Ringleader grabbed her by her hair, and forcefully slammed her face-first into the desk.

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'[NSFW] Chapter 40.5 - Backstage Burlesque' is Exclusive to Patreon

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