Nubé Savos looks at ease, but his handshake is firm. Who is this man? That's the question he wants an answer to, and he won't leave until he gets it. After several months, there was still no new information about the adventurers who had stolen the gemstone. Despite Pivanu's contacts, they had managed to remain unnoticed. This frustrates him; he wants to find the adventurers, he wants his gemstone.

Duriël came to him one afternoon with interesting information. He had traced the genealogies of the most important houses in Borgon. One detail caught his attention concerning the Lockinsé family. This family had been the barons of Kamu for generations. They also had a good relationship with the Brenner family, one of the first houses to assist the royal family when they needed help.

Rodrik Lockinsé had come to Clarus when Ugmar Brenner fell ill due to a virus. Eventually, it was the Filony family that provided the remedy that helped Ugmar overcome the virus. However, it was partly thanks to Rodrik that Ugmar survived. Rodrik had cared for Ugmar for months. Without him, the remedy would have been too late.

Today, however, Kamu is no longer ruled by the Lockinsé family. The current baron is a man named Nubé Savos. Duriël could find little information about this man. The reasons why the Lockinsé family had relinquished their territories to him are very vague. It was said to involve a large sum of money, but Duriël doesn't know much more about it.

Furthermore, few nobles have contact with this baron. Except for Randar Brenner, who has been seen multiple times in Kamu. What particularly struck Duriël was that these visits started from the 24th birthday of Crown Prince Timel until his disappearance. After this, Randar was never seen in Kamu again. However, Nubé himself visited Clarus once, a few months after Ugmar Brenner's death.

It's clear to Oudenhuysen, Nubé Savos is involved in Timel Brenner's disappearance. The question is, does he also want Duke Jordaan's gemstone? Is Randar working for him, and if so, why does he want this gemstone? Today is the day he will finally get answers after all this time."So, your name is Nubé Savos? My apologies, but I have never heard of you until recently. Your family name also means nothing to me." Oudenhuysen looks attentively at how Nubé reacts. However, he takes his glass of red wine, drinks from it, and responds very calmly and controlled.

"I'm not surprised you've never heard of me. I have only been the Baron of Kamu for a few years. What surprises me more is what you're doing in my mansion. I am certainly open to starting a trade relationship. However, I have to wonder if there are no more interesting houses in Borgon with which you could start one. After all, I am just a baron."

"I have trade relations with various people on the noble ladder. Whether you are a king or a baron, as long as it's profitable. However, you intrigue me, Baron Savos."

"That would surprise me, Mr. Oudenhuysen; after all, I am just a baron. You, on the other hand, are one of the most successful traders. Many people look up to you; I am a great admirer myself. I consider it an honor to receive you in my mansion."

"Do you know what I wonder, Nubé? How someone like you can be a Baron. As you say, I am a successful trader. I have my contacts. Any idea what those contacts had to say about you?" He sees Nubé's relaxed expression start to fade. However, there's still little to glean from it."I wouldn't know, Mr. Oudenhuysen. The past few years have been peaceful in Kamu. I believe everyone has only positive things to say about me."

"The past few years have been peaceful? Recently, the city of Toro was attacked by an army of orcs. The village of Zork will take years to recover. Robert Electus has died, and the orc army has vanished into thin air. Jordaan Frasiër's gemstone is missing. This puts the duchy of Batavia under enormous pressure. Anyone could have this gemstone and become a duke overnight. I wouldn't call this peaceful; do you have any idea where the orcs or that gemstone went?"

"That's not what I meant; I was referring to the barony of Kamu itself. It has been very quiet here for the past few years."

"Is that so? Then why was Randar Brenner here so often a few years ago?" There it is, Nubé's neutral expression disappears. Now there's no turning back. "Oh, you don't have to look so surprised, Nubé. My contacts, by the way, knew nothing about you; they had never heard of you. The name Nubé Savos meant nothing to anyone; naturally, you intrigue me."

"Most of them told me they had seen you once. They almost all said the same thing. They saw you at Crown Prince Timel Brenner's 24th birthday party. It was also his last, and you had something to do with that, didn't you? Or are you going to tell me that your contact with Randar coincidentally ended when Timel disappeared?" Nubé looks at him in astonishment.

Now it's a matter of putting the icing on the cake. "By the way, when you tell me what happened to Timel, can you also tell me why you want Duke Jordaan Frasiër's gemstone so badly?"After uttering these words, Nubé stands up. However, as quickly as he stood up, Nubé regains his composure just as quickly. Without answering, Nubé turns around and walks to the door leading to the hallway. Oudenhuysen sees Nubé lock it before turning back around. Before Nubé speaks, Oudenhuysen notices Nubé muttering something incomprehensible.

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"Was that what you wanted to tell me, Oudenhuysen? That doesn't sound like a proposal for a trade relationship. More like a threat, do you realize who you're speaking to right now? Shouldn't you be busy with your secret organization? Oh, you don't have to look so surprised; you know very well I mean Pivanu."

This can't be true. This man knew about Pivanu? This was a threat he had to eliminate immediately. "How do you know this? Who are you? My name is François Oudenhuysen; my name means something! I have power! I don't hide in some country mansion!" He then rolls up his sleeve and touches his tattoo. He shouts one word: "Knijster!"

Knijster appears, but then something happens that Oudenhuysen hadn't expected. He sees Knijster suddenly fly across the dining room to the other side. He ends up with his back against the wall, and Oudenhuysen hears a crack. Before Oudenhuysen can do anything, the room goes pitch black. He can't see anything until lightning bolts appear. These come from Nubé's hands and are aimed directly at Knijster.

"So, now there are only two of us. By the way, where did you find this abomination of a creature? If this is supposed to be a kobold, I've truly seen everything. But anyway, where were we?"

After these words, light returns to the room. However, Oudenhuysen realizes this hardly because he feels his throat being constricted. Nubé does this not by physically strangling him; he simply holds his arm outstretched and points at him. Then Oudenhuysen feels his whole body lifted into the air, almost losing consciousness. Before that happens, the tension around his throat disappears. Gravity takes hold of him again, causing him to fall hard to the ground.

"You are going to tell me where that gemstone is if you want to leave this room alive. Don't fool yourself; you can scream as loud as you want. No one will hear or see you."

"Who are you? How is it that you're so powerful?"

"Typical humans, always talking about power. Do you know who you sound like, Oudenhuysen? You sound like my father. Or even better, you're saying the exact same words as my apprentice. Actually, you resemble Randar the most, he wanted so much power that he was willing to make his own brother disappear. Everyone I meet here wants power. Randar thinks a throne will give him that, Gandogar magic, and my father... He's simply obsessed with prophecies, the madman. Enough about me, where is my gemstone, Oudenhuysen?"

After these words, lightning bolts emerge from Nubé's hands again. They hit Oudenhuysen, and he feels a kind of pain he has never felt before. When the lightning subsides, he can only breathe heavily.

"Where is the gemstone, Oudenhuysen? Don't make me ask again because you won't survive it."

"If you know Pivanu, you know you won't get away with this! If you kill me, Pivanu will haunt you for the rest of your life!"

"Do you really think I'm afraid of Pivanu? I don't think you realize who you're dealing with, Oudenhuysen."

Just when he thought he had seen everything, Oudenhuysen sees Nubé's form slowly disappear. The form of a human vanishes, and before his eyes appears an elf. However, this elf looks different from the elves he usually encounters. This elf looks like a drow. Oudenhuysen knew that there were a few drows, but the drows he had seen before looked like slender elves. They were a faded glory.

This drow is something entirely different. Just by looking at him, Oudenhuysen can see the power this elf possesses. There's a sort of aura around this drow, and it terrifies him. A feeling he hasn't had for a very long time.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced. Of course, your contacts don't know Nubé Savos; that's not my name either. My name is Vilijn Dahvar, and from now on, you belong to me! Where is the gemstone, Oudenhuysen? This is your last chance!"

Just as Oudenhuysen is about to answer, he hears a soft voice, it's Knijster.

"Master... The viking has been located."

"What does this abomination mean, Oudenhuysen? Which Viking is he talking about?"

Oudenhuysen can't believe his ears. The viking has been found now? Why couldn't this have happened earlier? Now he has no choices left; he must tell the truth.

"I don't know where the gemstone is, Vilijn. This viking that Knijster speaks of knows."

Knijster stands up and struggles to speak various spells. Part of the dining room disappears, turning into an inn. The inn is full of people, all of them rough individuals. The focus is on one table. A Viking sits there, unsuspectingly playing a card game.

"Is this an illusion, or is this really happening?"

"This is real, Mr. Dahvar. At this moment, the Viking is in the inn 'Harten Troef.' He's unaware that we're spying on him."

"So, Oudenhuysen, you claim that if you can make the viking speak, you'll get the gemstone. How long do you need to arrange this?"

"I'm not sure if the viking has the gemstone with him. In the worst case, I'll have the gemstone within a week and can deliver it to you."

"People like to exaggerate; I'll give you five days. If I don't have the gemstone by then, I'll personally come looking for you, Oudenhuysen. You won't survive this encounter, do you understand?"

"Of course, Mr. Dahvar, the gemstone will be yours within five days. I won't disappoint you."

"Good, then there's no time to lose. Leave now with Knijster to this inn. The sooner I have the gemstone, the better."

After these words, Vilijn claps his hands. Oudenhuysen suddenly finds himself back in his chair, and the dining room looks normal again. There's nothing in this room that would indicate that there was a fight here just now. Then the door opens, and a servant comes in to serve food. The food looks delicious, but Oudenhuysen realizes he has little time.

"Unfortunately, I can't stay to eat, Mr. Savos. Despite how delicious it looks, the schedule of a trader like me is very busy. I must be off. See you in five days!"

Oudenhuysen gets up and walks to Vilijn. They shake hands for the last time, with an extra firm grip. He must get his hands on the gemstone. Once he has it, he can see what the best option is. Vilijn is powerful, but Oudenhuysen doubts whether he can stand against all of Pivanu. If he brings the gemstone to headquarters, he wants to see Vilijn try to get in there. Either way, the gemstone had to be examined. He must find out why this drow is willing to do anything to obtain it.