Chapter 2

In the luxury of their hotel room, Sarah and Nami sat on their beds, the noble’s invitation lying between them on a small table. Sarah had anticipated that they’d attract attention, and it had worked perhaps even quicker than expected. They had dressed in fine clothing, aiming to give the impression of high nobility, and they had attracted curious stares from locals and travelers alike as they walked into the city. The invitation from Lord Renard had come almost immediately—a clear indication that their appearance and behavior had sparked intrigue among Mosas’s nobility.

Nami leaned back in the wall, eyes flickering over the letter. “So, Lord Renard, huh?” she remarked, a hint of amusement in her tone. “Seems we’ve created quite a bit of interest just by coming here. I’d say that’s a good start.”

“Indeed,” Sarah replied, her gaze thoughtful. “If the nobles here are quick to act on intrigue, they’ll be valuable connections. We could gain quite a bit by establishing influence within their circles, both in terms of power and knowledge. Besides, it would be useful to understand how the nobility of this Kingdom operates, especially if we plan to expand our influence here in Grand Valka.”

Nami grinned, a wicked gleam in her eye. “You’re thinking of future expeditions, aren’t you?” She chuckled softly. “The more we learn now, the better prepared we’ll be to deal with the complexities of this kingdom when the time comes.”

“Exactly,” Sarah said, nodding. “Gaining their trust, making them see us as powerful allies, or even using them as pawns could make our moves more effective—and give us the option to exploit certain factions if necessary.” She paused, her mind shifting through the possibilities. “If we make connections now, we can later leverage them as valuable allies or pawns, depending on how they prove themselves.”

Nami flipped on the bed, laying with her back facing upwards, her chin resting on her hand. “So, what’s the plan, then?” Her tone was light, but her eyes were focused. “How exactly do you want to approach this Renard fellow?”

“We’ll play the part of powerful but cautious nobles,” Sarah replied. “Renard will likely want to know more about us, perhaps even see if we can be used for his own purposes. If we can gain insight into his ambitions, it might reveal more about the general disposition of the nobles here—how loyal they are to the Kingdom and how far they’re willing to go for their own gains. If he’s influential, he might give us access to other nobles or share secrets that would be valuable.”

The two demons exchanged a look, understanding passing between them. To Sarah, this was as much a test of the nobility’s willingness to bend as it was an opportunity for her own plans.

After a thoughtful pause, Sarah rose from her bed. With a casual gesture, she called upon Arya, a swirl of dark magic summoning her into the room. Arya stepped forth, a striking presence with her long hair, red eyes, and elegant yet revealing attire that matched her title. She offered a slight bow, her expression attentive.

“Arya,” Sarah began, a hint of authority in her tone, “this is Nami, the Black Primordial Demon.” She gestured toward Nami, who gave Arya an approving nod. “She will be working with us closely, and I expect you two to be familiar with each other.”

Arya’s gaze turned toward Nami, her eyes gleaming with interest as she took in the figure before her. “An honor,” she said smoothly, inclining her head with respect. “It’s not often that I meet someone stronger than me and… beautiful. I hope we’ll be able to work well together.”

Nami chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. “As long as you can keep up, we’ll get along just fine.”

With introductions complete, Sarah turned back to Arya, her expression shifting to seriousness. “Now, I have a task for you,” she said. “We’ve received an invitation from a noble of this city—a man named Lord Renard. He seems eager to meet us, perhaps curious about the ‘wealthy nobles’ who’ve arrived in his city.” She tapped the letter thoughtfully. “However, I’m not inclined to walk into a situation without knowing more about the players involved.”

Arya’s eyes glowed crimson, a small smile forming on her lips. “I see. You’d like me to gather information on this Lord Renard? Discover any potential threats or traps he might be setting?”

“Precisely,” Sarah confirmed. “But more than that, I’d like to know who he truly is. Find out about his connections, his ambitions, and any notable deeds or rumors surrounding him. Anything that will give us an edge in dealing with him.”

Arya nodded, her gaze sharp and determined. “Understood, my Lady. I’ll keep a low profile and gather whatever I can. If there are any hidden motives behind his invitation, I’ll uncover them.”

Sarah gave her a slight nod of approval. “Good. Take a look around the city as well—see if you can gauge the general sentiment among the people. A place like this, so close to the border, is likely full of spies, especially from the Elizia Empire. And I’d like to know how much influence this Lord Renard truly wields here.”

“I’m not allowed to kill him, right?” Arya asked with a mocking smile, her eyes with a hint of mischief.

“Please don’t…” Sarah replied, suppressing a sigh. “You’re not Wrath, that’s something she would do.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Arya’s smile widened. “Sure! And I’ll want a reward after that… you know what I mean.”

Sarah rolled her eyes, but a hint of amusement displayed in her gaze. “You should do what your Lady commands with no need for a reward. But I’ll… see what I can do.”

With her instructions received, Arya bowed once more before turning to leave. She cast one last glance at Nami, who gave her a playful smirk before she disappeared out of the room, leaving Sarah and Nami alone once again.

As the door closed, Nami leaned back, her expression both thoughtful and intrigued. “So, you’re sending her to do the groundwork while we prepare to meet with this Lord. Smart.”

Sarah nodded. “Arya is an excellent informant. I trust her abilities to blend in and extract valuable information without attracting too much attention.” She paused, looking out the window, her eyes focused yet far away. “If we can gain insight into how Mosas’s nobility operates, it will lay the foundation for our own influence here. This city is close enough to the border that alliances here could be critical in the future. If we ever need to move against Grand Valka, having these nobles in our favor—or at least keeping them complacent—could be valuable.”

Nami chuckled, a smile on her lips. “You’re already planning for that? I thought we were just here to explore.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting back to Nami. “Every action I take is part of a plan,” she said, her tone calm but firm. “It might look like wandering, but each step is deliberate. If we’re to gain influence, we’ll need connections, knowledge, and an understanding of how to move through these societies. And, when the time comes, those connections could prove useful.”

Nami grinned, clearly entertained. “I suppose that’s what I admire about you. You always seem to have a plan—no matter how casual you appear.” She stretched, reclining back onto her bed. “Fine, then. Let’s see what Arya discovers. If this Renard is as opportunistic as I think he is, he might be easier to manipulate than he realizes.”

Sarah’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Let’s hope so. The more we understand their ambitions, the better we can control them. This is just the beginning.”

If all went well, they would leave Mosas with a better grasp on Grand Valka’s nobility—and perhaps a few more assets in their pocket.

In their shared room, Sarah glanced out the window, taking in the cityscape of Mosas below. She turned to Nami, who was turning around on her bed, arms behind her head, her usual playful smirk in place.

"I’m going to step out for a bit, take a look around the city," Sarah announced, retrieving a dark, elegant cloak from her [dimensional storage]. The cloak, rich and shadowy, was cut to sweep around her and cover her entirely.

Nami raised an eyebrow. "Ah, scouting? Or just in the mood for fresh air?"

"A bit of both," Sarah replied with a slight smile. "I want to see what’s going on here. Sometimes a walk through the city reveals things you won’t find in reports or intel."

With a final nod to Nami, she pulled the cloak’s hood over her head, casting her face in shadow. She made her way out of the hotel, descending the grand staircase and stepping onto the street below. The city’s sights and sounds wrapped around her, and she began her exploration, blending into the crowd while quietly observing the world she intended to make her own.

There was a mix of rustic and refined in this fortress city, from the cobblestone streets and merchant stalls to the occasional greater establishment like the one she and Nami had chosen to stay in. She was out here to get a feel for the place, true, but her thoughts soon drifted back to her earlier conversation with Nami, where she’d made a confident statement: “Every action I take is part of a plan.”

If she was being honest with herself, that wasn’t entirely true. She didn’t actually plan every detail or predict every outcome — some of her actions were made on impulse or based on gut feeling. Still, it was easier to look impressive and keep the respect of those around her when they believed she had everything calculated. But Sarah felt she was adapting well so far; she was still in the early stages of establishing her influence in this world, after all.

As she continued walking, she turned down a narrow street that led toward the quieter parts of the city. The hustle of the marketplace faded behind her, and the sound of her boots echoed softly against the alley walls. That was when she noticed something out of place in the shadows up ahead — a figure slumped against the wall, motionless and crumpled.

As she neared, her eyes narrowed, taking in the details. The woman was covered in bruises, her clothes dirty and stained, her face pale and hollow. Sarah’s brows knitted in a rare moment of unease. The woman’s injuries definitely weren’t just signs of poverty; they were something more.

A quick glance around confirmed that no one else seemed to be paying attention. To most, she was just another unfortunate soul on the streets. Yet to Sarah, it seemed likely that this was related to human trafficking. This world was far from kind, and though laws in the Kingdom forbade slavery, it was inevitable that those in power found ways around such rules. Without the protections Sarah had known in her world, people like this woman were vulnerable, existing on the whim of whoever held control over their lives.

The woman stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open with a start as Sarah’s shadow loomed over her. She looked up, her expression one of confusion, and then fear. Sarah met her gaze, feeling a flicker of irritation — not directed at the woman but at the world that allowed this to happen so freely.

Well, Sarah wasn’t kind in this world, she knew that. She was slowly losing her humanity and couldn't feel much empathy… still, even though she knew it would be better to not do anything, she still decided to help.

“Who did this to you?” she asked softly, but with a cold tone that made the woman flinch.

“I… I don’t know,” the woman said, her voice barely a whisper. “Please… I don’t want trouble…”

Sarah sighed, crouching down to speak at her level. “I’m not here to make trouble. I just want to know if there’s anything you can tell me.”

The woman hesitated, a wary look in her eyes, but eventually she swallowed and whispered, “Nobles… men from the underworld here, the ones who own half the businesses, they… they do this when someone steps out of line. A warning, or sometimes just because they can…”

Sarah’s jaw clenched at the cruelty. Here, she saw another crack in the Kingdom’s foundations — corruption emerging behind the display of order. It would have been easy to leave it at that and move on. In fact, that was what she usually would have done. But she couldn’t deny a dark satisfaction at the thought of unsettling the balance these criminals thought they held and it could possibly serve as a way to expand her influence by taking control of a powerful group within this city.

After a moment, Sarah straightened, her mind already calculating. ‘This,’ she thought, ‘could become part of a plan’.

The woman looked up at her, a hint of fear returning. Sarah gave her a reassuring nod. “I’ll get you somewhere safe,” she said. “I am Sarah.”

The woman nodded with a hint of gratitude in her eyes. “I’m… Tuah…”