3 days went by so fast, I'm in Celeste's room with Shan. He's busy making crown flowers for her sister for the past three days. He already made 15 flower crowns for her, I also helped him make those too

Right now, he's still doing it

His highness also visited yesterday, he brought fruits and some news, he investigate along with Theodore for days

He confirmed that there are a lot of mysterious disappearances of children in near village but no traces of the culprit at all

Villagers didn't allow and trusted anyone from the imperial palace or anyone inside this empire, the village doesn't have any imperial guards roaming around

The village is called Casterpone Village, it's the only place that doesn't belong in his majesty's subject, that's why there are no guards there. It's more likely called a 'free village'

Most people from this empire treat them as an outcast and doesn't see them as human, classic treatment from nobles. But some commoners living inside the empire still accept them somehow even though anyone from Casterpone Village doesn't trust them

I made up my mind and decided to go to that certain village

I disguised myself as a commoner and even wear a commoner's coat that Stella bought earlier

"No one will recognize you with that clothing, my lady," Stella said

"This is perfect, while I'm gone, please keep an eye on Shan and Celeste," I said while putting coins in my pockets, I decided to bring both silver and gold coins

"Yes, my lady"

"Also, don't let anyone inside the room, I don't trust any maid from here anymore."

It's because they almost tried to kill me and spread false rumors about me

"Even Veronica?"

"She's assigned in the attic now along with other servants, I don't see her around here for months now. She's also assigned to organizing events in the imperial palace, Elliote recommended her"

"Wow, how lucky"

"You wanted to be in the imperial palace too?"

"I mean, I can go there without doing work so yeah, no thanks."

I chuckle, "Anyway, I better be going, do what you need to do, alright?"

"Yes, my lady, have a safe trip!"

I smiled and walk out of Celeste's room, I went outside the ducal's state where a carriage is waiting for me

"Where shall we go, madam?" A coach said

"Casterpone Village please,"

He just stared at me, "You wanted to go to that village? Are you sure?"

I glared, "Yes, I am sure, I have no time to waste so can we please start the carriage now?"

"Sure, madam. But I'm afraid we will arrive there in the evening"

"It's fine,"

We passed by the woods and long rivers

We arrived there at exactly 8 PM

I paid the coach with 30 silver coins

"Madam, this is not necessary." He said

"It's alright, I don't want you to say anything if they ask you where I am," I respond

"Sure, madam,"

I smiled and turned away

I entered the Casterpone Village, there are yellow lights everywhere, kids are running happily, and the adults are sharing food, even though it was just pieces of bread, fish, and water, they look so happy

The empire's citizens are not the same as them, they're greedy, absurd, arrogant, and fools

They won't recognize me, I'm dressing up as a commoner so maybe I'll just blend in

I went to a bar and see a lot of warriors drinking inside.

"You have to see those nobles' faces from that shitty empire, they're disgusting!" One man said and laugh

"Hey, take a look. She seems like she just arrive in this village." A drunk man said as he pointed at me

"You aren't from that damned empire, aren't you?" One yelled

I didn't answer, what's with their attitude?

"Sorry boys, she's my visitor. You must be... Felicia!" A fine bartender woman said while glancing at me

Her hand gesture said I should come near her

I walked toward her and she started touching my face to examine me

"You don't look familiar, who are you?" she whispered

"Didn't you just call me Felicia?" I asked

"Felicia is a name I made up for you, I can tell you're not from here, you don't want these men to leave you with bruises, do you?" She whispers again

"Of course, I still want to live."

"That's good, now tell me, who are you and where did you come from, and what's your business here in our village?"

Should I tell my name? No, Eloise's name is already known for being a villainess, and also if I'd tell her I came from the empire where all the nobles live, my chances of survival in this village would be slim

"I'm Shena, I'm from the Eastern Empire, I'm a traveler,"

"A commoner who travels, how interesting."

"Yes, you see, my family lived here in Northern Empire, I was adopted by the commoners in the Eastern," I responded

"I see. You wanted to meet your parents?" She said and I nod

She gave me a drink, it smells like beer

"Drink up, don't worry it's not poisoned."

I drank it and it taste awful

"So your business here is only to find where your parents are?" She asked

"No, there's also another reason why I am here," I looked at her as I said those words

"What is it?"

"A few days ago, I heard...hmm, rumors that some children here are being kidnapped."

Her face changed, "How did you know about that?"

"Some citizen here told me."

"I see, well, what you heard was true, children in this village are disappearing every night. We made new rules that no one shall go outside after 7 PM," she said as she wiped those cups

"There must be some witness around here."

She was silent and still wiping the cups, I drank the beverage in front of me

She put down those cups as she finished cleaning them, she looked me in the eye

"There's one witness here, a child named Zian,"

"A boy?"

"Girl, she was kinda traumatized and after she witnessed her friends being kidnapped, she somehow refused to talk to anybody, even going outside,"

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Where can I find this child named Zian?"

"She lives behind the herb plant store and a pawnshop."

"You have a pawnshop here?"

"Of course, we find jewelry on the street, even in trash bins, we don't do stealing here. Those jewelry are from the nobles from the empire, still don't get it why they threw such vulnerable things."

They're spoiled, alright

"What does the pawnshop do."

"An old merchant runs that shop with his daughter, they're very kind, they travel from here to the other side of the country just to trade all the jewelry we stored in the pawnshop, of course, we all get the money. We mostly earned 100 to 150 silver coins from that pawnshop, depending on how valuable the jewelry is. Luckily, the money lasts for a month."

"And what will the old merchant gets?"

"He also collects jewelry with his daughter though, they probably get more money."

"100 to 150 silver coins isn't bad."

"I know," she replied

The silver coins here are worth 50 USD each in the real world, while gold coins are worth 1000 USD each. But the prices here is very expensive

"Anyway, it's already 6 PM the people must've already been inside their homes, I'm gonna close this bar after those idiots drink"

She looked behind me, the commoners are pretty drunk now

She went towards them and knocked their head

"Get up, I'm closing now."

"Can we sleep here?" One man said

"Hell no, remember the last time I let you sleep here? The place is a mess and you drank all the beer here." She said

"Aww, man, now my wife will be mad now."

"You must pay before leaving old geezers."

"How much?"

"10 silver coins, you drank too much."

They paid her and went out of the bar, she close the door and turned around to look at me

"Do you have any place to stay?"

"I don't think so"

"I guess you can sleep in my room then."

She grabbed the lamp and we went inside a tunnel-like place, she closed it and we walked

"I didn't quite catch your name,"

"Oh, I'm sorry, my name's Peinskey, you can call me Skey. I'm 25 by the way."

"Nice to meet you,"

"Nice to meet you too, Shena"

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A/N: Hello everyone!!! I'm back, sorry for the very long long long hiatus!! It's been a depressing month for me but anyway, it's a good thing I managed to end this chapter even though I lacked an idea. 1300+ words for the first time, I'm proud of myself somehow, enjoy reading fam!