Chapter 4: Larghist, A Stop in Ventrosi

1

Genevieve spent the week trying to fix Eve. She would wander to the marketplace and night market to scour for parts that she could use. Fortunately, her dealing with the lich made it easier for miners to gather ores within the twelfth level until fourteenth. Unfortunately, there were other monsters stopping miners from going deeper.

Still, even though the ores were easier to harvest, they were still raw materials. Genevieve had to wait for forgers to complete their refinement of said ores. She even had some custom made orders that took a while, thanks to the fact that not many people have seen her specifications.

Even while she was doing all of this, she tried her hardest to keep faith and be patient. In the meantime, she had written a short letter to be given to Melody. This short letter took her four days to finish.

She had thought it was a simple effort to do, but the fact it took her four days proved otherwise. She would start the letter, then she would read it, then she would throw it into the nearest trash bin. "I wonder why I can't make it sound…sincere. Any ideas, dearest sister?" She would ask each time.

Genevieve would spend her free time to walk around Piagrado, watching and even interacting with the crowds within the marketplace. In particular, the same lady that gave her the compass have been the one that talked to her the most.

"So…just to be sure, this letter you're trying to write… It's not for the uh…'Eve'?" The lady asked, still alarmed.

"Of course not. Why would I send a letter to my dearest sister when she's next to me? No, this letter is for my sister dearest, Melody. I left Modrata without saying goodbye to her, so I'm guessing she's been angry at me." Genevieve chuckled weakly.

The lady scanned her and noted a few things. For one, she was actually just a young child. A sixteen year old girl who decided to go on a journey to find something that might not exist. A girl who seemed to have a bottomless pit of confidence. A girl who had a smile like a demon and eyes like fire and blood.

Then, she'd look at her right now and wondered where that same girl disappeared to. It was like she was a different person when the doll was with her. The same intensity she had was gone, all that was left…is a normal girl.

"What is it, good madam? Do I have something on my face?"

"No, nothing like that. I must ask though, why did you take so long to write a letter for her?"

Genevieve gave a frown, "Well…I was… How do I say this without sounding deplorable? I was too focused…on myself…" She said with an awkward smile.

The lady hummed. "You can make that kind of smile, huh?"

"Pardon? What kind of smile?"

"How do you see yourself exactly, Miss Laurent?"

It was an odd question that seemed to veered off-course. "How does this relate to my smile, good madam?" She asked even more politely.

"Humor me for a bit. How you see yourself might change how I see you too."

Genevieve raised an eyebrow skeptically but she shrugged it off. "I suppose…I see myself as a prodigy to a certain degree. After all, I was able to make a complicated opus at a young age. Other than that…" Genevieve hummed for a moment to truly think about herself.

She looked up towards the clouded starless night sky, trying to grasp her words. "…An awful sister, a worst daughter…?" Her words left her as if they weren't hers. "…A…monster perhaps?"

None of the words she said was her answer. They were questions to herself. Genevieve had finally, for the first time since she was born, questioning her own existence.

"A monster? How so?" The woman's question brought her senses back.

"Oh…did I say that aloud…?" She pondered on the words. After a minute of silence, she raised both her hands as if trying to create something out of their gestures. "How do I…? Have you ever had moments when you're focused on something that you forget everything else?"

"A lot of people have had those moments. That does not make them a monster."

"Yes…I understand but…" She craned her neck left and right, rattling her brain for answers. "I simply feel…I won't stop. If I were to focus on something, come hell or high water…I won't stop."

"Even if you doubt yourself?"

That was a question that stopped her motions. A question that honestly, scared her. "If I doubt myself…" She shook her head, her expression determined. "I don't doubt myself. I've never once doubt what I could do or what I should do. That's why I feel quite monstrous when I work for something." She smiled and chuckled.

"Is that right?" The woman hummed. "Well, I suppose I can understand what you meant. You've come repeatedly to the market for your dol- sister's parts. Not to mention your adamant questions on the night I met you. You're a hard worker."

"Thank you for the compliment." She gave a curtsy. "Now, what do you mean by my smile?"

"Well, you're a bundle of confidence and that was an unsure smile. I simply thought you don't get doubtful."

Genevieve gave a polite chuckle. "Oh please! I don't doubt myself, but there are things that I'm still unsure of."

"Yeah, I can understand now. Genevieve Laurent, the prodigy of house Laurent. The jewel of Modrata wouldn't know fear if it hits her in the face."

"I wouldn't say that!" The two laughed the night away, never once thinking that such a connection could be made.

However, there was something that the Keeper failed to tell Genevieve, something she was afraid to say. When she met Genevieve for the first time, she had seemed to be a spoiled child wandering during her curfew.

Yet, when Genevieve approached and asked regarding the Nachash, she felt something else – something cold from her. It wasn't just her words, the way she said it, the look in her eyes, and even the way she moved the doll. It was hard to explain, but she felt danger oozing from Genevieve that night. If what Genevieve said was true, then one day…

She put the thoughts away, not wanting to make it real. If her worst fears were ever realized, she simply hoped that Genevieve wouldn't go over the edge. Unfortunately, she can only hope.

After fixing Eve before the end of the week, Genevieve was staring at another piece of empty paper. She stared at it, lifted it, and even observe it at every possible angle. Of course, doing this did not cause the letter to write itself.

She was still visiting the same Keeper even after she had fixed Eve. Genevieve kept asking the same question regarding how to write the letter. Each time, she will always answer, "Just be sincere, even if it doesn't sound sincere, there's nothing you can do." And thus, she was still stuck within this predicament for the last couple of days.

Genevieve turned to Eve who was sitting still on the chair. Her hair, torso, and limbs perfectly restored to how they used to be. "How should I do this, dearest sister?" She asked the doll with no answer being given.

"I understand sincerity, of course. However, how do I translate my regrets unto a piece of paper? Perhaps I should really go back home to tell her I'm sorry? No, if I come back now then she won't let me leave ever again." She muttered to herself.

She pushed herself against her chair, straining to figure out what to write. Then, she grabbed the pencil once more and faced the empty paper on her desk. If she was going to apologize to her little sister, she'll do it as straightforward as she could.

With her letter finally being done, she looked outside the window, it was already sun down which meant she'll leave for Larghist tomorrow. "Well, I suppose that was a wonderful use of my time. Don't you think so, dearest sister?"

Genevieve put aside the pencil she was looking and raised her letter from the table. She thumped the stack of paper against the table until they aligned before tying them up. If she were to send the letter, she would need to get it affixed together in the postal office.

"Well, doing it now would save the hassle of doing it tomorrow…" With that thought in mind, she stretched her body and handled the papers carefully. "I'll be leaving you alone again, dearest sister. I'm sorry for this, but it is simply easier for me to do this by my lonesome."

With the movement of her free hand, she made Eve stood and walked towards her, presenting her open palms. "What's this? You want to help me, dearest sister? Why, I can't burden you when you're still recovering."

Genevieve stared into the doll's lifeless eyes, seeing something that isn't there. "Oh, you feel as if you're a burden by doing nothing? Well, if you insist, dearest sister." She placed the stack of paper on the dolls palms. "Thank you, my dearest beloved sister." She gave the doll a tight hug, a warm smile spread across her face. The doll, couldn't return her affections.

The two made their way into the town towards the postal office. It wasn't a short distance walk but it was certainly closer than the marketplace. Walking up to the worker behind the counter, Genevieve gave a courteous curtsy. "I would like this to be pinned together to be sent please."

"Certainly. Is this a book you're writing?" The worker's voice a professional and gentle tone.

"Cogs no, this is a letter I'm sending to my sister dearest. I don't want a single piece of it gone missing."

The worker flinched for a moment but his professional smile did not once disappear. "Certainly. If this is a letter, would you like us to send it after we are done fixing them together?"

"That would be lovely." She smiled. "May I pay upfront for both of the services?"

"That would be wonderful." With that, Genevieve paid exactly what they needed. She also noticed that her funds are rapidly disappearing. For now, she didn't seem worried but she knew she can't keep this going for long.

"I'm sorry, good sir but do you have the schedule for the train tomorrow?"

The worker placed her stack of paper away and pulled out a big notebook. He opened it to a specific page and explained, "The earliest is at seven in the morning. They are eastbound so they're headed for Ventrosi."

"Ventrosi…" Genevieve tried to remember the map she had been using, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember where it was placed.

"It is south west of Larghist, which is also within the train's route. Sadly, if you're looking to go to Ielot, you would need to walk, take a velocipede, or cart from Larghist." The man explained.

Genevieve hummed for a moment. "Any other train that isn't that early?"

The man traced his finger along the notebook. "There is another at nine, twelve, three, and five."

"All right then, thank you for your help, good sir." Genevieve curtsied before turning to leave. "Ah, I almost forgot." She turned to the worker again, this time rummaging through her satchel. "I would like you to also send this ores to someone in Modrata."

"Certainly, would you like it to be packaged for an additional cost?"

"Yes, that would be lovely." Once again, after she was done with her transaction, she turned to leave.

When Genevieve left the postal office, her eyes spotted a familiar figure. "Greetings!" She called out and waved. "It's not often we see each other without the night market." She gave a curtsy.

"Genevieve Laurent. For some reason, I had a hard time believing you were actually walking around Piagrado." The Keeper joked.

"Why the full name, in fact, why the disbelief?" Genevieve tilted her head to the side.

"I don't quite know myself, I had a hard time believing you were nothing less than a vampire." She shrugged.

"A vampire? The urban myths? Now, why would an urban myth exist solely to ask you silly questions?" Genevieve chuckled.

"So you do know you're questions are silly?"

"Well…to a certain degree I suppose. Though I do like the idea of an urban myth looking for a fairy tale."

The Keeper stared at Genevieve without changing her expression. In her mind, she had thought that Genevieve wouldn't be the type to believe what she's searching for was a fairy tale. And yet, here she was, admitting it was a fairy tale.

"Well I suppose the thought itself is silly enough that it comes around to being entertaining. Would you like to help me set up my stand, or would that be below you?"

"How exactly do you see me? My parents are the type to tell us to clean our own rooms even if we do have workers who cleans the rest of the house."

"See, most people in Piagrado wouldn't have workers cleaning their house."

Genevieve placed her thumb against her mouth in contemplation. "I suppose Modrata is different?"

Once more, the Keeper was reminded she was only a young, naïve girl. "At least your parents believe in independency. Come, I'll even pay you for your help."

As the night drags on, the two worked on the stand, erecting it much quicker than usual. "Thanks for the help, Gen."

"Ah, finally calling me Gen, I see." Genevieve chuckled.

"Yeah, it was odd to call you that if you were buying my wares but… anyway, here." She placed a couple of bronze coins in her hand.

Genevieve stared at the money in her hands. "I had thought it was a jest, I didn't think you were serious."

"Is that your first pay? Aside from your parents, I mean."

"Yes…it's a nice feeling. As if I had just completed an opus." Genevieve placed the coins within her small purse.

When Genevieve's eyes landed on the night market slowly opening a question popped to her head. "Why did you give me the compass?" She muttered.

The Keeper did not turn her attention to her, keeping her eyes on the market. "…I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

"How did you know I would have something to lead you to the Nachash?" She asked back.

Genevieve sat next to the Keeper. "Someone in Modrata told me about the Nachash in Piagrado. Traces of it, of a clue to it. I had thought something as mythical as the Nachash would be nothing more but jokes within any Keeper's eyes."

"Then you realized I might know something of it when you asked me the question."

"Yes, but not just that." Genevieve hesitated to continue. "…Your own stand, not many people buy from it. The ones that do are looking for things that no one else seemed to have. If I had to use my mother's words, a haven for the lost and broken."

The Keeper laughed loudly. That was the first time someone had described her stand in such a flowery language. "I suppose I am. So, did you fancy yourself as a lost or broken?"

Genevieve shrugged. "Perhaps. I went off to Piagrado, leaving my family behind because of a rumor. I suppose describing that as lost would be normal. However, that doesn't explain why you gave me the compass. I had thought I might've accidentally threatened you to give it me."

"You weren't wrong." She chuckled. "But well, you had the same look on your face when I first heard of the Wayfinder."

"Wayfinder?" Genevieve pulled out the small box she had kept in her pocket. "That's its name, huh? What look did I have? A determined one?"

"A cold one." Silence fell between the two. The Keeper did not continue her words neither did Genevieve.

After a minute of silence, Genevieve finally got up from her seat and excused herself. "I shall be going now, I hope you'll get more patrons."

"Thank you, I hope your journey is more fruitful than mine."

"That would be lovely." Genevieve curtsied. "Ah wait, I just realized, I've never ask for your name."

The Keeper laughed at her words. "It's Leah, nice to have met you, Gen."

"Yes, it has been a pleasure talking with you, Leah dear." Genevieve gave one last curtsy before she left.

2

Genevieve opened her eyes and reached for her watch. The needles showed that she had just woke up at ten. It didn't take her that much time to get to the station, so she decided to soak in the bath for a bit longer.

She had already determined what to do for the day so she didn't have any worries in her mind. The only thing she was curious about was if her letters and packages had arrived to their destination.

After her bath, Genevieve went through her beauty routine, helped by her dearest sister. She watched herself within the mirror and noticed that there were some stray bangs that were unkempt. "I must've rushed my hair."

Genevieve had debated whether to fix it but decided that she was already taking her time and should go to the station. She then left the inn, giving a final curtsy to the clerk who informed her to come again if she ever comes to Piagrado.

Genevieve gave one last look towards the town as she made her way to the station. She wasn't sure if she would miss the gravel roads and the wooded houses, but she knew that she wouldn't mind coming back here for a vacation. While she did so, the velocipedes drove to and fro, reminding her of the odd and unique velocipedes she has seen.

Climbing up the station, she wondered if her feelings gotten across her little sister. She wondered if Melody understood why it was she did what she did. Even as she bought her ticket and waited for the train with Eve in tow, she wondered still. She might not show it a lot, but she did love her siblings.

"I wonder if our sister dearest is reading my letter right now?" She asked Eve, not hoping for an answer. "She should fully understand what I'm trying to convey, yes?" While she was still worried about it, she had no way of knowing.

Meanwhile, back in Modrata, Melody was inside her own room, reading what looked like a stack of paper. Her eyes trailed each line and each letter of every word, trying to understand what it was trying to convey.

Within this room of hers, Vivienne – her mother – entered and peered over her shoulder. "What is that, dear? A book?" She asked as if she hadn't just snuck in her daughter's room.

Melody was used to this fact now and simply answered, "A letter."

"A letter?" She placed a finger against her cheek. "That looks nothing like a letter. It looks closer to a novel's first draft." She continued.

"You're…kind of right. She's talking about the weather when she left and when she arrived in Piagrado. She talked about her breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It goes quite into detail on everything."

Vivienne placed her focus on the paper. "May I see?" Melody handed the stacks of paper to her and she scrutinized the pages.

Vivienne then made a difficult expression as she was reading it. Melody thought it was impressive that her beloved sister was able to extract such a look from her with a single letter. Then Vivienne placed the letter on the table, massaging her temple from the incoming migraine.

"The more I witness what that girl could do, the more I wonder where she got her talents from."

"Is it a good letter?"

"Let's just say, if Gen ever decided to be a historian, not a single thing in history will be lost to time." Vivienne answered, wondering how her daughter was doing right now.

Focusing back on Genevieve, her eyes had glazed over the sights and the distance through the window. Unlike her trip to Piagrado, nothing of note happened.

There was no lost girls or fated encounter. All that happened was Genevieve sitting comfortably with her doll next to her. In a rare occurrence however, she did not talk to Eve throughout the whole trip.

The train wasn't fully packed, but there were more passengers within her car in comparison to her first trip. Though eavesdropping was not her hobby, she couldn't really avoid it.

"Have you heard about Ventrosi?" A woman's voice reached her ears.

"No, what's wrong?" Another woman's voice answered.

Without looking, Genevieve could feel that the first woman was leaning in as if to hide something. "There's rumors of a rebellion."

Genevieve wondered about the word. It didn't seem like Ventrosi was a town under dictatorship. She had little to no information of the town, so she wondered how bad the situation was for them to have something like a rebellion.

"Rebellion? How? Isn't that town filled with Guardians?" The conversation continued.

"That's the problem!" She shouted in her whispering. "The government Guardians and the independent Guardians had tensions growing for years. If things keep going, there's going to be a tipping point."

"Oh Cogs. Should I tell my son not to visit it this year?"

"That would be for the best. Until there's more news of what's going on, it's better to avoid visiting Ventrosi."

Genevieve didn't flinch nor did she react. The only question that came to her mind was one. She turned to her doll and in a whisper she told it, "If we were to arm you, dearest sister, would you be able to handle them?"

No answer came to her. Not a single confirmation or denial. All she could do was to speculate. With a smile, she turned away from the doll, "Nothing ever comes easy, huh?" She muttered to herself.

Her ticket had declared that her destination was Larghist. Even so, the train had to make a stop within Ventrosi. Most stops wouldn't last longer than thirty minutes at most, but something about the previous conversation made Genevieve feel a bit annoyed.

When the sights had changed from the hills and plains that covered Piagrado changed to the forests and mountains of Ventrosi, Genevieve sunk back into her seat. The ticket she bought had provided her with lunches, so she didn't have to leave the train. Yes, lunches, she had bought a ticket for Eve yet again.

Ventrosi was located on the left side of the train, Genevieve liked to seat on the right side. This meant that she couldn't get a good look of Ventrosi, not that she wanted to.

All she could see from beyond the windows were the towering spires of Ventrosi. They were unlike the ones in Modrata, which were a testament to one's prestige or performing halls. These towers, they felt oppressive to her.

Nevertheless, Genevieve looked away from the windows, focusing solely on the lunch on her lap. Time ticked away with Genevieve seeming to always be willing to spoon feed her doll. Each time of course, the doll wouldn't answer and she would eat it.

Genevieve pulled out the Wayfinder, looking at its needle pointing in the same direction. She then pulled out her map to make sure she was going the right direction. Then, she looked at her watch.

More than twenty minutes had passed and there was still nothing. No passengers had left and no passengers had entered. She finally glanced at the other passengers. No one is saying anything but there was unrest. Each of them was shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

Then, the door of the car opened. Three men came in, clad in armor fit for Guardians. Unlike the Guardians silver colored armor however, they were dark like onyx. Genevieve concluded they were Guardians from Ventrosi.

One stood by the back door, one stood by the front door, and one more standing in the middle. The one in the middle raised his voice, "Do not be alarmed! We are simply conducting a security check. We do not want anything unruly to enter our beloved Ventrosi after all."

Genevieve's eyes narrowed, hopefully the Wayfinder isn't a problem. She took a deep breath and got comfortable in her seat.

The men came up to each seats and asking to see their tickets. Some stumbled and some did it naturally. Judging from the passengers, some were expecting this. Fortunately, the men seemed patient and waited silently behind their mask, whether they're smiling or not remains to be seen.

Then, the man came to Genevieve. "Tickets please!" His voice firm and rough.

"Here you are, good sir." Genevieve gave him two tickets.

"Two?"

"Yes, one for me and one for my dearest sister, Eve." She gestured at the doll.

The man stared at the opus for a minute, not making a single tell. While Genevieve disliked people treating Eve as anything but her sister, she understood why everyone would feel uncomfortable when she introduce it as such. So, the fact that this man did not show any emotion at all made Genevieve consider him a professional.

After the silence, he took the two tickets and scrutinized it. "Going to Larghist?"

Genevieve shrugged. "Either that or Ielot."

"Ielot?" The man's head perked up. "What business do you have there?" His voice had an edge to it, as if goading her for answers.

Genevieve was somewhat apprehensive but she didn't want to kick up a fuss. "Well, it's my own personal business but, I am trying to make a Magnum Opus. I've heard rumors of what I'm looking for being either there or Larghist."

The man stared at Genevieve, his mask making it hard to see what he felt. "You're an Artisan?"

"Yes I am."

He gave a nod and handed the two tickets back. "I understand, I wish you luck on your endeavor." He turned away from Genevieve.

She put the tickets back into her pocket when the man stopped his steps. He turned to Genevieve once more and held out a device within his hand. "Is something the matter?" Genevieve asked.

The man stared at Genevieve and even with the mask hiding his face, Genevieve could feel the grave expression on his face. "Forgive me, but I need you to stand and empty your pockets."

With those words, Genevieve immediately thought about the Wayfinder. Once more, she didn't want to make a scene so she had no choice. "…All right, but know that I do not enjoy being suspected like this." Her words were sharp like a knife's edge.

Genevieve stood in the middle of the cart, a few steps away from the man. She pulled out her purse, some gears and parts, a map, and a compass. "Is there any other problem?" She asked, trying to keep the Wayfinder hidden.

The man raised the small rectangular device to her and eyed her almost suspiciously. "You wouldn't happen to be carrying anything else would you?"

"Just a simple ring within its box." She pulled out the Wayfinder. Clearly, whatever that device is, it's looking for the little box.

"Open it!" The man raised his voice as the other two guard looked alert.

There was no way out if she didn't want to cause a hassle. Genevieve placed her hand on the box and opened. Its needle floated from the box and pointed towards the direction of Larghist. "Oh my!" She said loudly. "This…isn't my mother's ring…oh no…" She said gravely.

"Forgive me but we would like you to come with us." Hearing his words, Genevieve tried to figure a plan of escape.

"Is- is it because of this thing?" The man stared at her without making a single move. "I-I see…this must be something important then…cogsdammit." Genevieve looked at the Wayfinder exasperatedly.

"…Is it not yours?" One of the guards by the doors asked.

"Yes- I mean no- forgive me. My mother left me her ring as a memento, it had the same box as this… I must've confused it with this box when I was in Piagrado." She said sadly.

"You came into possession of this box in Piagrado?"

"I must've, I still had my mother's ring when I left Modrata." She answered.

The guards looked at each other as if communicating without saying anything. "Forgive me, but would you still be willing to follow us? We would like to know how you came into possession of such an item."

For once, Genevieve was glad that she was still a young girl that people would take pity on. "Yes of course… If you can help me find my mother's ring, it would be wonderful too." With that, she at least lost some suspicion on her.

Still, she would've preferred to go to Larghist immediately. It's a shame that she had to make an unwanted stop within Ventrosi.

3

Genevieve followed the Guardian outside of the train with Eve right behind them. The town of Ventrosi was something that was severely different from Piagrado. Like Modrata they had big buildings and stone roads. Light fixtures were everywhere and most people walked to and fro rather than using a velocipede.

However, where Modrata had a sheen of copper and bronze, Ventrosi had a sheen of onyx and jet black. Each building was made gigantic and reaching towards the sky. None of this seemed to be a statement like Modrata, just efficiency.

Even the citizens that walked around were fundamentally different. Piagrado and Modrata had their civilians come and go without care. They could go here and there, laugh anywhere, and have their heads held high.

Ventrosians seemed to walk with their heads down. As if their route and destination had been decided in advance without their consent. As if everything was like a gear in an opus that must not stray. Even their fashion seemed to be devoid of color in all honesty.

Ventrosi felt oppressive. It felt grey and black, a feeling that Genevieve knows her mother would hate. Even then, all the posters and news, even the way the Guardians stood. It was all saying, 'We are doing this for your protection'. It wasn't her problem, so Genevieve put the thought aside.

The Guardian had taken her to a big building that was either a Guardian headquarters or some kind of prison. The three entered with the Guardian giving a salute to the clerk inside. After a quick explanation, the two went behind the counter into another room.

They kept going until they found a staircase that led them to the third floor of the building. Then, there was a room with two doors to it. The Guardian did not hesitate to open it and gestured for Genevieve to follow inside.

It was a big room with a table in the middle. There was two sofas facing one another with a desk on the left side of the room. To the right, a massive bookshelf that had stacks and stacks of what could only be research papers.

"Commander!" The Guardian gave a salute to a man sitting behind the desk. "I would like to report that I was able to find a heretical item." Genevieve didn't show it on her face, but the words he chose was peculiar.

"…Am I to understand that this young girl is in possession of such item?" The man asked.

"Yes sir!"

The Commander stood up from his desk. "Good work, now on to business." He walked away from the desk and towards the sofa, gesturing to the one opposite to him. "You may take a seat, girl. You are not in trouble." He said as he took off his helmet.

He was an aged man, his hair had grey strands and the wrinkles on his face described his age. Yet his eyes still had the flames of a young man and judging from his stance, he was still built under that armor.

Genevieve gave a curtsy before answering, "Thank you very much, good sir. Forgive me, but I may need your help regarding my plight." She said as she took rushed steps to the seat. "Also, you can refer to me as Gen."

The man looked at her as she motioned for the doll to sit next to her. "And what is your plight, Miss Gen?"

"Just Gen is fine, good sir. See, this box, it is similar to the one I had when I left Modrata. However…" Genevieve opened the box to show the needle that floated and pointed towards Larghist. "…mine had my mother's ring – a memento. It seems I've misplaced it in Piagrado."

She placed the box on the table and watched the Commander's face with a worried look on her face. The Commander looked at the Wayfinder the same way she did when she found a clue towards the Nachash. Without showing any other emotion, Genevieve wanted to slap the two for pulling her away from her journey for this.

"…I see… Please, Gen, you may call me Lorenzo. As for your plight, forgive me, but Piagrado is outside of our jurisdiction."

"Of course, yes, of course." Genevieve said as disheartened as she could. "In that case, what about this item? It's not mine but it is someone's, shouldn't I take it back to trade for my ring?" She asked in distress.

Lorenzo shook his head. "Forgive me, this item is dangerous. We must put it away. I hope you can understand."

Hearing those words, Genevieve's eyes dropped. She showed sadness as if she had lost something. Inside, she felt annoyed that someone would delay her in such a way. "Yes… I understand."

"Before you leave, Gen…" She didn't say anything, she simply looked at Lorenzo. "That…doll…" Her eye twitched when he said so. "Is she yours?"

"Y-yes, I made her as an opus. Why?" Genevieve tried her hardest to not show hate in her voice.

"How are you moving her?"

Considering the Wayfinder being confiscated, she had a bad feeling. Doing anything suspicious now would only be problem later. "…A passing Wizard showed me. To use Magick."

"I see…" Lorenzo looked towards the Guardian who had been silently listening. "Forgive me, but…that is….a problem…"

Just hearing his words, she wanted to lunge at him. She wanted to hurt the two men. Yet, she kept it inside, she made sure not to show any apprehension. "Problem? What kind?"

"Well…we might need to take it into confiscation." Genevieve twitched slightly at the explanation.

"I-I see…" At this point, her voice was cracking – not in fear or sadness but anger. "T-then…what would happen?"

"Well, we'll go and run some tests on it. Once we've determined it's safe, we will return it back to you." Lorenzo explained.

Genevieve kept her head down. To an outsider, she must've looked like a girl who was crying but it couldn't be further from the truth. She was furious.

They would delay her with something so trivial. They would take the one clue she had towards her destination. Then, they would take her dearest sister? They have spoken about her as if she was an item. As if she was nothing more than a doll. The way they referred to her, the way they're treating her, and the way they'll take her away under the guise that it was not safe…

"…Forgive me…what would happen if I refuse?" Genevieve asked quietly, holding back the silent anger in her voice.

"Well…we would have to detain both you and the doll. My apologies but it is standard practice in Ventrosi."

Then Ventrosi shall fall, thought Genevieve. She couldn't show her anger. She couldn't show her cards yet. She must prepare, but before the week is done, she will have the Wayfinder and her dearest sister back. No matter what stands in her way.

"Of course…then I shall leave my dearest sister to your capable hands. In the meanwhile, is there an inn I can rest in?" She asked, not raising her head.

Lorenzo gave a gesture to the Guardian to show her to a nearby hotel. It had twelve floors and was quite popular to all tourists. However, Genevieve didn't care. Truth be told, she wasn't sure how the whole hotel looked, all she knew was that it was near where they were keeping Eve and the Wayfinder.

Genevieve entered the room she had paid for and looked out beyond the window. The building was in view and all she had to do was to gather information. They knew what she looks like so she would require a disguise. She would need to know specifically where they are. She might be thinking to rash, but in her mind it was their fault.

She took a seat by the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. That was the first time she had seen herself like this. Nothing was out of place and she looked presentable. However, her eyes seemed to scream of murder.

"Don't worry, dearest sister." She whispered to no one. "I won't let anyone touch you. I'l; have you back and we can make our way to Larghist." She picked up the comb on the dressing table and started fixing her hair. "By any means necessary, dearest sister." She told herself in the mirror.

"Any. Means. Necessary." She smiled coldly against the mirror.