The inside of the shop smelled overwhelmingly like… flowers. To the left wall, cut stems were soaked in tin buckets, and to the right, a low wooden counter held pots overfilled with dirt. Between them lay a narrow aisle carpeted with fallen petals nobody had bothered to sweep.
'Ahhh, my inner maid can't stand this absolute horror of uncleanliness!'
Every neuron in Elise's brain fired up with a desperate need for order. She needed a broom, and she needed it now!
'Wait, Elise! Calm down, calm down.'
Eli quickly quelled Elise's rising rebellion within him.
He continued to sweep his gaze inside the shop.
Dried bundles of lavender and rosemary suspended from the ceiling beams above the counter. No matter how many overflowing boxes littered the floor, the quaint vibe of the late golden light eased the tension in his shoulders.
For all intents and purposes, it looked like a flower shop that had seen better days.
Eli and Juli explored deeper into the forest of myriad flowers. As the light shifted, a young woman emerged from the back, shears in hand, and headed toward the counter.
She was twenty-something, maybe a little younger. Her dark hair was tied up in a loose bun, and her apron was smudged green at the pockets.
She looked up at the sound of their footsteps, revealing a simple beauty underscored by tired eyes. The moment they landed on Eli's face, her hands went still for only a millisecond, but it was enough for his incredible perception to notice.
'…She recognized Elise.'
Julianna was a no-brainer, but recognizing Elise and eliciting that kind of reaction told him he had come to the right place.
The flower shop owner set the shears down, smoothed her apron, and gave a professional smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Good evening. Is there something I can help you find? Oh, and these are just a little taste of what we have. We got more flowers in the back."
Eli stepped up to the counter and set the wine package down carefully beside the unfinished floral arrangement.
"Good evening," he said, his voice even and polite. "I was told you still take the winter order. White lilies and forget-me-nots? I'd like it wrapped in black ribbon, with a delicate black rose at the center."
The young woman's fingers paused at the edge of her apron, then gave a small nod.
"We do. It's a particular arrangement, so it has to be put together properly. My master handles those ones himself. If the two of you wouldn't mind waiting a moment, I'll let him know you're here."
"Please."
She inclined her head, slipped out from behind the counter, and disappeared through the narrow doorway she had just come out of, drawing a heavy curtain closed behind her with a soft sway.
A moment later, the curtain swept aside, and a middle-aged man stepped through into the shopfront.
He had close-cropped grey hair and a weathered face with a scar across his left eye. He wore a plain dark vest over a linen shirt with sleeves rolled to the elbow.
His eyes found Eli's face first, then Juli's, then settled back on Eli's.
He offered a small, polite bow of the head.
"Miss Elise, Dame Julianna. It's a pleasure to have you here."
'Mentioning our names right off, huh. I see how you want to play.'
Eli responded with a bow of his own, then smiled.
"The pleasure is mine, Monsieur Gillian."
Gillian's eye twitched for just a fraction of a second, then he beckoned to the backdoor.
"Please, this way."
He stepped aside and held the curtain open.
Eli nodded, picked the wine package back up, and passed through, with Juli following close behind.
Gillian led them through a maze of doors, each room more moldy than the last, before they reached a splintered door lit by an overhead lantern.
Inside the room, the setup was small and efficient. A round table at the center surrounded by four plain wooden chairs, with an oil lamp in a low shelf and ledgers lined up along the walls.
Gillian closed the door shut behind them, took the chair across from them, and folded his hands on the table.
"Please. Sit."
Eli scanned the room once more before taking a seat.
'Black Rose…'
The reason for his presence here was that he needed information. Black Rose, being one of the premier information guilds on the Aria continent, was frequently used by the Marchioness alongside her own organization. She had passed on her knowledge of its inner workings to Elise during her training as a maid.
Black Rose also often appeared in the story, priding themselves as the neutral playground for any faction, provided the price was right.
'Well… that goes for any neutral intelligence agency.'
But their rising status stemmed from a simple advantage: they had more information than anyone else, and they were ruthless enough to sell it to whichever side offered the higher price. Playing honest was the least of their concerns.
But that's what made them reliable. If you couldn't afford the information, go home. If you brought them a crate of gold, they'd bring tea and flowers on the side for you to enjoy its aroma.
Gillian leaned back in his chair, watching Juli standing guard at the door.
"So, Lady Elise. What brings you to this humble place?"
'I bet you sit on a ton of gold. Don't be so humble now!'
Eli kept that one safely inside his skull.
In truth, he was extremely nervous right now. As it was his first time dealing with something secretive and important like this, he needed an outlet to purify this anxiousness.
'Oh gods, am I sweating? I feel like I'm sweating! Is it hot in here? Where's the AC? Oh wait, they don't have it in this era…'
The reality of handling sensitive intelligence inside a dark, damp room wasn't something he had mentally prepared for. It was unlike fighting, where he could actually enjoying moving his body and swinging a sword—
'I'm not a masochist. Remember that. Remember that well!'
However, if there was one lesson he had been taught, it was to stay calm at all times and keep eye contact, no matter how piercing their eyes became — courtesy of Grandpa Roy.
And most importantly, regarding the information Eli wanted, he had to avoid mentioning the attacks at all cost. It would only raise suspicion from both Gillian and Juli.
In other words, he had to go around and gather relevant evidence to present to Joanne.
"What I need is simple," Eli said, perfectly composed. "The roads in and out of Florentine have been busier than usual, and they'll only get busier from here because of this year's Renault harvest, correct?"
Gillian nodded, his expression firm.
"You're right."
Eli continued, his hands tightly intertwined in front.
"I'd like a list of the parties moving in and out of Florentine your branch consider irregular. Merchants whose letters of trade were issued recently. Pilgrim parties and religious processions whose officiality you cannot verified. Mercenaries. Unaffiliated mages or scholars outside the academies. You get the gist."
Gillian rumbled under his breath.
"A rather wide search, Miss Elise."
Eli leaned forward just enough for the dim light to reflect his rosy eyes.
"Well, it is your job, am I wrong?"
'Wait, that sounded kinda cool.'
He swiftly quieted his excitement brimming in his heart.
Gillian's hands unfolded from over his stomach and settled onto the table again.
"It's also my job to earn as much as the request demands. Inspecting every individual is inefficient, but if you're willing to pay a fortune and wait for a week, I wouldn't mind."
'He definitely knows why we're here.'
Eli held his gaze straight at Gillian's eyes.
"Then I'll be blunt."
Eli paused to inspect Gillian. The way his left thumb pressed hard into the wood, the way his left leg swung side to side — every minute action told everything Eli needed to know. It was time to cast the fishing net.
"I'd like to know if this branch has been paid to stay quiet."
The room went cold. Gillian did not blink.
'There we go. Gamble success!'