That said, finding someone is another matter entirely...
Scanning the dense, bustling crowd, Sushang couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. While her mastery of the Edge of Taixuan meant that sensing the life force of everyone in Orario wouldn't be particularly difficult, the problem was that she and Furina had never met before.
If you've never met, how are you supposed to sense their presence?
Running around like a headless chicken wouldn't work, though.
As the saying goes, "sharpening the axe won't delay the work of cutting wood." Rather than foolishly leaving things to luck, she would be better off finding a place where she could gather some information.
Taking one last look around, Sushang reached into her pocket, pulled out a small gold nugget the size of a fingernail, and approached a street vendor who was busy calling out to passersby.
"How about it, traveler? My goods are the real deal! If you have any friends among the Renard or other demi-humans, buying our combs or soaps is the right move! Oh, that's right! We even have essential oils specifically for conditioning fur and wool!"
Sushang certainly didn't look like a demi-human herself, but she had an approachable, easy-going air about her.
Besides, who doesn't have a friend of that race? Giving these things as gifts is always a safe bet.
"Boss, I do have friends among them, but I'm not here to buy anything right now."
Sushang didn't take the bait on the sales pitch, but before the man could continue, she flashed the gold nugget in her hand right in front of him.
Gold is a universal currency wherever you go. Even if Orario had its own coins and precious goods, the value of gold wouldn't depreciate much—after all, it could always be used outside the city.
It would only take a little extra effort.
"Hehe, you're the boss here! You've certainly got a sharp eye. What would you like to know? I wouldn't say I know everything, but I can answer most questions you might have!"
The vendor was quick on the uptake; he could tell at a glance that the young lady wasn't a local and had only just arrived.
It wasn't hard to guess, especially since he'd never seen a style of dress like hers before.
"Great! I love dealing with people who get straight to the point." Seeing the vendor's knowing expression, Sushang knew he must be used to fielding questions from out-of-towners.
A vendor operating near the main gate, indeed.
With that, she got right to it: "I'm looking for someone, but I'm new here and don't know my way around. I want to know where I can go to gather information."
Having said her piece, she tossed the gold nugget to him before he could even answer.
The vendor caught the gold with nimble hands and gave it a subtle squeeze, his smile becoming even more genuine.
So, she was looking for someone.
"May I ask, miss, is the person you're looking for an adventurer?"
"Hmm... maybe. Or maybe not?" This was hard for Sushang to say; her mission only required her to find the person.
Maybe, or maybe not?
The vendor thought for a moment. Does that mean she isn't familiar with the person she's looking for?
He didn't dwell on it—that wasn't the kind of thing a merchant needed to concern himself with.
"If you know the name and appearance of the person, you could try posting a request at the Guild to test your luck. Alternatively, you could commission a Familia directly. As long as you can afford the price, finding someone isn't very difficult."
The vendor offered his own advice: "If they are a unique person like yourself, it should be even easier to find them."
The Guild... and a Familia, huh?
Sushang committed his advice to memory: "I see. Thank you for your guidance."
"It's nothing!" The vendor smiled. "Oh, by the way, if you're looking to hire a Familia, you might want to try your luck at 'The Hostess of Fertility'."
"The Hostess of Fertility?"
The name felt vaguely familiar. In this strange place, it must be a fairly well-known spot, right?
"Yes, it's a tavern with reasonable prices. Many low-income adventurers choose to go there, though sometimes the Loki Familia will hold banquets there as well. If you're lucky, you might even run into them!"
Seeming to worry that Sushang might misunderstand, the vendor quickly added, "While most of the patrons are low-earning adventurers, many of them are just ordinary members of larger Familias."
The Loki Familia also sounded familiar. It seemed this place was indeed an important location.
Plus, places where people ate were often hubs for information; after all, people loved to chat and gossip over their meals.
Whether the rumors were true or not was another story, but the volume of information would certainly be sufficient.
Thanking the vendor one last time, Sushang followed his directions, crossed a main road, and made her way toward Orario's West Street.
Orario was a circular city with the Babel Tower at its heart, from which six main streets radiated outward. Sushang had just crossed from the northwest adventurer's thoroughfare to get here.
Looking at the noisy, bustling interior before her, a trace of hesitation clouded Sushang's face.
Could she really gather any information here? Although she could hear everything everyone was saying, the sheer volume of noise made her head throb uncomfortably.
Just as she was feeling a bit at a loss, a gentle, sweet, yet girlish voice sounded beside her.
"Customer?"
"Ah, I'm so sorry! I was blocking the door!" Sushang finally realized she had been standing at the entrance for too long. Fortunately, no one had been trying to pass in or out behind or in front of her.
Hastily stepping into the tavern to clear the way, the young lady looked toward the source of the voice.
Greeting her was a waitress in a green uniform and white apron, with gray hair and gray eyes.
She was looking at her with a hint of confusion, which made Sushang wonder if she had done something strange.
Watching the guest's expression grow increasingly uncomfortable, the waitress quickly put on an apologetic face. "I'm so sorry! I was just lost in thought. I didn't mean to stare at you like that!"
"Oh, no! It's quite alright. I should be the one apologizing—I was distracted by my own thoughts and ended up blocking the door..." Sushang couldn't shake the feeling that the girl's reaction had been a bit odd. Was something wrong with her appearance?
Or was it just because her style of dress was so different from everyone else's here?
Deciding to err on the side of trust rather than suspicion, Sushang didn't probe further.
"Since that's the case, let's just put these awkward moments behind us." The waitress smiled, sweeping away the previous tension, and continued, "However, to ensure you keep my little lapse in professional conduct a secret, I hope you'll accept a small bribe from me~"
"A bribe?"
"Today's special is the chef's signature dish! You're a newcomer to Orario, aren't you? How about I treat you to your first meal here?"
"Ah? That won't do! You just said we should let the awkwardness go, I can't take advantage of you like that!"
"It's quite alright, consider it hush money!"
Are the waitresses here always this enthusiastic? A pretty and passionate waitress—it's no wonder this place is so popular.
Refusing someone's kindness repeatedly wasn't a good thing. Accepting the goodwill of others was, in itself, a way of signaling one's own.
With that in mind, Sushang stopped declining and nodded generously.
"In that case, I shall accept your kindness... Oh! I haven't done the most important thing yet. I am Li Sushang. May I ask this young lady's name?"
"Syr. Just call me Syr."
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL