Re: Level 100 Farmer

Within minutes, the sleek yet metal reinforced carriages of Black Securities came rolling forwards, driven by tamed equine monsters that would have been deadly threats had they been wild and loose on the streets.

In response to the sudden movement, the squadron of Lysian knights started to surround the entrance to the Flagon, their swords drawn and their silver armor glinting under the lantern and torchlights of the building. 

Seeing this, the knights of Black Securities dismounted and came out their carriages, filing into orderly rank with their weapons unsheathed but not pointed towards the Lysian knights. The vampire knights had concealed their redden eyes and pale skin, but they did not hide the fact that they towered over the regular knights in height and brawn, their magically enchanted armor shimmering with magical energy where the Lysian knights' armor was distinctly mundane. 

Several knights struggled to keep their mounts calm, a few of them getting knocked off horseback as their horses eyed their wilder and more monstrous relatives with terror. The knights that surrounded the door themselves did not seem to fare much better mentally, obviously feeling some trepidation as they gathered into a loose ring-like formation, their shields raised far too high and their swords held far too low.

It would be very apparent that Black Securities had quite the reputation for power in Riviera.

Meld strode out the door and unleashed a commanding voice. "Stand down and clear the path!"

As her voice rung outwards, the knights hurriedly broke rank and streamed out of the way like a parted current. The Black Securities knights also withdrew, pacing back to the carriages without wasting a single breath and escorting a small crowd of farmers out. They were a motley group of all ages and builds, but generally speaking, the ages leaned towards the older side.

Li noticed that the older the farmers were, the more likely they were to have had signs of farming - calloused hands, ruddier, tanned skin, fingernails cracked and healed over so many times that the indentations had become part of their very structure. The younger ones, however, had no such signs to them, and that was reasonable – it was the older generation that had personal experience tending to the land; the new had lived in the city their whole lives.

"Farmers?" commented Meld as she stood aside, letting the vampire knights lead the farmers in as an orderly single file line. 

"You can tell?" said Li.

"Signs of manual labor upon their hands and skin. Advanced wrinkling from exposure to constant sunlight. Builds and musculature developed towards swinging and pulling which I have observed primarily among those that labor with the earth."

"Impressive," said Li honestly. Her insight and ability to analyze were truly top notch, and that worried him ever so slightly. He had lied many times this night, and he considered himself a good liar, especially considering he did not have the greatest range of facial expressions out there, but could he truly deceive someone at this level?

But at the same time, Meld made no indication that she had caught on to anything. Or perhaps she was pretending? Regardless, the situation was like that of the duchess. If they did not infringe on his activities much, he would prefer to focus on himself rather than running around swatting down flies. 

"Not too impressive," said Meld. "Anyone that has tread my footsteps would have developed such a skill out of necessity."

"Quite a modest view for a hero."

"Perhaps." Meld unconsciously touched at one of the bandages on her back. "But I suppose I am more human than most heroes." Her face tilted a little, her angle of vision going up to look at the vampire knights. "Black Securities. Most interesting. I presume you have a good relation with the company?"

Li nodded. "The count that owns it has taken quite the liking to me. As a devoted scholar of sorts, he values the foreign knowledge and experiences I bring. When he found that I was also a scholar, we struck up an immediate friendship. One of the very first acquaintances I made coming to this new land was him, actually. I have to say, I do like how open-minded a decent portion of this city is."

"Peace does tend to widen minds, and I was right to think you were a scholar."

"And what signs did I give off for you to reach that conclusion?"

Meld thought about it for a few seconds. "No substantive signs. Simply a hunch, really, based on your eyes. They are always thinking. Not all scholars possess such eyes, some can be just as lazy as the common man, but yours in particular remind me of a scholar I used to know, though I suppose that is too limited a sample size to base an accurate observation upon."

"Well, you'd be right. Though right now, I'm more farmer than anything else." Li shrugged. "Strange though, a scholar just like me? Can't say I've met many like that, what with how busy people are adventuring and swinging swords and nocking bows. Would be interesting to meet this person."

Meld gave off the very slightest sign of a frown, her lip quivering ever so slightly. So slight of an instant that had Li not possessed superhuman senses, he would not have caught it. 

"Unfortunately, they have passed," said Meld, her voice the same collected tone as ever. She went inside the Flagon, her line of sight as analyzing and focused as ever.

========

Because the beastwomen had packed the first floor and trashed it, the farmers had to be escorted up to the second floors which were residential rooms, but thankfully, they had been temporarily cleared out due to Launcelot's efforts beforehand. 

There was still equipment and supplies in the rooms, but there were enough to have the farmers securely placed with guards from both the Lysian Order and Black Securities. Before the farmers had settled into the rooms, Meld had given them a thorough and clear rundown of what she wanted to do.

Overall, it was quite simple. Meld would interview the farmers separately and get down their testimonies against Chevrette. To that end, she had prepared a large inkwell, several feathers to write with, a thick sheaf of papers, and recording crystals so that she could go over the depositions again.

As for the beastwomen, Azhar and Iona were responsible for keeping them calm until Meld had finished the interviews. 

At first, Sylvie and Jeanne tried to help around as much as they could with organizing rooms for the farmers, calming the beastwomen, cleaning up the mess they had made, and whatnot. However, it had been a little over a full day since they had slept, and soon enough, they fell asleep with their heads against their shoulders while leaning against the first-floor wall. 

"You're managing pretty well," said Li to Azhar as he went around, making sure the beastwomen he could talk to were doing well enough. "You're not tired?"

Azhar stood watching the beastwoman he had made a pact with play with her little sister, pawing at her with gentle swipes of her claws. 

"I can go without sleep," said Azhar. "When I was trainin' to be a shaman, I had to get used to stayin' up days and days while seein' the oddest visions with all the mushrooms I was hopped up on. This ain't nothin' to me. Plus-," Azhar nudged his chin towards Iona who stood with another group of beastwomen, talking to them calmly. "She's pullin' way more weight than me."

"You two are both doing wonderful. If you ever need a buff to your energy, just let me know," said Li as he went around to Sylvie and Jeanne's sleeping forms and draped a blanket he had taken from upstairs over them.

With that, Li felt like he had taken care of all under his supervision. He made his way back upstairs to observe Meld's interviewing. She was friendly, making light conversation when needed with the farmers, being serious and condoling when the farmers laid down their grievances, and overall being quite good at coaxing out the farmers' experiences and reassuring them that justice would be granted to them.

Administratively, Li noticed she was quite the expert too. Her hands moved like lightning, filling up paper with detailed notes in the blink of an eye. She had seemingly boundless energy too, never once tiring. Launcelot and Leon too, had quite the energy, making sure the farmers were in good condition, ferrying up water and food when needed. 

A few hours later, and Meld was done. By this time, the sun was up, the dark of dawn having fallen to slumber and letting the brightness of early morning awaken. 

Li was standing outside one of the inn rooms when Meld came out having conducted her final interview. Held under her arm was a stack of papers as thick as her arm. 

"So? Good enough?" said Li.

"I consider my knowledge shy of that of a lawspeaker's, but yes, I would believe so," said Meld. "These testimonies are iron-solid, and it will take a simple run through of Chevrette's business records to confirm them. The court will have no issue indicting the lord."

"Then the beastwomen are free to go?" 

"Certainly," said Meld. She nodded to Li. "However, I am afraid that I do not have the capacity to divert the resources under my authority towards guaranteeing that they return to their lands."

"Don't worry about that. I've got that covered."

"As I thought you would." Meld stared at Li for a lingering second. "If I may ask, since you are so close to him, how is the count? Are his businesses doing well?"

"Yes, though I have to wonder why you'd be curious about that? Seems unrelated to the case at hand."

Meld shrugged. "I like to keep tabs on nobility throughout the duchy. It is a part of my job as Head Investigator. As an aside, it has occurred to me that the crown's coffers are doing well enough and the details of this case will need no further evidence. I will arrange that the Chevrette estates assets be put up for auction.

I leave you to the rest."

Meld took off her broad-brimmed hat and held it pinned to her side. Her hair was silvery at the tips visible under the hat, but at the top, it became black like ink, so dark that it was hard to tell individual hairs apart. "I must also thank you and the others for assisting in this investigation and the pursuit of justice. May good fortune fall upon all of you. I should hope we meet again someday, and hopefully as allies."

"Likewise," said Li, and Meld nodded, gathering her notes with a brisk and professional pace. 

Li watched as Meld put her hat back on and walked downstairs with a retinue of knights. She ordered the rest of the knights to come with her, and soon enough, they were all gone, likely wanting to get out and rest in their homes as soon as possible.