"Hmm..."

I stood in front of the small mirror in my inn room, running my hand through my hair.

Shorter now. Significantly shorter. I'd found a barber early this morning and had him cut away the length that had grown out during my recovery. The strands that used to fall over my eyes were gone, replaced by something more practical that actually stayed out of my face.

I tilted my head slightly, checking the sides.

"Much better. Less annoying than before."

The faint scratches from Scarlet's claws had faded to thin pink lines across my cheek, barely noticeable unless you knew to look for them. My eyes looked tired though, shadows beneath them from too little sleep and too much thinking.

I need to figure out how to extend my stay here.

Victor would want to leave soon. Maybe in a few days, once he'd finished whatever Knight business had brought him to Greyford. And he definitely didn't want me hanging around. I was a distraction, an embarrassment, something that complicated his professional reputation.

But I can't leave yet. Not until I find Agnes.

I pulled my hood up, checked that my coin pouch was secure, and headed out.

The streets of Greyford were busy with midday traffic. Merchants hawked wares from stalls that lined the main road, workers on lunch breaks clustered near food vendors, children darted between adults with the fearless energy of youth.

I moved through them slowly, deliberately, my debug vision active and scanning.

Names appeared above heads as I focused on people.

[Brennan - Baker]

[Sarah - Seamstress]

[Tom - Guard]

I kept walking, kept scanning, my eyes moving from face to face, reading names that meant nothing to me.

Where are you, Gerald?

That was the real reason for this seemingly random wandering.

Yes, I wanted to find Agnes. Needed to find her. But I also needed answers about the mysterious merchant who'd stolen my sword and given me a legendary potion like it was a free sample.

Then he'd vanished completely after our encounter. No stall. No traces. No one I'd asked had even heard of him.

Like he'd never existed.

But he had existed. The empty vial in my pocket proved that.

So where the hell did he go?

I turned down a side street, still scanning, still searching.

[Thorny - Merchant]

[Agnes - Servant]

I froze mid-step.

My heart jumped into my throat, pulse suddenly hammering against my ribs so hard I could feel it in my ears.

Agnes?

I spun toward the woman the system had identified, my breath catching in my chest.

She was maybe twenty feet away, her back to me, carrying a basket of what looked like linens. Brown dress, practical shoes, hair tied back in a simple braid.

She turned slightly to navigate around a cart blocking the narrow street.

And then I saw... blonde hair.

My stomach dropped.

Her face was older too, maybe late forties, with wrinkles around her eyes and a tired set to her mouth.

Wrong Agnes.

Fuck.

The hope that had flared so bright died just as quickly, leaving something hollow and cold behind.

I exhaled slowly through my teeth, forcing my heartbeat to settle and looked away from her.

Of course. Scarlet was right. There are probably hundreds of women named Agnes in this town.

Hundreds of false leads.

I continued walking, trying to push down the disappointment, refocusing on the task even though it felt increasingly pointless.

More names appeared as I scanned the crowd.

[Richard - Blacksmith]

[Moore - Healer]

[Unknown - ???]

I stopped again.

Wait.

Unknown?

My eyes locked onto a figure standing at the far end of the street, half-hidden in the shadow of a building. Hooded. Completely still. Watching.

Watching me.

The debug vision flickered around them, unable to get a clear read, like something was actively interfering with the scan.

My hand moved instinctively toward my hip, reaching for a sword that wasn't there.

Damn it.

The figure tilted their head slightly, as if sensing my attention, acknowledging it.

Then they turned and disappeared into an alley.

I stood there for a heartbeat, weighing my options.

Should I follow?

Every instinct screamed that this was a bad idea. Unknown entities that couldn't be scanned properly were either extremely powerful or using magic specifically designed to hide their information.

Either way, dangerous.

But...

Gerald appeared out of nowhere. Gave me a potion that shouldn't exist. Then vanished without a trace.

What if this is connected?

Or... what if this is him?

I made my decision and started walking quickly toward the alley, my hand still hovering near where my sword should have been.

The narrow passage was empty when I reached it. Just weathered stone walls slick with moisture, scattered trash, a few crates stacked haphazardly against one side.

No hooded figure.

No footsteps echoing away.

Nothing.

I activated my debug vision fully, scanning for traces of magic, recent disturbances, anything that might indicate where they'd gone or how they'd disappeared so quickly.

Still nothing.

Just normal ambient mana and the faint residue every populated area accumulated over time.

Gone again.

I stood there staring at the empty alley, frustration building hot in my chest.

What the hell is going on in this town?

First Gerald with his impossible vanishing act. Now this. Were they connected? Random coincidence? Something else entirely?

Then suddenly, a sound behind me made me turn sharply.

A cat.

Just a mangy street cat, watching me with unblinking yellow eyes from atop a crate.

Sigh!

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

You're getting paranoid.

But the feeling didn't leave. That sense of being watched, of eyes I couldn't see tracking my movements.

I turned and headed back to the main street, pulling my hood lower over my face.

Focus. One problem at a time.

Find Agnes. Survive Victor's inevitable interrogation about why I want to stay longer. Figure out how to get another sword before something tries to kill me again.

Everything else can wait.

It has to.

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