"I'm Annan."
"I'm Annan."
A Teleportation Portal stood open inside a tent on the outskirts of Golden City, and two Annans were arguing in front of it.
The Annan beyond the Portal sneered and looked at Joan. "Darling, why are you acting like we're strangers?"
Joan flushed and stammered, "I..."
Annan gave her a little wink. "You what?"
"You're Annan..."
Annan had taken an impressive second place in the contest to play Annan.
"Stop making such a disgusting face with my face," Annan said helplessly.
"When are you coming back?"
"Later. I need to visit the Black Reef Tavern."
Black Widow told him about the banquet. After a moment's thought, Annan said, "Got it. Go in my place for now, and be careful not to give yourself away."
"Don't worry. Even the people closest to you think I'm the real Annan."
Annan closed the Teleportation Portal without a word, transformed back into Olmedo, and returned to Golden City with the others.
The members of the Oskulas Mercenary Company made a show of looking dejected, deliberately putting it on for the eyes watching from the shadows.
As Annan rode along, speaking quietly with Rofi, he suddenly turned to look at a black-robed figure passing them.
"What is it?"
"I thought I caught a familiar scent..."
Annan pulled on the reins, lost in thought, then dismounted. "You go on ahead," he told the team members who had stopped to watch. "I need to step out for a while."
He went after the black-robed figure, who was about to vanish into the crowd.
Annan made no attempt to hide. The figure soon noticed someone following it and quickened its pace, repeatedly ducking into crowds and alleys.
But it had no idea Annan was tracking it by the scent it left behind, not by