The institute was closed for the week, and Sataia liked to spend her free time walking by the sea.
In the mornings and evenings, workers heading to and from work often saw a beautiful young woman in blue mage robes, her hair tied in a practical ponytail, following the coastline toward the harbor.
Ellen and Number Zero stood atop the watchtower, their eyes on the young woman.
"What did your close-range investigation turn up?"
"No other energy signatures." Ellen took the Rune Stone from inside his clothes and returned it to his mentor.
It was a premium item obtained from the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. Anything with abnormal energy fluctuations would trigger a reaction from the Rune Stone.
Number Zero nodded slightly, took back the Rune Stone, and slipped it into his pocket.
"The less we find, the more suspicious I get." After years in intelligence work, Number Zero had noticed a pattern. Subjects who had no flaws and behaved perfectly in every respect often turned out to be villains in the end.
Ordinary people were rarely so meticulous. They often made choices that went against their personalities.
Because he was investigating Sataia, Ellen had not gone to Boralus for the past few days.
After Young Master Rowan's price-control policies took effect, the herb market had also felt the impact.
Prices had fallen for many herbs. Anchor Weed, in particular, had dropped to half its former price.
Herb gatherers could buy their travel supplies more cheaply. With living expenses falling, those who had been too busy supporting their families were no longer tied down by those obligations and had returned to their old trade.
Sataia came from an isolated island in the Great Sea and had inherited an Orc Warlock's teachings. That certainly sounded suspicious.
Ellen understood Young Master Rowan's concerns,