Kalé leaned behind the counter, the corner of his mouth twitching despite himself.
Miss, your Tarnished has been running off to places like that every day lately, and you're telling me "nothing's wrong"? Is there something wrong with the way you two think?
But Kalé was a businessman, after all. He knew what to say and what to keep to himself.
He cleared his throat and changed the subject:
"Well... Miss Melina, there's actually something else I wanted to warn you about."
Melina had been about to leave, but paused at his words.
Kalé chose his words carefully. "That Tarnished of yours... he seems to have gotten rather close to other women lately."
"Especially... the Tracker's younger sister. You know her, right? Miss Duchess."
Melina slowly turned around, her expression hidden in the shadow beneath her hood.
"How do you know?"
Kalé gave her a mysterious smile. "Miss Melina, our people don't hold a monopoly on trade in the Lands Between solely because of the Chancellor's authorization. Sometimes, information is worth more than merchandise."
He paused, then added meaningfully, "Of course, exactly how I know... is a trade secret."
Melina did not seem particularly concerned. "...That has nothing to do with me. I am merely his maiden, responsible for turning Runes into strength. Whom he associates with is his own choice."
Kalé raised an eyebrow and said nothing more, merely watching Melina disappear into the distance.
Only after Melina had left did he mutter under his breath, "Really nothing to do with you? Then, for that brief moment just now..."
Women. They just won't admit it.
Meanwhile, at the Church of Elleh.
The player was controlling the Tarnished as he arrived before the little church.
Inside the church was a figure the player knew very well.
The Duchess.
During his