Reinhard, Marie, and Joseph approached the Mayor's Office, its elegant facade rising before them with the refined grandeur characteristic. The building's cream-colored stone walls were adorned with painting on the wall and under the tall windows. The wide steps led to double doors flanked by columns.
Marie pushed open the brass doors that caught the light from the gas lamps within. Inside, the building revealed high ceilings decorated with chandeliers casting warm light across marble floors.
Reinhard and Joseph settled into chairs, waiting while Marie disappeared into an inner office to meet with the Mayor. The waiting area had clerks moving between desks topped with brass fittings, while the soft murmur of conversations drifted from behind doors topped with glass panels.
Reinhard's attention was drawn to a service window where a small figure stood on tiptoes trying to reach the polished brass counter. The little girl had long blue hair, and wore a simple dress that suggested modest circumstances.
Her initial excitement as she spoke with the clerk gradually shifted to disappointment, her shoulders sagging as the official behind the counter shook his head apologetically.
The clerk leaned forward through the window opening trying to comfort her but the girl only managed a strained smile before turning away. The girl dropped in her head dejection as she walked through the hall.
The sight triggered a memory of Anna's face with that same expression of quiet disappointment when others ignored her struggles. Then the image shifted to her looking up at him with a forced smile and her pretending everything was fine to spare him additional worry after he came home from the gang.
Reinhard frowned and stood before heading toward the girl. "Excuse me," he said gently, causing her to look up with startled blue eyes. "My name is Reinhard, and I'm a visiting Inquisitor."
The girl's blue eyes immediately lit up with wonder. "You're an Inquisitor? That's amazing! It's just like that group that visited before..."
Reinhard chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Yea, I am from the same University as them. What's your name?"
A light blush colored her cheeks. "My name is Anasha... Um, Mister Reinhard... Are you perhaps free right now?"
Reinhard smiled as he nodded. "I can find time if there's something you need help with."
Anasha's blue eyes widened as she began tapping her fingers together nervously, glancing around the space.
"It's fine to ask," Reinhard encouraged. "I came over here to see what was wrong and help. No matter what you say, I will listen and provide help in any way I can."
Anasha nodded with a faint smile. "Can you help the town guards find my big brother Ven? He went missing three days ago, and no one knows where he went."
Klein's worried face flashed through Reinhard's mind as he said. "My teammates and I are also looking for those Inquisitors you mentioned. I can certainly look for your big brother as well, maybe the cases are connected."
Anasha's face lit up in delight as she clapped her hands together. "Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Helping you find your brother isn't a hassle, Miss Anasha," Joseph's voice interrupted as he approached. "We Three of Swords will gladly help you find Ven."
"R-Really?" Anasha blinks while shifting nervously.
"Of course." Marie's voice rang out as she headed over.
Marie lowering herself to Anasha's eye level and gently touching the girl's face. "Don't you worry, Anasha. We'll find your big brother so you can scold him properly for vanishing without a word! In the meantime, no more looking sad, okay?"
Anasha blushed and nodded while Marie hummed in approval.
"Did the Mayor provide any information about the missing Inquisitors?" Reinhard asked.
Marie shook her head. "He only recalls them checking in here, then nothing more. That was a month ago."
Joseph frowned. "Maybe someone in town knows more?"
"Do you remember where you last saw those Inquisitors?" Reinhard asked Anasha.
The girl furrowed her brows in concentration. "It was around the town square."
"Then we can ask around there," Joseph suggested.
Anasha perked up immediately. "I can help with that!"
"Ahh, thank you Anasha." Marie says softly.
Anasha quickly walked forward with Reinhard and the others followed behind. They left the Mayor's Office and walked through the town streets. The buildings around them were fancy and old-fashioned, with decorated fronts and windows.
Some had curved tops, while others had carvings that cast shadows as evening approached. Iron balconies with plant-like designs from many buildings, and roofs with small windows completed the town's look.
Reinhard, Joseph, and Marie moved in a loose formation around Anasha, who quickly became the center of attention for everyone they passed. Adults called out her name from balconies, elderly women waved at her from doorways, and children ran up with hopes of a joke or a bit of news. Anasha responded to every greeting with a smile and wave of her hands.
The girl's popularity was evident in how faces lit up when they saw her, suggesting she was a beloved figure in the community.
The town square opened before them, surrounded by buildings whose ground floors housed shops behind large plate glass windows set in elaborate frames. Such a post office trimmed in blue-green, and a bakery whose glass-fronted case displayed pastries glowing under golden lamps.
A central fountain featured bronze sculptures that showed figures of women and men entwined in a circle, arms outstretched, water arcing from their joined hands into the bowl below. With Vendors clustered near it, filling the square with shouts and laughter.
They started asking questions to the vendors at the market stalls.
Marie led the way, approaching a fruit seller whose stand was stacked with apples and pears. "Excuse me," she said, holding out her official badge, "but we're hoping you might help us with some questions."
A stocky man with impressive whiskers, turned his attention to them and smiled. "Sure, ask away!"
"We're looking for Inquisitors who came here a month ago," Marie says with a faint smile. "They would have worn uniforms like ours."
The vendor scratched his beard. "Ah, I remember them. Tall, two men and a woman, yes? Came through here at dawn. Bought some fruit, asked me about the best places to eat. Seemed in a hurry, but polite." He shrugged with a helpless smile. "That's all I recall. Sorry I can't be of more help."
"No, you were enough help. Thank you." Marie says with a smile, leading the man to laugh and then glance at Anasha.
"Here are some apples, enjoy it." The man gave each of them apples before they waved goodbye.
They then continued towards another person. But each came the same familiar vague answer until Anasha returned trailed by a pair of giggling children and an elderly woman who clearly adored her.
"Miss Marie," Anasha announced, "this is Mrs. Laur, and she says she saw the Inquisitors before as well."
Marie beamed and said softly. "Thank you for coming to speak with us."
The old woman beamed. "Of course, my dear. Anasha is a treasure, we'd do anything for her. As for those visitors… They were very interested in the town's history as well. I saw them near the statue of our founder, and then again in the alley by the old library. They seemed especially curious about the old burned section of the town. Not many people know about them, but the mayor's father used to speak of tunnels and chambers left from when the town was first built."
Joseph perked up. "Did you see where they went after that?"
Mrs. Laur shook her head. "No. But maybe the street artists might know, those Inquisitors hanged around them the most I believe."
Reinhard thanked her, and the group fell into step behind Anasha, who now directed them with the brisk authority of a guide. They made their way to the fountain, where a small crowd had gathered to watch a juggler toss knives in the failing light.
The juggler was a girl not much older than Anasha, her sleeves rolled to the elbow, face lit by the yellow glow of the lamps overhead. When the performance ended, Reinhard approached and asked her quietly about the Inquisitors.
The juggler's eyes widened as she nodded. "I remember them. They gave me a gold coin for my show and asked about the Old Section of the town. I didn't know much except the entire part is burnt down because the previous town was set on fire."
"I see and the mayor doesn't touch it because you guys don't need the space yet?" Reinhard asked.
"Yeah, there were other burned down sections of the towns. But the mayor got rid of it when we were ready to expand the town." The juggler said, leading Reinhard to nod his head and gave her a gold coin as thanks.
Reinhard returned to the others and they continued. They saw a magic show performer, entertaining children near a building and then after he was done, they talked with him.
"Aye, I remember them," he said while making coins vanish. "Three of them, just like yourselves. They asked about the town's history when it was founded, and who the original settlers were."
After an hour, Reinhard and the others found themselves stopping near the square's gas lamp. Reinhard rubbed his temples while the others' expressions didn't look good either. Every conversation ended with them yes, recognizing the description of their fellow Inquisitors, yet each recollection led nowhere.