By the time dawn broke out the next morning, Inigo was already up, though he didn’t plan on moving for a number of hours. Whilst he was an early riser, that didn’t necessarily mean that those he needed to speak to today were. The streets outside were quiet, with only a number of people already getting to work at the crack of dawn. For the most part, it was primarily carts and merchants transporting their goods, either entering or leaving the city. It was no surprise that they were up so early: some of them might have to travel across the country. Inigo watched them from the window until he spotted a familiar face, already making their way towards the inn with a certain purpose in their gait. Their copper-red was a striking shade in the sunlight compared to the natural colours around him, and his red and gray outfit sported the insignia of Aelibuch. The reptile recognised him almost immediately. Rather than wait for him to approach, Inigo rose and collected his things, making his way out of the room and down the stairs. “H-Hail, sire. How was your room?” The keeper called over to Inigo as he lowered the stairs, and the reptile moved forwards, his sharp eyes intimidating the burly, overweight innkeeper somewhat. “Acceptable.” He remarked as the door creaked open, revealing Nils’ athletic form. He spotted Inigo immediately-- but then again, the reptile was not difficult to spot-- and went over. “Hail, Inigo,” Nils looked from him to the awkward innkeeper. “...Did you rest well?” “It was adequate.” Inigo replied with the same deep baritones as before, and Nils seemed to shudder on the spot. “V-Very well. What do you plan to do today?” He was pressing for information, and likely had to ask on behalf of his superiors. The reptile’s gaze flicked from him to the open door, to those slumped around the tables dotting the main lobby. Finally, he rested his gaze back on the canine with a sigh through his nose. “Where do the noblemans bathe?” His question was poised for additional information, but Nils was already confused as to why he was asking. “Hmm...I would guess they would go to the bathhouse near the castle. Why in all of Sinaca do you need to know that?” “Where noblemen rest, gossip blossoms,” Inigo said with a hint of repulsion. “If we approach them when they are relaxed, we are bound to acquire some information about our victim.” “That’s...” Nils couldn’t seem to find the compliment he wanted, but then again, it could have also been an insult. “Very well, sire, but....I don’t think they’ll let us in.” “I am an detector. I have some authority, above that of simply lowly guards, enough to be above nobleman, if I tread carefully. They will grant me access, as well as any aides I require to attend.” He weighted his words with intent and Nils straightened his back, looking decidedly nervous. If Inigo had to guess, it was the thought of directly interacting with a number of nobles. “Y-Yes, sire.” The canine didn’t argue any further, and the reptile appeared satisfied. With a final glance towards the innkeeper, he strode from the inn, with Nils in tow. They walked in silence for a moment, with Inigo wordlessly making Nils takes the lead. Despite that, they walked side by side. He at least knew that, in a canine society, walking together signified the two of them being equals. Inigo had no reason to see the canine any different: despite their age being different, Nils had proved himself at least capable, and he at least knew what his job entailed. The sound of their boots clopping against the stones beneath their feet helped to break some of the silence in the air. “S-So, detector...” Nils began. “Inigo.” The reptile briefly introduced himself. Nils eyes widened for a moment, as if awestruck. “Inigo Taborette?” Nils whispered, and Inigo’s quizzical gaze made him look momentarily embarrassed. “Though I lack magic, it’s always sort of fascinated me. Anyone who knows magic knows of you, sire.” “I didn’t think I was that famous.” Inigo almost sounded a little bitter, but that only seemed to encourage Nils more. “Surely, you jest! You’re known at the greatest detector around. Although, very few discuss your appearance...so that is why I initially didn’t recognise you.” “I suppose, to some degree, my apparent prestigous status might be useful.” Inigo remarked quietly. “Why do you say that?” Nils looked confused, but the reptile’s glance told him he should have been able to put two and two together. “Noblemen will find solace from one renowned person to another, rather than a simple commoner. Where this is familiarity, even through fame, there is trust, albeit small.” Inigo explained simply enough, and Nils seemed to understand. “We’re here.” Nils gestured, and Inigo turned his gaze to the bathhouse standing on the right hand side. A set of wide marble steps lead through a grand archway with a slanted, triangle-shaped roof. The outside was intricately detailed and etched into marble, giving it a near-regal appearance. With a sigh, the reptile stepped up the stairs. A guard stood just outside and he stepped forwards as if to intercept them, but one look at the reptile’s insignia on the front of his chest plate caused him to back off. He let them through, looking decidedly nervous as Inigo passed. Stepping into the lobby, Inigo took one look at the receptionist sitting behind the long mahogany desk, before striding to the left hand side that lead into the changing rooms. Very few women attended bathhouses and enjoyed bathing in the privacy of their own home, so the changing room were filled primarily with men of all manner of shapes of sizes, though a good percentage of them were overweight. “We’ll need to blend. Mingle,” Inigo glanced towards Nils as he stepped into the changing room, and he reached out to grab one of the fluffy, hand made towels that sat on a shelf as they entered the changing room. There were a number of shelves, each separated by a piece of wood, that situated over the top of long benches. Even as they stepped into the slightly humid room, a number of other people were getting dressed and undressed. Inigo picked an unoccupied shield and turned to glance at Nils. He observed that the canine looked decidedly anxious around so many men. It didn’t seem to bother Inigo in the slightest. “Do you need assistance, sire?” Someone spoke from their side and Nils jumped in surprise, turning his head to see a young canine, barely 18 years of age, expectantly holding his hands out. Inigo looked around the room and realised instantly what the attendant was asking for: he noticed that just about every other nobleman in the room had an attendant standing by, or helping to remove their clothes. Some stood in the nude with no shame, shoving their garments into the hands of waiting men, all of whom were dressed in loose clothes themselves. “Me and my aide are fine, thank you.” Inigo spoke quietly and the attendant bowed, not arguing with them. He slinked away and let them to undress. Nils sighed through his nose. Unclasping his armour, Inigo placed it up onto the shelf, making sure to leave enough room for the rest of his armour. He cared little for the prying eyes of those around him as he placed the elbow and knee pads up onto the shelf, before popping the buttons on his thick leather armour and letting it slide past his shoulders. Nils watched him from the side, his gaze lingering a little longer than necessary, observing the detector’s heavy frame as he undressed. Inigo possessed a solid, bulky frame, his shoulders broad and his arms muscular. As the reptile turned, only for a moment, Nils caught sight of the man’s sculpted chest, the line of black scales that ran down his body and formed prominent abdominal muscles. Nils quietly remarked to himself that he looked as if he were created by a god, for the purpose of looking like one. Inigo caught sight of Nils’ staring from the corner of his eyes and knew the canine was watching, chalking it up to a simple boyish curiosity, and nothing more. After all, Nils was only 19-- barely a man-- and presumably had a lot to discover within himself yet. “Where did those come from?” Nils suddenly asked, and Inigo followed his gaze to look down at his chest. Large scars marred the reptile’s chest and stomach and covered his shoulders as well. The reptile’s face soured, if only slightly, before glancing over at Nils’ unreadable expression. It looked like a cross between empathy and some degree of envy. Inigo stared at him for some time, until Nils finally noticed his gaze and quickly averted his eyes. “This and that, over the years. Criminals who don’t want to be arrested, and the like.” Inigo spoke coldly about the subject, idly running a claw-tipped finger over one of his scars, as if reminiscing. Nils watched him for a moment before he turned away, beginning to unbuckle his own armour. Inigo watched him from the side, examining him. If this man was going to be his aide, it was best he gather as much information about him as possible, without pushing too much for details. Inigo knew better than to ask personal questions of complete strangers, especially in his line of work. Nils began to peel off his chain mail and cloth garments underneath, and Inigo got a good look at him from the side as he himself undressed. Nils had a slender figure, one lacking in any substantial muscle tone. His shoulders were bony, his arms average size and his stomach lean. Across his shoulder lay a single scar that curved from the front to the back, between his shoulder and his neck, above his collarbone. The way that the scar ran along his shoulder implied that someone had, unsuccessfully, tried to cut his arm off. Inigo glanced away just as Nils began to pull off his undergarments, and he more or less did the same, standing in the nude. He could feel the sensation of eyes boring into him and guessed they were being watched, but he didn’t know by who. Unbeknownst to the reptile, Nils was watching as well. The canine stared at the thick base of the reptile’s tail that sat nestled above Inigo’s flat, muscular cheeks. The tail was long, curling around enough to touch against the floor and curl around his tail when necessary. As Inigo turned, Nils caught sight of something he likely shouldn’t have seen, and quickly averted his gaze before he caught more than Inigo’s toned hips and the outline of something rather sordid. The canine’s stares didn’t surprise Inigo in the slightest: he’d only been here a day, but he could count on his hands alone the number of non-canines he’d seen in Aelibuch. “Tell me, Nils,” Inigo turned, keeping a hand on the towel around his waist as the canine turned, the young man’s hands instinctively covering his crotch. “How familiar are you with the nobles of Aelibuch?” “I know a handful of them by name, sire,” Nils explained vaguely, his cheeks flushed. “I’ve mostly done guard duty for the palace. It’s considered...well, ‘entry’ work, the royal guard.” “Because there’s rarely a threat?” “Indeed, sire.” “I see,” Inigo muttered, “You will have to be my eyes and ears. I don’t venture into Sinace territory often. It pains me to admit, but I’m unequipped, and we need information. Can you manage?” “Of course.” Nils looked pleased to be be of use. Satisfied, Inigo lead Nils through into the main area. A large, circular pillar sat in the middle of the room, decorated with a number of graduating shelves, where the shelves deeper at the bottom, and shorter at the top. They were covered in all manner of things, from towels to ice cream and iced fruits, designed to provide a luxurious experience. Attendants moved left and right fervently to satisfy the needs of those swimming within the baths around the room. Splintering from the pillar were a number of small pools, and Inigo guessed there were at least 10 or 11 of them. Between the pools were a number of benches and seats connecting them. The reason for that was simple: springs started out warm and cooled down as they graduated more towards the exits, where they were currently standing. At the far end sat a handful of doors covering the back wall, each embedded with a piece of glass, showing the warm seating area behind them, like to be saunas. “Towels, sirs?” An attendant stepped forwards rather suddenly with cotton towels in his hands. Rather than refute him like he did the previous attendant, Inigo took one, and Nils followed suit, taking the same. They slung the towels around their waists to cover their most intimate areas. Now fully covered, “See anyone you know?” He glanced at Nils and blinked at the sight of the young man lolling his tongue, panting from the heat. Inigo quietly empathised with him somewhat, but he conversely enjoyed the heat, unable to regulate his own body temperature as effectively as a canine. “Over there,” Nils whispered, nodding with his head and pointing to a man at the far end of the room, basking in one of the hotter small pools. “That’s Niklas Fure, the Mutaurum. He also attends court quite regularly, from what I’ve seen.” Inigo raised his eyebrow as he moved around the side of the pool, watching as the light-furred canine noble spoke with another who sat on one of the small benches next to his pool. Inigo understood what Nils meant: a Mutaurum offered their mathematical expertise and other services to help organise finances, whilst exchanging coins in other people’s hands on behalf of their clients. Inigo had even heard talks of them in Atrecal, his native kingdom. Their line of work was a growing trend. The reptile moved, glancing to his aide before making his way over towards the benches that sat near Fure’s pool. He slipped into a seat and Nils anxiously moved into position next to him. Inigo was surprisingly good at keeping a lax demeanour as he leant forwards, resting his elbows on his knees. Nils wasn’t as good as him, sitting there, clearly agitated. The reptile waited for the light-furred canine to finish talking to the man next to him, and Inigo watched him out the corner of his eyes, examining him. Fure spoke briefly to the canine next to him and Inigo spotted him placing his hand on the man’s forearm. The other canine got to his feet and moved out of the pool, an attendant zipping to his side to offer him a towel. Fure sat in silence, watching the man go and not even looking in their direction. “Well, gentleman? Are you going to join me, or admire me from a distance?” He spoke, as if to no-one, before slowly turning his head into the reptile’s direction. Inigo stared at him for a moment before slowly getting to his feet. He stood by the edge of the small pool and removed his towel, placing it onto the bed he’d been sitting on and then descended into the pool. He could feel the canine’s eyes upon him, looking him up and down. “My, aren’t you a treasure,” Fure’s eyes sparkled with mischief and a hint of wonder as he admired the detector’s form. “I must have done something rather horrid for a native to Atrecal to come all this way to see me.” “Nothing of the sort, Mr. Fure.” Inigo’s voice was clipped and professional, unlike his usual, somewhat bitter demeanour. “Well, you’re certainly not here for idle chit-chat. Provided your request is acceptable, I will do my best to accommodate you,” A smile spread across the canine’s face as he swirled a finger in the water, glancing to the right. “...Is your delightful friend going to join us?” Inigo snapped his gaze to the left as the both of them looked at Nils. Fure looked expectant, but Inigo’s expression was unreadable. The young aide shifted in his seat before eventually sighing briefly through his nose. He stood and shuffled closer, snapping off his towel and quickly slipping into the pool before anyone’s gaze could linger. “It doesn’t take a commoner to see that the both of you lack the air of nobility,” Fure smiled, keeping his gaze on the new canine entrant. “So, what can I help you with, gentleman?” “Lund,” Inigo’s voice was quiet, but firm. “What do you know of him?” “A rather ruthless man, or so I’ve heard,” Fure idly admired the water that covered him from his chest down, occasionally raising his eyes to meet their gaze. “Used to run the Lund’s Trading Company. Did it rather well too, or so I hear.” “You regularly attended court...um, sire,” Nils pressed. “Surely you know more than that.” Fure flashed his eyes in Nils’ direction and a cheeky, wicked grin spread across his face, his ears twitching slightly with excitement. “‘Sire’? As much as I wish, I don’t befit the title,” He said with a degree of amusement, but Inigo caught the hard tilt of disdain. “The upper echelon never did enjoy my presence.” “But still...” Nils continued anxiously and Inigo raised his hand, glancing over at him. He was pushing too hard. Fure suddenly laughed, his delicate, slightly pitched chuckle reverberating off the walls. “Yes, little pup,” He teased. “I have heard many things about Lund from my time at the palace.” “Anything of note? Anything that might have gotten him killed?” Inigo asked rather darkly and Nils glanced over at him with bulged eyes, surprised he was taking that angle so soon, and so directly. Fure twinkled his eyes over at him and rested his arm across the edge of the pool, his smile curling into a smirk. “Now I understand,” He dipped his nose to examine the reptile, as if he were searching him from above a pair of glasses. “You’re with the Omnimallage. Your straight posture, hard line of questioning...detector’s don’t have the flavour for negotiation, do they?” “There doesn’t need to be any negotiating,” Inigo stared him in the face with a straight expression. “I have the authority here. If I request it, I can hold you in comtempt for threatening to derail an investigation.” Nils nervously looked between the two as their gaze never wavered from one-another, as if trying to size each other up. The silence spread for far longer than necessary, and Nils began to grow worried. Suddenly, Fure laughed again, bringing his head back and bellowing out an amused chortle. He leant forwards and placed his hand on the reptile’s arm, gently touching his scales. “I jest, detector! Though I must say, that dominant posture...” Fure shuddered on the spot with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Perhaps you’ll apply that ‘hard line’ of questioning in a more private matter?” “I’m afraid I’ll have to pass,” Inigo avoided Fure’s change in tact, knowing exactly what he was asking. “The investigation takes precedence.” “Ah, well, perhaps your friend...?” Fure turned his head to face Nils now, and the young aide looked confused for a moment, before it eventually dawned on him. “Oh-- I mean, I don’t...I’m not...” Nils stammered and a chuckle escaped the other canine’s lips. “Well. If you ever feel interested, perhaps we can explore the unknown together,” He assured Nils with a peculiar, knowing smile, before turning back to Inigo and taking a moment to linger his gaze on his muscular, athletic form again. “I can’t say I saw much from his enemies, but I do have a few snippets of information you might care to hear.” Inigo solemnly nodded in his direction, and Fure smirked, before he continued. “As you know, many hire me to invest their money, and sometimes to assist with bookkeeping. Kristoffer was one such individual who required my assistance in...shifting money around.” Fure began and Inigo understood what he was implying. It wasn’t surprising that a noble might want to move money around and avoid having to pay tax, but Inigo was intrigued what Lund’s purpose was. Thankfully, Fure answered the question for him before he even asked. “An acquaintance, you see, needed some cosmetic surgery. For reasons unknown to me, he wanted to use his company’s funds to pay for a Medicamine Mage. Certainly not a procedure any commoner can buy, of course, but it does beg the question as to why he didn’t use his own personal funds. One might think he has something to hide.” Fure’s eyes twinkled with delight with the intention of his words and Inigo lowered his gaze, momentarily lost in thought. “Indeed. How might have he moved that money around without arousing suspicion?” Inigo questioned and that seemed to be the right thing to ask, for Fure looked even more pleased. “Ah, well...I’m not saying that I did as he asked, but if one were to do it...I’d imagine they’d filter the money through a mixture of sub-companies and little bit of cross-kingdom investment, enough for those coins to be rather stressful to trace.” Fure’s subtle way of suggesting what might have happened to the funds gave Inigo cause to question the reasons for doing it in the first place. Perhaps Fure wasn’t being subtle when he suggested Lund’s ‘acqauintance’ needed cosmetic enhancements to her face. Perhaps there was more to it than that. Slowly, the reptile stood, much to Nils’ surprise. Inigo stepped out of the bath and scooped up his towel from the bench, wrapping it around his hips and holding it there as he returned his gaze to the light-furred canine still enjoying his soak. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Fure. The information you’ve provided has been quite helpful.” He bowed his head in a measure of respect and Fure grinned, briefly showing his teeth. “Anytime, detector. Should you require further assistance, then don’t hesitate to return to me. I’ll be sure to enjoy your company. Both of you.” Fure’s gaze flicked to Nils and the auburn furred canine realised that his charge was leaving. He quickly got up and stepped out of the back, perhaps a little quicker than necessary. Inigo was already stepping away and Nils briskly followed suit, wrapping his towel around him. Inigo heard a hearty chuckle as they left, and had a feeling he’d seen Niklas Fure again. ---------- x x x ---------- Having cleared up their business in the bathhouse and gotten dressed rather quickly after drying themselves, the detector and his aide stepped back out into the sunshine of Aelibuch, and Inigo planned his next move. He already had a good idea where to go next: Lund’s wife. “You’re going to speak to Mrs. Lund?” Nils’ tone made it sound like a question, so Inigo chose to elaborate as they walked. “It’s an adequate start to any murder investigation,” Inigo explained. “Rather than rely on hearsay, it’s more reliable to acquire information from those that were closest to him, and who is more closer than his wife, and perhaps other relatives?” “I suppose that’s a fair point,” Nils murmured, hand on his chin. “Though it wasn’t as if our time with Mr. Fure was exactly useless, was it?” “Indeed,” Inigo agreed. “He was very forthcoming with his information. One might say he’s bitter.” “I should think so,” Nils remarked quietly. “Mr. Fure wasn’t born a commoner, even though he is wealthy. The nobleman don’t enjoy accepting commoners into their ranks. I imagine he has a difficult time.” “It’s comforting to know that the suffocating grip of nobleman isn’t a foreign concept in Sinaca.” Inigo bitterly remarked, much to Nils’ surprise. “Do you have a similar hierarchy in Atrecal, sire?” “Of sorts. The nobleman have more power over the people in Atrecal. At least, compared to Sinaca they do.” Inigo didn’t elaborate further, as if it were an irritating subject for him to talk about. In truth, the mere thought of it made him bitter, but it was more of a lack of up to date knowledge. He hadn’t seen his homeland in quite some time. The two eventually reached the secondary home of Kristoffer Lund, another smaller estate in the city that lay on the outskirts of the noble district. It wasn’t quite as large as their original mansion; rather, it only offered two stories of room. They were likely already informed that the body had been moved, but they might potentially remain at their second house for another day or so. At least, that’s the impression Inigo had gotten from Nils when he had asked earlier. Nils took the lead for the time being and reached out, briskly rapping on the door with his knuckles. The two of them stood there for a minute or so until they heard the click of a key turning in the lock. Slowly, the door creaked open, and a servant stood facing them, her eyes wide. She caught sight of the insignia on Inigo’s chest and scurried backwards, allowing them access without a word. Nils mumbled his thanks as they stepped into the house. Unlike the clipped, clean and professional layout of the Lund’s primary estate, the secondary home felt as if some life had been breathed into it. Hanging up along either side of them were numerous tapestries, each illustrating a great war of some kind. The small hallway lead into a number of different rooms, and whilst the servant was too scared to lead them to where they wanted to go, Inigo had a good idea what direction he needed to take. He strode down the hall and into the room on the right. There, a number of display cabinets littered the far end of the room and covered the walls, each filled with priceless artefacts of some description. Some glittered gold whilst others were dull and made of iron. Inigo cast his gaze around the room before settling his eyes on the ornate, carved arms of the cloth couch and the woman resting her arm across it. There, elegantly laid across the length of the couch with a book in her hand, sat a woman clad in feminine garbs, a beautiful dress covering her shapely body. She rose her head from her book, staring up at Inigo with lilac pupils. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him and she sat up, brushing back the lengthy fur that covered her shoulders and curled around her ears. “Oh my. I wasn’t expecting visitors, especially not those of...prestigious calibre.” Her gaze trailed to Inigo’s chest, spotting his insignia, before glancing over to Nils who stood behind him. The young canine kept back and let Inigo do the talking. “I am Inigo Taborette. Detector. This is my aide, Nils. You are Kristoffer Lund’s wife, correct?” Inigo held out his fingerless-gloved hand and she raised her own in kind. He took her fingers between his, the back of her hands facing upwards. He didn’t lean down to kiss it, but the ‘handshake’ was a mark of respect, at the very least. “Armelle Lund.” She introduced herself and Inigo nodded his head in acknowledgement. He stepped away from her and stood in a professional manner. He watched her, watched the way she looked him up and down. She was incredibly subtle about it, but he always picked up the minor details. He didn’t mention anything of it and so, neither did she. “I...I’m sorry for the loss of your husband, Lady Lund.” Nils offered his condolences, and she smiled, but the wetness in her eyes implied she grew teary-eyed at the thought of his demise. “Lady Armelle is fine, young man. But thank you. It warms my heart to see even the Aelibuch guard have a heart.” She spoke with a voice soft and delicate, but her accent sharp and pronounced, like a thread of silk. “Forgive me to questioning you on your husband’s murder so soon, Lady Armelle,” Inigo spoke his usual deep voice and she seemed to lid her gaze at him as he spoke, as if pleased by his rumbling tones. “Not at all, Mr. Taborette,” She began with a sigh through her nose, dabbing at her eyes with a dainty handkerchief. “What do you want to know?” “If I may, can I ask where you were at the time of the murder? My assistant states it was early afternoon,” Inigo began, leaning back. “If that’s hard to remember, then detailing your day in the roughest sense will do.” “Oh, of course,” She began, and Inigo watched her. “I started the day by having breakfast in bed with my husband, as we do most mornings. Though he isn’t one for conversation, he always seems to enjoy spending time together in the morning.” Nils glanced over at Inigo and was surprised to find he wasn’t taking notes. The canine assumed he had good memory, but he was worried there might be a lot of clues and information to go through later. Niles regretted not bringing parchment with him. “Then, I went down to the market and left my son with the wet nurse, and I met Kristoffer’s brother, Marcus. I remember having lunch with him and asking if he’d seen my husband earlier. He said he had come to the house shortly after I left.” She offered a great amount of details, which would make Inigo’s time on the case considerably easier. He nodded along with her words as she continued. “When I came home in the afternoon with Marcus, we went up to the study-- Marcus wished to speak with his brother-- but my husband had been locked in there since I left. When he didn’t answer, I unlocked the door with my own key and went in to find...well, I imagine you know the rest.” Her voice choked towards the end and she took a moment or two to dab her eyes. Inigo was patient enough to wait until she’d settled, which surprisingly didn’t take her long. After a few moments and clearing her throat, she took in a deep, shaky breath and looked at him expectantly again. “Alright. I know that was difficult to describe,” Inigo offered sympathy, but his expression didn’t show it. “If I may continued, then: have you or your husband received any threats recently? Dealt with any particularly difficult people recently?” “Not that I can think of, no,” Armelle began with a sigh, looking down as if she were thinking rather hard. “Kristoffer always had his fair share of difficult people. Then again, so do a lot of merchants and people in business.” “You sound rather knowledgable on that front.” Inigo remarked, and she chuckled, covering her mouth with a hand. “You flatter me, Mr. Taborette, but I’m afraid not. I only know what my husband tells me.” She explained. “Then you listen well.” He added, and she seemed to blush at his response. He glossed over it. “You said he had a brother? Forgive me, I’m not familiar with him.” Inigo asked her, and she moved, sitting up a little bit as she regarded him. “Marcus. He works...well, used to work with Kristoffer in his Lund’s Trading Company,” She elaborated further. “From what he’s told me, he deals with imports and exports.” “I see. I’ll have to pay him a visit,” Inigo nodded. “Did your late husband happened to import or export any sort of magical goods?” “Oh my,” She placed a hand to her mouth in thought. “I don’t know. We’ve never really touched any sort of magic. Though, I do remember his brother talking about them not long ago, though I never heard my husband mention it. I don’t think they would feel the need to, what with the specilist shops in town that sell all manner of magical trinkets. I take it you’re not familiar with Aelibuch, Mr. Taborette?” “Sadly not,” He remarked, and moved on. “One last question, and then we’re done. You have a son?” “Yes. Reidar. I only gave birth to him 2 months ago. To think his father wont be here to see him grow up, I...” She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes again, and Inigo heard Nils whine with sympathy. The reptile shot him a look, before glancing back to the female canine. “Thank you for your time, Lady Armelle.” He bowed to her and turned, making his way out of the room as Nils bowed and quickly rushed after him. “If I can be of any help, detector, please contact me.” She called after him, and Inigo nodded to himself as he passed the servant and stepped out the door, shutting it behind him once Nils followed suit. They walked in silence for a moment as Nils chewed a little on his tongue, watching Inigo with a frown. His ears flattened against his head as his tail idly wagged behind him as he walked, and Inigo spotted him from the corner of his eye. “Do you have something to say?” Inigo asked quietly, and Nils shrank away from him a little. “Do you...have any ideas who did it?” The young canine asked with a certain hint of excitement. “Nobleman or not, a great deal of murders happen in the inner circle. We have 3 suspects.” Inigo explained. “Oh? Who?” Nils stepped closer, eyes wide. Inigo turned his head to look down at him. “A lowly servant, jealous of Lund’s power, Marcus Lund wanting his brother’s company, or Lady Armelle herself."