That first fight was fun to watch. Two-hundred fighters enter and only fifty survive. Well, teically more survived, but only fifty were able to tinue fighting. Boriss did remarkably well. He rushed the ter like an idiot, and then begaing dowher idiots that also rushed the ter. Then, when the sluys arrived, the bodies lying around Boriss intimidate them from engaging the exhausted Russian.

  Now, one problem did arise, and that was in regards to Gino. Three [Gdiators] tried to take the man down- to the point of even ign one-ahat shouldn’t happen uhere is a reason for it. As for the reason, I have a good idea in regards to who it might be.

  Reag the Fmingo district, I’m once again reminded of a redlight district. The pce is vibrant, happy, with plenty of dang women at the windows- o stores that sell objects of lust.

  I ignore such distra and find my way to the [Gang Leaders] estate that I”d visited before.

  Maybe a more i route would be better.

  Going around the building, I find oddly pced steps that lead up to a window all the above. The steps couldn’t support a human, but they could easily support a cat.

  Probably for Tiera to return covertly- uess her real name is Faelisa.

  Asding up the steps, the smell of Faelisa hits my nostrils, enf my hypothesis that she uses these steps in cat-form. When I reach the apex, I crawl through a small kitty-door to a bedroom smothered in her st.

  “Ni,” I say aloud. I search the room for a moment and find nothing of actual i. She’d not been here for the whole day.

  Flipping the lod opening the door, I walk outside to the rather cozy hallway. The pce is warm and inviting. Not the kind of inviting you’d see at a brothel, but more along the line of a wooden home with a nice firepce. I already imagine myself sitting down on a reer and reading a hardcover book using the light from the burning logs.

  Then I smell it. Garliions, vegetables, and a good deal of meat.

  I guess milk isly filling. I am kinda hungry.

  Following the smell, I arrive at what seems like a kit. Peaking in, I see a woman with brown hair in a ponytail, green eyes, and the most trated expression I’ve seen in quite some time. Even as the door squeaks open, the woman tiirring the pot. Even as I get on the ter, she doesn’t even realize my presence.

  “You’re an odd one.” I say.

  The woman freezes at my words. Her head tilts slowly to me, followed by several blinks.

  “Yes, I talk. No, I’m not a druid. Yes, my fur is very soft. And yes, you pet me so long as you feed me right after.”

  The woman stares at me for a long moment. Then she slowly nods, steps to me, then strokes my back with her hand.

  I blink, a bit flou the oddness of the a. Logically, there should be some kind of versation, hell, even proper hesitation. But no, the woma from listening, to a nod, theing.

  “Do you have a name?” I ask while she strokes my gloriously fluffy fur.

  “Julia.” She says absentmindedly.

  I pause, frown, and then look up. “Gino’s sister?”

  Her petting stops at my question.

  “You know my brother? Is he well?” She asks in a rather ral tone. Maybe there is some worry there, but it’s difficult to sparse. It’s like I'm pying poker with a robot.

  “For the most part. He pns to buy your freedom.”

  “How will he do that?”

  “Gambling.”

  Julia frowns. “Gambling is a game for the very wealthy or the very foolish.”

  “Or the very lucky.” I add.

  She removes her hand from my fur. Opens a cupboard, takes a bowl, and then fills me a bowl of stew. “Will this be an acceptable payment?” She asks in plete and utter siy.

  “Mostly.” I answer. “I just need a bit of information.”

  She nods. I move to the bowl and lick the broth- finding it simir to Dana’s, but g some unique fvor. “Do you know where Jonathan is? I o talk to him.”

  “Master Jonathan should be in his office at this time.”

  “I see. Where is his office exactly?”

  “Dowairs and to the far right. His office is at the end of the hallway.”

  “Good to know. I’ve another question. How is Jonathaing you?” I ask.

  “I am a servant. How he treats me is his own prerogative.”

  That’s a fug odd answer.

  “Let me rephrase that question a bit. Is Jonathaing you with kindness and Respect? Or is he beating you stantly? Does he have any pns for you?”

  “He does not beat me, nor does he show kindness. I think he respects me for my worth- though that may also have retly ged.”

  “Oh? Do tell.”

  “Previously, his po sell me off because I am a virgin. Until yesterday, I was being schooled on the proper way to pleasure men. Now, I have been delegated to cooking.”

  Huh. Seems like Jonathan is actually following the deal.

  “Good, good. You sit tight and keep cooking, I’m going to verse with Jonathan for a bit.” I hop off the ter.

  “Wait!” She yells, the ess leaving her like flickering a switch. “You haveen your stew.”

  “It’s too hot. I’ll e back when it cools,” I expin.

  Her demeanor quickly returns to ral. She nods. “Then I’ll make sure nobody touches it while yone.”

  “Thank you, and I’ll see you ter, Julia.”

  I head out of the kit, dowairs, across the hall, and then stht outside Jonathan's room. I pce my head to the door and try to listen, but I hear no sound, not even gusts of wind.

  Either nobody is inside or it’s runed.

  Hopping and pulling the hahe door slides open and I quickly rush in.

  Jonathan hears the squeaking of the door. When he looks, a cat walks in. “Faelisa, you’re here ear-” he stops when he realizes it’s not her.

  “Jonathan, buddy, pal.” I hop on top of his office table, the same one I was oerday. “We o talk.”

  Jonathan folds his arms together. “I believe our dealings were pleted yesterday.”

  “They were, but the deal was uhe idea of fair-py. You see, Gino’s fight today involved three [Gdiators] specifically targeting the kid. I don’t suppose you know anything about that?” I ask with a smile.

  “Vulturan Gallinae pced a five-hurist bounty on Gino to be awarded to whoever defeats him iour.”

  I blink… then grimace. Either this guy is an incredible liar or my first instinct is wrong.

  “Not you? Why would Vulturan pce a bounty on Gino? Why five hundred? What does he gain from it?”

  Jonathan leans back. “To get the boy bader his thumb again.”

  “And if the kid dies?”

  The man shrugs. “Then nobody else use the kids' talent.”

  “Five hurist seems like a pricey risk to pay.”

  Jonathan raises an eyebrow. “Do you not know what makes Gino special?”

  “Other than his obsessive drive to save his sister?” I ask.

  The [Gang Leader] stares at me for a sed, as though debating in his head. Eventually, the decision is reached.

  “Very few know this, but Gino has the skill [Hide Presence]. It’s a skill on to advanced css [Assassins] and [Thieves]. Having the skill at his level is nearly unheard of.”

  “Oh… well, shit. That’s not going to be useful iour.”

  “Which is why I’m not worried about our deal. He’d have to survive to the fifth round to make enough for his sister's freedom. That’s very unlikely for a [Rogue]. Though, if he does make it that far,” Jonathan smiles slightly, “then I guess he deserves it.”

  “You don’t seem too bothered about losing signifit profit.”

  The [Gang Leader] sighs. “I used to be an orphan when I was young. Then I join the gang and became a dancer.. I worked and trained hard, for long grueling hours every day. I made friends, enemies, and struggled up the ranks of the gang. Now I sit as its leader.”

  He leans forward. “Let me just say I have a fondness for those whle to do what many believe impossible. If Gihe mohen I hold ne if he buys his sister's freedom.”

  Huh. I was not expeg that level of reasonability. Usually, gangs tend to be pretty cutthroat.

  “You’re a pretty reasonable guy. Now I feel kinda bad for b you. I guess I should expected this sooner, what with you Julia to cook for you.”

  Jonathan groans. “Is she i again? I told her to just stay in her room.”

  “Something wrong?”

  “Yes, that woman is wrong in the head. I’ve never heard a serva upset at me for not giving them enough work.”

  “Yea, that sounds wrong- but also positive for yht?”

  “I find it aggravating. I treat the Fmingos with respect. One of those ways is to make sure that they don’t feel like I have a boot on their neck. I give them a good degree of freedom, which I offered to her as well.”

  “And she refused?”

  “Yes, and then demanded more work. I told her no and to go to her room. And ever sihen, she’d go to the kit and make food for everyone in my estate.”

  “I’m very fused right now. Did you try to punish her?”

  “For what, cooking? I’m not a [Barbarian]. If she wants to cook, she so long as she knows she rest when she wants.”

  I stand up and stretch. “Well, it’s time for me to go. My fears have been alleviated and I now eat stew and go home.”

  “You’re not going to meet with Vultura about the bounty?”

  “hat guy is Gino’s problem. All I did was beat up his cat.”

  I hop off the desk and wave a paw goodbye. I leave the offid close the door like a good kitten that I am. Then I rush back upstairs.