"Forgive me, Master Druko..." Nukaya lowered her head because of the shame of her transgression.

"Never mind," Druko turned his own body, demonstrating a march that intended to abandon his commercial sector. "Report to me the information you have gathered."

"Yes... yes, Master," soon following the only one worthy of her total respect, Nukaya remembered some events of the past days. "I remember that-"

"Not here," interrupting the speech of his protegee, Druko went away from the crowds of customers.

Back eight months ago - when Druko had saved Nukaya from a brutal fate - Nukaya had been dedicating herself to present her best efforts to return the life that had been provided for her. Presented with a home and food on the table, Nukaya came to be instructed by Druko over the course of those weeks, even though the whole family of her master did not know any reason that would have led him to have sheltered the little verozean girl.

Druko was a tough, intolerant and impatient teacher, but Nukaya was able to adapt in a short time, even because her gratitude had given her the strength to admire him as an idol she aspired to be one day.

To her eyes, he was a bright and ferocious flame to be followed.

After a few weeks of discipline and maturation, Druko came to give Nukaya an ultimatum: "Give back what was offered to you, and I will allow you to stay at my house from this day forward."

Nukaya accepted without hesitation, becoming a figure who lived free by the community, wearing a mask of kindness in the furtive intention of extracting information from all strangers who came into contact.

Today, even as a child, she managed to hide through the darkness of the night with her silent steps, even using her acrobatics to gain access to even unusual places. It wasn't for nothing that she came to the city circus to emulate more of the personalities and skills that belonged there.

Now, they turned a corner in one of the corridors of the market, taking care to find a wing that wouldn't sell anything that weekday.

Finding timely shadows from an alley isolated from the crowds, Druko leaned against the wall to hear his faithful spy.

"Proceed," he said to Nukaya, who snuggled against the parallel wall in a serious face.

"Those three West Wing traders, whom you suspected of stealing and vandalizing the South Wing carpet salesman's stock..." Nukaya calmly structured her thoughts.

"I was right?"

"Yes. It seemed to me that they have access to some public warehouses in the city, claiming to have a renowned contact within Verozys policy."

"Who?"

"I don't know..." Nukaya looked away in remembrance. "They were a little far for me to hear properly, but I'm sure someone important may be helping them to be more successful in sales, eliminating some competitors."

"It doesn't make much sense for them to join together now when everything seems to converge to imminent disorder," Druko crossed his arms in the analysis. "They were mortal enemies while competing for commercial points, and now... they are best friends? Weird."

"They are working on something together," Nukaya reinforced. "I can be sure of that."

Druko closed his eyes for a brief period, organizing some possibilities and eliminating some hypotheses.

"Alright," he soon opened his eyelids, withdrawing from the wall. "What about my brother and his daughter? Any news?"

Nukaya did not hesitate.

"Ruzorh seems to have believed that something is not going well at Verozys. He is very concerned about the safety of Xarcondra, and very sad about what could happen to her..." Nukaya remembered that familiar moment she had witnessed last night, oscillating briefly in what she was going to say. "Xarcondra was distressed... but did not understand what is going on there."

"And it is for the best that she does not understand," somewhat satisfied with the news, Druko announced his withdrawal from the place. "Stay tuned, Nukaya. I look forward to the new reports."

"Yes, Master Druko," performing a small bow, Nukaya remained where she was, retiring in the shadows for more good results from her requested services.

Druko did not mind leaving his protegee alone as he had tirelessly instructed her about what she should do if she were captured or held prisoner against her will. He was convinced that his methodologies would be infallible, even more so in the face of a population as submissive and predictable as the verozean people.

He took little time to get back to the sector of his property, crossing a few other avenues in order to catalog some of the new stores that they had recently opened. A good trader would know how to prepare for the competition that was imposed on them, and Druko did not deviate from that guideline.

Little did he know he would be surprised by a hard slap on the back.

"Little brother!" Ruzorh's voice was unmistakable to Druko's ears. "I missed my big skinny guy!"