The sunlight beamed down upon him over his hooded disguise as he ventured into the upper city. The towering buildings made of white marble glistened invitingly, painting a picture of architectural beauty that would make tourists pause in awe. 

Unfortunately, for the people that lived here, they moved about without appreciating the privileged lifestyle what they were used to. Zhen Xue was different, though. He’d look upon every detail and imagine a better world. He saw what Cassanova could become, a place for all, welcoming to those shunned to the under city. Maybe he could make those dreams a reality instead of pushing Calisaya down her path as a savior.

He paused, shaking his head. No, impossible. Calisaya had to establish a better world, not him. He was just a side character that got wrapped up in a plot twist. Don’t extra characters normally die in these circumstances? He should be more careful in the future. 

Soon enough, he reached his destination.

He found an empty table inside a local restaurant, ordered a drink, and was soon stirring the bottom of his teacup with a spoon. The hood over his face provided a sense of security against prying eyes. There was the sound of a bag of coins toppling onto a countertop, hushed voices whispering on the second floor, and should an individual possess keen observation, they could spot ears perking up from the shadows. Acquiring information was exactly what he was after, and this place was swimming in secrets.

“It’s like people are being snatched under our nose...” a man whispered from a nearby table. “Their souls, I mean. Some think it’s a plague, but don’t you find it odd that not even skilled doctors can find the reason? A curse plagues our country.”

Zhen Xue set his spoon down, staring at the amber colored liquid that rippled as the man’s friend spoke back with equal fervor. “What do you mean?” 

“Surely the gods are punishing us for our incompetent rulers... I mean, did our king not hunt the gods’ gifted children once? Now a group of people are dead for serving under the royals. You know, I’ve been thinking we should join the rebellion.”

A server appeared at Zhen Xue’s side, withdrawing his attention from a tall man with a muscular build. With a slightly annoyed expression, he held a pen and paper, his red hair pulled back in a high ponytail. The sight almost made Zhen Xue laugh. Aelius hadn’t changed since Zhen Xue last saw him in the modern world, looking grumpy as ever. Although he looked quite different wearing dark clothes and an apron instead of a police uniform. “Do you want anything else, Your Highness?” he asked with a forced, tight-lipped smile.

Zhen Xue nearly fell over from his seat, giving him a look. “Can’t you see I’m in disguise? Don’t call me that!” he hissed.

Aelius fought to roll his eyes like he couldn’t care less. “Sure, sure.” He turned around to serve another table, not giving Zhen Xue time to reply.

“Tsk.” Zhen Xue ignored him, returning to his tea. He swallowed a few mouth fulls, before pausing in surprise that he felt lighter, as though a weight had lifted from him. 

The warm liquid went down his throat as he brought the cup to his lips again. It was sweet, with a lingering aroma of honey and spice that instantly calmed his nerves.

Now that he thought about it... When did he order honey spiced tea? It was his favorite drink when he needed to calm down as a child. His gaze naturally went to the back of Aelius, but he shook his head at the thought. No, this gesture brought a sense of familiarity to when Li Wei ordered him a drink long ago. Even though Zhen Xue couldn’t see him among the customers, he was certain Li Wei was watching over him from somewhere.

A small smile fell on his face behind his teacup as he took another sip. Somehow, the drinker tasted sweeter this time. Noticing that Aelius was about to head into the backroom, Zhen Xue set down his cup, getting up to speak with him. “Aelius,” he called, reaching his side within seconds.

Aelius turned around, immediately sighing at the sight of him. “When did I tell you my name?”

Trying hard not to laugh, Zhen Xue’s gaze dropped to the name tag in bold letters on his shirt. Then he smiled at him, letting the realization wash over him.

Aelius sighed even louder this time. “Never mind. What do you want?”

“I’m looking for information on someone.”

“We’re a tavern,” he stated. “I don’t know what you’re expecting, but you won’t find trouble here. Don’t royals already have sufficient resources for these things?”

“Oh, come on. You think I don’t know about the Intelligence Guild? Nobody can compare to their vast wealth of knowledge.” Zhen Xue held up his hands to stop Aelius on the verge of kicking him out. “Listen, I’m not here to uproot your business. It’s important that I get information about this person. The safety of Cassanova might depend on it.”

There was a flicker of seriousness in his gaze that didn’t go unnoticed. Seems this “old” man still cares about the safety of others. He was right to be suspicious; the Intelligence Guild was not well-known in the Upper City. Crime was less rampant here, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t exist. Zhen Xue let Aelius take a moment to think. “Very well,” Aelius shortly said, gesturing for him to follow. “I can take you to someone who can help, but if you cause trouble,” he added with a glare. “I’ll kick you out. You’ll be flying outdoors with your bare ass planted in the dirt, understand?” 

With a plain smile, he held up his hand in an ‘okay’ gesture. Gods, the situation was so comical that Zhen Xue almost wanted to laugh. Honestly, it wouldn’t be Aelius if he wasn’t already nagging him about something. Aelius led him into the backrooms without another word.