The weirdest part about Ghorise during winter, I feel, is not the people living here managing to grow mushrooms despite the harsh weather— they even have cuisines related to it and everything. — but rather, the street is freezing over and literally creating a thin layer of ice on top of it.

  Witnessing this thing once during childhood was a pretty big shock, wait no, actually, this is still my childhood isn't it? I haven't exactly grown past being a kid yet.

  Anyway, the thought of using this street as an ice skating rink crossed my mind more than once while walking through the town. I feel like it would be fun to start ice skating. I've done it a few times in my past life and despite it not being my main thing, I did enjoy it.

  Gliding across Ghorise while ice skating sounds fun honestly...

  Those thoughts aside, there is actually a reason why Ghorise gets a layer of ice every winter, the humidity here isn't as bad as Flotol's but the harsh rain that happens before winter does cause the canals to fill up and because of that, water fills the lower parts of the street and that ends up freezing solid over time.

  The temperature dropping to negative degrees almost immediately helps as well, and that's just at the start of winter, we're currently past the middle of it and heat is almost nonexistent around here.

  No one in their right mind would travel in these conditions, and the ones that do are either nobles with enchanted carriages or adventurers with mages in their party and classes that can help them withstand the cold.

  Chances are, Nogjaf probably has both, but even then, if he didn't bring supplies then he's just gonna starve while on the road. Which is why I am confident that instead of leaving Flotol as quickly as he can, he instead bunkered up in Ghorise, presumably waiting for spring to come before leaving in an official capacity.

  He won't be able to leave, well, he will, but his destination won't be cities like Rhutwell or Kapatyan and instead would be heading straight for the execution block.

  Anyway, where would someone as cowardly as Nogjaf be hiding out here? If I were to throw a guess, I'd say somewhere like a relative's house or maybe some Inn, but those didn't make sense to me, one because Nogjaf's family were out in Kapatyan and those guys are a noble there, two, Inns are just too obvious right?

  There's no way in hell someone like Nogjaf would stay at an in during this time, how stupid would you have to be to do that?!

  Yeah, as it turns out, Nogjaf levels of stupid were not just the requirement to stay at an inn during such a turbulent time, but a prerequisite. I expected this man to be smarter than most, especially since he's an educated noble that came from a wealthy-ish family, but apparently not.

  Great, my family was attacked by what can only be a manchild, one who took advantage of me leaving Flotol to act out his plans but a manchild nevertheless, that part of him won't change no matter how cunning he becomes.

  So, he's the kind of person who wouldn't want to stay in a place where his usual luxuries are not present, making one of the richest Inns in Ghorise the perfect spot for him to hide in? I guess? I don't know how stupid people think, honestly. Why would you prioritize luxury over safety?

  Can't he live in a ditch for a few weeks if it means he gets to live the rest of his life?

  Eh, I don't and never will understand something like this.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Nogjaf is stupid, that's that. Nothing changes even after I realize this, all I need to do right now is to capture his ass and then bring him back to Flotol to execute him, and once he's dead I can start shouting at everyone for failing to keep those with power in check and that I should be the one to pick who gets to become the leader next or something like that.

  A pretty solid plan with no variables that could potentially be messed with by external factors, it's the kind of idea that can spawn a million dollar company in the span of a single year.

  Entering the Inn made me see the kind of luxury this place offers: clean floors with tiles on them, potted plants hanging from the walls and window sills— seasonal too, the current plants thrive in winter. — a chandelier hanging from the ceiling keeping things warm, wood that doesn't rot and even air that smells clean.

  One of these things would be rare to see in a regular inn, but all of them at the same time?! Just how expensive is a single night here? Do I expect room service? And more importantly, how much do I have to pay the girl at the counter to give me Nogjaf's room?

  At least 20 gold? I should make it 30 to make sure right? Or maybe I can pretend to be his child?

  Nah, I'd rather not be related to someone so stupid, even if it's only for a moment, and in a fake scenario. Feels like I'd somehow grow his brain cells and become stupid as well you know? And like, my brain has brought me this far so damaging it might as well cripple me.

  Okay, I'm seriously stalling, I need to get this over with.

  "Hi!" The girl looked up from whatever it was she's looking at below the counter and stared at me. "I'm looking for someone, a criminal who ran away from my village and is now on the run, do you know anyone going by the name Nogjaf by chance?"

  "... What are you—" she stopped talking when I pulled out my wand and pressed the tip of its blade against her throat. Money? I'm not wasting money on this. "You can't be serious?"

  "Oh, I am." My smile was perfectly still as I pushed the dagger even deeper, blood started to seep out of her wound. "You think I'm joking? Want to test it out?"

  "What do you want with him?" Despite her brave front, tears are falling on the sides of the girl's eyes. "Don't you know that he's the head of Flotol?"

  "I'm aware, and that's why I'm gonna drag him back there so he can answer for his crimes, don't you get it?" I chuckle, do I look like a psycho right now? "Look, I don't want to kill you nor do I want to bust down every door in this building until I find him, so how about you just tell me where he is and we can get this over with?"

  "What. Do. You. Want with him?" She asked again, clearly, she just wants to understand right?

  "He's running away." I pull the dagger back and give her room to breathe. "Did you know that he's a corrupt leader who forsake his own people so that he gets to live in luxury?" A lie, of course, Nogjaf hires people to expand the raft every month, it keeps them employed and the village is more stable thanks to the increased size.

  "He didn't do that."

  "He did." I glare at her, just agree! Who cares about what Nogjaf did or didn't do?! Does it even matter? He just needs to die and everything will fix itself afterwards.

  "I want proof—"

  "[Wind Blast]." Some people really are just hard headed huh? Is she stupid or strictly loyal to whatever code receptionists use during their job? Does it matter? "Here's what's gonna happen, you either stop being stubborn and only let one man die tonight or everyone in this building gets hurt, understood?"

  "I'm not scared of you."

  "I know, but you would be once you realize that every single person here is a noble, and I can just run away from this town if things get bad for me, who's gonna take the blame then?" Another lie, I can't actually leave Ghorise or Flotol, that would render all my efforts so far moot. "You guys, this Inn. So, just give me the room, okay?"

  She stared at me, then at the thrumming dagger I was holding, with a gulp, she reached for something underneath the counter and I was prepared to kill her right here and now but then stopped when she pulled out a set of keys.

  "Room 14." She says, voice shaking, her hands are too. "He's only been staying here for less than an hour so he hasn't settled yet, he's gonna be wary so you need to be careful, and make sure not to disturb the other guests."

  "Yeah, sure. Whatever." I take the keys and head for the stairs, "I'm not stupid enough to ruin the tenants' night okay? I'm just here for one person and that guy only, I'll leave silently once I have him."

  She didn't reply, but I can feel the intensity of her stare on my back. Maybe I should stay here next time? I like the inn's energy, and the loyalty to their clients too. Where was this place back in Firelight Chronicles?