Chapter Text
w̴̢͙̩͎͚̗͔̲͊̈́̂͂͌͂̈́͌̋͠ͅể̷̢̬͕͉͙̘̭̘̰͐͒̐̉͂ľ̶͍̗̖̦̳̈́͒̈̇͐̓̆̚c̵̡̤͔͙͔͇̻̘̐̓͆̈̕͜͠ọ̵̯̤̜̥͒̓́͘m̷̨̦̣̗͕͍͚̖̺̌e̵̡̡͎͎̙̜̥̳̻̚͜ ̴̮̀͊͛ț̵̢̥̣͔͖̜̂ͅơ̴̧͕̻̠̼̖̫̦͐ ̷̢̮̲̞̳̼͇̖͋̽̾̑͘͝t̶̼̦͕̞͈̓̅̑̈́̀̀̂h̵̡̳̗̱͈̼̆́̈̆͑̃̕̕͠ê̴̳̣̻̬͗̀̑͐̿́͂̈ ̵̱̭͙͖̝̤̈̾̎̽̀͒͠p̴̡̤̦̫̥̈͒̓̏̉̈́̒͠l̷̡͍̰̳̙͇͈͚̑͛̎ą̷̡̤̪͙̬̦͚̰̑̀͗̐̓̒͒ͅy̴͍̱̗̎͛̈́̒̏̔̊̆͝ͅg̶̦̗͒̃̿̂r̸͇͊͊́́͑͒̀͘̕ò̴̫̻͗̈́͆͆͜u̸͖̱̹̗̜͐͑̉̚̕n̷̡̹̤͉̫̻͍̫̙̭͗̔d̶̨̧̬̞̣̟͔̬̰͆̀͋̅͋̾̏̚
one.
duri
The rancid stench of flesh and blood wafted into Duri’s nose as he picked his way gingerly through the streets of Frosthelm. He wrinkled his face, adjusting his overcoat and increasing his speed. “Oh, Duri,” he muttered to himself, catching his hat as it fell from his head for what seemed to be the thousandth time, “why did you volunteer to go down here? You could have sent Haneul. She’s an annoying bitch who would’ve fit right in.”
He could hear whispers of the street merchants and passerbys.
“An Upperclass?”
“Those never come.”
“What is he doing here?”
“Doesn’t he know he’ll die?”
Duri shuddered, pulling his coat tighter around himself. Hesitantly, he neared a shop that seemed to be selling small trinkets and treats. Opening the dusty corner shop door, he said, “Hello?”
“Hey,” a young man at the counter said in a thick accent. His legs were up on the table, as he carelessly picked at his nails and raised an eyebrow at the other. “What’re you doing here? Those fancy-schmancy clothes are not from around."
“I am Lee Duri, here looking for a man named Jung Wooyoung. He has been missing for around five months, and we’ve got a tip he might be somewhere down here,” Duri said, standing stiffly at the doorway.
The man kicked off the table and leaned on it instead, frowning. “The hell are you doing down here, looking for someone with the family name Jung?"
“You could at least tell me your name,” Duri replied, making an effort to keep his voice even. The man had arms that could crush him within a second, and his obvious distrust didn’t comfort Duri a bit.
“Look, Lee Duri, ” the man spat, “I don’t tell anyone my name. I definitely won’t be telling you, with your posh little accent and shiny little shoes that go click whenever they hit the fucking floor. Just because you’re an Upperclass does not mean you get to boss us around.” There was a pause, then the man said, “But… if you can give me leverage, maybe I’ll tell you what I know.” He sat back down in his chair, pressing the tips of his fingers together.
Duri gulped. Why do you do this to yourself, Duri?! “Fifty knycs. That’s my offer,” he said, his hand trembling as he pulled a small black pouch out of his pocket.
The man barked a laugh, his eyes incredulous. “That’s it? I’m telling you where your long-lost itty-bitty prince is, and you offer me fifty knycs? Ha! As if. Get out of my shop.”
“I’ll increase it to one hundred, just tell me where he is,” Duri shouted desperately.
The man raised an eyebrow. “Hm. Hand over the money first.”
Duri did so, unable to keep his legs from shaking. “Here. Tell me.”
The man smiled wickedly, peering in the bag and taking out a piece. He said, flipping it in the air, “What do you want to know?”
“His location right now .”
The man laughed again, but it was more threatening this time, not as mocking. “Right now, I can’t be sure. But last I knew, he was heading back to Diamond City. ‘Missed his parents,’ he told me. Pretty sure that’s just bullshit. He wants power.” He made eye contact with Duri and said, “I can respect that.” He examined a coin before closing his fist around it and saying, “Now, scurry back to your luxurious life in the City. I don’t want to see you around here again.” The man grabbed Duri by the collar and pulled him closer. “Do I make myself clear?”
Duri nodded hurriedly, yanking himself out of the other’s grasp and speedwalking out the door, the chimes ringing eerily behind him.