Late afternoon light filtered through the window of Queen Keina’s study.
Seated at her dark wooden desk, she was reading a report by the light of a Magic Akari Orb.
She kept rereading the first two lines, unable to concentrate. For days, her thoughts had revolved around an idea that had slowly taken shape in her mind: creating a network of informants.
If she could recruit ordinary people throughout the kingdom, she could gather information about what was happening in its towns and villages. Merchants and innkeepers were valuable sources of information, gathering news and stories from travelers arriving from every corner of the kingdom.
She set the document on the desk and stared at the door. She could send her officials to recruit people willing to take on the task.
She was about to call for her secretary when another idea made her hesitate. If she involved King Raku and King Kazuma as well, they could create a much larger network of informants. They still needed to decide how to collect the information. Perhaps they would need to assign men to retrieve it, examine it, and select the most important reports before sharing them with the other rulers.
She straightened and reached for the Magic Denwa Orb resting on a wooden stand. She held it in her hands and spoke the ruler’s name. “King Raku Senzaki.”
The orb lit up, and King Raku appeared within it. “Queen Keina, how good to hear from you.”
The queen smiled. Since her husband’s death, King Raku had been the ruler who had remained closest to her. “King Raku, I would like to share an idea with you.”
After their conversation, she contacted King Kazuma and outlined the same proposal.
Both agreed that a network of informants spread across their territories could prove useful, although neither was entirely convinced of the value of the information they might gather.
Keina rose from her desk and went to her secretary. It was time to send officials into the towns and villages to begin recruiting.
Nariaki had just woken up. He sighed at the thought of the day ahead, filled with chatter, beer, wine, soups, and meat stews. He turned toward his wife, who was still sleeping with her mouth slightly open.
The sun was rising as he stretched and got out of bed. He slipped on his slippers and went to the basin to wash his face. The cold water woke him fully, dispelling his drowsiness. He put on his work clothes and quietly left the room so as not to disturb his wife.
He went downstairs to the back door. Taking the ring of keys tied to his belt, he sorted through them until he found the right one. He inserted it into the keyhole and unlocked the door with a metallic click. He stepped outside. The morning air was still brisk. He turned up his collar and went to the stables, milked the mukori, and collected the garuna eggs, placing them in a small basket.
He returned to the still-silent inn and headed into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the day’s first customers.
A firm knock at the inn’s door startled him.
He came out of the kitchen. “We’re still closed. Come back later.”
Two more sharp knocks sounded against the door. Irritated, Nariaki went to open it. “We’re…” The words died in his throat when he saw an official accompanied by a soldier. The man pushed past him and entered the inn without waiting for permission.
“We’re not here to eat,” he said coldly.
He went to a table, sat down, and motioned for the innkeeper to join him.
Nariaki stood staring at him until a firm shove from the guard behind him forced him to move. He approached the table and sat opposite the official, watching him with fear in his eyes.
“You’re Nariaki, correct?” the man asked.
The innkeeper swallowed. “Yes,” he replied, his voice trembling.
“I am Danju, an official representing Queen Keina, King Raku, and King Kazuma.”
He leaned forward slightly and rested a hand on the innkeeper’s arm.
“In your work, you hear a great deal from customers who pass through Roka from all the kingdoms. That information may be important, and the rulers I represent wish to have it.”
Nariaki regarded him with greater interest. Perhaps this visit could earn him a little extra money.
The official continued. “Once a month, one of our agents will come to collect the information you have gathered. In exchange for your cooperation, you will receive one gold Lumin at each visit.”
Nariaki smiled in satisfaction. One gold Lumin was a fortune, more than he could earn in a month’s work. He extended his hand to Danju, who shook it.
“I gladly accept. I will write down all the interesting information on a scroll and give it to your agent.”
Danju rose, pushing his chair back noisily. “Very good.” He reached into his pocket and dropped a gold Lumin onto the table. “No one must know about this agreement. No one, not even your wife.”
Behind him, the guard ran a hand over the hilt of the sword on his back. Danju leaned toward Nariaki and looked him in the eyes. “Remember that. If we discover you have spoken of this to anyone, we will cut out your tongue.”
The innkeeper remained motionless as the two men left the inn, closing the door behind them.
Roka was a small village strategically located on the border between Narashin and Jin, with travelers from both kingdoms passing through.
The first informant had been recruited.