It seemed that Nidra had dramatically understated what Hirrus would find at the corner of the Cloud Road.

Instead of a fancy manor surrounded by manicured grounds, the guild hall for Secret Partners filled the entire space of the property it stood on, leaving no room for even a narrow strip of grass or shrubbery. The building was made of stone blocks, as if it were a giant warehouse. But instead of being an understated storage building, the place was, in a word, garish.

Its walls were painted in a wild swirl of hues, all designed to draw the eye.

Scattered signs bolted to the stone walls promised excellent prices on trade goods, like metal ingots, bolts of cloth, and gemstones.

Over the entrance was a hand-painted sign in black block letters with a stark red outline that read: “Silent Partners.”

The thing was, indeed, a spectacle.

Once Hirrus’s eyes adjusted, he started to understand.

This was a merchant guild. They didn’t want to hide the place.

Battle Orders had also advertised their location - albeit with a subtle sign instead of making their home a rainbow eyesore - because they had no fear of attack. Meanwhile, Silent Partners had their own reason for making their location known.

They needed to attract customers.

The main door was a huge decorative metal frame housing panes of multicolored glass. Despite all the advertisements, there were guards at the door. People were not allowed to simply come and go. But those who approached were able to arrange for their entry, or, apparently, schedule their entry at a future date.

Like Intricacy, these guards were also adventurers rather than normal folk. Hirrus would need to try and talk his way through. He only hoped that what Nidra had told him - along with his disguise - could get him in the door before he had to draw steel and fight.

“Making an appointment or meeting one?” the first guard asked as soon as Hirrus approached.

Hirrus was struck by the mad urge to drive his greataxe into the guard’s face. As much as he rationally recognized that he needed to use cunning to deal with this guild, he didn’t want to be beating around the bush here.

Time was ticking down.

At midnight the world would reset and his freedom would end. He didn’t want to waste time engaging with the oppressive systems these people had constructed.

And these guards looked soft.

Too soft to be a threat.

But if Nidra believed this guild was worth being frightened of, Hirrus had to defer to her knowledge. There was no other way to get to Keynes without playing along. Besides, in his disguise - using adventurer tricks - he didn’t look that threatening, either.

“Both,” Hirrus said, tipping his head down, hoping that the shadow cast by his hat would keep him from being recognized. “I have a… unique opportunity. Something Keynes will want to hear. Immediately.”

The guard grumbled, reaching behind himself. One of the other guards passed over a book.

“Keynes is in meetings all day today,” the guard said. “But I can pencil you in for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow will be too late,” Hirrus said, struggling to keep his tone from reflecting his agitation. “Keynes must know this now. As soon as possible. The opportunity will be passed by tomorrow. It’s about the Awakened and the attack on them by Battle Orders.”

“Alright,” the guard sighed, “hang on.” He turned towards one of the guards behind him. “Can I get a judgment call here?”

The other guard vanished through the multicolored glass door for a few seconds, emerging quickly with a man in a decadent outfit of silk and velvet. Obviously he was a merchant.

“The fuck, you guys,” the merchant snapped. “Your job could literally be done by a monkey. Just write down a time, and tell them to come back. Come on, here.” He gestured angrily at Hirrus. “This guy is even an NPC! He’s literally programmed to do your job for you, and you have to come bother me about it?”

“He says he’s got a time-sensitive opportunity,” the first guard grumbled. “It’s literally my job to bother you specifically for exactly this, asshole.”

“I’m sorry,” the merchant said with a sneer. One hand went to his belt, but instead of flashing a weapon, he rattled a coin purse. “Who were you talking to just now? Because I know it wasn’t me.”

“Sorry, sir.” the guard said through gritted teeth. “I wouldn’t have bothered you if my brain wasn’t as smooth as an egg. Maybe someday I’ll learn my place.”

“Better,” the merchant said. “So what have you got?” He looked down his nose at Hirrus. “Speak, boy. Sell me on why I should upset the whole system for your dumb ass.”

“Battle Orders attacked the Awakened,” Hirrus said quickly, seeing the opening he could talk himself through. “But I know where the survivors escaped to.”

“Bullshit,” the merchant said. “Battle Orders wiped them out. They literally won’t shut up about it, even though their raid team got spanked.”

“If they said that, it was a lie,” Hirrus said. “About a dozen escaped. I know where they are. If Battle Orders is using their victory for clout, Silent Partners can steal it from them.”

The man looked to the second guard. She was peering at Hirrus through red-lensed goggles, and as he looked over at her, the goggles glowed.

“He’s telling the truth,” she said. She raised the goggles and tilted her head curiously. “I wasn’t gonna say, but the fact that these things work does confirm this is just an NPC. For a minute there I thought he was some kind of prankster.”

“What do you mean?” the first guard asked.

“Just the way he talks,” she shrugged. “It’s kinda funny. Not what I’m used to from merchant NPCs.”

Hirrus worked very hard to not grimace.

“Regardless,” the merchant said, waving them to silence. “I’m curious. I’ll buy the info and we can figure out what to do about it later today.”

Hirrus started to see the path ahead forking. If this merchant was going to demand the information from Hirrus, then he couldn’t present it to Keynes directly. He needed to get back on the track that led to his goal.

“Do you think I’m a fool?” Hirrus asked, planting his hands on his hips. He didn’t know how to project an intimidating presence without falling back on threats of violence, so this was a degree of improvisation he wasn’t comfortable with. It was all down to his ability to act like a greedy, self-important merchant. If he couldn’t make this land, he was going to have to draw steel and cut his way in from the front door.

“The fuck you say to me?” the merchant snapped.

“You think you can buy the information from me,” Hirrus said, affecting an impatient air, “so that you can turn and sell it to Keynes for a profit? Taking money out of my pocket? Food off my table?” He shook his head. “I talk to Keynes or I don’t talk at all.”

“Come on,” the merchant groaned. “What the hell makes you think that’s going to work? I’m just going to turn you away. There’s no way I’m sticking my neck out in front of Keynes for no good reason.”

“I’ll give you a good reason, then,” Hirrus said quickly. He looked at the woman with the strange goggles. “The Merciless One. I know where he is as well.”

The woman scrambled, lowering the goggles. They immediately glowed the same way they had before.

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

“I’ll reveal his location,” Hirrus said. “But only when Keynes looks me in the eye and makes his bid for the information. Not a moment before.”

The goggles glowed again, and the guard nodded.

“Balls,” the merchant said, rubbing his chin. “That is pretty enticing. Do you think we could take him?”

Hirrus looked at the woman with the goggles.

A lie now would sink his whole plan.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t lean in to what Nidra had told him. These adventurers were prideful. They all thought themselves better than their peers, even when there was no evidence to support the idea.

“No, I don’t,” Hirrus said, looking around at the guards. “I think the Merciless One would wipe out this whole guild. But that doesn’t mean I can’t use the information to get what I want first.”

The woman snorted as the goggles glowed again. Around them, the other guards - and the merchant - looked affronted.

“Well I think you’re underestimating us,” the merchant snapped. “We might not be as good in a fair fight as Battle Orders, but we don’t need a fair fight.” He grabbed the shoulder of Hirrus’s pea coat, and yanked him towards the door. “You’ll fuckin’ see.”

“Are we going to Keynes?” Hirrus asked, letting the man pull him into the guildhall.

“Abso-fucking-lutely,” the merchant said. “If you can give us the Merciless One, I’m sure I can get us into a meeting. And then we’ll steal all of Battle Orders’s thunder in front of the whole world.”