Duet Night Abyss story · Side stories
Dead Wood in the Sewers
Chapter Noctoyager
3 scenes, 19 lines
1. Knock on a door in the sewer to enter the black market
3 linesWhat's in the sewers that never goes away?
Come on in.
This is no place for a clueless fool like you.
2. Head to the specified location
5 lines
No woman, just Filthoids. They're all down. Or was I supposed to polish the ground for you too?
Heh. Sharp tongue, huh? Not even curious why she wasn't there?
You gave me a location. I cleared it. That's the job.
Now that's professional. Thing is, this wasn't the spot. Had to throw out a few false leads. In our line of work, you learn to trust slow and lie fast.
Here. This is the real location. Same deal, clear out everything except the woman.
3. Collect the reward from Harlowe
11 linesThat was impressive. Now, take the quid and leave. Don't want to see you around here again.
You just wanted the Filthoids cleared? You didn't need to hire me for that. Someone would have handled it eventually.
Someone? You mean those bloody uniformed buggers treating Charons like trash?
What do you think happens when they find a frail Charon woman alone in there?
(The man suddenly clutches his chest, shaking and wincing as if a deep, old wound has flared. He stops shaking after a while, and then turns his head to spit on the ground.)
A kind Charon woman once threw stones at a hound that ran out of the inner city to save an injured stranger.
For that, they flogged her, dragged her bleeding body outside Icelake, and left her in this wilderness.
...Maybe you can figure out a way to get her out of Icelake and live somewhere else.
...I'm working on it. Soon I'll have enough cash.
(The man turns around to face the tent. His stiff lips open into what seems to be a smile, a rare expression for this man.)
(You thought you heard the cracks made by dead wood being straightened out.)