Kain stood in front of a huge building, in the inner district of Amber City.
Only authorised and high ranking personnel are allowed in this part of the city, and being a student of Amber Academy, even if a graduate or alumni is enough as the academy is the heart of the city, both literally and conceptually.
There was no way to identify the building, or more like there was no need to identify the building, everyone in the inner district knew what it was.
Journalist Guild.
The guild who was the owner of the most powerful and true newspaper of the continent, something which those even in power can't control.
Only Adventurers Guild & Mercenary Guild had the same sway as Journalist Guild, making the three guilds one of the most powerful and universal throughout the continent.
Though it is not the newspapers which made the Journalist Guild stand toe-to-toe with the other powers of the continent, many believe it but not really.
Kain walked inside the building, entering the familiar reception, which was the only floor accessible to the general public.
With familiar ease, Kain walked towards the reception, facing the woman in her twenties whom he was already familiar with.
"Good Morning, how can the Journalist's Guild help you today, Student Kain?"
She greeted with a practiced ease and smile, something she has done a thousand times.
Kain didn't say anything as he took out a gold token from his utility belt and presented it to her.
Her eyes gleamed when she saw the token, but it lasted for a split second before she stood up and without changing her usual smile, started walking outside the counter.
Kain followed her and they soon reached a far corner of the reception area, facing nothing but a simple wall as they continued.
Soon, they walked straight towards the wall and instead of colliding, they walked through it like the wall was just a mirage.
How do they change the location of entrance everytime?
This was not his first time entering the wall, but he was still curious as to how every time the location of entrance changes through all the walls.
Even the people did not feel anything amiss when they saw him entering the wall, it was as if the whole reception area was trying to take their attention to anyplace else then them.
"Welcome to Information's Guild, Student Kain, the true face of Journalist Guild."
Yup, it is not the Journalist Guild which is powerful enough to compete with the other guilds, it is the Information's Guild.
It is said that the Information's Guild had dirt on everyone, kings and emperors, even the Saints.
Hence, it is even feared more than Adventurer's Guild and Mercenary Guild and their S-Rank members.
May god might not know one thing or the other, but the Information's Guild knows it all.
Kain merely smiled at the woman, as she led him further down.
The entire place was just long corridors, with doors on the room leading one to a room.
There were so many of them that Kain had come to this place quite a few times but never once has he encountered another person being led or taken from this jungle of doors.
"This is where your patron will be waiting, Student Kain."
She said, pointing to a random door in the maze, after walking for a few tens of minutes.
Kain entered without hesitation and there he saw a familiar face greeting him.
"Welcome Student Kain, I hope the information regarding the [Hollow Puppets Forest] was useful to you."
Yup, Kain had gained information about the dungeon from the Information's Guild, it was one of the few dungeons they had information about on how to conquer it.
Kain paid quite a hefty sum for it, including the fact that he hired a mage adventurer's party to create the teleportation parchment; nearly half of his savings were depleted.
But it was worth it, considering he finally achieved what he wanted.
"Good Morning, Sir Liam, it was truly helpful."
Liam was a tall man, wearing a tailcoat with a top hat, in his middle ages with some show of wrinkles on his face.
He was something akin to an Information Broker bound for life to the Informations Guild, though his class was not known as it is common custom to never reveal one's class.
"What can I do for you today?"
Liam asked with a smile, straight to business as his time was worth more.
Kian sat down on the sofa, facing the information broker.
"I want to confirm about the information you provided me some one year ago, about a dungeon named [Graveyard of Forgotten Weapons]."
Liam thought for a second before his eyes gleamed for a split second, remembering what Kian was talking about.
He probably used some sort of database skill, Merchants and Information Brokers had something like that.
"Why, yes, of course I know. You bought the information rights over it from the Guild for quite a bargain."
Liam smiled, causing Kian's heart to bleed, he paid his whole year's salary and the person in front of him is telling him he got it for a bargain.
By buying the information rights and not information itself, Kian stopped the Guild from selling the dungeons information to anyone else.
"Do you have any recent news regarding that dungeon?"
Kian asked, forcing Liam to use the skill yet again.
"Forgive me, but it seems the last piece of information was 6 months ago, when the dungeon broke it seems. The unique monsters from the dungeon were sighted as 'Ghosts' by those who went too deep into the forest."
Liam replied with a helpless smile, for him 6 months was too much of a time delay for information but it is because of this, that even Information's Guild does not keep track of information on the Dungeon that Liam had spent so much money on.
"Thank you, that will be all."
Kian smiled internally, confirming the presence of the dungeon, though not accurately.
Kian stood up, placed 10 silver coins on the coffee table, causing Liam to smile as he pocketed it right away.
The information would have cost just 5 silver, but keeping good ties with an information broker is always healthy, even if Kian is going to leave the city.
"Thank you for your patronage, I hope to see you again."
Kian did not give any reaction and simply smiled.
…The cunning cunt is trying to guess whether I am leaving for the dungeon.
Exiting the door, Kian was greeted by the receptionist waiting for him to take back to the reception area.
Kian non-chalantly handed her a silver coin, causing her to smile as they continued.
Soon, Kian exited the Information's Guild front, the building of Journalist's Guild as he started walking out of the inner district with a renewed purpose.
Information gained, now let's start the journey towards the next destination.
As he said that, he walked for half an hour before reaching a small building near the bustling main road of the outer district.
He entered directly, without looking around went directly towards reception and said:
"I want a carriage, my destination is Log Village."
The receptionist spared him a glance before opening her ledger but her eyes darted back to him due to his Authority Attribute as she stated politely, something which she was not going to do before:
"A 3 day trip that would be 20 cooper a day, so 60 cooper, my lord"
Kain smiled and simply placed the asked amount on the reception table, not resolving the girls misunderstanding.
Most countries follow a similar currency system, 100 copper is to 1 Silver, 100 Silver is to 1 Gold.
Gold is the highest form of currency and only nobles and wealthy merchant houses deal in it, most use silver at most and commonly use Cooper.
While some countries have a currency higher than that, it is varied and for the common populace useless as 5-10 copper is enough for a day's worth of food.
After that, he was asked to wait for a few minutes before a carriage appeared in front of the building whose driver came to inform Kain.
He was surprised that Kain didn't have any luggage, most of the people who book carriage are those who are traveling with stuff or else they just rent a horse or mule.
But soon his frown stiffened and he bowed, again due to his Authority attribute.
I need to do something about Authority.
Kain had luggage, his suitcase, but he had already put it in the pouch which was tied to his utility belt, to reduce discomfort while walking.
Non-chalantly, Kain entered the carriage which soon neared the city gates after the driver refilled with necessary supplies for 3 days worth of travelling.
After passing through the gate and exiting the city, the carriage moved away from the city as Kain just stared the city which was getting further and further away, ushering in the nostalgia of his home of 10 years.