Chương 159: Chapter 149-Chosen Red Light District

Red lights. They dot just about every corner in this part of the city. I never really understood the appeal of having red lights in the red light district. I get it; I mean, it's called the red light district, but which came first? Was it called the red light district because it has red lights, or is it the red light district, therefore it needs red lights? Like, you got red lights, and they're supposed to be what, enticing? I quite frankly am partial to the color green.

There's just something about it that I really like.

"Hey CJ. How's it going?" asks a lady of the night.

"Oh, it's going well. How's it been, Charlotte?" I ask as she walks away from one of the nearby brothels.

"Same old, same old. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Here to see Annabelle again?" she asks as she twirls her long blond hair.

"That's who I'm hoping to see. You've seen her around lately?"

"Yeah, I think I saw her down by the tavern a little earlier. Better move quick, though; She might be getting a client pretty soon. By the way, who's the girl following you?"

"Oh, her? Don't mind her. She's just pretending that she isn't following me. Isn't that right, Penelope?" I ask loud enough for Penelope to hear me.

"I wasn't following you. I was just… Walking around and suddenly found you. What a coincidence," she lies poorly as she steps out from behind the nearby stall.

"So you were just walking around in the red light district? That's the story you want to go with?" I ask with a teasing smile.

"I... Don't turn this around on me. What are you doing in the red light district at this time of night?" she asks as a faint tint of red dyes the tip of her Half-Elf ears.

"I come here often," I say with a devilish smile.

"You do? Oh, I didn't uhm... Why do you come here?" she asks with a hint of worry. Charlotte comes over and shakes her head in disapproval.

"Honey, he's messing with you. He does come here often, but he only helps out here and there with things that we need, and we cut his hair." With a sigh, I shoot Charlotte a glare.

"You're no fun, Charlotte. Why are you following me, Penelope? I thought we were over this 'following me' phase."

"Well, if you hadn't been acting so weird, maybe I wouldn't be following you. Not that I am," she says as she plays with one of her drills The hustle and bustle of the red light district murmurs around us as we stare each other down in silence. I guess she noticed. She always has been oddly insightful. It was somewhat foolish of me to expect her not to do anything, especially given the situation. I could try to lose her, but she's more bullheaded than I am and stronger.

Embarrassment might actually be the better approach. However cruel it may be. And it's going to be pretty fun to do. Not like it's the main reason why I'm doing it, but it's going to be pretty funny.

"Okay, well, I guess you're following me, but are you sure you want to?"

"What do you mean?"

"There are a lot of things here that aren't so posh. Especially for someone so sheltered, you might feel a tad bit uncomfortable. Maybe you would like to turn back while you still can." Penelope looks around at the general vibe of the red light district. We're not too far in just yet, and it's not like they're doing anything crazy out on the streets, but for a person like Penelope, this may be a bit much. Actually, judging by the reddening of her ears and face, maybe a tad more than a bit much.

With hope, this should get her off my case. She takes a deep breath as her face shifts from embarrassment to a more determined look.

"This is nothing that I can't handle. So, charlatan, where are we going?" Damn. That wasn't what I was expecting to happen. Maybe I should just tell her. It's not like she couldn't help, but getting somebody involved in this just like Ilota… I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Then again, doing this alone also doesn't seem possible. With a sigh, I shake my head. Why isn't anything simple like, you know, a… I can't think of anything simple. This just proves my point.

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you," I say as I walk down the streets of the red light district.

"Hmm. You're not going to scare me off that easily, Charlatan. This is just another part of the city. There's nothing that can scare me off here. I've fought Giants and Demons. Bring it- Oh my Gods, what is she doing?!" Penelope asks in shock Without even taking a glance, I continue towards the tavern.

"Oh, that? Don't worry about that. The worst is yet to come." Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. Penelope stares for a second before quickly catching up. Oh, this is so much fun. If only this were any other day. I would have taken the long way around. As we walk towards the tavern, the blue Moonlight shines down on this red-tinted part of the city. It's true that I do come here often. I obviously don't partake in the services.

Waste of gold and not really my vibe, to be honest. Although it is a great place to gather information. Especially about the things that happen in the dark. You'd be surprised at the things that people say in front of the ladies. Either expecting them not to listen, understand, or even remember them. But they do. The moment we enter the tavern. We're hit by a swell of noise that hits us like a wall.

I'm talking cheering drunk men, music in the corner, and what would be best described as the groans of disappointment from some men in the corner who have seemingly lost a game of poker.

"Well, if it isn't little CJ, what are you doing here tonight? It's a school night," the woman in the corner teases.

"Annabelle, I'm lucky to have caught you. Have the time to talk?" I ask as I sit down across from her.

"For you, CJ, anytime. Who do we have here, a little friend of yours?" She asks as Penelope sits down beside me.

"Something like that. I was hoping you could give us some information." Annabelle looks around with a suspicious glance.

"And what kind of information would that be?

""You hear about the stabbing yesterday? I need to know where that guy was when he was stabbed," I say as I slide her a portrait of Ilota. She glances down at it and then hands it to a woman behind her.

"This is going to cost you."

"Don't worry. My friend here is going to cover it," I say as I gently pat Penelope on the shoulder. Penelope shoots me a glare.

"Yes, I will pay for the information. How much will it be?" The woman from earlier passes Annabelle a stack of papers.

"75 gold." She's ripping her off, or more like she's ripping me off. Friendships on the streets are usually good for favors, but business is business. To be fair, I would probably do the same. Especially based on how desperate I look. The more desperate somebody is for something, the more they're willing to pay. It's called the desperation tax. Penelope goes to grab her pouch, but I grab her hand to stop her.

"A bit steep, isn't it?" Annabelle gives me a small smile. The type of smile that she gives both types of clients. Thankfully, I've spent a lot of time in these kinds of places. It's easier for me to shake off than it would be for most. It's not a terrible idea to try to renegotiate the price, but I also have to be just the tiniest bit careful. Push a little too hard, and you annoy who you're trying to negotiate with. Push a little too softly, and now they consider you a doormat.

You just have to find the middle ground where you're not a pushover, and you're not abrasive. Which is something I excel at.

"We both know this involves the Purists. You've heard the rumors they're in town, and they're certainly kicking up a stir. Getting involved would paint a big target on my back. So giving you this information, CJ, is dangerous. Consider the extra gold as a hazard fee," She says, taking a sip of her martini.

"Oh, please, Annabelle, we both know that the Purists are bad for business. How many of your girls are Blight Touched again? Consider this less painting a target on your back and more painting a target on theirs," I say with a knowing look.

"Well, when you put it that way, how could I say no to a tiny discount?" Annabelle asks as she slides the file over. As Penelope goes to give the gold, Annabelle grabs her hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask as I place my hand on the hilt of Stabby. Six of the ladies nearby gently tug at the edges of their dresses to reveal daggers. Subtle enough for the crowd not to notice. Annabelle looks deep into Penelope's eyes. Do I fight? I'd rather not. If things go south, my reputation in the red light district plummets. Penelope gently places her other hand on my mine and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

"Interesting. You have the eyes of royalty. Don't bring her here ever again," Annabelle says as she lets go of Penelope. With careful steps, Penelope and I leave the tavern. Silence settles between us as we continue down the street and out of the red light district. Without paying her any mind, I pore through the file. Annabelle gave me more than just where Ilota was stabbed. She also gave me where he was seen that day. He really was everywhere that day. This is both a good and a bad thing.

It gives me a place to start looking for the survivor, but at the same time, if I can find her, so can the Purists.

"So are we going to talk about what just happened?"

"Which part exactly?"

"You're looking into what happened to Ilota. What exactly were the two of you up to, and what does it have to do with the Purists?" she asks as we enter the park. A spring breeze flows as I stop.

"Not to be rude, Penelope, but it's really none of your business."

"I paid for that information. It's my business now. What do the Purists have to do with this?" she asks as she steps in front of me, blocking my way.

"Fine, you want to know what the Purists have to do with this? I'll tell you. They're the ones who attacked Ilota. They're the ones who attacked me, Kat, and Mateo. They are the ones…" I struggle to get the words out as the memory of flames and screams returns. Penelope grabs my hand. They're cold, but calming nonetheless. My worries, my fears, my doubts are all sapped away. The tension in my throat loosens, and the anger gives way to something else.

"Charlatan, you can't do everything yourself. Let me help. I want to help. We're partners, right?" She asks as I grab her hand.

"They're… the ones who burned down my home. They tried to kill me. They killed… my mother. They took everything from me, and now they're back to do it all over again," I say on the verge of tears. Penelope doesn't say anything. Not a joke or a sarcastic comment. She just grabs my hand and pulls me in. In the darkness of this park where nobody can see, where the only light is that from the Moon, she hugs me, and I cry. I cry for as long as she'll hold me.