While waiting, Arthur asked the tavern owner for a cup of watergrass tea.
It was still early, and drinking alcohol was inappropriate; he didn't want to be drunk all day.
Moreover, in the afternoon, the ships transporting Council supplies would arrive at the dock, and he had to ensure the supplies were intact and accounted for.
Watergrass tea was the only beverage option at the Red Hook Tavern besides spirits.
In the Amn Empire, most commoners drank ale as their daily water. This low-alcohol fermented drink was not only safe and reliable but also effectively quenched thirst.
One must know that in places like Wolf Den City, clean water sources were extremely scarce.
Directly drinking raw water could easily lead to malaria or other digestive diseases, and most of the water in the city had an unpleasant odor.
If you ask why they didn't boil the water before drinking it, the reason is simple: the cost of fuel to boil water was enough to drink ale heartily for an entire day.
Bored, Arthur's gaze drifted across the various people in the tavern.
Taverns were always important places for gathering all sorts of information.
He heard three Sheriffs sitting at the table in front of him discussing the recent murder cases in the city.
From their loud discussions, Arthur learned that the victims of these murders were all craftsmen from the New Temple.
However, their discussion quickly focused on the mysterious disappearance of foreman John Hoffman.
Hearing this name, Arthur opened his intelligence panel and found that today's intelligence also contained information about the disappearance of foreman John.
He pulled out a pen and paper from his pocket and meticulously recorded these scattered pieces of information.
In his previous life, he had developed the habit of carrying a notebook because his work was complex and fragmented, and without recording things, he could easily forget important matters.
After awakening his daily intelligence ability, he again carried a notebook, but the current world was not like modern times, and carrying pen and paper was somewhat inconvenient.
This was also why he wanted to teach Vanka to read and write. Once the young girl could read and write proficiently, the task of recording could be handed over to her.
“Are you Sir Arthur?”
A female dwarf suddenly appeared beside Arthur, looking particularly agitated.
She grabbed Arthur's clothes, as if afraid he would suddenly disappear.
Realizing her actions were too rude, she said in a sharp voice, “Please… please allow me to buy you a drink, esteemed Sir.”
In Wolf Den City, no one dared to provoke anyone from the Evil Wolf Family, as they were the true rulers of this land and could easily decide the life and death of ordinary people.
However, Arthur remained cautious when faced with this stranger's invitation.
“I'm sorry, madam, I don't know you,” he politely refused her.
The reason for his politeness was mainly because the female dwarf in front of him was dressed not like an ordinary commoner but more like a wealthy merchant.
His refusal clearly made the other party even more anxious.
The female dwarf quickly explained, “It was rude of me, Sir. My name is Tina.
“You certainly don't know me, but you must have heard of John the Nail, the foreman in charge of the New Temple's construction.”
John Hoffman. This name once again popped into Arthur's mind.
Damn it, why is everyone talking about this guy? Arthur muttered to himself.
“I am his subordinate, mainly responsible for the arrangements for the New Temple's inauguration ceremony.”
“So?”
The female dwarf took a deep breath, “Can we talk somewhere else?
“Some things are not convenient to discuss here. I've booked a long-term private room here; we can talk in detail there.”
Arthur looked at her meaningfully.
Tina, as expected of a merchant, immediately reacted and changed her tone, “Of course, of course, if you think it's inappropriate, we can talk here.”
With that, she nimbly climbed onto a chair, “Owner, one ale. You… oh, you're drinking tea. Do you need another…”
Arthur raised his hand to interrupt her and asked directly, “Let's skip the pleasantries. Just tell me, what do you want from me?”
The female dwarf glanced left and right, confirmed no one was paying attention, and then lowered her voice, “As you know, things outside the city haven't been very peaceful lately.
“Many people say there are Orc raiding parties out there, specifically robbing passing merchants.”
“Get to the point, madam. I don't have time for this nonsense,” Arthur urged impatiently.
“Alright, alright, it's like this: a batch of goods I ordered was robbed yesterday. Those things are all needed for setting up the venue.
“It's definitely too late to reorder, so I can only find a way to find substitutes. But then, the budget becomes a problem.
“I was hoping to discuss it with Nail and ask him to plead with the Church to see if they could allocate more money to me.”
Just then, the owner brought a mug of ale, which interrupted the female dwarf's words.
She cautiously eyed the owner until he walked away, then continued, “But that guy has been missing since yesterday. I went to his house today, and he still wasn't there.
“I asked his family and friends, and they all don't know where he went.
“I felt something was wrong, so I quickly contacted the Sheriff. As you know, many craftsmen responsible for the New Temple's construction have died recently, and I'm worried…”
She picked up the ale and took a big gulp, “I'm worried something happened to him too.”
Arthur's fingers tapped rhythmically on the bar, “You still haven't told me what you want from me.”
“For Mother Earth's sake, esteemed Sir! Everyone in the city knows that the Countess dotes on you the most.
“And the Countess is the largest donor to the New Temple. I want to ask you to be an intermediary so I can meet with the Countess.”
Upon hearing this, Arthur finally understood her intention.
This female merchant, facing financial difficulties, wanted to apply for emergency funds from the Church through his mother.
It was well-known that asking for money was difficult, and asking the Church for money was even harder.
Arthur did not want to get involved in this matter, nor did he want to trouble his mother for it.
Given his mother's kind nature, if this merchant pleaded hard enough, she would surely soften and help, perhaps even paying out of her own pocket.
However, this matter was related to the temple's inauguration ceremony, and the New Temple was a project his mother spearheaded fundraising for, spanning ten years.
Once completed, the Evil Wolf Family's prestige in eastern Anm would greatly increase, and they would also receive strong support from the Mother Earth Church.
Therefore, during this period, the entire Wolf Den City was preparing for the inauguration ceremony, striving for its perfect completion.
Seeing Arthur hesitate, the female dwarf bit her lip, as if making a great decision.
She spoke to Arthur in an even softer voice than before, “I know a secret about John the Nail. If you…”
Her mysterious demeanor made Arthur lose patience, and he interrupted, “I'm not interested in secrets.
“Besides, I don't see how this benefits me or my mother. You should go to the Mayor to solve the problem.”
“Lis… listen to me, esteemed Sir. John the Nail, John the Nail is stealing your mother's money.”
Arthur's expression instantly darkened. He stared intently at her face, trying to find a flaw in her lie, but found nothing.
“Very well, now I'm interested,” he said slowly.