And yet they have done some good here and there, providing food and clean water to those that need it. Not enough to make themselves less of a devil, but enough to be accepted as part of the play we act in. As for the lamia not associated with them? Some are good, others evil. And the rest? Who knows.

"Some like to blame them for the troubles of this place. Others blame the gnomes for pulling out investments and blacklisting the place when they couldn't get their way. Or the harpies for being the first to to flock here. And yet others blame some Eastian mogul's father. Roostchilds, I think?" Cattleya tenses at the name. "And rumors has it that Lionel continues the work of his father after the latter failed to establish himself here.

"Tell me more about Rostchilde." You press.

"Of what? His actions? I haven't the faintest clue. I keep to the light and to the open. Less chance to meet one's end by blade or bullet, methinks."

"Speaking of that, how did this place become what is it today?" You found that the danger was extreme, considering.

"I haven't visited this place much in my youth," Ayane began, "But from what I've heard, it was once bursting with trade and life."

"It's basically the bad part of town." Mel added. "With how everyone talks about it today."

"There were way too many people trying to mug us." Herta said.

"The fall from grace was before my time," he said, ignoring your wives, "But I can indeed say that it was not as bad as it is today when I first got here some years ago. A word of advice— getting rent from this place is like pulling teeth. And often it leads to ruin for those who try, and those that try to make hold businesses here tend to be vandalized at best."

"It rather sounds like you wish to skip upon payment." Ruby commented.

"It does not matter what it sounds like, only what it is." He shrugged again. "I won't complain if you bring employment to the pitiful sufferers like myself, but don't tell me I didn't warn any of you."

"Is there any other news we should know about?" You continue questioning him.

"The gnomes recently tried to take over the place again, sending in legal advisors to find loopholes in the property after none wished to sell the place to them. The lamia heightened their 'protection fees'. And a gang went about vandalising Bed and Barn Inns. There have also been rumors of a few harpy eggs missing, and corpses of the mothers found soon after. And there's word of the Centrian Knights looking for an excuse to purge the place in zealous massacre. You know, the usual."

"Wot was that 'bout harpy eggs an' bodies?" Cattleya meowed before you could ask that same question. She was still as tense as she was when Rostchilde was mentioned.

"What it sounds like." He sounded a little too uncaring and casual about it. "Harpies are a strange species. But even now they too can feel tragedy and loss. 'Tis a mere sorrow of life, like any other!"

"I think she meant what you know about it." Mel clarified.