"Wayne, I don’t know if you’ve heard this, but people who don’t drink are wasting half their life," Kelsey raised his beer, "Have some, the drinks in Eclipse Town are famous; they even have a beer festival every year."
"I’ve heard another saying, those who drink waste the other half of their life," Wayne declined the drink, urging Kelsey to hurry it up. Dilly-dallying around, for all we know, Mona wasn’t just putting on an act and could be dilly-dallying right now.
"For a gentleman, you sure have little patience..."
Mid-sentence, Kelsey heard the door open and instinctively glanced at the entrance to the bar.
His eyes narrowed, and his breath hitched!
Wayne frowned, and looked at the door with his peripheral vision. When he saw a Windsor Strongwoman weighing over 200 pounds, he was left speechless to the extreme.
That figure, it’s a military fan’s, no, Kelsey’s favorite.
The strongwoman was extravagantly dressed, carrying a lady’s handbag. Though her style leaned towards that of a nouveau riche, her gold and silver attire was not that of a struggling worker.
Wayne told Kelsey to conserve his energy, that flirting was a waste of time, and to first help him find Mona. After that, he could do as he wished.
"It won’t be long, I’m quick!"
Kelsey raised his beer for another bottle and said with self-satisfaction, "Wayne, flirting doesn’t waste time. Believe me, you’re just too shy. All you need to do is walk up to her, stretch out a hand, and ask if she has a boyfriend. You’re bound to get a ’no’ in response. I’ve never failed with this move."
Such a waste of a handsome face, remember to keep it up!
Wayne didn’t even know where to start his complaint, and said with frustration, "Ever since I met you, my world has been filled with sleaze. Don’t you think your behavior is absolutely shameful?"
"A healthy body harbors a healthy soul, there’s no shame in that!"
No, you’re not healthy at all!
When the bartender brought the beer, Kelsey traded a bill for some information about the strongwoman.
The results were not very promising. She indeed had no boyfriend, but she was a married woman, and her husband was the Mayor.
Kelsey sighed, giving up the idea of striking up a conversation and complained to Wayne, "Love comes fast and goes even faster. I thought I was in love, never to imagine that I was too late, that the woman I liked was in someone else’s arms, and the love ended before it even began."
"Look on the bright side, doesn’t it feel better to fancy someone who’s in someone else’s arms?" Wayne grabbed Kelsey and headed out of the bar.
We shouldn’t always sympathize with the victim. Change the perspective, see it from bandit’s point of view and you’ll feel a lot better. If ’bandit’ doesn’t sound pleasant, think of it as being valiant and cunning.
Kelsey felt that Wayne made no sense because he really was heartbroken.
They arrived at the bar where Mona was staying, handed over a bill, and inquired about Mona’s whereabouts.
"Sorry, I can’t disclose our guest’s whereabouts, even if you claim to be her friends," the owner shook his head, standing on principle.
"So principled, what was that money for just now?"
Kelsey pulled out another bill and handed it over: "Please make it quick, lives are at stake, we’re in a hurry."
The owner didn’t speak until the third bill was handed to him. Only then did it awaken his dormant memory and he willingly shared information: "That lady seemed to be investigating something. The town’s police officers were watching her closely and as far as I know, they all take orders from Mayor Welsh."
Wayne glanced at Kelsey. So, the Mayor has a part in the script too?
Kelsey frowned, the script was somewhat complicated and differed greatly from what he had imagined; it didn’t resemble the Holy See’s modus operandi: "Let’s go to the police station and ask around. Mona might really be in trouble."
For two Silver Mages, getting in and out of a small-town police station was no different than riding a bus. Enter if you wish, exit if you want, just a Polarizing Magic spell and even the bus fare was saved.
In the Chief’s office, Wayne fed the Chief a mushroom and got answers to every question, revealing everything.
Silent Ridge struck gold, and to keep the wealth for himself, the Mayor used many underhanded tactics. Mona, who happened to pass by and stuck her nose in, was chased by the Mayor’s men and drove off towards Silent Ridge.
What kind of thugs can chase a Silver Mage? Wayne and Kelsey looked at each other, the latter nodding and complaining, "What did I say? I should’ve gone and chatted her up just now. If it wasn’t for you always rushing me, I could have gone back and forth ten times by now. Ten times! What information can’t I uncover in ten tries?"
Wayne rolled his eyes, not that much of a braggart to have sidled up ten times already.