Chapter 28: Spies, Commotion
Among the stream of regular customers, several individuals stood out to Elias’s discerning eye. They moved differently, observed more carefully, and their purchases seemed secondary to their blatant surveillance of the products and set-up of the shop. Although they attempted to blend in, Elias could easily identify their true nature.
—These were no ordinary patrons.
A middle-aged man in a merchant’s clothes caught his attention first. Despite his costume, his military bearing was unmistakable. He sampled a Honey Spiral with deliberate slowness, his eyes methodically scanning the shop’s interior as if memorizing every detail.
An elegant woman provided the second point of interest. Her simple dress couldn’t disguise her refined manners, and she purchased several pastries while asking detailed questions about ingredients and preparation methods, inquiries that went far beyond casual curiosity.
The third observer was a young man masquerading as a common laborer, yet his hands bore no calluses from hard work. He lingered near the counter, attempting to glimpse the back storage area whenever the door opened, but felt disappointed.
—He couldn’t see anything other than boxes with no emblem.
Finally, an elderly woman with sharp, calculating eyes that missed nothing. She engaged Amanda in a seemingly innocent conversation. Her questions, however, probed for information about the shop’s owner and daily operations.
Spies. The aristocratic families work quickly.
Elias thought with dark amusement.
He had expected this scrutiny after yesterday’s success, but their swift response revealed how seriously the established powers regarded any disruption to the status quo. The Goldmere, Silverton, Thornwick, and Ravencrest families, each of these renowned families, undoubtedly want to understand this new player in their city.
Still, Elias felt no concern. He had already devised countermeasures, having researched Sun City’s aristocratic families thoroughly to anticipate and address any potential conflicts.