31 Encountering Indigo 1 (1/2)
Chalice relegated the information she had gathered the night before to Luke and Levi. She decisively waged her innocence and deflected Levi's suspicious looks. As for the culprit who banned her from her precious desserts, Chalice ignored him altogether. Which only earned her an eyebrow raise.
Through Chalice's infiltration, they learned that the syndicate goes by the collective name of Black Water Organization. They mainly dealt with human trafficking and slave trades. However, Chalice suspects that there is much more to them than that. Also, their base at Wyndham City was a relatively new one. Which further proved that the said organization had other bases of operation.
Since they were unable to make any crucial moves against them for the mean time, Chalice and her fief inspection squad continued their trip. They were going full circle around the territory. Freyr City at the heart of Zeru Mountains was their last stop. And to reach it they would need to go through Eldoris City and then to Tal-El City of the Guthrie Plains.
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Chalice looked around taking in the rustic view of Eldoris City. Compared to the bustling Wyndham, it was relatively subdued. There was a lesser traffic of people but it was evident that the city enjoyed a simple lifestyle and genuine peace.
However, it would have been more pleasurable for her if she could skip around and sight-see by herself. That was merely wishful thinking though. Helicopter Nanny Luke was on it again with his bondage fetish. (Erase that thought. It is totally unsuitable for children.)
Chalice's wrist was tied up with his again. The worse thing was she didn't dare complain for she was still in hot waters brought about by her last adventure. Even the ban on her desserts wasn't lifted yet. She was afraid that if she even make so much a squeak of protest, it might never be lifted at all. That would spell death for her. In this sort of way, Luke was really scary.
She was internally grumbling when Chalice saw a flash of color fluttering behind a house. She stretched her neck to see it clearly. That color. She was familiar with it.
”Luke, can we go check that out?”
Chalice asked him cautiously. Luke frowned a bit before reluctantly leading the way. Oh, she knew what was going on in that brilliant mind of his. He was suspecting her of another mischief. She sighed resignedly. She refused to acknowledge that this was her fault.
As they got closer and closer to the house, a sprightly young lady looked up at their direction. She was tending to the plants vigorously growing at the yard of the house. Chalice beamed at her with a cheer. The poor gal was blinded.
Luke shook his head. He could sympathize with the girl. This particular princess of his was ignorant of her looks. Not just ignorant, she was uncaring of it as well. He really had his work cut out for him. Never in his life did he imagine that one day, he would be worrying about a certain someone's skincare, haircare, fashion and even make up. But alas, such is the fate of a man in love.
”Hello there, pardon the intrusion. May I inquire about something?”
Chalice politely asked the young girl who shyly hid her hands full of dirt from tending to the plants.
”If it is within my knowledge, I would gladly answer the lady.”
The girl's cheery and bird-like voice tinged with shyness answered her.
”What are those?”
Chalice pointed at the fabric flittering with the wind peeking from behind the small house. The girl followed her finger and understanding flashed in her eyes.
”Oh that, my lady? Those are fabrics that my family have personally dyed. That dye color is exclusive to our Eldoris city.”
Chalice eyes brightened. She knew it. That particular fabric with that unique shade of indigo was something she saw on one of her trips to Japan. If she didn't remember it wrong the process of making that particular color was called aizome, or indigo dyeing.