"This Ashley girl really gives me an odd vibe!" Ragna said while enjoying a tender rib of lamb.
"Well, aren't you being jealous?" Arin teased playfully.
"Oh, shaddup!" Ragna kicked his foot lightly under the table.
"Indeed, my Lord, my Lady's concerns are not unfounded.", Aedric interjected, "Both Zikar and Duran harbor similar suspicions.
In fact, Zikar entrusted Duran with conducting an extensive inquiry into Ashley's background. Yet, their efforts yielded absolutely nothing."
"You mean nothing suspicious?" Arin asked.
"No, my Lord, absolutely nothing.", Aedric replied. "It is as though she emerged from thin air! She possesses no background, no family ties, no connections—nothing beyond her existence within the Guild!"
"If you all find her suspicious, then why have you kept her around?" Ragna inquired.
"My guess is that keeping her around is the best available option," Arin responded.
Ragna furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"
