Chapter 12: Step 2- Information : Madam Lurel Brothel

        Merine Red District, its a place where everyone goes to indulge themselves in drinking and dancing, to let loose, get drunk and forget all their troubles and it's also a good place to find gossip which is why our young nobles were here for. though they were far too young to be comfortable in such an environment they came with hesitant hearts as they hide behind a small alleyway trying to figure out their problem.

 Lord Doyoung who was most hesitant in the group peered out to the street dreading the sight of drunk men and ty women on their laps.

“my god..there are guards everywhere how are you going to get past all of them without being noticed” Jaehyun mutter spotting in every corner he sees a soldier either standing and talking or drinking. 

“with our clothes, we'll easily be spotted” Doyoung back away into the shadows only bump into someone. 

He turns to see Taeyeon and Horald holding butch of clothes out to them “then we blend in” he says before tossing it to them. 

what they got them was a ragged framer coat and an old overall coat that were big enough to hide their clothes underneath and a long fabric to wrap around their heads while Taeyeon still wore his coat with only the addition of sash wrap around his shoulder. 

"what about you Lit.Horald?" Jaehyun asked looking to the timid soldier who smiled and simply put on a paperboy hat and took off his badges and hid them in his pockets. 

"Vuala!" he chimed showing his disguise.  Doyoung looked concerned, as  Horald overall appearance didn't change much. " are you sure about that?" he asked the little soldier nodded much confidence. 

"its fine I'm not really known to go out to these parts so its ok" he smiled assuring them.

"well alright" Jaehyun muttered as they move.  “by the way where did you get these?” Doyoung asked as they step out into the streets cautiously glance at the guards as they passed them. 

“somewhere”  the Taeyeon vaguely answers clearly lying. Doyoung frown “ you stole it didn’t you” he claims which Taeyeon didn’t deny or answer. Doyoung turns to Lit. Horald who flashed a tight smile which was enough for the latter to know the real answer. he looks back to Taeyeon inhaling tightly as he raised his fist attempting to hit him but Jaehyun grabs his wrist, giving him a warning glare.

“don’t” he firmly tell Doyoung as pushed his hand down. he looks back to Taeyeon walking ahead of them. “ so where do we start looking for clue Lord Taeyeon?” he asked. 

“well, lets asked Lit. Horald for that...tell us, Lieutenant, where the best place to find gossip and information?" he asked paused toward Lit.Horald who stiffens "i dont know" he mutters. 

"oh come on Luitenant from all your years in the military surely you must have heard something" Doyoung chipped encouraging him to try harder. the small Lieutenant scrunch up his face trying to think back when he remembers something.

"... there is this place i overheard once with some officials talking" he states looking at them. " what is it?" Jaehyun asked. " its a place called Madam Lurel the biggest and most popular brothel in the village," he tells them. 

not saying more the small group made way to the said brothel and the brothel wasn't hard to find as it had a huge sign showing “Madam Lurel Brothel” with flashing lights. 

 the boys expected whole building, lord Doyoung stood frozen as if he had just realized where they were going into. 

“ok we're here,” Jaehyun say pushing forward along with Taeyeon and Horald following him but Doyoung stops them by pulling their arms back. 

“are telling me were going inside there?” he exclaimed his face flustered

 “ …what? he did say brothel” Taeyoung says to the flustered noble. 

“yes..but still” he mumbled looking down seemly feeling shy Jaehyun wasn’t even sure why Doyoung was reacting this way.

“don’t tell me..” Taeyeon turn fully facing Doyoung. “you’ve never been into a brothel before” he states teasingly causing Doyoung to become flustered and red.

Jaehyun upon seeing Doyoung reaction couldn’t hold back his boisterous laughter not ashamed of his manner. Lit. Horald had more manners as he had look away and silently laugh at him. Doyoung sneered at them his a flush-faced. 

“Shut up! so what I never been into one!”  he snaps covering his mouth trying to control his blush face.
 
“ don’t make it sound wrong but why haven’t you? … didn’t your brother try to bring you into one?”  Jaehyun manages to say between his laughs and snorts. 

“…he did but I made an excuses I couldn’t go and that continued on since” Doyoung muttered looking ashamed. 

Despite his tough and serious appearance, Doyoung was an especially awkward person when it comes in dealing with women, no manner how popular he is with them he found talking to them hard and difficult to understand. 

"even my timid appearance lord Doyoung I'm been into a brothel more than once in my life" he states humiliating Doyoung more. even the small lieutenant has been into one he cried in his head. the young noble was tragically frustrated. 

“Tch, so we have prude here,” Taeyeon teased adding alt to his wound. Doyoung snaps his glared at him. “ I am not a prude!” he growled attempted to grab his collar but Taeyeon manages to step back and avoid his hand. 

“whatever… were here to find information not to flirt with women so don’t worry yourself,” he flatly tells him as he heads inside the brothels doors. Doyoung feeling defeated let out a sigh he felt Lit. Horald encouraging pat on his back as he follows Taeyeon and Jaehyung nudging him to move forward.

“come on man it just a brothel,” he says before dragging him inside and the brothel was just how doyoung imagine it to be. 

A Dimly lit room covered in smoky fog from cigarettes being light and the strong stench of beer and perfume mixed in the air. taking a look around he saw women wearing very revealing clothes that showed to much skin of their chest area and legs. 

he looked away trying to focus his attention elsewhere. walking through the aisle of tables they stop at the bar counter where they settled in ordering some drinks. 

“thanks,” Doyoung say as he received his drink but doesn't drink it he carefully looks over his shoulder notice the stares they got from people around some curious and some lustful. He looks away and looks over to Taeyeon next to him drinking his glass. 

“let's just get this over with, where do we ask for information?” 

“fine don’t be hasty”  he mutters looking around the counter before put his hand out to the waitress behind the counter calling for her attention. 

“yes how can I help you?” she asked flatly.

 Jaehyun leans over to answers. “were looking someone that could help us out” he starts fiddling his now empty glass.

 “ we need information do you have anyone in mind?” he glanced to her making the woman stop what she doing and start Biting her lips before clicking her tongue as she leans forward to him with a playful smile.

 “ Well hello handsome" she flirted back which Jaehyun smirked not so much affected by her attack, he counters by enticing her more. Doyoung watch from the side with a disgusted look on his face, seeing your best friend flirt isn't fun to watch. 

"Ahem...the question please answer" Doyoung cough intentionally cutting the tension between the two. the woman frown a little but smiled back as she faced him.

 "we do…the owner Madam Lurel she knows everything that goes around the village she might help you” she tells pointing her finger to the second-floor balcony where a red door can be seen. 

“ if you want I can take you there” Jaehyun smiled nodded his head when 4 of them about to stand she stopped them. 

“Ah! I can only take one of you” she states putting her hand out. “ madam Lurel isn’t the type that like a lot of company one of you has to go and I suggest the one whose good at persuading people” she advised them. 

“Madam Lurel is also isn’t the type to give things so easily” 

the 3 looked to each other obviously Doyoung was out of the picture since he was no good at talking to women and Jaehyun was a good talker but he wasn’t confident that he could convince someone and he has nothing to offer and Horald had nothing as well and he was too timid. 

“I’ll go,” Taeyeon says as he stood up adjusting his hood over his head the waitress smiled and walked around the counter to show him the way. 

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