Volume 2 Chapter 4: Katharine

“Thomas Albert! A baron?” Qin Lun stroked his chin, turned his head, and asked, “Frank, does this baron also live nearby?”

“Well, I know this. The baron’s castle is outside Audiya Town, about twenty miles from here. Old Master Stan often went to Audiya Town to buy supplies and sometimes had me help with transporting goods.” Frank thought for a moment, answering seriously. His mind wasn’t sharp, but his memory was passable.

“Let’s go check out Audiya Town, then!” Qin Lun said with a smile.

Audiya Town was a reasonably sized inland town, surrounded by three or four villages. Including the town itself, it had a population of over a thousand. The terrain was mainly hills and woodland, and the residents made their living mostly by logging and hunting. As the saying goes, those who live by the mountains rely on the mountains, and those who live by the forests rely on the forests. Although their standard of living wasn’t wealthy, they had enough to eat and wear.

When the two arrived at the town, it was already afternoon. Although the sun hadn’t set yet, there were few people on the town’s streets; the scene was bleak and desolate.

Qin Lun frowned. Audiya Town had a baron, so it should be considered the heart of this region. With such a miserable atmosphere now, had a large-scale epidemic already broken out in the town?

“Frank, where is the inn here?” Qin Lun asked, turning back.

“I don’t know!” Frank scratched his head sheepishly. Seeing normal people in the town always made him feel intensely inferior. Every time he came, he kept his head down and did as Old Stan told him, never looking around.

Qin Lun felt helpless. As a master of psychology, he understood Frank’s inferiority complex very well. This feeling had built up over many years; it couldn’t be dispelled quickly. Since Frank couldn’t lead the way, Qin Lun had no choice but to walk slowly along the main road in Audiya Town to find the inn. Usually, an inn in a small town wouldn’t be too far from the main road.

In fact, they had only walked for about fifteen minutes when they saw two small inns side by side along the road. Qin Lun pushed open the door of the first inn, and immediately a loud clamor hit his ears.

Compared to the desolate, empty scene outside, this inn didn’t seem to be affected much at all. The hall was packed with people, mostly townsfolk, raising their glasses and talking loudly. Gaily dressed prostitutes and entertainers flitted through the crowd amid laughter and chatter. The entry of the two didn’t attract any attention.

Behind the counter stood a broad-faced middle-aged man wiping the bar with a rag. Seeing new customers come in, he frowned and sent a waitress over.

“You two are… Huh?!” The young waitress had only taken two steps forward before noticing that the young gentleman in the lead was already turning to leave. The hunchbacked, masked giant behind him followed wordlessly, carrying a small leather case.

“Hmph, how impressive!” the waitress muttered discontentedly before turning away angrily.

After leaving that inn, Qin Lun immediately headed for the one behind it. The second inn’s business was clearly worse than the first: the hall was only about one-third full, mostly with older residents.

The innkeeper was a middle-aged woman of some years, and the furnishings were rather old. As for the bar girls, not only were there far fewer than at the first inn, but they also looked much older. Obviously, these two inns operating side by side had long since shown which was more successful.

Although he didn’t yet know about the rooms, anyone could see that this inn was much worse than the first. Strangely, Qin Lun’s face showed satisfaction instead. He took off his gloves and leaned casually against the counter.

“Young sir, you look unfamiliar. Are you here for a drink or a room?” The middle-aged landlady, still somewhat charming despite her age, smiled coquettishly. Although her face was heavily made-up, the crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes betrayed her true age.

Qin Lun smiled slightly. The landlady’s question seemed quite cautious. Probably her inn hadn’t seen a decently dressed young man like him in a long time.

“I am Doctor Stan. Give me two clean rooms for me and my attendant, and send some food up. My attendant eats a lot; add extra meat!” Qin Lun took out a silver coin from his pocket and handed it over.

The landlady’s eyes brightened. This silver coin bore the head of the Duke of Maize region on the front and was a currency with a high silver content. This one coin was already as much as her usual daily revenue. It seemed today’s luck was not bad.

“Honorable sir, is there anything else you need?” The landlady extended a plump pale hand, pressed it over the coin, and subtly stroked Qin Lun’s knuckle with her middle finger. She teased in a light tone, “Shall I arrange a pretty girl for you?”

Qin Lun narrowed his eyes slightly, leaned a bit closer to the counter, patted the landlady’s plump hand, and replied equally softly, “Then I’ll trouble you, landlady! But please find me a mature lady, not some inexperienced young girl!”

“You’ll be satisfied!” The landlady gave a mysterious smile, swayed her ample buttocks, and called over a helper to take Qin Lun and his companion to the rooms upstairs.

“Young master, actually… I could sleep in the woodshed or stable. No need to waste money like this!” After the helper left, Frank looked at the clean room with some unease.

“It’s fine. I plan to practice medicine in town and will need an attendant. A doctor’s attendant can’t always sleep in the woodshed!” Qin Lun smiled and patted the hunchbacked servant’s broad shoulder. After seeing Frank out, he turned to examine his own room.

This room was swept clean but had a slight musty smell. Audiya Town was surrounded by hills and woodland, lying in a low-lying plain where thin fog often gathered, making the air quite humid.

However, the musty odor in the inn’s guest room also indicated that this inn’s business really wasn’t doing well.

“Knock, knock, knock!” As night slowly enveloped Audiya Town, Qin Lun, lying on the bed pretending to sleep, heard a knock at the door.

Qin Lun got up, smiled slightly, and opened the door. When he saw who was at the door, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn’t expected it to be this person; it seemed someone had misunderstood him.

“What’s the matter, honorable Doctor Stan? Aren’t you going to invite me in for a seat?” The still attractive middle-aged woman gazed at him flirtatiously, her plump pale arm gently resting on Qin Lun’s shoulder.

Unlike her appearance at the counter in the afternoon, the landlady had changed into a pink off-the-shoulder dress. Her face, which had shown some crow’s feet earlier, was now carefully made up, showing no trace of age. The top of the off-the-shoulder dress was stretched taut, revealing a deep cleavage and two pale, plump breasts.

Compared to the young, pretty bar girls at the first inn, frankly speaking, this woman, though older, still had a good figure—plump and sensual. With careful grooming, she had a unique charm of her own.

“Haha, I didn’t expect the landlady to come serve me personally. Please, come in!” Qin Lun appreciatively looked her up and down, though inwardly he felt no ripple of emotion.

“Didn’t you ask for a mature lady? Don’t I, Katharine, suit your taste?”

Not being turned away at the door, the landlady Katharine secretly rejoiced. Although she phrased it as a question, she pressed herself against Qin Lun, leaning halfway onto the young man’s shoulder, pressing his arm tightly between her full breasts.

Qin Lun gave a wry smile, rubbed his forehead with his free hand, and helped the middle-aged woman, who seemed about to fall onto him, sit on the edge of the bed.

Looking into her eyes, which were becoming misty and seductive, Qin Lun deftly flipped his hand, revealing a gold coin between his fingers.

“Handsome Doctor Stan, no need to rush. Let Katharine attend to you first!” The landlady’s eyes lit up; the allure of the gold coin snapped her temporarily out of her heightened desire.

However, in a surprising twist, the eager middle-aged woman did not take the coin this time. Instead, she pressed Qin Lun’s hand to her soft white chest, slowly leaning toward the young man.

“No, this gold coin is for asking the beautiful landlady a few questions!” Qin Lun sighed. Faced with the hungry landlady, he couldn’t keep up the charade. Seizing the moment when she was slightly more clear-headed, he quickly stated his true intention.

“Oh?” The landlady Katharine froze slightly and sat up straight.

“Dear Katharine, have you heard of the surname Stan?” To avoid making her angry or embarrassed, Qin Lun gave a charming smile. He tucked the gold coin into Katharine’s deep cleavage with his left hand and tightened his right arm around her plump waist.

“Stan… I think I’ve heard it!” A charming smile appeared on Katharine’s surprised face. She wriggled, pressing her ample chest against Qin Lun’s arm again.

“My father Stan was a merchant who often came to town, but my grandfather…” Qin Lun’s eyes gleamed as he gave a slight hint.

“Oh, I remember now! Old Mr. Stan was a famous doctor living in the hills and woodlands north of town. But his son seemed to have given up practicing medicine. Are you Old Mr. Stan’s grandson?” Katharine finally dredged up a dusty old memory.

“Yes, I have now mastered medicine and wish to carry on my grandfather’s work. I heard there’s an epidemic disease in town, and I’d like to help the townsfolk while also obtaining a medical license!” Qin Lun secretly sighed in relief and continued with a smile, “I wonder, dear Miss Katharine, if you could help me!”

“How do you want me to help you?” The landlady was so happy to be called “Miss Katharine” that she giggled and trembled, her full bosom swaying and dazzling the young man.

“Tell me everything you know about the epidemic disease in town! Also, do you know someone named Stephen Albert?” Qin Lun asked with a grin.

“I know many rumors. It seems someone is suppressing news about the epidemic disease!” Katharine frowned slightly. “As for Stephen Albert… he’s the eldest son of Baron Thomas Albert. I think he’s been dead for over a year now! Why do you ask about him?”

“He’s already dead?!”