Blank

Of course! How can he know those men want me to pay, when he hasn’t even spoken to them since I’ve been here? And who suggested I open up a tab? He did. He must be trying to trick me into signing a contract!

But…

I need to be sure, before I attack him.

I looked up at the bartender. “Two gold? Wow, what did those guys order?” I asked, feigning surprise.

“Just about everything on the menu,” the bartender replied.

I looked over at the table. One of the men glared back. “They don’t look all that drunk,” I observed.

“That doesn’t surprise me. They mostly ordered food,” the bartender replied.

I forgot this isn’t a tavern, I thought. “When did they tell you that I’m going to pay for them?”

“Earlier.”

That was it. No further explanation.

“Earlier?” I pressed.

“Yes, earlier,” the bartender repeated.

“What if I decide not to pay for them?”

“You can put it on your tab.”

“But what if I don’t want it on my tab?”

“Then I’ll go over there and inform those gentlemen that you refused to cover their bill.”

“Fine. You go ahead and do that,” I replied, defiantly.

The bartender paused. Finally, he spoke: “I think it would be easier if you just put it on your tab.”

“Are you lying to me?” I asked. Okay, I was pushing it, but would he really make a move with customers around?

“Of course not,” the bartender replied indignantly. “But would you like to file a complaint?”

“I know you’re the innkeeper, dude. You’re the one who gave us our room key,” I said.

The bartender simply smiled.

“I’m not paying their bill and I’m willing to burn the entire place down over it,” I warned.

“A bit of an overreaction, don’t you think?”

“Do you want to try me?”

“Sir, I get it: money’s tight. I’ll speak to those five and explain the situation.”

Five?

I’d only counted four.

The bartender walked out from behind the counter and joined the table. I saw him speak to them, though I couldn’t hear anything. He soon returned. “They said not to worry about it and that they brough their own money,” he explained.

So, what the hell was that all about?

“Sorry, did you say there are five of them?” I asked.

“There were, but one of them went to the bathroom right before you showed up. I think I saw him go upstairs, when you were drinking,” the bartender said.

“Wow. Well, this entire conversation was a waste of time,” I yawned. I paid for my beer and sauntered back to the room.

***

The main city in the Kingdom of Boria was encased by a gigantic wall. I wondered how long it must have taken to build. Did they have to rebuild whenever the city expanded? We approached one of the four entry points. A large, disorganized line snaked up to it. There were only four guards at the entrance inspecting goods and asking for identification.

“We’re going to be here all day,” I complained.

“That’s how it is,” Erin replied.

I eyed her strangely. Usually, she treated whining like a sport.

2 hours later…

Finally, we reached our turn. “Take off your bags,” the guards instructed. We complied. They lamely glanced over the contents of our backpacks, as well as the items stored on our horse. “Any identification?” they asked.

Erin and I showed off our investigator licenses. “We’re here for the Grand Investigator Competition,” I explained.

“Then you’ll have to hurry. Registrations close today,” they informed us. The guards handed us back our IDs. “Good luck,” they said, waving us in.

***

“The Grand Investigator Competition. Join now, for a chance to win a position on King Link’s court, as his Head of Investigations!” I read from one of the many giant posters all over the city. “Registrations close in an hour!” I cried.

“I’m hungry,” Erin announced.

“Never mind that. We have to register right now!” I insisted.

I grabbed Erin’s arm and ran. As explained on the posters, we rushed to this city’s Guilds Bureau and headed over to the booth marked “Investigator’s Guild.”

“Hello. We’d like to register for the Grand Investigator Competition,” I panted.

The lady checked the clock with a raised eyebrow. “You’re in luck,” she said. “May I see your licenses?”

She took down our names and license numbers, then wished us good luck.

***

The next day…

It was noon. A giant crowd was gathered in a sort of city square.

I hope they’re not all competitors.

The grand competition was starting soon, and the prince was going to make a speech to kick it off.

“Why doesn’t the king give the speech?” I asked Erin, not expecting an answer.

“Apparently, the king is a bit of a recluse,” she informed me.

In an instant, the crowd’s chaotic rowdiness turned into thunderous applause. I couldn’t see anything, but I could guess what was going on: the prince had arrived.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I will keep this brief,” a voice boomed from a megaphone. “This competition is no joke. It is one of the most important things a civilian could do in their service to the king. Information is power and information is obtained through investigation. The king takes this reality very seriously. Only the most special type of person can pass this exam. Therefore, he who wins the Grand Investigator Competition, will be deemed suited for arming the brain of this nation!”

I could see him now, the prince. He looked unremarkable, with his thin lips and rounded jaw. The only thing that stood out about him was the excessive jewellery he flaunted. His chains, rings and diamonds adorned a pompous, red and purple outfit. “Now, all contestants make your way to the exam hall. It is the large building to my lift,” he instructed, pointing to a grey, square building.

We all shuffled around. Eventually, we made it inside. There must have been five hundred contestants with us. The exam hall was exactly what you would think: a depressing auditorium filled with desks. Each desk had a sheet of paper laid out before it. Erin and I sat next to each other, near the front of the hall. At the very front, was a stage with a large, silver bell.

Once everyone had settled, the prince waltzed onto the stage. He ordered us to remain seated and to be quiet. “Good afternoon, contestants. Not everyone in this room is a certified investigator, but that’s not important. What’s important here is that you’re all dreamers. Now, dreamers, ladies and gentlemen, are creative and ambitious. They think in ways others can’t and act on those thoughts. That’s how changes are made,” the prince said.

Does this guy ever say anything meaningful? I wondered.

The prince scanned the room, as he continued to blabber. His gaze stopped on me. Wait, no, it wasn’t me. He was staring at Erin, his eyes full of infatuation. He briefly trailed off, but quickly regaining his composure. The prince finished his speech and immediately turned to whisper something to another man on stage. He glanced at Erin a few times as he did so.

The man the prince had whispered to took the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am the head invigilator for this exam. First and foremost, please place your investigator licenses on your desks,” he instructed. The Grand Investigator Competition will be performed in four parts. For this trial, you may not speak. When you have completed the trial, you must remain seated. As soon as you hear this bell ring, you must stop what you’re doing. When I give the signal, you may flip your papers over and get started,” he instructed. “Any questions?”

Nobody made a peep.

“You have an hour. Begin!”

I eagerly flipped the page…

It was blank.