It takes a little convincing to get Rajuna to intrude (from his perspective) on the private dinner. He generally keeps the talk light, unsure how freely he can speak in front of the history professor… no matter how much Kendra trusts him. Obliquely, and with no mention of specifics such as names, Raj does share that the team’s investigation into ‘that legal matter’ is progressing despite some twists and turns that remind him of their days in Ravengro (i.e. the case isn’t straight-forward and a shadowy group is involved). He stresses the team is making progress. He lightly touches on a curious discovery, that shoddy research is being done by the opposing counsel (i.e. the police investigation is sketchy). He tries to convey, more through looks and gestures than words, that Kendra needs to be careful – not even the constables should be trusted. He quickly follows that with, ”So, we’ll be investigating for several more days at least, possibly with a brief trip or two outside Lepidstadt, following where the facts lead us.”
With the bulk of a day to kill in Lepidstadt, Mila spends a decent bunch of it just gawking. Some of the buildings are three, four, even FIVE stories tall. And there are so many people. She doesn't trust that she'd be able to lend much to Rajuna's investigation of the fancy tools. Instead, she wanders back to near the building that houses the Beast. She doesn't try to go in, just finds a bench and turns her keen ears to listening-- trying to get some sense of why the people of the city hate the poor fellow so.
Mila also buys and eats six different pastries, each one fancier and prettier than the last.
When Park takes her and Zhandar out for dinner at the fanciest restaurant that Mila has ever been in, she is a bit of a flustered wreck. "I don't have clothes fancy enough for this place," she mumbles.
Park chuckles at Mila's comment. "There are a couple of restaurants in town with a dress code. But this is a university town. Most of the places accept almost anything because they feed the students. I picked a place that I've been to while I was a student here. They've got good food, and lots of students."
Kendra successfully receives Rajuna's message, and silently nods in acknowledgement. The professor doesn't even appear to be listening, politely occupying himself with a copy of the newspaper printed the previous day. Lots of stories about the Beast and its' alleged crimes of course, which is to be expected.
During Mila's trip throughout town she mostly hears people discussing the 'facts' she already knows about the trial, not adding anything new to the investigation whatsoever. However, about half an hour before she joins Park for dinner she overhears a mother venting to one of her friends her worries about her son not having come back from his fishery on the Lesser Moutray River that flows next to Lepidstadt.
"The Beast has been captured already and it'll be hung in a few days so I'm not concerned about anything like that happening to him. I'm just worried he's getting too absorbed in his work to come see his mother every now and then."
Zhandar sighs, resigned to the idea that she must go with Park and Mila and spend time in a public place. Still, she feels she owes them both the courtesy of trying to appear that she is enjoying herself. She wears her cloak with the hood up throughout the meal, and she says very little while Park and Mila converse animatedly. But at least she is there with them, rather than cooped up in her room attempting to brew potions and tinctures in a confined space for most of the evening.
Earlier in the day Mila frowns a bit to hear about the young man who is late in coming home from the fisheries. Even here in the big city, bad things can still happen.... And people always want something to blame. She sighs, filing the information away though not sure if there's anything to be done about it. They likely won't have time for a detour to random fisheries.
****
At dinner, she tries to be bolstered by Park's claim that there's no dress code to speak of. While she's not as taciturn as Zhandar is, it is no doubt Park whose glib tongue mostly dominates the conversation. Mila listens, and goggles at all he various people, and eats, and drinks a bit more wine than she probably should have.
But she weathers it with no ill effects, at least, other than a penchant to get a bit giggly and pink-cheeked, especially when Park is making jokes.
While Park does notice that Zhandar isn't enjoying the evening like he and Mila, he accepts her choice and doesn't try (too hard) to draw her into the evening festivities. He also notices that Mila is drinking a bit more than usual, but feels that the group could enjoy a little bit of relaxing and he drinks a bit more than usual as well....