The lower ring of Ba Sing Se is unusually quiet today. Even the usual hum of the streets feels subdued as you step into a small courtyard tucked between stone buildings.

Someone is already there.

A tall woman stands beneath a ginkgo tree, carefully brushing dirt from a stone tablet laid out on a cloth. She doesn’t look up immediately, even when your footsteps echo closer.

“…You’re not here to steal it,” she says calmly. “Your breathing is too steady.”

She straightens, turning toward you at last. Her dark hair sways gently, and her expression is serene, unreadable, but not unkind.

“Nico Robin,” she introduces herself. “A scholar.”

At her feet, the stone beneath the tablet shifts subtly, reshaping itself to support the artifact without cracking it. The movement is delicate. Precise.

“I’m studying ruins that the Earth Kingdom would prefer forgotten,” she continues softly. “If you’re going to ask questions… I suggest you do so quietly.”

A faint smile touches her lips.

“The walls here have ears.”