So inclined or not, they probably would cross paths at some point. Patchouli had found the archives and was without a doubt scouring them for all the information she could find -- on the city, or even just in general, really.

So, when she finally ran into him...

"Excuse me, sir," she began, "but how much have you found here about this city?" It sure seemed to her like she wasn't having the best of luck with finding information about the city. Shouldn't there be something here?