Lowlife, Scoundrel, Bandit Queen

With a slightly lighter pack and processed paperwork I return to the lobby on the ground floor where I get in line at the counter again. Thankfully the line hasn't gotten any longer in the meantime. Thus it isn't long until I can hand the veteran behind the counter my quest papers.

The veteran looks them over, including the additions the other clerk made, nods and writes an entry into her book before filing my papers and, at long last, handing me the two shillings that make up the reward. She flashes me a pleasant grin as she does so and even adds a wink for good measure.

"Don't spend it all at once."

I let out a heartfelt laugh and after a moment she joins in too. Finally I nod.

"I'll keep it in mind. For now though, I'm looking forward to a bath and some sleep in an actual bed."

She nods as I make room for the next adventurer in line. With one last wave I'm off up the stairs, while I make the two coins disappear into my purse. It's like I said. My first destination is the bath. And I take my sweet time there for a change, enjoying it to the fullest. Only afterwards, with still slightly damp hair do I make my way to the dorm room.

The place is not quite as full as it was the last time I slept here. Quite a few adventurers are probably already out for the night sampling whatever marvels of Sezemat's circus that might already be available. It looked like the theater and the circus were still under construction, but the market with all the stalls and eateries should already be open if I'm not mistaken. Well, as long as it means that I don't have to sleep by the open window for a change I certainly won't complain.

I check out the free beds briefly and quietly, mindful of those adventurers that are already sleeping. Finally I find one that is to my liking. I stow my pack under it and a little later I'm firmly tucked in under the fluffy blanket. It doesn't take too long for sleep to claim me. No wonder, do I not have to worry about anything for a change after all. Well, no that's not quite true. There is one thing I worry about, which is even haunting my dreams, at least briefly.

Damn, I hope it's just a dream and that I'm not actually snoring like that. Good gods and goddesses, that would be entirely too embarrassing. Thankfully that dream soon fades to be replaced by others. Sadly it's the only one that sticks in my memory by the time I wake up next morning to familiar sound of the usual notification.

[*Ding!* You slept pretty well! Health increased by 0! Mana increased by 7!]

I yawn and stretch and look around inconspicuously, as I sit up. No one is looking at me funny and it's not because I'm the only one awake either. Quite the opposite seems to be true. There are plenty of others who seem to be keen on getting an early start into the new day.

Well, maybe I should check out the stalls of the merchants from Sezemat's caravan too? It's not something I can do every day. No, it's a rare chance I should take advantage of. At the same time … maybe I should check in with Beldragor too? Maybe he needs some last minute help? Maybe he would even be willing to part with a coin or two in exchange.

A quick visit to the bath to freshen up a little later I'm ready to head out. I stop dead in my tracks though as I reach the ground floor. There aren't that many adventurers up and about yet, but most of them are gathered at the quest board engrossed in a number of conversations as it seems.

I just can't help it. My curiosity wins out in the end. I just have to know what is up. Quiet and without a word I head over to join them and catch a glimpse at whatever exciting news has them so worked up. I, of course, have a sneaking suspicion already, but I have to make sure anyway.

As it turns out, it's pretty much exactly as I suspected. There is a quest related to the wyvern I reported on the board. There is something unexpected too though. It isn't an extermination quest. No, it's a capture quest instead. I blink, nonplussed.

"Huh?"

Curiously enough, I actually feel a little glad. Sure, the beast is dangerous. I have no doubt about that. It hasn't caused the city any harm so far though and the way it cares for its unborn offspring … am I actually getting attached to the monster? Well, alright, maybe a little.

One of the other adventurers present, a young male dwarf in modest but well kept chain mail, with an equally well groomed beard must have heard my exclamation of surprise, as he turns to look my way. He provides commentary without any further prompting.

"They are magnificent beasts. Dangerous, but magnificent. They are pretty popular as winged mounts."

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I nod. I'm not nearly as surprised as I probably should be. There is one thing bothering me though.

"Isn't it too old for training as a mount? I can't quite imagine it taking to that without putting up fierce opposition."

I'm apparently not that far off the mark. A slightly older human woman, a scout of some kind if I had to guess, standing just beyond the dwarf decides to explain.

"You aren't wrong. There are spells that help with that, but in all likelihood, they just want the mother along with the eggs and thus her hatchlings eventually. Wyverns have a surprisingly tight familial bond, at least for the first few years. Sure, they can imprint on humans too, but that just isn't the same. A wyvern hatchling that imprints on a human usually never learns to fly. At least that's what I have heard."

It makes sense. Well, it makes some sense at least. I'm not quite sure if sitting on the back of a scaled monstrosity, where one can't keep an eye on the stinger at the very tip of it's tail, is in anyway sensible at all. My mind is already focused on another little detail anyway.

"So, who is springing for this quest? A dozen high ranking adventurers for a dangerous job? I can't imagine that will come cheap."

Now that comment earns some honest laughter from the others all around, most of them nodding in agreement too. It's, surprisingly enough, the guild clerk who wrote down my report, who answers the question, as he comes over to pin some more much less glamorous requests to the board.

"There was a lot of magical instant communication going on last night between our branch and those in all other major cities of the frontier. If I'm not mistaken Sera Sonia of Starshard won the bid in the end. She really went all out to outbid Ser Seweryn of Silver Lining."

Those names don't mean much to me, but judging by the reaction of the others they are big names I would do well to remember. Considering the way they are spoken and considering the amount of money in question, I'd hazard a guess that they are the lord and lady respectively of the mentioned cities.

One of the older adventurers, a knight himself judging by his gear and posture, snorts in response. It's a sound that's only partially amusement. It only suggests that there must be some history in between the two nobles or possibly their cities. I don't have to ask either to learn the details. The man is quick to provide them anyway.

"Seweryn tricked her into spending a fortune on this quest. He knew that she had to go for it, that she couldn't let him get his hands on wyverns after he already outdid her with his gryphon cavalry. She should have realized that there is pretty much no way for him to keep both gryphons and wyverns at the same time. The beasts hate each other. Never mind that both eat an ungodly amount of meat."

Now it's the dwarf who addressed me first who snorts. His snort is clearly amused.

"Well, I won't complain. If it means that we get to earn two or possibly even three times more than we would have otherwise, then that's quite alright with me. Let the lords and ladies squabble if they want to. I for my part, I'm quite busy worrying about the specifics of capturing a fully grown wyvern alive without getting eaten."

I decide to add a few words of my own too before I leave the group to their plotting and planning.

"Don't forget that the eggs need to be handled too, and with great care at that. They need to be kept warm too, but not too warm. Oh, and each one is about as big as me."

Before any of them can ask for more details I leave with a cheerful wave. I'm not part of that quest beyond the services I already rendered. Thus I don't need to do either their work or their thinking for the lot. Instead I quietly enjoy that my [Gather Information] skill advanced a little thanks to what I just learned about local politics.

Humming to myself I'm off. There is just one problem. I'm early. Not too early, but early enough for the crowd at the gate waiting both to get in and out, to be too thick for my liking. Thankfully I take note before I actually get there. Still humming to myself I detour into the next alley and then another before I take to the roofs in a narrow dead end, where I can easily climb by jumping from one wall to the other using the sparse handholds and footrests to great effect. A notification startles me a little as I finally set foot on the shingles of the roof.

[*Ding!* Your skill Jumping has leveled up to level 8!]

I probably shouldn't be surprised, but I really haven't been paying as close attention to that skill as I should have. I'm grateful for it anyway. Especially as it indirectly improves my agility and thus my attack power too. This one counts as progress for my hedge witch class too, meaning that the class is very close to its next level up already. Overall I'd say this is another good start to another day. I can only hope that this keeps up.

There is no time to think about it much anyway. First I need to get away from the edge of the roof. The early morning light and the long shadows it casts help to hide my presence up here, but I still have to be careful. Thus I move up to hide behind one of the dormers of this particular rooftop. And once I'm certain that there is no patrol incoming, I quickly take off to cross the wall well away from the gate.

My early morning rooftop run earns me a little progress for a whole slew of skills once again. My [Running], [Jumping], [Balance] and of course [Stealth] skills all benefit. None warrant a level up yet, but that's quite alright.

I quickly descend back to street level once I'm outside too and, after reorienting myself, resume my way to Beldragor's shop, the Paws and Pawn without much hurry.

Something is different today though. That much quickly becomes obvious as I draw close to the shop near the upstream waterfront. It doesn't take me long to figure out what it is either. It's not Beldragor's shop especially, it's the whole neighborhood. It's much quieter than usual. Out of the corner of my eye I spot one of Barandon's goons lurking in dark alley, taking his sweet time eating a snack he could have gobbled down with two bites and within the blink of any eye if he really wanted to.

He barely flinches, as I move in his direction, slipping past him, deeper into the alley. I'm actually a little impressed, considering the last time this particular lad got to see me was when I slugged it out with Sylwia in a dark alley not all that much unlike this one. I speak in passing, before I stop in spot obscured by some crates.

"What's up? Is everyone out of town?"

He snorts and nods, obviously relieved that that's all I want from him.

"Sure. With Sezemat's caravan in town a lot of people browse their shops for a change instead of visiting their usual haunts. Beldragor is over there visiting Sezemat too, just in case you wanted to see him."

That is actually quite helpful. I nod, with a slight smile tugging at my lips.

"Thanks, much appreciated."