Rocko appeared again a few moments after James appeared in real space. Not surprisingly, he didn't have any trouble seeing James in the shadow of a bush while James was using Shadow Meld. There was a road not far from where he was, and there did not appear to be anyone. Rocko turned towards the city and smiled, "Good, it worked." He turned to James and looked him over. With a nod, Rocko started walking towards the road. James shook his head and followed. While following Rocko, he took a moment to check his notifications. He only had one new one.
Intelligence +1
Perception +1
James was always pleased when he got increases in his Attributes. It saved him having to buy the Attributes with Free Attribute Points.
James had travelled through many cities in his world. He visited some very depressed towns and areas in third-world countries. This city was not what he was expecting. It was clean, like many third-world countries, but the smells were wrong. There was raw sewage in the streets from both humans and animals. The sidewalks were higher than the street, and there was a gutter between the road and the sidewalk. The sidewalk was relatively clean and was covered by an overhang. Sometimes it was a slanted roof. Other times, it was part of the building above. The people were of all walks of life. Most of the people walking around were human. He noticed a few different races that he had no idea what they were. Fortunately, the Inspect Skill allowed him to identify the other races.
"Step aside!" a loud voice called from in front of him. James had been watching a group of dwarves moving a heavily laden-covered cart down the street. When he looked back to the sidewalk, the man had already knocked him aside and moved on.
"Don't do it, James. It is not worth it," Rocko interjected.
"What the hell was that all about," James whispered.
"People of higher standing are the ones who walk the sidewalk. Those of lesser standing walk in the street. It is a mark of those standing in society on the sidewalk. You being on the sidewalk, dressed as you are, affront their sensibilities," Rocko explained.
"I will show them an affront to their sensibilities!" Jame muttered angrily. "Should we go get some decent clothes?"
"We will not be here long enough to worry about it. Let's just get this task done so that we can get back to levelling. I heard of a low-level dungeon that is not far from here and has yet to be explored."
James moved to the street and did his best to avoid the horse nuggets that littered the street.
"How can you stand the smell," James asked Rocko. "That shit is centimetres from your nose."
"These people can't see or hear me because I am mostly in your head. I am not here. This representation is more for your comfort."
"So, you are not walking through horseshit right now," James asked.
"No."
Following directions from Rocko, James arrived at a large building that was surrounded by a high stone wall and had a gated entrance that men in uniforms guarded.
There were two guards at the gated entrance. "I am here to see the guild master." James advised them when he arrived, "He is expecting me. Rocko sent me."
The first guard scowled and was about to draw his sword when the second one spoke up, "The guild master is expecting you. Go on in and use the entrance on the right side."
James couldn't help but notice their look of disdain. He could smell the horseshit and worse coming from his boots. The horseshit even ruined the bottom edge of his cloak. Without much in the way of options, he moved to the side door as directed.
"You sure these people can be trusted?" James asked Rocko for the fifth time.
"Yes, James. All you are doing is dropping off a thousand gold and then leaving. It has to be to the guild master himself, as per the arrangements. And remember, this is a mighty man. Please don't antagonize him."
"When have I ever antagonized anyone. I was pleasant to the Magistrate and Mrs. Anders. I was even pleasant to the soldier robbing us of twelve coppers." James tried to keep his voice down.
"Be that as it may, this man can have you killed. So, please bear that in mind."
Arriving at the specified door, James didn't even bother knocking but walked in. As the guild master expected him, there was no reason for him to knock. The side entrance was a servant's entrance, and there was not much in the way of comforts. Looking for something to clean his boots, James did not see anything acceptable to use. Using his cloak and some water from the water skin, James washed off as much of the horseshit as he could. Sadly, this ruined his cloak even more. Finding a bin near the door, he stuffed in his dirty cloak.
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Turning around, he was in time to see a young woman enter the hallway and approach him, "Can I help you?"
"Looking for the guild master. I was told to come in through this door. He is expecting me," James repeated.
"Of course. Follow me, please." As she turned to walk back down the hall, she paused to sniff the air. Shaking her head, she continued.
After a few turns and climbing a set of stairs, she arrives before a guard. "This man is to see the guild master." She didn't even turn to look at James as she walked away.
"Thanks," James threw at her back anyway.
"Name," the guard asked.
"James. You?" James replied.
The guard just scowled and opened the door, "You will wait in here." Scowls must be a prerequisite to being a guard.
James walked into the room and looked around. It was not a fancy room, but it was nice and clean. There was a small table with some refreshments. Mostly some grapes and apples, along with some water in a pitcher. Taking the time, James refilled his water skin and snagged a couple of apples for later. Sitting on a chair that was provided, he ate some grapes and used a cloth napkin to finish cleaning his boots. He didn't have to wait long before a man appeared through another door and walked to James. James hid the dirty napkin behind his back and stood up.
"I understand you have something for the guild master?" the man inquired.
"Yes," James replied.
"Good, you can give it to me," the man said, holding out his hand.
James put the dirty napkin in the man's outstretched hand, "I think not. It is to be given to the guild master only." James sat back down and popped another grape into his mouth.
The man looked at the napkin and dropped it to the floor once he realized it was, "The guild master is a very busy man. He doesn't have time for the likes of you."
"Let's go, James," Rocko said, "He doesn't agree to take the funds, then he forfeits the payment."
James stood up and walked to the door he entered from, not even bothering to acknowledge the other man. When he opened the door, the other man shouted to the guard, "Don't let him leave. He has a thousand gold on him, and the guild master wants it."
The guard moved to stand in James' way. "I would be happy to give it to the guild master, as per my instructions, but not to a lackey who will most likely steal it."
The lackey sputtered, "Just kill him. We can say the man never arrived. Not only will we have the thousand gold, but his organization will still owe us a thousand gold." The lacky laughed.
James used Mind Scan on the guard. The guard didn't want to get into a fight with James. He was alone, and James was an unknown. The guard also hated Rupert, who James found out was the lacky. The guard was also thinking about his wife. She was too young to be a widow.
James kept his eye on the guard in front of him. "I do have to give the gold to the guild master directly. And there is no organization Rupert, just me."
"You, you are nothing," Rupert exclaimed.
James whispered to the guard, leaning forward a little, "I see why you don't like him."
The guard smiled, "Come, I will show you to the guild master."
"You will do no such thing," Rupert bellowed, but the guard just closed the door behind him and slid a bolt across it.
As James walked beside the guard, he asked, "How come you didn't use the bolt to lock me in the room?"
The guard shrugged, "Wasn't told to." The answer was so simple in its simplicity that James could only nod.
The next door that the guard opened led to a study. There, an old man was sitting behind a desk. Looking up as the door opened, he inquired, "Yes?"
"James to see you, guild master. He is here to give you the gold." the guard announced.
"Ah yes, come in." The guild master got up from his chair and moved slowly around the desk. The man had a decided limp and used one hand on the desk to steady himself.
As the old man got around the desk, Rupert burst in from a side door, "Guild master."
"Oh, hello, Master Rupert, have you finished those reports for me?" the guild master asked.
"Almost, sir, but I thought I would care about this problem for you since you were so busy." Rupert gushed.
James looked over at Rupert, "You put your nose further up this man's ass. You are going to smell what he had for lunch."
James was pleased to note that the guard and guild master both laughed while Rocko and Rupert gasped in shock.
"He is what we call a brown noser. His nose is brown because he has it up to someone else's ass." James explained.
"I have heard the expression once before. And although it is apt, it is not appropriate, Master James," the guild master stated.
"Sir," Rupert protested.
"Rupert wanted me to give him eleven hundred gold. Otherwise, he would say that I was short," James explained.
"Don't lie, James. There are too many ways to detect a lie." Rocko admonished.
Before the guild master could challenge Rupert, James corrected himself, "No, that's not right. I remember now!" James snapped his fingers, "He told the guard to kill me, and then they would share the gold between them."
"To be truthful, he never said he would share the gold with me. He just told me to kill you," the guard corrected, obviously enjoying the squeals of protest from Rupert.
The guild master looked to the guard and then to Rupert. With a sigh, he shook his head, "Mr. Jones, please escort Master Rupert from the guildhall. I will deal with his betrayal later. Master James, please come in and have a seat."
Grabbing Rupert by the arm, Jones started to lead him from the room. As Jones led Rupert towards the door, Rupert pulled out a bone dagger and thrust it toward the guild master. James didn't know why he did what he did. He didn't even remember how he did it. But suddenly, he interposed himself in front of the guild master, knocking the older man down in the process. In doing so, James took the dagger to his side. James heard the guild master yell as the guard drew his dagger and stabbed Rupert repeatedly in the throat. After that, things started to go dark for James. Even the sound of Rocko screaming his name faded.