Today's morning turned out to be a bit more eventful than I expected, so I should [Record] it slightly differently from the usual style, as I have a strange feeling that I may need to revisit the events someday.
The sun had not yet even fully raised as I woke up, but it turned out that the girls were up already. In fact, Kierra wasn't even present in the house, with Angelique telling me that our responsible worker had already gone to Xiela's shop. She had not said anything about the reasons for such an early call, though.
Honestly, I still felt unsure about how to treat the matter of them working for the [Royal Hounds] cover-up store. But, between Xiela's assurance and the fact that they would be far safer with such people than alone, I decided to avoid thinking about it more than necessary.
I planned to use breakfast as a chance to explain and excuse myself for leaving, but it seems that I will have to pay a visit to Kierra at her work. {And thank her for cooking at first dawn, so we wake up to food!} I inwardly noted as Angelique called me to the dining room, where sausages, boiled eggs, and coarse oatmeal made in buttermilk awaited.
Thus, the first unexpected thing of the day was Kierra's early departure.
The second thing followed right after, as when I started explaining about my trip out of the city, it turned out that Angelique, and by logic Kierra, already knew!
"Falko came by yesterday evening after you left, and he told us." Angelique did not elaborate much but added that Falko had come to speak with them specifically. As I understood, the visit was basically to offer them his help if required while I was away and to ensure them that if they needed something, they should tell either him or someone in the Guild.
I knew that even if I did not ask, either Falko or Zelindo would have the notion of taking care or at least looking after the girls. Still, I could have never expected Falko to swing by before I skipped town.
Surprises for the day did not finish yet, as right after we finished eating and started cleaning the table, someone knocked on the door. As I went to open it, I found out that it was no one but Falko, who quickly greeted me and accepted the invitation to come inside, went to the reason behind his visit right away.
"Maester Zelindo sent his regards and asked me to pass you this-" Falko took out one of the potion-like bone flasks, passing it to me while continuing to speak, "-as well as this ten gold coins in silver and copper for the expenses."
"What's in the flask?" The money was something I could understand, though they could have given it to me in the Guild before we left, but the flask?
"Dye. Your hair is easy to notice to put it somehow, and the Maester considers it will be more prudent to avoid garnering attention." The young guard explained.
"I can't say I don't understand, but it is unexpected." I could only shrug in response, but as I said, I certainly understood that white hair like mine would attract more attention than any other, more typical color.
"Also, wait here for Craftmaster Weralgeal's wagon to pass by. No one but the Maester and me has to know that you will be on it. For the guards at the gate, and any checkpoints, present them this-" Falko produced a small iron badge, akin to the ones I had seen the Guild's guards had on themselves and continued, "-it will not raise questions. As for the gates here, there was a rotation, so the guards are different from the ones that saw you last week."
"Understood, then I will start preparing." While the secrecy, the added one, took me slightly off guard, directives are directives.
After seeing Falko off and confirming that I had about two hours to finish preparations, I scanned the badge quickly, memorized the info, and then went to Angelique. After all, she probably had at least some idea about dying hair, even if she hadn't done it herself. Or at least she could help me do it.
Guild Name Position Cadowden Merchant Guild Rador Vruz' Guild, Guard, Commander.
I would have liked the surprises and unforeseen events to finish there, but my wish wasn't fated to pass. My hair had not even finished drying, now of a dark brown shade, as someone knocked on the door again.
"It is too early for it to be Weral." Muttering to myself while walking towards the door, barechested and with a rough towel on my neck, I wondered just who it could be?
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
"Hoh? I was waited for?" Sonifreda playfully asked, her purple eyes twinkling.
"Soni?" It was nearly impossible to forget someone like her, the first non-human I had seen. But, I recall her described as an introvert, that she seldom left her store, so why would she be here?
"Do you mind?" Her head bobbed, motioning into the house, and I immediately stepped back, inviting her, "Yes, go ahead."
After settling down into one of the chairs and taking out her pipe, something I imitated right away, Soni took a deep smoke and then suddenly asked, "One of my friends told me you will be leaving town, is that right?"
{A friend?} There was no way for me to guess who it could be, as I only knew that she was Azar's friend, and the latter could not know about my journey. Thus, I decided to ask directly, "I wonder who may that be? I will be leaving, but I swore secrecy about the matter."
"Ahh, yes, I forgot about that." She chuckled, revealing her fangs before explaining further, "I have several methods to acquire merchandise. And one of them is acting as a fence for some of the goods that the Hounds find."
Even if I did not tell Xiela about the trip itself, the girls knew, and well, she was a member of such an organization, so it would not be strange for her to be aware. Still, I wonder why she or someone else would go and tell Soni? Especially judging from her titles, she was not a Hound. Hell, she wasn't even human or a true native of the Kingdom.
"Okay, I understand from who you learned about my trip, but what brings you here?" Inwardly wondering and amazed at the number of unexpected things and connections I was uncovering, I continued as previously, asking plainly.
"I wanted to hire you to escort someone from Bigradh to Megvuroz on your way back." In response, Soni spoke up openly as well. Or maybe she always did so. I am unsure as I only treated her for a few minutes during our first meeting.
"Ehh, I appreciate the trust, but why me? I can not be sure on what day I will pass the city or if I will be able to guarantee any protection at all." Indeed, why me?
"Hahahaha-" Soni abruptly laughed in response to my, logical as I saw it, question. Only a minute later, she calmed down enough and continued while brushing her black hair back, "-sorry, sorry. I did not mean that kind of escort. Dart can protect both of you by himself with no problem. It's just that he is not human. And a recently bought out, so he may meet trouble on the road. And as you will be traveling as a Guild member, no city guard will harass him, considering him either an asset or worker."
"Oh, I see, then well, if it is only that, I see no issues. And I will appreciate the company on the road." Usually, I would have thought about the matter for longer, but the words [Recently bought out] made me agree without thinking much. After all, it meant that he was a slave that had paid, or someone paid for his liberty and felt I had to help. In truth, I am unsure why, though.
Hearing my answer, Soni smiled, "Well, that was quick, thank you. Dart will wait for you in Bigradh's Guild ten days from now. I think you should reach it by then, right?"
"Hopefully." I could only shrug in response. From what I knew, the trip to Chubu would take the same time as the one from Churg to Megvuroz, and I would not spend more than a single day before starting my journey back. Thus, ten days seemed enough for me to return to Bigradh, but who knew?
"I trust it will be so. Now, about the payment. I asked Arx, and she told me that the usual fare for such work is about a crown per day on the road." Soni spoke up as her hand moved towards the purse on her belt.
"Wait, there is no need for that, at least for now." I hastily stopped her, but seeing that she frowned in doubt, I added, "We can deal with it later. I trust you will not deceive me, and I prefer to know I have already completed what I had before receiving the money."
"Well, it's the same for me, but I like your way."
After that, we spent a few more minutes chatting, although it was mainly Soni's interest in what I had done with the stuff I bought before, especially the dissolving spit. Discovering that I had yet to use it, she lost interest and decided that it was time for her to leave, less I missed something in my preparations.
But before she left, she chuckled to some inner thought and then unfastened one of the pouches on her belt, "You may not accept the money, but this you will definitively accept." She said as she threw it to me, and indeed, I accepted it. After all, how could I refuse a decent-sized pouch of [Demon's Bane], considering that what she had given me was nearly finished?
Here I would have expected, if not wished even, for the surprises to end. Regretfully for me, Sonifreda had yet to leave as someone was at the door again.
Angelique, whose head I had been noticing poking out of the dining room for all of the duration of my talk with the demihuman, quickly appeared, rushing towards the door.
By this point, I was nearly expecting a visit from anyone, even the Viscount himself thought I had never seen him, but still, when I heard Angelique's surprised greeting, "Mister... Aison, right?" I was taken aback. What was he doing here?
But if Aison's arrival was surprising by itself, the warm greeting between Soni and him was far more. And not just because of the bear hug they shared, but the titles or nicknames they exchanged. Not to mention the other words present in their greetings, they knew of each other, and they worked together with Arxibiela?!
"Red Horn! I heard you are in the city, but to see you in Lindar's house?" In an oscar-worthy representation of a bear, Aison roared as he hugged the muscular [Horned One].
"Steel Man! I have been here for a few months, but Arx told me you weren't around last time I asked!" In a similar manner, Soni responded both in voice and action. Azar, are you sure you even know the girl?! What part of her is antisocial and hates humans?!
***
Several minutes later that Soni left, and Aison did so nearly right after her. Angelique disappeared into the kitchen right after both left as well. As for me, the conversation ending with me in a trance would be short of a description. And indeed, just what the holy tits of the Goddess I have sworn to follow and promote happened?! Just why did a trip, one supposed to be an errand from the local merchant Guild head, turn into something so strange?!
Not only was I now supposed to meet and accompany, although I did agree to myself, a demi-human on the way back, but Aison would join us on the trip towards Chubu as well. What's more, he was actually going there as a member of the Hounds!
Was [Status Screen] failing me? Were titles, in this case, Guild/Organization, hideable? And just why did Arxibiela, Arx, or Xiela, whatever she preferred, forget to tell me that a reporting would be not enough and that I would HAVE to take part in the shit I started?!