That was the news that had made Historia tremble. This was a woman who had ruled for countless years and now her reign was looking to end. Obviously now was the time that rats started to appear in the house.
The Particularly ambitious nobleman grouped behind a particular Marquee who was rumoured to hold a class that could evolve into a King. The founder for instance was the King of Knights but other classes could hold the title of king.
King of Wizards, and King of Brawlers, were all instances of a king titles class and it was what gave a person the right to rule over their domain. Legitimacy was what was written in the textbook Seth had read.
Anyway, this Marquee was causing some issues and since the heir wasn’t nearly as strong as the Marquee, it seemed as though a war was brewing.
Seth wanted to continue on with this topic, but his friends steered the conversation into whether they would kiss the queen for 200 gold. Rat seemed to rationally conclude that this would get him killed but Mouse seemed adamant that his kissing prowess would save him from the gallows.
After Seth spoke some sense to him the trio continued onto more ridiculous topics until the night faded and Seth eventually wound up home. Serene Mind was truly useful for this kind of thing and alcohol in general was very good for practicing skill mastery.
The next day arrived, and Seth quickly observed where his mana beacon was located. He climbed up onto the top of a parked carriage and with a few minutes of fumbling he managed to locate the beacon on the second floor. He then got shouted at by an angry old rich man before Seth managed to dash away and enter the back streets.
Knowing where he was, Seth decided his best bet was going towards an area of housing just outside of the noble district. It was part of the greater housing area, but it was a small subsection locally known as the Servant District. Here was where Seth was dropped off before and so when he arrived he started looking for ex-employees of the Baron.
There were very few who left the servant life as very rarely did people change their classes and loyalty was always better grown over years than instilled in months. However there were a few retirees, and these were the people Seth found willing to talk about where they used to work.
The best source he found was a grumpy old woman called Gertrude.
When Seth knocked on her shabby, wooden door she answered with a screech that would scare any kid away in an instant, “WHAT IS IT YOU WANT?”
She unlocked the locks holding the door closed and poked her head around to see who was disturbing her. She looked like any kind grandma except her eyes held malice and her expression was one of annoyance and anger.
Seth was dressed in his casual wear, but he had his mystical clipboard and so asked with a calm but overly joyous voice, “Hello, my name is Carl and today I’m here to do a questionnaire for the local school. It is about previous employment and their working environment. Oh, and before you say no we do offer payment for those that do answer truthfully and to the best of their ability.”
Seth's smile was cranked up to maximum and although the woman was still annoyed, the glint of gold made her calm down and answer with only mild annoyance. “Only 1 Gold? I worked for the Baron and yet you want to hear my answer for only one gold. What do you take me for.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Seth had to double-take her answer but realised he may have overshot her personality. Angry but righteous, it seemed money wouldn’t be able to make her tell her secrets.
The woman continued, “I would need at least 3 Gold before I said a word.”
Seth saw how the woman looked mildly smug at her own actions even though, if Seth were being truthful, she would be overcharging a school.
Humans were truly greedy animals. Seth was sadly no different and although he was hypocritical, at least he knew and would admit that he was. Better he was self-aware than just annoyingly ignorant.
Seth looked into his money pouch to see his gold supply was dwindling. He still had that skill book, Moral Compass to sell but he would rather use that on a fellow member of his new guild, than waste on some gold coins.
Seth reluctantly parted with three of them for the answer to his own question, and although the woman was annoying she was a woman of her word.
She had worked as a maid for the family for 75 years and she was 80 years old today. She worked for the young Baron, and she described him as a stuck-up but well-mannered young man. The Baron was a good master and treated her with good care until his parents died.
“After that”, she described, “he grew cold. He spoke to no one outside of his duties and the once pleasant morning greetings turned into cold nods. Then the city started to fall. Fear of the upcoming invasion scared off merchants and once a large guild of them left the lifeblood of the city was all gone.
Then we moved here. That house we bought for cheap as nobody wanted it and then I retired. 4 weeks since then and I have not regretted that decision one bit. Happy with that?”
Seth enjoyed the Baron's backstory, but what he really wanted was a description of the house's interior and he got exactly none from that story. It seemed he needed to narrow it down.
“Sorry no. What about your work environment, the house you just moved into, could you describe that?”
The woman seemed annoyed at the continuation but she seemed to like talking and so she chattered on.
“The house is truly nothing like the one in the city. 4 floors compared to the 6 and even most of the rooms are worse in quality. The servant's floor, which is the first one, has good facilities and the safety there is as good as it gets. We get good pay and although the Master is cold he isn’t actively unkind. Anyway, what kind of research is this?”
She was getting off-topic again, so Seth steered her back on the right path.
“I believe there’s only one school in Babylon, except the private ones that is. I’m from the general one, not a high enough level for the Noble one. The study is on the treatment of Servants, and we are having a little competition on which noble is the best to serve. Would you have any extra information if I told you that?”
Seth knew the woman was loyal, 75 years makes even the most stubborn people fold so with that in mind he coaxed her into an open-ended question. Hopefully, she went in an interesting direction.
“I will indeed. That man gave me everything, a home, a living, so he better win that competition of yours. Hold on let me think, I’m sure I could tell you something.”
The old woman crouched further over her cane. The door was now wide open, and the woman stared at the floor until she said, “AH! I know one. We get to eat whatever is wasted, or not eaten. I know the bastards down at Count Cromwell don’t get to do that. Hold on, I’ll think of more.
We sleep at 11 every night.
Full meals are provided with income.
We get to see the art around the house and appreciate what those masterpieces are. I know most aren’t even allowed to gaze at them.
Wait, I have more...
His office, we are allowed inside his office where he keeps a safe. Is that not trust rare to find in Master?”
Seth had what he wanted so ended the conversation.
“Okay, yes I agree that is kind of him. Now I must go, I have many more to interview. Thank you for your time.”
Seth walked off happy at a successful interview. There was one thing that bugged him though as he remembered the conversation. `A safe, she said a safe.`
Did that mean there was more, or was Seth just thinking too much. Usually, he would rely on his intuition for this kind of thing, but it came up completely blank.
Seth decided to just take it at face value. He just needed the knife and why would someone use two safes for such a simple object. With his mind calmed he got ready for the heist. He had his equipment; he had the information, and he was ready to do what was needed.
There was one final thing to do, the actual heist.