Once the spectacle has moved beyond the city gate the two of us leave our rooftop perch. We head towards the tavern where Jerzy tends to hang out together. We don't quite reach the place though, before Sylwia intercepts us. She isn't here for me though. Instead she heads off together with Matylda after a quick exchange of nods.

I don't let it disturb me and continue on my way. I just hope my master is there. For all I know he might already by busy elsewhere in the city after all. My worries prove to be unfounded, as I enter the place though.

He is sitting there at one of the tables in the back and he greets me with a jovial smile.

“Viviona! Just the woman I was hoping to see! What an exciting morning, don't you agree? Ediva and her band always are good for a spectacle!”

I nod and order myself a bowl of porridge in exchange for one of my sparse coins, as I sit down with him. I make sure to seat myself in such a way that I won't block his view of the front entrance.

“No doubt about it. Is it really always like this though? And what did you want to see me about?”

He waves my attempt to turn the conversation around off though. My efforts aren't for naught though, as I receive a notification via divine whisper.

[*Ding!* Your skill Syld (Language & Script) has leveled up to level 4!]

I pause briefly and take the chance to take a first taste of my porridge. It comes with plenty of butter and the cook hasn't skimped on the salt either. It's indeed very good. Almost as good as this notification in fact. Leveling up language skills is surprisingly hard.

Jerzy doesn't interrupt my meal either. No, he takes the chance to order himself another drink and waits until I'm ready. Finally I take a break while eating and ask the question burning on the tip of my tongue. Well, I ask one of the many anyway.

“What's the guild's stance on memberships with other organizations? Like the adventurers' guild?”

He nods and grins.

“Ah, that is an easy one. I'll even provide the answer free of charge, as this is essential information for our field of business. To put it simple, we don't mind, as long as you don't stab any fellow guild mates in the back in the process.”

I raise an eyebrow and he elaborates a little further.

“With the adventurers' guild this means mostly that you aren't supposed to collect bounties put on any other guild members. Beyond that we don't really care. It can be beneficial after all. If there is trouble it usually comes from the adventurer's guild's end. They are not too fond of us. It gets especially bad should there ever be a bounty on your head. It can get ugly real quick in that case.”

I grimace a little, but finish my porridge before I reply. I don't want to let it go cold after all. This is a reminder of how I met Alia, Núira and Rami. The first thing they did, knowing my class, was to check the wanted posters. Of course the attitude is understandable, but I still don't really like it.

“It's all fun and games until someone puts a price on your head. Is that about it?”

He laughs out loud.

“Just about. Everything considered, we don't mind, if you join with them too. I personally never bothered. Wiktor did for a while though. He probably could tell you a little more. As for the other questions you asked, when you got here. Yes, Ediva always makes a spectacle of herself and her companions.”

He takes another sip from his drink.

“The lords of the frontier cities like it better that way too. As far as they are concerned, it is for the better if everyone knows where exactly the fiercely independent and tremendously powerful wizard is at. And, of course, the people like the show. Probably because most never ever bother to think about what a spell like that could do to their homes.”

I nod as I finish with my meal and am pleasantly surprised, as Jerzy orders me a drink too. There is no such thing as a free drink though. Especially with guys like him.

He has yet to answer the most important question after all. And judging by the look on his face he is well aware of the fact. He makes no move to speak up on his own though.

I want to sigh, but I don't. Instead I just ask again.

“You mentioned that I'm just the woman you wanted to see. I take it isn't related to Ediva and her band of adventurers. Or is it?”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

He shakes his head, a cheerful smile on his lips all the while.

“No, nothing like that. I have another little job for you. You still remember the wagon loads of spirits we helped move to the city, right?”

I nod. Of course I do. It hasn't been that long after all.

He in turn flashes me a beaming smile and continues. He continues in a slightly more subdued tone though. Not in a conspirative whisper, which would be a stupid and conspicuous idea, but still at a slightly lower volume.

“Well, we still need to do something about those crates that fell off the back of the wagons. We can forge the papers to go with those easy enough, but anyone smart enough to check back at the warehouses would notice that something is wrong.”

I nod in understanding.

“Anyone checking back at the riverside warehouse would notice that these crates never went through it. You want me to forge a paper trail for that shipment.”

I don't phrase it as a question, because it really isn't. I'm just not quite sure how he wants me to go about it.

He nods happy enough.

“To the point! You won't have to do any of the actual forging though. We have specialists for that. And we don't even try to get our hands on the warehouse ledgers. It would probably be easier to break into the lord's treasury. No, you just need to sneak a piece of paper a receipt for a shipment received into a stack with other similar papers.”

I nod again.

“One more receipt in a stack of others. Nothing special about it. The clerks unwittingly enter it into the ledger afterwards. There will still be discrepancies if they decide to take stock though.”

Jerzy waves away my objection.

“Don't worry about that. It will be almost a year before they do another full inventory. By then no one will remember any details. And in the meantime all kinds of things could have happened to the crates and bottles. Everyone knows those clerks sometimes help themselves to some of the wares. Even if they claim to be innocent no one will believe it.”

He winks at me as he finishes.

I want to roll my eyes. I want to laugh. In the end I do neither. Instead I just let out a little sigh as we both have a drink. Finally I speak up again.

“Fine. I have to sneak a receipt into the right stack of papers. Anything else I should keep in mind?”

He flashes me another smile. As he pulls the piece of paper in question from a pocket in his waistcoat only to slide it across the table towards me.

“Of course. Don't get caught!”

Of course. There is no better way to draw attention to an irregularity than to get caught trying to cover it up. I accept the paper and thus the job. Before I slip into a pocket of my own I eye it up briefly.

For a forgery it looks pretty good. I can't say anything about the signature, but it looks like a hasty signature would. The paper, or rather the parchment, isn't pristine either. It looks like it has gone through some hands. There are some minor stains and a few wrinkles. It even smells a little like the farm from where we got the shipment. Now that is a nice touch!

I can feel my [Perception] improve a little. One of my best skills. By now it has to be getting close to leveling up again.

With one last nod I get up.

“I guess I'll head over and get a good look at the warehouse and the crew working there. Anything else I should keep in mind beyond not getting caught?”

He nods, still entirely too happy.

“Yes, if you do get caught, at least don't let them get a look at the receipt. That way we can at least try again.”

While that may be true, it is also not very helpful. Even worse, I'm pretty sure that he is that way on purpose. I roll my eyes, but nod anyway.

“Fine, I'll see to it.”

With those words I finish my drink and am off. My mind is already on this latest job, as I make my way across town. First I need to get a good look at the warehouse and the people working there. Then I can hopefully come up with a halfway decent plan.

I'll need a way in and, of course, back out. Better make that at least two ways back out. And unless the papers and the ledger are not under constant watch by at least a scribe if not a guard, which is unlikely at the very least, I need to create a distraction of some sort too, to deposit the receipt I have with me.

In theory I have just about enough Mana to change shape once. Which means I could tr to impersonate someone. I'd need to get the right outfit as well though in that case. Otherwise it would just be a waste of Mana and time. No, that is unlikely to work. I better keep that ace up my sleeve in case I run into some real trouble.

Even with the morning's excitement it doesn't take me too long to get to the other side of town, where the warehouse in question is situated. I don't go directly for it right away though. First and foremost I do my best to blend in with the crowd. My efforts quickly bear fruit and earn me another partial increase for my [Stealth] skill.

I look at the wares on offer in some of the nearby shops. I have an eye on the people coming and going from the warehouse. I watch the arrival of a river ship, not terribly large but heavily loaded and deep in the water.

This, I quickly decide for myself, is my best chance to get into the warehouse. Without hesitation I line up with the stevedores getting ready to unload the ship. I may not know much about ships, but the same is probably true for most of the workers lining up with me. And I can haul cargo just as well as most of them too.

The guild has a presence here too, among the dock workers. It's one of the numbskulls who tried to mug me together with Barandon. I barely need to squint at them to get the guy to back off again, as he is about to approach me at first.

It seems I really have made an impression with that bunch. Or maybe they received a stern talking to from Sylwia or Jerzy's brother afterwards? Either is fine by me as long as the guy doesn't bother me right now.

Some of the other workers eye me briefly as they notice the unspoken exchange. Non of them say anything though. It seems they know better than to interfere with guild business.

Curiously enough the little episode improves my [Streetwise] skill, even if just by a little. I guess I just learned something good. Good enough to improve the skill anyway.

Only a few moments later I carry a fist bundle of furs. It's heavy, but not too heavy. Most importantly though it gets me a chance to see the interior of the warehouse up close. There is something else too. Hauling the goods from the ship earns me a penny, once we are done. It's not much, but I certainly won't turn the coin down. Anyway, it is time to look busy!