Cold yellow eyes flicked between the line that she was standing in, the hairy, good-humored fellow at the counter, and the clock behind the counter. Time was passing quickly. Moving obnoxiously fast, as it only seemed wont to do, when you had places to go, and people to talk to. The dark skin woman with light-brown hair took a moment to blow away her agitation. She reminded herself it didn’t matter. The wristwatch on her arm would ensure that she got where she needed to be, “when” she needed to be.

Sawyer Guillot wasn’t sure exactly how she felt about her new job. On the one hand, it was definitely safer, and less high-pressure than being a freelance adventurer and huntress. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure she’d exactly call it less stressful. Then again, after years working as an adventurer and mostly keeping to herself outside of the occasional team-based mission, or group raid, suddenly switching over to a job where she regularly had to deal with people was definitely something that would take some adjustment.

Sawyer’s turn in line came up. She swallowed the irritation she’d felt at having to actually stand in line, and brought out a discreet paper parcel with the hairy, large-bodied, fellow behind the counter’s name on it.

“Ah, what can I help you with, Miss? Are you looking for sandwiches or soup?” said the man. Sounding just a little too happy for someone who’d likely had to wake up before dawn to start their day.

“Actually, I’m here on business…I’m with the Holst Curio, Convenience, and Grocery….” said Sawyer.

“Ah, wonderful, wonderful…Between you and me, I was a bit worried. It’s been hard to get away from my counter as of late,” said the big man. Somehow looking even happier, as if some invisible burden had been removed from his shoulder, thus completely freeing the man from worry, and the effects of gravity.

“Not a problem, sir. Would you mind signing for the package?” said Sawyer. Nodding as she summoned a projected system-message window, that would look like an ordinary clipboard and form-sheet to anyone who was watching from the side.

“Of course, of course. Thank you again. Send Mister Holst my well wishes…May the gods smile on you, my friend,” said the man. Smiling broadly as he signed the “clipboard”.

“Thank you, sir. Have a good day,” said Sawyer. Nodding and stepping out of the line, no doubt to the relief of the man’s many, hungry, early morning, customers.

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After leaving the small food-stand and restaurant behind, Sawyer mentally opened her system to look at her itinerary for the day. Looking up her next destination. She made her through the busy streets of a not-quite modern city of a society just barely entering its industrial age. Ignoring the food slop and feces that still ran into the street. Ignoring the catcalls, and gracefully staying out of the reach of the numerous cutpurses that had been eying her since she was dressed just a little too nicely for this part of the city.

Any eyes that were following her likely ended up feeling quite perplexed as they watched the young woman seemingly vanish amidst the crowd as she watched over a broad archway that had been built as a memorial to some war or the other. They wouldn’t know that things archways, doorways, and hallways were useful tools for the woman and her employers. Their liminality and innately intermediary natures, making them ideal anchoring spots for gateways and portals.

Sawyer found herself leaving the city, and ending up in a small town on the country-side, of an entirely different Server. An entirely different reality. Oppressive amount of sounds and smells receded. Sawyer, who was more used to living in the wilderness and wastes where there were hardly any people, found herself breathing easier. Sawyer’s clothing shifted from the suit and tie she had been wearing to a tasteful traveling gown with a coat emblazoned with the Holst Store’s name on its back.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Sawyer’s next delivery took her to the nicer part of the small country town. The part of the town where the buildings were farther and farther apart. Separated by fields and forests. The part of the town where the houses grew larger in scale until they started to look like castles. The part of the town that was only technically part of the town, and was really a collection of small territories owned by a collection of well-to-do minor lords, and extremely wealthy commoners.

Sawyer found herself doing a good deal of walking to get to her destination, but she didn’t mind. She could have teleported closer to the delivery site if she wanted to, but she’d purposefully chosen to appear at a point that was a little further away. Teleporting a little bit away from the customers kept any parties that might have been attempting to keep an eye on the shop’s activities from being able to keep a clear eye on their customers. While also, allowing the shop to do more to obfuscate their activities.

Sawyer didn’t mind having to deal with a bit of a trek. Considering her former occupation, it goes without saying that she wasn’t someone who minded hiking every now and again. Plus with her cultivation and enhanced physique, the woman could cross a lot of ground with great ease. In fact, there were a few carriage riders, and fellows on horseback, who were perplexed to find themselves being lapped by a figure that hadn’t looked like it was moving very fast, yet was clearly moving fast enough to pass them by, despite some of them moving at a full gallop.

Soon enough, she reached where she needed to be. Ringing the bell of a country mansion. A servant answered the door. A stiff-lipped, old butler, who looked like he was cross to see the likes of Sawyer on the mansion’s doorstep.

“This is the home of Master and Madame Singh. Who may I ask, is calling?” said the butler.

Sawyer’s brow furrowed. This was one of their destinations where she was asked for some discretion. Thus instead of actually answering she waved her hand. The butler’s eyes glazed over and he closed the door. The old grouch would forget that he’d answered the door, but he “would” remember to inform the mistress of the house that there was a caller. A few minutes later, a woman came out wearing an elegant tea gown. Her face covered in concealer, and a heavy amount of makeup, that failed to hide the bruises and scratches beneath. Which is why she also wore a veil.

“Good morning, Madame Singh,” said Sawyer.

The woman nodded light. Giving Sawyer a tight smile.

“Well, it is now that you’re here,” said the woman.

“I’ve a package for you,” said Sawyer.

“Thank you. I’ll take that,” said the woman.

“Er, I’ll also need you to sign, please,” said Sawyer.

“Very well. Thank you again. You have a lovely day,” said the woman.

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Sawyer’s next delivery involved a bit more action. She found herself appearing in a blind alley behind a castle-like school. There were some gentleman there who were clearly up to no good. As was evidenced by the knocked-out guard lying a little ways away from them. Sawyer asked for some intel from the store staff that she knew would likely be nearby. Wanting to know if she should step in. They got back to her real quick, after joining the Holst company, Sawyer was rapidly beginning to realize her employers had quite the behemoth under them. The army of figments operating with an efficiency that almost made the involvement of people like Sawyer, and potentially even the Holst’s themselves, seem just short of redundant.

Once Sawyer got her answer from the Holst company’s intelligence-branch, she pulled out a mute-pistol. This was not just your ordinary “silenced” pistol mind you. This was a magitech firearm that actually fired materialized silence. A sort of “anti-soundwave”, that could either stun or kill depending on the settings of the gun. This time the mute-pistol was set to kill. Apparently, these men were some pretty bad customers. Enemies of the store by virtue of their targeting a contracted ward of the store. The funny thing was one would think the backers of this group of thugs would have learned something from what had happened to one of the biggest crime families in the city, but it seemed some people can only learn the hard way.

Three pulls of the trigger muted three heartbeats. Then, after, Sawyer had collected the corpses in her inventory and used a cleaning charm to clean away any residues that might have been left behind. She headed for the front entrance of the school. There was a certain young girl waiting for some arts and craft supplies, and Sawyer had loads of other deliveries that she needed to drop off once those had been handed off to the young Miss West.