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Sometimes, waking early was a disadvantage. The dancer fixed Vincent's left shoulder with her head, her cheek resting against his heart. Her breath on his skin, light as a feather, stirred desire, and he struggled against it. Raya was sleeping with her back turned at him, snoring softly, but her calves kept his right foot prisoner in between, clenching it tighter if he tried to move.

Wow! he thought. What a night! Since he had nothing better to do, he checked his stats. Quiet Leadership was growing fast, and most of the other passives. There were two points in Karmic Charges and a plus one in Spirit and Body.

Nice to see sex counts as exercise… he smiled.

Maybe feeling that small movement, the young woman woke up. She yawned and turned her head up, looking at him. "I fell in love with you the first day we arrived here." Her tone was serious, her eyes inquisitive, asking if he felt the same.

What should I say? Me too, err… what's your name again?

"When I saw you dancing a few days ago, my heart skipped a beat… You’re so beautiful," he said. She pecked his lips, her smile widening, indicating his answer was satisfying.

"Don't shout so loud!" Raya growled. They had been whispering, but Vincent remembered she had drunk unholy levels of alcohol the previous night. The Amazon crawled out of the bed, landing hands first on the floor, then wobbled to her clothes, where she took a flat flast and drank a large gulp.

"Griffon blood, the best hangover remedy," she offered the flask to Vincent.

"I'm good,” he shook his head. "I'll go shower."

"Go ahead. I'll bring my luggage," Raya said, starting to dress.

“I have a ton of things to pack,” the dancer sulked.

Suddenly, Vincent’s mind jumped into a panic mode. “Err… I have a roommate, Lu—”

“It’s all taken care of,” Raya waved her hand dismissively.

It was not the moment to argue, and he dressed too, making a plan on the go. He would wait a few days until the dancer would realize he was a bad match for her, a rough, uncouth rascal—pretty delicate girls didn't take long to figure it out—and when she'd leave him, he'd have a polite conversation with Raya. He didn't mind seeing each other as long it would not become serious. What's serious for them? I don't know a thing about their culture. Did I say something like 'I do' last night by accident? Nah… stop being paranoid, Vincent.

Raya went out first; he followed a minute later, and the danseuse returned to sleep. In front of the room, he almost tripped on a pile of clothes and personal items. They had a note on top of them: 'We're over, Lila. I hope you choke on his dick and die. Nina.'

Now, he remembered the girl's name: Lila. "Geez… she was seeing someone else…" he mumbled. "Fuck… I should've…" He paused because he had no idea what to say. Whatever, he shrugged. We're in a strange, dangerous world, and I don't have time to deal with drama. Whoever this Nina is, they have to deal with it. Lila's an adult; she can make her own choices. He pocketed the note, took the pile in his arms, reentered the room, put the clothes on a chair, and then exited again, aiming for the baths.

The corridors were chaotic. People were running around, carrying their belongings, shouting, arguing, or negotiating. Amazons with wet hair wrapped in towels everywhere, brushing their teeth on the couloirs, using a glass of water and a basin in common, some spitting the toothpaste in their mouth on the floorboard by inadvertence because everybody bumped into everyone.

Two long queues waited in front of the toilets, mixed men and women, and things looked the same downstairs. Deciding to wash himself in the river and pee in a bush, Vincent ran outside, renouncing breakfast. He jogged out of town, stopped near a stream flowing in the main river, undressed, washed, dressed back, and went for the number one in a thicket fifty feet away.

He was about to return to the town when a rustling noise announced a visit. It was the tiger; he felt his mind well before he arrived. The beast was upset. "What?" Vincent asked, crossing his arms. An image arrived in his mind. A wooden shelter. "You want me to build you a house?" White Roar nodded. Rain and cold were the impressions Vincent saw afterward. "Fine, but give me a day or two… I have a lot on my hands."

White Roar disappeared into the bushes, and Vincent returned to the city. On the way, he resolved to check on things and make a plan to counter dangers before they arose. The first stop was at the police station because Thomas was one of their best allies. As usual, the place was empty except for the sergeant.

"Hi," Thomas saluted.

"Busy?" Vincent pointed at the pile of papers on the desk.

"The postman brought a pile of bounties."

"There's a post?"

"Of course, there's a post. Do you think we're savages?"

"Hm…"

"By the way, I signed up with the Guild this morning," Thomas said.

"Are you allowed to be in the Guild?'

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I dunno, conflict of interest? Since you're the police chief and stuff."

"Who cares," Thomas laughed.

"Is Jorge upstairs?" Vincent inquired.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"He passed by and told me they're working to improve your flying construct. It's important, and you should check with him or Bee."

"I will," Vincent nodded, sitting on the chair across the desk.

"So, how was your night?" Thomas winked.

"Wild… Wait! You left early. How do you know? Who gossiped?" Vincent slammed his palm on the table, making the papers jump up an inch.

"No one. I saw you losing the singing contest. Don't you know if an Amazon challenges you to anything, and you lose, you're to sleep with her?"

"I do, now."

"I'd tell you stories, but…" Thomas looked around, "my wife can arrive any moment. She's taking care of the garden, you know. Can I have a few pieces of gold from what we plundered? I'd like to buy her a nice gift, a few rose bushes for her to plant."

"To make her think you love her and spend more time around the Amazons without her breathing on your neck? With so many of them around, even an old goat like you could get lucky."

"Guilty!" Thomas raised his hands in the air.

"I'll give you five coins, but the money stays buried for now. There's nothing that gives thieves away than going on a shopping spree, believe me.'

"You have stolen things before?"

"No, but I've done some training for the police and saw a lot of movies… Listen," Vincent switched to a lower voice, "how well do you know Prague? Pragwyn, shoot, I keep forgetting…"

"I worked in the police there, so I know it well enough."

"Is there something like… organized crime? We call it mafia. I was thinking… if Ludwing starts to suspect we're behind the heist… what if we plant a few pieces of that silverware we stoled on some gang? Then they'd be at each other throats, and we'd—"

"There will be collateral damage," Thomas said. "The gangs don't care if innocents are hurt, and neither does Corvinus. Unrest could lead to civil war. The word is the Beauhemian nobles and the young king are fed up with Ludwing. "

"OK, I get the point… I'll think of something else. See you later."

The next stop on Vincent's list was the workshop. Set mainly in the smithy, it had fused with the leatherworker and the tool workshop nearby. Inside, Lukas was debating with the blacksmith over a technical drawing.

"What's up?" Vincent asked.

"The most advanced fire weapons here are muskets, and he insists we do those. I say we go for Winchesters and gatlings."

"We don't have enough brass," the blacksmith objected. "Your bullets are crazy."

"Aren't you lucky I'm here?" Vincent smirked. "Go for shotguns or old-style rifles that can take waxed paper shells. Heavy buckshots, from close, devastating. Add a handful of bolt action rifles from the early twentieth century with brass cartridges for long distances. How long will it take to—"

"A week for the prototypes," Lukas said.

"A word," Vincent pulled him apart. "How come I never saw a musket around here?"

"They're expensive and unwieldy. Crossbows are easier to make."

"OK," Vincent nodded. "Anything else I should know?"

"We're making great progress on Damascus steel. Magic allows techniques that require a lot of advanced equipment back home."

"Perfect. How about putting some enchanted silver in those blades? I'm talking bespoke blades, something easy to use… axes, machetes… Would that work?"

"Wow! Sure, it would raise their tier to r—"

"Keep your voice low. It will have to be done in secret. I met a…err… smuggler who promised to bring me the stuff."

"I trust Gunther," Ludwig said. "He's part of the guild now, remember?"

"Fine, but only you two. Err… by the way… I noticed you took your things from the room…"

"Sure. I moved in with Bianka and Blaze."

Vincent had no idea who those were but didn't care. "Keep up the good work," he gently slapped the young gunsmith's back and left the building. Sixty feet farther, at the other end of what had become the common courtyard after the fences had been taken out, was the tool workshop. Luckily for them, it meant clockwork and optics, not shovels. Rows of young Summoned engraved old weapons and armor with new enchantments, each at their own desk.

Hm… they work hard…. I have to give them credit.

At the end of the barn, Bee was following the instruction of the local master, nodding from time to time. When he noticed Vincent, he came forward, pulling the Guild Master outside, which was exactly what Vincent was planning to do anyway.

"Thomas told me to—"

"We figured out what the Corvinus diamonds do," Bee said, almost jumping in place out of excitement.

"How?"

"We studied the one you gave us and correlated the shape with a few photos we took from the book. The language is Hungarian, go figure, and we have a smartphone app to translate it… slowly… the handwriting is horrible. They're mythical-level blank enchantment supports. Rose cut, twenty-four facets each, five point eight karats. They're priceless…"

"What do they do?"

"Have you listened to what I just said? Nothing. They're blanks. But if one would engrave enchantments on it… They can hold as many enchantments as facets and of any level. That's why I'm improving my engraving skills."

"When do you need the rest of the diamonds?"

"I could use another one as soon as— You kept them with you?" Bee gasped, taking the gem and hiding it in his breast pocket."

"Yeah… safer this way," Vincent lied. He had forgotten the diamonds in his pants. Taking out the ding discreetly, he showed it to Bee. "It has a diamond too, right? What do you make of it?"

"I need to examine it under a magnification glass, and I don't have time now… things are hectic… There's this… err… Amazon lady who moved with us," Bee blushed.

So, he and Irene have company too… Well… Not my business… "How's your progress?"

"Only two more levels… You think twelve in Body is enough?" Bee asked. My Body grew up a lot last night."

"Don't stop exercising. At twenty, you could take care of yourself in a fight."

"Have to go; I paid the master for a private lesson," Bee blurted, returning to the workshop.

That left Vincent with only one option: going back to the inn. There were two main entrances, the normal one and the courtyard. He took the latter to check whether horses were in the stables. The annex hosted only the two Zen Mounts they had looted from the Mongol Raider and Joe. So, the Amazons are infantry… Or did they leave the horses somewhere else?

He heard steps behind him, then a yelp: "Iiii!" and saw Irene bolting away. Lately, she had been hiding her catlike features, the ears under an angler's hat and the tail tucked under the jacket. Now, the appendice was free and shooting up straight, wiggling like an angry cat's tail would do.

"Irene, I'm so— Pfff…" She's gone. I have to apologize before she thinks I'm behind the idea of inviting her to a threesome.

Returning to his room, he found the space cluttered with countless womanly items. Silk stockings and lingerie were drying across the room on an improvised laundry line; delicate shoes, lots of them—he guessed they belonged to Lila—and weapons. Raya tried putting a six-foot-long greatsword in a five-foot-tall dresser with only mild success. She kicked the lateral panel until it gave way, and the tip exited the closet and rested on the floor.

OK, let's take the bull by the horns. Vincent produced the note and showed it to Lila. "Nina must hurt… She's a nice girl… I think you two should sort it out before—"

"She'll get over it," Lila said, jumping on his neck to kiss him. "This is about true love. That moment when you know who the one is. For me, you two are the one."

Vincent choked. However hard he tried, he couldn’t speak the truth. He spoke the words in his mind—I can’t get into a relationship just now, I just got out of one, and it still hurts—but his mouth said: "Yes, but I'm… too old for you…"

"Don't treat me like a child! I turned twenty yesterday!" Lila blurted, sulking. "You were supposed to be my birthday gift!"

She was so pretty that he couldn’t stop himself from pecking her lips and fondling her hair. That's it! I'll treat her like a child on purpose, so she'll return to Nina… Perfect! he gloated.

Raya approached him and pecked his lips, too. "I put wards around the inn, and we have two permanent patrols in the streets."

"You did good, Lieutenant," he said, improvising a rank.

Raya took an attention position, the sudden move making her firm breast bounce up and down a few times.

Goodness! "I'm going out, have to check some things," he said.

"You're not going anywhere!" Raya hissed, grabbing his lapels and pulling Vincent toward the bed. "Not until we say you can go."

Lila giggled.