With my worn-out shield taken from my inventory, I ascended the stairs toward Mortan’s blacksmith shop. Outside, by the door, I noticed a man in his forties sharpening a knife. He glanced up when I walked up, pausing to set the knife on a nearby crate. Dusting his hands, he grabbed a towel hanging by the window and gave them a quick wipe.
“Hey,” I greeted him, holding up the shield. “I, uh, wanted to sell this.”
He took the shield from me, turning it over and inspecting it closely. “Mmkay…”
“Where’s Mortan?” I asked, curious.
He didn’t look up from the shield. “Visiting his wife’s grave.”
I blinked in surprise. “I thought his wife was alive? He even offered me a sandwich she made.”
The man’s eyes flickered, not missing a beat in his examination. “His second wife’s alive. The first passed away when they were eighteen.”
“Oh… and his son, is he from the first marriage or second?”
“Second,” he replied, giving a slight nod.
“Got it.”
Finally, he looked up, meeting my gaze. “I can give you two silver for this,” he said, holding up the shield.
“Would that be enough to get a ride to a nearby village?” I asked, feeling the familiar weight of my limited funds.
“Carriage services run around five silver,” he said, tucking the shield away beside the knife he’d been sharpening. “You might try the stable—owner’s son offers rides at a bargain.” He raised an eyebrow. “So, still want to sell?”
======================
|Inventory
======================
---------------------------
| Gold: 4
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| [Empty]
---------------------------
| [Empty]
---------------------------
| [Empty]
---------------------------
| [Empty]
======================
Noting the four gold still in my inventory, I nodded, signaling my decision. He reached into his pocket, counted out two silver, and handed it to me with a nod.
“Thanks,” I said, pocketing the coins. “Take care.”
“You too, kid,” he replied, already focused back on his work.
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I left the shop and headed toward the stable. As I stepped through the gates, though, I felt a strong grip on my arm, halting me mid-step. I turned around to see a guard studying me with a scrutinising gaze. I could tell he was wondering why a student was leaving during school hours, and I’d have to think fast.
Swallowing, I fixed my eyes on him, keeping my expression steady. He let go of my arm and looked at me in the eyes.
“So,” he began, “what business does a student have leaving the city at this hour? Thought you were supposed to be in class.”
I straightened. “I have permission from the Queen herself,” I replied smoothly. “I’m on a mission to recover her lost dagger.”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Ah, so her Highness sent you? I heard about the missing dagger. And she picked you to retrieve it?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, my tone unwavering. “It was stolen on my watch. I have to make things right.”
He studied me for a long moment, scepticism flickering in his gaze. “Then where’s your permit? Got anything in writing to confirm this?”
My heart sank, but I kept my voice steady. “It was an unofficial assignment. No papers, just her orders.”
He shook his head, unimpressed. “Unofficial or not, you need proof. Head back to Redwood now,” he ordered, gesturing back toward the city gates, “or I’ll escort you myself.”
I tried one last time. “But—”
“No buts,” he interrupted firmly. “Back to class.”
Slumping my shoulders, I turned back toward the gates, frustration gnawing at me. I needed a way out of the city—just not through the main entrance where guards were too alert. Trying any of the other gates felt just as risky. I had to find a way to slip past unnoticed and make it to the stable.
Thinking it over, I headed toward Mortan’s blacksmith shop, then ascended the stairs opposite, reaching the upper street. I scanned the area, weighing my options.
“Where now?” I muttered under my breath, glancing around.
A few patrolling guards shot me suspicious glances, and I quickly pulled my hood up, walking away at a casual pace. I couldn’t go back to Redwood and sit through classes like everything was normal. I had a job to do—a desperate one. I had to find Suzan and recover the Queen’s dagger, or my own neck would end up in a noose.
I ducked into a narrow alleyway, pacing in circles as the urgency of my situation mounted.
“Alright… Suzan said guards change shifts at certain times. Maybe I could slip through then?”
It was a long shot, but it was all I had. Hoping this would work, I left the alley and headed down the stairs to the lower street, keeping my distance from the guards as I searched for a spot to wait.
As if on cue, Mortan appeared, his face a shade darker, his pace slower. He walked toward his shop, offering a tired smile to the man working inside. I was a little further away, but I also could see them clearly from where I hid between two buildings. Mortan gave the man a pat on the shoulder, and they exchanged a few words before the man cleaned his hands on a towel, removed his gloves, and stepped away.
Mortan hadn’t noticed me; his gaze was fixed on the ground, lost in thought. Knowing he’d just come back from his first wife’s grave, it wasn’t hard to guess why he looked so worn.
“Did you hear me?” a voice drifted out from the tavern next door, sharp enough to cut through the air. “We have to intervene in that tournament. She has to win.”
“And how, exactly?” replied a woman, her voice low but still audible. “Are we just going to jump into the arena and beat her opponent if it gets close?”
“I don’t know,” the man muttered. “But we took the job. We’ve gotta see it through—or who knows what’ll happen to us.”
“You idiot. I warned you not to take that job,” she huffed. “You’re so dense.”
“The pay was good, alright? What would you have me do?”
I stayed rooted in place, listening to their bickering through the window just above my head. They sounded like the kind of people I didn’t want to be seen by. Back in my own world, the most illegal thing I’d done was pocket a stick of gum as a kid. I wasn’t exactly a saint, but I wasn’t like them, either.
The conversation died down, and I glanced toward the city gates, shifting from one foot to the other as I waited. My window of time was shrinking. If I didn’t find a way out soon, I might as well save the Queen the trouble and hang myself from the nearest tree.
After five minutes, the man inside the tavern sighed, and I heard the woman mutter something, though it was too quiet to make out. Just as I thought about inching closer, I caught a glimpse of the guards at the front entrance switching shifts.
Finally—my cue.
“Yes---alright… now’s my chance.”