Reaching Caius' shabby abode, I entered to find him bustling about in the kitchen, the smell of spices and herbs wafting through the air.

"Ah, Elias, you're back," he said cheerfully. "Dinner will be ready shortly. Take a seat."

Had the afternoon gone by already? I lay the suit bag over one of the empty seats and asked, “Did you get this at the markets earlier?”

Caius brought over a large metal tray with a steaming roast to the table. “Yup,” he smiled. “It wasn’t that cheap since it’s not locally farmed. That’s why the seafood here is pretty well-priced. Did you know Leode is one of the best places to be for good quality fish?”

I had already figured that out. In the books I had read, Leode’s known to be a bustling port city, famous for its thriving markets and seafood caught straight from the docks. There are many places for boats to dock and unload their goods from far-off lands. The city serves as a major trading hub, connecting routes to the west and south and the waters surrounding the city are abundant with a variety of fish.

“Yes, I believe you might’ve said that already.”

Caius dished up a place of dinner for us each, the aroma filling my nose and it steamed. This was more like what I would’ve had back in my old world. I nice home-cooked meal waiting and ready for when I got home from studying all day.

We both ate in silence while the slight clang of utensils could still be heard. Upon finishing we cleaned up and I headed up to my room to do some more reading. I had brought a book back from the library and I planned on reading more history before dosing off. The book continued to go on about the city of Leode and its various shops, markets and churches.

Finally, once it started to get darker, I washed up and headed off to bed, but I couldn’t shake the eagerness of tomorrow. What did the boss have in store for me and what was this scouting mission? If I wanted to make a good impression I would have to try extra hard, not only because I wanted to rise in the ranks quickly but because it wasn’t a job I was used to. Me? A bounty hunter? Who would’ve guessed heh? With that, I dozed off to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up early and put on the new suit I had purchased yesterday, along with the sash that matched my hair. The suit once again fit me perfectly and had a soft cotton fabric. I couldn't help but feel a sense of confidence as I dressed, knowing that I was prepared for whatever lay ahead.

I left Caius's house and headed to the bakery to grab a coffee. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee beans filled my nostrils as I entered, and I was greeted by the sight of a cozy little shop with a few patrons sitting at the counter. I ordered a coffee, paid a couple of coppers and headed back out to the road to catch a carriage over to Argyle Lane.

“Welcome back Eli, nice suit you’re wearing. Must’ve cost a pretty penny,” Jean said as I entered The Den. Jean was still sitting behind the lobby counter still. Had he been there since yesterday I wonder?

“It wasn’t too expensive thankfully, managed to get a complimentary discount from Darius heh,”

Jean chuckled slightly, “Boss, is in his office by the way. He wanted to see you when you arrived.”

I nodded my thanks and made my way to Darius's office. As I entered, I saw him sitting behind his desk, looking as imposing as ever.

"Good morning, Elias. I hope you had a good night's rest," Darius said, his voice low and steady.

"I did, thank you," I replied.

Darius gestured for me to take a seat in front of his desk. "I have your bounty hunter's badge and license here. I apologize for forgetting to give it to you yesterday."

He handed me a shiny silver badge with the words "Hunter" inscribed on it, as well as a small booklet with my name and picture on it, confirming my status as a licensed bounty hunter.

"Thank you," I said, feeling a sense of pride as I examined the badge and license.

Darius then handed me a tall bag. "This is your uniform. I suggest you change into it before you start your work today."

Darius then leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, regarding me with a serious expression. "Now, Elias, I know you're new to this line of work, but I want you to be prepared for anything. That's why I've arranged for someone to train you in not only basic knowledge of our field but in something more physical too. You never know when you might come across something that can't be taken down with just a simple bullet or knife."

I took the uniform bag and felt a tingle of excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness at the prospect of learning something brand new. "Who will be training me, sir?" I was confident in my smart skills but getting an opportunity to work on my physical skills more was something I looked forward to applying to what I already know.

Darius paused for a moment before answering. "I’ve arranged for someone to come in every so often soon. Once you learn the ropes and get up to speed, I’ll let you know the further details."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension as Darius spoke. It felt as though I was getting special treatment that others wouldn’t usually get, but maybe that was how jobs here worked. Back at all my old jobs, I never got any outstanding perks, at most I’d get off work early heh.

After thanking Darius, I left his office and went to the designated changing room to try on my new uniform. It was the same double-breasted black suit with a black shirt that I had picked out yesterday. It was made of a light cotton material and felt very flexible. The shin-high lace boots and the black silk gloves really completed the look, it made me feel like a proper bounty hunter. I checked myself out in the mirror, feeling rather satisfied with the way I looked.

As I stepped out of the changing room, I saw Lucas standing there, looking unamused. He was tall and slightly muscular, with short brown hair and a constant resting-bitch-face.

Darius then appeared from his office, and after a brief introduction, he started to brief us on the scouting task. Lucas already knew the details, but it was all new to me, so I paid close attention.

"One of the government officials came the other day asking for us to investigate someone who had been terrorizing him, and apparently stolen from him too. He's offered 20 gold for us to investigate him and get information," Darius said. "If we manage to apprehend him he'll up the reward to 50."

"Well that's a pretty good price just to look for someone," Lucas remarked.

Darius continued, “Usually there would be a split between both of you, but seeing as Elias will only be shadowing today, Lucas, you will get the full amount. Oh and that’s fifty percent of the full amount, the other half goes into our team fund.”

I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as Lucas smirked at me, clearly pleased with the news. It wasn't fair that he got to reap the full benefits of this job while I was left in the shadows, but I reminded myself that this was just my first day and that I needed to prove myself to the team before I could start reaping the rewards. I didn't let my slight frustration show, instead, I nodded along as Darius gave us more details on the target we were looking for.

"He's known as Fritz Haand, well that’s the alias we’ve been given. He's been spotted around the northwest side of Leode," Darius explained. "We don't have much information on him, so your task is to gather as much intel as you can. We need to know who he is, where he operates, and how he manages to evade the enforcers."

As Darius finished speaking, Lucas turned to me with a smug look on his face. "Looks like you'll be doing a lot of observing today, Elias," he said.

I gritted my teeth, refusing to let Lucas get under my skin. "I'm ready for whatever comes my way," I replied, trying to sound confident.

We headed out of the Den and made our way to the roadside where we rented a carriage to take us up to the northwest side of Leode. It cost twelve coppers total as we had to go quite a distance. The carriages not only cost for distance but if we were renting for quite a while, the price would be reduced depending on how long it was.

As we rode in the carriage, Lucas and I kept an eye out the widows. The area we were heading to was called Miire. It was a smaller town known to be a bit rough around the edges, with many gangs operating in the nearby area.

"So, do you have any experience in this field? Like any at all?" Lucas asked, breaking the silence.

I could tell he was trying to get a rise out of me, but I decided to play along. "Well, I did catch a shoplifter once back in my hometown," I lied. I never would’ve done such a thing and always kept to my own, so this was very much a new experience for me.

Lucas snorted. "That's hardly impressive. I've caught dozens of criminals in my time as a bounty hunter."

I rolled my eyes, how petty could someone be, but Lucas definitely has more experience. He’s worked with the Huntsmen for a while from what Jean told me. "Good for you. I'm not here to compete with you. I'm just here to learn and do my job." What did he have against me? Was it because I got this job so easily? I remember he didn’t look pleased when he gave me Darius’ letter.

Lucas shrugged, clearly not bothered by my response. We continued to ride in silence, both lost in our thoughts.

What kind of guy is this Fritz? From what Darius had said, he was just some thief and an annoyance to one of the government officials, how bad could he be? Wouldn’t it have been easier to ask the enforcers to just do their job better?

I decided to ask Lucas, “Why us? Why couldn’t the enforcers just take this job?” Obviously I was pleased that we got the job, it gives me first-hand experience at the very least but as I said, why us?

There was a slight pause before Lucas spoke. “Enforcers these days can be a bit slack,” he remarked while keeping his gaze out the window. “They don’t even come out as far as this anyways. Although you may see them back around town, most of them decide to just stay in the capital.”

I nodded, understanding the situation a bit better. It made sense that the enforcers would stay back where they were better off, the capital did seem much nicer. I wonder when I would go there, maybe I could go as part of this new job?

“We’re arriving,” Lucas said after a short pause.

We arrived at our destination and got out of the carriage. The area was as rough as I had been told, with dilapidated buildings lining the streets and shady-looking individuals lurking around every corner. I couldn't help but feel a sense of danger as we walked through the streets.

Lucas took the lead and asked around the area about Fritz, knocking on doors while I shadowed him, trying to take in as much information as I could. We eventually got some possible information about where he might live after asking around.

"From what they’re saying, he lives in that building over there," Lucas said, pointing to a run-down building at the end of the street.

I squinted my eyes, trying to see if there was any movement coming from the windows, but it was too hard to tell. "Are you sure that's the right place?" I asked, trying to be cautious. “Should we get more information first just to be sure?”

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't have brought us all the way here if I wasn't. Do you not trust my skills."

I nodded, feeling a bit foolish for questioning him. We made our way towards the building, but as we got closer, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. This was definitely not the type of neighbourhood I was used to, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of people we were dealing with. If Fritz was there Lucas would have to take action, cause I for sure ain’t doing anything.

As we approached the building, we heard a commotion coming from inside. We exchanged a look before Lucas motioned for me to stay back as he approached the door.