It doesn''t take me long to reach the shoreline, although it seems that way, as the moron I''m trying to keep alive doesn''t quit struggling. It only gets better when I finally get close enough for some others to take him off my arms and pull him out. Gods and goddesses, what a chore!


    I don''t regret my choice though. All the more, as the additional struggle earns me an additional reward, as a divine whisper lets me know in short order.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Swimming has leveled up to level 3!]


    I appreciate the notice even more, as I''m getting to the point where I''ll need a lot of skill increases to earn a level up for my class. It isn''t getting any easier for sure. I really need to look into getting a good second class. Or maybe even more than one? Is that even possible? So many questions! No easy way to get answers!


    At long last someone helps me out of the water and onto one of the wooden jetties too. It is Sylwia. Her purse looks quite well filled. Especially when compared to just a little while ago. It seems she earned quite a bit of coin through my little stunt.


    She flashes me a toothy grin.


    “That was a nice show you put on. Even better since you didn''t turn the idiot into a bloody mess.”


    I nod in thanks and take a moment to check my gear. Everything is still where it is supposed to be. I double check my lucky penny too, to make sure. That one too is still there dangling from the leather string around my neck. Everything seems alright, except of course, for the little fact that I''m drenched now from head to toe.


    “You wouldn''t happen to know a place where I can sit by the fireside for a little while? So my things can dry?”


    She snorts and nods.


    “Alright, we might as well hit one of the nearby taverns. Let''s go and find out which one has a nice fireplace.”


    She pauses and laughs.


    “Ha! You really look like something the cat dragged in.”


    I in turn roll my eyes and hold her back as she is already about to get going.


    “Wait a moment.”


    I use that very moment to slip out of my boots, so I can upend them. There isn''t a whole lot of water in them, but still more than I''m comfortable with. Once I have put them back on I let her lead the way.


    Sylwia shoots me some sidelong glances, as we make our way through the neighborhood while the sun sets.


    “Are you alright? That last hit you took looked like it hurt.”


    The memory makes me grimace.


    “It sure did. Never mind though. I got lucky and caught a second wind.”


    For a while we walk in silence. Then, all of a sudden she stops and turns.


    “You know what. Lets forget about a place by the fire at an inn for now. After a dunk in the river, even if it was at the upstream waterfront you probably should visit a bathhouse first. They''ll take care of your clothes for you too.”


    I snort in amusement, but nod anyway. That does sound good. It reminds me of something else I have been wondering about too.


    “Sounds good. You lead the way. That reminds me of something else I have been wondering about though. I have seen plenty of laundry lines, but I haven''t seen any laundry on them so far. What''s up with that?”


    She turns to look at me over her shoulder. The look on her face suggests that the answer has to be pretty obvious, at least to her. She answers anyway.


    “Oh! Right! You aren''t from around here. Sorry. I tend to forget. Well, anyway, this week is beer week. That means that the brewers get the clean water from upstream where it still is clean. Just a little beyond the mill, but not all the way to the farm you visited with Wiktor.”


    My brows furrow. What does that have to do with the empty laundry lines? Then it strikes me.


    “Ah! I get it. This week is beer week? So next week is laundry week? They share the same spot where they get the water for the beer and do the laundry?”This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Another little secret revealed. I can feel [Gather Information] improve a little.


    She nods and stops in front of a building, our apparent target.


    “That''s the way it is. Maybe it''ll change once we get an aqueduct, but that''s still in the far future. Anyway, here we are. This place should do. Some places like these bath houses get water anyway, but they can''t do the laundry at the river obviously.”


    I barely glance at the sign above the door, is shows two matronly ladies bathing in a wooden tub, but I stop before I enter anyway.


    “That''s good to know and all, but how much will this little luxury cost me? I''m not exactly swimming in coins right now, you know?”


    Sylwia stops too and snorts in amusement.


    “Yes, you are swimming in your clothes instead. Come on in, it''s usually just one penny for a bath and another for the laundry. They can afford to offer these prices since they dry the laundry using the same oven they use to heat the bath water.”


    Another woman, one who matches the ladies depicted in the sign pretty closely, pushes past me, while we talk. I step aside to make a little room as I enter. I''m still a little reluctant though.


    Ah well, there is no way around it. With a sigh I give in and we proceed. I earned a grand total of four pennies with my little stunt earlier and now I''m already about to spend half of that to recover from the side effects. And later I''ll in all likelihood spend the rest on a meal and a place to sleep.


    Damn it all. I guess, since I can''t exactly cut back on my almost non existent spending I''ll have to earn more. I need to run better rackets. Or at least more profitable ones.


    I''ll have to inquire about my options with Wiktor or Jerzy. The more profitable a venture the higher the risk to step on the toes of other guild members after all. But that''s a worry for another day. For now I should try to enjoy my stay at the bathhouse.


    The interior of the bathhouse is pretty spartan, everything considered. We pay for our admission in the anteroom. It''s a little sad that the expenditure of two pennies hurts me as much as it does. Then we are ushered into a changing room, where one of the attendants quickly makes off with my clothes.


    I''m a little worried at first, but Sylwia doesn''t seem to be concerned at all, thus I decide to hope for the best too in the end.


    Afterwards do we enter the actual bath, where not that much bathing is going on. We get to wash with pleasantly warm water at least. Afterwards we get to sit in a hot steam bath for a while, before we wash off the sweat once more. Only then do we get to sit in the warm water of the wooden bathtub for a while. It isn''t exactly what I expected, but it certainly is pleasant enough.


    The real pleasant surprise are my clothes afterwards though. They are actually dry, as the attendant returns them to me. She bows her head in apology though.


    “You might have to treat the leather with something, since drying it quickly like this can do some damage. I''m terribly sorry.”


    I wave her off.


    “Never mind. I''ll look into it. Thank you for your hard work.”


    She bows her head again, before she retreats.


    Once we are done dressing we leave the bathhouse behind and head for the tavern that was our initial target. We aren''t in a hurry anymore though and take our time. The nameless little tavern, one without any sign above the door, is closer to the center of the district outside of Riverrun''s walls. I shoot Sylwia a questioning look without voicing an actual question.


    She just shrugs.


    “The beer is the same as in all the rest of the city. And if you want some stronger spirits you are likely to get the good stuff here, since it is one of the places the guild does business with, and besides, it is located pretty central. I can get just about anywhere quickly from here, should my presence be required.”


    Some more little interesting tidbits of information and this time around it is enough to earn a level up for [Gather Information] as the following divine whisper lets me know.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Gather Information has leveled up to level 5!]


    A little more light in the darkness. Another small step ahead. That is a good thing, even if I do not yet know where my path will take me.


    Even better though, I don''t have to pay for my beer this time around either, as Sylwia springs for it, before I can actually grab my purse with its dwindling content.


    “My treat. You earned me, and thus the guild, a pretty penny today.”


    That gets me thinking. When and how does the guild get its cut of my earnings? I''m sure they''ll want to see a share. I decide to ask.


    “The guild''s cut. How is that handled around here?”


    She sips some of her beer before she answers.


    “The higher ups will usually let you know. The guild tends to only demand a cut of bigger ventures though. If you make a few pennies here or there, like today, no will bother you. Most of the guild''s income is generated through bigger hustles organized directly in the name of the guild instead of individual members anyway.”


    For a little while we sit there, by the fireside and sip our beverages. Then she speaks up all of a sudden.


    “Want to be part of a bigger operation? I mean, beyond what Wiktor and Jerzy are already involving you in.”


    Now this comes as a surprise. Is she trying to poach me for her mentor, Jerzy''s brother? Or could she be trying to build a power base of her own, to step out of her mentor''s shadow? Well, unless I ask, I''ll never know.


    “What do you have in mind?”


    She empties her mug in one quick gulp and starts to explain.


    “Well, I have set up a card game for some of the rich kids from the inner city. You know the kind. The sons and daughters of guild masters and the likes who think they are real big bad boys and girls, if they sneak out for a night of gambling. I could still use someone, since Barandon is still busy sulking.”


    I''m still a little reluctant, thus I motion for her to go on.


    “You would fit my needs just right. You have sharp eyes, you have your way with words and you have a pretty face too. If you get a room at the same place as last night I can have someone drop by to pick you up a little later. What do you say? Oh, and there will be snacks too!”


    She knows me too well. I snort and nod.


    “Alright. What do I need to prepare for though? A rigged game? And I don''t exactly have a lot of coin to begin with. Not enough to compete with rich kids for sure.”


    Sylwia in turn flashes me a smile.


    “Never worry! It will be a mostly honest game. You''ll just need to look out for small clues by the serving staff. And this will be one of the guild gigs I mentioned. We will be playing with guild coin. Which in turn of course means that the winnings will go to the guild too. Of course there will be a small compensation for your time and effort though.”


    I nod again and finish my own mug. As we rise we shake hands.


    “Fine. I''ll be waiting for my pickup then.”