I take a moment off and grab another bite to eat along the way as I stroll through the streets with the best roadside eateries along the market I visited earlier to help myself to one of those delicious apples. I in fact get one of those very apples, except, this time around it is candied. What can I say, I might just have a sweet tooth.


    The meal costs me another penny. Not much in general, but considering how strapped for money I am, it is a considerable part of my reserves. Renting a room for the night is another considerable hit to my poor purse. In reality it is just another penny, but I have precious few of those to begin with.


    I really want to have that room waiting for me though, when I return from my planned trip. I can leave some of my gear here too. Bulky things like my sword for example.


    Then I''m ready to go. And go I do. The first leg of my trip is a rather leisurely stroll through the streets outside the wall. I take a moment to note the hotpots of the nightlife, beyond what I already know. Then I head to the wall.


    I don''t wait for a patrol to pass this time around. I make sure that none are coming my way at the moment before I start my climb. My [Climbing] skill improves some, but it''ll be another while before it''ll earn me a proper notification via divine whisper.


    Once I''m up on the wall I take a moment to look around. Then, with a nice running start, I move on to the rooftops within the wall. I''m not in a hurry this time around, thus I take a scenic route. A route that earns me partial increases for [Balance], [Jumping] and [Running] anyway.


    There are other benefits too. The lower top speed allows me to move stealthyly enough to have a good first hand look at the patrol routes of the night watch. This in turn lets me improve both my [Stealth] and my [Streetwise] skill at least a little.


    I don''t earn any actual notifications by the time I reach the temple, but I''m quite satisfied with my progress anyway. I''m pretty sure that at least some of my skills have to be getting close to a level up. I really have to do this more often. This is a pretty good workout!


    One more short climb later, which helps increase the skill further, at least some, I swing my legs into the chapel of Fox. It is very much like I remember it, except maybe for the statue of Fox. I''m not entirely sure about this one. Does it look a little different? Maybe? Well, it probably doesn''t matter. Not really.


    I sit down on one of the benches for a moment to catch my breath. Only then do I approach the little offering box. I grab a coin from my purse and drop it into the box. The moment the lid closes again two notifications in the form of divine whispers hit me.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Sacrifice has leveled up to level 2!]


    [*Ding!* Your Karma increased by 1!]


    The notifications are quite welcome. A smile finds its way onto my face. This time Fox doesn''t grace me with her presence. Not in person anyway. I direct some words at her anyway after sitting back down on one of the benches.


    “I know it isn''t much, but I''m starting to do better, little by little. Maybe I''ll be able to drop by and leave a little more impressive offering soon. Anyway, thanks for watching out for me.”


    There is no reply. Of course. Fox mentioned that they can only interfere so much. I still sit there for a little while anyway, enjoying the quiet and peace. Eventually I get up to leave. Not without saying my goodbyes though.


    “Well, I guess, I''ll see you. Or rather, you''ll see me. Well, one way or the other, I''ll be back.”


    Without any further delay I swing my legs back out the window. A short climb later I''m back on the temple''s roof. I look around and decide not to go back the way I have come the same way. Instead I decide to do something daring for a change. On a whim I decide to give it my best and try to shadow one of the night watch patrols.


    Sure, the idea is daring. Many things could go wrong. I''m not careless though. I don''t go for the first patrol I spot in fact. No instead I pick one making its rounds in a part of the city where the streets are especially narrow. The jumps are easier there and the roofs are not quite as steep either.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Once I draw close I make sure to move as quietly as possible. I keep at it long enough to feel my [Stealth] increase a little. It isn''t the only skill that benefits from this little exercise either. At my current, slower pace [Balance] gets to pull its weight too.


    And then, of course, there are the careful little jumps I time just right, with the patrol moving along below, to make sure I won''t be noticed. And those turn out to be the most rewarding.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Jumping has leveled up to level 6!]


    The divine whisper notifying me of the increase of the skill''s level certainly feels rewarding. No doubt about it. Yes, this one makes me feel especially good.


    I wish I could keep at it longer, but eventually I have to stop. The duo patrolling below draws close to the route of another team as they near the edge of the neighborhood I have chosen for this little game and I don''t want to push my luck. No, its best to quit while I''m ahead.


    Yet, I don''t want to turn in either. The night is still young after all. What am I supposed to do though? I''m at a loss. At least at first. Then my gaze lingers on the lord''s keep.


    It isn''t a terribly impressive structure. Not like some fairy tale castle at all. No, it is a compact, no nonsense structure. I don''t know much about it. Not yet anyway. It isn''t far away though. In fact I might be able to properly observe it from one of the nearby rooftops.


    Well, nearby is a relative term. It faces the open, central plaza framed by it, the temple, the adventurers'' guild''s guild hall and a few other important buildings after all. And the other sides are surrounded not by a moat but a wide open street at least.


    I certainly won''t be able to jump to the top of the keep''s curtain wall from any of the nearby houses. Not without learning some exotic skill or spell first at least. I can observe though. I should do that first anyway.


    I move closer, taking a roundabout route and finally make myself comfortable on one of the nearby rooftops. I pick a spot next to a chimney on the side facing away from the keep, to obscure my silhouette. Only my head is peeking above the gable, next to the chimney as I lie down there.


    I can even feel my [Stealth] improve a little more as I do. Very good. And as I observe the part of the keep facing me long and hard so does my [Perception]. It''s not good enough to earn me a notification, but every little bit helps.


    For a little while I watch the mostly quiet keep. There is a guard up on the wall on patrol, but they are content enough with making their rounds and checking the surrounding streets every once in a while.


    I have little doubt that I could get past them without being noticed. I''d just need to scale the wall quickly enough.


    To be honest though, I can''t really hold their neglect against them. Not much anyway. The guard patrols the wall of a keep well within the walls of the city after all. And the streets all around it are very well patrolled too. Still, it has me wondering if there might be other security measures as well. Ones I can''t spot. Maybe even ones that are not easily seen in general.


    Magical wards for one. I''m not sure if I would be able to spot them. I try anyway. There are no easily noticeable clues though. No runes or glowing magic circles or anything of that sort. Well, I guess that would be entirely too easy. Well, at least my efforts push [Perception] along a little further. That is at least something.


    I''m rewarded in another way too though. Movement I spot out of the corner of my eye draws my attention to the top of the keep''s central tower. I look closer, only to realize that what I''m seeing is not a guard. Well, not unless children are serving as guards now. And not unless they do so in their night clothes.


    Damn, this reminds me, I should get myself a change of clothes for the night too. Possibly more than one in every sense of the word. One different from my usual outfit to prowl the city''s roofs and another more comfortable one to catch some restful sleep for the rest of the night.


    The thought makes me grin, but I don''t let it distract me any further. Instead I focus on the apparition at the top of the keep. It''s a boy of slight build, ten or maybe twelve at most, and he really looks a little like a ghost in his night clothes, as the slight breeze plays with them. He is incredibly pale too.


    I''m tempted to use [Identify] on him, but I manage to restrain myself. Instead I simply observe him, as he gazes out over the city. He looks in my general direction too, but I''m pretty certain that I remain unnoticed.


    More importantly though, I soon realize that the youngster isn''t alone up there. Standing a few steps behind him, and thus only partially visible from my vantage point, are two women. Two women wearing something I can only describe as maids dresses. Not some fancy, frilly and impractical outfit. No, no nonsense dresses of dark cloth over lighter under dresses.


    And one of those two is familiar. Yes, definitely. The outfit is different, but that is Justyna. And here I thought that a [Lady in Waiting] would serve another noble lady. Very curious. My gaze shifts back to the youngster she is accompanying. Could it be possible that the boy isn''t a boy at all? It''s a little hard to tell at this distance. I simply can''t be sure.


    The other woman looks a little older, but not by much. An older, more experienced servant? The temptation to use [Identify] keeps growing. I shake my head ever so slightly to drive away the thought. I don''t want to give away my presence. And I''m too low on Mana for comfort anyway. I can''t afford to splurge.


    Well, one thing is for sure though. If two servants accompany the youngster, they have to be someone of importance, no matter if they are a young lady or a young lord.


    I could, of course, simply ask someone to find out, but that wouldn''t be any fun. In the heat of the moment I decide to find out another way. Not right now though. I could try to sneak into the keep another day, or night. Or I could try to get some information out of Justyna some time. She snuck out for one late night card game after all. It isn''t unreasonable to assume that she''ll probably do it again.


    I wait until the trio retreats back inside, then I call it quits too. I have observed enough for one night. Besides I still want to get in some sleep. Without any further delay I take off on one last rooftop run for the night, which earns me partial increases for [Running] and [Jumping] once more. This really is a good workout!


    Thankfully my return trip remains uneventful otherwise. The lady napping at the entrance of the boardinghouse barely takes any note of me. Or at least she pretends to barely take any note. I don''t really care though. Either is fine anyway. The only thing that really matters is that sleep claims me soon after I lie down in my room.