My grumbled accusation, if one wants to call it that, doesn''t faze my host in the slightest. He just shrugs and takes another sip from his mug. Then he leans in a little himself, to continue our conversation in a stage whisper tone.


    “Of course I am. Life is too short not to, especially out here on the frontier. What really matters though is another question. That question being, do you want to learn that little trick? I might be persuaded to teach a disciple of mine, you know.”


    I lean back again and cross my arms as I ponder the question he posed in return. Do I want to learn how to mask my status? Does he even have to ask? Damn it! Of course I want to know how to do that! In the end I nod.


    “Sure I want to learn how to do that, but I doubt you offer free lessons. What would I have to do, to ear your patronage. Beyond paying whatever coin you take, that is. There is something, isn''t there?”


    He flashes me another grin, one that seems a little more predatory, his mug of beer almost forgotten by now.


    “You are right. Of course there is a prize in cold hard coin to be paid for any actual lessons. For now though, I want to find out how well suited you actually are to become one of my pupils. Thus, this first mission I have for you is a test of sorts.”


    I want to grimace, but I refrain. I''m not too fond of being put to the test like this. I''m really not, even if it is something I''ll have to bear with. Thus I remain silent and, after drinking another sip of beer, gesture for him to go on.


    He doesn''t need another prompt.


    “You might have taken note, during your stroll through our little neighborhood, that we don''t have any temples out here, except for the house of the fallen at the graveyard.”


    Indeed. So far the temple of the fallen at the graveyard is the only holy house I have seen so far. And I know as a matter of fact that there is a veritable multitude of divine beings exerting their influence on this world. At last some of them should have temples and clerics.


    Jerzego, or whatever his real name is, seems to take my contemplative silence as confirmation and continues.


    “We have a nice big temple inside the walls, at the lord''s courtyard, across from the lord''s keep. It houses shrines for all the major gods and for many of the minor deities too. It''s too bad that getting there is a little hard for people like us. Harder for you than for me though.”


    It seems he hasn''t forgotten about his beer entirely, as he takes a sip to wet his mouth, before he carries on.


    “This of course is on purpose. It is one of the ways the lord''s officials exercise control over the people, and especially us. Yet, this isn''t all. As if to add insult to injury, the stonemasons who built the temple decided to get clever. They included a shrine for Fox in the temple, but it can''t be accessed from the inside. There simply are no doors leading to it.”


    I drum my fingers on the table as his words begin to build a picture of the city and the situation. This time I decided to bud in and interrupt his explanation, even if just briefly.


    “They decided to be clever, but they wouldn''t dare to be actually disrespectful by walling it in completely. Or am I mistaken?”


    He doesn''t seem to mind the interruption. No, in fact he nods cheerfully.


    “Exactly! The shrine is up in one of the spires, only accessible through its windows. Getting there is quite challenging. But I''m not above accepting a challenge. I hope you aren''t either. Anyway, I have deposited a scroll there. A scroll detailing the details of the deal I''m proposing we strike. Have a look at it and we can discuss the rest tomorrow. How about it? What do you say?”


    I ponder the idea for a moment, before I summarize what he wants from me.


    “The temple at the lord''s courtyard, across from the lord''s keep? Up in one of the spires? The only way in or out is through the windows? And I probably should try not be noticed, right?”


    He nods at my question towards the end and I ponder it some more, as I empty my mug.


    “Fine. Sounds doable.”


    He extends a hand across the table and after a moment I shake it. He seems mighty pleases, as he gets up.


    “I''ll see you here, tomorrow. Take care.”


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    I watch as he leaves. Then I get up myself. The beer is already paid for, thanks to my gracious host. That much works in his favor at least. And of course he at least provides the illusion of having a choice to me.


    I''m not quite sure I really have one though. I''m not sure I want to put it to the test either. I''m not yet ready to take one a gang of this size. Or is it honest thieves guild? Can it be even called a thieves guild if it runs rackets beyond plain thieving and maybe burglary?


    Eh, never mind. Besides, they probably don''t call themselves anything. Any naming probably happens through third parties, through the guard, the lord and his officials most likely.


    I have more important things to worry about anyway. Where to cross the wall for one. I need to find a place where I can safely store some of my things too. I don''t feel like climbing walls and towers or running across rooftops with my sword at my side. It is a good weapon for sure, but it is a little cumbersome too. It can get in the way during an undertaking like the one ahead of me.


    It will probably be for the best if I leave most of the contents of my pack behind too. Yes, I doubt that I will have need for a brass water bottle, a whetstone or flint and steel. I''ll bring the pack itself though.


    As for a weapon my new knife will have to do. If I get into an actual fight I have already screwed up anyway. Yes, I better see the knife as a tool and not a weapon.


    One of the serving maids approaches, a questioning look on her face, but I shake my head and get up myself. A moment later I''m out the door again. I better do my thinking elsewhere.


    I take a moment to stretch, then I resume my walk through the neighborhood.


    Now, where should I store my stuff? An abandoned building? No, that idea is no good. There are no really abandoned buildings as far as I can tell. I guess, out here on the frontier property like that is too valuable to remain abandoned for long.


    I could store my stuff behind a chimney for the night, or part of it anyway, once I take to the rooftops. I don''t like that option either though. In a city with a thieves guild that would be just like asking to be robbed, especially considering that I already had a less than favorable run in with a few street level grunts.


    Oh yes, I better watch my back around those for a while. At least until I get formally initialized into their organization, which should afford me at least a small measure of protection. Especially the one who led the little posse might be and remain a problem though. People like him can hold a grudge like nothing else.


    Finally I come across the solution for my first problem. It is quite unspectacular to be honest. A simple sign, one with pictures instead of words, advertises rooms which can be rented for the night for the low price of a single penny.


    I decide to take the chance. The young woman who was sitting by the side of the building''s entrance on a stool shows me to the room in question and hands me the key once I hand her the coin. She has some words of advice too.


    “If you aren''t out by noon tomorrow I''ll throw you out on the street, or on the cart of a trash collectors. I''ll pawn your things off to one of the second hand shops too. Just so you know.”


    To be honest, it is to be expected. She certainly doesn''t turn a profit from the money she takes for the rooms alone. She doesn''t expect an answer either and is off again, to resume her wait by the door.


    The room really is only barely worth being called that. I mean it has walls, a floor and a ceiling, all sturdy enough, but that''s about it. There are no windows and the door, like the room itself is quite narrow. Almost painfully so. The room isn''t very deep either. Overall there is just about enough room to stretch out and sleep using my pack as a pillow and my cloak as a blanket. At least the floor looks clean enough and it is wood instead of hard stone.


    I''m still quite glad that I don''t plan to actually sleep here. Well, not right away anyway. I might give it a try later, if everything goes well and I''m back early enough.


    One problem solved. Time to tackle the next one. No, not the wall. That will the one after. First I want to disguise myself. And even if I can''t fake my status yet my abilities in the disguise department are considerable.


    I pay especially close attention to the woman dozing on her stool by the door in an attempt to take in as many details as possible. My [Spot] skill improves a little in the process, even if it isn''t enough to level the skill up.


    That isn''t all though. Once I have gained a little distance I stop in a particularly dark spot. There is precious little sunlight left by now and there are no lanterns lit anywhere nearby.


    Even better, I can duck into another alley here and move into another only a few steps further. That way I should be able to shake any pursuit easily. I''m really starting to get to like the labyrinthine layout of this place.


    I wait until another patron approaches the woman to rent a room. Only then, when she is distracted and about to turn to face the buildings interior, do I trigger my [Identify] skill.


    A little Mana drains away and I barely wait long enough for the results to come back in, before I duck into the even deeper darkness of the alley to make my getaway.


    [Ludmilla, Landlady(Earth, Common, Level ???)]


    She has a higher level than me, but otherwise there is nothing special about her as far as I can tell.


    I can hear an argument break out between her and her latest customer. Apparently she mistook him for the one to use the skill on her, since he was walking behind her and I used the skill from the same general direction.


    I''d like to claim that I planned it like that, but in all honesty, it is just a happy coincident.


    I don''t wait to find out how the ensuing argument works out. Instead I head back down to the waterfront. I want a mirror of sorts for what I''m about to do next.


    Finding a spot by the water that is out of sight by anyone else is a little tricky. At least the moon provides all the illumination I need by now.


    I look around once more, to make sure I''m allone, then I focus on the image of Ludmilla the landlady, while paying close attention to my mirror image in the calm water and trigger my [Change Shape] skill.


    My skin darkens a little further, taking on a nice sun tanned tone. My hair darkens a little too, until it is a deeper brown. It grows out a little too and develops the natural wavy appearance of the landlady''s hair in the process. My eyes take on a darker hue too. They almost look like little black pools now.


    At the same time I grow a little short and my body shape in general too shifts subtly, until my mirror image matches the image I have of Ludmilla.


    Once again this all is accompanied by a divine whisper at the back of my mind.


    [*Ding!* Your racial skill Change Shape has leveled up to level 3!]


    The change is a great success as far as I''m concerned. I have to adjust my clothes a little though. How inconvenient.


    And of course there is the Mana drain and the mental fatigue inevitably coming with it. This skill takes a lot out of me. By my reckoning I should have just about enough Mana left to undo the changes when I''m done. Let''s hope I''m not wrong.