Bryan woke up and stretched while standing.
Should check the guild before exploring the district better.
After getting his armour on and throwing his bag over his shoulder, he made his way downstairs.
The sounds of people chatting and Tessa rushing around serving people filled the room.
“Hey is that that ‘Bryan’ guy?”
“Not sure he doesn’t look that strong”
Ignoring them, Bryan made his way out into the street and towards the guild.
On the way, he saw the healing clinic and the woman with red hair, healing people.
Will check that place out after the guild.
Walking further until he reached the doors, he opened them to the normal chatter.
Bryan made his way towards the Ellaya, as the adventurers stopped chatting and began staring at him.
For a brief moment, it looked like a scowl on her face, but it was quickly replaced by her overly pleasant smile.
She is unlikely to be honest here…
“Took out the Bear, though it was a higher ranked-beast than an Ironhide”
He took the head out and placed it on the counter.
Without looking at it, she replied.
“Oh no, that is an unfortunate error. I apologise, we were misinformed”
She turned and grabbed a pouch, which she placed on the counter in front of him.
“Luckily, our strongest adventurer was fine”, her smile grew bigger.
“Even saved one of the unlucky men who ran into it before you, well done” After doing this, she started an overly enthusiastic clap for him.
Unsurprisingly, she can act quite well.
Bryan took the bag, shrugged and started walking out of the guild.
Ellaya shouted after him, “Hey, are you not taking a new quest?”
“No, not today,” he said while opening the door.
Reaching the outside, He quickly ducked into an alleyway.
Concealment
He walked to the back of the building, trying a few doors as he went.
At the third door, he used his strength to crush the handle as quietly as possible; the metal shards fell onto the dirt.
Should check the backrooms or cellar.
Bryan opened the door and walked down the stone steps. The room was dimly lit by torches.
Looking in some offices and storage rooms, until he found a locked door.
Checking around to make sure he was alone, he crushed the handle quietly and pushed the door open.
Inside a table with blood stains, two chairs and a man tied to one of them.
Looks like the guy I spared…Interrogated and silenced…
Turning around, he walked back towards the entrance and out into the alley.
Whole guild is involved, should check out that clinic.
Bryan dispelled Concealment before exiting the alleyway, making his way towards the clinic at a brisk pace.
Stopping at the building before the clinic, he ducked into the doorway.
Enhance Senses
The noise flooding his ears, he focused on specific voices.
“It’s only a tooth hole in my arm, but Potions won’t work”, said a male voice.
“Higher-tier Potions would, but that is beside the point”, responded a female voice.
“Either way, healing would cost ten silver” she said.
“That is expensive but fine, here”
He heard the noise of clicking coins followed by a chant.
Ok, I will mimic the circumstances.
Bryan removed his shoulder and arm armour and placed them in his bag.
Pulled out his sword, holding it in one hand and drove it into his arm and twisted, to mimic a tooth hole.
Oww, ok, needs to be deep enough, a basic Potion couldn’t help.
Once done, he exhaled while putting his sword back into the sheath.
Dispelling Enhance Senses, he made his way to the clinic door. Greeted by a woman with red hair, flowing but practical white robes, and an oversized staff.
“Is the very fresh wound on your arm or something else?” she said, looking suspiciously at him.
She is observant, then.
“Yes, a tooth injury, too deep for basic Potions”, He said, holding his arm, trying to look uncomfortable.
She audibly sighed, “forty Silver for this kind of injury”
Bryan pulled out a coin bag and began sorting coins.
“Question, the other guy was charged ten for the same thing?” He said as he stopped and looked at her blankly.
Her head drooped, and she sighed louder than before.
“Look, I can’t deal with this. The cardinal sets how we have to price things.”
So like the guild, it’s top down here.
Tapping her staff out of frustration, she continued.
“People should be charged the same, and we should help those in need”
"What prevents you from doing so?" he replied
“You look wealthy, you get charged more. It’s how it is. If I do not do this, I can’t work here.”
Bryan just stood looking at her, his arm bleeding onto the ground.
That is only efficient for lining the cardinal’s pockets.
“Do you want healing or are we going to stand around debating politics?” she said, sounding frustrated.
He paid her, and she chanted while her hand glowed.
Once his wound had healed, He walked back towards the Inn.
I should see if Reorn is aware of these facts.
Walking through the streets until he got to the inn, he walked inside and took a seat by Reorn at the bar.
Tessa walked over, “Honey ale, Bryan?” she smiled after he nodded in response.
“Hey, you alright?” Reorn asked.
Small talk, a pointless necessity.
“Yes, I am good. I have questions?” Bryan said flatly.
“Seriously, no ‘how are you Reorn’ or ‘how’s your day been’”
Reorn puts on a serious flat expression.
“It’s just ‘I have questions’ then you ask some odd or obscure thing as if you are from a different land or something” Reorn then chuckled.
“But is it not more effective to just ask for the information you want?” said Bryan, looking with a tilted head at Reorn.
Reorn looked at him for a moment, swigged his drink and sighed.
“I guess, you are a weird guy… what do you want to know?”
“The guild is intentionally killing adventurers for profit, and the cardinals are lining their pockets by charging you based on how wealthy you look”
Reorn stared blankly at him, taking inhales as if he would speak, but did not.
With a confused look, he responded: “Where did you get that from?”
“Observation”, Bryan said before sipping his drink.
Reorn gestured his palms out to express disbelief.
“I don’t know what to do with that information”
Bryan looked at him with mild confusion.
“It’s not difficult; I just wanted to know if this is common knowledge?”
Reorn immediately replied, “No, I mean people die, but that is just being an adventurer”, he contemplated for a moment.
“I doubt it’s some kind of plot, and doesn’t charging wealthier people more for healing make sense?”
It is inefficient when it just lines pockets, seems most are not aware of the extent.
Reorn looked at Bryan, concerned, “How can you just say something like that, like dinner plans?”
“Thank you”, Bryan got up and headed to his room.
“Sure, just leave, that is the weird I was talking about!” Reorn shouted after him.
Entering his room, Bryan sat on his bed.
I will hand in some of the more valuable bounties from training and use the money to enter the noble district.
After waking up, Bryan got up and got ready.
He made his way down to the guild and walked straight to the counter.
Ellaya smiled brightly, “Here for another quest?”
“No, to hand in bounties”
He pulled out two bags of wyvern scales, troll ears, and various other high-level monster items.
Ellaya just watched in disbelief as nearby adventurers went silent and stared.
“How did you get all this stuff? And did you seriously just casually reveal you have an Item Box?”
“I killed them and yes”
Should help both reputation and funds.
She collected herself and began sorting through the stuff.
Adventurers nearby comment, “What is this guy?”
After some time of counting, Ellaya turned back to him.
“This is over one hundred platinum’s worth of bounties. We have never dealt with this much before,” She looked frustrated.
Checking the books, she spoke to him. “We can give you ten platinum now, the rest we will give you a writ of debt to be paid over time”
Ellaya then handed a bag of coins and a notice with a guild seal.
Both the writ and the money should get me into where I need.
“That guy is rich now. Why can’t this happen to me?” one adventurer said.
“Go kill that amount of monsters then”, another replied, followed by laughter.
Bryan nodded to her and made his way out, ignoring the stares and whispers.
He headed straight to the noble district and approached the gate, the guard stopping those trying to enter.
Once Bryan got to the front, the guard spoke, “Reason for entry, proof of noble lineage or proof of wealth”
Bryan handed over the writ and, with a handshake, gave the guard five gold coins, stating his name.
The guard smiled, “Ah, Bryan, Welcome, my lord. May your stay be pleasant.”
Making his way through the gate, while looking for an inn, he noticed several things.
So guards are being paid by shopkeepers, and adventurers roughing up merchants.
Place looks cleaner and made of better materials.
After finding an inn, Bryan settled into his new room.
He settled in for the night and slept.
Waking up, he sat on the edge of his bed.
It has been a week, and I have done various quests…
Established a good reputation protecting shops, time to learn more.
Bryan made his way out into the street, and to the noble guild, he handed in the notice for protecting the shop and collected a payment for his writ of debt.
Should see if I can learn anything from a shopkeeper.
Walking to one of the fine item shops, he entered with the shopkeeper waving.
“Hey, Gregor, was it?” Bryan said in an unsure tone.
“Yes, it is, thank you for the other night. Those criminals would have cleaned me out if you were not here.” A smile on his face.
“For ten gold, could you tell me some sensitive information?” Bryan asked.
Gregor quietly ushered him to his office in the back of the building.
Sighing, he spoke, “I was warned you don’t do subtle, for you if I can help, I will”
“What do you know of the nobles interfering with merchants or the guild?”
“Straight to the rough stuff, wow”, Gregor replied as he fidgeted looking uncomfortable.
“Since you like it straightforward, yes, various Nobles influence guild contracts and hire thugs to raid shops of rivals”, Gregor replied and watched Bryan a moment.
“How does knowing this help you, though?”
Bryan handed a small pouch to Gregor and turned to walk away.
“Thank you”
Before he could respond, Bryan had walked out.
I should rest in my room and figure out my next move.
After making his way back to the inn, he ate dinner and settled in his room.
A loud knock disturbed him. He walked over and opened it.
“You ‘Bryan’?” a man dressed in plate armour said.
“Yes, why?” Bryan replied.
“Lord Raeth Callern requests you visit his home as soon as you are able”
“Why?” Bryan was expressionless as he replied.
“Not my job to know, but it’s an honour that he has heard of you”, The man said with a stern look.
The man then leans on the wall, “I am supposed to wait and escort you there when you are ready”
Bryan sighs.
I may as well go now, it could be useful.
He is escorted through the streets to a large gated mansion, through the courtyard and the marble interior.
Such a waste of resources.
The guard stopped outside an office door, knocked, and gestured for Bryan to enter.
With a shrug, he pushed the doors and entered an elaborately decorated office, where stuffed monster heads decorated the walls.
A very finely dressed man sat in a leather chair, holding his hand up, lifts his head.
Lowering his hand, he spoke, “Bryan, I hear you get straight to the point and get things done.”
“Yes”, Bryan said, looking blank.
“It was rhetorical, I would like you to remove Lord Beldry for me” Raeth eyed him as he spoke.
“So, kill him?”
Raeth furrowed his brow, “We don’t say it so bluntly, but yes. He owes me money and has been trying to poach my business”
The lord then stands straight, looking proud “So you will put a stop to this injustice, yes?
Yeah, I see no reason to do this…does give me an idea though.
Looking like he was contemplating for a moment.
“Sure, why not?” Bryan replied.
The lord thanked him, and he was escorted back to the gate of the mansion.
Once the guard was back in the building, Bryan checked that it was clear.
Concealment.
Bryan then snuck back into the mansion and hid in a downstairs cleaning closet.
I will wait till nightfall.
He tucked himself behind some items and removed his concealment.
Several hours later, he heard clangs of metal boots on marble and dinner being announced.
Bryan used Concealment again and made his way up to the office. He quietly crushed the handle and pushed the pin through.
Crushing it is quieter than snapping it.
Once inside, he searched the documents for evidence.
Documents detailing the business poaching, and one detailing the debt owed.
Making his way back out of the house quietly, he had to crush the front door handle too.
He will notice that one.
After arriving back at the Inn, he walked to the owner.
“Could you arrange for a courier to deliver something for me? I will hand it to him at my room?” Bryan asked, handing him two gold coins.
The man smiled and agreed.
Letter to the King via the palace, Lord requested the assassination of another Noble, enclosed is evidence of the reason he gave me. From the renowned Adventurer Bryan.
Once the courier arrived, Bryan handed him the letter sealed with wax.
Now we will see if it is dealt with.
He got himself ready for bed, took off his armour, and put his sword next to his bed.
Threat detection.
Only logical tonight.
Bryan lay down and fell asleep, only to be woken a few hours later by a pressure in his temples.
Jumping out of bed, he grabbed his sword, Naked.
An armoured man barged through the door, three more following him.
None spoke; they immediately swung swords at him.
Blink.
Bryan appeared by the door and drove his sword through the gap in the neck of one of the men’s armour.
Blood sprayed out covering Bryan. He pushed the man away and dove towards the others.
With two clean strikes he had cut the throats of two more, but was exchanging blows with the last.
“You earn your reputation, boy”, the man said while struggling.
“Not many would fight so effectively naked, I almost want to-“ his speech was cut short as Bryan drove a dagger into his chest with his other hand.
The man gargled blood and fell onto the floor.
Bryan checked the bodies of the men; they had a note.
Councillor of the king, This Bryan is clearly a threat. Remove him.
Wiping his face clean with a rag, Bryan sat on the edge of the bed.
This system is flawed and inefficient from the top down…can it be fixed?