I placed the flute on the counter and looked Barton directly in the eyes. Upon seeing me, he poured himself a beer, drank it, and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. A sly smile appeared on his face, and I could swear his eyeballs turned into gold coins.
"My favorite thief returns," he chuckled. "What in the god's massive cock have you been up to, Axel?"
"Stuff," I replied shortly. "I got the flute. Give me the gold."
"This customer wants to thank you and pay you in person, my little Axel. She's eager to meet you."
"Aren't you the middle-man? Why am I talking to this 'customer' of yours? It's your job."
"I don't know. She paid me to make you talk with her, actually. Weird lady," he replied, pouring himself another drink. "Have fun. She's at that table, red hair. Drinking white wine."
I glanced over at the table Barton indicated. A young woman with red hair sat alone, swirling a glass of white wine. She seemed out of place in the dingy tavern with her elegant attire and royal-like movements. I sighed and made my way over, wondering what kind of trouble this meeting might bring.
As I approached, she looked up and smiled, her eyes sharp.
"Axel, I presume?" she said, her voice smooth and confident. "Please, have a seat."
I pulled out a chair and sat down, keeping my guard up. "You wanted to see me?"
"Indeed. I wanted to personally thank you for retrieving the flute. It's more valuable than you might think."
I raised an eyebrow. "Valuable enough to meet me in person?"
"Yes," she replied, leaning in slightly. "And valuable enough to offer you a proposition. How would you like to make even more gold than you've ever dreamed of?"
I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Why, if I may ask? I just stole a flute, every thief can do that."
"Barton recommended you."
"Mm, Barton, huh? Okay… I'm listening."
She smiled, clearly pleased with my interest. "There's a job I need done, and you've proven you have the skills I require. It's dangerous, but the reward will be substantial."
I glanced back at Barton, who raised his mug in a silent toast. This was getting interesting. "Alright," I said, turning back. "What am I stealing?"
"A… corpse."
I didn't say anything, just stared at her. I had stolen my fair share of strange things in my life. But – a corpse? Realizing I was quiet for a while, I coughed and tilted my head slightly, thinking I probably heard it wrong.
"Sorry, a what?"
"A corpse."
"Right…" I scratched my head. "For what?"
"The specifics are better left unsaid here," she replied, lowering her voice. "But let's just say it's for a professor who has more use for it than you'd imagine. I already sent another thief – but she hasn't come back yet. They probably caught her. Poor thing."
"So, where is this corpse?"
"It's currently in a mausoleum. The place is well-guarded, which is why I need someone with your skills."
"And how much does this job pay?"
"One thousand gold coins."
I raised an eyebrow. "That's a lot of money for a corpse."
"It's a very important corpse. I'm sure you know who holds – well, who 'held' the highest mana record of all time. Mia. You'll be stealing Mia's corpse." she said, leaning in. "And you'll get half upfront. The rest upon delivery."
I weighed my options. The payout was significant, and while the task was unusual, it wasn't the strangest thing I'd ever been asked to do… Now that I think about it, it was, actually. "Alright, you've got yourself a deal."
She smiled, handing me a small pouch. "Your advance. Meet me back here in three days with the body. Don't be late."
I stood up, pocketing the pouch. "I'll meet you here before afternoon."
She laughed. "Cocky, aren't you?"
"No, just desperate," I answered. "Be here before afternoon. I'll drop the target close to here in an abandoned building, I'm sure this tavern has no corpse policy. One of your men can grab it from there."
"Men? I'm just a poor young lady."
"You've got at least four guards sitting at the tables," I replied, getting up from the chair. "Please, I'm a thief, I observe things, and I can feel when someone is watching me."
"Fine… I've got men here," she admitted. "Anyway, I'll meet you here again."
"Hmm. Catch you later," I said, turning to leave.
As I left the tavern, the rain continued to fall, the streets slick and treacherous. This job was going to be risky, but with a payout like that, it was worth the gamble. I still had a few hours left before James and his goons paid us another visit. I needed to be fast and careful. Like most things in life, I couldn't afford to get caught, especially not with my sister alone while James was still out there.
"I'll need a hand," I muttered to myself. "But then I'd have to split the gold. I'd rather keep it all for myself."
Arriving at the mausoleum, I found a nearby building to climb. I hoisted myself up, using window sills and ledges until I reached the rooftop. From this vantage point, I had a clear view of the mausoleum and the surrounding area.
The mausoleum was a big stone structure, its entrance flanked by two statues of grim-faced angels. There were four guards stationed at the entrance, their armor glinting dully in the rain. They stood alert, occasionally checking around but mostly focused on their immediate surroundings. The area was fenced off with high walls and a single gate that provided the only legitimate way in or out.
Behind the mausoleum, the eastern city wall stood high, with bowmen patrolling its length. They weren't paying much attention to the ground below, but their presence added an extra layer of difficulty. Beyond the wall, I could see the fields and forests stretching into the distance, shrouded in morning mist.
"Four guards… three bowmen. Citizens are also on the streets…"
I crouched on the rooftop, taking in all the details and mentally mapping out possible routes and strategies. The guards looked professional, not the usual bored and lazy sort. They'd be tough to slip past. The front entrance was out of the question; I'd have to find another way in.
"Okay..." I muttered, pulling my neck gaiter up to my nose. "Let's do this."
Looking down, I suddenly realized I was... glowing purple. I raised an eyebrow and retrieved the strange box I had stolen, examining it closely. The box was halfway open this time, revealing the artifact inside: a dagger blade, seemingly ordinary.
"Huh..." I said, pulling out the blade. "What's this? Maybe –" I shook my head. "Nah, gotta keep my head in the game."
Pushing aside the distraction, I refocused, carefully placing the blade back inside the box.
"No time for distractions." I whispered. "Got a corpse to steal."
A cart caught my eye, its wheel deep in mud as the coachman struggled in vain to fix it. I recognized the black carts marked with an 'X' as those used to transport corpses to the mausoleum. If I could reach it, I could climb aboard, act as a corpse, and ultimately gain a free pass into the mausoleum.
"Hmm… okay. Time to move."