Lowlife, Scoundrel, Bandit Queen

Chapter 161 - 161 - Story time

I'm in a good mood after my talk with the old priest. In a good enough mood in fact to do something a little foolhardy afterwards, which means another risky high speed rooftop run. I could take my time to get to the outer district and the boarding house, but I don't. Instead I barely take enough time to make sure I won't run into a patrol on the wall.

At least some of my skills get another workout out of this. For one this is my [Running] skill. No surprise there. And of course my [Jumping] skill benefits as well. In the end [Balance] improves a little too though, as I don't exactly move slow. I don't take any pains to avoid slippery or otherwise unsafe spots either. Neither of the three skills is currently close to another level up, but if I don't use them they won't get there either.

For now though I'm just glad to be back outside the walls though and after returning down to street level I head directly to the boarding house. I'm already plenty late anyway. The lady at the front door barely looks at me, as I hand her a coin in exchange for the key to a room. And the lad she sends to show me to the room is too tired to do more than blink once or twice in my direction as well.

Thus I'm soon left to my own devices, which in turn means that I drop my gear. I don't go to sleep right away though. First I focus on a spot to the side, near the wall, and channel some of my Mana into another light spell. My [Light] spell improves a little and a sphere illuminating the room springs into existence. Satisfied with it I unsheathe my sword to show it some love and care. It only had to cut through spectral bodies tonight, but it still deserves some attention by means of whetstone and a soft cloth.

Only once that is done do I really prepare to get some sleep. I lean my buckler against the wall, propping it up with my sheathed again sword in such a way as to mostly cover the magical light. Thus the room will not be too bright for me. My pack serves as a makeshift pillow once again and my cloak as my blanket. That's it. Finally I can turn in and get some rest!

I really ought to get a bedroll too, complete my kit sometime soon. It certainly would make sleeping here, or anywhere else lacking proper beds for that matter, more bearable. Much more bearable in fact. Yet, at the same time I'm a little loathe to weigh myself down with more gear like that. I might have to think some more about it, but not tonight. All that matters now is that I catch some sleep. And thankfully I don't have to wait long for sleep to claim me either.

The real downside is, that the waking city wakes me too again all too soon. I blink and screw my eyes shut again, but it doesn't help. I'm awake now, as the usual divine whisper brushing my mind confirms.

[*Ding!* You slept. Not bad, but not terribly well either! Health increased by 0! Mana increased by 2!]

With a tired sigh I sit up and rub my eyes. Another hour or two really wouldn't hurt, yet at the same time I don't want to waste any daylight. I have plans for today and not time to waste! Thus I get up on my feet, stretch and roll my shoulders before I gather up my gear and proceed to make myself presentable.

Well, I make myself somewhat presentable. I suspect I might be sporting a mild case of bed hair. A quick look in my little locket mirror confirms it. I might have to either visit a bathhouse to fix it, or at least dunk my head into the river … or maybe not? That line of thought grinds to an abrupt halt, as an idea strikes me. It's a silly idea, frivolous and wasteful even, but I just have to give it a try.

I lick my lips and make sure I'm unobserved. Well, I make sure best I can, now that I know that there might just about always be ghosts about which I simply can't see. In the end I give my idea a try anyway. I focus on my image in the mirror, as well as on my image of myself, in an attempt to force my unruly hair to comply to my will with [Change Shape]. My eyes wide as some of my Mana drains away and my hair actually adapts the way I want it to.

It worked? It actually worked! I actually have to take a moment to calm back down. My hair might be fixed now, but the fact remains, this use of my special racial skill still remains incredibly wasteful. Considering it only achieved something that a handful of water or two might have too. Still, it's good to know.

After looking myself over in the little mirror once more and putting it away afterwards I'm ready to start into the new day. I return the key to the sleepy lad who has taken over the duty station at the front door. Then I'm off to my first stop, the shop of my favorite little witch and her mother.

Along the way I grab myself a bite to eat too. A sugar apple that just so happens to fall of a cart as I pass by. I just have to casually reach out to catch it. The action earns me a little growth for my [Sleight of Hand] and my [Stealth] skill respectively and of course a quick snack. It's not something anyone has to feel bad about, lest of all me. If I hadn't caught it, it would have landed in the mud and gone bad after all. That would have been such a waste.

I arrive at Rysia's shop just in time too, as the witch opens for business. I really have a talent for that it seems. Although, no, in all likelihood it's just because just about all shops are opening roughly around this time. Brygida is there too, the only one I don't see for a change is her feline familiar. I greet the older witch with a nod and actually bow to her daughter.

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"Honored teacher, could I trouble you to lend me an ear and some of your time once again?"

Rysia chuckles but Brygida immediately perks up. Even better though, my [Etiquette] skill benefits once again. Being polite does pay off!

"Oh? Is it about the ghosts? Did the light spell work out for you? There was talk about lights up on the hill. That was you wasn't it?"

Now it's my turn to chuckle, but at the same time I nod. She is essentially right in just about every way.

"Yes, the spell worked as planned for the better part, but I found out that some ghosts are not bothered by it at all. The situation up on the hill should get a little better at the very least though. And, well, I met someone who made me aware of some other ghosts in the city as well. Not troublesome, but troubled in their own way. The story of one poor soul especially touched my heart."

At this point Rysia interrupts.

"Why don't you come inside and sit down. I'll make you some tea too."

Well, who am I to turn down an invitation like that? I bow my head.

"Thank you for having me."

Before I can say or do anything else Brygida already grabs my arm to drag me inside to the usual place where she taught me before. Her familiar is already there too, napping on a windowsill. She only acknowledges us with a twitch of her ear. As we sit down she clears her throat and tries for a regal tone as she addresses me.

"Now, student, please tell me more about that restless spirit, whose fate touched your heart."

I have a hard time keeping my face straight. She is just so incredibly cute when she is all serious like that. Thankfully something else distracts me just in time. It's Captain Whiskers, who actually perks up at the mention of restless spirits. Very curious. I keep an eye on the cat, as I begin to tell Rysia more about that peculiar encounter.

"Well, it all started after I took care of a particular mean ghost up on Hangman's Hill. One called a butcher. It was a bit of a close call too. Turns out I had someone watching my back the whole time though. Another ghost, Báine. She is a bard with lady Sezemat's caravan."

"Oh! I have heard of her! I haven't had a chance to watch her perform yet though."

That injection comes from Rysia, as she hands both me and my little teacher a cup of tea.

I nod and take a sip.

"Thank you. And if you have the chance you should try to catch one of her performances. Anyway, with that butcher ghost taken care off she accompanied me back down to town. She told me a few things about ghosts too. Like ancestral guardians, or animals that can become ghosts too!"

I shift a little more of my attention to Captain Whiskers, but only for a moment, before I continue. I certainly seem to have the cat's attention, the witch mother's too for that matter. And of course Brygida pays rapt attention as well. I guess it's story time for good. I better not keep my audience waiting.

"She proceeded to lead me to an overgrown spot in between a number of fields and pastures. It's only when we got real close that I realized that the foundations of a burned down farmhouse were hidden under all that shrubbery."

I pause to take another sip from my tea, giving Brygida a chance to drink some of her own too, before I continue telling my little audience about that particular aspect of my recent adventure.

"At first I couldn't see anything of course, but Báine coaxed the ghost she intended me to meet to manifest and reveal itself at last. Best she and I can tell it's the farmstead's dog. He must have died in the same fire as his humans, possibly without ever realizing either. Thus, he is still lingering there, lonely and miserable, waiting for his humans to return."

The cat lets out a meow, as if to say that this is so typical of a dog. But that's about it. Possibly, because her witch Brygida is close to tears at the revelation. Thus Captain Whiskers jumps off the windowsill to curl up in the girls lap instead, trading a good petting for comforting and soothing purrs.

I decide to provide some reassuring closure, best I can anyway, too. Right after sipping some more of the tea before it can go cold.

"Well, that good boy really touched me. Thus I decided to try and find a way to reunite him with his humans. I visited the temple last night to ask for some advice in that regard and the old priest suggested two options. First I could ask my divine sponsor for help. Fox might have to negotiate with other deities though. Thus success is not guaranteed. And besides I don't want to bother Fox without trying to solve the problem myself first."

Brygida seems to be catching on fast, as she is quick to perk up.

"You want to call out to the spirits of the departed? You want to call them back, even if just briefly to pick the poor dear up? That's it, yes? I'm right, ain't I?"

She quickly deflates again right after her excited outburst though.

"I'm sorry, my dear student, but I probably won't be able to help. This … this is … I … uh …"

I place a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright. No one expects you to be good at everything right from the start. I'd still be grateful for every pointer you can provide though."

The little witch sighs and together we sip some more of our tea while the cat keeps purring. That's not all though. Rysia comes over to put her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"Well, isn't it a good thing I'm here too then. In this case both of you might end up learning something. Not right now though. I'd rather not discuss this kind of magic during opening hours. Why don't you drop by again in the evening Viviona?"