Of Arms and Arcane

AN: If you like what you are reading, you can help by giving my novel Rating.

Santon took out a binder from his suitcase and flipped through it. After a few flips, he took out a piece of paper and pushed it to me. “Seeing that this is your first job, let us start with an easy one.”

I took the paper and gave it a read-through. After going through it, I did not believe what I was reading, so I read it again. “People waste gold on this?”

Santon just nodded, “Indeed they do. But who are we to tell fools how to part with their money?”

Well… That was a good point, the super rich back in my old world spend their money on stupid frivolous shit, who am I to tell them to stop if their money comes into my pocket.

As for the job posting and its accompanying information packet, it tells the tale of two sons of neighboring Earl houses playing ever-escalating pranks on each other. Recently, my target, the lordling Evanheart from House Eldermere, used the services of a competing organisation to play the prank of dousing my client with alchemical dye, dying my client’s skin hot pink for a week.

So, as payback, my client, Lucius from House Redwyne, has prepared a special package for me to “deliver” to Lord Evanheart.

When I looked back up to Santon, he had two other objects placed on the table, the first was a small box the size of a cigarette packet, and the other was a small spyglass-looking thing with a mana crystal slapped onto it.

Santon pushed the small box to me, and I opened it to find a small glass ampule containing a translucent dark yellow liquid. “Our client has provided us with a Dreadmusk Stalker’s… anal excretions… I highly recommend not being anywhere close to it when the ampule is broken.”

Dreadmusk Stalker, that sounds familiar from what I read in a bestiary. If I'm not mistaken, based on the drawings, it appears as if someone smashed together a skunk, a fox, and a lizard. They adopt their defensive strategy from the skunk and spray their musk at anything they perceive as a threat.

From what I read, their musk is more potent than a normal skunk’s, and is powerful enough to linger on people’s skin for weeks. If splashed with it, the only way for someone to get rid of the scent on their body is to go through an alchemical powerwashing, and even that would take a few days of multiple sessions of powerwashing. Nasty stuff, if this is what counts as pranks among these lordlings, I do not want to know what they would do if they wanted each other dead.

When I turned my attention to the small spyglass, Santon said, “It was not officially noted down, but the client said that he would pay more if he got a recording of Lord Evanheart when he is exposed to the musk. This is a recording glass, point the lens at what you want to record, and channel mana into it. The better the recording, the more our client would pay as a bonus. Do you accept the job?”

You're danm right, I am going to accept the job! The base pay for this job was a hundred gold, and if I got a recording, it may double or triple the reward.

But before I accepted this job, I asked if he had a map of the region, and he provided one. After doing some quick math, I calculated that it would take around three to four days to reach Eldermere Earldom. After that, I may take a few days to scope out the target, do the deed, and another three to four days to get home.

How was I going to tell my parents that I was going on a job for the Steward’s Guild when I could not talk about the Steward’s Guild to them?... I guess I would have to ask Professor Sageira to cover for me. I would think about it later.

“I accept the job.” I said to Santon.

“Understood, please hand me your membership card.” He just smiled and took an amulet embedded with a mana crystal from his inner coat and pointed it at the job poster with my membership card at the bottom. After the mana crystal flashed blue, then turned green, Santon nodded and said, “Your application for the job has been approved. When the mission is completed or failed, inject your mana into the membership card, and I will come and find you to debrief. Good day and good luck, Sir Ironcrest.” he said as he stood up for another handshake.

I was still cautious because of what he tried to pull with the first handshake, but I returned the handshake anyway. No point being antagonistic to my new employers.

***

Four days after accepting the job, I was at the gates of the city of Sandor, the heart of the Eldermere earldom and residence of my target.

As for how I was allowed out here by my parents, well, I had to kind of lie to them. Officially, I was doing a job for Professor Sageira to drop off a sensitive package to one of her associates, and I added on the excuse that I wanted to do some sightseeing in Sandor, so it may take a few days.

Knowing that I am the student of a Fucking Elder Dragon, they did not push much into the issue and let me go. This was easier than I thought, but after they gave their approval, they slapped on the last part, which may complicate things. I could only go under escort by two of Dad’s knights.

I tried to argue and compromise with them to drop the escort, but they would not budge on it, and I had no good excuse not to have a knight escort, especially because I was the heir to the house. It would just not be proper not to be escorted by the house’s knights.

Entering the city was of little issue. All I had to do was flash my family’s crest, introduce myself, and say we were just sightseeing, and we were able to skip the queue and security checks.

I asked for directions to one of the upscale inns that was associated with the Steward’s Guild, and got settled in rather quickly. I quickly ordered a bath to be drawn from the inn staff, and after I was done cleaning off the dirt from my travels, I jumped into bed for some relaxation.

Only to be interrupted by one of Dad’s knights knocking on my door. “Young master Luke, a messenger from the Eldermere house has come for you.” 

Okay, this is slightly worrying. Did information leak that I was hired for the prank job, and do they plan to arrest me? But it's not like I can ignore the messenger, that would mean my family is snubbing the Eldermere family in the heart of their territory. That would be a huge scandal that my family cannot afford to have.

I put on a simple robe and met the messenger at the door, “Yes? What is the message?” I asked the messenger.

“My Lord Luke Ironcrest, I bring greetings from my lord, Evanheart, son of the Right Honorable Earl of Eldermere. He bids me extend to you a most gracious invitation to join him for an afternoon of good company and refreshment at the Eldermere estate. He hopes you will honor him with your presence, as he looks forward to your esteemed company.” the messenger said politely.

‘Good company?’ Does that mean others are coming to this gathering? If so, this is a better opportunity to scope out the place than slinking around in the night and trying to bypass guards and security arrays. “I am honored by your lord’s invitation. I will be there. By the way, who else would be attending this gathering?”

“It is just a gathering of good company, my lord—nothing grand, just an afternoon among friends.” the messenger said without being specific, but I will leave it at that.

After the messenger left, I went back to my room. I had things to plan.