Silvervein City, main road.
Amos and Bart marched ahead with their chests puffed out, clearing the way.
There was no other reason for their swagger than the fact that they were being followed by a powerful noble lady traveling incognito.
To demonstrate his diligence to the young lady, Bart suddenly lunged forward and grabbed a middle-aged couple pushing a small cart.
“Halt! Routine patrol inspection!” Bart roared roughly, intentionally clattering his standard-issue longsword against its scabbard. “Let’s see your companion leashes! Who knows if you bought some low-quality trash from the black market or if you’ve secretly untied them?”
The middle-aged couple turned pale with fright and bowed repeatedly. The man frantically rolled up his sleeves to reveal the coarse hemp ropes tied tightly around his wrists.
While the guard shouted his interrogation, drawing all their attention, Sophie drifted past the couple with light steps.
Her nails lengthened in an instant, hooking the pocket, before her slender fingers slid smoothly into the cloth pouch at the middle-aged man’s waist.
【Log: You have obtained Copper Shell x3】
【Log: You have completed the achievement [Swift Fingers], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: You have completed the achievement [First Offense], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: You have completed the achievement [Path of the Wicked], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: Due to your exquisite technique and lack of flaws, you have realized the new skill [Pickpocketing]. Spend 1 attribute point to learn?】
【Log: Due to your perfect use of blind spots and misdirection, you have realized the new skill [Stealth]. Spend 1 attribute point to learn?】
【Log: Due to your lack of bottom line in preying upon the weak and suffering commoners, you have realized the new skill [Heinousness]. Spend 1 attribute point to learn?】
Listening to the crisp system notifications, Sophie rolled the three slightly blackened and deformed Copper Shells in her palm. Then, her fingers skillfully reopened the man’s pocket and slipped in three Copper Shells and one Silver Moon.
【Log: You have completed the achievement [First Alms], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: You have completed the achievement [Silent Good Deed], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: You have completed the achievement [Big Spender], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: You have completed the achievement [Path of the Righteous], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: Due to your secretive and generous gift that far exceeded the loss, you have realized the new skill [Merit Accumulation]. Spend 1 attribute point to learn?】
So easy to farm.
Sophie reappeared behind her two lackeys as if nothing had happened and interrupted their display of power.
“Enough. Stop harassing the commoners.”
Amos and Bart immediately dropped their fierce expressions and turned around with fawning smiles.
“Yes, yes. Our lordship is truly merciful,” Amos said.
Bart, meanwhile, glared at the middle-aged couple.
“Aren’t you going to thank the young lady for her mercy?”
“Th-thank you, merciful lady,” the pale couple stammered.
【Log: You have completed the achievement [Impersonation], obtaining 2 Free Attribute Points】
【Log: Due to your calm acceptance of false gratitude without a change in expression, you have realized the new skill [Acting]. Spend 1 attribute point to learn?】
Sophie nodded with satisfaction.
With this, she had enough skill points to squander in the early stages.
Sophie looked further down the street.
There was a sign hanging with a purple crystal pendant that read “Modi's Arcane Forge.”
Without a doubt, that was the magic and alchemy shop she was looking for.
“I’m going into that shop to buy some materials,” Sophie said. “You two stay right here. Don’t wander off.”
“Understood, My Lady!” the two replied in unison.
Sophie nodded contentedly, adjusted the wooden mask on her face, and turned toward the alchemy shop.
Bart watched Sophie’s dark blue silhouette disappear into the shop entrance and scratched his head.
He felt a pang of regret as he touched his empty coin pouch.
“Amos, have you noticed something?” Bart nudged his partner with his elbow and lowered his voice.
“What?” Amos was still rubbing the lump on the back of his head. He didn't even know when he had been hit, but it hurt like hell now.
Bart looked around before leaning into Amos’s ear. “We have a powerful noble lady backing us up now! Think about it. Before, we only dared to squeeze protection money out of street vendors, and we had to watch our step around well-dressed merchants. It’s different now. We have a massive mountain behind us.”
“So?”
“We don’t have a single copper left on us!” Bart slapped his thigh impatiently. “Since the young lady is covering for us, we can use that connection to... make some fast money. Anyone who’s blind enough to resist would be defying the nobility!”
Amos froze for a moment, then hesitantly rubbed his hands together.
“Is that a good idea? Our lordship told us to stay put. If she finds out we’re causing trouble in her name...”
“Are you stupid?” Bart glared at him. “We keep a small cut of the money we get and offer the lion's share to her! What noble lady thinks she has too much pocket money? When she sees how capable we are, she might get happy and transfer us to her private guard. Then we can finally leave this godforsaken Silvervein City and live the high life!”
Amos’s heart began to race at those words.
He swallowed hard, his hesitant gaze quickly replaced by greed.
“You’re right. We’re just raising funds for her lordship.”
The two reached an agreement and stepped into the middle of the street.
This time, they were even bolder.
“Hey! You with the cart! There’s a suspicious mana fluctuation coming from your goods! We’re confiscating everything for investigation!” Bart grabbed the reins of a traveling merchant’s horse.
“Officer! Officer, you’re mistaken! This is just a shipment of ordinary furs!” The merchant broke into a cold sweat and quickly pulled a heavy coin pouch from his vest, stuffing it into Bart’s hand.
Bart took it without hesitation, weighed it, gave a satisfied grunt, and kicked the merchant away.
“Beat it! Consider yourself lucky today.”
With their first take in hand, the duo’s behavior grew even more egregious.
They specifically targeted commoners and vendors who sounded like they were from out of town and had no guards.
In just half an hour, they had turned the street into a chaotic mess. Several vendors who resisted were beaten bloody with the pommels of their swords and left groaning in the corners.
“Hahaha! Amos, look! This money is way too easy to get!” Bart laughed wildly, waving a necklace set with low-quality gems.
“Everyone line up! Hand over your valuables! This is a noble requisition!” Amos pointed his sword at a group of trembling citizens.
Just then, a voice spoke.
“What are you doing?”
Accompanied by a flat, emotionless voice, a blonde girl in a loose nun’s habit, wearing a solar pendant, appeared silently in the middle of the street.
“A busybody? What backwater parish did you crawl out of, nun?” Bart glared, raising his standard-issue longsword and pointing it straight at her. “Can’t you see the noble guard is on official business? Get lost, or I’ll arrest you too!”
“That is a lie.” Kaila tilted her head. “You are not a noble’s guard. Are you committing a robbery?”
“Robbery? Don't use such ugly words,” Bart said impatiently. “We are merely ensuring these commoners fulfill their duties to the noble lords.”
“That is a lie.”
Kaila raised her hand.
A flail composed entirely of pure white holy light appeared in her grip.
The arrogance on Bart and Amos’s faces froze instantly.
“Wait, we are—”
“Thud.”
The flail knocked both of them unconscious.
“A Hero should not ignore the evil before their eyes.”
Kaila grabbed one in each hand and began dragging them toward the patrol headquarters.
“The dungeon will sort out your identities soon enough.”
Rate on N.U.
