Finished [Azuran City] Corruption and Riches Pt. II

[saxon]

Hello everyone, this RP is set in the world of Isekai Hell; you can find information about the world here.

This Rp follows Kasumi as she, Lucian, and Bosco begin their heist after collecting information and gathering supplies to help them. The Rp follows the events of [Isekai Hell] Intrigue Down Below and [Isekai Hell] May There Be Plenty of Fools!, [Isekai Hell] The Party of Greed, [Isekai Hell] Foul Enigma, directly following the events of [Isekai Hell] A business Proposal and [Isekai Hell] Corruption and Riches Pt. I.
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Setting:
Locations: Azuran, Ryke
Time of Day: 12:00 PM
Weather: The Sun sits in the sky there is barely a cloud in the sky as the summer heat beats down upon the city of Azuran
Interactions/Mentions: Qu-Ce gmimperfecti

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Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - C

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

The city of Azuran is nestled along the southwestern border of Ryke, becoming a major trade city in the southwest region. Many merchants come inside Ryke and outside this city due to the access to goods from the country across the border. The border had shifted from time to time over the centuries; however, currently, the city was in the Protectorate of Ryke's territory. The town started as a small village, but as the borders moved, money came to the town, and trading became its primary source of income. Many people set up their shops in the town as it slowly expanded, turning it into the thriving trade city it has become today.

However, in most cities, there is corruption among some of the people that hold the most power. Nobles and officials both crave money, and each has their allegiance, which does not always coincide with the rightful ruler. Even some citizens within Ryke hold grudges against the current rulers and upper class. A situation that some counties would take advantage of. Recently a weapons shipment was destroyed, sending news throughout the city as the city guard and the adventurer's guild became more involved.

Rumors have been circulating about the Lord Constable's corruption though every time someone goes to investigate, they either find nothing or they disappear entirely. But there was always one thing in common with the person of interest; the last time she had tried to get the information, she slipped the shipment accounts to the adventurer's guild. There has been new rumors of something big going down at the yearly Festival of Kunstrin though that is still months away. However, the rumors themselves haven't led to much light. However with the Local academy releasing students for break many young nobles send letters to higher-ranked nobles and try to curry favor by working for them during the break period.

Over the last couple of days, the trio staked out the Lord Constable's Mansion. The level of guards had remained the same; however, the guards started to be more static rather than patrolling; they were standing in place. Kasumi walked down the stairs of their base of operations, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The candles Lucian has bought did help a little bit, though Lucian himself would have heard constant banging coming from a wardrobe in his room. Reaching the ground floor, she went to the living room and sat on the couch. She pulled out the three letters and set them down on the table as she examined the wax seals that were on the envelopes.

Today is the day, I suppose; with the break period starting today, all we are going to have to do is look like we know what we are doing. She thought to herself as she rested her arm on the back of the couch and looked out the window as she pulled the curtain aside. Several carriages rode down the street as the sound of hoof beats got louder and then slowly softened. Some of the servants of the area were already starting their chores a few of the lower-class nobles in the area were outside as well walking to wherever they were going. Letting out a small sigh she stood up from the couch and started to pull the curtains open before heading toward the kitchen.

 

[Qu-Ce]

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"Edmund Hayles"​

A faint savory aroma lingers in the air near the kitchen. Adrian Bosco stands idly at the counter, stifling a yawn. Or perhaps it’s better to say that his [Alternate Identity] “Edmund Hayles” does. The man’s stylings are quite different from normal. Hair trimmed and swept back, and an outfit plain but meticulously put-together, yet still the same stony expression. Placed on the counter next to him are a few boxed lunches.

He turns his head to Kasumi as she makes her way into the kitchen. With no more greeting than a token nod, he gets straight to business. “How much time do we have left? We should go over some things one last time, just so we’re on the same page. Particularly on what the story is with House Greshlan. Where it is, the names of the lord and lady, things like that. And if anyone has plans or expectations from the others beyond familiarizing ourselves with the mansion, we should be clear on that as well.”

 

[saxon]

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Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - C

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

As Kasumi rubbed her eyes before letting out a yawn as she noticed Lucian hadn't come back down yet. Though there wasn't much time to waste and they wouldn't be able to wait for him here when they were supposed to meet the Lord Constable. As Bosco started to ask her questions she held up her hand for a second. "Elementry my dear Bosco, we should head out immediately once we are ready, we don't want to be late to meet with our soon-to-be employer. House Greshlan is a house in the city hat had just risen to noble status, it's a real noble house. But a fairly unknown one, which is the reason I chose to use it as my cover. So long as you remember the name Lord Winter Greshlan there won't be an issue. He does have a wife of sorts, though many would consider her a mistress," she concluded as he leaned back in her chair revealing the letters of introduction for a moment before tucking them away.

"You already know what I intend to do, which is to get into that study and see what paperwork that he has around in his desk. Whatever you and Lucian you do besides that is on you. But I assume you don't have anything you want out of the mansion that could potentially link you to all of this should things go south. But do tell what are your plans when outside the agreed upon items?" Kasumi inquired as she leaned on the table, waiting to see what his reaction was going to be.

"But the plan is rather simple, we go in posing as I'm on break from the academy here looking for favors to help raise my family to the higher status. We learn the schedules for the workers there along with the Lord Constable and then I will take the papers and whatever other goals you guys have we will do. Though I'm not sure how Lucian is going to get away with all that money and give it to the poor without it being noticed," she concluded with a simple shrug of her shoulders. She was indifferent on the whole matter.

 

[Qu-Ce]

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"Edmund Hayles"​

Bosco looks at Kasumi, unamused. “Elementary, huh. It’s midday and you look half-asleep. I think I’m the most ready to leave out of all of us.” He turns his head to the part of the building in which the stairs are located, and shakes his head. “But at least you’re not Lucian. If he isn’t up by now, we should leave him behind. It may be better for us if it’s only us two that are there for the introductions anyway.” He continues his utterance in a quiet grumble, “Not that this behavior isn’t discouraging…”

“As for my plans, they were to help Lucian clear out the treasury and rendezvous in a quieter place to take my share. I’d rather not have anything that doesn’t belong to me in my own hands until after we leave the city, or at least this district. As for how I plan to help until then…” Bosco turns to the boxed lunches and takes two of them, setting one on the table in front of Kasumi. “Here’s your lunch. This one…” he says, holding up the other boxed lunch he picked up, “has what you bought from the apothecary inside. Let me know when you need me to use them. I’ll try to commit the mansion layout and guard schedules to memory in the meantime. That will depend on how much freedom of movement I have.”

 

[gmimperfecti]

Lucian now in his Alternate Identity as Bill had spent the night in the stables with Juniper that was after he'd been woken up by a hand reaching out from the mouldering wallpaper trying to pull him into the wall. As a result, he'd slept horribly and woken at the crack of dawn, but such was the life of Bill anyway. Having Bill establish his own cover this past day or two enabled him to follow a similar set of activities. Bill had become known throughout the town square, his infectious laugh and spirited tales captivating the hearts of those he encountered. Today, as the sun's morning glow illuminated the cobbled streets, Lucian-Bill was preparing Juniper for a day's work. The horse neighed gently bribed with apples and carrots. Lucian-Bill tried to adjust the harness like Bill would.

“Steady there, Juniper," Lucian-Bill murmured with a chuckle, patting the horse's flank. "We've got day of adventures ahead."

A young mother with her toddler approached, the child wide-eyed and pointing at Juniper. “Horsie!” the child squealed in delight.

Lucian-Bill, ever the entertainer, reached into his pocket and, with a flourish of sleight of hand, produced a tiny wooden horse figure. He handed it to the child with a wink. "For the young horse lover. A little keepsake from ol' Bill."

The mother laughed, "You always know how to put a smile on our faces. Thank you, Lucian-Bill." She then leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You know, there's talk about some merchants fixing prices in the market. Thought you'd want to know.”

Lucian-Bill's keen insight picked up on her sincere concern. "Ah, always something brewing, isn't there? Thank you for the heads-up. I'll keep my ears open."

After a time, Lucian-Bill pulled the wagon over to the entrance of the haunted mansion.

"Oy Young Miss Greshlan and," squinting his bleary eyes, "Is that you Mister Hayles?" He shambled into, knocking his boots on the side of the entrance before. "Should we getty up or is the young miss still recovering from socializing the night 'ore?"

 

[saxon]

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Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - C

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

"Looks my dear Bosco can be deceiving, say you see an old man with a rather young lady would that cause you to take a second glance? Or would the fact that you can see a dagger hidden on the woman thigh that is going to catch your eye?" Kasumi paused for a moment to give him a moment to answer before continuing on, "We see only what we are told to see, if you are told not to look for something then well you probably wont look for it unless you have experience or know something." With that she stood up from the table and grabbed the lunch that was placed back in front of her and started to walk out toward the door. To which they quickly came across their other companion to which Kasumi gave a disapproving glare for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"Just stick to the plan and we shall all make it through the next couple of days," Kasumi concluded with a nod of her head. As Lucian continued to speak she simply rolled her eyes, "Let me remind you what I do isn't your business Bill, now we should get underway we don't want to be late." Kasumi concluded as he got into the carriage without much of another word. As the carriage got underway she casually glanced out the window before zoning out and shortly there after the group had arrived at the mansion that was their target. "Best behaviors everyone and I do mean you our lovely carriage driver," she smirked, stepping out of the carriage and handing the letters to the guards who took them inside.


The gates themselves were made out of solid iron, with the top of them having spades made of gold. There was a large courtyard with a fountain in the middle with two guest house buildings leading toward the main house. The flowers were in full bloom as the wind carried the scent toward the group as they waited for a few minutes. Then the guards returned and the group was ushered inside.

As the group entered the main hall they were directed towards a large living space where two couches and a table were stationed across from one another. No doubt this was where many of the guests were received. Though once they entered the doors behind them closed, and they were left to their own devices for the moment as the letters of recommendation were sitting on the table unopened as of yet. "I assume you both know where you should stand when the talks begin yes?" Kasumi asked as she walked over to the closest couch and sat down waiting for the arrival of someone from the household.

 

[Qu-Ce]

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"Edmund Hayles"​

Bosco, in an exaggerated gesture, turns his body to look all around them, scanning the area around them. He and Kasumi are, of course, the only ones there. “Who are you supposed to be deceiving? Me?” He listens to the rest of what she has to say and dismisses it with a wave of his hand. “Reactance. Plenty of people will do exactly what they’re told not to. Because they were told not to.” Seeing her get up and start to leave, Bosco adjusts his glasses and runs his hand through his hair, pulling it back, before following suit, carrying his own boxed “lunch”.

Meeting Lucian at the entrance, Bosco regards him coolly, speaking in a rather unenthusiastic tone. “We almost left without you, Bill. Your lunch is in the kitchen. We’ll be waiting in the carriage, so hurry up.” As the group boards the carriage and rides to their destination, Bosco casts his eyes out to the city around them. Worst-case scenario, the three of them will have to try to leave the mansion very quickly, with pursuers on their tail. Considering that possibility, it seemed wise to dedicate his time to memorizing what little he could of the mansion layout, as well as the surrounding city, with his own eyes, matching it in his mind to the map Kasumi showed him of the area days before.

After the group is escorted into the main hall, Bosco pulls on the hem of his shirt and pats himself down. He had already taken efforts to make himself presentable before leaving the townhouse, so it wouldn’t do to let any wrinkles or dust from the carriage ride tarnish that. Not that any token efforts he puts in now would do much good. He tucks in his shirt and stands up straight behind Kasumi as she seats herself. “I’d decided before we left that I’d remain standing behind you until given leave to be seated, Lady Greshlan.” He casts a sidelong glance at Lucian, and continues, “I’d not like to lose sight of my station, especially if it would reflect poorly in the eyes of such a distinguished observer as the Lord Constable.”

 

[gmimperfecti]

Bill-Lucian ducked his head, giving a peasant equivalent of a proper bow, more of a stumble to a half bow, knuckle to forehead. "Yes, Miss Greshlan, ol' Bill was just nattering one, ignore him." Opening the carriage door, he let Kasumi up and glared at Bosco for a moment at the mention of lunch, "Aye, kind of you to leave my lunch in the kitchen Mister Hayles, they say distance makes the heart grow fonder," Bill muttered while he hobbled off towards the kitchen to grab his sack lunch.

Bill munched on lunch while they made their way through the city and the gates of their destination. He nodded affably to the gate guards and directed their attention to Miss Greshlan.

Once in the receiving room, Bill, or Lucian in this guise, gave a courteous nod, not letting any hint of his true identity show. "Of course, ma'am. I know my place," he replied, adjusting his uniform neatly. He took up a spot slightly away from the main seating area, just as a servant would, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. Though he appeared passive, every fiber of his being was alert, keenly observing the room, listening for the slightest hint of useful information.

When Mister Hayles, Bill-Lucian nodded along. "Aye makes sense Mister Hayles, best not to lose sight of our stations. Advice my nanny gave, although your cook'n is better." He winked.

 

[saxon]

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Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - C

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

Kasumi nodded her head as Bosco told her that he had resolved to stand behind her until he was given permission to sit. "We do need to look as official as possible for all of this," She replied with a smirk as she then turned to look at Lucian as he spoke and took his place. The room was well decorated, though for the amount of servants and staff that they had seen outside the house was surprisingly quiet. More unnaturally so, though there was no sense of danger that could be felt, the table between the two couches was empty and after a moment a set of footsteps was heard coming from the door on the opposite side of the room they entered from. The door was pushed open as a servant walk in bowed silently and held a tray with a teapot, sugar, and some milk on it.

She walked over to the table and set them down before bowing her head once again and then turned on heel without saying much of a word and left the room. Kasumi glanced behind her toward Bosco with a look that said well that was weird. Letting out a small sigh she turned to look out the window, after a few more moments she started to drumm her fingers on the couch to keep herself from being board. "I do wonder how long we will have to wait to be seen here, though if they brought this it can't be much longer," She sighed before rolling her eyes. Along the back wall of the room there was several bookshelves with various books on war and a few historical volumes of the various nations surrounding Ryke and a book on Ryke itself.


Kasumi was just about to say something when several footsteps were heard now, not just one set but several. Kasumi instinctively rested her hand above where she kept one of her daggers, as the double doors were pushed open revealing the Lord Constable and three other individuals which one being his mistress and their two children. I didn't expect him to bring his whole family to all of this; why are they here? She thought to herself as she stood up and curtseyed as the family approached the other couch and sat down. To which she sat down after they did.

"Lord Constable, I thank you for making time to hear the request from a noble house as low as mine," Kasumi thanked him as she produced the three letters she had forged and placed them on the table. "With the Academy being on a break right now I was hoping me and my servants would be able to find some work for the duration of the break here," Kasumi concluded as she looked to the Lord Constable he brought his hand to his chin and leaned back on the couch.

"Oh come on Jasper, it would be a shame to turn back someone who is offering to fill some of the spots in the mansion for a little while. Besides, I've been looking for a lady in waiting as is and I'm sure Lucia wouldn't mind having someone closer to her age than me around the family more often," The woman spoke with a smile as she looked over to the Lord Constable.

"There is much more of a criteria than that Lisa, not to mention we are in the presence of several of her servants as well. Though you are right that we could use them to fill the positions that we have open currently until we can find more suitable help," The Lord Constable replied with a tone that showed his annoyance on the matter at hand.

 

[Qu-Ce]

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"Edmund Hayles"​

Bosco nods approvingly at Lucian’s reply, the reproach he held in his eyes dissipating harmlessly. At least for now, it seems the three of them are on the same page. Bosco shifts his position slightly to better mirror him, standing equally as far apart from Kasumi as he is. An orderly formation should give a disciplined impression… or so he hoped. There was nothing else to do than wait and leave it to the papers Kasumi had made for each of them.

It was a surprise, however, when what seems to be the Lord Constable’s entire family marched through the doors to meet them. An opportunity to show us our betters? Bosco mused to himself. It would certainly be most efficient to show us now which members of the household are meant to be served. Following in Kasumi’s footsteps, Bosco offers a deep bow to the approaching family, and remains standing at attention behind her, silent and expressionless.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Contrary to popular belief, Lucian was fine waiting. He was in character and that provided its own entertainment. Plus there was a game within a game here and he busied himself considering all the seen and unseen pieces at play.

For examine, Lucian found it odd the Mistress of the manor didn’t have any jewelry on but the Little Miss did. He felt better about nixing his idea of presenting the whiskey he bought as this seemed more of a family interview, or at least the Lord Constable showing off his bedding potential. Not for the first time he wondered how deep under cover Kasumi would have to go and lamenting not being the covers. There he went again, mixing metaphors.

As Bill, Lucian hobbled into a servants bow, which frankly was the best he could do since he’d ignored etiquette other than to ask Bill and Cedric how they’d bow. Still the like boy seemed like an in.

Bill-Lucian shuffled forward and whispered loud enough to be overheard to Kasumi, “This must be the Little Master’s toy that we found, only a strapping lad such as himself would have it, ma’am.”

Reaching into his pocket, he handed Kasumi a kid sized 3-inch dagger. It was nice but simple with a rounded tip and one sharp edge. The sheath was made from supple leather. Great for carving and playing with. It was a grade-E asset more so than a weapon.

He never looked up at the noble family and instead hobbled back to his position after giving the dagger to Kasumi.

 

[saxon]

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Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - C

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

Kasumi watched as the family conversed, letting out a small sigh as her shoulders fell a bit. So far so good but that doesn't mean we got the job yet. Hopefully, this isn't going to be more difficult than I originally thought. So long as we all play our parts I suppose it should be fine, She thought to herself as she flattened her dress out a little bit. She kept her smile up as the Lord Constable and his wife spoke back and forth on the matter. From what the three could see it seemed like the family was generally put together contrary to what the word was around the city. Much of what the trio had heard was the Lord Constable was a harsh man who wouldn't take much to anyone who was lower than him so long as they gave him the money he wanted.

Returning to her seat, Kasumi crossed her legs as she waited for the two to finish their discussion. The two discussed the merits of the ideas before the Lord Constable let out a small sigh and threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, fine, they will only be here for a week anyway before the academy decides to start back up. Besides, I think you are right about Lucia enjoying someone closer to her age around," The Lord Constable lamented. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his thighs leaning forward as he pondered the thought for a few moments. Clapping his hands together he stood up from the seat.

"Very well yes we will employ the three of them," The Lord Constable concluded as he took the letters that were placed on the table and broke the seal on them. Quickly skimming the content, he simply nodded his head and tucked them away into the pocket of his coat. It was this time when Lucian shuffled forward and whispered to her about the dagger to which her eyes widened for a moment as this was something she hadn't expected Lucian to try. As he handed her the dagger, she looked over at him and shot daggers back at him with her eyes.


"You will have to excuse my shuffling servant he sometimes likes to ruin the surprise sometimes," Kasumi chuckled nervously as the family all looked at each other for a moment. "This is a gift for your son, please do look it over," she tried to recover from the thing she didn't suspect to happen as she placed the e-grade assets on the table. The Lord Constable looked at the dagger in its sheath for a moment as he looked at Kasumi, then to Lucian, and then to the comprised Bosco.

Though the gesture did seem to win the boy over as he started to fidget a little in his seat as he looked up at his father. There was a glint of joy in his eyes a pleading one could say. The Lord Constable let out another sigh, "Fine, fine but you are not to play with it without someone watching you." The Lord Constable looked at Lucian for a moment before standing up. "Well based on these letters, Hayes here can help the kitchen staff if he is as good as the letter says then the food should be a step up," He concluded then looked at Lucian for a moment. "Bill here can help with the stables and assist with the driving, and you miss Greshlan will be a lady in waiting though not to my wife I think my daughter will benefit much more," He stated not waiting for a response as he stood up and walked out of the room followed by the other family members.

Once the group was left alone Kasumi let out a small sigh of relief as she turned to look at Lucian, "Well we made it, though a little heads up would have been nice, for now lets just get to work."

 

[gmimperfecti]

Bill-Lucian ducked his head, watching the strange and contradictory behaviors unfold. Still, it wasn’t like everyone showed off their dark passenger to their family. It was odd that the Lord And his family would show up for three temp employees, but the Lord has accepted and the boy was excited, so good enough.

Bill-Lucian didn’t do much otherwise except fidget and fluster a little like Bill would in the same situation. He bowed when the noble family left and bowed again when addressed by Kasumi, “Yes, ma’am.” Only his wink betrayed anything.

Bill waited to take up the rear and wander off to the stables. They had arrived in their own carriage, but it was the grade F version, so he was interested to see what the Lord had and perhaps get in on the gossip.

 

[Qu-Ce]

Save for a brief flash of surprise at the gift Lucian produced, Bosco’s expression and posture remained static throughout the interview. Offering a deferential bow of his head to the family as they hastily made their exit, he turns to Kasumi and Lucian. “Seeing as another servant isn’t offering to show us to our workspaces, should we take this as a tacit command from our Lord Constable that we should split up and find them ourselves? The kitchens and stables should be easy enough to find, but-" He turns to look straight at Kasumi, his expression meaningful, "you may have to wander the grounds some to find Lady Lucia's chambers. Good luck, Lady Greshlan. Bill." Having said those short words, Bosco makes his way out of the room himself, making his way to the kitchens. Since he already knew the layout of the first floor from the drawings Kasumi had drafted up, there was little to be gained in wandering around, though he does make note of any guards he sees along the way.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Perhaps because he’s forgotten or doesn’t want go stand out, Bill-Lucian chuckled while wandering around completely lost.

 

[saxon]

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Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - C

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E, Contributor

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

Kasumi flopped back on the couch as Lucian gave a wink and placed her head in her hands. "I suppose so, though I'm sure I could ask some of the servants along the way. Though, hopefully, it won't be too difficult; good luck in the kitchens," Kasumi stated as she stood up and walked out of the room and was once again in the main foyer. which housed the main staircase that went to the upper floors. Speaking to a few servants along the way she also took mental notes of the guards as she ascended to the third floor of the mansion.

Bosco eventually made his way down to the kitchen, as he stopped at the threshold of the door he could smell freshly baked bread. The sound of a knife finely chopping something could be heard. On the way here he noticed there were fewer guards in the servant's areas of the household, the hallway that led to the kitchen only had 2 guards standing at the entrance of the hall. Though there was a high volume of foot traffic that was coming and going from the hall. As the door was pushed open a female servant who looked no older than Bosco with dark brown hair was carrying a tray of food out. "Oh sorry, say I haven't seen you before are you new?" The girl asked as she held the door open revealing that the kitchen was hard and work and a man in a chef's uniform was busy chopping away at a head of broccoli.

The chef looked up for a moment as he saw the girl standing there, which caused him to pause only for a moment, "Sindra hurry and get that food out of here and too the Lord Contable's chambers! You what are you doing standing there? Are you new or something? Get in here already and start working on these vegetables with me!" The chef ordered as he pointed over to an empty spot to his left where some onions were in a small crate waiting to be cut.

Meanwhile by the stables, Lucian on his way had noticed that there were patrols of guards. They were moving in groups of four or five and their weapons and armor seemed to be well equipped for their jobs as guards. Lucian if he took a look at the equipment of the guards he would notice that the average gear seemed to be D grade equipment. Some of the more experienced-looking guards had ??? on their equipment. Though none of them really paid him much mind in that regard as he made his way toward the stables.

As he reached the stables, there was an old man who seemed to be in his sixties and several children who were cleaning out the stalls where horses and other beasts of burden. The smell of the manure permeated the air and it seemed like it managed to attach itself to anything that touched it. The old man looked up and squinted his eyes at Lucian as he approached the stables. He stood up and met Lucian outside the door as he held a hand up to his ear. "Eh, who are you? Did they send you to replace old Jeff here?" The old man inquired as he was missing most of his teeth.

At the back of the stables building Lucian could make out several carriages. From what he could tell they looked like they were in very good conditions. As Jeff stood there waiting some of the children stopped what they were doing and looked to see what was going on. Old Jeff continued to squint his eyes at Lucian with suspicion.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Disguised as Bill, Lucian made his way through the intricacies of the Constable's mansion, his steps measured and unhurried, befitting his role as a carriage driver. As he approached the stables, his keen observational skills, honed through his Game Master abilities, were fully engaged, taking in every detail of his surroundings and the people within it.

He noticed the groups of guards patrolling the area, their movements synchronized and methodical. Each group consisted of four or five guards, their presence a subtle reminder of the security and control within the mansion's walls. Lucian, with a discreet glance, assessed their equipment. The average guard seemed to be equipped with what he identified as D-grade gear – well beyond Lucian's own wealth. They were either paper tigers, propped up as set pieces, or the level of skill required to succeed at this game had gone up another rank. Worse still among them, some guards stood out, likely behemoths with more experience and possibly higher-grade equipment, though he couldn't determine the exact grade from his casual observation. Could the Lord Constable be employing C-grade guards just to patrol the inner parts of his household? Did that imply the Lord Constable was himself B-grade?! Still, a bee sting could kill a strong man vulnerable to such poison. It just meant the obvious play would obviously not work here.

These details were not lost on Lucian. He understood that every piece of information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, could be a crucial element in the larger game of intrigue and deception they were playing. The guards' patrol patterns, their equipment, and even their demeanor could all provide insights into the security measures and protocols of the mansion.

As "Bill," Lucian's interaction with the guards was minimal, just as expected for someone of his assumed station. Their lack of attention to him was an advantage, almost like he had a stealth ability called [Hide in Plain Sight], allowing him to move relatively unnoticed and gather information more freely. The two approaches were usually draw attention so they didn't look in the shadows or keep your head down so you blend into the scenery.

The other thing the gear of the guards re-iterated is that the kids pocket knife at Grade-E was actually quite banal and probably didn't make them stick out at all.

Upon reaching the stables, he took a moment to observe the layout and the horses. Ah, partaking of the perfume of manure might pose a problem in that walking about inside would be noticed with such lingering fragrances. On the flip side, the lack of such an odor might help further deflect consideration. The other two lacked such. Indeed, the more he thought about it the more his disguise was the best. As get away driver he could easily disable the Lord Constables men if it came to that and alternatively have easy access to horses to flee on (not that he knew how to ride them). Likewise, the stable was a perfect place to hide, the back of a stall amongst the manure the barely visible signs of a portal to his [Pocket Dimension] would go unnoticed and guards rarely liked searching amongst the feces of animals. So there were options aplenty, moves and counter moves possible.

Disguised as Bill, Lucian approached the stables with an affable smile, his eyes twinkling with the charm and warmth characteristic of his alter ego. The pungent aroma of manure filled the air, but it didn't deter him; he had a plan.

"Good day, Jeff! No, no, they haven't sent me to replace you. I'm just passing through, helping out where I can by the grace of the Lord Constable and my mistress's boredom during the Academy break," Lucian replied in a friendly tone, his voice carrying the reassuring timbre of an old friend. He reached into his coat and pulled out a hip flask, offering it to Jeff. "How about a little break? Got some brown water here," Lucian winked, "That might slake our thirst and just make our day a bit merrier."

Activating his new title, [Father of the Children's Parade] - This character, for better or worse has made an impression on the orphans in Azuran. This character is known to start parades in the streets. Lucian seized the opportunity and turned to the children. "And for you hard workers, how about a golden apple each?" he suggested, using his Dimensional Fingers ability to make it seem like he just had a few apples in his workman's satchel slung over his shoulder, producing a few shiny apples, handing them out to the children.

Hopefully with Jeff and the children enjoying their break, Lucian upped the ante by offering to clean some of the stalls at the back. As he moved into the stable, he subtly activated his Dimensional Fingers ability, this time using it in a more expansive manner [AOE 15 feet]. He appeared to be diligently mucking out the stalls with a broom, but in reality, he was magically gathering all the manure and discreetly depositing it into a far corner of his Pocket Dimension. It could come in handy later on, and to any onlooker, it would seem like he was just exceptionally efficient at his work.

This task, while mundane, served a dual purpose. It allowed Lucian to ingratiate himself further with the stable staff and provided him an opportunity to explore the back of the stables, where the carriages were kept. He noted their condition and make, storing away every detail for future reference. In this game of subterfuge and espionage, every piece of information, no matter how small, could be a key to unlocking their objective.

Lucian leveraged his [Contributor] title towards Jefferies to more seamlessly fit in as a contributor to the old man's tiny fiefdom.

 

[Qu-Ce]

​

"Edmund Hayles"​

The kitchens seemed busier than Bosco had anticipated. As the familiar scent of freshly-baked bread washes over him, accompanied by the unfamiliar din of a busy, professional kitchen, he continues to move toward the kitchen, paying little heed to the other unarmed staff members moving to and fro around him. Judging by the time since we left the townhouse, and how busy the servants’ wing is, this must be about the time for lunch here.

Right after thinking this, Bosco was seemingly proved right by the girl exiting the kitchens, food-laden tray in hand. He steps out of her way, peering over her shoulder at the kitchen as she begins her introductions. “I am,” he says in response, louder than usual to be heard over the noises of the adjacent kitchen, before their brief chatter was swiftly cut off by who must be the head chef. He stands at the side of the doorway to let Sindra pass, nodding to her as she does, and strides confidently and wordlessly into the kitchen, looking around to see if there are any aprons or hairnets in plain view he should don before getting to work. He was all business. As he chops the onions and does whatever else is asked of him by the chef, he makes an effort to take in the layout of the kitchen, looking specifically for any likely places he might later be able to stash the ingredients Kasumi had bought for him days prior.

 

[saxon]

​

Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - B

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E, Contributor

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

Old Jeff eyed Lucian as he was shown the flask, Jeff eyed Lucian for a moment as he slowly stroked his white beard. "I don't know, Old Jeff has heard talk of someone is going to replace him," Jeff stated as he gave Lucian a scrutinizing look. After a moment, he relented and took a the flask and walked over to a stool by the side and sat down. "Fine, fine but Old Jeff is watching you, I have to make a living somehow," He concluded as he opened the flask and started to drink from it. However, it became evident that Jeff was very much a lightweight when it came to drinking, as the old man was soon slumped against the wall.

As Lucian went to the children that were in the stables, they all paused and looked at one another as they took the apples and stuffed them into their pockets. Though they didn't take a break, they seemed to avoid Lucian in the back not really paying him much attention as he was doing whatever he was doing in the back stall. Though none would be close enough to notice what he was doing with his ability, though from the occasionally waking up Old Jeff some saw of the actions that Lucian was doing in the stable cleaning out the stalls. Though is he would remember it would be a different story.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, as Bosco was busy with chopping up the onions and various other tasks, his keen eyes would notice an old cupboard that didn't seem to be getting used at all tucked in toward the back of the kitchen. The closest servant that he saw to it was an old woman though even she was several feet away from the cupboard. No one even seemed to be using it. If he were to go look at it, there would be cobwebs all over the outside of it. The item didn't seem to get much use in the kitchen or any use at all for that matter.

After a moment a bell rang that seemed to echo across the kitchen as a mini elevator operated by a pulley system appeared from a hatch in the wall. On this pulley elevator there was a basket and some of the staff were putting some food in the basket before closing the hatch and pulling a rope which one could surmise was sending it back down to wherever the shaft led. Though Bosco could overhear some of the staff talking, about how the shaft led to the basement where some guards were stationed to protect something. Though there wasn't much time before the chief started to shout for people to get back to work.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Lucian observed Jeff's initial hesitation and skepticism, understanding the old man's concern about job security. His empathetic side kicked in, and he made sure to reassure Jeff with a warm, friendly smile.

"Too right, Jeff." Lucian shook his head, "Lords don't care for us folk after the jobs done, do they? Worry not, mate, no one's taking your place today, that's for sure. Just thought you might appreciate a small token of gratitude for all the hard work you do around here," Lucian said, his tone sincere and respectful.

As Jeff took the flask and moved to a stool, Lucian watched him become progressively more relaxed, eventually slumping against the wall, a clear sign of his low tolerance for alcohol. Lucian couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt, but he knew that this brief respite for Jeff provided him with a valuable opportunity.

Quietly, Lucian moved around the stables, continuing his task of cleaning the stalls with his Dimensional Fingers. With Jeff out of the way, he had a bit more freedom to explore and gather information without arousing suspicion.

While working, he kept an ear out for any interesting tidbits of conversation from the children or any passersby, gathering insights into the daily operations of the stables and the mansion. He also took the opportunity to inspect the carriages at the back of the stables more closely, noting their make, condition, and any distinguishing features that might be useful later.

Throughout this process, Lucian maintained the guise of Bill, ensuring that his actions remained consistent with the character he was portraying. In this delicate balance of espionage and deception, maintaining his cover was crucial. With each sweep of the broom and each carefully placed step, Lucian was piecing together the larger puzzle of their mission.

Squatting down near the orphans and child laborers, Lucian smiled. "Aye lads, the Lord demands a hard days work, eh? Enjoy the apple, and there's another to take to your folk, worry not." He grinned and winked to them.

 

[Qu-Ce]

​

"Edmund Hayles"​

It was clear that Bosco was paying close attention to his surroundings, despite the frantic bustle of the kitchen and the ceaseless tasks assigned to him keeping his hands and feet moving. While it may have seemed to be a diligent effort to integrate himself into the kitchen as quickly as possible, he was thinking the entire time of how he might use the layout to his advantage. And the two things that stood out the most were an unused cupboard at the back of the kitchen and the dumbwaiter.

The cupboard in question seemed to not just be out of use; it seems as though it hasn’t been so much as opened once in months. The cobwebs and dust adorning the top and sides of it were testament enough to that. And if there are cobwebs, there must be spiders, and with spiders, there must be some pests flying around the kitchen… It’s hard to say if that information would turn out to be useful, but he stores it in his mind for the time being. At the very least, the cupboard is in reach yet seemingly out of notice. A perfect place to store his supplies, when the coast is clear.

Bosco’s hands were busy cutting carrots when the food elevator’s hatch opened up. “Food for the guards downstairs!” a servant called out, prompting a handful of the kitchen stuff to quickly load the basket inside. He focuses on the lift, analyzing it to see just how much weight it might be able to hold [Engineering E].

Ow! Bosco looks down at his finger, where a rivulet of blood forms on his finger, where his own knife bit into its flesh. It was a mistake to focus so much on his surroundings while he was handling the knife. The cut was shallow, he could tell that much. It would be fine if left alone, but this could also be an opportunity to see more of the mansion firsthand. Bosco approaches the head chef, cradling his finger in his other hand so the blood doesn’t reach the floor. His face is twisted into a poor imitation of an apologetic look. “Sir. Are there any medical supplies, or a nurse’s office, open to us? I was… too eager to memorize the kitchen, and lost focus.” He looks back down at his finger, where the blood drips steadily into his open hand, prepared to quietly accept any complaints raised against him.

 

[saxon]

​

Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - B

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E, Contributor

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown. Wrap up what you want to do with this next part we will be doing a scene change soon.

Actions/Abilities:

As Old Jeff continued to drift off into his drunken stupor, the children didn't really pay much mind to the old man. Seemed from the looks of it, the old man was a tough taskmaster but, the children knew where the money came from and that was the Lord Constable. As Lucian toiled away with cleaning the stables, he would hear several rumors about the mansion though nothing that he could confirm from where he was currently at. Several of the servants talked about a vault in the basement that was always guarded by two guards and had magical wards and a physical lock. There was also a talk of a party coming up soon and that the Lord Constable would be leaving the mansion later in the week to attend the party and would be gone for the day.

The carriages were fairly plain with a crest with a shield and two halberd crossing it on the doors. Under that was the writing "Semper Paratus." One could probably assume this was the noble family's motto at the very least. But there was nothing special about the carriages from what he could see. As Lucian went to give them another apple, one of the children at the stables looked at him, not quite sure what to make of Lucian at the moment. "How do you have money to buy all of this? You are just a stable hand like us,"

Meanwhile, in the Kitchen, Bosco could determine the elevator with its size and use. It could probably hold only 100 lbs and ideally would need a child to fit into the elevator; anything larger wouldn't fit. The thing seemed to have been really only made to bring food to the basement and back up, though if he could find someone small enough they could probably fit in it if small enough even then it would be a little cramped.

As the Head chief looked over, he didn't even stop chopping away. The man was skilled with a knife by the looks of it and probably had some kind of formal training as a chief. As the chief looked at the cut for a moment and then looked back at Bosco, "You wouldn't be trying to get out of work already, would you?" He inquired, looking at Bosco's cut, though he probably could have rebuked him on using a blade and allowing himself to be cut. "There is some cloth in the cabinet over there wrap it up if its still bleeding after a little bit then you can leave," The chief said as he pointed to a cabinet by the kitchen door as then quickly got back to work.

Meanwhile, upstairs with Kasumi,

Kasumi was seated on a couch with her head in her hands. I don't know how much more of this I can take, she keeps showing me her clothes! I should have just brought along another female maybe then I would have gotten the wife to take me as her lady-in-waiting. Kasumi thought to herself as Lucia went back around the changing screen as some of the lower servants were helping her change into a new outfit. Kasumi didn't understand why someone needed this many clothes. In her mind, the whole thing has been tedious thus far and she was curious to see how the others were doing. The only good news thus far was the fact that Kasumi had found the door to the study but there wasn't much of any time to actually look at it on her way up to find Lucia's room.

When she first entered, Lucia had been sitting in front of a mirror as some of the other servants brushed her hair out. To which the young girl's face lit up as Kasumi entered the room and gave a rather ungraceful curtsey. Though the young girl didn't seem to mind it all that much and jumped up from the chair brought her over to the couch and sat her down. Then proceeded with the fashion show. On the way up Kasumi noticed there was fewer guards on this level of the mansion as it seemed most of the security was designed to stop people from getting to this level.

 

[gmimperfecti]

In his guise as Bill, Lucian carefully listened to the chatter around him, his keen mind absorbing every detail, every rumor that floated through the stables. The talk of a vault in the basement, heavily guarded and secured with both magic and a physical lock, piqued his interest. Such information was exactly the kind he needed to gather for their mission.

He continued his work, seemingly focused on the task at hand, but his mind was racing, analyzing the implications of what he'd just heard. The upcoming party and the Lord Constable's absence were particularly noteworthy. It presented a potential opportunity, a window in which the mansion's defenses might be slightly more relaxed.

As he mucked out the stalls, he engaged in light conversation with the children, his tone friendly and unassuming. "Busy days ahead, eh?" he commented casually, "With all this talk of parties and such. Must be quite the hustle and bustle around here."

He kept the conversation light, not wanting to arouse any suspicion, all the while subtly probing for more information. His years of experience in reading people and situations were invaluable now, as he sought to discern the truth from mere gossip.

As Lucian went to give them another apple, one of the children at the stables looked at him, not quite sure what to make of Lucian at the moment. "How do you have money to buy all of this? You are just a stable hand like us."

Still in his Bill persona, Lucian turned to the child, his expression amiable and his eyes twinkling with gentle humor. He knelt down to be at eye level with the child, a friendly smile on his face.

"Well, my young friend," he began in a conspiratorial tone, "it's not about having a lot of money. It's about knowing a few tricks here and there." He winked and performed a small sleight of hand, making a copper penny appear from behind the child's ear. "You see, I've been around for quite a while, and I've picked up a thing or two along the way."

He handed the coin to the child, along with another golden apple. "It's not just about what you earn, but also about the joy you spread. These little treats," he gestured to the apples, "they're my way of sharing a bit of happiness. And who knows? Maybe one day, you'll learn a few tricks of your own and pass on the joy to others."

Lucian stood up, his gaze lingering on the carriages, noting the crest and the motto "Semper Paratus." He filed away this detail in his mind, understanding that every piece of information, no matter how small, could be crucial.

"Remember, it's not always about what you have, but who you share it with that counts," he said, patting the child's head gently before turning to leave the stables. As he walked away, he mulled over the day's findings, planning his next steps in this intricate game of espionage and strategy.

He paused on the threshold, looking out towards the grassy area and cobble stone driveway, "I'm no simple stable hand." He waved his fingers and winked, "I'm so much more..." He paused for further effect, perhaps a bit too much of Lucian slipping out into his alternate identity, "I'm a stagecoach driver!"

 

[Qu-Ce]

​

"Edmund Hayles"​

“Our hands are too important for me to cut them up for that.” Bosco turns his head in the direction the chief points, and nods. “Bandaging it myself will do. I’ll excuse myself to get this disinfected once the prep work is done and our work slows down.” Not waiting for an acknowledgement, Bosco makes his way to the aforementioned cabinet and opens it up, careful not to get blood on anything in the kitchen. He grabs the roll of cloth and wraps it tightly around his finger a couple times, then wraps it around his wrist and hand to keep it fixed in place.

Bosco promptly gets back to work, cutting up and portioning meat, cutting and peeling fruits and vegetables, all the duties of a kitchen worker, performed dutifully. Mostly satisfied with what he’s learned from the kitchen so far, Bosco would keep his ears open to any more of the gossip of the kitchen staff, but would otherwise focus on his work until things slowed down and he had a chance to leave to get his wound treated and, more importantly, see what medical resources and pharmaceuticals are available in the mansion.

 

[saxon]

​

Kasumi Kagu
Character Grade - B

Title(s): Human, Rogue, Kunoichi, Inquisitive, Adventurer E, Contributor

Mentions: gmimperfecti Qu-Ce
Notes: While not in combat skill that do not deal damage have no cooldown.

Actions/Abilities:

As the day went on the group went about their duties and eventually night fell over the mansion. Most of the servants after dinner was served started to return to their quarters. While the trio had agreements to stay in their own quarters so long as they were able to show up the next day on time. Kasumi walked through the door first letting out a sigh and with a long defeated look she shuffled her feet over toward the couch. Unlike the others however her first day hadn't been all that great in terms of gathering information. She was really only able to confirm the location of the study and that there were fewer guards on the higher floors.

"Man I hope the others were able to find out more than me. I really hope there is going to be more work tomorrow," Kasumi relented leaning back. Lucian had become the talk of the stable servants, and Old Jeff was caught sleeping by one of the guards in his stupor after Lucian left. So, needless to say Bill had made his first enemy at the mansion, though the boys at the stable were still on the fence and had many more questions about whoever the new worker was at the mansion. There was a loud bang from the next floor up to which Kasumi simply shook her head.

Bosco on the other hand, hadn't made any enemies, nor did he make any allies that day. In between the meal times, Bosco was able to move about the lower levels of the mansion. There was a large metal door that had several guards sitting at tables beside it. Though he would have had time to memorize the lower levels and the servant's passages that were scattered around the basement level with the kitchen.