The left lanky had worse curls than my bread lad, and his hair almost reached his eyes. I doubted he could see me with so many constraints, for my punch laden with [Cardina Garch] sent him flying outside the guild, not without breaking the door. Garlan would pay for the damages, I reasoned and swept the second man off his feet in one quick motion. He fell to the floor, his casting process interrupted by my sharp kick across his abdomen that sent him outside too.

One [First Step] and I was standing in front of the hairy man who had disregarded me for a merchant.

“That fat ass didn’t tell us you were a mage!” he cursed, and I had to stabilize myself owing to the uneven rocks lingering at the entrance.

Smoke buffed me almost instantly, and he lighted the white swirling mass with [Blast]. I used [First Step] again, dodging sideways, outside the reach of the smoke that was spreading evenly in all the directions, now charred black. The compound walls lingered behind me, and the hairy man charged as a wall of fire materialized behind me. I shielded his punch with the forearms, careful not to use any high-level spells. [Cardina Garch] had been a mistake, but I would not repeat it again. Nevertheless, the spell was similar to [Strengthen], so almost indistinguishable.

We had attracted the attention of idle commuters who had decided to forgo their visit to the arena. Men and women decked in thick clothing watched us from the roads, their eyes glittering with evident enthusiasm. They didn’t enter the guild gates, for merchant guilds had restrictions on people entering the compound, unlike the mercenary guild. That also explained the fewer cold bodies within such a warm building. Everyone enjoyed free warmth, after all.

The man grunted as my headbutt forced him to recoil, and he charged again, his speed faster than before. That was pure physical proficiency, something which my body absolutely lacked. I was lazy, probably too much, and my lady’s chores occupied most of the time, leaving me little room to enter the gyms if they did exist in this world.

My [Boulder] interrupted his dash, and he crashed headfirst into the hardened mud. The smell of fresh mud wafted to my nose in the winter breeze as I leisurely walked around the bounder. This was mana materialization instead of earth manipulation that earth mages preferred while on land. It never failed to surprise me how real mana became once materialized into the realm even after two millennia. That’s another difference between the curious ones who seek the unknown and others who don’t. Fascination, in simple words. But it was no counter to boredom since one would become emotionally stunted after a while. Transmigration magic had rekindled my lost emotions and my lost urges to unearth the mysteries of the realms.

Perhaps, once I discovered everything there was to know about this world, that fascination would die until I transmigrated again. But it would take another few centuries, so I had enough in stock.

I disintegrated the mana from the bounder immediately and punched him across his cheek. The force reckoned with [Strengthen] sent him airborne until he collided against the guild wall. No cracks this time.

The two men were back on their feet, and lightning sizzled around one of them, his hair standing erect. [First Step] and he was in front of me. [First Step] and I was away from his range. Frost beneath my legs made me lose my balance marginally, and [Ice Shards] pierced my arms. Blood, more than a few drops, stained my white shirt once the mana shards disappeared. The hair man was back on his feet, too, all set for another round of trashing.

“We have shut up many overconfident brats like you,” he wiped the blood dripping from his broken lip, and they stood in a triangle, their backs against each other. Musketeers? But the last man was too short to fit into the gang, despite his toned body.

“Can we settle this amicably?” I asked, expecting their grunts in return. Surprisingly, they cast me a deep look before turning around in unison, and fervent discussion paced around them, followed by a few grunts and wails. They turned back to me, standing in a single straight line, ready for another round of battle should the situation necessitate it.

“Speak,” the hairy man said. “What is your offer? We heard you are the best merchant in the capital.”

“I’m not Maluich,” I said with a sigh, foiling Garlan’s plan with ineffable satisfaction. The men shared a few glanced, and their faces changed color when they thought about Garlan fooling them for a few shins. I didn’t give them time to rush inside and drag my bread lad out on the streets, devoid of disappointed commuters now. “But I got a better offer. You can earn around three hundred shins should you accept this quest from the guild. An all-nighter and some sturdy arms would be all you need if you got expertise with erecting booths for a fair.”

The hairy man rubbed his beard, an involuntary action, before he asked, “Three hundred shins for each?”

“Yes. But you need to work throughout the night and the next day.”

They turned around again and discussed with the same fervent vigor, and I couldn’t help but laugh at their antics. They were perfect NPCs of this world, but they wouldn’t remain as such for long after getting infected by the anomalies of the world.

A carriage stopped by the entrance, the black curtains with white raven-like embroidery making it evident that it belonged to the nobility. And Imbero was my obvious choice since Beth was supposed to visit us. The three men also stared in the direction, their gazes turning into reverence, when they noticed Beth jumping down the carriage in her black gown and white kirtle that covered her forearms completely. Her maids stayed behind, dressed almost similar to her, except not as ostentatious. A red muffler was wrapped around Beth’s neck, and she appeared imposing, different from her usual rebellious front that I was used to all along.

“Ruddy? Who are these clowns?” she asked in surprise, and I felt the terrifying stares from the musketeers without weapons.

“Just a few…” I had hardly finished my words when I saw them rushing toward Beth.

“Lady Beth!” they shouted in unison, and she raised her eye in question. Her scarf fluttered in the winter breeze, and she held it in place, letting the black gown dangle over her shoes.

“We are your admirers, lady Beth!” the men said in unison again as if they had rehearsed the scene a thousand times already. Beth had reduced the arrogant brats to tail-wagging dogs, something even the undead hadn’t been able to achieve. “Why did you forfeit the tournament? We spent all our money to reserve the front seat for your match!”

“Who the hell are these pathetic dingy men?” Beth snarled, stilling all the three men at once. “And how dare you block this lady’s path?”

“She’s as ruthless as her fights,” the lean man said, while the other two nodded.

“I’m sure you don’t want to listen to their complicated biography, lady Beth,” I sighed as she walked around them and reached me.

“You bastards! Get your asses out of here,” Beth kicked the stone in their direction, the same one that had almost made me lose grace magnanimously. “No, wait! We can use them, right? Better if they are my admirers.”

“That’s what I was about to do, lady Beth,” I said and turned to the men. “Wait for Cair by the mercenary guild. She’s a rank A adventurer, so you should be familiar with her.”

“We aren’t your lackeys…” the hairy man’s gaze fell on Beth’s annoyed expression, and his frown turned to a smile instantly. “Yes! We know her.”

“Tell her Garlan’s name, and she will recommend you a mission,” I said, and Beth walked inside, ignoring their flattering gaze. “If you want lady Beth’s approval, then listen to what Cair has to say.”

“Hey!” Beth stopped and glared at me, but the men bowed excitedly and ran out of the compound.

“Just some mercenaries, lady Beth. They came here to foil Garlan’s plans, so he used me like a rag to clean his mess.”

“Where’s Garlan?” she asked, pushing down her discomfort. “Is he searching for brothels in the capital?”

I chuckled and pointed inside the guild. “My bread lad is having a chat with his long-lost friend.”

“I stole Yura’s mage seal and forged a freaking document. This one,” she fished out folded paper from the pouch dangling from her wait, “should do. I also brought a thousand shins, my entire saving at the moment, for the upfront payment. I’m not quite sure how much the bastards will charge. Merchants are the daftest people alive, and I abhor their craftiness because they are damn better than me.”

I smiled at her and gazed at the mana lamp beside the entrance that had started flickering again. “You don’t have to pay, lady Beth,” I said, already walking toward the door, crunching the small gravels underneath my black shoes. “Garlan’s friend has some good money in his vest. Just give them the document.”

“You sure, Ruddy?” she gave me a suspicious glance. “The merchants might take you for a fool, so I can’t really trust your worlds. You are so gullible.”

Undead and gullible didn’t sound great together, but I decided not to express my qualms as always. Having a debate on ideologies wasn’t something Beth could manage, and I mentally dismissed her words. Then again, I was naïve in the world of merchants. I wouldn’t be surprised if they robbed me blind in daylight. Though, they might sleep for eternity, that and the following night. Jewelry store owner had been a lucky man, for I was an easygoing undead, and my lady had been in a rare good mood that day. Maybe not as rare anymore, because I had seen her smile often these days. Sometimes, as she stared at me as I indulged in my chores.

Beth avoided the tables, but a splinter grazed her gown as she walked around a chair, ripping a small portion of the cloth. She stared at the split for a while and kicked the table in annoyance before continuing her way to Garlan. The open window provided enough illumination for the man to recognize Beth, and he stood instantly, dragging Maluich with him. The latter held on to my bread lad for support as he glared at Garlan with evident hatred.

“Here, perv,” she tossed the paper to him and stared at the new face. “Will this man pay for us, Ruddy? Doesn’t look like he has a shin to spare,” she said, pointing at his threadbare clothes that hadn’t been washed in ages. There were more threads on his tunic than cloth.

“He has enough money in his swollen chest, lady Beth. We saw him counting notes before. Probably more than a thousand shins,” I said, shifting the hateful glances to me. The stack of paper also served another role. To protect his heart from getting pierced. As much as these merchants loved money, they weren’t foolish enough to trade their life for it.

“Hey you,” Beth blatantly pointed at him, her other hand on her waist. “How much money do you have?”

“A thousand shins, noble lady,” Maluich said respectfully that had me dumbstruck.

“Forget it,” Beth waved her hand. “Take all his money, Garlan.”

“Ah! No! This is robbery in broad daylight!” Maluich shouted, and the guard stepped forth to intercept, only to recede to his place, noticing Beth’s annoyed expression.

“Shut up, old man! We will return the money once we finish our job,” Beth said, gesturing for the grinning Garlan to gather the notes. He did, leaving enough for Maluich to get by a couple of days.

“Gather merchants, and we will pay you more than this,” Garlan flashed the thick notes in front of the man before stuffing them inside his pocket.

“I’ll go meet my girls,” Beth said, already on her way out. “Good luck, Ruddy and Garlan.”

My bread lad beamed and gestured for us to follow him upstairs. Maluich did without much resistance anymore because Garlan held most of his cash. That was how you baited. Grass for a donkey, money for Maluich, and bread for the undead.