Wigs by Phineas occupied a double-decker-buses worth of space a couple of streets from my stall. The businesses in the area didn’t just benefit from close proximity to major guilds and mercenary houses, but the affluent quarter of Eldar’s Port was a stone’s throw from it, too. All delivery vehicles heading to businesses that catered to the rich and powerful had to roll past Wigs by Phineas to reach their destination. I didn’t understand the street’s importance at first, but that changed after spending a day at the venue.

After seeing the congestion of carts and waggons trying to get past loading or off-loading vehicles on either side, I saw the area’s value. An independent shop called Hector’s Spell Emporium sat to the Phineas’s right. It didn’t carry the Mages’ Guild crest, but appeared full of its members. I didn’t know or understand enough about magic to figure out the emporium’s business structure. However, it appeared to get shipments of parchments, fabrics, leather, aetherite, and writing materials several times a day. The carts from the Alchemists’ Guild stopped by, too.

Meanwhile, a high-end hat merchant occupied the space to the right. It got clientele throughout the day and the woman running it shot Phineas the stink eye whenever he stood in front of the wig shop. I guessed he’d stolen a chunk of her business by giving balding men more options to hide their hairless patches.

A shop on the opposite side of the street caught my eye more than my targets. It didn’t carry the Seeker’s emblem but appeared connected to the Merchants’ Guild. The large rune-bordered window featured a variety of infant magical beasts and the sign above it read ‘The Menagerie. Hruk had said it was where he got Booger cured, but hadn’t mentioned the fascinating beasts it sold. While walking by the shop, I spotted snow-white fox cubs, cats with shadow mantles similar to my cape, and a smoking piglet that resembled Booger but walked on two legs. The runes blocked my attempts at casting Identify on the creatures and the price tags told me I couldn’t justify spending money on them.

My role at Wigs by Phineas lacked a title. I needed to do whatever the business needed. The morning started with sweeping and dusting. Then Phineas showed me how to carefully remove the wigs from their dust sleeves and place them on the several display heads in the window and around the store. After I cleaned every mirror in the building, he sent me out to do deliveries.

“She’s gorgeous!” Phineas exclaimed when I dispelled Satchel Monster outside his shop.

Satchel Monster has progressed to Novice Rank 8!

“My former employees rode my pony and hung banners from the saddle. It served as decent advertising. I reckon your shrike is a lot more eye-catching. It should draw more attention and, hopefully, increase foot traffic in the shop.”

“I don’t know if Mr Silverknut told you, but I’m a bard, too,” I said. “I bet my singing will help in that regard, as well.”

Doctor Whoo growled at Phineas when he approached her with a couple of rolls of cloth. He stiffened, glancing at me hesitantly. “Will she let me put these on her, you think?” The shrike stiffened, bending her front legs and growling once again. “Perhaps not.”

“I’ll take care of it. Don’t you worry.” Doctor Whoo didn’t like it when I forced the fabric under her saddle and let it hang on either side. However, she didn’t react to it in the same hostile manner. “Since it’s my first day, I’m afraid it might take me a while to find my way around the city. I hope that won’t be a problem.”

“You’ll be fine,” Phineas said, retreating slowly as Doctor Whoo glared at him. “The deliveries are mostly in the Nobles’ Quarter and there are a few along the waterfront. You shouldn’t have to travel far.”

“I see your neighbour’s giving you the stink eye again.” I nodded at the woman standing in the neighbouring shop’s window. “Are your wigs popular enough to put a dent in her sales?”

“More than you’d think. The business has been booming for the past year. Ever since the Sparkflake family started wearing wigs to their parties, demand for my product has skyrocketed. I can barely keep up with the demand. I had Pip, your predecessor, advertise to bring in more human clientele. Over half their men bald as they grow older, but for some reason, most baulk at the idea of wearing a wig.” Phineas ran a finger through his fake hair. “Magnificent, aren’t they?”

“They are.” I had to admit. The blonde curls on his head looked so convincing I would’ve never guessed they were fake. “Where do you get all the hair for it?”

The gnome’s demeanour changed the second I asked the question. “I didn’t hire you to listen to my stories,” he said, getting unusually shifty. Had Facts Begin With Fiction convinced him to divulge more information than he cared to share? “Pip and I had a deal. For every human client that comes in, he gets five percent of the profit as his commission. He did a horrid job of it, but if you’re as good with your guitar as Mr Silverknut claimed, I hope you’ll do a better job.”

“What about my previous troubles with the Merchants Guild?” I asked. “Are you sure they won’t be a problem?”

“We’ve informed the guild of your employment status,” he declared. “As long as you’re in my employ and not breaking any more rules, everything is squared off. Besides, a sales talent like yours isn’t something that comes along every day. We’ve got our eye on you, though. Don’t break any more guild rules.”

“Yes, boss,” I said, egging on Doctor Whoo.

He bid me goodbye, and I set off to my first drop off, playing Sasha and singing. I didn’t particularly care about fulfilling my responsibilities, but was eager to unlock the Void Eggs’ secrets.

After returning to the inn the previous night, I had pried open the floorboards under my bed. Old clothes and rags sufficed as padding for the little hole and kept the six stolen eggs safe. I only carried the Transdimensional Egg and the Void Egg on my person. The latter stayed hidden deep inside my cloak while the latter sat as a prominent bulge in my vest pocket.

Facts Begin With Fiction likely played a minute role in winning Elvin over. I believed he’d seen or heard me perform and had high hopes in my Charisma getting him the results he needed. So, while sitting on Doctor Whoo’s back and strumming my lovely instrument, I kept a close eye on both eggs. Mana Sense highlighted the transparent waves around the pair, and they appeared to respond to the music. However, I observed no other discernible change.

It was too early to give up, though. So, I kept at it, and switched Riding Mastery to the active list, replacing Scribing. It was essential for my progress, but the mastery would have to wait.

After four hours of delivering neatly wrapped boxes, my list only had two names left, and I got the much-wanted notification.

Riding Mastery has progressed to Apprentice Rank 7.

It annoyed me that Fashion Mastery didn’t make any progress, despite my new expensive outfit.

When looking for a place to grab lunch, I found not one or two, but three stalls selling smash burgers. Both claimed their product was the real deal. Neither had mayonnaise or caramelised onions, they buttered their bread and used onion jam instead. I sampled their products, grossly overeating. All three burgers were good—it takes talent to screw up a product so simple. I didn’t mind their attempts at stealing ownership of the product. The system knew who started it, and their long lines would benefit me for no extra effort.

When I got back, Phineas had redecorated his store and cordoned off an area near its front.

“What’s all this?” I asked.

“Your stage,” Phineas answered. “We need to show our neighbours how much the Seekers and Merchants’ Guild can do for their business. It should help my business, and you finish your quest.”

“Are you sure about this? Isn’t it a bit too, on the nose? Perhaps you should let me go talk to them first.”

“I didn’t agree to hire you just because Mr Silverknut insisted.” He had replaced his blonde wig with a bright blue one. Phineas’s eyebrows had changed colour to match it. I understood his intention wasn’t to hide his identity as a gnome. The hair was a fashion accessory—perhaps a status symbol given how much they stood out. “Starting today, you’re going to put on regular performances at sunset.”

“You reckon more foot traffic means more sales?”

“Not just for me, my neighbours as well. You bring the people here. We’ll do the rest.”

I wanted to like Phineas. He came across as a standup guy. However, Kitty and her senior’s claims had me worried. I imagined the merchant class mastery gave him a fair bit of Charisma. If he were trying to pull one over me, I wouldn’t know unless my Wit exceeded his.

“Thank you, Phineas,” I said, swinging Sasha around to hang in front of me. “So you’re saying I get to have fun on the job?”

The gnome grinned, waving me onward.

A week passed without me making any headway. I continued to make deliveries during the day and played music outside Phineas’s store in the evenings. Often, I’d spot Kitty, or another member of the Thieves Guild, watching me from among the crowd or on a rooftop. I also kept an eye out for Hruk, but he didn’t show. The crafting contract likely had him busy and glued to a workbench.

The few people that had gathered outside Wigs by Phineas cheered when I finished my last song of the evening. Paradise City by Guns N’ Roses proved a crowd favourite. People liked songs about distant lands with greener grass and prettier girls. I swiped away my two new notifications.

Musician Mastery has progressed to Journeyman Rank 7!

Cooking Mastery has progressed to Journeyman Rank 5!

Even though progress slowed considerably after reaching Journeyman, thanks to Royalty Fee, Cooking Mastery continued to grow. The number of stalls selling smash burgers appeared to double every day, and I found a travelling halfling selling twice-baked potatoes, too. With the Seekers and Thieves’ Guild watching my every move, I struggled to find time to visit the Banking Guild, but was sure the trait had ballooned my balance, too.

When I entered the store to help Phineas close up, I found him engaged in an angry conversation with another gnome.

“What do you mean, I need to invest more on security wards? I’ve already ensured no one without a rune-marked key can pass through half the doors in here.”

“We had more attacks yesterday evening, Phineas,” the other gnome told him. He wore a voluminous white wig. It gave him a very Conan-the-Barbarian-esque look after the legendary warrior had aged and withered.

“They’re cowards like the Thieves Guild,” my employer said. “The Nightdragons may think their name is intimidating, but they’re no more than small-time domestic terrorists. They wouldn’t dare attack this street. Trust me.”

“The Merchants’ Guild has invested heavily in your operation.” The white-wigged gnome shook his head. “We’d hate to see you suffer a loss because of your stubbornness. Let us artificers do our job and ensure all this hard work doesn’t go to waste.”

“I’ll think about it.” Phineas sighed. “Sales have gone up recently, but the bigger crowds have resulted in a heavier guard presence. The Nightdragons aren’t stupid enough to try anything around here.”

“Well, now neither you nor your neighbours can claim the Artificers Guild didn’t offer you help or discounts.”

I caught the pair watching me, so I hurried about my duties. Phineas didn’t talk to me much outside of assigning me tasks or discussing my daily commission. He needed more time to trust me, and I didn’t want to damage that by making him think I’d been eavesdropping. I missed the rest of their conversation while putting display wigs back in their dust-proof containers and sweeping the store.

More than once, I found myself wondering whether Kitty and her employers’ suspicions were unfounded. Even though I kept my eyes and ears open, I didn’t encounter any sign of negativity or corruption in Phineas. He came across as a businessman, ensuring his store’s success while sticking to city laws and guild rules. I worried Hruk and Kitty would accuse me of turning a blind eye because of my commission.

“How much did you hear?” Phineas asked as I finished for the day.

“Most of it,” I answered honestly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

“That’s fine.” He lifted the bright-orange wig off his head—he wore a new one every day—and wiped the sweat from his scalp. “You’re an outstanding employee, Perry. I don’t mind if you hear things. Just try not to make it so obvious. My colleagues don’t share the same sentiment. They're still suspicious following your clashes with the guildies."

“Is everything okay? Do we need to worry?”

“No,” he told me. “Certain organisations in Eldar’s Port are determined to blame the Merchants’ Guild for their problems. More specifically, they believe it is us gnomes that are to be blamed for everything that’s going wrong.”

“And these Nightdragons are one of these organisations?”

Phineas nodded. “Instead of vocalising their concerns, they’ve decided to attack us gnomes without a lick of evidence. Two stores near the city gate were ransacked last night. The guards showed up in time and put the fire out before it turned into an inferno, but a human and gnomish family lost their lives.” He changed into a lighter, dark-brown wig and put the previous one away. “We don’t know whether the Nightdragons intended for them to pass or they just didn't care, but they left their insignia all over the place. Then there are the guildie killings. Until a week ago, we’d lose no more than a couple a month. They slaughtered an entire squad of six recently. Everyone has been on edge since.”

“I hope we don’t get hit,” I said. “You and the guild have been nice to me this past week despite my rough start in the city.”

“We take care of those that serve us well.” He nodded.

After taking inventory, I bid Phineas a goodnight; I left the building. Now that he mentioned it, I noticed the increased guard presence on the street. It wasn’t just the city’s defence force, but the guildies as well. I knew now: the agents that had approached me at the stall were these guildies, enforcers serving the Merchants’, Artificers’, and Tinkers Guilds’. Unlike the guards, they did a better job of blending in with the evening crowd. I saw fewer urchins on the street. They probably reduced their presence in the area because of the increased security.

Once the patrol passed, Doctor Whoo grew into her normal size, making a passerby jump. He swore at me before moving on, and I responded with a smile and wave. The reaction softened his demeanour, but the man didn’t hang around for long. I climbed on to Doctor Whoo’s back and we started back towards the inn.

Phineas had offered to put me up in accommodations built for guildies or any employee of gnome run businesses. Unwilling to stay under their watchful eye, I had refused. To abate suspicion, I told Phineas about my love of cooking and my deal with the innkeeper. I enjoyed cooking for myself and didn’t want to lose it by moving into the dormitories. Fortunately, he bought the story and made me promise I’d bring in food for him at some point.

Taking inventory and packing all the wigs had taken longer than I liked. As a result, when we started from the shop, the streets had already emptied. Neither of us was in a hurry, so we moved slowly. I egged Doctor Whoo towards the Menagerie. I couldn’t justify a new beast yet, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the frolicking canines. Once I had enough saved, I hoped to purchase the shadow cat or the puppy that covered his surroundings in frost.

“Apple!” I exclaimed, throwing one into the air. Doctor hopped forward and caught it in her beak. She’d developed a taste for the fruit and I enjoyed keeping them on my person to help train her. Shrikes and dogs shared few similarities, but that didn’t stop me from trying.

Now used to my habits, Doctor Whoo slowed when we approached the shop. I sat on her back, admiring the little beasts. Much to my surprise, they weren’t their usual playful selves. All eyes were focused on the darkness within, and the canines had their tails between their legs. Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine, and goose pimples dotted my arms. My instincts told me to equip Dodging Mastery, so I moved it into the active tab, replacing Sleight of Hand. I regretted straight away when my attributes dropped by a few digits, but it was too late. I’d have to wait a day before moving either of them again.

Doctor Whoo went alert when we heard furniture crashing within the shop. She instinctively moved away from the windows, and the critters on display went crazy in their cages. They jumped around, growling, yipping, or hissing at the store’s darkness. Sounds of cracking wood and people arguing leaked into the street before something exploded within the shop. The storefront’s glass exploded outwards, and the cages followed. Most of them popped open when landing on the ground, and their inhabitants jumped free. Unfortunately, a few crumpled, crushing the young creatures within.

A trio of hooded individuals came running out of the back alley: one human-sized, the other two around my height. The smaller individuals disappeared down the street, while the bigger man stayed behind to scrawl a message onto the door with a piece of chalk. He didn’t get to finish his intended task. Screams sounded from the street behind the shop. The wooden door exploded seconds later, throwing the man onto his back. A humanoid creature with dagger-long fingernails leapt through the opening and landed on his chest. The man screamed as the creature blindly slashed at him, but the cries turned into gurgles within seconds.

The screams spread. Whatever beasts had escaped from the store were now wreaking havoc in the neighbourhood. My first instinct was to run, but then Doctor Whoo squawked a war cry and ran the dagger-fingered creature down.

“Right.” With Doctor Whoo by my side, I didn’t need to run. Perhaps we could help people.

Further down the street, I spotted a city guard wrestling a giant muscled ape. I had my beloved shrike charge it, too. Meanwhile, the dagger-fingered beast dragged itself to the side of the street. The ape proved much sturdier than our last target. My mount rebounded off it, almost knocking me out of my saddle. The interruption gave the guard a window of opportunity. He drew his sword and thrust it into the monster’s chest. The attack appeared to further enrage the ape, and it roared. When its eyes shifted to me, I tugged on Doctor Whoo’s reins and gripped her flanks tightly with my thighs. She understood my intention and leapt backwards.

Dodging Mastery has progressed to Novice Rank 7!

Our opponent roared, swiping at us, and punched the guard, knocking him back several feet. The ape pulled the sword out of his chest in one swift motion. Blood spurted from the wound for a second before the surrounding muscles tightened and squeezed the opening closed.

The ape hooted angrily before launching itself off the ground with its powerful legs and landed on a neighbouring rooftop. I hopped off Doctor Whoo’s back and helped the guard up.

“Are you okay?” I asked him.

“I’ll be fine,” the guard winced, looking up at the ape. It’s hooting had gotten quieter as it nursed the near-fatal wound. “I need to get backup. If this isn’t contained as soon as possible, people … more people could die.” He tried to get back on his feet but collapsed, clutching his side. The guard’s ankle had twisted itself at an awkward angle.

“You shouldn’t put any weight on that,” I told the man, helping him up.

The guard shook his head. “The Nightdragons could be attacking multiple locations,” he told me, leaning against the wall. “I need to rally the troops. Get yourself to safety, Master Halfling. This is no place for gentlefolk.”

The guard whistled, summoning his horse. He scrambled into the saddle, wincing as his injured ankle slipped into its stirrup out of habit. As soon as he left, I mounted Doctor Whoo and guided the kid in the opposite direction. Even though I personally lacked offensive prowess, Doctor Whoo and I could do some good together.