The young man who’d entered The Mead Beast wasted no time in walking rapidly over to the counter. “Hey, Sadie! What’s for lunch? I’ll take two of ‘em.”

The Adventurer who would be Leo’s target was a dark-skinned, tall, and wiry-looking lad, probably trial age. He wore [Dusk Leather] that looked absolutely brand new, which suggested he was either extraordinarily good at Adventuring or had only just managed to purchase it. Finally, the [Dusk Leather] plus the two [Iron Daggers] he carried in full view at his belt suggested he was a Shadower.

Leo could not have asked the Gods for a more perfect unwitting partner.

As Leo watched in bemusement, Randi made a beeline for the Shadower and raised one hand. “Oh no, Silverstone. That’s now how we do business here.”

The Adventurer—Silverstone—frowned visibly as he glanced at her. “I’m not here to pad your apron today, squirt. I’m off to Level in Grassea. Can’t do that without food.”

Randi scoffed. “After you stole our only long term investments? You owe us a round or six.”

Leo barely kept the smirk from his face. Now that he wasn’t the target of Randi’s attentions, he was amused to see another Adventurer bearing the brunt of them. For his part, Silverstone only looked more annoyed when Randi mentioned something about stealing investments. What was that about?

“Randi!” Sadie shouted from behind the bar said. “Drop it.” To the man, she said, “We’ve got meat rolls today with fresh greens. You’re more than welcome to two bundles.”

Randi pointed at Silverstone. “Consider yourself lucky. You got off easy today.”

Silverstone smirked at Randi as he sauntered over to the bar. “Don’t you have an Adventurer to ply with mead? I see one right over there.”

Randi belatedly glanced his way. Leo raised his still full mug in salute.

Randi smiled brightly before turning back to Silverstone, who had made his way to the bar, and went after him. “Looks like our best customer needs another mug!”

Leo blanched, mentally. He’d simply meant to salute Randi for doing her duty, not ... order another mug of mead. He’d barely drunk any of this one! Now he was going to have to pay for two mugs of mead, and he didn’t even really like mead.

Still, Leo remembered the plan. He had to stick to the plan. Once he was sure the attention of Silverstone and Randi was focused on the bar, and the attention of Sadie, the tavern owner, was focused on her sandwiches, Leo slipped the large and visibly obvious bag of coins into his [Unfilled Bag].

The bag vanished into the void inside without a sound, now literally out of sight and mind. To anyone who hadn’t seen the fat bag of coins vanish, it would seem as if it had never existed at all. More importantly, the bag of coins wouldn’t clink or give itself away inside an [Unfilled Bag]. One could fit a full-sized barrel of mead in there without adding the slightest bit of weight or bulk.

Leo sipped his mead and waited as Sadie wrapped sandwiches, then handed them to Silverstone. Randi tapped her foot impatiently as she waited too, likely for her next mug of mead. She glanced over her shoulder and beamed at him.

“Don’t you worry, hon,” she shouted across the tavern. “Your drink’s coming right up!”

Not if Leo could help it. Silverstone was heading out. Leo took another breath, reminded himself why all of this was necessary, and then stood.

“Hey!” he bellowed. “Where’s my coin pouch?”

At the bar, Randi had just grabbed her next frothing mug of mead. At his shout, she stumbled badly and sloshed it on the floor. She blinked at him, then at Sadie. Then at Silverstone.

“Zack!” Randi shouted indignantly. “Did you just rob my best customer?”

Gods, that girl was brilliant! Leo couldn’t have asked for a better co-conspirator if she’d been in on his plot from the start. As Silverstone stopped and stared at her, wide-eyed, his mouth opened in what looked to be actual shock. Meanwhile, Leo stomped toward Silverstone in full [Steel Armor], with the red sash hanging off the hilt of his enchanted [Steel Spear] trailing away artfully.

“Hey, Shadower!” he said loudly. “What’d you do with my coin pouch?”

As Silverstone looked at him, the man’s dark skin actually paled. It must be intimidating being faced down a Level 10 Skirmisher in full [Steel Armor]. Still, Silverstone held his ground. He even managed to look properly annoyed by this whole situation, which only made Leo feel more guilty.

“The hells are you on about?” Silverstone demanded. “I didn’t take your pouch.”

“Then where is it?” Randi demanded as she, too, stomped over. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you slipping coins off my tables. A few are fine, I expect that, but a whole pouch?”

“I didn’t take anyone’s pouch!” Silverstone protested loudly. “I just came in for lunch.”

Leo stopped paces from Silverstone and glared. “I demand you return my pouch at once.”

Silverstone offered Leo a rather convincing glare. “And I demand you stop accusing me of things I didn’t do. Sadie knows me. Randi knows me. I don’t steal.”

“You don’t steal much,” Randi corrected.

“Zack, did you still that man’s pouch?” Sadie asked sternly from all the way at the back. Even from all the way back there, her voice carried like a Town Guard’s.

Silverstone raised both hands in surrender. “Gods, I’ll swear it by Celes! I stole no pouches! This big glistening idiot just dropped his coin bag somewhere!”

And now Silverstone had insulted him. Leo couldn’t blame the man—he’d have done the same—but annoying Silverstone to the point of insult had been his intent. Leo still felt genuinely bad about complicating Silverstone’s day this badly, but he remained convinced this was the best way both to discreetly complete his inquiries and establish his cover as a simple Adventurer.

“You’ve now stolen from me and insulted me,” Leo said archly. “I will have satisfaction.” He glared right at Silverstone and raised one hand. “Duel me, Silverstone.”

Summoned by Leo’s words, a spectral wooden pole appeared from the air. It slammed into the floor between him and Silverstone. A flag flew off that pole, one with crossed swords, yet the whole pole and flag remained spectral. It wouldn’t grow solid unless Silverstone accepted. If he did, they could freely assault each other, having both given clear consent.

“Woah, hold on!” Randi shouted, wide-eyed. “There’s no need for that!”

Silverstone’s eyes went wide as he backed up. “Are you insane?”

Sadie’s commanding voice boomed once more across the room. “No one’s dueling in my tavern! Stand down, both of you, before I call the—”

The doors to the tavern burst open. Then, just as Leo had hoped, an actual Town Guard in full armor stomped inside. The shape of her armor made clear she was a woman and a bit shorter than Leo, but she still wore [God Armor]. She could also toss him through a wall.

“What’s going on in here?” the Town Guard demanded.

Silverstone pointed Leo’s way. “Some crazy Skirmisher’s trying to duel me!”

The Town Guard’s helmet swiveled his way, and even knowing she’d been expecting him, Leo felt his muscles tense. This was just like the other times he’d been arrested by Town Guards when caught stealing. It might be by his own design, this time, but that didn’t make it any less unsettling.

“He stole my pouch,” Leo repeated, though quieter than he had previously.

The Town Guard turned to Silverstone. “Did you?” she demanded. Before he could answer, she looked to Randi. “Did he?”

Randi winced. “I mean ... maybe? I don’t see it on his belt any longer, and it was there.”

“Oh c’mon, squirt!” Silverstone shouted. “You’ve had eyes on me since I walked in here, and I didn’t go anywhere near his table. This guy’s bonkers. He just dropped a duel flag!

The Town Guard’s helmet swiveled back to Leo. “Did you challenge Zack Silverstone to a duel?”

Leo stood up straighter. “He stole my pouch and then insulted me.”

“Dueling is illegal inside the walls of Wolfpine,” the Town Guard said grimly. “Insulting people isn’t. Do you expect me to believe you don’t know the difference?”

Leo didn’t have to fake anything about his loss of composure. “Dueling’s illegal?”

“Cancel the duel,” the Town Guard ordered. “Now.”

Leo grimaced. “I withdraw my request to duel.”

The spectral flag and pole vanished. For his part, Silverstone actually looked smug about the whole situation, which was a relief. At least Leo could give him that for all the difficulty he’d put the man through today. Silverstone simply had the misfortune of being available.

“Grab your helmet,” the Town Guard said. “Now.”

As Leo instinctively moved to comply, the Town Guard walked with him. The sight of her intimidating [God Armor] left him in genuine awe. What must it be like to wear such armor?

“Right. Okay,” Leo agreed. “Sorry for causing trouble.”

“It’s a bit late for sorry,” the Town Guard said, more than loudly enough for Silverstone, Randi, and Sadie to hear. “So after you grab your helmet and pay for your drinks, you’re under arrest.”

This was perfect. Sadie, Randi, and Silverstone would likely all repeat the story of the unruly and foolish Adventurer in full [Steel Armor] who falsely accused Silverstone of stealing his coin pouch. That would solidify Leo’s identity in the eyes of the Townsfolk and give him an excuse to steer clear of the tavern while completing his investigation here. Avoiding the tavern was a luxury he’d gladly accept.

“Wait, hold on!” Leo protested, yet nonetheless snatched up his helmet and tossed it into his [Unfilled Bag]. “What about my coin pouch?”

“We’ll look for it later,” the Town Guard said. “Now, will you comply? Or will I cuff you?”

Leo glanced at Randi, who now looked properly aghast at the whole situation. He reached to his belt, opened the much smaller pouch of coins he kept there for personal expenses, and dropped five coins on the table. He made sure Randi saw every last one.

“My apologies,” Leo said calmly. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble for you.”

The amount of crescents he’d dropped on the table just now was far more than he’d pay for two mugs of mead, but he’d made Randi and Sadie’s lives difficult as well. This was the least he could do to make it up to them, even if it might hurt his cover a bit. So he was simply an unruly Adventurer who was still nice to Townsfolk.

Silverstone, to his credit, was already out the door. Leo suspected the man might even have used [-Shadow Walk-]. Randi, for her part, looked genuinely wary of him now, and that, more than anything, made Leo regret this gambit. He didn’t want people to be scared of him.

Still ... even with this awkward start, Leo’s plan couldn’t have gone much better.