The two boys woke up from their slumber. Both had felt something changed within themselves. The other one thought that this is all unnatural, but the other one treats this as part of growing up.

Vitelli is an early riser; he woke as soon as the first bell of the morning rang and as the first rays of the shone through the shutters of the small room.

The bronze-skinned child poked Lewis’ cheek, waking the boy up.

“It’s morning.” Vitelli voiced. “You leveled?”

“Ah, you mean the voice?” Lewis asked. “I feel weird.”

“Why?”

“It feels like… I’m different.”

“It’s nothing.” Vitelli dismissed.

Vitelli stood up from his bed. “Let’s eat.”

They headed downstairs on the creaky wooden staircase of the apartment. Lascze is checking the shelves. He turned around, noticing them.

“Morning.” Lascze waved. “Any level-ups?”

“My [Thief] Class is gone!” Vitelli exclaimed.

“Really?” Lascze was pleasantly surprised. Class changes don’t happen overnight, to the best of his knowledge. Normally, it takes days for a Class change.

“It’s said that I’m a [Rogue] now,” Vitelli added. “Also, [Bodyguard] for some reason.”

Lascze’s eyes widened. Two Classes at such an early age. Well, he had heard of child [Soldiers] from Lemuria. But still, it is unusually fast development.

“Good.” He smiled. “Breakfast is ready.”

In the storeroom/living room/ dining area of sorts, they sat on the stiff wooden chairs facing the round wooden table. The meal for today is boiled crawfish and corn stew.

Lewis wondered if how can he eat the meal since crawfish are small and covered in shells. Vitelli, growing up destitute, had experience eating these since they are in every canal in Aquinox. One can catch one with their hands even if they are all thumbs.

“You peel the shell off and slurp the insides.” Vitelli demonstrated, peeling off the crawfish and eating its insides messily.

Lewis copied what he had said.

“This is our last meal,” Lascze announced.

Their eyes widened.

“-until we buy some ingredients for the next week or so.”

They sighed in relief.

“I’m going to go shopping today,” Lascze informed. “You guys are going to accompany me for today?”

“Yes.” Lewis bubbled.

“Guess I’m coming too.” Vitelli smiled.

They went outside the shop, went to one of the rickshaw centers, and bought a ride to Covrafeze District, the market district of the City of Canals. With no Hizui to speed their way through, it is a relaxing ride towards the market district. They passed by rows and rows of stone, concrete, limestone, and brick buildings with tiled roofs, every single one of them vibrant with color. People in all shapes, sizes, and even species walked under the colonnades of the buildings. The roads were divided into two, dry and wet, inclusive of all species, especially Seafolk. They emerged from the rows of buildings and rode on a wide bridge arching the spacious canal below. Gondolas and other larger boats sailed under the bridge. Within the path of the canals are tall decorative arches shaped like two intersecting fish.

Once again, they were in rows and rows of buildings. People on the balconies minded their own business, drying clothes, leather, or fish on their balconies. Some just stared at the road below, watching the traffic of people and rickshaws. Some buildings only have columns and sections of iron bars as walls on the ground floors, with horses and other smaller pack animals inside, along with wagons and carriages that resembled rickshaws more than proper carriages; small enough to fit the small winding roads of Aquinox.

Some buildings were partly sunken underwater within a pool, guarded by fences. The pools have stairs leading down to their entrances. Lewis thought it is kind of strange. But then he realized that the aquatic-folk were living in those houses, so it’s kind of makes sense. Vitelli was in awe, since he never ventured from his gang’s territory, after all.

They passed under square arches carved with wavy patterns and sea life, such as fishes, corals, seaweed, boats, ships, and even fishermen. The roads were constantly wet, from the sunken passageways filled with water on the edges of the road.

After they saw the end of that section, they passed through the grand curved archway, with Covfrazefe etched on it, surrounded by reliefs of fish and coins.

Beyond the marketplace is a tiny archipelago of market islands, split by two stone docks where ships and boats pass through. Stone islands and even tall boulders standing within the waters were filled to the brim with stalls of cloth and wood and stores of brick and different kinds of stone. Some stores are sculpted within the giant boulders, with wooden platforms with rope railings attached to their entrances. The smaller stone islands were extended by stone platforms supported by square pillars, encircling the islands, filled to the brim with shops and stalls. The stone islands also had limestone stairs that led towards the underwater markets where Seafolk sell their goods. The largest island in the mini-archipelago within the archipelago of Aquinox has been hollowed out, and within the earth are shops among waterfalls and bridges.

All of them are connected by low and wide stone bridge stairs, some of them with two layers. Also under the bridges are intersecting wooden boardwalks, also filled with [Merchants]. And filled with shops and stalls, all cramped within this district.

This is the market district of Covfrafeze.

They stopped at one of the sections of the wooden boardwalk. The two boys stared in awe of this district.

“Never been to Covfrafeze, huh?” Lascze asked.

The boys nodded.

“We’re going to shop for some supplies. And shop for anything else after that.” Lascze informed. “And whatever you do, don’t get close to the [Shopkeepers].”

“Got it,” Vitelli answered.

“Why?” Lewis asked.

“Skills,” Lascze stressed. “Now let’s go.”

They were walking on stairs leading towards an arched stone bridge connecting to two islands within the market district.

He scanned the area. Stalls and stores were in every nook and cranny of this crowded island. Then they arrived at a wooden building, built like a stable, but for pulled carts. On the far end of the supposed stable are people, Human, Beastkin, Half-Elves, and some other sentient species sitting on benches. A tanned man with a scruffy beard, wearing a loose white linen shirt manned a small wooden counter full of parchment, quill, and inkwells.

“Lenje’s Carting Services, how may I help you?” The [Stallkeeper] asked.

“I’ll rent a large cart,” Lascze answered. “Will drop the goods at my shop.”

“15 Silver.” He stated. “Eskarr! Customer! An important one!”

A humanoid hyena, brown, but mostly grey stood up from one of the benches. A Gnoll, one species that Lewis haven’t seen before. He stared at Lascze with his one good eye for a second, before pulling a wooden cart from the “stable”. Lewis stared at the Gnoll with curiosity. Their eyes met before Lewis joined Lascze and Vitelli.

Lascze left with Lewis and Vitelli, with the [Cartpuller] in tow.

They went to [Potionsellers], [Weaponsellers], [Cloth Merchants], and other [Shopkeepers] specializing in different goods. Mainly, Lascze wanted to focus on buying supplies for his store, catered to adventurers, and goods for maintaining their daily life. All of them using their Skills to make more profits. As time passed by, the boys grew tired and sat on the cart. The Gnoll didn’t seem to mind the extra weight that he needs to pull.

At the end of the day, they sat on wooden benches around a table, near the food stalls grilling and stirring kinds of seafood and soups, eating grilled squid with bean sauce and rice, and crab and egg soup with what little money they have left. The sunsets on the horizon, dyeing the skies purple, darker and darker still. The mage lights of the city automatically lit up, floating within the streets and the waters of the city. Children peeked from their windowsills, reaching for the orbs of light. Wonderous, even for this wondrous world.

Tourists stared at awe and wonder, while the locals passed them by; a few with appreciation. It is a beautiful sight to behold. The city-state of Aquinox at night is almost as bright as day.

“Don’t be shy.” Lascze verbally nudged the Gnoll, who haven’t eaten the food that Lascze bought for him.

“No need to treat me-“

“I insist.” Lascze ignored the Gnoll’s hesitancy.

The Gnoll crumpled, and quietly munched on the squid. He was quite grateful for how he is treated right now.

After they ate, they walked back towards their home, along with the Gnoll. The kids are drowsy after coming home so late.

“We’ll handle these,” Lascze said to the two. “Go to sleep boys, we got a long day ahead.”

The two went to their room, as the Gnoll helped Lascze carry the sacks and boxes of goods, and helped organize them in the storeroom. Lascze sat on the counter, sweating from carrying too many goods.

“Good thing Humans can sweat.” The Gnoll commented while panting.

“Gnolls don’t sweat?” Lascze asked.

“Humanoids, Elves, and Dwarves can only do that. I don’t know about the others though. Us Beastkin and Gnolls need to shower ourselves to regulate body temperature.”

“That is something.” Lascze mused.

“Good working with you.” Eskarr the Gnoll slightly bowed his head.

“Catch.” Lascze tossed a silver coin towards him. The Gnoll caught it on his paws.

“Thank you.” The Gnoll left the store.

Lascze went upstairs, to his bedroom after locking the doors and shutters. He lies down in the bedroom and thought of things. What to cook for tomorrow, the budget of the household and his business, and especially the kids he adopted. Just normal adult things.

His eyelids sunk, and his consciousness drifted away.

Vitelli blew the candle, dimming the room around them, only lit by the brilliance of the mage lights outside.

“You think there are more beautiful places out there?” Lewis asked.

“What do you mean?” Vitelli asked.

“Like the market district earlier,” Lewis recalled. “You think there are any other places as beautiful as that?”

“I heard [Sailor] stories about a port city where the waters constantly shimmer, a city of golden pyramids made by the undead, and the Bazaar of Stars at the Heart of Lemuria.”

“Bazaar of Stars?”

“A market where the sky is always under the night sky, where everything that you can think of can be bought or sold, even the stars themselves.”

“Awesome. Tell me more.”

“That’s the only stories that I remember.”

“It’s okay,” Lewis reassured. “Tell me about the others.”

Then Vitelli told him the stories of grand places that he knows. Lelurcir’s Landing of the Lainian Empire, a port city where the waters shimmer like the sun, changing hues according to the day, buildings stained with the brilliance of the sky. Amun-Hapt, the City of Golden Pyramids, is rumored to be a city made out of golden pyramids, where the seat of power of the Lich Pharaoh of the Amos Necrocracy resides, a kingdom surrounded by a wall of caskets, full of undead guardians ready to protect their realm. A supposed paradise, shrouded in mystery since almost no one is allowed to visit it except for a select few.

Lewis’ imagination runs wild. Vitelli had already slept, but even as his eyes were closed, he can imagine what sorts of places may be out there. Giant cities? Trees as tall as mountains? Walls of ice that can stretch as far as the eye can see? Mountains of crystal?

He kept imagining himself traveling to the outside of this city-state, sailing towards lands unknown to him.

Well, until he fell asleep.

Level 19 [Apprentice Shopkeeper]!

Skill-[Appraisal of Goods: Basic] learned!

A [Spymaster] blended within the crowd of people within the streets of Aquinox. Even with his unique plumage, he seemed to be as normal as a person can be. He moved naturally, swerving through crowds.

Then he saw the mansion that dominated this area. Or rather, a huge multipurpose apartment of sorts hewn from stone and coral, with clear glass windows; a common rarity in Aquinox, but a rarity nevertheless, especially in the rest of the world. There are a few mansions in Aquinox, mansions that were built shortly after the beginning of the city-state itself, lived in by the [Lords] of Aquinox since time immemorial, but in the present times, the residents of the city-state are running out of space. Plans are being made to expand on the other islands of the archipelago, which are full of monsters, but internal forces are delaying and even stopping the progress of these plans.

Which is the [Spymaster]’s target for tonight. Mortarano Prosperi, the rising star of the Prosperi Family, a merchant family who came into Aquinox five decades ago, buying a spot in the Blue Court. Now, he is the head of the family, and the de-facto owner of the Aquinox’s Merchant Guild, holding sway over a large portion of the economy, especially with his Skills.

As evident by the little stunt he orchestrated in the palace itself, he is powerful, even manipulated the foolish [Prince] himself. It was just a little nudge for the [King] to make him aware of the new faction in Aquinox. Even a child can see that his move days ago was doomed to fail.

And that’s the [Spymaster]’s mission. To investigate what is his next move.

He was in front of the building. The ground floor of the building has wider glass windows, and even double doors made out of glass, guarded by enchanted steel armor Golems with halberds. Within the enchanted steel bar fences surrounding the multi-purpose building, there are also guards patrolling about with swords and spears, and with red doublets and berets. Gold-rank as he is, his Class isn’t suited for direct fighting, especially with those Golems.

His [Greater Magic Detection] and [Enchantment Identification: Advanced] deemed that this place is not something that he can’t just walk in the building proper, even with a disguise. Alarm, identification, and detection spells, and magic items are in every nook and cranny within the apartment. As expected of an [Lord]’s residence.

The enchanted fences are projecting a [Alarm Wall of Detection] as tall as the stone building itself, although not as sensitive as the alarm and detection spells from inside. It would be a problem if he climbed the fence.

The only thing that he can do is to enter the open gate, suppressing his intent, just to be sure, and climb the walls until he found the man himself, who he marked with one of his Skills earlier.

He sighed and activated [Nonexistent Prescence].

In the eyes of others, he is but a shadow within the night. More accurately, he is only a dim afterthought for the perceptions of the guards, something insignificant within the corner of their eyes; or more insignificant than that.

He walked past them, careful to stay out of their range, and found a spot with no people, so far. He scanned the walls for any more detection runes on the walls, but it seems like that there are weak ones, enough for his Skills to mitigate them.

Or he can just fly away from them.

“[Soundless Wings].”

His wings flapped without sound, slowly but surely. His [Mark Target] Skill that also measures the distance between him and the target detected that he is getting closer. As the Skill rang louder in his head as he stared at the heavily tinted glass window, possibly enchanted.

With his [Advanced Penetrating Vision], he saw through the glass.

The young, blonde hair man is sitting behind a desk, facing the tall mustached man with slick hair and the balding, pudgy man with a monocle. Jalieri Pesce the [City Lord] and Ciriaco Lanzone the [Harbor Lord].

“[Magic-Dampening Body].”

He leaned beside the window and held himself between the wall and the pipe hugging the building vertically, away from the window’s view itself, after using a Skill that dampens the detection runes on the wall.

“[Penetrating Ear], [Auditory Amplification], [Clearer Hearing].”

With this combination of Skills, he can hear the conversation within the room.

And what he heard had surprised even him.

After that, he snuck away from the establishment and reported the news to the [King] when he is far enough from the apartment’s detection range with a speaking stone.

He sighed and made his way towards his small apartment room. Removing his Robe of Obscurity, and other magic items on hand he dumped it into a chest that made itself invisible.

He sighed, as he reverted to his fake identity.

And he drank a mug of beer he left on his nightstand, swallowing it from his beak. Like the drunk that he is, and prepared to go to write some invoices tomorrow.