The downed lad is treated much better this time around, especially compared to Sylwia's first opponent of the evening. Two tattooed gang members, junior ones again judging by their tattoos or rather the relative lack of them, bring a stretcher to carry him off. That way his dignity is somewhat preserved. Well, aside from being thoroughly defeated. At least his teacher doesn't seem to mind too much. She simply goes along as her ward is spirited away.

Somehow I doubt that this will be the last we see of the duo though. Maybe the lad will want a chance to try again. Maybe it will be something else. Could be as simple as them having a deal with the raccoon gang.

The crowd in the meantime is going wild, as the announcer grabs Sylwia's arm once more to raise it high while she proclaims her the victor. Sylwia actually winces, as the announcer grabs her arm, but she doesn't protest.

"Lads! Gals! Sylph, the gale, she did it again! Our local champion stands triumphant! You bet against her? Oh ye of little faith, you won't get any pity from me! Anyway, lets hear another cheer for her!"

Of course the crowd happily obliges. There is some grumbling as well, but that's to be expected. Some people have bet against Sylph after all. And the way this is going, weighing every word the announcer says, I can already see how more people will place their bets on Sylph the next time. It wouldn't be a big surprise if some fools are already contemplating taking out a loan to make it big with a sure bet on her next fight.

I can respect that. Or rather I could if that were all there is to it. That's not it though. Their cooperation with the guard and their other side hustle I beheld tonight. They need to be taught a lesson or two. The kind that sticks. This is not their city. And this is not how business should be done around here.

First though, Sylwia needs some care and attention. Matylda has already slunk off again, to take care of the bets she placed. As a result taking care of our front woman falls to me. I flash her a mischievous grin as she slinks over to our corner.

"Does it feel painful? About as much as it, you know, looks?"

She groans, partly because, of course, she is in pain, and due to my silly barb too. Even as she does she rummages through her pockets once more to produce another penny for me.

"Yes. Please?"

I accept the coin, put it away and gently place a hand on both sides of her face, mindful of the bruised cheek on one side and the swelling eye on the other. The lad really did a number on her. Then I speak my quiet little prayer once more while the crowd, now converging on the bookies, is still loud enough to provide a good distraction. I avoid mentioning my divine patrons name directly this time around though, just in case, as it's not quite as loud.

"My lady, divine guardian of many masks. God of making mischief and Goddess of having fun. I beg of you, heal this one's bruises and ease her pain."

A little of my Karma dissolves into nothingness as expected and both my [Prayer] and my [Healing Touch] skill improve some. The bruise barely fades, but at least the swelling on the eye goes down again. There probably are plenty of other aches as well my divine healing didn't even touch too. I decide to say as much.

"You really look bad. This might just be beyond what I can easily heal."

She just shakes her head.

"Never mind. The eye and the headache I have been developing were the worst and you dealt with that just fine. The rest will fade with time. If I still have any aches before the next fight I'll let you know."

Or she could try to level up one of her classes. Those fights must have helped progress some of her skills if nothing else. How close is she? That of course is not something we can openly talk about here, thus I don't even ask. If she actually is close to a level up for one of her classes she'll probably try to time it in such a way to have that level up and the healing that comes with it during her next fight. That is one way to turn around a hopeless situation and achieve victory when defeat already seems certain. Of course saving that up for the almost inevitable confrontation with Raccoon's followers would be even better.

As a matter of fact I probably should try to earn a few more skill levels and get a little closer to a class level up too, just in case.

I help her slip out of the ring. We are just about done here for the night after all. Just as I'm about to look where our other companion is she rejoins us, with not nearly as much coin as you might expect after a fight like this and some won bets. I don't even have to ask, as Matylda is quick to explain.

"Oh! I placed a nice fat bet on your next fight already, Sylph. I hope you don't mind. Anyway, who wants to go and grab a bite to eat? Maybe have a drink too?"

She shakes the bag of coin she brought for emphasis. Despite what she said, it still contains more than enough coin for a good night out.

Sylwia just shrugs.

I'm not about to decline in public either, although I want to shadow the dreamstone dust dealers who are packing up too, now that the big show is over and the crowd is slowly dispersing. Thus I speak loud enough to easily be overheard for a change. But not quite loud enough as to be suspicious. A little act that earns me some progress for my [Bluff] skill.

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"Sure. I could do with a little something. Why not. Maybe we can find a nice place somewhere close by. I don't want to trek around half the city, you know."

That declaration earns me two raised eyebrows, but neither of the two disagrees. Only Sylwia grumbles a little for show.

"As long as it's a place that doesn't water down their beer."

I laugh out loud and so does Matylda, as I lead the way out, a little behind my quarry.

"You didn't like that too much? Well, can't blame you. We have good beer here, it really shouldn't be watered down, you know."

As I lead the way like that, with my hands locked behind the back of my head, I earn a little progress for my [Stealth] skill too, as I keep up the pretense. Thankfully there is no shortage of eateries around here. Some look pretty new too. I wouldn't be surprised if at least a few sprung up here after the gang moved in and started their fighting ring. They haven't exactly been subtle about it after all. A few hangers on are to be expected in that case. I point at a little eatery, just a bit ahead of both us and the scum we are following through the busy streets, selling something that looks like little, deep fried cakes filled with jam.

"How about that one? Want a sweet treat?"

It's Matylda who answers a moment later, as our quarry passes said eatery without stopping or changing direction.

"Ugh! Good gods and goddesses, no, not that one. You haven't dealt with a lot of dwarves yet, haven't you? Those cakes … they are a dwarven specialty. That's no jam going into them. Well no jam like you would expect anyway. That's a chutney made from onions. It's not a sweet treat but a rather hearty one."

I glance over at her, as we close the distance a little. I glance at the eatery too, as we pass it.

"Well, good to know. I might still give them a try one of these days, when I'm in the mood."

Matylda nods and Sylwia joins in too, as we keep following the drug dealers as if we don#t have a care. Our conversations is even loud enough that they could listen ins should they want to.

"They are actually pretty good. Fatty. Sweet at first and spicy and possibly a little sharp in the aftertaste. The exact taste depends on the spices used for the chutney. If you know what you are getting into, they are downright delicious. I prefer to have them with a good beer to wash them down."

That might just be the actual truth, judging by the gleam in her eyes. That and the fact that my [Gather Information] skill improves a little suggests the same. The latter probably is not just due to learning a little fact about dwarven cuisine.

At long last the men I'm following enter a house, one of the less impressive tenement houses around here. The place has clearly seen better days. In fact it looks halfway abandoned and ready for demolition. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if I were to learn that it's already scheduled for the latter and that quite possibly only a very recent shortage of bricks is the single reason why it hasn't been brought down for reconstruction already.

I sniff the air and point at a little bar, barely more than a board across some empty barrels across the street from it.

"They actually sell good beer here I think. And while they have no actual kitchen I can smell something baked that is quite tempting."

Sylwia frowns but nods. As she speaks it's much quieter this time around.

"Sure. That's one of the guys Barandon uses to hang out with behind the counter. He is one of ours."

Matylda chimes in quietly as well.

"That would explain why the beer is good. And I think I know him. His parents run a little bakery. Nothing fancy, but if the baked goods are from their shop they should be worth the coin he'll ask for them."

The barkeep's eyes actually widen, as we slip into the tight spot that serves as seating for his little hole in the wall establishment. He nods in the direction of the rundown house across the street as he takes our order.

"What … uh, what can I get you, ladies?"

Good, it seems the guild is not entirely unaware of the problem. I flash him a big smile.

"A beer for each of us, and whatever goes with that mouthwatering smell."

Then I continue much quieter.

"And a bit of privacy so I can slip out of here and in over there unnoticed."

It's only now that Sylwia actually speaks up, while Matylda nods along with her words.

"Alright, but, what's actually up?"

She accepts her mug, pays and takes a sip before she continues.

"What got you so spooked? What did you see at that other place?"

I accept my own beer, hand the lad a coin and take a drink as well. Oh, this is so much better than the watered down stuff they served at the fighting ring.

It's the lad behind the counter that answers in my stead.

"Dreamstone dust. We have been trying to keep tabs on the people involved after the incident with the bakery to get at the ones behind it. The suppliers and the likes. I didn't expect someone to show up and crack down on these goons so soon though. I take it there are new developments?"

I nod and get up from my seat in the very back, where I'm well out of view from the alley and the house across it.

"Rats and Raccoons. They are selling the stuff right under the eyes of that gang running the fighting pit a little ways over there."

I can't really do all that much to change up my appearance. Not without making use of my very special skill. And that is an ace I don't want to give away completely. I still do my best though. I switch the knife at my belt to the other side. Thanks to my new skill that shouldn't be too much of a bother should I need it. I roll up the sleeves of my blouse too, exposing my arms completely. I undo the lacing keeping it closed a little too. There is not much to see there, but it might still draw attention away from my face anyway. Last but not least I take off my adventurers' guild tag too, putting it away in my purse for the time being. As a last touch I tousle up my hair a little.

Sylwia seems to get what I'm trying to do. She stops me and runs her hands through my hair a little more forcefully. Going so far as to use a little of her beer to wet my hair too.

A grimace a little. I'll need a bath after this. But depending on how bloody this gets that might be a necessity anyway. This is as good as it'll get. I nod to the others and slip out the back, leaving my friends behind to keep up the pretense. A little grin finds its way on my face as my [Stealth] skill improves some more as I slip into the deeper darkness of the back alley.

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