Too easy. I softly close the door behind me. Methodically surveying the goods lying outside of the boxes, I immediately hit the jackpot with a pile of variously sized boots.
This is exactly what I need! I’ll bind them to my pack for now so as not to delay. A proper burglar must be quick, quick, quick.
Come to think of it, why does a big one need so many different sized boots? How strange. Also, all of this other random junk. Is he a mugger and hoarding stolen treasure as I am? Curious.
A desk shoved up against the far wall grabs my attention, tempting me with an open book sitting on top. Swiftly, I creep over to see if it’s any good. The cover says “Journal”, which doesn’t sound like any song I’ve ever heard of. I flip it back to the page it was opened to and quickly skim a bit.
I had no idea that starting as a village merchant would be this difficult. So many stories back home made it sound as though clever, early trading is the lazy path to an easy life in another world. However, my brilliant plan to trade cheap food and trinkets to the forsaken in exchange for their guild provided starter equipment is a total bust. Getting my hands on their high quality, unused goods for practically nothing was quite the opportunity. Due to their having given up on life here, they traded everything for sometimes literal peanuts. On the other hand, what fool can I find to buy all this in this village? I didn’t think it through enough to realize that everyone here also received the same stupid starter equipment from the guild!
Oh, so not mugging but trickery? Is that another big one weakness that I can exploit? No, no, my words sadly aren’t good enough. Best to stick to what works.
I can’t afford repeated trips through the ports to move all this somewhere more lucrative. Neither can I afford a professional transporter. The only option I have left is this stupid ‘Spacial Magic for Merchants’ manual I found for cheap on a research trip. It’s taken me two years of grueling work to finish my arcane foundations. That also took most of my new arrival fund, mostly hiring Alissa as my teacher. Why in the world did I think that one of the most difficult arcane specialties would be a quick solution?
Oh? My eyes crawl up the desk to another book lying in the corner. My fingers snatch it, only verifying the title before tossing it into my pack. Already, this foolish, aspiring merchant has made me rich. His depressing failures at luck are my future assets. Good, good.
Moving on to rummage through the boxes, I’m careful not to wake the deep sleeper. This journal mentioned full sets of equipment, so hopefully I’ll find everything I need here. I must remember this place in case of any future needs.
Yes! This completes what I came up here for, however there’s still more.
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This one better fits my tiny torso, and as a bonus it also fully covers my arms. Something I hadn’t even considered as an option.
Hand covers? That’s amazing! That technically only leaves my neck, head, and face. Although my hood is probably enough for that more often than not. Let me keep looking just in case.
This works quite well to cover my head, ears, and much of my neck. It might make it more difficult to hear? However, it’s still worth it to keep more of myself from being accidentally seen.
No matter how much more I search, there’s nothing worthwhile as a face cover. I swipe a few more free daggers. Also something similar but longer called a “knife”. It has a sharper edge and less of a point. Probably useful for scrapping? Speaking of which, I grab lots of random, extra leather pieces for just that. This will keep me supplied enough to keep practicing for the foreseeable future. Not to mention allowing me to keep my packs reliably patched.
Finally, I snag a large pile of new, empty potion bottles. All the ones I have are filled, so more are welcome. Carefully squeezing them between all the leather pieces I’ve crammed inside the pack, I’m pleased to verify that they won’t clink and clank as I move about.
Overall, this is already an amazing haul. I can’t be too greedy and push my luck. The sleeper could get up at any moment and find me here. Perhaps it’s time for me to prepare for my last maneuver.
Slowly I re-open the door, propping it open with one of the boxes. Then, slinking over next to the prone big one, I peruse all the items he’s wearing on his person. Most keep their best possessions on themselves at all times, so I must check. I must know. Can’t leave the best treasures behind because they’re attached to someone.
Using my new knife, I easily slice his belt in several places. All his pouches now in my hands, they’re tossed straight into my pack. No rings, no necklace, no bracelets. His clothes are uninteresting. No weapons. Oh, but he’s holding another book in his hands?
Glancing at the door, I verify that my escape route is still clear. I cautiously tug at the book, but he reflexively clings tighter to it in his sleep due to the disturbance. Wishing to curse out loud but holding my breath, I lightly stroke his other hand with my finger. The big one scowls and bats at it with the hand previously holding the book. Before he can bring it back, I snatch it up and throw it in my bag with the rest.
I carefully back away towards the door, keeping my eyes locked on the sleeper. Other than some mumbling, I appear to be in the clear. After slipping out the door, I shove the box back inside and then pull it tightly closed behind me. Easy in, easy out.
Joyously rushing back down below the streets, I drop off all my new treasures. As I’m changing into my new outfit, only then do I notice the little lights lingering at the edge of my vision.
I appraised so many of his goods, so this makes some sense. Maybe I should be appraising everything I see? Songs be praised, perhaps they’re the best treasures I’ve stolen all night.