Trade Quarters Busy. That would be the best way to describe the surroundings. People coming and going. Merchants touting their wares. The larger businesses getting the majority while the small timers tried to pick up any spare customers that leaked through the cracks. Some people would call it prosperity... Cecilia called it disgusting. The consumerism and greed was unbelievable. The divinely aspiring noble could only shake her head at her fellow man as she tread the streets. Fulfilling her duties for the Orario Swords that she recently joined after much deliberation. Today was her assigned day to patrol the city for the military. It was a new part of her routine and it got in the way of her personal training which was unfortunate, but truly it allowed her to see much more of just how bad things were under the surface. Bringing everyone to perfect harmony was not going to be a easy task. What with this gold system in place. Money would have to be abolished at some point. It was just the cause of too much greed and envy. People would be better off if they simply did things because they wanted to for the good of others and the worlds maintenance, not for monetary gain. To change the very thought processes of man though was not going to happen. It would require a reshaping of the world. Something far beyond her ability and at this rate Odin was not looking into it. Which was a growing bother to Cecilia. Checking out a nearby merchant's wares and making sure nothing on display was on her list of reported stolen goods. Cecilia moved from shop to shop. Bumping into someone accidentally, she apologized as she approached yet another outside store. So far everything was fine with the exception of certain merchants vastly overpricing junk. That was to be expected though. This new store seemed to have just recently been opened. It had a large sign saying "Badger and Wode's Awesome Stuff!" written in very bad hand writing across it. It was hard to tell if it was intentional to be written that bad or not. There were many things laid out over a table and chests of items spilled around. Clothes and armors were haphazardly thrown around and the place smelled of smoke. A huge and overweight man with a pig like face was clapping his hairy hands and yelling loudly to passerby. Another scrawny man in the back dressed in shabby rags for clothes was bringing boxes stuffed with goods off of a wagon next to the store. He did not look very happy with his job.... As Cecilia approached to do her inspection. The thin worker was seen dropping the box and causing potions to roll around the ground. The big piggish man went over and started to berate him and the word "die" reached the noble's ears. "Excuse me. I'm here to make sure your goods are following marketplace protocols. However it seems that their may be other problems." Cecilia said lowering her hood and scanning the store. Something about this man was familiar as well, but she could not quite place where she had seen him before...
"Huh? Oh yeah! A inspection eh? Sure little baby. We got nothin' ta hide! Da name's Badger and we's got whateva youse lookin fer!" The huge ugly man roughly pushed the scrawny man away to the back and dusted off his hands as he came up to the counter. Towering over it due to his size. He flashed a big toothed smile at the noble. His body reeked of body odor. Was the man half orc or something? Probably not, but he had enough traits to make one think that. Cecilia simply glared at him and said nothing, before pulling out her check list and seeing if his store was on it. She flipped through each page and saw nothing named Badger and Wode. After checking every page. Her eyes went back to him and she said with a dead pan look. "This store isn't registered to sell goods here." The man named Badger looked surprised but in such a way that it was almost mocking and as he knew and had some kind of retort ready. Cecilia's look did not change as he started to dig under the counter for something. Murmuring to himself as junk and papers came flying out all over the place. Cecilia took this as a chance to look around so she scanned the store some. She looked at a nearby mace that was leaning against the pole the store sign hung from. It looked old and used. This place probably did not sell any new gear but was more of a pawn shop perhaps... but something just wasn't right. "Aha! Hear we go!" Badger thrust a shoddy looking paper with a seal and a signature on it into her face. His pudgy finger ran along the name at the bottom, Song Jiang. Cecilia may have heard the name but it was not instantly recognizable to her. She tried to take the paper from the man to examine it closer but he quickly pulled it away. "There ya go baby! The right ta put ah shop here. Now... ya buyin' or goin' baby?"
Cecilia shook her head. With a smile she put her open palm out towards Badger. This guy was trouble. There was no doubt in her mind. She still was unable to tell why he seemed familiar. Where was it? The dungeon maybe? The guild? This was her first time seeing them at this market. Why would such a ugly man be ingrained in her memory? It was kind of disturbing really. "I'm sorry but I really have to see that up close sir. If not, I will have to close the shop down until I do." Badger looked irritated as he gave gave it to her. He shrugged and started to tap his pudgy fingers on the table. Making thudding sounds as she tried to read it. "Aye. Ya not as sweet as ya look baby. Ita legit lease, I promise." Cecilia read it over. Yes, it seemed to be after all. Something was wrong. here though she just knew it. Making a fake smile of contentment to the merchant she returned the paper. She was supposed to check for stolen goods now but there was nothing to check in his list. Maybe she had no choice but to move on.... "You will have to go and register all of your goods so that I can ensure that nothing here is illegal or stolen." A taller muscular man came out from behind a pile of boxes. He had a large bag of equipment that he threw into the junk in the back. His muscles gleamed with a light sweat. He was baring the same color scheme as his the other man. Dark blue.Turning and grinning at Cecilia he looked to Badger and said "Hey man! Who's the cutie? You getting chicks for once? Anyway, got the latest shipment... man this job is too easy sometimes. Guess that happens when you're a ace like me!" He thrust a thumb towards himself, grinning all the while. Then he came over and folded his arms standing probably three feet taller than Cecilia with his lanky build.
Time Skip It had been two days since the encounter at the shady shop. Cecilia was unable to shake the feeling she had made a mistake by letting the place go. Something was wrong with the whole thing. Cecilia was in her room in the Brant Estate. Looking over some files she was instructed to study every night for the Orario Swords. It was tedious but kept her aware of goings ons. Turning pages and sipping her heavily lemon flavoured tea as she went through them. Cecilia came across a folder that held the dungeon criminals. People who committed atrocious acts on other adventurers were listed inside. It was the usual list of names. Darron Treble, Mathew Bale, Fariena Gills. Nortan Starks, Badger Cargen, Tim Fewie... Wait Badger? So they had finally learned the name of the guys who assaulted that Brian kid awhile back. Badger... and Wode.... Damn it! Cecilia slammed the folder shut and shook her head. Taking another drink of tea. So... they were thieves that probably stole from victims in the dungeon and sold the goods in the shop... but how did they get away with it? Probably because of foolish people like her! Cecilia was very unhappy with herself and this situation. She could have stopped them there and then... Leaning back and rubbing her neck with hand. She cocked her head in thought ever so slightly. It was good that someone found out who they were. Now it was up to someone to shut them down. Still, who was Song Jiang? More likely than not some fake name, but if the store had a legit lease then... someone was allowing them to sell these hot items. Cecilia would sleep on these thoughts. The very next day she would head straight to the marketplace. Unfortunately... the store was gone! Everything! Damn it... they must have learned they were discovered. Cecilia was not a happy noble lady slash god wannabe right now... she had been outsmarted by bandits! Thread Finished
