Chapter 259: Hiding James

Everyone is expecting a Naval patrol once they reach Skyview waters, but there's none to be found. They should have crossed the border just before dawn, but they didn't see a single ship, merchant, military, or otherwise.

Even when they approached the Capital city, there was nothing but a handful of merchants already at the long concrete pier. The Elves said this country was in rough shape, but having nothing to guard your capital is downright reckless. 

The young King should have advisors of some sort. Someone, to assist him and point out when things need to be done? Even the local Nobles and merchant groups would be fine, since security and stability are in their own best interest. 

Nila brings the Queen Rose to the pier, a single block of stone and concrete long enough to dock a dozen vessels the size of the Queen Rose down either side, where the other merchants wave a friendly greeting, but they're the only ones in sight. 

The closest buildings to shore are a collection of brick warehouses. However, a neighborhood of pink Adobe houses is visible in the distance, and a downtown core of very modern looking high-rise buildings, glass walled office buildings, and balcony covered apartment buildings alike, reaching for the skies. 

Besides the lack of sheet lights, the capital of Skyview could pass for a modern city from their past lives. Perhaps it's an advantage of higher level areas? Advanced spells from life skills and mage-type classes would explain what they see here. This city doesn't feel crude and medieval at all, not like the human cities they're familiar with on the other side of the continent anyhow.

The Elves lives were deliberately rustic and in tune with nature, so they can't really be used as comparison, though they had a high level of comfort where it didn't interfere with the surroundings. 

There are still no mopeds or other vehicles, though, so they haven't found the reclusive gnomes. Not that high agility transfers can't run at an impressive rate of speed without them, but a motorcycle will always be a better option than running in Cain's mind. 

"Some welcoming committee." Nila jokes with the captain next to them, gesturing to the empty docks and the brick storefronts with no pedestrians visible. 

"They'll come out once they see you've got goods to trade. Karrack isn't currently charging a customs fee so you most likely won't see any officials." The other Captain, an ebony-skinned human with multiple golden nose piercings, shrugs as if he's gotten used to this state of affairs. 

Now that he mentions it, there are large wooden carts set out by each berth to load goods. They're not particularly clean, though, and all Cain has to trade in is silk. It would take a particular sort of fool to drop bolts of cloth on that weather-beaten deck, even with a drop cloth to protect from the dirt.

Cain decides the best way to get things done is to take most of the crew into the city and explore. He's more interested in finding the quests and gaining experience than selling his silk anyhow. 

Everyone gathers on the top deck, all the Companions except Nila merged with their twin, as on Wave Rider plus the Supporters and puppets will be staying on board today as usual. Mythryll has changed into a dark blue tunic dress and leather pants with boots that closely matches Nila's style, while Misha picked a light yellow sundress with comfortable low heels, this world's equivalent of runners.

Cain looks her over for a second, giving her a little spin before adding a black shawl to her outfit and braiding a yellow ribbon that matches her dress into two small braids that hang over the front of her shoulders. He steps back to admire his handiwork before giving a satisfied nod and changing his shirt to match her dress. 

Vala smirks at the display, before her experts turn to a full on smile as Cain extends his arm for Misha to take as they leave the ship and Nila mimics his actions, escorting Mythryll for their walk down the pier. 

Once they're off the dock, they're on gravel streets with familiar concrete paved sidewalks. They must leave the streets soft for the sake of the animals, but they look out of place in an otherwise very modern city. 

Past the warehouses, they pass through a community of single story adobe houses with wooden fences and chickens in the yards. The occasional store and apartment building in the same adobe finish breaking up the uniformity. Along with chickens, Cain notices some have rabbit like creatures with small antlers in cages, another form for him to record, but he's not sure what their purpose is. They don't seem to be just pets, left outside in cages like that.

Cain also notices several miniature Mole Dogs, long-nosed furry things with hands made for digging. At the size of a corgi, they're cute—a stark contrast to their violent larger kin. Those ones are definitely pets, and many children, both Beastkin and human are playing with them as the Darklight Host group passes. 

The houses suddenly give way to a shopping district that mimics Cain's nearly forgotten memories, rows of glass storefronts for blocks and blocks. This arrangement seems to be a strange one to Misha and Mythryll; they're debating why all the stores look the same but with different signs. 

The city is lively once they get this far; almost every business is open, and locals are going about their days dressed in the usual eclectic fashions of transfers, where the outfit reflects their class. At this level fashion items are definitely available, and popular with the wealthy, but displaying your armor with your weapons put away seems to be the fashion of the Skyview commoners. 

It's everything you would expect of a modern capital city, if you ignore the lack of government officials at the pier. The locals seem to just treat the docks like a cargo facility, ignoring their existence unless they have personally ordered something. 

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The Darklight Host are looking for the Quest Hall equivalent in this kingdom when they come across a peach skinned noble boy with Dark curly hair crouched down in the loading area between a clothing store and a bookstore that caught Vala's attention. At best estimate, he's in his early teens and ineptly attempting to hide from someone.

At least his brightly colored silk and leather clothes are fancy enough for Cain to assume he's a noble. He's certainly not used to hiding in alleys, or he wouldn't have matched gray leather pantaloons with red knee socks, gold ankle boots, and a red and gold coat with puffy sleeves. 

He does look like he knows his way around the city though, so Cain stops to say hello. The youth has his title hidden, but his name is James; a simple name and and easy to remember. 

"Lord James, I'm Duke Cain from the Great desert of the central continent. I find myself in need of a guide, and you look like you could use a disguise. Care to make a deal?"

The direct offer startled the youngster, staring blankly at him and blinking before extending his hand. "Deal. I will be your guide as long as you can hide me."

What he's hiding from really doesn't matter to the group, he's not high enough level to threaten any of them, and he doesn't seem hostile. More like an overdressed kid worried about getting in trouble for sneaking out of the house against his parent's wishes. 

Cain sends James a group invite, which he accepts in seconds, then motions for Nemu to transform their newly acquired guide. Her [Troubadour's Transformation] ability turns him into Gerald, a Lynx type Beastkin man in his senior years, showing multiple combat scars and time-honed muscles under a dark green leather vest with black cargo pants and worn-out work boots. 

The permed mullet completes the look of an aging enforcer, giving the Lynx a look that says he'd gladly stab someone for drinking his last beer. 

"I hope you know how to handle yourself. Your new form is known as Gerald, and you look pretty tough. A standard scan will show you by that name with no Guild. It doesn't hide your class or level, but it's pretty good as far as disguises go." Cain explains as James inspects himself. 

"I've been trained in swords since birth. Plus, I'm a Paladin. It's a much better disguise than I expected. I thought you might dress me as a page or a beggar."

"Too easy. If someone is looking for a hidden target, they ignore clothes and check nameplates and faces. We're looking to take care of some of the monster quests in the area and need to find where they're handed out. You're welcome to come with us if you like."

"A day or two would be good if you have time. I needed to get outdoors and see the state of things. I suspect many of the problems around here are caused by those who are supposed to prevent them." The body of Gerald has the voice of a fifty-year-old chain smoker, raspy and deep. James isn't quite used to it yet, but he's doing his best to hide his crisp noble accent under a nasal drawl.

"Someone hired a washed-up old goon like you to investigate the city's state? I will give you some advice, old man; keep your nose out of Duke Archibald's business if you don't want to lose it." A knight in polished armor, praying by them into the clothing shop sneers, having heard a bit of their conversation. 

"Don't get us wrong, young lad. The Duke hired us to find out who in his employ might be betraying him and messing up his plans. You don't know anything about that, do you? There's a handsome reward for information."

Gerald flashes a yellowed and toothy smile at the guard, improvising. 

The Knight shakes his head in disgust, almost gagging at the stale beer and cigarette smell on the Beastkin's breath, and leaves. "Noble politics aren't my business, and they shouldn't be yours. Just keep my advice in mind." 

The moment the Knight is gone, Cain hands a mint candy to the transformed noble, who looks much less pleased with the thorough details Nemu put into his disguise than he was a moment ago. 

Cain and James, or Gerald as he appears to be now, share a smile for the information they gained about Duke Archibald being in de facto control of the area and join the others inside the book store. Vala has found a few fiction novels, and Nila has a plain white covered book she purchased tucked in her jacket, saving inventory space. 

"The quests are available near the east gate. We could get to Long Fang City by dark if we leave now. There should be a quest for that region; they've reported many attacks by Goblins and Gnolls lately." James explains, and everyone gets ready to head out, with Cain taking Misha's hand in one of his, the size difference making her seen smaller than she is, before whispering something the others can't hear that makes her blush.

The city of Karrack is fantastic, but they want to get closer to level 200 and find a spot for a Guild House before they return to relaxing if that's even going to be possible in a country known to be politically unstable with a monster problem. 

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