Chapter 618 617: Practice Run

Chapter 618 Chapter 617: Practice Run

n)/0velb1n

Taking a deep breath, I surveyed the building across the street and located an entrance, before turning and giving the Wisp beside me a nod as I whispered "So you want me to go in, retrieve something of value, come back out and hand it to you? Isn't that both risky and incredibly illegal? What if the owner is looking for that thing?"

The Wisp just stared blankly at me for a few moments, eventually asking "You were the one to suggest a trial like this. Don't tell me you're getting cold feet? You suggested the trial and the eventual incursion into the Vulpine Manor, which is far more illegal to breach than some strangers home. Besides, we do know a thing or two about the city, and this house is owned by someone who is treading that thin line between being a citizen and being a criminal. Don't worry about them, and just find something that looks important."

That made me sigh as I continued to scan the building I was meant to break into, asking "And if I am caught, what then?"

"Don't get caught preferably, but if there is no other choice or there is severe danger to your life, try to knock the person out with a quick, clean blow to the temple before restraining them with some rope or something. If you want some advice, I would recommend checking any doors that look more solid than the others, and the easiest way to tell is how the door is constructed. Multiple pieces means a solid door, while a singular piece is lighter; the heavier the door, the more likely there is something valuable hiding behind it. Do you know how to lock pick?"

I gave the Wisp a nod, making the masked guard raise a brow before shrugging, instead gesturing towards the house and saying "Then get to it, and be quick about it - but don't be stupid; we can afford a little time lost, but not a lot."

Nodding, I slipped off the roof and joined the flowing crowd on the street, cutting across nonchalantly and finding my way around the cluster of houses so that I could climb up onto the roofs unseen, where I began to silently creep across the roof and crouch next to the window that I had spotted from the other side of the street.

Water spread out from my hand and slipped into the lock, shimmying the various pins around inside and unlocking it with a soft click, allowing me to smoothly lift the window up and slip inside.

The house was dark, but it wasn't a problem for my enhanced senses as I stepped inside and closed the window behind me, taking a quick look at my surroundings.

I was in a long hall that led towards a set of stairs on my left and three doors on my right, with light flickering underneath the furthest door along with the sounds of floorboards creaking and a woman moaning.

A quick sniff of the air let me know that they had been at it for a little while now, the intoxicating stench of sex permeating the entire hallway and making me shudder for a moment before I shook my head and began to creep forwards, studying the two other doors while keeping my hearing focused on the sounds of the couple making love in the furthest room, wanting to be warned if they stopped anytime soon.

One of the doors was a singular block of wood, and when I approached it I quietly opened it and looked inside, testing both its weight and verifying the Wisp's information as I was greeted with the sight of a library, dozens if not hundreds of books lining the shelves and revealing nothing else inside the room, just a comfortable chair and table for reading as well as a larger, cozy chaise lounge.

Besides looking like a villain's room, there was nothing of interest except the books, which could very well be the most expensive things in this entire house, but without a better idea on what to look for, I decided to leave that room alone and move to the other door, which was a much more elaborate door compared to the first.

Feeling that it was locked, I slipped some water into the lock and unlocked it before pushing the door open, making sure to move it slowly yet smoothly, all while I continued to listen closely to the couple going at it in the other room, which was something that Cali made sure to tease me about as she whispered "Why don't we slip inside and take a peak there, hmm~? Offer to join in and let off some steam..."

She wasn't anywhere nearby - visibly anyways - so I just rolled my eyes and slipped into the room I opened up, which seemed to be an office; a large desk rested against one wall, while a heavy metal safe rested beside it, with a bunch of shelves and tables lining the walls that were laden with more books and trinkets.

Of course, I approached the safe first after scanning the rest of the room, my boots gliding silently over the floorboards and allowing me to stop directly in front of the metal box, which I began to appraise in the dark room.

Not finding much on the outside, I continued my search anyways as I checked behind it and under it, feeling the four legs and wondering if I would feel any wires or something, only to come up blank on that as well.

Narrowing my eyes, I slipped some water into the lock and moved to the side, consolidating the water and pushing in the pins, unlocking the safe and opening it up, using some more water to pull the door open further.

All the while, I got to listen to the euphoric noises of a woman getting whatever she wanted done to her in the other room, making my mood sour as I waited to see if something would happen with the safe, which thankfully didn't come to fruition.

Looking inside, I saw a pouch of coins, a bar of gold, a few tokens and loose gemstones... honestly, quite the haul for such an 'unprotected' safe... which made me wary.

But, I still grabbed everything I could inside of it of immediate value - the coins, bar, and gems - before closing the safe and locking it again, before exiting the room and closing the door.

Locking that too, I glanced towards the last room and chuckled silently, approaching it and locking the door as well when I felt that mild annoyance at the random couple surge, making me do something petty.

Trusting that the Wisp was being honest with me - which I had no reason to doubt thanks to them being the Empress' personal guard - I felt nothing as I took my haul and slipped out of the house, leaving it silently like a ghost as I left nothing to clue anyone in that I had ever been here.

The window got locked behind me as I made my way out, and before I knew it I was already at the other rooftop, where the Wisp was waiting with a pocket watch in their hand, counting the minutes.

Showing off the goods that I had lifted from that persons safe, I saw the Wisp nod before they said "Not too bad. Rather quick, though that could've been faster, and you got some valuables. Didn't get too greedy either. Though..."

The Wisp reached over and pat my shoulder, adding "You could've been a tad more perceptive and noticed that I was there with you, no? Doesn't matter though... makes me feel better."

I stared blankly at the Wisp as they stood up and dropped into the alleyway, before I fell to the ground beside them and began to pester the professional about what they meant, unbelieving that they were really in the house with me as I robbed it, only to make me growl frustratedly as they deigned to remain silent.