Market issues

Asteri doubted this friend of his, but he had no other way of verifying if he was safe.

'So we throw ourselves blind, knowing it's a trap' Aurelion speaks to Asteri.

'Don't worry partner, everything will be fine.' Asteri was confident.

'As always' he replies to Asteri.

'So you think the assault is a bluff' Aurelion wanted to know his opinion.

'I don't think so, most likely this assault will happen, but they won't do what the guards expect.' Asteri was pretty sure Marinburg would be attacked tonight.

'But what are they aiming for?' It seems Aurelion hasn't heard what the bad guys are aiming for.

'Since they didn't say it, we have to think about the enemy base after all. But surely the target they aimed at is the large bank located in the city center. He is very famous as he owns most of the funds of almost all noble merchants. 'Asteri clarifies to Aurelion.

'Now it makes sense' Aurelion understood the reason for the attack.

"But it seems too stupid of them, but I don't know what else to think, and there's no point in continuing to think. After all, that's not our problem. "Asteri didn't give a damn about a rich man's money.

And so he went out of town to practice his new skill on him.

. . .

Elsewhere, in another villa, not too sumptuous but not too poor, Dagni was sitting in an armchair, drinking a cup of tea. And on the other side, in another armchair, sat what looked like a gnome.

"So he agreed?" asks the gnome.

"Yes, he had no problems, we can trust him." Dagni answers, placing the cup of tea on the round table between the two.

"Great, we need trustworthy people to stop Gustav's ambitions. Let's hope everything goes well ... otherwise the city of Marinburg will be in his hands." The gnome wasn't drinking his cup of tea yet.

"You worry too much, Grimsin. Everything will be fine. Gustav is too stupid to understand that we already understand his plans. Right now he will most likely be savoring a victory that will never exist." Digna wasn't worried at all.

"Maybe you are right, as you said he is too stupid to understand, but alas he is not the only one." Grimsin starts drinking his tea.

"What do you mean?" Digna did not understand.

"Oh nothing, don't worry about my usual unfounded worries." Grimsin made Dagni relax.

"Okay, but about this acquaintance of yours ... what did you say his name is?" Dgni resumed drinking his tea.

"Do you mean Zero?" Grimsin looked at her, mentioning the name of her agent.

"Yes, Zero. Can we really trust him? After all, he's a mercenary." Dagni was worried that this Zero would betray them.

"No problem, he's been a trusted agent of mine for a long time, ever since we started doing business at DulPuhn. Remember the old days, Dagni?" Grimsin wanted to remember the past.

"How can we forget them, we grew up together thanks to our father". Dagni closed his eyes as if to remember.

"And I will always be indebted to him for giving me everything I needed, if it weren't for him right now I would still be an orphan raiding food for the slums in dwarf fortresses." Grimsin smiles as he too remembers the past.

"But look at you now, you are one of the richest noble merchants in the city, not only but also in the whole continent." Dagni raises his cup of tea as if to toast.

"But I am only the third richest in the city, in front of me there is always you." Grimsin also raises his cup.

"I'm just the second, we don't have a big difference. And on top is that bastard Gustav." Digna was always nervous thinking about Gustav.

"Come on sister, all of Marinburg knows he's first only because he's favored by his nation of him, since he's a human being. If it weren't for that favoritism you'd be first." Grimsin did not agree with Dagni.

"How long have you not called me sister, you seem happy. Has something happened?" Dagni looked his stepbrother in her eyes.

"Mh? Nothing happened, maybe it's because you're here with me fighting Gustav. You know he's been a pain in the ass for a long time now. But when you arrived sister, everything changed and I gained some hope." Grimsin was almost moved.

"It's normal, after all we are a family, as our father always said before he died. We must protect ourselves as we can. If not us who will?" Dagni remembers his father's words.

"You are absolutely right, these are difficult times ... and I think this is just the beginning". Grimsin looked up at the sky from the terrace, but it looked like he was looking at something else.

"Ah, now that I remember, do you want me to tell you about the adventurer who will help us? I was wondering if I am not mistaken." Dagni suddenly remembered.

"Oh yes, sure, I was just about to ask you. If I remember correctly, her name is Asteri, right?" Grimsin clearly remembers his name.

"Exactly, as always, you gnomes have this iron memory." Dagni is happy with his brother.

And the two continued to talk about Asteri and other topics.

. . .

And as evening approached, Asteri was near the forest. He sat down on a wooden log to catch his breath.

"Uff, it wasn't easy," he says, rolling his eyes.

'What did I tell you? but congratulations anyway, in the end you did it. «Aurelio congratulates him.

'Thanks partner, I think it's time to go back to Gustav's villa. It will start soon. 'Asteri gets up from the trunk and returns to Gustav's villa.

But he did not notice that a figure was hiding from the shadows staring at him.

"That boy ... where have I already seen him?" he wondered in a low voice. And after saying it he disappears into the darkness of the forest.