STILL IN ONE PIECE

Rich people love to flaunt their wealth, but they're often blind to the shadows that watch their every move. They think their gold buys them security, but it only attracts those of us who know where to look.

With my casual attire on, I sat at one of the tables in the tavern and ordered an orange juice. Hilbra, my target, was behind me, talking to her mother about something. I couldn't catch the conversation's subject with all the murmurs from the other patrons filling the air.

"Where's your stupid flute…" I whispered to myself. "I need to find which room she's staying in."

I focused on their conversation, straining to hear over the din.

"How have you been, dear?" her mother asked.

"I've been good, Mom. A little busy."

"I'm glad to hear that," her mother replied. "Have you been taking care of yourself? Eating well? You look skinny!"

"Yes, Mom. I promise I'm taking care of myself."

"How was your room? It's the biggest one we have in the tavern."

"It's good. Bigger than our old house." She laughed. "But I didn't have the time to move in properly."

"Yeah, I realized that. You don't even have your flute."

"This –" She glanced around, leaned in forward to her mother. "This district isn't really the safest one. I put my flute in the room, hid it under the bed."

"Nice…" I said to myself.

I finished my orange juice and stood up, making my way to the bar to rent a room upstairs. The tavern keeper gave me a key, and I headed up the stairs, my mind already plotting the next steps.

As I reached the second floor, I checked around the hallway. There was a couple in the corridor, kissing passionately. They seemed oblivious to everything around them, lost in their own world. I rolled my eyes and sighed, knowing I'd have to wait for them to move. Trying to sneak into Hilbra's room with them right there would be too risky.

"Damned lovebirds."

There were several doors, but I knew the biggest room would be at the end. I walked casually to my own room first, unlocking the door and stepped inside. I needed to wait for the right moment when the hallway was clear.

As I waited for the couple to leave, I noticed that instead of emptying, the corridor was becoming more crowded. Guests were coming and going, some chatting loudly as they passed by. Realizing this wasn't going to work, I decided to take a different approach.

I exited through my room's window and climbed onto the roof. The tavern's exterior was rough and uneven, providing ample footholds.

Walking carefully along the roof, I made my way to the balcony of Hilbra's room. The wooden shingles creaked slightly under my weight, but I moved slowly, ensuring I didn't make any unnecessary noise. When I reached the balcony, I lowered myself down, gripping the railing before dropping softly onto the wooden planks.

The door to the balcony was locked, but that was no obstacle for me. I took out my lockpicking tools and set to work. The lock was old and yielded quickly to my hands. Within moments, the door clicked open, and I slipped inside, closing it quietly behind me.

"Under the bed she said…"

I crouched and looked under the bed, and lo and behold, there it was: the damned yellow flute with silver finishings. I grabbed it and stood up, inspecting the workmanship. It sure wasn't worth 250 gold, but hey, who am I to judge?

As I was about to exit through the window again, the door to the room opened. Whoever it was didn't see my face since my back was turned, but they saw my attire.

"Oi!" The guard yelled from behind. "Stop! Thief!"

I dashed to the balcony, climbed up the railings, and jumped, grabbing a ledge on the next building. The wooden ledge gave way, and I began to plummet down. Just as I was about to hit the ground, I raised my hand, focused on the roof of the building, and disappeared, traversing through the void and reappearing on the rooftop.

Without missing a beat, I began to run away, but there was a slight problem. I wasn't wearing the ring my sister had made for me. My mana was gone – the whole ten points. With that ring, I could cast a spell of my choosing every five minutes for a day.

"Catch the thief! Oi, stop! Raise the alarm! The bard's flute got stolen!" yelled the guard behind me. "He's heading toward the west. Stop him!"

"Shit…" I muttered, pushing myself to run faster.

The rooftops of Gravif blurred beneath my feet as I jumped from one to another, the rain making every landing treacherous. The guards' shouts grew fainter, but I knew it wouldn't be long before more joined the chase. I had to lose them and fast.

I glanced around for a hiding spot or a way to mislead my pursuers. The alleys below were a maze, and I needed to find a way down without breaking my neck. Up ahead, I spotted a narrow alleyway with a stack of crates and barrels. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do.

With a big leap, I landed on the stack. I quickly descended, using the crates to slow my fall, and slipped into the shadows of the alley. I pressed myself against the damp wall, listening for the sounds of pursuit.

The guards rushed past the alley, their heavy footsteps echoing off the stone walls. I waited, holding my breath until I was sure they were gone. Only then did I allow myself to relax, the flute still clutched tightly in my hand.

"Now, to get this to Barton," I whispered to myself, slipping out of the alley and blending into the crowd.

As I merged into the crowd, I felt a strong hand grab my shoulder. "Gotcha, thief!" a guard barked, yanking me back. Panic surged through me as I struggled to break free and hide my face while doing it.

Thinking quickly, I twisted and drove my elbow into the guard's ribs, causing him to loosen his grip. I broke away, sprinting through the market, knocking over stalls and sending fruits and vegetables tumbling to the ground. The vendors shouted curses, but I didn't stop.

"Oi, did you see his face!" Another guard asked.

"No! Catch him!"

"Thief, stop! Stop, I say!"

"Halt, thief!"

Heart pounding, I pulled my scarf up to my nose and darted through the maze of market stalls, weaving between carts and dodging the grasping hands of bystanders. The rain-slick cobblestones threatened to send me sprawling with every step, but adrenaline fueled my movements.

Behind me, the guards were gaining ground, their shouts growing closer with each passing second. I could hear the clatter of their armor, the heavy thud of boots on wet stone. Despite their slower pace compared to mine, the bystanders actively aided the guards, attempting to block my path and impede my escape, causing me to fall behind.

A man stretched his arm and punched me in the face. I fell backward, hitting my head on the ground like a sack of potatoes. I tried to get up, but two people jumped on top of me.

"Let me go… you morons!" I kicked one of them in the chest, and escaped another one's choke hold by rolling to the side.

"Take the flute!" A man yelled. "Steal from the thief!"

"Kill him!"

"Bastard!"

Finally, I saw it – a narrow gap between two buildings, barely wide enough for me to slip through. I pushed over a large crate nearby, obscuring the view of my pursuers. Then, I squeezed into the crevice, pressing myself against the cold stone and holding my breath.

The guards and the people thundered past, their footsteps fading into the distance. I waited a few moments longer, ensuring they were gone, before cautiously emerging from my hiding spot. The rain had slowed to a gentle drizzle, and the streets had quieted, though not completely.

"Fuck me…" I examined the flute to see if it was damaged. "Phew, you're still in one piece. Let's get you to Barton, buddy."