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[SeriousConcentrate]

Leo looked it over and scratched his head.

"Like I told Sheila, I'm not really a good judge of weaponry. Regardless I'm sure it will be quite useful."

"...If we keep working for Matilda, you may have a chance sooner than you think. Speaking of, that's something we need to think about. Did this job end when she got here? Will she have further work for us? Are we all going to stay together?"

Leo shrugged.

[Sirus]

: "Well, I'm kinda hoping we stick together. If we do end up splitting I wouldn't mind going with you and Sheila."
: "...If--iffen ya don't mind, that is. If that wouldn't work, guess I'd just go back to wanderin' around."
: "In any case, yer turn preacher. What's it like where yer from?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Of course I don't mind! I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

Grifen then asked where he was from.

"Well, I'm from the city of Anteos, in the northwestern Troian Empire, about one week's hard travel from the border of Syra. It's a pretty large city. I didn't see all of it when I lived there."

He made some indicative motions with his hands as he talked.

"The city is on a hill and broken up into districts. The farther up you make it, the wealthier the district. There are obvious symbolic connotations with it, but I can see that the real intent originally was to protect the city center by forcing invaders to fight their way uphill, and that the poorer sections developed as a result of city growth. Luckily, no such battles have occurred in the last thirty or so years."

"My family lived in a one room shack, nestled up against the outer fortifications of Anteos. It wasn't a bad place to live, I suppose, although that may be nostalgia talking. I will admit that sicknesses did tend to spread quickly, and there were quite a few nights where my family had to go hungry, but it wasn't all bad."

He trailed off, looking down for a moment.

"...I still want to go back someday."

[Sirus]

Grifen listened carefully to Leo's story, fascinated by the visuals he described (even if she probably got them wrong in her head).
: "Wow...preacher, yer even further from home than I am. Yer home sounds way more exciting too."
: "So, why do you wanna go back? Are ya missing yer family, or do you wanna heal sick folk, or what?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"A bit of both..."

"...But I don't know how the people I grew up with would receive me. The slums were a very... tight knit community. Some of the guys were already making fun of me for learning how to read. It's... difficult to put into words exactly. I feel that maybe they think I'll think I'm better than them and are just taking pity on them if I go back wanting to help, and the people of Anteos - especially the lower classes - are quite proud."

"...That's why I haven't gone back yet."

[Sirus]

: "...You must've been gone a while, huh? Sorry preacher, I ain't got any advice for ya."

: "Other than that ya should go back, I mean. Even if the folks there don't want yer help, I'm sure yer family will be happy to see ya again, especially now that yer a priest and stuff."

[Blade Master Model 42]

"It is kind of scary. Going home after being gone for a long time. But I think Grifen is right, Leo."

[wolfchild]

Efa finds Maible half way to the markets, she is not rushing.

OH, hi Efa how are you doing?

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Perhaps. We'll see where our journeys take us, I suppose."

"I do want to see my parents again, but it can wait until we're in the area."

[Powder Miner]

Efa makes sure to modulate her bitch level; above harmless but below Elenore.
:"Right, so... Why would you choose a book about building confidence? I should think I'm quite confident enough."

[Xanmyral]

Hm... Fezz decides he's wasted enough time, heads to the adventurer shop, checks their stock and buys a chest key with his new jingling coins.

[wolfchild]

You have all the signs of compensating for low self-esteem Efa, No-one should have to deal with that

[Haspen]

@Fezz:

And so Fezz bought a chest key.

Later that day...

Everyone finally gathered at Duke's office.

"Ah, I'm grateful you have waited. Whilst you were away, I've spoken with my daughter and I could prepare your rewards beforehand." He nodded as the guards began to give the mercenaries not only bags of money, but several other things as well...

Leo gets 3000 Gold!
Tacey gets 500 Gold!
Sakura gets Worm!
Julius gets Lockpicks!

"Now we need to talk about more serious business, my friends." The doors behind the mercenaries opened and several guards poured in, and Matilda, who was absent beforehand, entered as well.

"The documents you have helped fetch here are letters that could bring another purge in the Empire. Those are letters of various landowners and military officials supporting our secret movement, which aims for the downfall of the current Troian Emperor, Jurgen. A vile man like him cannot occupy the throne. Anyone could do, even one of the Imperial Generals, if only they weren't mostly rotten themselves."

"You need to understand one thing, though." Matilda interrupted. "We don't aim for the downfall and destruction of the Empire. We want to, hmm, 'vacate the throne' so someone better can sit on it."

"My daugther speaks not only for us, and people of Mireos, but for others too. Neithart didn't start the peace talks until we have introduced him to our movement. We have all this planned for a year now. It is time to set this plan in motion and you people will help Matilda and me achieve that goal." Some more guards appeared in the corridor and in the room as well.

"If one or more of you are loyal to the Empire, or do not wish to partake in this quest, you are free to refuse. Of course you understand that we have to protect our secret. Whoever refuses to join us, will be dead within next minute." The Duke nodded to the guards.

"Do you join our little rebellion, mercenaries?"

[Powder Miner]

Spoiler: Timewarp w/ Maible (click to show/hide)

:"All the signs of- what."
Whoa whoa whoa holy shit how could she know?!

Efa flashed a practically vicious grin.
:"Oh, I'm all too glad to."

[SeriousConcentrate]

Leo sighed.

"It is sad that we have to begin on grounds of little trust, for this leaves us no choice but to accept. And so I do."

"So what are we to accomplish next?"