Chapter Thirteen - Playing Games
Rosario couldn't help but wonder how many thieves passed away every year from entirely preventable illnesses as she looked into their kitchen.
It was a small disaster.
They didn't have a [Chef] or [Cook] or any other person with a job suited to kitchen work, which was fine. People could do things outside of the remit of their job. Still, it wouldn't hurt for them to do those kinds of things well. Or at the very least do the damned dishes once in a while.
Then again, she chose not to complain too much, because this meant more work for her.
Mister Numbra stepped away, and Rosario got to work. She started by moving loose items to one side of the room, then drew water out of a small cistern at the back. There was a clever system of pipes and water tanks. Not exactly modern, but not too poorly made. It looked like it drew rainwater down from somewhere above in lieu of using a well.
She found a pail and a sad excuse for a mop, and then some hard soap. It was better than nothing.
So, with that in hand, she started cleaning.
It was kind of satisfying. KingBreaker was her number one game, of course, but sometimes she'd be dragged into playing Powerwash Sim or other games where a character cleaned. Especially if they had cute maid skins. They were always the best kind.
After getting everything stacked on a few tables to one side, she got down to scrubbing. If she wasn't playing the role of a [Rogue] pretending to be a [Maid] then she'd use some magic, but she wanted to keep things subtle.
Besides, sometimes doing things the harder way gave more experience. So, she got the mop out and started scrubbing.
It took a solid hour and a bit just to get the floor more or less clean, and if it wasn't for her high Dex, she suspected that she would have fallen a few times on the slippery surface.
Then she dusted, and that was a mistake. There was a lot of dust hidden all over, and it immediately clung onto the wet floor. So she had to start the mopping over.
She then did the dishes, which was a task and a half. A lot of the dishes had food stuck on them, and that wasn't even including the cutlery. Soon she had suds up to her elbows and her clothes were sticking uncomfortably to her.
If she had been a better [Maid] she knew that she wouldn't have a problem with this. High Dexterity didn't mean gracefulness.
She had a lot of improving left to do.
She was just starting to dry the dishes when someone casually stepped into the kitchen. Rosario took note of the woman from the corner of her eye. She was a little shorter than she was, with long brown hair that partially covered a pair of cupped, fur-covered ears. The woman's tail flicked behind her as she sauntered over. "Ah, look at what the rat dragged in," she said.
Rosario hesitated, then set a plate down and dipped into a curtsy. The little bells affixed to her outfit clinked gently. "Good morning," she said.
The woman paused, then laughed. "Oh, that's new! I've never had someone curtsy at me before. One moment... ah, there, now isn't that more suitable?"
Rosario wasn't quite sure what the woman meant, then she fired an [Inspect] and caught on.
Queen Numbra of Nowhere
[Queen] - Level 100
The queen was dressed in tight men's trousers and a light blouse that was tugged up to reveal an indecent little slip of tummy and waist. She had a small half-corset on as well, one that pulled things in and pushed other things up. Her belt had a few coins around it, and when she moved one of them made a very faint clink, like coins touching. It was a very flattering look... for a [Rogue].
Unless the nobility in Alpta was significantly more liberal than the average noble then Rosario truly doubted that this young woman was queen of anything.
As for her level... she moved at a very normal speed. Rosario hadn't seen too many outliers yet, but she had the impression that people of a certain level moved in a certain way. She herself was sometimes finding it hard to restrict herself to a normal speed.
So, a fake level rather than a hidden one, and a fake job and likely a fake name. There were a few jobs that could do that. A high-level [Rogue] perhaps?
"Of course, a proper maid always bows to a lady when she enters the room," Rosario replied. "Would my lady like some tea?"
Queen Numbra of Nowhere chuckled and stepped a little closer. "Tea? Maybe. Especially if it comes with conversation." She stared at Rosario with half-lidded eyes. "You could say that I'm rather... thirsty, even."
The woman approached Rosario and most definitely stepped into her space. "If you wish, I can have a cup warmed up for you in jus--" Rosario noticed the hand moving from the corner of her eye and then the world slowed as she pushed herself to process it all.
The 'Queen' was reaching out, lightning-quick, to grab the bell connected to Rosario's belt.
Rosario was faster. She turned, interposing her hip in the way even as she quickly grabbed a cup and smaller plate, cast [Summon Water] and [Heat] and then bowed again with a small step back. "Your tea, my lady."
The woman stumbled back, eyes widening for a moment before she took in the scene and calmed. Her confident smile returned. "Oh, why thank you... you're a fast one, aren't you?"
"Always, when it comes to the service of my lady," Rosario replied with another curtsy. She didn't even have a skirt, so she was merely pinching at the air.
The woman laughed, then sniffed at the cup. "Is this actual tea?" she asked, dropping the act.
"Insofar as it's warm water, yes. It may be lacking some key ingredients however... such as tea."
She laughed again. "Well, I'd say this isn't quite passable, and I'm an expert at such things. It's my Job."
T Numbra
[Tea Tester] - Level 1
Well, that was enough evidence for Rosario. The woman definitely had a skill that let her manipulate her visible system information. And... it didn't matter too much. She was obviously just scoping Rosario out and trying to grab one of those bells.
A small part of Rosario didn't want to hand them out so easily, however. It was a game, and she liked winning those.
"So... we don't get too many new faces down here. Most of the time we don't trust folk so easily. But you're here anyway. Strange how that is."
"It is, indeed, a little strange," Rosario agreed.
"Yeah... but hey, you're playing our games, with the bells, so you can't be all bad. Tell you what. I've got a bit of coin." She tapped the pouch on her hip. "One silver crow for one bell? What do you say?"
"You'd simply purchase it from me?" Rosario asked.
"Sure, why not?"
"Doesn't it defeat the point of the entire game?"
She shook her head. "Not for me. Sure, if you're a mere [Thief] or [Curpurse] maybe, but I'm a little better than that."
"I see. Unfortunately, I also happen to think that I'm a little better than that. One mere silver crow won't entice me," Rosario replied.
That was a lie. She could use the money.
The woman might have sensed it because she set the teacup down onto the counter and came a little closer. "If I can't entice you with a bit of coin, then, maybe..." She licked her lower lip, then Rosario noticed her tail coming around, slowly questing forwards.
She grabbed the tip of the woman's tail before it could touch any of her bells.
The woman gasped. "Oh! Getting handsy already. Maybe I do know what you want after all, hmm?" she came closer, and Rosario let go of her tail. She stood stock-still as the woman pressed herself very close indeed. "Maybe... if you give me this, I can trade it for an... open invitation? Hm?"
Rosario was quite certain that a skill or two was being used on her because she felt the temperature rise and blood rushing to her face. That, and her ears were flicking, even if she tried to keep them under control.
Especially when the rat woman reached out and touched the bell hanging off of her necklace with the end of a long finger. She felt the touch on her sternum, pressing in a little.
"What sort of invitation?" she asked, happy that her voice remained level.
The woman grinned. "Come to my room later, if you can find it? Hm?" She wrapped a finger around the ribbon and tugged. It came loose with a jingle, and the rat woman spun and happily walked away. "Bye-bye," she said with a little wave over her shoulder.
Rosario watched her go.
Then she opened her hand and stared at the coinpurse she had liberated from the woman's hip. She was a [Rogue] too. She had [Steal].
And besides... Rosario opened one of the cabinets and checked within. In the far corner at the back, a space originally occupied by nothing but dust, was a trio of little bells.
The coinpurse joined them.
She wondered how long her [Copy Item] spell was going to last now that it was away from her. It was a spell with a long list of exceptions and limitations, but copying a simple item like a bell? That was quite easy.
Now, to finish cleaning here, then dust up the barracks before heading out. She had a friend to visit this afternoon and she wanted to get a good lay of the land, as it were. A few more hours of piddling about and she would slip out. Hopefully before that rat woman noticed.
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