Returning to the employer... You will clearly need to explain the situation...

You continue to actively urge the horses on with the reins...

The speed of the carriage is so fast that passers-by on the streets recoil to the sides and scream in fear when dirty water from puddles splashes on their clothes.

You understand that only the theft of the carriage and the speed of your movement allowed you to temporarily break away from your pursuers. However, there is a flip side to the situation - very soon the noisy movement of the carriage will attract increased attention from the city guard patrols. And then your problems will increase many times over...

Therefore, soon you have to quickly improvise.

What you do a couple of minutes later may seem risky and reckless.

You rise to your feet while the carriage continues to move. Then you grab a small wooden box with your left hand, pressing it to your body.

After that, you throw the reins and jump towards one of the market stalls, which is located next to the road.

The horses continue to gallop down the street, pulling the carriage behind them...

You fall onto the fabric of a market tent, clutching a small wooden box in your hands.

The fabric tears...

You tumble head over heels onto a stall with some clay vessels.

A crash...

The crack of broken clay pottery and other ceramics...

A painful bruise on your left hip...

The next second, you jump to your feet and run away, clutching a small wooden box in your hands.

You ignore the cries of the indignant merchant who owns this market stall...

You run into the dark alleys, trying to escape the attention of potential pursuers.

As you run, you knock down a couple of gaping passersby...

But despite the pain from the bruise, you continue to run quickly, making turns along winding alleys and trying to hide in the evening shadows.

A couple of times, your keen attention allows you to hear in advance the scraping of armor of the city guards, whose patrols are walking somewhere nearby.

You adjust your route.

Finally, after a few hours, you reach your destination.

The evening has already given way to nighttime, when you approach the house of your current employer.

A two-story house with a brown tiled roof, which is located on the northern edge of the South Gate Quarter next to the well.

Breathing heavily, you approached the powerful oak door, which was covered with iron, and you knocked on the door.

You were let inside.

The first thing you noticed: the increased number of armed guys guarding this house. And these gloomy muscular bandits carefully searched you, confiscating your weapons.

Only after that were you allowed to enter the office of moneylender Etario Cross-Eyed.

"Fuck... These armed guys would definitely come in handy in this shitty warehouse in the port quarter!" - you thought with annoyance, entering Etario's office.

So, you are standing in your employer's luxurious room again

All the free walls of the room were hung with paintings with gilded frames. On the table and cabinets, filling the entire space of the room, were placed vases, candelabra, books, scrolls. On the floor, next to the moneylender, lay a shaggy carpet with some incomprehensible pattern.

Etario nervously paced from side to side next to the large fireplace.

The half-orc bodyguard Javer, who is standing in the corner of the room, shifts his gaze from moneylender to you.

You approach the table and put a small wooden box on the table.

Then you take a couple of steps back.

Etario turns only a fleeting glance in your direction. His main attention is focused on the wooden box.

He quickly approaches the table. His slightly trembling hands tear off the wax seal with the symbol of a bear. The lid of the wooden box has been thrown aside and is lying on the floor. As well as some amulets and necklaces made of crystal and other minerals that were inside.

To your surprise, Etario simply throws the contents of the box onto the floor...

He mumbles something: "Somewhere around here... Here... This..."

Click.

A secret compartment opens in the wooden box, which was disguised by a false bottom. You try to see what's inside.

Your gaze manages to notice many small glass vials with some substance that looks like the finest loose light pink sand.

Etario carefully examines each vial, lifting the glass up (closer to the lamplight).

He grumbles discontentedly: "Why only one box! There should be three boxes!"

"There were a lot of enemies in the warehouse... Eight armed dwarves and some human bitch who clearly has magical powers. They killed two of our guys who were supposed to ensure the delivery... So I had to improvise..." - you answer, trying to suppress your anger.

"Damn! "I almost got killed, and this bastard is still not happy!" - these are roughly your thoughts right now.

"Well... It's better than nothing... But your payment will be reduced!" - the moneylender says, putting the vials back into the wooden box.

Then he sits down at the table and searches for something in one of the pull-out shelves.

After a couple of seconds, he throws you a small bag with your payment.

You catch the small bag in mid-air and open it to count the coins.

Fifteen gold coins.

"Now you can go away. I have many important things to do right now. If I need you, I will let you know..." - Etario's words are laced with impatience, his fingers nervously tugging at his small black beard, a stream of sweat running down his bald head.

You make a short bow and leave the room. You take your weapon.

Then you are about to leave the building, but...

You are followed by the half-orc bodyguard Javer, who pats you on the shoulder and quietly says: "Let's go outside for some fresh air..."

As the two of you walk outside in front of the house, the half-orc says with a smirk: "Because of you, I lost the bet, guy..."

"What do you mean?" - you ask, confused.

"I bet that you wouldn't be able to return from this mission alive," Javer answers calmly.

Your gaze directed at the half-orc was eloquent enough for him to understand your emotions.

"Etario... He is greedy... And also: he cares first and foremost about his own safety. I think you have noticed the increased number of our armed guys in this house and nearby..." - the half-orc continues to speak.

"And I also noticed that the armed thugs in the warehouse clearly considered those three wooden boxes and their contents THEIR property! Fuck! Nine scums! Couldn't this mission have been planned better?!" you say indignantly.

The half-orc shrugs and says phlegmatically: "Someone plans and pays, while someone follows orders and risks their own lives. However. you are doing well. You are a dexterous guy. And your dexterity will come in handy very soon..."

"Can you explain in more detail what this means?" you ask.

"This light pink substance in vials... Do you know what it is?" Javer says.

You answer negatively, shaking your head.

The half-orc says thoughtfully: "Etario would not explain anything to you... But I think, that you deserve to know the essence of the situation. This substance... This is atadrimin dust... A product of the processing of a rare and very expensive mineral - atadrimin. Trade in the mineral itself and its processed products is illegal... There are several reasons for the high cost and profitability of trading in atadrimin dust... Firstly: the use of enchanted atadrimin dust in various illegal magical rituals... I've even heard rumors about some magical tattoos made from this crap... Secondly: atadrimin dust processed in a certain alchemical way is an extremely expensive **** that is popular in elite aristocratic circles or among the super-rich representatives of the merchant class. Why did I say that your dexterity will soon come in handy? Think about it, guy... Those from whom you took this box will be very unhappy. These thugs will start a real war on the streets of the city... However, enough chatter - go and rest. You will need your strength." He turns his back to you and enters the house.

You walk along the streets of the night city, trying to think about the events that have happened. However, you really need to rest now - fatigue and pain from a bruise are extremely unpleasant.