Chapter 4: The Thief Gran
This is to inform him that the matter has been accomplished
Gland continued to quietly appreciate this small territory, where Sharp Jaw Harbor is composed of two capes, resembling a mouth that is about to split open. Between the upper and lower jaws stand hundreds of wooden piles, intermittently visible in the dark yellow waves. When foreign invaders approach, iron chains will be wrapped around these piles, forming the first line of defense.
Before he discovered anything, a thin rope had entangled his ankle
Gelan's gaze turned towards the harbor, where a four-masted sailing ship with a gilded mast was anchored. The bow resembled a dignified woman with a solemn expression, neither exposed nor revealing. Its captain was Drake. The sails had yet to be raised, and there were not many sailors moving about on the deck, probably only around twenty to thirty. They did not appear flustered, and seemed somewhat idle, with their gilded weapons glinting at their waists. The thief's eyesight was not sharp enough to discern much else, but soon, the top of the ship's main mast lit up, and a small light flickered three times in succession, followed by another three times, and then two times.
Thus, it attracted thieves. Upon thinking of this, Gran pleasantly shrugged his shoulders. The guild he worked for was the most feared and dreaded in the entire kingdom, with a branch in Sharp Jaw Harbor that boasted a history of over a hundred years. And he, at only twenty-six years of age, was the one in control of this branch of the guild
There are many such respects, including the guards at the secret doors, the soldiers on watch and patrol in the city towers, the servants and slaves busy with horses, horseshoes, weapons, and food in the outer courtyard, the trusted merchants and officials, and the guild members who walk quietly in the shadows, both on the periphery and within. The latter were once accomplices and formidable rivals of the thief Gran, some of whom had even become subjects who bowed to Gran's commands during certain operations. However, now, at least on the surface, they must all show humility and obedience to Gran; otherwise, the thief would have reason to assign them a fatal task. This is the law of the guild, which commands more respect from these lawless scoundrels than the laws of the kingdom.
A set of small tools flew silently through the nimble fingers of the thief as he ascended the narrow staircase, which could barely accommodate more than half of a woman's foot. The steps were uneven, and the fourth step from the bottom was equipped with a pressure-triggered crossbow trap. At the corner, there was a piercing device disguised as a peculiar ornament. Holes in the wall could suddenly emit one or several jets of searing flames, reaching the height of a normal male human head. Additionally, there were two concealed trapdoors covered by old, faded carpets in the corridor, where an unsuspecting person could fall into a massive, viscous tar barrel.
Goblins are not suitable materials for guards, Garlan reminded himself that tomorrow he should select a few strong individuals with weaknesses from the guild members to serve as his guards. He sometimes doubted whether his assassination plans were too hasty, but good opportunities always slip away in an instant
His residence, which is also the branch of the guild, is situated on a circular peninsula at the tip of a cape that resembles a sleeping cap pom-pom. The peninsula is connected to the mainland by only a narrow isthmus. The former regional governor built a splendid and magnificent fortress on it. After the guild employed various means to seize it, they cut off the isthmus and erected a drawbridge, allowing the fortress to become a true island when necessary. The former regional governor built a splendid and magnificent fortress on it. After the guild employed various means to seize it, they cut off the isthmus and erected a drawbridge, allowing the fortress to become a true island when necessary
The window had long been sealed with stone, and only the gem-like eyes of a brass lizard provided light to this enclosed room. Although the light was faint, it was sufficient for the thief to see everything clearly: the armchair, the four-tiered cupboard serving as a storage box, the low bed with less than three inches of space beneath it, and the coat rack. The wall tapestry pressed against the wall concealed a statue of Marsk standing in a hidden corner, its arms crossed in a posture identical to that of Gran when he left the room, indicating that no one had disturbed the magic hidden within its body.
Thieves prefer to set traps on doors, but Gran has arranged his traps in the corridor and behind the door, with mechanisms and secret locks he has set from top to bottom and from left to right. To disarm them, special tools are required, and a specific sequence must be followed
Gelan crossed the bustling first courtyard, leaving behind those who were obsequious and sycophantic. His room was on the third floor of the new castle, with other important members residing on the first and second floors. The entire third floor belonged to him, yet Gelan was not satisfied, for his predecessor had lived alone in the square tower of the second courtyard. The square tower was concealed behind two city walls and the new castle; perhaps it was not as comfortable as the new castle, but it was much safer
The dock extends smoothly from the sea wall, while the shipyard recedes inward, resembling a jaw with uneven, elongated teeth. Each tooth tirelessly extracts vast amounts of resources, labor, and intelligence for Sharp Jaw Port, as coins of gold and silver, various goods, people, and other intelligent beings surge in and out like the tides, day and night. The spacious dock is adorned with whale oil lamps, and workers busy with unloading and loading toil from morning till night and from night till morning. Warehouses and residences cluster densely and chaotically behind each dock. Unlike the half-timbered houses in the urban area, these structures are mostly built from concrete mixed with shells and sea sand to ensure sturdiness and affordability, resulting in a rough and unsightly exterior, with a cold and damp interior. Inside, a variety of goods are piled up, and merchants and artisans reside there, their accumulated wealth over nearly two hundred years nearly rivaling that of fifty dragons, and it continues to grow.
The traps set by Gran's predecessor inside and outside the tower number only thirty-four, which made Gran feel quite proud
His smile is almost impossible to conceal
However, this year, the Thieves' Guild in Sharp Jaw Harbor has acquired a wizard, a true wizard, not an apprentice. Gran must show him respect and deference. Yet, it is not without its advantages; he received a rather impressive magical item from this unremarkable, short, and stout wizard—a black obsidian mask statue that can discern the true identity of humans or other beings. If someone enters the room who is not Gran, it will emit a paralyzing, colorless, and odorless mist. Gran has suspected that the wizard might use this statue to spy and steal, so every time he returns to his room, he remembers to cover it thoroughly with a thick black velvet cloth, ensuring that the wizard cannot enter the area where he could cast spells on the statue again. The thief had "unintentionally" revealed that he had set up a total of thirty-seven traps on the stairs, corridors, and doors of the third floor, but in fact, there are at least fifty, with daily changes and adjustments, some of which are lethal.
The thief let out a satisfied chuckle as he descended the tower with a light step, returning to his residence in Sharp Jaw Harbor
Two goblins armed with long spears stood guard at the entrance of the third level. Upon seeing Gran, they eagerly attempted to bow to him, each trying to lower their heads below their bottoms wrapped in coarse burlap. As a result, their weapons clashed and became entangled in the air, yet neither was willing to yield. In their pointless dispute, the two clumsy creatures tumbled into a heap and angrily began to fight each other.
The low seawall built to withstand wind and waves runs along the edge of the coast, with many areas already damaged; some have collapsed naturally, while others are the work of smugglers. At the western end of the seawall stands a square stone structure, inside which is dedicated to the storm god Talos. Every day, crowds come to offer their tributes to him. For Gran, this deity is far less amiable than the thieves' god Mask, who protects his followers, while Talos has never protected anyone except for his priests. The only certainty is that those who dare to ignore him had better never appear in places related to the sea.
He should let down his guard, take off his outer garment, and lie down comfortably on the bed for a good sleep, but a subtle voice screamed in refusal to do so. Glen turned on his toes, one hand resting on his hip, stroking the leather sheath of the dagger
The third floor has many rooms, and Gran likes to change his bedroom from time to time, but he can still spare a few to serve as his harem. Next time, Captain Drake will bring him a few girls to his liking. However, Gran wishes that there were already one such girl in the room; she would soothe the tired and sorrowful soul of the thief. Ever since he learned that heartbreaking news, he has not been able to rest properly.
The thief pulled down his hood when he was still one hundred feet away from the suspension bridge, so that the guards in the dark fortresses on both sides could recognize him. Two clever fellows immediately jumped out from their hideouts and performed an exaggerated gesture of surrender to their new leader, each receiving a silver coin as a token of honor.
The closing and opening of such numerous and complex mechanisms, as well as the dismantling and restoration of traps, naturally require a considerable amount of time, and even Gran could not help but feel fatigued. The former thief had it much easier; wherever and whenever, he always carried more than a dozen personal guards. Thus, he died, Gran maliciously thought, entrusting his life to others was indeed a ridiculous folly, especially for them. Gran certainly would not surround himself with those who could be bought with gold coins and intimidation. He stood alone in the room, only able to hear his own breathing and the subtle rustling of his clothes, while the traps and mechanisms surrounding him provided a sense of security.
As the thief Glen climbed the spiral tower located at the tip of the cape, he let out an exclamation similar to that of this unfamiliar visitor. Although he could not see the magical star river spanning the sky, he could see the ordinary stars and the pure blue sky. A three-toed gull, clutching a small fish, swiftly flew past him, closely followed by a brown thief gull that was twice its size. It was so startled that it completely failed to notice it had intruded into human territory. The thief flicked his wrist and shot out a silver coin, which struck the wing of the gray three-toed gull. It struggled amidst short, sharp cries and scattered feathers as it rapidly met the hard rocky ground. The startled thief gull first cried out "Ah! Ah!" and quickly flew away. After circling a few times and realizing that the human had not taken any further action, it landed unhesitatingly beside the corpse of the three-toed gull, beginning to enjoy the intended fish and the unexpected delicacy.