"I can't let this opportunity slip away," Jamie thought to himself, the weight of Thomas's Legend heavy on his mind. The words he'd seen—of untapped potential—urged him to act. Thomas could be the key to strengthening the Golden Fiddle and, in turn, improving his position in Hafenstadt's Lower Quarter.

  Jamie deliberately avoided staring directly at Thomas, not wanting to make him uncomfortable under scrutiny. Instead, he observed him peripherally, noting the subtle lines of worry etched on his face, the protective way he kept his daughter close, and the strength that lay beneath his modest demeanor.

  ‘What else might interest him besides money?’ Jamie mused silently. ‘What does he truly need?’

  Breaking the silence, Jamie asked while trying to get a bit more information about them, "Is the little one doing all right?"

  Thomas looked down at his daughter, who was still sleeping. He lovingly patted her hair. "Yes, she's fine. It's not the first time she's been in a tight spot, though it certainly frightened her."

  "Has she witnessed a Monster Rush before?" Jamie inquired, genuinely curious.

  "No," Thomas replied, his gaze growing distant. "But encountering monsters outside the city walls isn't uncommon."

  Jamie nearly smacked his own forehead in realization. It hadn't occurred to him that Thomas and his daughter might be living beyond the protective embrace of Hafenstadt's walls.

  He was about to frame his next question when he heard a soft rustling beneath one of the tables. Jay, his spectral companion, was stretching languidly, disinterested in their conversation.

  Returning his focus to Thomas, Jamie asked, "Have you considered moving into the city?"

  Thomas raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You don't know much about Hafenstadt, do you?"

  Jamie offered an apologetic shrug. "I've been here for a few weeks, but that's hardly enough time to understand all its complexities."

  Thomas sighed, a hint of resignation in his expression. "I work at the docks, but it doesn't pay much. The only place I could afford within the walls would be in the Lower Quarter. No offense, but it's perhaps even more dangerous there than outside."

  "Don't worry, I'm not offended," Jamie assured him. "I understand the Lower Quarter has its... challenges."

  "With so many gangs, wars, and Monster Rushes, it's impossible to live here," Thomas said, his voice heavy with frustration. "The Commercial District seems better on the surface, but it's also almost entirely controlled by gangs, even if the defenses are stronger there. But it's far too expensive for someone like me. The only truly safe places in the city are the Arcane Tower and the Noble Quarter."

  Jamie nodded in agreement with Thomas's assessment. The city was a tapestry of peril and corruption, but this was the opening he needed. 'Does he still hold onto hope?' Jamie wondered. 'If he does, perhaps I can persuade him.'

  "Thomas," Jamie began, leaning casually against the worn wooden bar, "what if you worked for me?"

  Thomas gently lifted Julie's face and rested it on his jacket, which he had spread on the ground. The man stood up and stretched before turning to Jamie. "For you?" he echoed with a wry chuckle. "Can't picture myself as a barkeep."

  "Not as a barkeep," Jamie corrected, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "But as our guard."

  "Guard?" Thomas repeated, his skepticism deepening. "Since when does a tavern need a guard?"

  "Ever since that tavern is in the Lower Quarter," Jamie replied smoothly, "and its owner intends to take control of the surrounding territory."

  Silence settled between them. Thomas studied Jamie intently, his eyes searching for any sign of deceit. Jamie met his gaze steadily, projecting confidence and sincerity. He knew what Thomas was contemplating; he'd witnessed this internal struggle in others countless times before. The man was weighing whether he could trust Jamie, a relatively unknown tavern owner with ambitious plans.

  "Why do you want to control the territory?" Thomas asked finally, his tone measured. "What do you expect to gain from it?"

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  "I have a close friend," Jamie began, his voice low and measured. "So close, it's as if he's always with me." His gaze flickered momentarily to Jay, the spectral feline lounging invisibly atop a nearby shelf. "He was promised a destiny—a grand one. He was to become a paladin. But fate had other plans, and reality turned out to be far harsher than any prophecy."

  Thomas watched him intently, eyes reflecting the glow of the lantern between them. Jamie could see the skepticism etched in the lines of the man's weathered face.

  "Denied the chance to fulfill that destiny, he realized that fate is often crueler and more challenging than we're led to believe." Jamie's fingers traced the rim of his tankard as he spoke. "Destiny. Funny how that word rolls off the tongue, like something solid and unchangeable. They love to tell us it's immutable—that the gods weave the threads of our lives while we're still babes in the cradle. But look around us."

  Jamie stood abruptly, gesturing expansively to encompass the worn wooden beams of the tavern, the grime-streaked windows, and beyond them, the sprawling maze of the Lower Quarter. "Do you see the gods here? I don't. What I see is a rigged game—a deck stacked against us from the start. And like so many others, my friend was dealt a losing hand."

  He paused, taking a deep breath. Inside, he hoped his words were reaching Thomas. The man remained silent, his expression unreadable. Jamie continued, his tone tinged with bitterness.

  "Fate isn't fair. It never has been—to me, to you, or to anyone who suffers through Monster Rushes or lives under the thumb of gangs in the Lower Quarter. If destiny does exist, it's a lazy bastard at best. But you know what I've learned?" Jamie leaned forward, the shadows on his face deepening, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

  "I've learned that at the end of the day, no one—not even the gods—forges our destiny. We do. With the choices we make, the rules we break, the alliances we build, and yes, even with the blood we spill. Because in the game of life, you're either the dealer... or you're the bet."

  A crooked smile played on Jamie's lips—devoid of mirth but full of conviction. "As much as you thanked me for saving your daughter, I must be honest. I'm not a good man—that much is true." He hesitated for a heartbeat, carefully choosing his next words, not wanting to shatter the fragile trust he hoped was forming.

  "I've never claimed to be. I've stepped over the line more times than I can count. I've stolen, lied, even killed. But here's the curious thing: even the broken can be used to build something good. Maybe it's survival instinct, or maybe I'm just tired of watching everything crumble around me. Hafenstadt has been left to rot, yet it's the place we've chosen to call home. So, why not make it better? Not for the nobles who look down on us like we're vermin, but for the rats themselves."

  Jamie moved to the corner of the room where his fiddle rested against the wall. He picked it up gently, the polished wood gleaming softly in the dim light. Returning to his seat, he began to draw his fingers lightly over the strings, coaxing a melody that echoed the undercurrents of his words.

  "Taking control of this neighborhood will be the first step. A small rung on a tall ladder, I know, but enough to start changing the game. Today, we control the streets. Tomorrow, perhaps all of Hafenstadt. And then... who knows?"

  He let the music fill the space between them, the notes weaving a tapestry of possibility and defiance. Finally, Jamie looked up, meeting Thomas's gaze head-on. A fierce light burned in his eyes—a mixture of challenge and invitation.

  "The question is, Thomas: are you with me, or will you stand by and watch?"

  Outwardly, the bard exuded confidence in the bold vision he had just laid before Thomas. Yet internally, Jamie grappled with uncertainty—he couldn't quite read the man's expression. Thomas appeared subtly moved by his words, but his eyes were distant, immersed in deep contemplation.

  A heavy silence hung between them, punctuated only by the faint crackling of the hearth. Then, Thomas sighed softly, his gaze dropping to the worn wooden floor.

  "For a long time," Thomas began slowly, "I've wrestled with similar questions about my destiny. I wondered what I should do once I'd lost my purpose—or what I thought was my purpose." He paused, his rough hands clasping together. "Then Julie came into my life."

  At the mention of his daughter, a gentle warmth flickered in his eyes. "She became my new purpose," he continued. "If you're telling me that you intend to improve this city. For Julie's sake, I'll agree to be your guard."

  Relief and gratitude surged through Jamie. Thomas's agreement was more than just accepting a job—it was a pledge of trust and shared purpose.

  Thomas stood up, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the dimly lit room. He extended his hand toward Jamie, the calloused palm reflecting a lifetime of hard work. Jamie rose to meet him, grasping the offered hand firmly.

  "Welcome aboard," Jamie said, his voice steady.

  As their hands clasped, a familiar sensation washed over Jamie. Golden letters materialized at the edge of his vision, shimmering softly like distant stars. The mystical interface—visible only to him—unfolded new information.

  | Member Slot consumed

  | 2# Member: Thomas Hartfield

  | Trust: [50/100]

  | Class: Farmer

  | Level: 1

  | Experience: [688/1000]

  | Your member has high trust in you.

  | You don’t have a Lieutenant.

  | Do you wish to turn [Thomas Hartfield] in your Lieutenant?

  Jamie considered the prompt. He wasn't entirely sure what appointing a Lieutenant entailed or what effects it might have. Yet, he sensed that doing so would strengthen their bond.

  [Yes]

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