A/n: Big thanks to Amaranth for donating, will publish an extra in his name so he can live forever in Sovngarde!
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In our room in the 'Bee and Barb' inn, house Dare was having a meeting. I was sitting with Nefertiti on my lap, Jullanar was feeding her strange spider Magenta that grew as large as a dog lately and Alina was checking the sealed egg.
"So, why did I have to go through that act?"
Alina was against using her powers to fool people like we did for a good reason but she did it anyway when I asked her.
"There is a good reason." I replied.
"Which is?"
"Sigh! Think of it… an old lady managed to fool the town enough to be called 'Grelod the Kind' then turned out to be a witch, what do you think the ignorant people will think of the orphans?"
"... Surely you are not saying…"
"No, I am saying. People are stupid, Alina. They will think of Constance and the orphans as Grelod's lackeys and will abuse them… How so? Well, no one spoke of Grelod abusing the kids in public before so whatever the orphans say afterward won't be believable. Also, the pig-headed people won't take words from a child no matter what." I said.
"So we had to show the public how horrifying that woman was. The orphans who saved the day were seen in a new light as children with good hearts and the people will love them and take care of them." Jull continued.
"And by you showing up and smiting evil with your holy magic, you pretty much showed the bright side of magic and how it can be a bane to the evil magic. Those locals who see magic as a bad thing will at least have an idea that good magic exists." I added.
"And we spread the faith of the Holy Cat." Jull added.
"Of course, that's above all else." I agreed.
Alina heard the reasoning of our actions and started thinking, she was a bit shocked at first but her lips curved up in a smile.
"So, I too did a bad thing which is actually heroic just like you do?"
"Yeah, basically."
"Wow!"
Alina turned all smiles. She seemed to be taking a liking on the idea of being a naughty hero.
Good grief! Sometimes I forget that they are actually young and I am the one with the mental age over 40 years by now.
"Still, you could think of all that before you take action. I am impressed."
"You should do so too, managing a town like Winterhold requires that much at the very least. You also have to be several steps ahead of anyone and plan for all sorts of situations. You will lead the town in my stead one day and you will make tough decisions." I told her something that was in my mind for some time.
Alina turned silent for a second and I could see that her expressions are becoming serious.
"Why? Do you want to leave me in Winterhold and go somewhere?"
Her question was right on the mark.
"I… I am not sure what kind of stinking fate the future holds for me but one day, maybe I'll go on an adventure or a business trip… maybe something I didn't plan for."
"You are preparing the town for Dragon attacks for Kyne's sake, what else are you not planning for?"
"... Who knows!" I just said and went up walking away.
My mind was still heavy with things I have no control over. When the Priestess of Azura came to me that day, she said things that gave me a headache till this day.
How do I plan to counter a God that is pissed off at me?
I just walked the stairs down in the Bee and Barb inn and found myself an empty table in the corner. Nefertiti came out of the shadow once she felt that my mood is heavy and took a nap on the table.
As I was sitting alone in the corner, two large hooded figures came to the inn. No one looked at them and no one cared, half of Riften are shady looking people anyway. Still, from the Magicka around them, I recognized their identities.
I picked a pebble from the ground and threw it at them, one of them noticed and blocked it with his hand, they then walked towards me.
"Jon." "Cousin."
"What's up, guys?"
These were Wulf and Jorna.
"The town is the same as we left it." Wulf said as he joined me on the table with Jorna.
"Yep, same stinking Riften."
"Did you hear about what happened last night? They say Grelod was doing some sorcery and she tried to invade the town then a Holy Lady appeared and burned her on the stake." Wulfur said.
"Oh yes, it was a grand sight."
"... Oblivion, Jon." Wulfur snapped out of the blue.
"What's wrong, man?"
"I know you are behind that! Why didn't you wait for me?"
"How the hell should I know you were coming today? Do you want me to wait for you while poor innocent children suffer?"
"..."
"Also, if you were with us, you may have finished Grelod too quickly with your hammer."
"... You are actually not wrong… But at least you should have let me do something, man. Not cool! I even brought the Fork of Horripilation with me."
"So you were planning on murdering her before me, you murderous bitch."
"Humph! Alina is the one who killed her so… do you think burning that old hag was enough? You should at least left some for me."
"Fufu! Who said we only burned her, I used the Skull of Corruption to cast [Agony] on her while she is burning, you really missed the good part."
"You cheater. We were going to kill her together."
"Haha, suck it!"
Wulfur and I started remembering the plans that we devised long ago to kill Grelod. Many years of planning but I sadly couldn't wait for Wulf. I still have the memory in my brain and I can view it on a Light Screen for him.
"Are you two fighting about how to kill an old lady in the most horrible way possible?" Bjorna interfered.
""Yes."" Wulf and I replied with a fire burning through our eyes.
"You guys are sick. I am going to see the girls." Jorna stood and went upstairs.
Wulf and I kept talking together for a while then decided to visit the orphanage together. The only one we could recognize in the place was Constance, she was one of the girls who lived in the Orphanage with us and she is a really kind person.
We left her with a sum of money and promised to send a monthly donation to the place. We then inquired about our old friends who seemed to have visited the place before us.
It also seemed that Akara was in Riften one month ago and she came to see Constance. That Khajiiti girl has grown up and became a trader between Riften and Whiterun.
After touring the city for some time with Wulfur and visiting some people, we returned to the inn and met up with the girls.
"So, what are we going to do now? Do you have anything left in Riften?" Alina asked.
"As you already know, we finished our business with the guild and I made a grand move as Catatoskr, you also made the saintess act which was a really good show…"
"And?"
"The party is still not over. I am having one last show in mind, a very… unexpected show. Something only Jull can do."
"Oh! I am listening." Jull gave me her attention.
"You have Magical Spiders in the Cube, right?" I asked.
"Yep."
"How many?"
"An army."
"A number?" Alina asked.
"I can't tell but it is too much, literally an army." Jull confirmed.
"Okay… how do you even keep them fed."
"They still didn't hatch but I keep so I keep them all sealed." She said.
"Not bad… what kind of Spiders do you have?"
"Well, I have many Jumping Fire Spiders, Oil Spiders, Poison Spiders, and Slime Spiders."
I knew the first three kinds from the game but… Slime Spiders?
"What are Slime Spiders?"
"They are failures and the majority of the spiders I have. At first, I wanted to make Acid Spiders but their internals couldn't handle the acid and started turning it into slime. They eat and poop slime so they are Slime Spiders."
"What kind of Slime are we talking about?"
"Oh! A very bad slime, it is not poisonous or anything but it is extremely slippery and hard to handle, also when it dries, it turns into a very annoying glue. Master Nurelion took some of it to make those Gwent Cards of yours."
"Oh! I remember now, the plastic-like substance… Good good. We need all the Slime Spiders you have."
"... That's plenty! I have a lot so don't blame me if you couldn't handle them."
"We can always make Anti-Slime suits. Right, Alina?"
"I am not sure what you want but I guess I have no choice anyway." Alina said.
"Don't worry, it will be fun."
"Is it something Naughty but Heroic?" Alina seemed excited.
"No, my fair lady. We are doing something evil this time."
"Oh!" Alina seemed turned down.
"So, what are we going to do?" Wulfur asked.
I took out a large piece of paper from my ring and put it in front of them. It was a full detailed map of the Ratway. Just like the difference between the Game and Reality, the real Ratway is a maze that gained its name for a bloody good reason.
"We are going to flood the Ratway with Slime Spiders. We need to make the Thieves Guild busy with them while we complete our Heist."
"And where is the target?"
I paused for a second to Wulfur's question. I then looked at the map and pointed at a certain building.
"The house of the Thieves Guild Master, the House of Mercer Frey."