Ultimate Trickster Lord Reincarnation

Powerful Eye

I bolted forward and knocked into him, just hard enough that he stumbled. I gripped onto his cloak, and he shouted out in surprise. Wrapping my hands around his waist in the confusion, I felt around for- there it was. He was carrying around a coin purse. Despite my happiness, my eyes watered from the stench of sweat and spilled beer. This rain pour might have been the only shower he'd had in a while.

"Sir?" I said sweetly, looking up at him. I pretended as though I was hugging him. His eyes finally found mine, dazed and drunk. As I gripped the purse, I realized it was held on by a poorly tied knot. "Might I have some food, sir?"

"Food? What-" He spat, clearly trying to hold down the contents of his stomach, "Get off me you filthy urchin!" As he pushed me away, I placed my foot behind the back of his heel and at the same time positioned my fingers into the crook of the knot. The force and collision caused him to trip, and with another confused shout, he fell backward. As he did, the knot came undone. The purse slipped into my hands. I took off, leaping over a pile of stacked crates before curling into the crook of a doorframe near the back of the bar. I listened carefully. Angry mumbles followed casual, stumbling steps as he stood up and walked further away. He hadn't noticed I'd robbed him blind. That made my job easier. I looked down at the pathetic bag of coins.

There was another lesson I had learned all my years thieving and lying to survive.

If you want something once, steal it. If you want it again, become its owner.

It was a reminder that you could only get away with committing the same crime so many times before people would start to recognize you or be on the lookout for you. The reason Lucas and I had moved into mind games, bribery, and shady politics was because it wasn't 'stealing' if people handed it over to you. If they gave you the estate in your name, then it was yours, and you could do whatever you wanted with it. That wasn't stealing. It was just...clever coercion.

It was important to recall that lesson now because I wouldn't be able to live off just pickpocketing for however long I was here. It was no way to live surviving off the meager earnings of drunk men, and every time you stole the chances went up that one of them would notice.

I clenched my fist around the bag.

'Besides, it's humiliating.'

I was no sweet talker anyway, so if I got caught, I'd be in hot water. Talking and looking pretty were always Lucas's job.

"Lucas..." I mumbled before I could stop myself. 

I pushed the thought from my mind. I needed to stay focused.

My stomach growled, reminding me of my growing hunger. The cold wasn't letting up either; I had to find food, a clean pair of clothes, and ideally shelter.

Fast.

***

There were a few things I now knew to be true.

Firstly, the inhabitants of this place spoke the same language I did. I'd confirmed this after speaking with the drunk fool earlier.

Secondly, this place worked on a monetary system. I'd confirmed this after rummaging my hands through the man's coin purse, and inspecting what seemed to be mostly copper and a few silver pieces. This was a common fantasy trope. The copper was likely worth less than silver, and gold was probably next.

Third, I was a dirty street urchin. I could have told you that, but getting it yelled at my face was a hell of a way to confirm it. Moving around would prove difficult, since if that guy's reaction was accurate, most people wouldn't want me anywhere near them or their businesses.