I follow the wagon up on the rooftops for the first stretch of the way. Eventually I have to descend to the ground though, as we reach the outskirts of town. There I have to shadow it on dirt paths running parallel to the road it's using or in the actual underbrush if there are no such paths or even just game trails.

Thankfully it's dark and the guards are not exactly too attentive. They only focus on navigating their wagon out of the city and along the road into the woods beyond it. If they are mindful of anything it's their unwilling, caged passengers. None of them are armed of course, or fully equipped for that matter, and they all are gagged and shackled, but I'm sure that any and all of them would jump on an opportunity to get away should it just present itself.

I'm tempted to just create one such opportunity, but leaving things to the prisoners themselves would mean giving up control of the situation. I promised the free Lofn. And I want to free the others too, even if just to make sure Lofn's escape doesn't look too suspicious. I can't risk the guards just shooting her in the back with a crossbow. And I don't want any of the others to suffer this fate either.

Sure, maybe one or the other is in that cage for a good reason. I don't know though. Thus I'll not take any chances. And besides I have a half formed plan ready. I just need an opportunity to replace the female guard riding along with the one serving as coachman. She is the one I already know, even if just from one superficial bad experience at the gate too. Thus I don't feel too bad about what I have in mind either.

No, I don't feel sorry at all. I just worry a little about the possible complications and of those there are more than I'd like.

The first might be that I don't get a chance to replace her at all. I'm moderately confident that this worry is for naught though, as the female guard has been nursing a skin of what I suspect is either beer or wine. She'll have to relieve her bladder eventually and in all likelihood she'll walk into the bushes to take care of that, out of sight of the others.

Slightly more troublesome is the possibility that the other guard sees through my deception. They aren't talking a whole lot thankfully. And they don't seem to be terribly fond of each other either. Thus what little I can hear should be enough to keep the charade going. As long as he doesn't use an identification skill on me I should be good.

The activity of listening in on them helps progress my [Perception] skill too. The skill is so very close to leveling up now. It's almost painful, when it doesn't tip over to the next level.

I draw a little closer, to make sure I don't miss my chance, even if it means that I have to be more careful. At least my [Stealth] skill benefits from this. I'm pretty sure that it's getting close to the next level up too. It still needs a little more effort than the other skill though. Well, it doesn't really matter now. I expect more than one notification before the night is over anyway.

My opportunity finally comes around when we are already a good distance from town. The river isn't too far off either and if my sense of direction doesn't betray me we should be a few miles downstream at the very least. The woman I'm keenly observing jumps off the wagon to head into the woods, exchanging barely a word with the other guard as she does so.

The man doesn't stop the wagon either. He just slows down a little more. Maybe he is afraid that he won't get the wagon going again should he stop completely on the soft ground? It's entirely possible. Maybe he really doesn't like his female comrade all that much and wants her to have to run a little to catch back up with him. I wouldn't put behavior like that past the guards either.

Either way it doesn't matter. I follow the woman into the underbrush in the general direction of the river. That too suits me just fine. My [Stealth] improves some more as I follow her without her taking notice of my presence.

I pay even closer attention as she begins to take some of her armor and clothes off, taking note even of the smallest movements. Everything that could hint at an old injury or some other issue otherwise not easily visible. I try to memorize everything and it pays off. This time I receive the notification I have been craving.

[*Ding!* Your skill Perception has leveled up to level 9!]

This level up counts towards the progress of my scoundrel class once more. It'll be another eternity until the next level up of the class anyway. Not that it matters right now.

What matters right now is the woman squatting against a tree. I let her finish her business first. Then I strike and it's only when the edge of my hand connects with her throat that she realizes that I'm there. Too late. Much too late.

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[*Ding!* Critical hit! Edyta's Health reduced by 41!]

It's a solid critical hit, just as intended and expected. Even with her pants down in the most literal sense the guard, Edyta, still seems to have a pretty solid defense though. Well, of course it can't be too easy after all. At least I get another whispered notification out of my surprise attack.

[*Ding!* Your skill Brawling has leveled up to level 6!]

This one counts towards the progress of my masked mediator class. And even better, it improves my strength and thus indirectly my attack power a little too. I don't give her time to get her bearings after my initial strike either. After the chop to the throat I grab her head and bash it against a convenient rock.

[*Ding!* Critical hit! Edyta's Health reduced by 43!]

Again my [Brawling] skill improves a little. And by some miracle she still isn't dead. By the dazed look in her eyes it's a close call though. If I were to hazard a guess I'd say that she is about as close to death, as I was back then during my fight against Kronk the mushroom zombie bandit lord. Actually, she might just be a bit worse. She certainly won't be getting up on her own anytime soon.

I start acting with purpose and deft movements. I don't have any time to waste after all. While she is delirious I strip her down to her underwear. For a moment I consider taking those too, but in the end I decide against it. Not this time anyway. I don't plan to impersonate her this thoroughly after all. I bind her with leather straps from her own pack for good measure in the end.

I check the rest of the packs contents too, including her purse. It's contents are about as sad as those of mine. In a way that is in my favor too. It matches the narrative I have in mind for her. This all earns me another very welcome whispered notification.

[*Ding!* Your skill Sleight of Hand has leveled up to level 6!]

This one progresses my scoundrel class in turn, which seems very fitting. It puts a grin on my face. I lean in close to the downed guard to whisper in her ear.

"Be still. Be very still if you don't want to waste your one chance to get out of this alive. You wouldn't want to attract the attention of a wolf, a raccoon or even just a rat for that matter in your current state. So, hush."

I don't wait for an answer. There probably won't be one anyway. Instead I slip off into the underbrush even as I can feel my [Intimidate] skill improve a little. And it's not like I really care for her well being. I just don't want to waste hours looking for her afterwards. I still need her after all. Preferably in one piece and not brutally mauled by the local wildlife. For now.

With her things all gathered up I leave her behind like that. I don't really feel like showing off my trump card in front of her. Just in case. I get a little distance in between us. Then I strip out of my own gear, stuffing all of it, or at least all that will fit, into my pack in turn.

Before I get changed into the guard's outfit I focus both on myself and her appearance. A wave of exhaustion washes over me as a considerable amount of my Mana drains away. Then a tingling sensations washes over me as my body changes.

This is quite possibly the most extensive change I have gone through yet. I grow more than a foot and gain mass in accordance and a little beyond that. My hair grows out some more and changes color too, from a light brown to a dirty blonde. My eyes probably change as well, but I can't exactly see them right now.

As the changes finish I'm sure that my [Change Shape] skill has improved a little too, even if not quite enough to earn a level up notification. Not yet anyway. Maybe when I change back afterwards.

I still don't have any time to waste though. I hastily put the guards outfit on, including her armor, which for me is an unfamiliar weight. The sword on her belt is unfamiliar too, as it's a short sword, but I think I'll manage. I just make sure it will slide free of its scabbard easily. My own things, my stuffed to capacity pack and my sword belt, I hide up in the canopy of a particularly noticeable tree. Then, last but not least I grab the guard's crossbow. This too is an unfamiliar weapon. It's easy enough to use though.

Now I have to hurry though. I break into a quick run to get back to the road and catch up with the prison wagon and the other guard steering it. My [Running] skill benefits from it. And I have to admit, that this new shape I have assumed has some benefits. Longer legs being one of them.

The coachman barely looks up, as I finally catch up with the slow moving wagon. Before I can make a move to get back up on the bench with him he just shakes his head and nods ahead.

"Don't bother. We're almost there."

He sounds grumpy, but it's not like I really care. Neither does Edyta for all I can gleam from the sparse conversations I overheard the two have. I simply nod, and walk alongside the wagon for the last stretch of the trip.

The destination indeed comes into sight before long. It's impossible to miss too. A small camp has been set up at the roadside where a few trees have been cut down and the ground flattened to provide a little room. Just enough for a few wagons, a fire and maybe some tents.

The people we are about to meet haven't bothered with tents. There is just the fire, to provide some warmth and light, and another wagon not dissimilar to the one I'm accompanying right now. A small group of armed men and women mill about the place. Four of them in total. One is minding the fire, another is taking care of the horses of their wagon. The last two are standing there, arms crossed, obviously expecting us.

These four and the other guard. That makes five. This will be tricky, but none look like seasoned warriors. The other guard is as much a thug and a scumbag as the one I'm impersonating and the four slavers seem more used to beating down helpless victims than anything else. Overall I'm moderately certain that I should be able to pull this off. Especially with the moment of surprise on my side. Yet I can't afford to slip up. I'll have to give this my all.

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