Soon guards swarmed the building and collected our prisoners. They also began searching the lair. They had another storage room downstairs, filled with potentially stolen items. There were also an office and a few bedrooms. The connection to the sewer was a second entrance, likely used to smuggle goods, or people.

Upstairs Cassie helped to identify some of the ingredients inside the lab. However, it seemed that the majority of it was legal. They did have a few drugs, which might have been another shady business they were involved in.

By the time we were done it was early afternoon. The guards had completely taken over and we were free to return to the academy, for now.

"Thank you for your help." Duncan said, before we left. "This is a big win for us."

"Sir, what is the thieves guild?" I asked.

"They are an unfortunate part of our society. Their organisation stretches throughout the kingdom and they provide illegal services. Most thieves, burglars, or even assassins pay a fee to them. Sadly, through blackmail, bribery and their usefulness they have the backing of some nobles. Not officially, obviously." Duncan explained.

"Wait, there is an illegal guild that is simply tolerated?" I asked.

Duncan grimaced. "To an extent, yes. I do take pleasure in busting them when I can. Normally they are more careful. That they are working so openly with the Brotherhood is not a good sign. They have grown way too bold here in Lupos. Hopefully I can get a lot of information out of them."

"Can't you use this incident to go after their whole organisation?" I wondered.

"Sadly that is not how this works. They are not an official guild. They don't have a list of registered members, or a guildmaster I could approach. I can use this to get a few of their members and it will make other chapters more hesitant to work with the likes of the Brotherhood." Duncan explained.

"So, are we getting compensated for our help?" Skadi asked. "Surely there was a bounty on some of them?"

Duncan laughed. "Do not worry, you will be rewarded. Now I have a lot of work to do, so go and enjoy your day."

"Beer garden?" Helena asked.

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"Beer garden." I agreed.

After all, we had been excused from our classes today. We still had to return our zombies, first, then we went to celebrate our victory.

It was a lovely day and we had a nice table next to a tree for some shade. We started filling our mugs and ordered some food. I went for a pork knuckle with roast potatoes.

Then I told them about my part of the raid.

"Nyx entered through the vent and opened the door?" Helena asked, looking at the smug feline.

"Yes. She learned a new way to incapacitate enemies with a frost poison bite. Then she levitated the key into the lock." I replied.

"She deserves some treats." Cassie added. Nyx licked her bony lips.

"She ate quite a few skeletons…" I pointed out, while petting her. "But she was great!" I added.

When it came to the fight downstairs Helena recounted Kaito's entrance.

"Wow. I wish I could have seen that." Skadi said, while sipping her beer.

"Helena gives me too much credit. I am but a humble servant." Kaito replied.

"And he even kept his suit spotless." I added, while sipping my beer.

"Of course, I am representing you, after all." Kaito said to me.

"Fighting is usually not clean." Helena commented.

"We should look into a cleaning spell." Hatsumi mused.

"Fire cleanses!" Cassie added, while filling her mug.

"You are the only one with fire magic. Would it be possible to burn a fine layer of dirt from a garment?" Hatsumi asked.

"Uh… I am not sure…" Cassie admitted.

"Better to make soap and summon some water." I suggested.

"Cleaning products are boring alchemy… Hey, do you think we can get some of their alchemy supplies as a reward? That lab had some neat things." Cassie wondered.

"Oh, speaking of rewards. I happen to have this dagger." Kaito pulled the curved blade from his jacket.

"Did you steal that?" I asked.

"Steal? The owner tried to stab me, this is a recompense for his life." Kaito replied.

"That is a good looking dagger." Helena mused. "Do you think it is magical?"

"We have to hand it over to Colonel Duncan, it might be important evidence." I insisted.

"As you wish." Kaito replied.

Skadi studied the blade. "A magical weapon would be cool. I wonder if it was made to hurt undead?"

"How would that work? Light mana? Fire mana?" Helena wondered.

"I guess light would be effective. But this looks more sinister." I pointed out.

"We could consult the teachers at the academy, before we hand it over to Duncan." Cassie suggested.

"I suppose." I replied.

"Do you think they expected us? That it was a trap?" Hatsumi asked.

"Maybe. I had similar thoughts. Either way, they underestimated us." I replied.

"Could just be arrogance. If they had the local lord in their pocket they might have felt untouchable." Helena suggested. "I think that Duncan having a tracker caught them off guard."

"They were well prepared though. A few mages and undead…" Cassie said.

I shrugged. "We did get most of them alive. Hopefully we will know more soon."

"True. In the end we won! Cheers!" Helena raised her mug.

"Cheers!" We answered.

It had been a rather successful raid. While I might not get any corpses I did not lose any undead either. And if they had a lot of valuable stuff we might get a nice reward for our services. And it would hurt the Brotherhood. I sipped my beer, truly it was a lovely day.

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