After ordering a second mug of beer and having a hearty gulp, Sebarius continues, "So now you know my reasons why I wanted to speak to the Zeaphyr fox...but, what with him being a notorious and wanted criminal, finding him was not all that easy. All I had to go by was rumors and hearsay...and my knowledge, that he was to be found near ruins connected to the great reset. And that's how my hunt began."

I still remember it like yesterday.

I queried with the academic society to fund my search for the Zeaphyr fox, but not only did they refuse my grant request, they asked, whether I had finally lost my mind and how 'finding a notorious thief' would further my studies. They completely disregarded my reasoning and even laughed at my suggestion, that the Zeaphyr fox might well be holding the key to understanding what happened during the great reset.

That was the day I quit the academic society, for whose members I had always had the greatest respect...but seeing how they just dismissed my theories, just because my pursuit was linked to an actually living person instead of a bunch of lifeless rocks and inscriptions!

Rocks and inscriptions cannot answer questions!

They can only raise new questions! And the answers we 'find' are vague guesses at best!

"Calm down already. This is neither the place nor the time to making a scene," Crystal reminds him, while Aiko grew more restless with each passing moment.

Crystal notices and asks, "You need the toilet or something, Aiko?"

"No, that's not it, but..."

"We agreed to listen to his story and nothing more."

Aiko nods and returns to a more comfortable sitting position.

Sebarius also clears his throat and takes another gulp from his beer.

So there I stood, fresh out of an actual job, out of hot leads, but with something I had been lacking for all my life...a mission.

My way first lead me to the local law enforcement, because I had hoped that they would have any information on the whereabouts of the Zeaphyr fox or at least a history on sightings I could work a direction out of...but I was out of luck once again.

It was not like they didn't have the information, but the officer on duty was...less than cooperative.

I may have been a little overemotional with my plea too, which almost got me arrested a second time, but fortunately for me, I managed to restrain myself in time before doing something I'd end up regretting.

However I was convinced, that they had the information I wanted...the information I needed.

So I came up with a plan...okay, it wasn't the best plan in the world, but up to that point I had been a scholar whose greatest challenge was deciphering some ancient scriptures, after the actual adventurers had taken care of the traps for us...doesn't mean I didn't pick up a trick or two from watching them though.

So I waited for nightfall, until the officer in charge of the archive went home and 'accidentally' bumped into him, trying to snatch the keys from him...didn't work too well.

When I pulled, I quickly realized that the keys were fastened to his belt.

Naturally he felt the tug, looked me down at my hand at his waist.

I remember cold sweat breaking out of every single pore of my body as my mind starts racing.

There I was, the meek and untrained scholar, facing off against a policeman easily double my weight, my hand at his belt.

I don't know how much time passed in this mutual state of shock and surprise and I thank my lucky stars to this day that I was the first to break free from it.

So I yank at the keychain with all my might and the blasted thing actually comes loose and I run.

I don't turn around when I hear him yell out.

I also don't turn around, as I hear a loud 'Thud' followed by a selection of choice words I'd rather not repeat.

I only stop after having gotten a good bit of distance between myself and my 'victim', my lungs burning like fire.

Only after I was somewhat sure that I was safe enough to take a breather, I took a look at prize of my foolishness and notice, that I not only nabbed the poor guy's keys, but also the better part of his cheap belt.

When the rush of adrenaline slowly subsided, I considered my option...the theft has obviously been noticed, so my initial plan of just walking in was out of the question, so I needed a new plan.

Fortunately I knew an adventurer in time who still owed me a favor, so I asked for advice on my predicament.

I told him the same story I am telling you now, and while he at first proclaimed me crazy, he then burst into laughter at the image of the guy whose belt I stole accidentally.

"Are you going to turn me in now?" I then asked him, only now realizing into how much shit I actually was right now, but the adventurer nodded still with tears in his eyes and replied, "Not a chance. But I have an idea on how to get you the records you are looking for...first things first though."

He asked me into his working room, where he explained, "The only real difference between us adventurers and them thieves is, that we only take from the dead, while they take from the living. But the required skillset is much the same...so if you really want to catch that thief, you'll need to learn a thing or two. And just so you know your journey will likely put you into much hotter water than what you've just went through. Still sure?"

I nodded in agreement.

I was already a dead man walking as it were and had nothing to lose.

At least that's what I thought...but little did I know.