Chapter 457 - 425: Bek The Thief Becomes Guide...

(A/N):

Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.

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After a little negotiation, Devara and Bek finally reached an agreement.

Bek would serve as Devara’s local guide, showing him around Heliopolis, explaining its customs, introducing him to important places and helping him understand how the city functioned.

In return, Devara would pay him generously for his services.

For Bek, it was an unexpectedly profitable arrangement.

He had initially approached Devara intending to steal a small pouch, only to end up being offered legitimate work by the very person he had attempted to rob.

Moreover, the payment Devara had promised was considerably more than Bek usually earned through several days of pickpocketing.

"Are you certain about the payment, sir?"

Bek asked, still finding it difficult to believe his luck.

Devara smiled hearing the question.

"Didn’t we already settle that? You’ll be paid for your time and knowledge. Just make sure you actually show me the city instead of taking me to places where you can earn some additional money."

Bek immediately shook his head.

"No, no! I wouldn’t do that. I’m a professional guide now!"

Devara gave him an amused look.

"A professional guide? You were a professional thief a few minutes ago."

"That was my previous profession!"

Devara laughed at the young man’s quick response.

"Very well. Then I’ll leave the city in the hands of a professional guide."

Bek grinned, clearly pleased with himself.

He then explained that it was already getting late and that most of the interesting places would be better explored during the daytime.

He promised to return the following morning, shortly after sunrise, and take Devara around Heliopolis.

"Tomorrow morning, after the sun rises, I’ll meet you here. I’ll show you the marketplaces, the temples, the royal districts and everything else worth seeing. You won’t miss anything!"

"Sounds good. I’ll be waiting."

Bek nodded enthusiastically before turning to leave.

However, after taking a few steps, he stopped and looked back.

"By the way, sir, my name is Bek. You can just call me Bek. No need to be formal."

"I know. You already told me."

"Right!"

The young man scratched the back of his head awkwardly before finally disappearing into the crowd.

Devara watched him leave for a moment.

"Quite an energetic fellow."

The black serpent flicked its tongue.

"Don’t look at me like that. I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I could have found someone else, but he seems to know the city quite well. Besides, perhaps this arrangement will give him an opportunity to earn money without having to steal."

With that, Devara turned towards the inn and entered.

The interior was considerably quieter than the busy streets outside.

A few travellers were seated around wooden tables, eating their evening meals, while the innkeeper stood behind a counter discussing something with one of his employees.

Devara approached the counter.

"I’d like a room for the night."

The innkeeper looked up and examined him briefly.

"How many nights?"

"Let’s start with one. I might stay longer depending on my plans."

The innkeeper quoted the price, and Devara paid without much discussion.

After receiving the key, he was shown to a room on the upper floor.

The room itself was rather simple.

There was a wooden bed with a linen mattress, a small table, a stool, and a clay vessel filled with water.

A narrow window allowed fresh air to enter, while a small lamp rested against the wall.

The walls were constructed from mud bricks and plastered carefully, and the ceiling was supported by thick wooden beams.

There were no elaborate paintings, expensive ornaments or decorative carvings.

Everything seemed to have been designed with practicality in mind.

Devara placed his belongings on the table and looked around.

"Hmm. Simple, but reasonably comfortable."

He examined the walls and the construction before nodding appreciatively.

"The architecture is quite interesting. They seem to prioritise durability and functionality over decoration."

He sat on the edge of the bed, testing its firmness.

"It should be enough for a night."

The black serpent slipped from his shoulder and moved across the table, exploring the unfamiliar surroundings.

It eventually curled up beside the pouch Devara had placed there.

Devara watched it with a smile.

"Make yourself comfortable. We have an entire city to explore tomorrow."

He removed a few of his outer garments and washed the desert dust from his face and hands using the water provided.

After freshening up, he sat near the window and looked outside.

From that height, he could see the rooftops of Heliopolis, the illuminated entrances of nearby establishments and the enormous silhouettes of temples in the distance.

The city was gradually settling into the evening.

Merchants were closing their shops, workers were returning from their duties, and the streets were becoming less crowded.

Yet even from his room, Devara could still see armed guards patrolling certain roads.

His thoughts returned to the construction workers he had encountered earlier.

There was certainly something beneath the city’s magnificent appearance that he needed to understand.

For now, however, he decided against making any assumptions.

Tomorrow, Bek would show him around.

Perhaps a little conversation with the locals would help him understand the political and social structure of this divine territory.

Devara leaned back against the wall.

"One thing at a time. First, let’s understand this world."

The black serpent raised its head briefly before settling down again.

Outside, the sun slowly disappeared beyond the desert horizon, casting the magnificent city of Heliopolis into the warm colours of dusk.

The following morning, as the first rays of sunlight began spreading across Heliopolis, the city slowly awakened to another busy day.

Merchants opened their shops, workers carried goods through the streets, and vendors began arranging their stalls in preparation for the arrival of customers. The sounds of carts, animals and people bargaining soon filled the narrow roads.

Inside his room at the inn, Devara had already finished getting ready.

Unlike the previous day, when he had walked through the city wearing his usual clothes, he had decided to dress according to the local customs.

He wore a fine linen garment resembling the attire of a wealthy merchant, accompanied by a decorative belt and a few ornaments.

A light shawl rested over his shoulder, and his appearance was sufficiently different from the day before that most people would probably mistake him for a visiting trader from another region.

The black serpent was, as usual, accompanying him.

However, Devara had persuaded it to remain hidden beneath the folds of his clothing rather than casually displaying itself to everyone they encountered.

"Try not to frighten anyone today,"

he told it while adjusting his garment.

The serpent briefly poked its head out before disappearing again.

Devara smiled and left his room.

After settling the remaining payment with the innkeeper, he stepped outside and waited near the entrance.

He glanced towards the road, expecting Bek to arrive shortly after sunrise, as promised.

A few minutes passed.

Then he noticed a familiar figure approaching through the crowd.

"Sir! Good morning!"

Bek came hurrying towards him, carrying a fairly large bag over one shoulder.

His face wore an enormous smile, and he seemed considerably more cheerful than he had been during their first encounter.

"Good morning, Bek," Devara replied.

"You’re punctual."

"Of course! I promised to be here after sunrise, didn’t I?"

Bek adjusted the bag on his shoulder and looked Devara up and down.

"Well, well! You look completely different today. Yesterday, I thought you were some traveller from a distant land. Today, you could easily pass for a wealthy merchant."

"That is precisely what I was going for. I thought dressing like someone from the city would make things easier."

Bek nodded approvingly.

"Good decision. People here pay attention to appearances, especially when dealing with strangers. Looking like a merchant will save you a few unnecessary questions."

He then opened his bag slightly and showed Devara its contents.

Inside were several small items, including a waterskin, some food wrapped in cloth, a few writing materials and a rolled piece of parchment.

Devara looked at the bag.

"Planning to travel somewhere?"

"Not exactly. These are things we’ll need while exploring. The city is considerably larger than it looks, and I don’t want you complaining about getting hungry halfway through our tour."

Devara chuckled.

"You’re already taking your responsibilities seriously."

"Well, you’re paying me handsomely. I intend to earn every coin."

Bek pulled out the rolled parchment and unfolded it. It contained a rough map of Heliopolis, with several locations marked using small symbols.

"Now, I’ve prepared a few places for you to visit. Since this is your first time here, I thought we should begin with the main marketplace. After that, we can visit the temples, the great monuments and the trading districts."

"There’s also the royal quarter, although ordinary visitors aren’t allowed to enter every part of it."

He pointed towards the different markings.

"This is the central marketplace. You can find almost anything here, from food and clothing to precious stones and imported goods. These are the temple districts, where the priests and their attendants live."

"And this is the construction quarter. They’re building several new monuments there, so you’ll probably find it interesting."

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(Author note:)

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