King's Gambit

"What sort of trouble?" Hoyo asked.

"Tower Master gave us an assignment," she said. "But I honestly think he's just messing with us," she said.

"Can you explain some more? I really have no idea what you're talking about," Ludwig asked.

Kassandra gathered her thoughts and then said, "Remember that you said Master Van Dijk had asked you to bring an item from the Mage Masquerade?"

"Yes, but that was it, he didn't say what to bring," Ludwig replied.

"Well, he said he wanted the Artificer's Orb."

"That… I don't think we have enough money for that," Hoyo said, "Even with all that gold, we can't afford that," Hoyo added as he gestured to Ludwig's side pouch.

The busboy soon came with a frothy mug of beer that Kassandra grabbed and gulped half of it in one go, surprising both Ludwig and Hoyo.