Chapter 2 Escape!? From... - Section 1 - Wanted!!

Morning came in a flash and I rose getting dressed through my quick change 'cheat' heading down to the bar for a quick bowl of wheat porridge before heading off to meet the other's at the merchants guild.

"Is a guy named Kokei here, or isn't he!" <Knight>

A gruff voice yelled out towards the innkeeper at the front desk, everyone in the bar turned to look at the scene, cold sweat broke out on my neck as I saw a knight with a pair of guards all with weapons drawn at the front desk.

"he… he's probably.. still in his room, it is early afterall" <Innkeeper>

Finally managing to squeak out.

Suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder, turning my head slowly I could almost hear the creaking of my neck.

"you he?" <unknown>

A gruff voice sounded from the gruff man i saw standing there.

I couldn't answer, as fear had overtaken me.

"follow me, go out the back door" <unknown>

I still didn't respond I just rose from my chair and followed after the man like I was a puppet.

We passed through the kitchen and the man led me to the back alley door.

"Not sure what you're mixed up with but a young 'in like you don't deserve to get hauled off by the guards, now get outta here fast we'll stall them as much as we can" <unknown>

I nodded quickly pulling the hood of my mantle up over my face, rushing off down the alley.

[Sh!t sh!t sh!t. What is going on, did I stand out to much, I haven't committed any crimes so the only excuse why the guards are after me would be because of my sales yesterday coupled with my rising fame as an item box use. But when tied to my name perhaps i've sparked great interest with the higher-ups enough to warrant my capture?]

I continued my running making my way through the craftsman's quarter into the merchant section of the city. Along the way I could hear guards running around all over the place.

"Is that him over there" <Guard 1>

"Where's this bastard" <Guard 2>

"He's wearing a suit and tie" <Guard 3>

"No I heard he's changed clothes already" <Guard 4>

[a citywide manhunt for me… is it really safe to meet the marked wolves? Would they turn me in? Am I even able to get out of the city? Well guess I'll have to risk it, not like I can do anything on my own]

Turning the final corner I saw a cart loaded with items sitting out front of the guild, a Young woman sitting in the driver's seat, with the Marked Wolves all taking guard positions around it.

"Oh hey!" <Quinella>

She called out to me.

Raising a finger to my lips she quieted down, I walked up to her.

"You weren't kidding when you said bad thing were bound to happen what's going on?" <Quinella>

"I have no idea, I woke up this morning and the whole city was looking for me, but I swear I haven't done anything wrong" <Kokei>

"Oh you don't need to worry most likely it's just the king trying to capture you to make you into the Heroes pack mule, see they summoned 4 heroes but they are all combat types from what I hear, not a supporter among them so when they go out for work they'll have to carry all their gear, but finding someone with a sizable item box would fix that issue" <Quinella>

"I see, but…" <Kokei>

"Yeah they'd haul you into all kinds of danger you'd probably die before too long, so best to get out of the city for sure" <Quinella>

"Only problem though is they've setup checkpoints at all the exits so how're we going to get him out of here?" <Larr>

"Well not sure what's going on but if we swap the good from one of my crates into a bag you can carry we can stuff him into it? All the goods are audited on my receipt so there's no need for them to open the crates besides if it looks like they've never been opened they'll have no need to" <Merchant>

"That's a great idea you don't mind do you Miss?" <Quinella>

The next thing I knew 20 or so swords had been removed from a crate tied together and placed in a sack, which i received and stored in my 'Item Box' before I was dumped into and sealed inside the crate in their place.

[I'm no contortionist like really was this the only way, I can hardly breathe in here, and even if I needed to escape this things nailed shut]

Jostle jostle bump bump

The cart made its way down the cobblestone street.

[I think I should start praying for all I know, they taking me straight to the castle in this crate, but I hope upon hope we actually make it out of the city]

Some time passed with my head and body constantly coming into contact with the sides and roof of the crate as the cart bounced around from the uneven roadway.

"STOP!" <Gatekeeper>

The cart came to an abrupt stop and my heart likewise seized inside my chest.

A muddling of voices could be heard overlapping one another.

[We're either at the castle, or the Gatehouse…]

"Hey you're the Marked Wolves right?" <Gatekeeper>

"Yeah, why what's wrong? This commotion isn't all for us is it?" <Quinella>

Her soft voice barely making its way through the crate.

"You know a guy named Kokei right? Don't deny it people saw you with him" <Knight 1>

"Well yeah I mean he was a pretty weird guy, he even bought our entire party dinner just to make a pass at Roseanne here" <Quinella>

[The hell I did! If i made a move on anyone it would've been you Quin i barely spoke to Rose as all]

"Quin how could you!" <Roseanne>

"Haha is that right well not that I blame him for trying to make a pass at either of you really, so you're saying you've not seen him since?" <Gatekeeper>

"Nop…" <Quinella>

"There he is, he's over there!" <Guard>

A stampede of footfalls could be heard as the clatter of men in armor chased past the cart.

"Sorry to have been a bother seems we wasted your time, stay safe out there" <Gatekeeper>

With that the cart started rolling forward again and my hell in a box once again began smashing my face into the walls of the crate once again.