Chapter 12: First Pot of Gold
Lucien felt awful when he was rejected by the third upscale tailor’s shop. Even though he walked in holding the back crepe, those tailors wouldn’t believe him at all and refused to identify the crepe ’s texture. Lucien could feel their cautions and fear of a stranger like him.
The Market District was huge, consisted of tens of crowded roads and streets, with people coming and going. Dwarves, elves, and other alien races could often be seen on the streets, presenting the picture of a vibrant, “cosmopolitan” city. Lucien soon found another clean, cla.s.sic tailor’s shop.
There was a blond-haired boy, about sixteen years old, standing behind the counter. He had a bashful, adolescent smile, “My master is back there making clothes. I’m Bester, do you have any needs, sir?”
“Could you please look at this piece of crepe?” Learnt from his previous failures, Lucien asked circuitously and took out the black crepe.
Bester thought that Lucien was trying to choose another crepe with a similar texture, thus he took the piece without any doubt. He rubbed the crepe with his finger and looked at it under the sun. Surprise emerged on his face, “Sir, this is the ‘Black Nightingale’ from the Empire of Kholmsk! Only real n.o.bles can afford that, where did you get it?”
Like many other tailors, Bester demonstrates vigilance and worry. It was not possible for Lucien, who wore a scruffy linen clothes, to afford the “Black Nightingale”. The crepe was so rare that even some rich people couldn’t find a way to access them. Therefore, the original source of that crepe was questionable.
Lucien already predicted that this was going to happen, he lowered his voice and said, “Don’t worry, that won’t bring you any troubles.”
“Oh really?” From the back of the shop, there came a man who was about thirty years old and had a long face. He was the master of that tailor’s shop, McDowell. When he was disturbed by Bester, who was too surprised to control his voice, McDowell walked out and heard Lucien’s explanation.
He doesn’t just kick me out? Lucien finally saw some chances of communication, slight antic.i.p.ation and excitement arose from his mind: “I swear in name of the Lord. And, look, there’s already a hole in it, none of those n.o.ble madams and ladies will care about it. No one will if you can transform them into a dress ’s laces and gimps.”
McDowell took the crepe from Bester and looked at it carefully. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth calmly, “How much?”
Excitement burst out from Lucien’s mind, he clenched his fist, and almost started shaking it. Yet the recent experiences helped him to keep his superficial self-possession. He looked at McDowell and smiles gently, “You decide, sir. I don’t think you would let me down.”
McDowell stared at Lucien’s eyes for several seconds. He decided to speak when he saw neither anxiety nor hurry in Lucien’s eyes, “Forty Copper Fiers, it’s not big enough and has holes on it. I don’t think there are many ways I can use them.”
“One Silver Niar. If a luxuriant long skirt is decorated with a piece of deep, beautiful night sky——the ‘Black Nightingale’——it will certainly be more gorgeous. It will certainly the fittest for the n.o.ble ladies.” Lucien restrained himself from showing excitement, and bargains according to the “rule of doubling”.
McDowell shook his head, and returned the crepe to Lucien, “The maximum is fifty Copper Fiers, if not, then leave with your crepe.”
“What a pity.” Lucien maintained his ostensible calmness. He took the crepe and turned around to walk out of the shop. However, actually, he was really nervous and conflicting in mind now. Will he call me back? Will he add any more prices? I probably won’t be able to find another buyer if I miss that chance!
One step, two steps, three steps……When Lucien almost felt that he walked out of the tailor’s shop, he finally heard McDowell’s voice from behind, “Eighty Copper Fiers! If there wasn’t a long skirt that I decided to use the ‘Black Nightingale’ for lacework, I won’t be giving such a high price!”
Well done! With his back facing McDowell, Lucien shook his right fist with excitement. He then turned around and smiled blandly, “As you wish, sir.”
Eighty tinkling Copper Fiers were now in Lucien’s pocket, making it plump and heavy. Yet Lucien felt no burdensomeness but only loveliness. Before he left, McDowell told him, “I don’t know you, and I don’t want to know your name. But in the future if you still have such kind of cloths and if they won’t bring any troubles, consider bringing it to me.”
“Yond shall beest my own pleasure, sir” Lucien felt good now, and he bowed slightly with a smile on his face.
Left McDowell’s shop, Lucian discovered that the sky was so blue, the sun was so bright and the air was so fresh, everything felt fragrant.
Eighty Copper Fiers were not that much yet not that less. It not only shortened Lucien’s distance with the tuition of five Silver Nairs but also proven the effectiveness of his method. This is the most important to Lucien!
………………
“Lucien you’re finally home. My brother is already at home, mom told me to invite you to our dinner.”
When Lucien reached home, he saw Irwin standing infant of the door. Irwin also found Lucien at the same time and waved his hand gladly.
“Aunt Alyssa’s eldest son John? The young man who already became an apprentice Squire?” Lucien recalled his memory about Irwin’s elder brother and smiled, “Give me a minute, lemme clean my sweats” He wouldn’t let Irwin see the ninety-two Copper Fiers he got, G.o.d knows that if he will keep the secret. There won’t be much problem if I’ve got the tuitions. Lucian believes that he would do such work for forever.
Irwin replied with a grin on his face, “Ok, Lucien. Oh, by the way, my brother brought back a piece of Buffalo beef. They hunted it during the training, Sir Wayne evenly shared it with everyone.”
“Finally I can have beef and potato stew. After my brother had been selected by Sir Wayne and started training in the manor, I’ve only had about twenty times in two years!”There’s a piggish yearn on Irwin’s face
Joel was quite good among the bards. Although his income sometimes varied, it’s still much better than those pure laborers. Additionally, Alyssa was always washing clothes in the textile industry. Therefore their income was actually close to the common people. However, because of John’s exercise, they seldom save money on his food, which made their life much harder. Sometimes they even need Old Evans’s help.
When John finally started studying with Sir Wayne and didn’t need their help anymore, Alyssa started to save money for Irwin again, which results in an overall decrease of the quality of their food.
On this point, Lucien didn’t feel strange at all, he thought that it’s normal for a poor family to have beef once a month.
Hid the Copper Fiers, and cleaned up his sweats, Lucien followed Irwin to Aunt Alyssa’s home.
There gathered a large group of neighbors, they spoke with congratulations.
“I heard that little John had become a formal Squire under Sir Wayne?”
“Yeah I heard Alyssa saying that by herself! She wouldn’t be lying!”
“Wow, a formal Squire under nineteen. Probably little John can actually activate his bloodline power, get the Divine Favor and become a real Knight!”
“Ha, then we shouldn’t call him little John anymore, but Sir John and Mr. John.”
“No, not even now. A formal Squire is able to be the officer among city guards!”
“Joel and Alyssa really have a good luck, they are not far from a good life now!”
Lucien looked at Irwin with confusion. Irwin nodded heavily, a sense of honor appears on his face.
When entered the house, Lucien saw a young man, with blond hair and brown eyes, standing up from his chair. He inherited Joel’s appearance, tall, handsome and straight; but what gave Lucien the most impression is his aplomb and restrained temperament.
“I’m worried when I heard that you were sick, but now I think you got much better. Um, I’m relaxed now.” John patted Lucien’s shoulder with a gentle smile, “Don’t think too much about that, it’s just a coincidence. View it as the Lord’s trial on you.”
John was wearing a gray riding dress, which highlighted his slenderness with strength. He’s att.i.tude toward Lucien is like a maturer, elder brother, even though he’s only about one years older.
Lucien smiled too, and replied, “That wasn’t such a big deal, Aunt Alyssa was working too much for me, and got too nervous.”
Irwin echoed his view, “Yes, yes, mom never believed what I said.”
John laughed and patted Irwin’s head, “OK. Now go wash your face and get ready for dinner.”
When Irwin left, John beckoned Lucien to sit down and smiled, “Hey, are you getting unfamiliar with me? Lucien, we were always best friends back then.”
“Yeah I’m really surprised, um, I didn’t expect your to change that much.” Lucien found a random excuse.
John nodded demurely, “The knight training was not only a bodily training, but it’s also behavioral and spiritual. There’s great harshness but great gain as well.”
They had a casual conversation about John’s training in Sir Wayne’s Manor, and soon Alyssa called them to have the dinner.
There were only potato & beef stew and grilled fish on the table, but Lucien still felt the deliciousness and gobbled down the food as much as he can. It was so much better in comparison to having black breadstick all day. Because of the joyful even that John became a formal Squire, Alyssa made an exception for Joel today and allowed him to have beef and beer at the same time.
Alyssa was being garrulous across the entire meal and talked none-stop. Even though Joel, Lucien, and Irwin, who focused their attention on the food and drinks, rarely responded to her, Alyssa was content with it. John was strictly following the principles of knighthood and kept silent during the meal.
“BURP~~” The dinner ended with a long hiccup made by Irwin.
John shook his head and made a weird smile, “Irwin, gluttony, and engorgement is bad for your body, don’t do that anymore.”
He then turned to Lucien, “Lucien, have you ever thought of your future jobs?”
When heard this question, both Joel and Alyssa turned to Lucien with seriousness.
Lucien answered cautiously, “I don’t have a specific goal yet, but I’m definitely not contented with my present.”
“Great, dissatisfaction of the present motivates you to go further.” John nodded, “The bakery and brewery in Sir Wayne’s manor are lacking workers, and they’re looking for new apprentices. Although you need to live in the manor for the next ten years. Think about this, and tell me your decision next Monday.”
As a formal Squire, John was more capable of changing the living condition of his family and friends, it wasn’t much but still important.
By the way, the myth of “G.o.d create the world in seven days” also exist, thus they worshiped once every seven days, which was a week.
“Ok, John.” Lucien just got the first pot of gold in his life and had a much further and better plan for his future. He had never thought of selling himself for ten years. However, directly refusing is too odd for a person in his current status, thus Lucien decided to refuse several weeks later.
John stood up, “Ok if there isn’t anything else, I need to come back to Sir Wayne’s manor before the city gate closed.” He hugged Joel, Alyssa, Irwin on by one, and gave Lucien a big hug at the end. “Unfortunately Lucien you can’t read or write, or I can introduce you to Butler Tony. He needs a new clerk to help to deal with the village’s court, that’s a decent, well-paid job.”
“Actually I want to learn the language for now.” Lucien took the opportunity and said.
John was a little dazed and then laughed, “Lucien you are ambitious! Um, I will try to ask around and see if I can find help you on that. Unfortunately, there’s not an easy chance, and it will take you a long time. Be prepared to this.”
“Oh, thanks.” Lucien didn’t put most of his expectations on John, he had his own way to achieve that.
…………………
In the next three days, although he didn’t find any other valuable objects like the “Black Nightingale”, his property already increased to one Silver Niars and sixty-four Copper Fiers. Again, this morning he walked out of the city gate with full energy.
Andre stared at Lucien’s back, and asked Magg, “Why does that kid go out so early everyday?”
“What’s that, Andre?” A friendly voice came from his back.
Andre suddenly became serious, and turned around, “Good morning, Mr. Jackson.”
Leo Dos Jackson, one of the leaders in Aaron’s Gang. He had an ordinary face, with a kind, friendly smile. However, those who were fooled by his appearance never got a good end. In the gang, he is famous for his cattiness and cruelty, as well as being sharp and heartless.