Reincarnated As A Peasant - Book 2 Chapter 4: Registering For Classes

Landar

Later That Day

“I hate debt,” I said to myself as I read the terms and conditions of my new ‘lordship’ over the South Western Ridgeline Apple Core Court. “I really, really hate debt.” I whispered to myself again, as I kicked off my shoes and closed the door to my modest apartment behind me.

But as I read, I realized that I had been given essentially full authority over the eight hundred or so souls that lived in the area. “And not just them . . .” my voice trailed off as I read the last few provisions.

“I hate debt. But . . . I’ve been given a real source of income here. Particularly if I can get the facilities up and running like they’re supposed to be. On top of that, I have my mana infusion I can use to make money selling to smiths. My smithing, and a few other things I can do to earn money. Didn’t Ezekial also say that the practical class would lead to opportunities to earn some extra money?”

My voice carried through the room, as I placed the terms and conditions paperwork down on my humble writing desk, and began to undress for the evening. Sun had set hours ago, and I wasn’t exactly sure how late it was.

I had a few options in front of me to finance everything. Either I could take the institutional loan, and spend my time and efforts to pay it off, using the stipend my new ‘grandfather’ had given me for its intended purpose. Or, I could use most of that stipend to pay for the extra class, and use any income I make to fix up the tenements.

“Those buildings are practically falling apart,” I said into the barely lit room. A single candle lit by one of the hall’s cleaning servants was burning in a sconce on the wall. “It’s too dangerous to live in the conditions I saw.”

One of the reasons it had taken me so long to get back, was because Lord Tavis had taken me to see the tenements. The place had been practically deserted, most of the drudges; men and women were out in the city or the city’s outskirts working.

I learned they would likely not be back for some time. Only those women who were pregnant, or with children too young to care for themselves, and the several dozen injured men and women who were healing from work related injuries could be seen through cracked and broken windows. Often cleaning, mending clothes, and doing other household chores.

What in a commoner or merchant tenement would have been a busy time of the workers returning home, food finishing cooking, and children learning to do chores and the extra sundry skills they needed to help the family make ends meet, was instead a virtually barren wasteland.

Only a few elderly men and women, barely a foot or two from death’s door stood in the center of the ‘petty market’ and cooked a pungent smelling onion stew in three large cauldrons. While gangs of children ranging from what I hoped was at least eight years old ran around the courtyard, alley ways, and in empty broken out-buildings practically unsupervised.

The buildings matched the clothing of most of the people there. Tattered worn wood, rotted and leaky awnings over unused storage areas with rusty iron bars barely recognizable as ‘tools’ stacked on tables barely holding together were the norm. Where in commoner tenements would be stacks of wood, old but well cared for tools, or other communal items.

The paint, had there ever been any, had long ago been peeled or worn away. Revealing poorly treated logs that acted as framing for the buildings. The top floors of all three buildings were completely unoccupied. The wood there was rotting away. The roofs were in tatters, shingles missing, replaced with barely tight thatch, and holes covered with tattered tarps.

All while the stone work at the bottom of the buildings that was made of a mix of large boulders, magically hardened stone, and a type of lime based cement was cracked. Water was pouring into the basement of one tenement, and had forced three entire units to vacate due to the unsafe conditions. The foundations had been reinforced with various beams and a few patchworks of relatively new cement in places. But it was clear these were the most bare minimum of temporary solutions meant to last months, which had lasted what looked like years.

Most people seemed to live on the first and second floors. Crammed into rooms three or four families to a small one room apartment. All sleeping practically on top of each other so as to stay warm and dry.

In all, it was unacceptably dangerous, and would be a breeding ground for disease and illness. A single flu and every single one of these people would be out for weeks or more. We’d probably lose half the elderly population. I thought, as memories of the buildings filled my mind.

“Honestly, the place should be condemned. I saw more wood boards than I did windows. And all the winter shudders were just . . . gone.” Gone as if someone had used them for firewood long ago.

Anger, and concern had been eating at me since I had seen the place. When I even thought about using the money I had been given for myself, guilt joined them.

Sighing, I sat up and finished getting dressed for bed. “Well that settles that then, doesn’t it?”

***

“Here is your five hundred gold coin loan. Minus the cost of the class, of course.” The witch cackled as I took the sack of heavy gold pennies the next morning. “Just couldn’t live without a little extra pocket change, now could you? Got a taste of gold, and now it’s all you can see, isn’t it?”

She cackled madly, then stopped abruptly and shook her head sadly.

“Seen it a hundred times. Good wizard or warrior comes to school, a little poor but with everything they really need. Then they see all the fancy things all the other students have, all the servants, the clothes, the weapons.” An evil gleam entered her eye as she cracked an even wider grin.

“And the gold monster starts eating at them. The dragon’s sickness it is, envy. But I didn’t think you were the type.” She sighed and stamped my class schedule with massive red letters that read ‘Approved: Paid In Full.’

“It’s . . . an investment.” I winced internally at the famous last words of oh so many people I had known who had taken out such loans. Only to never be able to realistically pay them back. The registrar witch laughed all the louder as she slid my paperwork back to me.

“For what it’s worth, child? The practicals are good classes to take. You might even be able to make good on that . . . investment. If you’re brave, skilled, and wise enough with your coin.” Her grin disappeared. “Seriously boy, pay this loan back in the agreed upon terms or you and all of your kin will regret it. Even that brat of a ‘grandfather’ of yours. Understood?”

I bowed slightly. “Thank you Registrar. For both the time extension, and the advice. I fully plan on paying it off as quickly as possible.” I’ll probably be up for the next several nights trying to convince myself it’s possible. God knows I already couldn’t sleep last night just thinking about it.

“Good. Alright then, get going. I have to brush kitty here.” A cat the size of a dog jumped onto the table between us, curled up in a ball and began purring. The Registrar pulled out a thick brush and began grooming the giant dangerous cat’s tail.

“Yes of course, thank you again.”

I started walking away, but took one last look behind the woman. The registrar’s office was massive. But there was no one else there except the woman, her cat, and several dozen unseen force constructs who shimmered slightly in the flickering lamp light. They were hard at work sorting through files, organizing scrolls, and reshelving tombs and books. It wasn’t the library, but it was a vast records hall that in no way to my mind should have fit in the relatively modest sized building that supposedly housed it.

“Magic child. Magic can allow for many great wonders.” The witch said this time a genuine smile crossing her face at what I was sure my dumb struck look of awe. “Stick with it long enough, and you’ll learn to do far more than just this. My summoned companions back there are truly amazing things. But they are far from the greatest feet I have accomplished in my long, and storied career as a witch and mage. Now go. Before kitty decides you look delicious.”

I turned and left. Thoughts of summoning invisible monsters multiple stories tall filling my mind and imagination. And my coin purse a few extra gold heavier.