The study broke into noise as Seren and Wilbur both began to protest.

“Enough!” Eric yelled, silencing them both. “I don’t want to hear it. Now get to work or get out!” Seren frowned but stormed over to the desk to take the day’s work. Putting the binder in their bag.

“Let’s go then.” Seren said, grinding their teeth as they did. Wilbur huffed and stood up from the desk.

“Fine.” He said. Seren led the pair down the stairs and to the front door where they paused. Remembering they left their boots in the forest. Seren growled as they dug through the closet and pulled out a pair of sneakers.

“I have the perfect idea,” Wilbur said, walking out the door and waiting for Seren on the steps.

“Oh yeah?” Seren asked doubtfully. Shutting the front door behind them.

“Yeah, see. YOU do the list and when you’re done, you find me at home.” Wilbur said with a confidence unearned. Seren laughed aloud.

“No. That’s not happening. I’m not happy about the situation but we have a task so let’s just complete it as fast as we can instead of trying to cheat or cut corners.” They pulled out their binder to look at the list curated by Wilbur. They scoffed at the messy ill thought out listings.

“This is pathetic. Our job requires us to keep a tight schedule. We need to be quick and efficient. Your list is all over the place.” Seren scoffed. Wilbur crossed his arms and sneered.

“I bet we can get this done before noon. I bet it’s faster than your way.” He said snottily. Seren laughed aloud.

“All right. Bet.” Seren said, handing him the binder. “We do it your way and if we aren’t done by three at the latest then you owe me one favor, no questions asked.”

“Deal. If I win, you quit.” Wilbur said and Seren laughed again.

“Deal. Better get started. It’s ten a.m. and we have a lot to do.” Seren said and pointed at the binder. “I’ll follow your lead. Wouldn’t want to interfere with the results.” Wilbur looked at the binder and began to walk. Seren followed behind smugly. Thinking about what kind of favor they wanted from their cousin. They walked around and around the steam works. Seren watched, their grin only getting bigger and bigger as he got more and more lost.

“I’m happy to point you in the right direction.” Seren sang.

“I don’t need any help!” Wilbur yelled and picked a gate to enter. Wandering into the Autumn district. Seren skipped after, watching the buildings pass by. Planning to watch until Wilbur had no way of winning. When Wilbur suddenly turned and nearly ran Seren over.

“Whoa! Hey!” Seren called out. “Hey. Look. Let’s try this. I take the first task, show you how and then you can pick it up from there?” Wilbur glared at them but his resolve cracked and he held out the binder for Seren to take. Seren took it and looked at the first entry.

“This is in the Spring district.” Seren said confused. “Why’d you lead us here?”

“I’ve.” Wilbur breathed in and then shrunk. “I haven’t actually been outside the Summer district yet.” Seren dropped their binder as well as their jaw.

“You what?!” They asked. “You’ve never? How. Haven’t you ever gone shopping? All the best shops are in the Autumn district, and you’ve never visited the Spring district? It’s where all the artisan goods are!”

“Look. I.” Wilbur snapped but crossed his arms and shrunk further in. “My mom’s overprotective. Can we just get on with this?”

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

“You made a deal knowing full well you couldn’t navigate the-” Seren scoffed and covered their face with their hands. “Okay. For the sake of fairness, I’ll lead us to the locations and we can go from there. Fair?”

“Fair.” Wilbur agreed. Seren bent down and scooped up the binder. They read the address and led them to the right location. Into the Spring district where Wilbur paused at the gates.

“What is it now?” Seren asked.

“The smell?!” Wilbur gagged, Seren shrugged.

“It’s the artisan’s district. Where smelting, butchering, and smithing happens. This is the district of smells and confusion. It’s a bit better in the winter when the meat isn’t rotting in the heat.” Seren explained. Wilbur paled and gagged again. “You’re gonna have to get stronger, mate. There’s a lot of contracts from this district.”

“When I take over, I’m putting an end to that.” Wilbur said. Seren felt bile raise in the back of their throat.

“Is that so.” Seren said. Trying not to choke on the sour taste in their mouth.

“It is. This place is the worst.” Wilbur said. Seren shook their head.

“You’re going to run the business into the ground.” Seren rolled their eyes, leading Wilbur to a smithy. Where metal worked goods were being made and placed for sale. “Okay hotshot. Get to it.” Wilbur sneered and snatched the binder out of Seren’s hands and waltzed up to the nearest person.

“Excuse me, I here to collect.” He said. Seren snickered as the person stared at him in confusion.

“Hey genius, that’s a customer. You want the owner.” Seren called. Wilbur turned bright red and the woman at the forge laughed.

“What’s this? Training your replacement?” The women stood up and wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Nah, I’m grounded.” Seren said, rolling their eyes. The woman laughed a bit more and brought a cash box up.

“Well I think you’re going to have a hard enough time today. Here” The woman brought a handful of ingts and handed them to Wilbur. “You were absolutely right by the way. Like you’re a lucky charm. I think I’ll keep my tab open just to have you come around!”

“Happy to hear that!” Seren waved. Wilbur shoved the ingts into his pocket and stomped over to Seren who frowned at him.

“You don’t put it in your pocket. You put it in this cloth bag and you have to record the amounts.” Seren said, holding out the bag for him.

“I thought you were going to let me do this my way.” Wilbur scoffed. Ignoring the bag.

“Yeah the collections, not the job itself!” Seren said and caught up to push the bag into his chest. “You have to do it right!”

“ I am!” Wilbur said. Still not taking the bag. “Now where are we going next?”

“Dude at least write down the amount so when you collect the next amount the books will balance.” Seren sighed in pure frustration. Wilbur took a breath and then fished the ingts out of his pocket and counted them. Writing down the amount in the binder and then holding it out for Seren.

“Happy now?” He asked.

“Yes, and come the end of the day, you’ll be happy you did it too.” Seren said, taking the binder. “Next one’s in the Summer district. So let’s get going.”

“Why’s that one next?” Wilbur asked. Following Seren back toward the steam works.

“You made the list. You should make it so that it’s a round trip,” Seren instructed.

“Or you could just read it in round trip order.” Wilbur said. Seren stopped and turned to look at him incredulously.

“Or you could just write it as a round trip. What is wrong with you?” Seren shook their head and continued leading them back toward the Summer district. “Whatever, you said you're way is faster.”

“Not if you don't read it right!” Wilbur snatched the binder back. “You're trying to sabotage me!”

“I'm doing it the way it's meant to be done!” Seren huffed and crossed their arms. “And if you're going to be ungrateful then you can find the locations yourself!”

Wilbur looked at the address and started off towards the Summer district. Seren had faith he could at least find the one in his own neighborhood, at least, they hoped he could. But was ready to step in and direct him and show how pathetic his view of the world was. Luckily, he found the townhouse easily.

“Okay, your turn.” Wilbur said with a sigh. Seren laughed.

“My turn what? The first job we did you harassed the wrong person and I secured the payment due to the owner knowing me. YOU are going to do every one until you pull your weight.”

“UGH!” Wilbur stomped. He went to the door and rung the doorbell. Tapped his feet twice then turned around. “No one’s home. Can we go now?”

“No! You haven’t even tried! You can’t just go back without anything. Eric will skin you alive!” Seren said in awe of the audacity. “If you’re going to do the job. Do it right!”

Wilbur let out another long groan before ringing the doorbell again and then knocking on the door.