Chapter 29: The Seeds of Profit

Subject: Gwen Location: Maliscade - Gate District

Gwen followed her strange new companion in silence past Maliscade’s gate, and the Enforcers’ wary eyes. She noticed that they looked at her less threateningly than they had each time she had passed by on her own.

The clothes don’t matter as much as the company you keep. That must be it.

Appearances were important. Caim looked like a seeker, and that was enough to shield him from suspicion. Gwen was keenly aware of how poverty radiated from her very being, the way she paraded around in her only set of work clothes.

A poor person was someone to look out for. Poor people asked for more than they were worth, they drained the resources of the city. People were like that because they didn’t fit in. Gwen knew that was what the Enforcers were thinking.

As a would-be merchant, she studied behavior and economic class distinctions. She knew what others were thinking because she also trained herself to observe her own behavior.

This Caim person came off as a successful seeker, even if he was just starting out. His body language was strangely “keen” for someone who revealed himself to be ignorant beyond rational belief.

And that magic… It… Pulse...

This was not the time to get flustered by unexpected revelations. Caim was inexperienced, but he was someone Gwen needed to know. Not just because he would help her survive in these horrifying times, but because he was powerful.

“Is everything alright?” Caim asked once they were a short distance into the city. He winced. “I’m sorry. What I mean is… You’ve been quiet for a long time. Did I do something wrong?”

This stranger was more perceptive than most. That was probably why he had yet to be crushed under the unbelievable weight of his ignorance.

“It’s nothing,” Gwen replied.

She faked a smile, but she wasn’t sure if he bought it. Some time passed, and he looked away, down to a letter he’d been holding while they walked.

I won’t use him. I know things he needs to know, and he has coin and protection I need. That is a fair transaction.

Gwen didn’t want to be the kind of merchant who preys on gullible customers and only thinks of profit.

“Isn’t that big building over there the Guild Headquarters? Where are you going?”

Caim was lost in thought, but he wasn’t absentmindedly walking. He was looking for something.

“I didn’t tell you? I’m sorry, I thought I told you this, but I just have a quick stop to make. A seeker party asked me to give this letter to a woman who has a small shop around here.”

That was news, but it didn’t seem like anything sinister, so Gwen relaxed slightly.

“Do you do courier work on the side or something?” she probed.

“Nothing so formal. I passed the seekers on the way to you. The leader of the Drilldraves just asked me a favor, and I’d like to take care of it real quick before we go to the Guild.”

Gwen remembered that party of seekers. Even though she didn’t know the name of the party, one of them saw her as they passed on the road. She remembered his look of pity, and how quickly he looked down, trying to block out the sight of her sorry state.

Helping someone opens you up to risk. Something like that… right?

“Hey, Caim,” she began and then waited for him to turn to look at her so she could gauge his reaction. “Did you just agree to do this for them for free?”

He looked down at the letter.

“That coin you gave me… that was your payment, wasn’t it.”

“Does it matter?”

He really is broke… He doesn’t look it, but he might be as poor as me.

“I guess not. I appreciate it, either way.”

Gwen couldn’t understand how someone with powerful magic could be so impoverished. She was young, but she knew what ordinary magic looked like.

She couldn’t name commonly used spells, but even she could guess the hovering creature she’d seen was something entirely new. Caim also spoke to it, and the seeker acted like it answered him.

I can’t let desperation ruin this chance.

“You know… I think I can help you in another way, too.”

Caim seemed interested.

“Oh?”

“I can help you use your coin more efficiently. Kind of like as a… as a financial advisor, or something.”

Caim looked troubled, now, and that made Gwen feel anxious.

“I could use advice like that, but I don’t know how I’d feel about having another person hold onto my money. It isn’t that I don’t trust you-”

“No! That isn’t what I meant at all. You shouldn’t trust me. You don’t know me, and I’ve given you the completely wrong idea about what I mean. Maybe it’s because you haven’t ever had one before? What I meant was that you could tell me what you spend coin on, and how much coin you spend. I could then suggest ways to cut down on spending and help you to save up for things that you need. Is there anything expensive that you might need? I could help you think about the best way to buy it.”

“Oh… I did have the wrong idea about what you were suggesting. I guess I could use advice like that, and there is something I need. I need a weapon.”

A mage needs a weapon? Wouldn’t a weapon just get in the way? Stop, Gwen. Don’t let the surprise show on your face. Don’t scare the client off.

“Is that so… well, we could talk about your needs and how I might be able to help you meet them. As payment, you could give me some of what I save you from spending. But only some. I wouldn’t earn anything if my services failed to bring you a satisfactory result.”

Caim flashed an excited smile. The smile only made Gwen feel bad about why she had suggested this in the first place, but she wasn’t using him.

I can spot a customer with promise. I can help Caim realize that promise, and profit, so I can recognize my own potential. We can succeed together!

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Subject: Caim Location: Maliscade - Gate District

“Hello? Anyone here?” Caim called out, looking around the cramped shop.

The clutter wasn’t junk. It was like the overgrowth of the forested wilderness in every direction.

There wasn’t enough space in here to hide a person unless there was a backroom hidden underneath all these plants. A lone aisle of free space led up to a polished wood counter, pale blue, with a floral engraving.

Impressive first impression for such a humble shop, but maybe it’s personal taste.

“Doesn’t look like anyone’s here. Was this Novette definitely supposed to be here?”

Caim shook his head, and Gwen shrugged. She was wordlessly suggesting that he had tried, and it wasn’t his fault.

He was about to turn and leave when a rustling from out between cascading pale pink and green vines behind the counter drew their collective attention.

Stumbling out of a hidden passage in the wall of the shop was a flustered girl. Deep blue eyes peered through tangles of bright green hair.

“New faces? Forgive me for not hearing when you came in. I was working, and I actually thought I’d closed for lunch, so forgive my frazzled state. Are you here about my listing? I’m Novette, happy to meet you!”

Caim shook his head. There’d been a misunderstanding.

“Oh. Then… you don’t need a specialist or even a research assistant? I understand. My apologies,” she said, unable to hide her disappointment.

Gwen looked like she wanted to say something, but she seemed to be keeping respectful silence. Caim motioned for her to go ahead and share her mind.

“I’m confused… don’t you decorate flowers and stuff?”

“I’m actually curious about that, too,” Caim joined in. “I’ve come to deliver this letter from the leader of the Drilldraves. They wish to drop off a delivery later on, and the rest should be in here. I didn’t read it, but he said it wasn’t anything private. He didn’t seem to know that you did research.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Oh? Thanks for passing the message along!”

Novette took the letter and placed it on the counter. She opened it and casually scanned it before nodding.

Novette looked down and brought her hand up to a choker around her neck. She smiled somberly, sliding a finger across a pink clasp on the front. It resembled the petals of a flower. Two decorative clips in her hair bore the same symbol. Not quite the whole blossom of a flower, but maybe just the petals, in a snowflake-like configuration?

I’ve said something very hurtful, haven’t I.

The moment didn’t last long. Novette looked up and smiled more cheerfully.

“I’m grateful you came all this way… I’m terribly sorry, but may I know your names?”

“I’m Gwen, and this is Caim. May Rute favor your research.”

“You flatter me, Gwen. I’m far from worthy, but thank you.”

Which one was Rute? Oh, she was The Engineer! Symbolizing progress, and responsible for making order from chaos. Basically, she carries on the work of the dead god. It’s weird. Never have I heard of a religion that believes the supreme god, the most powerful being in existence, is dead.

Mentally reciting this crucial knowledge caused Caim to switch gears. A small piece of his past floated to the surface, as would happen from time to time.

“I knew an ecologist once, or someone who used to be one. It… wasn’t realistic for him to continue his work, but I’m happy to see your passion flourishing. I know nothing about this protoflora. From the name, I take it you study ancient plants?”

The delightedly surprised expression on Novette’s face said it all.

“Just the one ancient plant,” she tenderly corrected, “but you’re basically right! It was the cradle of life on this planet. How did you know my specialty?”

“I just pieced it together from the etymology on your sign, using what you said yourself. Protoflora: Envisioned Ecosystems seems pretty easy to understand when only one word is one I didn’t really know.”

“I’m somewhat embarrassed here, but I thought your sign said Dream Plant Nursery,” Gwen admitted.

She what? How?

“Yeah, I get that a lot. So much that I eventually just stopped correcting people… I originally rented this workspace with a different goal in mind, but… I don’t know.”

Everyone misreads her sign?

“The way the sign is written is actually an old-form translation, from back when the first cartemi explorers gave us their gift of a common language. It’s still favored in scientific fields because it can convey meaning more fluently in less space. Something like that, I only know what is relevant to my vocation.”

“But it’s the same language, right? Why can something that appears so similar mean something so different?” Gwen asked.

Caim watched in horror. He knew what this was, but the familiar pounding in his head prevented him from speaking.

“It is harder to learn the subtleties of this language iteration, and too much variation can actually be a problem when you want to convey something simply and quickly. I don’t know what linguistic changes were made. I do know that once refined, we gained clarity but lost… something?”

Novette spoke slowly and with considerable uncertainty. Linguistics wasn’t her interest or her expertise, but she seemed to be making an effort because Caim had been able to read the true meaning of her shop’s name.

The details were submerged, along with many other past experiences, but he knew this had to do with whatever Vera did to him. He’d been able to read the sign for the same reason that he could read anything in Shroud.

I’m going to give her a piece of my mind if I really can talk to her again.

Caim thanked her for her explanation. He was also speaking on Gwen’s behalf while she was trying to absorb this information.

“Anytime,” Novette replied. “It feels good to talk about research again, even just tangentially. Oh, and I should pay you for bringing me that letter.”

“What is an ecologist?” Gwen asked, very suddenly, unintentionally talking over Novette.

“Ecologists study organisms, living things, specific to how they interact with each other in their physical environment. My specialty doesn’t mean I restrict my focus to flourishflora, but rather, I use flourishflora as the lens through which I view the rest of their living neighbors. Or, I guess, I would be doing that if I had the time to spare to conduct proper research.”

The curious ecologist cast aside her longing expression and retrieved a coin pouch. She placed twice what the Drilldraves had given Caim on the counter.

Caim looked to Gwen, who was staring at the coin, struggling to conceal her lust.

“Thank you, but I’ve already been paid for this delivery.”

Gwen reacted immediately to the refusal.

“This is why you need me, Caim,” she whispered firmly, before addressing Novette. “Please forgive my companion, but he cannot afford to turn down your generosity. If you are still willing to pay him, he will take the coin. He is an up-and-coming Blight Seeker, but he is terrible with coin.”

Caim froze. She was right, but he felt uneasy accepting coin when he’d already been paid. And Novette looked like she had her share of troubles too.

“Then, I insist,” Novette emphasized. “Now that I know more about your own situation, could I say something that might be insensitive, my dear?”

“What? Please, feel free.” Gwen replied, a little confused by becoming the focus of the conversation.

“I don’t have many options, but I do have a spare sandslane overcloak that you can have if you want. It’s used but in good condition. It isn’t my color, but I think the brown would complement your dazzling red hair.”

Gwen looked down at her ragged clothing, blood rushing to her cheeks. She alternated between feelings of embarrassment and flattery.

It would take her time, but Gwen would accept the gift. Caim knew nothing about the merchant, but he thought he knew that much.

“That’s very nice of you. If you don’t mind parting with it, I think people would be less... uncomfortable around me if I were wearing something like that.”

To Caim’s surprise, Gwen made her decision quickly, and Novette left to rummage around in her concealed space behind the vine curtain for a short while.

Novette returned with a beautifully leaf-patterned cloak. These hardy brown leaves were tough and woven together with thick stitching.

When Gwen slid it over her clothes, the height difference became more noticeable. Gwen didn’t seem to mind, and it really did look good on her. Novette looked similarly excited.

“You don’t need to hear this from me, but you should try to forget about judgmental people and move forward.”

Caim wasn’t going to say it, but he disagreed with the sentiment. Gwen took what people said seriously, not because she was excessively sensitive, but because it affected her livelihood. Opinions put her at risk, and they determined when she would be able to make a living.

Gwen didn’t articulate this. Her appreciative smile had faded to a blank expression, but that was about as much as she was going to let her thoughts show. She thanked Novette for the advice.

Forcing a smile must get exhausting.

Caim made a mental note to ask Gwen to let herself be as honest as possible with her own emotions whenever they were alone together in the future. They’d first need to build trust.

If she ends up being someone I can trust, it seems like her strengths would be very valuable in the future.

After that thought, something clicked in Caim’s mind.

“Hey, Caim, I’ve been meaning to ask… what is that enhancement you have on your body? Is it an armor enchantment? Or, are you maintaining a spell?”

Caim’s blood froze.

“My... enhancement?”

He glanced at Gwen for a split second and then looked back to Novette. Gwen was the only one who picked up on Caim’s anxiety.

“Yeah, that magic is actually the reason I knew you two were here in the first place. I thought I had locked the door, but I use magitech tools to track the growth of my specimens, and they were going crazy.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Caim stuttered, swallowing to steady his voice before continuing. “I’m not sure I follow.”

He concentrated on finding that mental mechanism that allowed him to activate and control his spells. He couldn’t really describe it, but he could feel the connections.

Caim eventually managed to dismiss Flourish Catalyst. He actually felt the difference. That spell he’d been disappointed by really was helpful.

It also felt more robust than before. Why was that?

Beyond the nonverbal confirmation signal, there were no other indications of a change, save for the disappearance of the faint energy. It would have been difficult to notice the entwining yellow and green threads unless he was trying to bring them out.

Maybe there were other indicators. Caim was only just learning to use the spell, and he’d even forgotten to disable it upon entering the city. That was how easy it was to forget about it.

Spellweaving Event Triggered Calibrating Second Spell - Variant 1 [ Flourish Catalyst Effect Extended: Both The Subject And The Control Network Have Adapted ] Calibrating Support Function - Marking

[ Preparing To Unveil Ally Marking Function ]

Miscellaneous

[ Special Condition ]

[ Subject Has Connected With A Valuable Asset: Asset Has Use For Catalyst - Variant 1’s Expanded Effect ]

[ Subject Has Connected With A Valuable Asset: Asset Has Use For Catalyst - Variant 2 ]

[ Adjusting Priorities: Protection Variant Delayed ]

Calibrating Third Spell

[ Retrieving Spellweaving Template: Surveillance ]

Hibernating

A high tone made Caim tense up in surprise. Did it have something to do with that strange feeling he was having difficulty making sense of? He did feel something weird, accompanied by a warmth emanating from his pocket.

“My apologies!” Novette called out, rushing back behind the counter.

Apparently, the tone was unrelated. Novette tapped a device once, studying the surface with a quizzical expression, before looking back at Caim.

“Magitech units monitor the specimens around you for subtle changes in humidity, air pressure, temperature, and so on. It also detects when magic has been used in the vicinity, as spells can interfere with my readings, and I would need to know that, so I don’t make the wrong inferences.”

“Fascinating,” Gwen nodded along.

That may have been what Gwen said with her mouth, but she wasn’t wearing a look of wonder or of boredom. The merchant in her imagined thevalue could be derived from such mechanisms.

Caim could imagine her inner monologue going: “Magitech money boosters?” Kind of cute, actually.

“Yes, but they didn’t detect magic,” Novette continued. “That was why I thought that maybe it was a latent enchantment. Sometimes it can be harder to detect those. But… you just now stopped maintaining the spell, didn’t you?”

Caim nodded warily.

“Yes, well, I expected as much. Whatever was interfering with my readings over where you are standing stopped doing so. What spell were you using?”

“Flourish Catalyst.”

“I’ve never heard that name before. Not that I’m an expert or anything, but what branch?”

Gwen’s eyes were glued to Caim, watching him squirm in silence. He was thankful that she wasn’t sharing what she saw on the road. When he was fed up and talking to Scion.

“It doesn’t have one…” Caim mumbled and looked away.

“It doesn’t? Oh well. From the readings, I wonder if it would be useful in research. But you seem tired.”

Novette definitely wasn’t as keen as Gwen when it came to reading people. But Caim thought it was interesting that Gwen first imagined what monetary value could be gained from something new. In contrast, Novette imagined what benefit it could provide to her research.

These were exaggerations of their character, but even base stereotypes got the gears in Caim’s head working again.

Caim also had a primary drive. A purpose. Patently useless, he alternated between wanting to pursue it and shying away for fear of making mistakes.

Meeting these two gave him ideas… dangerous, exciting ideas.