New chapter, i hope you enjoy!

Chapter 06

That day when I woke up I was greeted by a different sight, both my parents were seated by the table I usually eat breakfast.

-Son, we need to talk - my mother said. Both of them had serious expressions on their faces.

Damn, what did I do wrong? I seated by the table trying to remain calm, if I had done something wrong to anger them there is nothing that could be done but try think of an excuse, and being calm would help with that.

-Son - my father paused to try and find the best words to use - I know you have been putting a lot of effort into it, but your mother and me both think that you are neither suited for using a sword nor magic, you see…

-I know father - I interrupted before he tried to soften those words to not make me sad, that would only make the situation more awkward.

-So - my mother smiled nervously at my father, pausing to also try to find the best words for the situation - son, you know we want only the best for your future, don’t you?

-Yes mom, I know. So, what do you both have in mind? - I tried my best to make it go quick, the awkwardness was killing me.

They both sighted as pressured seemed to be relieved from them.

-Your father and me think that we should plan a different future for you than we did for your brother, your father is powerful and holds much influence, so he made some moves and arranged so that you can be a lord of one city in the future, isn’t it great?!

I knew my mother, if it were as good as said, she wouldn’t have so much trouble to just say it. And she didn’t brag about how good of a city I was going to rule as she bragged to my sister. Yeah, her approach with sister was totally different. Well, not that ruling a city was my ideal plan for life, but I could see a pleasant life full of luxury in that.

-I accept, but what’s the catch? By the way you behave I know there is one. - As I say that father smiles as if caught in a lye.

-Well, you see, hmm. - He pauses before continuing - the city’s name is Jogark, it’s founder is an old friend of mine, a former soldier to whom has been granted some land in the north in gratitude to his hard work for the kingdom. The man in question has only one daughter of 7 years old, and because of some issues he can’t have more children.

So I need to marry her, I think to myself, that’s the price of that city, one marriage. If the man in question is father’s friend, he must have been a soldier some years ago, and granted that land not too long ago, so I don’t believe the city has much more than 10 years old, perhaps even calling it a village would be too much. Besides that, all the way to north is underdeveloped in every possible way, it explains why mother was not bragging about it, but I can understand it, father has already used a lot of favors for sister’s marriage, I can’t expect him to earn me such an amazing city as well.

-I believe I will be sent to learn about ruling cities and just then I will go there to be married, so, how long do I have?

-You are almost fully right - father said - you will indeed be sent to learn about ruling a city, you will be leaving for Jogark in three days, where you will be learning how to rule the city, then in six years you will be marrying Katie Jogark, daughter of James Jogark.

I was speechless! How could they do that to me? On top of that I would be leaving to the end of the world in three days, how I was suppose to pursue my dream there? How could create an empire of richness in such a desolate place?

The next day I went to search for a blacksmith slave with Nad. I convinced mother that day that if I were to go to such a faraway place, the least they should do is buy me a blacksmith so that I could have done the objects I wanted. Mother didn’t see it as that important, but since I insisted and this would be my goodbye gift, she sent Nad with me with 10 gold coins to buy any and as much slaves as I wanted. I think that it is a way to apologize for sending me to such a place, because mother is not a generous person.

It may seem little, but 10 gold is a lot! While a normal family can live well for a couple of months with some silver, the more worthless slaves costed around 80 silver, that much money was enough to buy excellent slaves in the market. Of course rare cases of excellent magicians that were turned into slaves could not be purchased for less than 100 gold, but these are rare cases and not what I can afford anyways.

Once we arrived at the right section, I started to look at the slaves for sale. Noticing my clothes, a man soon came to me.

-Hello dear customer, how can I assist you? - I was greeted by an old merchant, who had an aura of someone who would trick you at the first given opportunity.

-I look for a slave with blacksmith skills, the younger the better - I explained, after all I can’t have my investment dying so soon.

He then took me to a group of slaves, where I found some humans, one demon and a few dwarfs.

-You see, here I have some samples of blacksmiths, all of them are great, the best of them is this human here - the man pointed me to a 30 years old man, he seemed a little too skinny for a blacksmith, and I suspected the man was lying.

-Can you order them to answer my questions trustfully? This way I can choose for myself.

The man was a little annoyed by my question, but this is a standard procedure at buying slaves, and it looks bad for a trader to deny such a request.

-Answer his questions with the truth - the man ordered the slaves - while you inquire them I will be with other customers, when you find what you look for you call me.

My questions were simple. ‘How much experience do you have?’, ‘how skilled do you consider yourself compared to other blacksmiths?’ and ‘is there anything out of ordinary that you can do?’

After hearing all the answers I had the right one in mind. The one I had interest in was the demon. His answers were the following: To ‘How much experience do you have?’ He answered that he has been a blacksmith for two years, for ‘how skilled do you consider yourself compared to other blacksmiths?’ He said that he is below average, and that he is still learning the trade, and for ‘is there anything out of the ordinary that you can do?’ He says that he liked to experiment on magic until the day he blew half a demon city and was sold as a slave as punishment. And that is why I was buying him, no, I don’t want to blow my future to be city, but I feel that such a researcher will be needed in the future.

-Sir - I called the trader - I would like to buy one of them, but as I haven’t much money, I think I will stay with the crazy demon, how much do you want for him?

-Two gold - the trader spoke with not much interest. He was finally going to sell the demon, who has been there for almost a month and nobody wanted to buy.

-Two gold coins?! I thought that for a slave that has almost no skills with blacksmith and has blew half a city he would cost less! - I said my point but gave no offer, if I did so, he would try to raise it, I needed him to first bring his value down so that I could bring a little further.

-Hmm, I think I can sell him for 1 gold and 80 silver, but no less.

-Sir, what if he blows my house? I think 1 gold is worth the risk, but more than that? I think it is hard to imagine.

A few people looked at us as I spoke about a slave blowing my house, hey didn’t pay further attention, but if I started to repeat it, they might ask questions not good for the merchant.

-Boy, take it or leave it 1 gold and - He was giving his final price as I interrupted him.

-I pay 1 gold and 40 silver, and that’s it, do I need to remind you that this slave blew half a city? - I spoke those words for two reasons. First, the merchant wouldn’t bring his price that low, and once he said “take it or leave it”, he would not go back on his word, and that would be his final price. By interrupting him, he would not have given a final price, and he would not have to contradict himself to sell for a lower price. The second reason is because I told out loud for anyone to listen that the slave blew half of a city, if that became public knowledge, hardly anyone would want to buy the slave, and the man would not have his profit, so the only option left for him was to accept my not so unreasonable price.

-Ok boy, i’ll take that offer - the man shook my hand to close the deal, uncomfortable by the people’s comments about what I said.

The ritual to transfer slaves from one person to another was really simple, all you needed was to put your mana in the slave ring at the same time as the former owner took his mana out of the ring, to release a slave you just need to take the mana off the ring without putting new one at the same time. Once the ring has no mana it will be possible for it to be taken off, otherwise, the magic circles in the ring will engrave it to the slave. It’s from these magical circles that the command to obey is given to the slaves, and they cannot disobey.

After that I thought a little and also bought a dwarf expert for 6 gold coins, and the money left would be saved for future usage when needed.

-So, why did you buy me? - The demon asked me.

I stared at him - excuse me?

-Well, for the past few months that slave trader has been trying to sell me for a mage, but as standard everyone would ask the slave trader to order me to tell the truth and then ask me of what I knew about magic, all of this to know of my true potential and how much I am worth, you know, standard procedure. The slave trader always ordered me not to tell anyone about blowing half a city, but when that order was given, if it conflicted with previous orders, the most recent is what is valid, so I always got the chance to tell this to people so that they wouldn’t buy me, and that slave trader wouldn’t profit off me. Then today he finally gave up and asked me if I had any other skills, that’s when he finally decided to try and sell me for a blacksmith.

I was confused at where he meant with all of that story, but I kept listening anyway.

-At first I thought that I wouldn’t be able to warn people about my past anymore, since any questions asked would be of blacksmithing, and that I would finally be sold, but then you come and ask me if I knew anything special. That’s when I took my chance to overlap my previous order and tell you about my past, trying to once again to keep from being sold. So, why did you buy me knowing that I do dangerous magic, and given the chance I can overlay any commands of yours and blow things up?

I laughed at his reasoning, it is a smart plan to keep someone to profit from selling you as a slave, I think that given the opportunity I would do the same.

-Well, actually I just bought you because of that, i’ll tell you the reason later - I say, and the demon, the dwarf that has just been hearing quietly to the conversation and Nad look at me wondering at why would I do such a thing? I would explain things better when Nad was not around.

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-For you to overlap and cancel previous orders - Nad commented for the first time - you must have incredible magical power, I know of no slaves that can do that.

-Indeed - the demon grinned, a devious expression showed in his face, with a mix of being happy that he got the opportunity to speak well of himself - I have incredible magical power, my magical potential is Divine, and although I can’t completely deny a slave ring, I can overlap previous orders and obey slightly different than ordered, that’s why nobody wanted to buy me so far.

I started laughing, laughing in a way I had never done in this entire life, I couldn’t believe what i’ve heard, how lucky could I be? I got interest because he was a magical researcher, but to think he would have Divine potential, a slave with Excellent Potential could be bought for no less than 150 gold coins, and yet I bought him for less than 2.

Explaining the Ranks of Magical Potential and Magical Affinity, they are as following: Poor, acceptable, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Good, Very Good, Excellent and Divine.

While most people rank from Below Average to Above Average, as myself, people with Good potential are less in quantity, and the Very Good ones are very rare. Its normal for people to live an entire life and never meet someone of Excellent Potential, but Divine, in the whole world there are so few that you can count in your hands their numbers.

-Vokier, why did you buy such a dangerous slave? It’s very possible that he may find a way to kill you - Nad started to yell at me and call me irresponsible.

I look at her, she is starting to annoy me. - Nad, go back home, I will call later.

-But your mother told me to protect you, it’s not safe for a noble your age to walk around alone! - She tries to argue.

-Nad, Really? I have a demon slave that has Divine Magical Potential and that can blow half a city, if I die he dies, do you really think there is any protecting you can provide that he can’t?

-But you can’t trust him! - She tries to argue again.

-So what? If a Demon that can blow half a city tries to harm this beautiful me, what can you do? Please Nad, go home!

-No, I wont! Your mother ordered me to… - I sighed at her annoyance, if it came to this, there is just one thing I could do.

-Mr. Demon, you can use shadow magic, right? I order you to cast an illusion magic on her that makes she go home.

In mechanic-like moves, like a robot, the demon casts in less than a second an illusion magic on Nad. The time he uses for casting impresses me, for all I know, illusion magic is supposed to be complicated.

-Thank you Mr. Demon, now we can do to a fancy restaurant and have a delicious meal while we discuss our future. Shall we? I bet you both must be very hungry.

Both the demon and the dwarf are standing in front of me with visible interest. We are in one of the fanciest restaurants of this city. The other customers are all looking in our direction, most of the reason is because demons never seen here unless they are slaves, and even so they are rare. Humans and demons are not in good terms, but the relationship isn’t so bad that they will attack each other on sight. Also, after the last big war that almost decimated the whole world, the gods had warned that another full war like that would not be tolerated.

The other part of the reason is that this is an expensive place, so it’s not common for people to bring their slaves here.

-You are quite quiet, Mr. Dwarf, does it sadden you that you had no beer for… hmm, a long time? - I remember I have no idea of how long he has been held as a slave, but since there are no dwarf kingdoms close by, I can have an idea.

As soon as I finish saying that a girl in her mid teens brings the meals I have ordered, she places a big mug of beer in front of the dwarf as requested, me and the demon go with fruit juices.

-My name is Vokier, I will tell you both about my past, what I have planned for the future, and then I would like you to talk Mr. Dwarf, I get you don’t like your position as a slave. Needing to answer to a stupid human kid’s request, I would hate to be in your position as well.

The demon starts to eat politely while I speak to the dwarf, I then start to eat as well, the dwarf is the only one that doesn’t touch neither his food nor the drink. He must be in his fifties, not the younger one available, but to a dwarf, I think he can show some good decades of good work, but there is one other problem that comes with age: stubbornness.

I then begin my story, a story that not even my parents know as I wanted to have a normal relationship with them, but these are my slaves, I don’t need to trust them as I can just order them to not tell anyone about it, and even if the demon manages to cancel this order, it’s not like people will believe him.

-And here I am, in this world. I found out that I will be sent to the north in a far away land where civilization is yet to reach, where I will marry a woman I've never seen and become the future lord of a small and depressive village. Quite sad if you think of everything I've had and what is ahead of me, right?

By this time the dwarf is already eating and the mug is almost empty, I think it was hard for him to resist the food in front of him.

-And that’s when you guys come in. If I am to go to such a far away place, I will bring with me all the knowledge of my previous world, and try to turn that place into a rich one. But my knowledge alone is not enough, you Mr. Demon will help me with the magical knowledge, and you Mr. Dwarf will help me with your smiths knowledge.

-What makes you think I will help you? - The dwarf speaks for the first time.

-Not that you have a choice - the demon says, annoying the dwarf.

I think for a bit, I can just order the dwarf around, but that is not the relationship I want to have with him, it’s more pleasant to work with someone with the same ideals as yourself, not a boring old man you need to order around or he will not obey you.

-Before I continue, do you have a name or should I keep addressing to you as Mr. Dwarf? Either way, tell me Mr. Dwarf, you will be able to smith and do whatever you want in your plentiful free time, you will also be rich. I propose you a partnership, why not accept it?

-And why should I believe you?

-Mr. Dwarf, until a few minutes ago your future would be working until you die of old age or tiredness, now I present you this opportunity, believe or not, I don’t care, that is what is going to happen, so, you have nothing to lose, and I have no means to prove it if not by time. For now, why don’t we get you another mug?

The dwarf starts laughing. -Ok boy, but if I see you are lying to me, you’re gonna regret it! The name’s Wort.

I turn to the demon, clearly expecting his name.

-I’m Zaarek, if what you told me is true, i’d love to experiment on you in the future to find out why you remember your past life.

I smile, but I get the feeling he is proposing nothing safe. -In the future.

The demon is easier to deal with than the dwarf, this is clear. What is still not clear to me are the demons intentions. He is polite, easy to talk to, but clearly hates his position as a slave.

-Must I remember the two of you that even if I was an adult in my old world, here I am a 10 year old kid, so if there is any danger situation I can’t protect myself, and I would really appreciate if the both of you could help me if needed be - I talk to my slaves in the way back home, I know I don’t need to do it as they know that if I die, they will die as well. The reason I do so? To provoke the dwarf, he says nothing though.

-Do you mind teaching shadow magic? - I ask the demon when we reach the front of our house.

-Do you mind releasing me? - He asks.

-What about letting you study my soul? - I propose and we have a deal, it seems he is really simpleminded. Offer him something interesting to research and that’s it.

When mother saw me she started screaming at me about how irresponsible i was today, fortunately Mr. Zaarek created an illusion of ourselves and we went to my room while mom screamed at the air.

-So boy, you say you are going to rule over a city, do you have any experience with it from your past life? - The dwarf talked to me. The first three questions of the dwarf got me puzzled at the reason he was being so talkative today, he was a rather quiet man for all i knew. But then it hit me, and the reason is really simple. We have been on a carriage for the past hours heading north, only the three of us, some baggage and the driver, father and mother would come and visit me with brother in two months, when he finally would end his studies by the age of 19 in the capital and head north to serve for one year.

Brother and I have grown apart in the past years. Even though we both lived in the same city, brother almost never left the academy, he was always focused on becoming the best amongst all of the students, something about honoring our families name.

He would then serve in a city near mine, father’s doing, so that we could stay close and see each other once in a while. You see, Jogark is in the last lines of cities, all of them fruits of conquered land in the last raid. In six months another raid will be held, many lords have volunteered to participate in this one, even if it is expected to be the most difficult raid in the past century.

In this raid father has promised to help Lord Rambery to repay sister’s marriage a few years ago, so that Lord Rambery’s second son will be able to have a city of his own here in the north. For such a rich family, building a city from zero won’t be much of a problem.

As i let my thoughts come back to reality, i realize i haven’t answered the Dwarf yet. -If i have experience with ruling cities? Oh yeah! All you’ve got to do is getting as much outside money invested in it and it will grow in an unbelievable pace. Simple.

Vokier then goes back into his thoughts, a strategy he developed to not grow bored in that carriage. The dwarf and the demon look at each other inquiring with their eyes whether the boy is crazy or not. “Just get as much outside money invested in it? What does he think, if he asks around everyone will give him money to build the city? Is he stupid?” The dwarf was thinking, unknown to Wort, the demon had similar thoughts in his mind.