005: HEART TROUBLE

----------------------------------------

Later that night, Konrad came over to check in on me. He was worried that I was traumatised by my experience in the mines. His concerns were incredibly valid. The brain of a child functions very differently from that of an adult. A child's brain has a much higher level of neuroplasticity than that of an adult. This is the ability of the human brain to essentially rewire itself to account for new knowledge. As you age, your neuroplasticity reduces, making it harder to learn new things that your brain wasn’t tuned for.

For instance, learning Eshoran was a lot easier for me with this body. It would’ve taken an Adult Kenji at least twice as long to get his ducks in a row. My adult brain would have a hard time memorising the vocabulary, learning the grammar and everything else that came with the territory.

Similarly, this concept is applied to trauma. If the mind weren’t equipped to deal with this type of trauma, the brain would ultimately suffer by forming unhealthy habits.

“Hey, kiddo. I hope that you’re okay after today.”

“I’m fine. But how are the men who were mining?” I asked.

“We lost three of them.”

Hearing these words, my heart sank.

“L- lost?”

“I spoke to each of their wives and children today. I’m having Elara create some kind of compensatory package for them.”

Konrad and I sat there for a good while. The silence was broken by the occasional nocturnal creature making a noise outside. But even then it was too quiet. It was almost as if the land knew that tragedy had struck.

“Do you know the cause of the tunnel collapse?” I asked, looking at Konrad’s shoes.

“Yes,” he paused for a second, looked at me and back at the floor. “A magic lighter. Phillipe had been learning Pyromancy in his free time and built a lighter.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“Normally it isn’t, but we were underground.”

“I don’t expect you to know this Alber, but part of basic magic theory is to never bring a low concentration of one kind of magic into an environment with a high concentration of an incompatible type.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Pyromancy and Teramancy are fundamentally incompatible forms of magic. When you have a lighter powered with Pyromancy underground, the realm of Teramancy, obviously you’ll end up causing a misfire.”

“Magic is some seriously dangerous stuff isn’t it?”

“It’s dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.” Konrad turned to me, his face pale, “promise me Alber that you won’t practice any magical arts without the supervision of an expert.”

“Don’t worry brother. I’m a man of science, not magic.”

“Careful with those controversial ideas Alber. The folks up north won’t take kindly to you saying things like that.”

Konrad was right. People don’t take too kindly to differing opinions. I’d managed to get into my fair share of arguments, this wasn’t new ground.

“So, what’re we doing tomorrow?” I asked Konrad. He seemed surprised to hear that I wanted to go back to the mines.

“You want to go back to the mines? That’s not happening, mister.”

“Oh come on! But why not?”

“Well, for starters, you’re a seven-year-old child. You can barely hold a pickaxe.” Konrad paused and then continued “And secondly, I don’t think your brains are a good fit for my line of work.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, getting up and turning to face Konrad.

“Listen. Alber, you’re smart. Unnaturally smart,” Konrad looked at my desk, “your brain has the potential to be a national treasure and I don’t want it to go to waste running a cramped mine with me.”

“But brother. You-”

“I have, and always have been, mediocre. Elara is good with numbers, Ulrich is amazing with people and Father is amazing at politics. I just happen to be good at managing projects. That’s all I’m good for.” Konrad frowned.

Imposter syndrome.

“You may not think it brother, but you’re amazing in your own right. Not everyone is willing to run back into a collapsing mine to help his men. Not everyone noble is willing to drop their ego and be called Bossman. Nobody else can be you.” Konrad was an exceptional individual. I didn’t want him to see himself as anything lesser.

Feeling that the moment was right, I leaned in and hugged him. He needed this.

“Thanks, Alber.”

“So does this mean I can come with you to the mines?”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Noo. However, I do have something in mind for you.”

“What might that be?”

“I’ll tell you in the morning.”

“Or you could just tell me now!”

“I have to get the ladies to sign off on it first,” Konrad said as he got up and walked towards the door. “Good night kiddo.”

----------------------------------------

I couldn’t help but feel excited for breakfast. Konrad had something for me to do, which was already shaping up to be more interesting than scaring off Elara’s tutors for me. I was so eager in fact that I found myself awake at the crack of dawn, sitting alone in an empty dining room.

Knowing that there wasn’t much to do, I decided to go and find Amelie, maybe there was something I could help her with. Knowing that she was most likely in the kitchen, I took the opportunity to give her a good scare.

I crept through the dimly lit corridors until I came to the kitchen. I stood in the stone doorway, trying to gauge any signs of life. There were people inside, and a few maids were chatting away without a care in the world. I recognised some of the voices, realising that Amelie wasn’t there, I left the kitchen hoping to find her elsewhere.

I checked the library, the barn and even the toolshed. She wasn’t there. The sun was starting to rise, so I decided to entertain myself with that. I grabbed a small breakfast roll from the kitchen and a bottle of milk and made my way to the attic, which you could use to climb onto the roof.

The attic was never used, leaving me with the expectation of your typical dusty room, but no. The Attic was clean.

There was a window on the east end of the room with a pair of cushioned seats and a small coffee table. Not too far from this setup was a small shelf with an assortment of items. Books, various ornaments and more importantly, wine.

The window was open. With me stepping closer, I could hear the sound of two people talking. The first voice was very clearly Amelie.

“I don’t mind the company. I rarely have the time to enjoy my nook, lest share it with someone.” Amelie was on the roof. She was talking to someone.

“The pleasure’s all mine. I used to evade my sister and mother to come up here.” It was Konrad.

Wait, it was Konrad. He was alone with Amelie, on the roof, watching the sunrise. Romantic. Not wanting to be that guy. I decided to go to the east-facing garden instead.

----------------------------------------

Later in the morning, I met Konrad at the breakfast table. “Good morning Casanova,” I said as I took a bite of bread.

“A what now?”

Right. Casanova is not a part of this world’s vocabulary.

“Oh- never mind,” I said.

“So, I’ve arranged for you to start an apprenticeship.”

“Oh, nice. Where though?”

“I have a friend who owes me a favour.”

“Right, but what will this apprenticeship be in?”

“Oh you’ll see,” Konrad said, smirking.

----------------------------------------

And I did see. Not too long after breakfast Konrad took me, and by me, I mean Amelie and I to a forge on the outskirts of town. The building was a nondescript barn with a chimney that let a steady black stream of smoke flow into the atmosphere. The area was secluded and fairly wooded. The whole place gave a solitary vibe.

“This place is a bit of a way out isn’t it?” Amelie asked.

“We can’t have the smithy in the town. If something catches fire, it could spread. We don’t want that.”

“What I’m concerned about is the distance between the manor and this place.”

Before Konrad could reply to her statement, a hoarse voice shouted out, “KONRAD YOU DAFT CUNT. GET YA ARSE DOWN HERE SO THAT I CAN GET A GOOD LOOK AT YA!”

“And there you are, you old bastard,” Konrad muttered as he opened the door and practically jumped out of the carriage.

Amelie and I followed and watched on as Konrad walked over to a short man with a thick grey beard wearing a greasy tunic and an equally greasy leather apron. The two of them talked for a short while before Konrad pointed over to us and gestured for us to come closer.

“Old man, this is my-”

“Son? Why, ‘e looks just like you!” The old man said looking at me, he then shifted his gaze to Amelie who was not wearing her maid uniform, but a similar outfit to what she wore to the mines yesterday. “And this must be ya lovely wife. She’s a lovely lass she is.”

Amelie seemed as if she wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Her face had once again gone a concerning shade of red. Konrad’s ears were doing the same. I loved every moment of this.

“Master, this is my little brother and his assigned caretaker,” Konrad said trying to salvage what was left of his dignity.

“I see. So ya not married?” The old man asked, looking up at Konrad with a puzzled expression.

“Yes, master.”

“Well, that’s a damn shame. I’m sorry miss…?”

“Amelie.”

“Amelie is a lovely name. As I said just a second ago, you seem like a fine lass. If ya ever in the market for a husband, I know a whole lotta fine young blacksmiths who’d make for decent husbands, provided ya domesticate em’ a wee bit.” Amelie was just dying of embarrassment at this point.

“Master. Stop. You’re making Amelie uncomfortable!” Konrad said, trying to get the old man to stop.

“Fine. I’ll quit me yapping.”

“Thank you.”

The old man looked over and started to examine me “So this is the great apprentice ya want me to take?”

Konrad nodded, to which the old man hit his thigh with his bony fist “I’ve told ya b’fore boy. Speak up!”

“Ouch!” Konrad yelped, “Yes. Yes, he is.”

“What makes ya think I’d take ‘im?”

Konrad reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. I knew the type well and knew exactly what the old man held in his hands.

“So ya telling me that this boy drew this?”

“Yes”

“Very well. Leave him with ‘im here. Come back on Sunday.”

“WHAT!” Amelie snapped.

“Either the lad commits to the apprenticeship and lives here, or he doesn’t. What say you boy?” The old man asked, looking from Amelie to me.

Amelie had an odd expression. She seemed angry, but also sad at the same time. Worry? No that wasn’t it. I reached out and took one of her hands, “I’ll be fine Amelie. Konrad wouldn’t leave me in the hands of any random old person.”

“But you’re only a seven-year-old child. You’re not meant to do hard labour. You’re supposed to enjoy your youth.”

Her concerns were valid, but if I were to make something of this life. I’d have to push myself harder than I did in my last.

“Amelie, I have to make something of myself. I can’t just be an Eisenwerk. I have to be something greater than my name.” Amelie’s eyes started to tear up, and her grip on my hand became tighter.

Amelie tried to open her mouth and speak, but ultimately no words came out. She knelt and wrapped her arms around me. She placed one hand on my back and one on the back of my head. I could feel her body heat. She was warm.

In my previous life, my parents were never around. We moved to America when I was very young. Like many Asian families, I was pressured to work hard. My mother was hard on me, and my father was too. I had no siblings. Now that I think about it, I was lonely. Amelie’s warmth felt weird.

The Eisenwerks were always kind to me. I knew in theory that they loved me but I had no idea how to describe their love. Amelie wasn’t related to me by blood, yet she had a warmth to her.

Is this what love feels like?

Something inside me felt off. Love shouldn’t be hard to explain. We all know it, right?

I don’t know.

My throat felt like it was trying to sink into my stomach. My knees felt weak. My eyes felt heavy. I tried to stop myself from crying, but the floodgates opened. And I started crying. Something was happening with my heart (in a metaphorical sense), and I didn’t know how to deal with it.