*What is this smell* Darius coughed. Then he remembered *Oh yea it was only yesterday when I became a free man again.*
Then his attention turned towards voices outside. Carts rattling on cobblestone roads. Traders were shouting about their wares, and the sounds of walking shoes and children like him yelling and playing around in the morning light. Darius almost started climbing up from the sewer, but he froze after the first step.
*It’s a slum. I only have this bloody potato sack on me, and anyone can steal the items that I have.*
After thinking, Darius decided to sit on the floor and use daylight seeping into the sewer to quietly look at the items he had gathered hastily. He gathered coins into one pile and items, alchemy tools and books into other. Sadly, Darius had lost the land deed, but he had made it up by acquiring more silver coins than originally. He might not be able to buy a house, but he could stay in some tavern room at least. However, Darius had many unexplainable items, and his clothing condition and blood everywhere weren’t what he could show to people on the streets. Only his pants were somewhat representable, but without shoes and a shirt, he looked just like any slum dweller, and he would have difficulty getting any services. He would need somewhat okay clothing from local rag sellers, change and buy the next better clothing from the clothing store. In addition, it would be nice to find a place to stay and something to eat. He could only take coins with him when he would leave to do these tasks.
While there was some light available, Darius looked around nearby to find any place where to hide items. He wasn’t lucky because every wall was covered with ancient-looking bricks and moss, and the tunnel was otherwise just barely big enough to walk with hunched back. Well, not that there would be people coming here any time soon, he thought. There were no signs of anyone. Apart from dirt, murky water in the channel and violet moss that sucked all the sunlight away, there wasn’t anything else. Darius started planning his rise from the sewers. He meditated the rest of the day and night, only coming out with a ripped tablecloth as a makeshift shirt and coin purse cut from the same material. The morning sun hadn’t yet risen, and with minor difficulties, Darius managed to heave himself up from the sewer, lift the hatch quietly and wait a while in a kneeling position behind the broken barrel to see if there was anyone. Then he put the barrel back in its original place and left his wealth to wait for a better moment.
While walking around the streets, he found market square and proper stores. He could not yet buy anything from them in this clothing of his. Otherwise, guards might take him away. He returned to the slums, and after walking around the places, he sat on a pile of rocks, waiting.
When morning came and the first kid went by, Darius asked him where the rag sellers were. Kid mentioned a few hut houses not too far away, and Darius gave him a copper. The first one was not apparently awake, but the second rag seller was. One could tell by the wooden burned sign that this was supposed to be a rag seller hut. Darius heard noises inside, and he knocked on the door.
“Who is knocking there? I just woke up.” Said an angry voice.
“Hello, I am Trevon, and I wanted to buy some clothes. I’m willing to pay for them.”
The door opened immediately, and a more pleasant-looking face greeted Darius. He had faked his name because he didn’t want to be known in the slums by his real name.
“Welcome to my clothing store,” said a black-haired man in his mid-fifties. His mannerism was polite but only for the money.
“Thanks for the invitation. Do you happen to have a cloak, pants, shoes, and a decent shirt.?”
“Trevon, I think I do.” Said the man and led Darius inside.
In dim oil lamp light, Darius could see varied clothes, some more like rags than others. “How much for these leather boots with a hole in them?” Asked Darius.
“These fine boots are almost new, and despite this hole in them, they look proper young man. I ask for 40 coppers for them.”
“40 is a bit tough call, maybe 25?”
“31 is as low as I can get.” Rag seller stated.
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After a considerable back and forth with the item prices, Darius bought boots, almost new brown pants just three times patched green shirt and a grey cloak that had seen a lot of better days. The total cost was two silvers and 20 coppers that Darius fished from underneath his clothing. He didn’t keep the coin purse outside not to show how much he had money. After changing his clothes, he gave them to the seller and advised him to burn them as soon as possible, and the rag seller readily agreed. There was no value in selling potato sack with holes. Then Darius noticed an old travel sack and bought it for ten coppers. It was just the kind of sack he would need for transferring items from the sewer. After getting rid of the rag seller trying to sell him even more, Darius went into the market square. There he bought noticed a food stall selling food and drinks.
“Hey kid are you sure you can eat all that?” asked a smiling old woman who was grilling dumplings.
“Yea, thank you, it's fine, two coppers for each, so it is 18? Can you also give me one cider?”
After getting the food, Darius sat on a nearby bench to enjoy his food. There were not yet too many people in the market square, and the sun was just rising nearing the roofs. While eating, some scrawny-looking kid came closer and tried to pickpocket him. He grabbed the hand in midway and just stared at the kid. After a bit of struggle and a face of resignation, Darius let the kid go. The kid ran away immediately. Then Darius started to think about what had happened. The postures and easiness of it all were somewhat baffling to him. He barely ate some of the food and could have as much strength. Then he realized that his body was not entirely normal anymore, and he hunched his shoulders and continued eating. Darius ended his eating in a rush to avoid the gazes of others. He wasn’t yet adjusted to seeing this many people. After downing the watered cheap cider, Darius felt alive again and went into a nearby clothing store. In the store, Darius saw a sign of no haggling on quality work and set prices on each piece of clothing on display. Hurriedly the owner of the store came to look at him.
“Hello boy, are you here to buy clothing, eh?”
Darius looked at him for a second and understood what the seller meant “That’s quite right sir, I would want better clothing than I am wearing now. I need proper pants with pockets, a good sturdy belt, shirt, and jacket.”
“What colours would you like?” sneered the store owner level-headedly, watching every movement of Darius as he would steal everything if he just would avert his eyes from him. Darius didn’t mind this. He smelled terrible, he could not clean himself properly, and despite his new clothes, they were just above the rags in the slum.
“Darker, the better I prefer grey and black.” Answered Darius.
“I don’t usually sell shoes, but these boots are nice, and your size, but they cost 15 silvers.”
Darius looked at the man without emotion while sweating a little after hearing the price.
“That’s okay. How about other clothing I requested?”
After noticing that the boy presumably had enough money or even more than needed, the owner started still guardedly but more friendly, showing different clothing. After a while, Darius had all his new clothes and put them into his travel sack. He thanked the seller, who probably assumed Darius had some master who wanted this clothing. Afterwards, Darius hurried into the bathing house, and after securing his items to the counter, he received four large hot water buckets. Darius had to use almost an hour to clean himself from all the dirt, blood, and sweat.
Afterwards, he got his clothing from the counter and dressed in new clothing. After cutting his hair a bit with a knife, he seemed a typical subject of the empire. *Well, not just some poor beggar underneath the sewers anymore.* Darius sighed. Although his coins were ending rapidly, he asked a few people for suggestions and went to a cheaper but still proper tavern.
The tavern Green lantern was situated almost at the border of the slum area. For Darrius, it was the perfect price. He didn’t care where the tavern was. When he went inside, he met the owner of the Green Lantern at the counter, cleaning plates after midday dinner. The floors were bare wood, and the walls looked rough but sturdy.
“Oi boy! What can I get for you?”
Darius had been told to order one month of the private room instead of days because it would give a discount. After making sure he knew the difference. If Darius had paid a silver daily, he could spend 30 silvers a month. But because he was paying for the whole month, the price was 20, and with the dinners, it came to 22 silvers. It was a decent deal for a hungry person who didn’t know almost anything about the surroundings. Darius took 20 silvers and 200 coppers to cover the 22 silver price. That left his money pouch almost empty, but one month of ensured peace of mind was more valuable to Darius.
“Oh, you had one too many Tranguil here boy.” Noted the tavern owner. Darius glanced at the man, thanked him, and took the copper back. He assumed the owner wanted to do him a favour or test him.
“Thanks for your honesty. I am Darius.” Darius said and pocketed the coin. “Do you happen to know where there are any vendors for books or herb stores?”
“Good to meet Darius. I am Edwin, owner of this establishment. You can find booksellers at the church corner of the market square, and other booksellers are further down Grieg street.”
“Thanks for the help”
“Anytime, boy”
Darius went upstairs and unlocked the door of his room. It only had one window bed rough looking table and a small furnace in the corner. For Darius, it still was like a luxurious getaway from his past life in the village.
He decided to rest for the day and get his late meal into the room, albeit bringing the food cost him one copper Tranguil. The maid thanked him and left Darius to his meal.