Chapter 4 The Masters Private Room
Every day I went to bed utterly mentally exhausted. Over the past couple of months, my efforts to expand my knowledge yielded success. However, I now felt like I was at an impasse. The world I’m in still remains for the greater part a mystery, and I’m unable to learn more about it because of my age and lack of reading material. I still haven’t ventured outside the building grounds even once.
Unfortunately, I’ve also exhausted all possible reading material. Most were children’s books that Cirila read us. Because of the residents' low literacy rate, the book selection was especially limited.
Among the few books, was a fantasy-like tale about an order of knights, the order of the iron fist. They were assembled by a king and defeated a coalition of orcs and ogres led by some Demon. It was a King Arthur-like story. Another book recited the adventures of a hero who ventured into a hell-like world and had to defeat various monsters to liberate his enslaved family. My favorite story was a humorous tale of an adventurer who traveled across the land in search of a cure for his constipation.
Overall, the stories bore striking resemblances to the Greek and Nordic myths of my previous world. These books overflowed with supernatural beings, encompassing demons, elves, and a whole diverse array of other species. While it would be entertaining if these were true accounts rather than mere stories, I must ground myself in reality; the contents of these tales likely lack existence.
Besides, I’ve never seen magic or any other species other than humans in all the time I’ve been here.
Having exhausted all other possibilities, I made the decision to explore one of the most intriguing chambers within the house, the master's room.
Although I had never set foot in his room before, I had caught glimpses of its interior on a couple of occasions. The space was expansive, occupying almost a third of the entire third floor. I would characterize this expanse as extravagant, as it showcased a multitude of artifacts alongside what can only be described as luxurious furnishings.
The centerpiece of his collection was undoubtedly a complete set of gleaming armor put on display. Yet, what truly captured my attention was the extensive wall covered with the books he or his predecessors had amassed.
***
It was a chilly evening, the master had gone away, presumably to his primary residence. Meanwhile the rest of the brothel's employees and slaves were gathered at the main fireplace for early clothing repairs.
“Mommy, my stomach hurts, I need to go poop” I said, giving her my best puppy eyes.
“You don’t have to tell me, just go!” My mom's not exactly the warmest towards me. She doesn't lay a hand on me, but she's got a knack for keeping me on my toes.
Regardless, I left the room, but instead of heading to the bucket, I made a detour to the third floor, where the master's off-limits chamber was.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
As I swung the door open, it made this ear-piercing screech.
Stepping into the room, I ensure to close the door silently behind me, leaving no hint of my intrusion.
Following a systematic order of importance, I proceed with my tasks:
1. Inspecting the documents spread out on the desk.
2. Exploring the contents of the drawers.
3. Examining the books arranged on the shelf.
If I come across some cash, it could be smart to stash a bit away for later use. Yet, I can't disregard the flip side – whether the gains from this move outweigh the potential risks. The man's complete nature is an enigma to me, leaving me unable to rule out the chance of him going ballistic and resorting to unspeakable actions if I was ever discovered with his money.
My search began. His desk was scattered with documents. I cast a quick glance, spotting something that appeared to resemble a shopping list.
"Curious... a hefty loaf of bread costs 2 large coopers."
Anything related to pricing piqued my curiosity greatly. If this reality mirrored the former one in any way, money held immense significance. I pressed on, exploring his desk, careful not to disturb a thing.
Among the various items, I stumbled upon correspondence letters, a handful of personal notes, and a collection of inventory ledgers.
However, the most captivating discovery was an intricate ledger documenting the entire workforce of Pleasure’s Domain, encompassing both workers and slaves. For instance, there was an entry:
Celestia, 21 years old, earning 6 small silver coins per hour.
From my observations, it appeared that the cost of a slave ranged from a minimum of 2 small silver coins per hour to a maximum of 6 small silver coins per hour.
Upon scrutinizing the earlier noted shopping list, I managed to piece together a rudimentary understanding of the currency system prevalent in this society.
There exists a total of six distinct coins. The smallest unit is the small copper coin, which roughly holds the value of 0.5 USD. Following that is the large copper coin, with an equivalence of four small copper coins, thereby valued at 2 USD. Progressing up the ladder are the silver coins, where a small silver coin stands at an approximate value of 20 USD, while a large silver coin holds a weightier worth of 50 USD. Yet, the gold coins reside in a league of their own. A small gold coin is tantamount to four large silver coins or a substantial 200 USD. The pinnacle of the hierarchy is crowned by the large gold coin, valued at 1000 USD.
I swiftly inspected the drawers. The majority contained an assortment of papers, seemingly old receipts or records of some kind. In one of the drawers, I stumbled upon a handful of coins.
On one face of the coins, there was an image that I could only assume depicted the ruler of the country. The reverse side carried details about the place of minting.
Going through all the contents on his desk consumed more time than I had initially anticipated. I deemed it prudent to depart at this point. However, before leaving, I spared a moment to cast a gaze upon his collection of books. Amidst them, a particular title caught my eye.
"The History of Stormhaven."
As I left, I grabbed the book and concealed it beneath the layers of my bed sheets. A new mission had now been set in motion.
Having done so, I casually made my way back to the dining room, masking any hint of my recent activities.
***
I couldn't sleep that night; the acquisition of the new book had ignited a spark of excitement within me.
"The History of Stormhaven" proved to be a treasure trove of knowledge. Yet, the most significant revelation lay in shattering my initial assumptions about this world. It was, without doubt, a fantasy-like land.