Chapter 7
Talia’s pub was named the Silver Crown, or so the wooden sign over its door said. Inside was a two story work of architectural beauty.
Through the double front doors, Niall was greeted by a pleasant melody streaming from an unseen piano. Half a dozen or so townsfolk lingered around an oval bar in the center of the open room. Others sat at tables dotted around the walls. Looking up, Niall saw the ceiling rose up past the second floor revealing oak rafters stained a beautiful rustic red. A double staircase at the back of the pub wrapped itself up to an open second floor with rooms lining each side of the building. Suspended over the bar was a sprawling bronze chandelier illuminating the entire place with a warm luminous glow from its hundreds of candles.
Niall gawked at the architecture until Dom gave him a slap on the back. “Get us a table, I’ll grab the drinks,” he said before heading for the bar.
“Come on,” Rodrico nudged Niall in the direction of an empty table.
The ceiling lowered over the tables and Niall and Robrico filled two of the four chairs at their table. A bowl heaping with roasted peanuts rested in the middle of the table. Rodrico grabbed a handful making a pile in front of himself and began cracking the shells. Niall rested his papers in one of the empty seats. The melody ended and the piano switched to a slow somber song that Niall didn’t recognize.
Niall noticed a few glances in his direction but shied away in embarrassment. “So how long have you been here?” He asked Rodrico, he had to elevate his voice to be heard over the bar crowd.
“Seventy… seventy five cycles…” Rodrico mused between chews, “you lose count after a while.”
A large frothy mug appeared before Niall with rich malty foam fizzling around the rim. “This rounds on Niall,” Dom announced, “I set you up a tab. You’re welcome.”
“Thanks Niall,” Rodrico said, then took a big swig of his drink.
Dom nearly emptied his own beer on his first gulp then let out a load retched when he finally came up for air.
“Eh,” Rodrico gagged.
Niall took a nimble sip of his own beer, his stomach still slightly hurt from the night before. Silently, he made a promise to himself that this would be his only drink for the night.
“So Niall, check your book, I want to see how much experience you earned today from all that work,” Dom said.
Niall pulled his book from his pocket and laid it on the table. He flipped a page and mentally thought of himself. The pages flipped on their own until they landed on a page with a few lines of text.
Niall Roth- Level 2 (106 of 150xp)
Home: Silvermoss
Class: Homesteader
“I’m level two,” Niall exclaimed.
“Aye,” Dom cheered with a raised glass. “Now check your skills. You must have increased carpentry.”
Niall thought of skills then the page turned. This is getting easier with practice, he thought. Each message appeared for as long as it took him to read it then moved to the next.
New Skill!! Carpentry- You like to work with wood.
Ability: Margin of Error- Able to verify measurements down to ¼”
Skill Level Up!! Carpentry II- You like wood a lot.
Ability: Mathematics- Access to basic calculator and mathematical equations in Soul Book
A summary appeared when he was done reading showing his full progress in the Carpentry skill.
Carpentry- Level II
(I) Margin of Error- Able to verify measurements down to ¼”
(II) Mathematics- Access to basic calculator and mathematical equations in Soul Book
(III) Blueprints I- ???
(IV) Blueprints II- ???
(V) Blueprints III- ???
(VI) Blueprints IV- ???
(VII) Site Master- ???
“It only shows that I've learned Carpentry,” Niall announced, “but I made it to level two. It says I have two abilities called ‘Margin of Error’ and ‘Mathematics’.”
“Good abilities,” Dom commented with a firm nod.
“You idiot, he probably doesn't know what they mean,” Rodrico said.
“Hey now,” Dom moaned, “those two are basic abilities, I’ve got them as well with my Masonry skill. Niall flip a page of your book.” Niall did as he was told and the page stayed blank. “Now think of a basic math equation, like two plus three.” Niall made the thought and “2 + 3” appeared on the page. A moment later a “=5” appeared next to the equation.
“It worked,” Niall exclaimed in shock. He tried something more complicated to test if it was linked to his own math skills.
“35 x 27” appeared on the page, a quarter second later “=945” manifested. It seems to not be linked to my own abilities. It would have taken me longer than that to get the answer.
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He tried a different type of question. “√ 75 * 2^3 / 4”. It took a quarter second longer but “=17.32” appeared.
“This is really neat,” Niall said aloud while staring down at his book. His first equation had already disappeared off the page but it seemed the writing stayed on the page as long as he remained thinking of it.
“Don’t get carried away,” Dom chuckled, “why don’t you put it away for now, you’ll have plenty of time to play around tomorrow.”
Niall hesitantly shut his book then put it away. “I’m starving,” he said. “I think I forgot to eat lunch.”
“You were stuck on those plans like Dom on his beer,” Rodrico joked.
“Hey,” Dom whined playfully, “speaking of which I think it's time for a second round. I’ll get us some food as well. Smells like Talia has chickens roasting.” Dom polished off his cup then got up. But instead of moving towards the bar he cupped his hands and in a voice loud enough to silence the piano he announced, “good evening my fine friends. As many of you may have noticed, we have a new friend.” As a round of cheers erupted Niall’s face reddened to a dark crimson.
“A would like to take the honor of introducing to you all officially,” Dom leaned over and grabbed Niall by the collar forcing him up, “Niall.”
There was a roar of clapping and a dozen people all tried to greet him at once. Niall awkwardly nodded and smiled but desperately wanted to sit back down.
“Next round is on him,” Dom said, ending his announcement. A third cheer erupted and now people were patting him on the back. Talia was shaking her head from behind the bar, but Niall didn’t protest.
“Oh the hell with it,” Niall shouted, “this rounds on me.”
About half an hour later the pub settled down, and the trio feasted on a whole roasted chicken. Grease ran down Niall’s fingers and chin as he sloppily gorged on the food. He took a bite of a roasted potato and a wave of ecstasy hit him as his taste buds met the crispy salt covered skins.
Niall was on his second tankard, not forgetting his earlier promise to himself but putting food in his stomach had quickly remedied the aftershocks of his hangover. Talia came by their table and deposited a few thick black pretzels before them, their buttery glaze reflected the chandelier light from above.
“Is this where you guys eat every night?” Niall asked between mouthfuls. The piano shifted to an upbeat sonata.
“Most nights,” Rodrico said. “We have a small kitchen at the lodge, and Dom will cook some dishes from home on occasion.”
“So you two were from the same place, before, in the old world?” Niall asked, trying not to offend.
“We don’t mind talking about it,” Dom said, reclining in his seat, his words slightly slurring.
“We’re both from Florence, you know where that is right?” Rodrico said.
“Yes,” Niall laughed. “Italy right, not South Carolina?”
“Oh my he’s an Americano,” Rodrico cried in the most caricatured Italian accent he could muster. “Florence, Italy,” he confirmed. “Dom lived in the time of the greats, he worked for Brunelleschi to finish the Cathedral.”
“My God,” Niall exclaimed, “did you know Da Vinci?”
Dom shook his head, “I died before he was even born, but I built a wall for Cosimo de’ Medici,” he said with a distant smile.
“What about you?” Niall asked, nodding at Rodrico.
“I lived in the time of the Duce,” Rodrico answered, but the confusion was clear on Niall’s face. “Mussolini,” Rodrico clarified.
“Ah,” Niall said then, “oh, um.” He wasn’t sure what to say.
Rodrico laughed, “don’t worry I wasn’t a fascista.” He lowered his voice, “I was actually a resistance fighter, but I was killed when an informant tipped off the fascistas on where our safehouse was.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Niall said, “I can’t even imagine what that was like. You won by the way, if that makes any difference.”
“Thanks, I know,” Rodrico laughed. “Don’t be sorry, I learned in a much easier way how pointless all the problems in the old world were. It's all a bit silly looking back, no? Silly and tragic,” he said softly.
“I guess you’re right,” Niall said. “But aren’t all those people here?”
“Who the Fascistas and the Nazi? Yes, and so are the Mongols, and Nero, and all the other awful people from our world.” Rodrico paused. “Most of them are different and they see how pointless all of it was. A lot were a product of their environment and what other people did to them. That’s not an excuse but its something to remember. However, the really bad ones they change their look, they go by different names, they hide. But underneath the veil are the old poisonous snakes, so you still have to watch out for them Niall. This world may be much much better than the old one but there is still evil.” Dom nodded silently in agreement.
The pub’s crowd began to disperse, in ones and twos people began to drift out. Many made a point to stop by Niall and introduce themselves if they hadn’t earlier. All that was left was another table on the opposite wall with a couple and half a dozen people at the bar. The music shifted to classical Beethoven, but Niall couldn’t remember the name.
“Where is the piano at?” Niall asked.
“Maximilien plays in his room but there are acoustic pipes in the walls so we can hear it down here,” Talia said from behind him. Niall flinched slightly taken about by her sudden appearance.
“Why doesn’t he play down here?” Niall asked.
“Oh, Maximilien is deathly afraid of crowds,” Talia explained. “He writes a new song for the Winter Festival every year but always backs out of the competition at the last minute. He would win every year if he just played,” Talia sighed. “Anyway, Niall, I brought your tab,” she said, handing Niall a slip of paper. “Let me know if you need to keep it open,” then she turned and went to the bar.
Niall picked up the piece of paper hesitantly.
Niall
38 Drafts @ five pence
1 Chicken two copper
3 pretzels eight pence
Total 2 Silver 3 Copper 4 Pence
“Alright, one of you needs to explain to me how money works,” Niall cried.
The trio stubbled back to the builders’ lodge in the waning lamp light. The sound of their shoes clacked on smooth cobblestones which echoed through the empty street. Rodrico sang a gentle song in italian.
“Here we are,” Dom muttered as they approached the last house on the street. It was slightly different then the nearby rowhouses, wider and with a yard onto the side. Dom opened the unlocked door and barged inside. The embers of a dying hearth faintly lit the room. Rodrico grabbed a candle from a table by the door and quickly lit it. Dom threw two medium logs on the hearth and sparks flew up then slowly fell to the gray stone hearth. Slowly then all at once the room illuminated.
They were in a central living room of sorts, a hand full of doors hugged the walls. A few couches and tables with chairs took up most of the center room. Between the doors, bookcases stood, some full with books, others lined with odd objects. On the couch nearest to the front door Niall saw his backpack.
“Come on let me show you around,” Rodrico said before slipping off his shoes. “Shoes off inside by the way, sorry,” he smiled cheekily. Niall slipped his flimsy pair of cloth shoes off and set them by the door with Dom and Rodrico’s. “Remind me to take you to Haruki's one day, you’re going to need another pair of shoes.”
Rodrico moved across the room deftly navigating the furniture. “This is the main room,” he began to explain, “pretty self explanatory. No tools, boots, or any work gear inside; we’ve a workshop outside to store all that. I’ll show you in the morning. Over here,” he said then knocked on the first door, “is Dom’s room.” He moved to the next door, “and this is mine.”
Neither of the doors were open. “This is to the workshop and side yard,” he said at the next door. They crossed the room to the opposite side. “These three rooms are empty so have your pick.”
“Thanks Rodrico,” Niall said. He clutched his backpack to his chest, he was quickly getting tired.
“No problem, and you can just call me Rod if you want. Alright,” he let out a long yawn, “I’m calling it for the night. Good night.” Dom said goodnight as well and drifted to his room.
The light from the fire was already starting to die. Niall looked at the three doors and for a moment felt like he was on a gameshow. I wonder what's behind each door? He jokingly thought. However, for some reason this small choice felt weightier than it seemed.
He yawned again then went to the far right door.
Behind the door he found a little room just big enough for a bed and dresser. He set his bag at the foot of the bed. Stripped and changed into a new pair of underwear he burrowed into the bed. It wasn’t soft and his pillow could have been a little more plump but for the first time in a long while he felt at home.