Ray
“Do not speak of this in public again. Wait till we get to our new home.” Ma ordered.
Ray was still reeling from the revelation. Perhaps the System was wrong? Ray wished so, but how high were the chances of the System that changed the very nature of mana was wrong?
“Just choose your class while we get there. And don’t obsess over it or start muttering about it. The Xnarthar are very alert at this time.” Ma said, nervousness apparent in her voice.
Ray nodded, even he knew not to talk about this. The Xnathar had a reputation for ruthlessness. The organization may claim to be there to ensure the Empire’s safety, but everyone knew that they were there for one reason only. To find and kill any subhumans and ensure that no one rebelled against the Empire.
Class options. Ray thought, unable to take his mind off his Species.
Class options:
Glitter Acolyte
A nascent mage of Glitter that has yet to become a full Mage.
[Learning], [Mana Manipulation], [Alchemy] skills granted
Swordsman (requirements unmet)
A wielder of the sword, trained for combat
Mage acolyte (requirements unmet)
A nascent Mage of the Empire of Humanity that has yet to become a full Mage.
Alchemist (requirements unmet)
A master of herbs and potions, able to bring about great wonders with minimal amount of mana.
Merchant (requirements unmet)
A seller and buyer of wares, the foundation of every civilization
Rebel (requirements unmet)
A soldier of freedom, ready to give his life for his cause.
Spy (requirements unmet)
An agent of a nation in foreign lands.
Ray scratched his head, puzzled at these choices. The first five were at least explicable, based as they were on his education. But Rebel and Spy? Ray was neither. Was this because of his Species? Had he been marked a Rebel and a Spy by the System because of it?
The fact that he had gained access to only one class hurt him too. Ray knew that he was no Swordsman, he had barely passed the classes as it was, but it still hurt that it was the next choice. Had he no other skill? Thinking back, no he didn’t. Ray had been enrolled into the Mage Academy program as soon as he had shown signs of having an affinity for magic.
The same as everyone else who had shown signs. Just one in ten humans had the ability to become Mages, a group Ray was not part of anymore. To become a Mage, one must have a suitable element, a decent affinity for magic, and a high mana pool. Ray had a very high affinity, but he also had a mana pool of 15 points. Not to mention glitter as his element.
Ray sighed, it looked like he had no choice in the matter. The only class he had available was Glitter Acolyte, though he had no idea what it was supposed to be. At least that [Learning] skill should help with whatever Aunty Ariana had arranged for him.
Glitter Acolyte. Ray thought, trying to choose it. And it happened. The screen disappeared, and the class had been chosen.
The rest of the journey passed in uncomfortable silence, both Ma and Ray too eager to discuss things. The commoners district was not what Ray was used to. The roads were bumpy and full of potholes.
The footpath was noticeably missing and people were walking about on the road itself, slowing down the traffic. An open gutter ran along the road, not quite reeking, but disgusting nonetheless. The gutter’s in the Merchant district were always closed, though they would sometimes be opened when it rained.
The clothes were also quite different from what Ray was used to. Not only was there the occasional scantily clad child, many people were wearing spotted and dirty clothes. At times even torn in places.
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Ray had known that the district was poor, but this was the first time he was seeing how poor it truly was. And then there were the armed groups. At every other corner, there was at least one person publicly carrying arms and walking about. The people cleared the way for them as they walked.
Were those the gangsters Aunty Ariana kept complaining about? The Commoner’s district did not seem to be the most comfortable place to live in. But Ray had to admit, people did not seem to be too scared of them for supposed career criminals. Ray even saw a little girl approach one of them.
The people were another thing. The Merchants district was usually quiet and somber, conversations were hushed and any display of emotion took place behind closed doors. The market was the only place where there would be even a little hubbub. But here there were people arguing, and laughing, within the same stretch of road. A new experience for him. A different world altogether.
The houses were not the most picturesque either, generally brown, often with paint falling off, they made Ray wonder what his new house would look like. Though he was used to shifting around, Ma could rarely afford to lengthen a lease, but he still wondered what his new room would look like.
The most fascinating thing Ray found was a string that ran along the houses, clothes kept there to dry. Ray had never seen one before, though he had heard about them. Ma usually just put clothes under a mana-fan for a few hours. Though it took a bit longer during the rainy season. A different world indeed.
The surroundings eventually did change for the better, the gutter was closed in this area, the houses further apart and bigger. A wealthier part? Why was this part not closer to the gate, that was things usually worked in the Merchant's district.
In the end, they arrived at what seemed to be their new home. To Ray, the building looked old and worn out, the paint was dull, the windows were cracked and there was a visible layer of dust on the furniture he could see through the glass doors.
The glass doors were another worry, Ray could not think it would be safe to sleep behind glass doors in this district. Why was there glass here in the first place?
The building seemed to have been abandoned long ago. Ma got off the cart and knocked on the door, waiting there. A few minutes later, a man descended, carrying several large bags.
“Oh good, you’re here. I was wondering if you got lost or, worse, killed. Do you have the money?” he asked.
“Yes, five hundred magic crystals.” Ma said, taking out a heavy looking pouch and giving it to the shifty looking man. The man took the pouch and practically ran away from the place. Ma just shook her head at him and gestured for Ray to step into the house.
“The man looked suspicious, Ma.” Ray noted.
“Yes, because he just sold us a house that is close to breaking apart. The kitchen is broken, the entire thing needs a repaint and so on. The house hasn’t had an occupant for a while, Mr. Marrin could never find someone to sell it to at his previous prices. But it's cheap and available now. The properties here rarely go on sale, they are leased instead, and the owners find several ways to run their tenants dry.”
“Mr. Marrin was too honest for his own good and never resorted to such tactics. And we got to keep a house where I can have an entire floor for a shop. A rarity in these parts. Now, can you show me your status?” Ma asked.
Ray nodded, trying to show it. Show Ma the status. But nothing happened. Ray tried again. Show Status to Matilda Rosenbund!. But again, nothing.
“As I expected, the System is not going to allow you to share your status. At least that means no one else is going to see it, and you can lie if you are asked.” Ma said, the relief visible in her voice.
“But is it true, Ma? Do we know anything about the System? The information could be inaccurate.” Ray asked, hoping that it was wrong. Though Ma had taught him to not trust the Empire’s teachings, Ray could not help but feel nervous about it.
The textbooks taught that the other species were abominations of nature, that they should be killed or enslaved so that Humanity could finally take its rightful place. Ma said that it was all propaganda, but Ray could not help but doubt it.
The Empire had taken the Elven capital in a decade, and had now been a Human city for fifty years. The only reason the rest of the continent hadn’t fallen was because the Emperor had not pursued further conquest, instead electing to consolidate the lands captured.
And now Ray was living in said Elven capital, living in Elven homes, and the Elves were nowhere to be seen.
“I know Ray. But the System changed the very nature of mana, and has instituted these blue screens and things like that. What reason would it have to lie? What would it gain from lying to a commoner in the outlands of the Empire? No, it is far more likely that you are indeed High Fae. But it's easy enough to verify that.” Ma said, getting up to go to the luggage.
“Now, where is that thing, I knew I had it in here somewhere.” she said, as she went headfirst into a trunk. Ray wondered what it was that she was looking for. As far as he was aware, they didn’t have any kind of mechanism to test for Species.
“Ah, there it is! I thought I had lost it'' Ma said, lifting a book into the air in triumph.
Ray took a glance at the title. Jorenson’s guide to the twenty-seven Species. The room seemed to spin as Ray reeled from the implications of this discovery.
“Ma, you do know that the Emperor ordered all copies of that book burned, right?” Ray asked.
“Oh? Well, the list was thousands of books long dear, and some of those books were in wide circulation back then, not this one, but there were a lot of books. I doubt anyone cares about it now.” Ma said, setting the book on her lap as she dusted it.
“Ma, the punishment for possession of prohibited substances is death.” Ray stated.
“Yes, well, technically if the System is right then you are a prohibited substance too. So I am already a criminal. Now, do you want to know what this book says or not?” Ma asked.
Ray could only look at her wide-mouthed. The Ma he knew was extremely cautious and would not let him take any danger at all. And now she was sitting there, a book that could get them both killed on her lap, smiling like a girl with a new toy. And somehow, he landed in the same category as said book…he had no idea what to think of that.