No matter how many times I tried, I could not replicate my feat. I had teleported from Inrak’s loft to the store downstairs exactly once, and that was it. Still, I was overjoyed.
My new Skill felt like the other two, a grand thing that I vaguely understood. Sensing, Influencing and Reaching the Aether. The books I had read called them the foundational Skills of Aether magic, the pillars that held everything that came after. I was slowly becoming an actual Aether Mage, not just a guy with a God-given Class. It felt good, to be rewarded for my hard work. I knew that I was still far from my goal, that I had just started a marathon. But it felt good. Besides, as we say in French, “who wants to travel far, preserves his mount”. Of course, I was my own mount in this analogy, but it still held.
It had stopped raining during the night but the cobblestones were still somewhat slippy. Luckily, I was not overloaded. In fact, moving my stuff from Inrak’s table to Faros’ workshop only took one trip. I had barely any possession of my own. I carried some papers, both blank and with my notes on them, two quills – sadly, Inrak needed her magic pen, and the scraps of cloths from Gygg’s store that I had left. The books I studied stayed at Inrak’s for two reasons. The first was that I wasn’t sure how secure the workshop was and I didn’t want to risk losing them. The second was that I only owned one book. The rest of them I had borrowed for an indeterminate amount of time from the shop downstairs.
I had benefited greatly from this access to some basic knowledge about magic. I would have had no idea where to start without Inrak’s books. It emphasized how much resources one needed to learn magic in this world. It had taken me around 3 months of quasi-constant study, without having to worry about food or lodgings, with access to books costing each between 1 and 2 Kiestan silvers and the most I had to show for it was a level 10 in a marginal magic Class. For all that I knew about the Aether, I was still very limited in what I could do with it. And I was useless with any other magic but enchanting, which, all the Mages I had read insisted, was not real magic. I had been privileged – or luckier than any man deserved, to find Inrak. The people I had met, the friends I had made had almost all been through her. Even now, I was moving into the workshop of the father of her friend’s business partner. I had worked for it, sure. But no amount of work would have replaced meeting Inrak. It almost made me wonder if, somehow, the Gods were involved. Pamasteron had mentioned that they were all aware when I fell into their world. Could they have done something to make me pause in front of that bookshop when I was at my most desperate? Everyone said that they couldn’t directly intervene, but in truth, I had no idea what they were able to do. It was a scary thought.
Flyssa was leaning on the front of her father’s workshop when I arrived. She was holding a small leather file-holder under one arm and reading a paper with the other. She carefully put it back inside when she saw me.
“Luc, there you are. Ready to settle in then?”
“I am,” I said, patting my bag. “Everything’s in there.”
“Excellent. I told my father to clean up all his mess yesterday, but I’m not sure that he did. You might have to move planks and half-finished cabinets out of the way first. Louprak and I will come by sometime after noon to go register Bordeaux Logistics. Does that suit you?”
“It does, thank you Miss Flyssa.”
“Then I wish you good luck, Mage Luc. I will see you soon.”
She nodded at me and left without looking back. I wasn’t sure what was up between her and her father. I trusted her to be professional enough that any quarrel between them would not affect our business, but I hoped I would not be subjected to any more awkward family meetings. Yesterday had been plenty already.
Entering the workshop, I saw Faros hard at work. Sitting in a big chair with a hole in the middle for his tail, his feet on a second chair, the Carpenter was quietly sleeping.
“Hello? Master Faros?” I said.
He opened his eyes so fast that I wasn’t sure he had really been asleep.
“Luc, there you are. Ready to settle in?”
“I am. I’ve brought the few things I own.”
The Schalass eyed my bag but didn’t comment. Grunting, he put his feet down and stood up, his chair creaking loudly.
“Come on then,” he said. “We’ll make you some space in the storage room. Unless you’d rather set up in here with me?”
“The storage room should be fine, as long as it has light.”
“Yeah, I bought a few more yesterday. Had them put up around your desk.”
“I have a desk?” I asked, surprised. I obviously needed one, but we hadn’t talked about it.
“Of course. I made it yesterday. It’s basic, just a plank with supports, but it should be good enough for a start.”
“That was nice of you. Thank you, Faros.”
“Don’t mention it. I want you to do well. My kid’s been doing decent with what her mother left her, but she hasn’t had a big break, you know? She really believes in this project. And you guys are paying me anyway, for some reason.”
“Well, I’m obviously biased,” I said, “but I really believe in it too. I think we can carve ourselves a niche, starting with loading services but expanding as business grows. I think Aether magic can have many uses if it is made more accessible. I’d love to pick your mind about a few things in fact. I don’t know as much as I should about the economic life of Sturron.”
“Sure thing,” he answered. “I have some of that ipio left. Now come on.”
The room we were in was where the Schalass worked. Planks and tools were lying against the walls. In the middle, two carpenter’s benches faced each other. He led me around them to an arched opening in the back wall, about two meters tall and at least three meters wide. A curtain greyed by age hung on one side of it. Beyond was an absolute jumble of wood. Planks of all sizes were stacked neatly on top of one another along the left wall. A bunch of other wooden things, carts, drawers, cabinets, were stacked much less neatly in the rest of the room. I whistled.
“Yeah, I know,” Faros said.
He made his way inside, following a path among the mess. It was narrow, but it should be enough. Most of the designs I had in mind weren’t that large. And for the enchantments that were, like Tork’s cart, I could just use the workshop.
Towards the end of the storage room, a space had been cleared up around a simple desk and a chair. The height of the mounds of stuff on both sides of the desk implied that the cleaning up had been more of a picking things up and throwing them on top of another pile.
“Here you go,” Faras told me. “What do you think?”
“I like it,” I said, putting my bag onto the desk and looking around. “You said you had lights?”
“That’s right. Had them installed yesterday.”
He snapped his fingers. Four lights instantly illuminated the room. They glowed a pale yellow and provided sufficient lighting around the desk. I nodded at his questioning look.
The Schalass watched over me while I took out my possessions. I put the papers and the quills in a drawer. The scraps of clothing went in a corner.
“That’s it?” asked Faros with a frown.
“For now, yes,” I answered. “Now, I heard something about ipio?”
At first, we discussed my designs. He couldn’t help much because most of them did not use wood, but he did have a few remarks on things I had overlooked and he promised to introduce me to some of his crafter friends. After that, we talked about random things. The work he did, the weather, the city, the Duchess. I did not ask about Flyssa, or his late wife. He asked once about my origins, but quickly changed subjects when I evaded the question. I liked him. We understood each other on some level. We were both sad and lonely. He missed his wife and didn’t seem to be able to reach his daughter. I also missed my wife, though I didn’t know if I had a daughter or a son. We ate together at a stall not far from the workshop. The food wasn’t as good as Sirmy’s, I thought, but hers was a bit too far away sadly.
Faros took a nap in his chair after lunch while I went to my new desk. I worked a bit on my notes and designs, but mostly I looked around and tried to get acquainted to this new place.
I sat there in a reverie when Flyssa tiptoed in the storage room. She scanned my working area. I could see that she wasn’t convinced, but I was ready to defend it. The only thing it lacked was space, but I knew that if I asked Faros, he would help me clear up some. The Financier didn’t mention it though. I stood up and joined her.
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“Louprak is waiting outside,” she whispered. “It is time to register our company.”
“Great! Let’s go.”
We walked as silently as we could passing through the workshop, but we still made some noise. I doubted Faros could have missed hearing us. I glanced at him as I passed and I was proven right when an eye opened briefly, saw that I had seen him, winked at me and closed again. I hid my smile. I didn’t know why he wanted to avoid his daughter, but it wasn’t my place to say anything.
Louprak shook my hand as soon as I closed the door behind me. His feathers stood up on his head and he was brimming with excitement.
“Luc! The day has finally arrived, eh? How do you feel?”
“Great!” I said. “I can’t wait to get started. By the way, will your First Mate be available later? I’d like to pick his mind about a few things.”
“Absolutely, I warned Koltrak that you might need him. I’ll send him here after we’re done at the Bourse.”
“Thanks! So, we’re going to the Bourse?”
“We are,” answered Flyssa. “Let’s talk while walking. There are a few things that we should review beforehand.”
She led the way. The street was wide enough for us to walk abreast but there was a lot of activity, carts coming and going pulled by various beasts of burden – mostly oxen and a few mules, along with animals I had no name for.
“Have you ever been to the Bourse, Luc?” asked Flyssa while we waited against a wall for two drivers to decide who should let the other one go first.
“I have actually. Once, to change some Sturronian coins into Kiestan ones.”
“Good, so you know what to expect. We’re going to see a Notary to register our company. It’s a person appointed by ruling Duke or Duchess to witness all important acts of commerce.”
“I am familiar with the concept. Will there be a fee?”
“There will, but you don’t need to worry about that,” she said. “The Trade Master and I will pay it and fund the company.”
The left driver, a Human, had finally had enough of being yelled at by everyone and led his mule to the side, allowing all the pedestrians to pass – much to the dismay of the other driver.
“What will be our starting capital?” I asked. I wanted to know how much I could spend on my experimental designs.
“Twenty-five Kiestan silvers. Five of which were provided by Louprak.”
“Twenty-five!” I spluttered. I could buy a dozen books with that much!
Louprak laughed at my shocked face.
“You’ve got a good idea, Luc,” he said. “We both believe in it. And there could be a lot of demand too. The Dockworkers’ Guild keeps upping their rates and Captains and Merchants are pissed about it.”
“That’s right,” added Flyssa. “If you create a successful prototype and we can show them with a few demonstrations, they will flock to us.”
“Won’t it get political?” I asked, frowning. “This Dockworkers’ Guild won’t like it if we undermine them. How much power do they have?”
“A lot on the harbour, but not much outside of it,” said Louprak. “They’re packed with Lompres and those guys aren’t the most social of species.”
Lompres were the otter-like species, I remembered. I knew they lived in their own part of the city and rarely left it, though I had seen them multiple times on the piers. It made sense if a lot of them were dockers. I hoped they were not too violent.
“The Guild won’t be a problem,” declared Flyssa. “The Merchant Association and, by extension, the Duchess, tolerates them because they have no alternative. But if we can show them one exists, they’ll support us. I’m more worried about them, in fact. As soon as we introduce Aether-assisted loading and unloading, they will smell the profits and rush to try to find their own Aether Mages willing to do it.”
I considered her remarks for the rest of the way. I doubted I could compete with other Aether Mages. I was surely not the only one who could also enchant, and anyway if they had money they could simply ask an actual, accomplished Enchanter. I had two advantages. The first was my knowledge of Earth tools and techniques, that I could just copy and claim as my own, though once I did they would have little trouble copying me in turn. The second was that I had no preconceived notion about the nobility and dignity of magic. I had only one goal: to go home. In order to achieve it, I needed to progress in Aether magic. And for that, I needed money. If I had to “debase” myself by spending hours every day fuelling objects with Aether magic, I would do it gladly.
The Bourse was as loud as I remembered it. Merchants of all species yelled at each other and ran around on the wooden floor as if pursued by demons. A funny thing happened to Flyssa. As soon as we entered the hall, I saw her shoulders loosen and the hint of a smile appeared on her face. It was the grin of a strategist about to go to battle and ready to outsmart her opponent.
“This way,” she said with aplomb.
Louprak and I followed her with a glance at each other. He looked more relaxed than I felt, likely coming here when he is docked in Sturron.
Flyssa deftly led us, often stopping for a few words here and there with her colleagues and competitors. She glided around the various groups and currents of moving people like a fish in water. Our destination was a set of stairs situated at the side. Climbing, we found ourselves on a walkway overlooking the ground floor. Doors, most of them closed, were lined up on the other side, with people waiting outside some of them. We joined a queue of a Human and a Pterar whispering to each other. The last one nodded politely to Louprak, but the first one just stared at us suspiciously.
Flyssa turned to us with a smile.
“We are outside the door of Notary Eline Lymint“ she whispered, mostly for my benefit. “She’s one of the only Humans to have been named to the position by the Duchess. I’ve done some business with her witnessing. She’s very good. Very efficient.”
The door to the Notary’s office opened, letting out three Schalasses in colourful clothing. One of them knew Louprak so they exchanged greetings. Meanwhile the Human and the Pterar in front of us took their place inside. Once we were alone, Flyssa turned to us.
“I will present our affair to the Notary, if you both agree.”
I nodded. I had no idea what was supposed to happen, so if anybody but me could talk that would be perfect. Louprak just shrugged.
“Good, thank you,” continued Flyssa. “Are we still agreed on the initial dividing? A tenth for Trade Master Louprak and nine twentieth for Mage Luc and I?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Fine by me.”
“Excellent. Last item then. I would like to be the legal representative of the new company. I believe I am the most able to negotiate with both the Duchy and the other Merchants and Traders.”
“I have no problem with that,” said Louprak. “I won’t be here often enough to do that sort of thing, though I’ll help out when I can. Besides, my role will be more marginal than both of yours.”
They both turned to me. I wondered if this was a test they had concocted to see if I would claim power. I doubted it though. They both didn’t strike me as that convoluted. Louprak especially had shown me frank honesty more often than not. And I had absolutely no intention of bothering with sneaky merchants trying to swindle me anyway.
“I think it is wise,” I said, looking her in the eyes. “I have little experience with the subtleties of trade here in Sturron and that way I’ll be able to focus more on my magic. I trust you.”
She was quiet for a second but then smiled with a delight she had not shown before.
“Thank you, Mage Luc,” she said and bowed her head at me. “I will not disappoint you. We are almost ready then! We’ll just need to hire a Bookkeeper and we’ll be good to go”
“Actually, I can probably do that,” I said.
“You can? Do you have a bookkeeping Class I did not know about?”
“I don’t, but I used to be an accountant. I believe I am qualified enough for our needs. I’ve been reading up on legal requirements and it doesn’t seem too difficult.”
“I can vouch for him,” added Louprak. “He’s been doing Inrak’s accounts for a while. I looked them over once and they seemed good to me.”
“Well… good then,” said Flyssa, looking at me with curiosity. “At least we won’t have to hire from the Guild. They’re expensive.”
The registering of our company was more of a formality than anything else. Notary Lymint welcomed us in her office and offered us comfortable seats. Two assistants were writing in a corner. She asked about our business and seemed satisfied that we had a prepared answer for each of her questions. She did a double-take when I spelled “Bordeaux Logistics”, but was too much of a professional to comment on it. She informed us about the many taxes we might be subject to depending on how our company developed. And then she bade us good luck.
We each left the Bourse with a copy of The Act of the Inscribing of the Company of the Name Bordeaux Logistics in the Registry of the Arts and Trades of the Duchy of Sturron. I clutched mine against my chest and could not stop smiling.