EMPLOYMENT

The next day a group of well-scrubbed, spick and span children highlighted from the carriage driven by Mr. Thomas. Chu glanced at the ruddy faces of the girls wearing iron pressed cloaks. Not a strand of long hair escaped out of place from the diligent combing of Mrs. Thomas.

The woman had folded up her sleeves early in the morning and scoured away the pent-up grime from the visitors. Even Amanda failed to elude scrutiny, having to spend nearly an hour in clasping her golden locks.

"Look at my hands Chu, I have lost the calluses that made me a man. Mrs. Thomas made me soak my hands in that potion for a whole night!"

"Stop complaining and thank the heavens. I saw her dragging and dunking Dyna repeatedly into the bath. Before the door closed, I glimpsed Sakura ambushing the little redhead with a scrubbing cloth."

Chu answered the complainant. Mrs. Thomas sent Ming about three times back to the bath while threatening him. Yesterday, both boys also underwent the same skin treatment as girls.

The maids in the villa turned worried as the children roamed in the evening with swollen arms and faces bearing yellow splotches. Mrs. Thomas assured them the situation remained under control, with this morning eliciting gasps on witnessing the results.

"I saw you hand over a wooden flask of the lotions to that maid. She clutched it shyly as if it were gold. You have the making of a womanizer."

"You think so? Nah, I just cleared up the miscommunication between us. You have to work hard to earn a kiss from a girl but that's as far as I go. Mr. Thomas said if a stallion rides too much, he won't be able to even pull a cart."

Chu turned to the teen while squinting one eye.

"You understood that?"

"Course I did, you take me for a fool? With so many horses on the farm, I'm sure we can find one that rides for fun. I wonder how it holds the reins though..."

"U-huh, I think you need to hit the taverns some more but don't say you know me."

An old man wearing blue robes approached them from a building. He clasped his hands and issued a slight bow in greetings. Mr. Thomas had driven off to wait in the fields, leaving the ten children. The old man frowned slightly on noticing only two males.

"Council Mage Tarot issued instructions for me to guide your party around the Outer Circle. I will try to find any vacancies should you have an interest but I must also say that most of the workshops employ males and not females. You can call me Elder Shi."

This old apprentice held a top management position in the Outer Circle. Mage Tarot had informed the man to handle this specific task without leaking Chu's identity. As to the inequality shown, Chu discarded it since his goal lay in not causing an upheaval.

"Then we thank Senior for his magnanimity."

***

"This is the Alchemist Workshop. We grow fields of herbs outside the city while purchasing the rare ones from adventurers and merchants. The workshop deals with sorting, drying and then concocting the various potions and pellets."

Elder Shi walked them through the large stone building while pointing out the various steps. Males of different ages clad in yellow or blue bustled about with baskets of herbs or sat in small rooms hovering over a smoking cauldron.

At the rear of the building, a few girls wearing plain robes unloaded wagons filled with boxes of roots and herbs before sorting them out. Some of them exited from a storage room with baskets and slips of ingredients.

"Limerock acts as the main supply center for both mages and magical supplies. With the exception of the Capital, where the Churches Union provides healing and antidote potions, we process nearly all the pills for Mages, Military and Hounds."

The old man raised his head and boasted while walking off.

"The towers along the Outer Circle contain classrooms for scribes and apprentices. Mages leave the Inner Circle on a seasonal basis to conduct classes. Graduate apprentices are sent into the Inner Circle for additional training before leaving for Frost City."

They passed along a few towers along the slightly curved main roadway. Elder Shi led them along a cobbled tributary to another long stone building. He cast a glance over the wide age group before opening the arched doors.

"This building houses the scribes of the Empire. The Tower along with the Churches Union remains the main deliverer of learning to the ignorant masses. When a mage shares a droplet of his superior knowledge, his book is approved and sent here. I think this place might suit most of your companions."

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The old man walked among a long hall and then opened one of the many side doors. Chu scanned the room filled with tables and chairs. Hands splotched with black ink scribbled continuously onto parchments. Surprisingly, the classroom consisted of only girls.

"All books approved within the Tower make their way here. The scribes copy the book by hand and then the books face distribution across the Empire. Books created for commoners are reproduced by the Churches Union, while books containing talismans originate from here only."

"Elder Shi, does this mean the Tower library keeps a copy of the original books from since ancient times?"

Chu inquired. If Limerock acted as a center for learning and also book publishing, then the library must be expansive.

"Correct young one. Besides the small libraries within the outer towers, the Tower has the main library located under the single tower of the Inner Circle. In this century, there is no mage alive who can boast that they read all the books within the labyrinth."

Chu nodded while glancing at the school-like atmosphere. Elder Shi toured the upper floor and then the basement. Within the torch-lit stone rooms, scribes banded the pages together with cured animal intestines or a mixture of flour and water.

Apprentices skimmed through the books and delivered new materials to the classrooms above. Blocks of ink, feathered quilts, and needles lay scattered around piles of stacked books. Chu also found by sheer coincidence, the latest edition of his Demon Compendium.

Elder Shi commissioned a wagon and carried them to the farthest point of the outer circle, away from both the north and east gate. He dismounted the wagon in front of an old workshop whose stone slabs matched the age of the nearby tower.

"Here, apprentices focus on creating talismans. I believe you have heard of the legendary tales? Men, who gain abilities beyond a commoner's wildest dreams? You may probably never meet one but it all starts here."

Elder Shi introduced proudly. With a flourish of his sleeves and while holding his head up with pride, he creaked open the arch door. The aroma of ink assailed their nostrils as the scent wafted out.

The guide placed a dried finger to his lips before entering. Whispering to a scribe standing inside the doorway, he waved his hands beckoning for them to follow. Behind a larger arch and short balustrades, they gazed out into the shuttered hall.

Apprentices sat or leaned around rows of tables, busy drawing with an avid concentration in producing talismans. In another corner, men in scarlet robes seated themselves at a long table filled with stacks of dried and completed talismans.

Ever so often, a faint white glow indicated that a talisman had been charged with magic. Elder Shi ushered them out after they had their fill.

"The majority of talismans make their way to the Military while some end up in books or in the hands of merchants. Not only does the workshop produce talismans for turning a man into a Sersen but it also creates others."

"Others?"

"Yes, but they have uses for mostly mages. We have talismans for checking if a person has the potential to become a mage, and one to detect if a man is a Sersen. For instance, the Tower might use one should you decide to register as a scribe."

Chu halted his steps as a flicker of fear flashed across his face. He coughed to steady his voice.

"Does the Tower perform this check on all their scribes and new members?"

Elder Shi turned to survey the group. He understood that these children would soon make their choices as to where they would like to seek employment. The faces of trepidation looked like uncertainty from his perspective.

"It's normally conducted on scribes who are promoted to apprentices. I'm afraid that your female companions will not be included. As you have seen, the Tower has very few places for females to work. Not to sound biased, but no mage in his right mind will waste an important talisman to gauge a girl, its taboo."

Chu listened to the old man brag as he glanced at Lucy. His eyes happened to lock gazes with Dyna. The little redhead sported a smug smile similar to the ones plastered among his companions.

'What kind of expression would this old crow make, if he only knew that he stood in the presence of a high-class Sersen?'

Chu turned towards his companions.

"Have you decided?"

"I want to try the herb sorting at the Alchemist workshop."

Sue said. Brella and Sally nodded in agreement.

"The book publishing looks fine for us."

Amanda replied. Sakura and the others confirmed the same.

"The guard captain agreed to allow me to join their training program. I met him while auctioning our loot."

Ming said.

Elder Shi nodded as he listened to these sensible children. At least they understood that the only openings began at the bottom.

"Good choices. I believe the book workshop is well suited for young girls. Most of the girls in the workshop belong to aristocratic families who have sent them to learn a little education and calligraphy. Positions there are in high demand by nobles. The tower offers evening classes in a host of skills."

He continued

"Council Mage Tarot has also recommended that I find rooms at the nearby dormitories for your stay. He has mentioned that this might serve in your best interest, rather than travel every day outside the city."

Chu nodded. As long as his companions found something worthwhile on this trip, it suited his goals. As young adults, this would serve as a learning experience. He never planned to cuddle any of them.

"I believe Elder Shi knows that I want access to the library?"

"Yes, Senior has informed me and I can make the arrangements when I have sorted out your companions."

The group returned to the field and met Mr. Thomas. Elder Shi bustled off to prepare the paperwork and procedures for their stay. While they waited and chatted in the field, a scribe approached with a message. Mr. Thomas listened to it before turning to the boy.

"Want to see a magic demonstration?"