“What is elegant?”
"It’s a boutique known for its fine attire,” Peter explained, handing Leo a neatly folded piece of parchment. “Take this list to the store, present it to the manager, and they’ll provide you with all the garments specified. Additionally, you should look for accommodations on Ashburn Street; it’s lined with houses available for rent.”
Leo weighed the purse in his hand, feeling the heft of the seven gold coins inside. “Is this enough to cover both the clothes and a rental?”
Peter chuckled. “Absolutely. you got the highest score; how do you not know that?”
Leo's face was expressionless. When Peter received no response, he continued.
"Your clothes would be near 1 gold and 30 silver; you can get all the food you need with the other 70 silver you have; and you can rent a good house with 3 gold coins for a month, so after all of this, you still have 2 gold coins left, and at the end of the month, you get another 3 gold coins."
"Where is the clothing store?"
"It's in the middle of the bush street; just keep walking, and when you see a big clothing store, that's elegant."
Leo paused for a moment before asking. "Mr. Peter, is there anything that I should know about the renting process?"
Peter’s eyebrow arched, a mix of curiosity and amusement in his gaze.
“Your caution is commendable. Are you certain you’re only fourteen?” he inquired, his tone light yet probing.
Leo offered a small, knowing smile. “I am the only man in my family.”
Peter gave a nod of understanding. “That explains it,” he conceded.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Peter’s eyes snapped open, locking onto Leo with renewed focus. “There’s no mystery to it. Always be sure to read anything before you sign it. And here, take this,” he said, extending a card he had retrieved from a drawer.
Leo turned the card over in his hands, examining it closely. “What’s this for?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
“It’s a temporary identification card, proof of your Paladin status. With this, you’ll be treated with the respect due to a member of our order,” Peter clarified, ensuring Leo understood the significance of the card.
“Thank you,” Leo said.
“You’re welcome. Now, off you go. There’s much to be done,” Peter encouraged, with a gesture towards the door.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Peter. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Leo replied, his voice carrying a newfound confidence.
“Until tomorrow, then,” Peter nodded.
Leo turned on his heel and made his way back to the bustling main hall. Approaching Lara’s desk, “Ms. Lara, is the captain in his office??”
Lara looked up from her paperwork, shaking her head. “No, he’s just stepped out.”
“Alright, thank you. Have a good day, Ms. Lara
“Wishing you the same,” she responded, returning to her tasks.
Leo went back the way he came; the main door of the building was still crowded. People were no longer avoiding him because he was filthy.
'Walking was easier when I was still dirty.'
He walked back to the bush street. When he saw the main square, he turned and began walking in the opposite direction. After a brisk ten-minute walk, he reached the clothing store adorned with a bold 'Elegant' sign. Stepping through the entrance, he was greeted by the expansive interior, filled with racks of stylish attire. The bustling crowd spoke volumes about the shop's renowned reputation. As he browsed, a well-dressed man in a sleek black suit approached him with a friendly smile.
"How can I help you, young man?"
Leo gave the man a brief glance before pulling out the list that Peter had given him. He looked at the list, then returned his gaze to Leo, surprised.
"Mr. Mantine, please come with me."
Leo began to follow the man. They made their way to the back of the store. The man in the suite approached another man and began speaking with him before returning to Leo with the list.
"Mister Mantine, our tailor will be here to get your size in no time; please feel free to sit over there while you are waiting."
"Ok, thank you."
Leo went to where the man had indicated, found a seat, and sat. After about two minutes, a short, fat man appeared, holding a sewing meter. He was sweating, as if he was rushing to get here.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” the tailor said, glancing up. “Could you come over here and stand on this stool?”
Leo got up and stepped onto the stool. The tailor wasted no time, quickly pulling out a measuring tape and taking precise measurements of Leo’s arms, chest, and legs. The only sound in the room was the soft slide of the tape as he worked. After about ten minutes, the tailor stepped back.
“We’re done here,” he said, addressing a man in the suit standing nearby. The man nodded and approached Leo.
“Mr. Mantine, please follow me to the waiting room,” he said with a firm but polite tone.
Leo began following him again. They returned to the store, and the man led Leo to a room on the corner with sofas and tables.
“Your order will be ready soon. In the meantime, can I bring you anything? Perhaps a glass of wine?” the man asked, a polite smile on his face.
Leo’s mouth twitched slightly, but he shook his head. “No, just water, please.”
“As you wish,” the man replied, giving a small nod before walking away.
A couple of minutes later, he returned with a glass of water, setting it carefully on the table. “Here you are, sir.”
“Thank you,” Leo said, giving a brief nod in return.
Leo reached for the glass of water with his right hand and got out his watch with his other hand. It was 2:30 p.m., and his stomach grumbled. He didn't have anything from this morning.
'I'm hungry; perhaps I should go somewhere to eat? No, I still have a lot of work ahead of me.'
Leo turned to face the man in the suite.
"Ahem, sir, do you know where I can find an agency for renting a house in Ashburn Street?"
The man paused for a few seconds before responding.
"An agency is located in Main Square, between Bush Street and Main Street”
He paused for a few second and then asked with concern.
“Do you want to rent a house on Ashburn Street, sir?"
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
"Yes, is there a problem?"
"Well, I heard that there is a mass murderer there who killed a lot of kids recently, but of course, for a Paladin, that may not be a problem." The man answered, his gaze darting.
Before Leo could respond, another man with a suit entered.
"Mr. Mantine, Fortunately, the clothe in your size was available and does not require sewing; please come with me to the dressing room."
Leo stood up and followed the man into a room divided by a thick curtain. On one side, a full-length mirror reflected the faint light in the room. He began dressing in the new clothes laid out for him: a long black open-front coat with two interior pockets on each side, tailored black pants, a crisp white shirt, and sleek black formal shoes that clicked softly against the floor as he moved. A sturdy belt, equipped with small pouches for personal items and a loop for his sword, completed the outfit.
Once fully dressed, Leo stepped in front of the mirror. He took a moment to take in his reflection.
‘Wow, I look really cool,’ he thought, feeling a surge of confidence at his transformed appearance.
He didn't change his clothes and went out in them. He took a look at the man.
"I leave like this."
"As you wish, sir, shall we go for payment?" said the man, a big smile on his face.
Leo nodded and began to follow the man. They approached a desk, where a woman sat.
"Here you are, Mister Mantine."
The women gave Leo the bill, which was sixty silver coins for the coat, thirty for the pants, twenty for the shirt, twenty for the shoes, and ten for the belt. he had to pay one gold coin and forty silver coins in total. He didn't have any silver, so he gave the women two gold coins from his pocket.
"Thank you, sir."
With a smile on her face, the woman begins to pick up some silver coins.
"Here you are, Mr. Mantine."
Leo took the coins from the women; they were six silver coins, each bearing the number ten.
"Thank you"
Leo was escorted to the door by the man in the suite. He went straight to the main square after exiting. He saw a confectionery in the middle of the road and stopped to buy a normal loaf of bread for five bronze silvers.
'The bread cost five bronze coins, and she returned nine silver and five bronze coins, so every ten bronze coins is one silver coin, and every hundred silver coins is one gold coin.' He was thinking while eating his bread.
He arrived at the agency in the main square after ten minutes, cleaned his hands from the bread crumbs, and went inside.
There was a desk in front of him in the building. He walked over to it. Behind the desk was a man with his head down on some papers.
"Excuse me, sir, I am here to rent a house on Ashburn Street."
The man raised his head and turned to face Leo and smirked,
"Sir, you need to at least be twenty years old."
Leo locked his gaze on him for a moment before pulling his identification card from his pocket and handing it to the man. The man turned white when he saw the card. He rose and bowed.
"I apologize, sir. Please take a seat and relax. I'm going to contact our top agent."
The man left before Leo could say anything. Leo examined the card in his hand.
"What kind of card did you give me, Mr. Peter?"
He was picturing Peter's face laughing when another man appeared out of nowhere.
"Mr. Mantine, I heard you were looking for a house to rent on Ashburn Street; you've come to the right place, Please, let's go sit over there," the agent said with a smile.
Leo nodded and began to follow the man. They took a seat at a table. He extended his hand and shook Leo's.
"My name is Golzes Duv, and I'd like to apologize for my colleague's behavior," the agent said, making a fake sorry face.
Leo's face was calm, and he smiled and said, "Don't worry about it."
"Ok, if you say so, now can you please explain what kind of house you are looking for?"
"A normal-sized house with three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a restroom"
"Hmm… Let me double-check."
Golzes began to examine a few papers in his hand before returning his gaze to Leo.
"We have three; all three have the features you mentioned; the first one is in the middle of Ashburn Street; it's a little old and doesn't come with any furniture; the rent for this one is 1 gold and 50 silver; the second one is three houses away from the first one; it's a lot better than the first one; it's not old and also comes with full furniture; you can rent this one for 1 gold and 60 silver."
"You said it's a lot better. Why is the rent between the two so close?" Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Golzes’s brow furrowed slightly as he considered the question. “Well, it’s tucked away in a narrow alley. That lowers the price a bit.”
Leo nodded thoughtfully. “What about the third one?”
“The third one’s near the main square,” Golze explained, his tone shifting. “It’s new, fully furnished, and you can rent it for 2 gold and 50 silver.”
“Can I take a look at that one?” Leo asked.
Golzes’s lips curled into a peculiar smile. “Of course.”
He rose from his seat and gestured toward the door. “Shall we?”
Leo began to follow Golzes. They were on Ashburn Street in less than five minutes. The house was right next to the road. It was a three-story residence. The second floor bell was rung by the agent. After a while, the door was opened by a very short, fat woman. She was up to Leo's shoulders.
"Mr. Duv, hello."
"Good day, Ms. Fodoln; this is Mr. Leo Mantine, a Paladin, Mr. Mantine This is Mis Belgilia Fodoln."
Belgilia turned to face Leo.
"A paladin? Aren't you too young to be a paladin? And it appears that this is your first encounter with a dwarf."
Leo was staring at her. Sweat begins to drip from Golzes's brow. "Ms. Fodoln..."
Leo moved forward and interrupted Golzes. He bowed slightly and placed one hand on his chest.
"Ms. Fodoln, I apologize for any misbehavior; I assure you that was not my intention, And you are entirely correct; I am far too young to be a Paladin, but God has blessed me with his light."
Golze's mouth dropped open.
Belgilia plastered a smile on her face. "Such a gentleman, as expected from a Paladin."
Leo smiled as he raised his head. "You flatter me, Ms." .
"Call me Belgilia; come on, let me show you the building."
After Belgilia's statement, she pivoted on her heels and strode away. Golzes grabbed Leo's shoulder and stopped him from following her. Leo turned around.
"Is there something wrong, Mr. Duv?"
"How did you do that? You are the first person who could handle Ms. Fodoln like that," Golzes said quietly.
"I have experience with women," Leo said with a smile. He then turned around and began walking.
Golze's mouth dropped open again, and he stood there for a moment, deep in thought.
The apartment was on the first floor. While Leo was walking behind Belgilia, she started explaining.
"There is furniture in the living room; the kitchen is connected to the living hall; as you can see, there are many cabinets, a stove, a sink, and a cooling box."
Leo had no idea what Belgilia was on about, but he tried not to show it. They entered the rooms one at a time.
"All the rooms have one bed and a dresser."
They went into the restroom after they had checked every room.
“Restroom and bathroom are together and as you can see it is connected to pipeline system so you have water here and also in the kitchen’s sink”
They went back into the living room.
“The pipeline of each floor is separated so you pay your own bill for water, o before I forget, I also put some dishes in the cabinets.”
Golzes looked at Leo.
“Well Mr Mantine, what do you think?”
while he already decided, Leo pretended that he was thinking. After a few minutes of looking around he finally answered.
“I think it’s great, let’s sign the contract.”
Golzes grinned. "You just need to sign here, and we will do all the work for you."
Leo took the paper from him and began reading. He signed the contract and looked at Belgilia when he was finished.
"When can I move in, Ms. Fodoln?"
"You can move in right away."
She pulled out a key and handed it to Leo. Leo's lips formed a smile.
"That's great; then I go bring my family."
"Mr Mantine, Can you come to the agency tomorrow to finish the contract?"
"Sure, I'll be there at five in the evening."
Leo then said his goodbyes to both of them and left. He first went to the grocery store and butcher shop to purchase a few items, then returned to his new home to place them.
'All right, let's take a look at this cooling box.'
He opened the strange cabinet, which Belgilia referred to as a cooling box. It looked like a regular cabinet with a strange blue circle at the bottom. It also had a gem on its left. When Leo touches the gem, the circle inside the box begins to glow and cold air begins to flow out of it. Leo’s eyes sparked with excitement.
‘It’s a magic freezer’
He went outside after putting his purchases in the box. With a firm push, he closed the door behind him and made his way back to the place he still called home. The familiar streets passed by in a blur, and before he knew it, twenty minutes had elapsed, and he was pushing open the front door.
“Hi, Mom, I’m back,” he announced, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet of the house.
At the sound of his voice, his mother spun around, her hands full of dishware. The surprise on her face was so profound that a plate slipped from her grasp, shattering on the floor.
“Leo?! Is that really you?” she gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.
In his haste to return, Leo had forgotten about the fine new clothes he was wearing.
“Yes, Mom, it’s me,” he reassured her, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Despite his cautionary words, “Mom, be careful,” she paid him no heed, her feet carrying her forward as if pulled by an invisible string. Words failed her, and instead, tears began to glisten in her eyes, a silent testament to the swell of emotions within her as she drew closer to her son.
"I'm currently working for the Paladin Association, but it's not over, I need you to follow me, I want to show you something."
She responded after she had calmed down a little.
"Where?"
"Call Rosie; it's a surprise."
His mother went into her room, and after ten minutes, they came out and prepared to leave. Rosie froze when she saw Leo.
"Leo, is that really you?"
"Yes, it is me, and I am going to buy you new clothes too."
"Really?!!" Rosie screamed with excitement.
"Of course, but first come with me."
They left the house, Leo leading the way as his mother followed close behind. As they walked down Ashburn Street, Leo noticed the concern etched on her face, her brow furrowed and her movements hesitant. The familiar sights of the neighborhood passed by, but her unease remained.
Eventually, they arrived at a modest building. Leo reached into his pocket, pulled out a key, and unlocked the door. The hinges creaked slightly as they stepped inside, the air still carrying the scent of fresh wood and paint.
Standing in the living room, his mother looked around, doubt clouding her expression. Her eyes landed on Leo. “Sweetie, what is this place?”
Leo’s lips curved into a reassuring smile. “This is our new home.”