Chapter 39: A dish best served cold

“If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us Shall we not revenge?”

Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare

Mercurio celebrated my new patent of nobility as well as himself gaining a new noble patron, the Baron of Wester Isles, with an impromptu feast.

“To the Baron of Wester Isles.” He raised a toast once his servants had laid a new table full of food for the four of us. Des and Sinis collected and laid the majority of it before taking their new positions behind my chair.

“To the Baron.” Grandpa quickly toasted, downing his drink. The map, pearls, and paperwork had been cleared off the table and he was keen to return before the other merchants returned and Mercurio set sail. But still, he was convinced to stay for a short meal by the merchant who was keen to leave Grandpa happy with the transfer of his wealth. I could have told him that a quick exit would sooner mend the sting of emptying his purse. Still, I had been given a small cup of grape juice so joined in with it.

“To me.” While the adults laughed at my simple comment.

I continued to sample the dishes laid out before us until I was unable to move. Passing anything I did not eat to Des and Sinis to finish. If the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach I would hopefully be held with affection in their hearts soon. They were not underfed but hardly had any fat reserves either, much like myself. I quietly pocketed any dried fruits, nuts, or jerky off the table motioning them to take some as well, filling all of our pockets till the table was empty. I did not know whether I would soon be back on Ash Island but if I was I hoped to hide a small stash of food to supplement our fishing and foragagin along the shoreline. I had potentially two more mouths to feed along with mine. Meanwhile, the adults, led mainly by Mercurio, engaged in self-congratulatory conversation we were uninvolved in either due to the belief we were too young to fully understand or in the case of Des and Sinis that they were below our august personage. It was the first time in this world that I had seen such lines in society drawn and was shocked to see the lines so stark and clear. Perhaps I was reading too much into a conversation between adults that did not involve children. But it did set a worrying precedent about the world outside of the Wester Isles.

I was unaware of whatever their system had told Mercurio but assumed it was enough for them to believe that the Stat had unlocked for me with the gaining of my new title. They still had not asked me about my status and I still was not telling. I was beginning to believe that a child’s status perhaps did not unlock until later on in life perhaps by age 5. My sister and grandfather knew I had skills but perhaps you could still have skills without a system and no one else in my family was even aware, other than my mother and father, that I had unlocked my magic and was able to use it.

Mercurio finished his conversation with Grandpa, surprised to see that the food had all been eaten.

“Growing lads the lot of you I suppose.” He paused before continuing. “I am happy to have helped in some small way to help you create this new house of yours Smit and am sure that it will rise to great heights one day.” He said this self-depreciatingly as if the whole idea hadn’t been his alone. Then continued with, “From this day forth I look forward to being a merchant for the Baron of Wester Isles.” He signed two copies of the same page before passing it across to me for me to make my mark. Looking at the paper I couldn’t read it all but I could get the gist of it and see where he had filled in his tithe at 0% creating a tax-free haven for him to operate out of.

“10 percent.” I hadn’t said a lot today on his ship but when I had, it counted. I remembered how he had bemoaned his current tax of 10% and was keen to get a little more from the merchant who would be making the most of my title to avoid his taxes to the Kingdom of Ponente.

“Kai, Kai. This was part of the agreement.” He raised his hands as if apologising for the terms already set. 

But . . . 

I had never agreed to them!

“10 percent,” I said once more, leaning forward preparing myself to face his skill.

“0 percent as stated in our document. [Accept price]” he added the skill at the end to hold me to our words.

But I had never agreed to that arrangement, that was not my price so I pushed against the skill holding my tongue and clenching my mouth shut until the compulsion to agree passed, and a shocked, still Mercurio found me countering with, “10 percent.”

“We agreed Smit.” He turned in protest to Grandpa as incredulous at my ability to understand enough, to ask for more, as he was unbelieving of my ability to defy his skill unless I was somehow supported by Grandpa in an invisible way.

“Aye, we did. But who am I a mere Steward to go against my Baron’s command.” Giving his first genuine smile since I had emptied his satchel for him and joked about the situation although he was clearly keenly invested in its outcome.

“0 percent taxes to be based on Wester Ponente and operate out of the Wester Isles. [Bound by word]” he hastily argued one final time. But I had not said those words and it wasn’t my price so I was not bound by my word and despite the compulsion, I felt once more to lift my hand and sign the paper with my simple scrawl, I managed to hold my hands together, fingers interlocked and refused to budge.

Once the compulsion had ended, “10 percent.” I said once more.

Almost disbelieving, “1 percent.” he murmured beginning our back and forth.

“9 percent.” I confidently continued happy to have him following along.

“2 percent.” He muttered almost by rote routine rather than active haggling.

“8 percent.” I sang, our roles now were in reverse with me decreasing the percentage of his sales I would claim.

“3 percent.” He sullenly spoke, as he slowly added to how much he would be required to pay.

“7 percent.” I chimed and smiled as I had a sudden thought.

“4 percent.” He grimaced as shock finally dissolved into aggrieved disbelief that this was actually happening.

“6 percent.” I reached for the quill not to sign the piece of paper but to work out what I was going to ask for next, once he agreed.

“5 percent.” Resigned to his fate he uttered the final number meeting me in the middle once more.

As I confirmed with another “5 percent!”

“Pleasure doing business with you once more.” Grandpa Smit joined in as he took the sheets of parchment off a stunned Mecurio before he sanded off the 0 percent and added in a 5 percent. Finally, he presented them to me to sign alongside Mercurio’s signature. Which now that I was happy with them in the end, I did. He kept one in his empty satchels and returned the other to Mercurio who still sat there shell-shocked from the reversal in his fortunes. He would still do far better than his previous percentage, with whoever his earlier patron was, but after coming so close to achieving the completely tax-free situation that we had here on the Wester Isles it was hard for him not to be disgruntled. Still, before we left I had one more surprise to spring upon him.

500 + 735 = 1235
1235 / 100 = 12.35
12.35 x 5 = 61.75

I had doodled the maths down on my hand as I worked it out only really needing to do any jottings for the last multiplication to remember everything I was adding up. Happy with my maths. I held out my hand to the possibly broken merchant.

“61 deepwater pearls.” I added

“61 deep . . . water . . . pearls.” Poor Mercurio repeated one shock after another having left him slow to catch on.

“Yes, 61.” I smiled waiting for him to catch on.

“For . . . the . . . trades?” he questioned as I watched him add up the sum in his head and calculate the percentage. Or maybe there was a skill for that and he was just reading it off a system wall in his head.

Slowly he opened his desk, pulled out the lockbox filled with pearls, unlocked it, and began counting them out.

“Pleasure,” I responded as if copying Grandpa Smit. I counted them into my satchel that held the title to Ash Island in my name and my Patent of nobility. Inside my head, I finished the sentence ‘doing business with you.’ Still unsure of some of the pronunciations of the words and not wanting to mess up the sentence appearing either crazy or get it right and appearing too mercenary for Mercurio. Holding out for 10% would have been more impressive but there was no need to push the man too far.

“Bamboozled by a baby.” He whispered before adding “Another tale too tall to tell and far too farcical and expensively bought, again.” He muttered before he pulled himself together. “I would invite you to stay for dessert but fear it would be far too expensive for my tastes in one way or another. So I bid you a good day and wish you a fine time till I return.” Mercurio quickly ushered us out of his cabin and across his decks before pursing his lips as he waved us down the plank onto the stone harbour below. He would do well from the deal and he had his collection of pearls for the prince but I doubted he was truly happy with the outcome.

Grandpa though was very happy to be finally leaving. He left chuckling as the merchant returned to his cabin muttering something about ‘quitting while ahead’ and tales too tall to tell which would do no one least of all him well.

Turning to the two silent shadows that had followed us off the boat he said, “Right, lads. Let’s be off then.” and Des and Sinis followed on behind as he turned to walk back up the chimney steps hidden in the fold of the cliff. Silently I watched over the top of my Grandpa’s shoulder as they looked at one another before following us up.

Halfway up we met the rest of the merchants coming back down laden with goods or money from our town and a few of their own items they had failed to sell. We shuffled around one another without engaging in conversation before setting off once more up to the top of the cliff as the merchants continued to climb down to the dock hidden in the cavern. A few of them turned back with curiosity to watch Des and Sinis as they made their way up. A few eyes even lingered on me and my purple robe. Confused they seemed to look between me and my grandpa before focussing back on me once more as we ascended the only one of our group aware of their attention.

I had seen the merchants before in the town square but I had never realised that they were not from the town themselves or not closer to home. It seemed that some of the merchants had shipped with Mercurio from Wester Levante and Little Wester making a short circuit of our isles to sell their wares. While one represented Mercurio in his buying and selling the other had hitched a lift from the mainland to buy and sell wares not easily found in the Ponente Kingdom. It was his eyes that seemed to linger the longest on me, my robe, and my grandpa's satchel.

“Are we at the top yet?” I jokingly asked Grandpa as I was facing the wrong way on his shoulder.

“Nearly there Kai.” Grandpa responded as we crested the top of the crevice coming out onto the top of the cliff. Des and Sinis looked a little out of breath from the climb while my ancient grandpa seemed not out of breath at all. It was little moments like these when an elderly man seemed to have more energy than youthful boys that drove home the difference between my past and present world. Normally it would have been the other way round but levels and stats made daily differences that the majority of people, never knowing any different, ever thought about. At what age did aging actually impact a person’s abilities greater than the stats that they had built up over time? Was it possible for people to lose stats as they aged? I had, apart from the stats my mother had added, never actually added any stats to my build. everything had been accumulated 'naturally' through my growing body and the development of skills that seemed to be pushing them along quicker than my growing body could.

Just an idle thought as we cleared the chimney in the fold of the cliff finally standing at the top looking back across the ocean.

We paused to watch Mercurio’s ship set sail, Grandpa with a grin, the boys in stoic silence obviously unsure about the change in their circumstances. Clearly, the merchants had reached the bottom quicker than we had reached the top and speedily boarded the boat with their wares. I sat on my Grandpa’s shoulder in silence too, contemplating the vast changes in my fortunes orchestrated by him. As Quintilian said, ‘Nothing is more dangerous to men than a sudden change of fortune.’ I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Time to go home.” Grandpa pointed the way down to the town. It was at this point that we saw someone making their way quickly up the mountain. They were a fair way down the slope but even in the distance and at the speed he was moving it looked like Grandfather. And again even from this distance, he did not look particularly happy to be heading our way.

“Ahh yes. Might be best if you wait up there by the cliff for a moment, Kai.” Grandpa said as he put me down and motioned for me to join Des and Sinis who were still watching the ship sail out of sight. So I toddled off to join them keeping in sight and hearing my Grandpa who seemed to brace himself for my oncoming Grandfather.

“Where’s Kai?” were his first words as he flashed into view and abruptly stopped to shout.

“He’s perfectly fine there with Des and Sinis.” Calmly responded attempting to deescalate the situation.

“Who are they?” He paused confused by the new people sat down with me. Then his eyes alit on my new purple robe. A sharp intake of breath later, he hissed, “You had no right. Kai is my grandson.”

“He’s my grandson too and I have his best interests at heart. I have invested in him and in his future.” Justifying his actions to the only person I had ever seen him wary of. “What have you been doing for him out on your island?” He quizzed defensively before he pointed out, “It looks like you have barely been able to feed him let alone look after him. How dare you question me how best to look after my Grandson!” He ended angrily unable to allow someone else to talk down to him when he had stood at the head of our family for so long.

“My methods are none of your business. And his best interests? Are you a complete fool? What exactly have you done?” he quizzed.

“You have no right to demand answers from me when you have refused to be part of the family for so long.” Grandpa Smit defensively responded.

“I have every right when you dangle my blood and flesh above eel infested waters. What do you think will happen to Kai as a noble without the stats, power, wealth, and connections to support him? Do you truly believe they will welcome him with open arms?” he seemed enfuriated by my Grandpa's position.

“We are all the way out here! Away from the intrigue and dangers of court, Kai will be fine.” he answered exasperated by my Grandfather's caution.

“No, he will not. They will come for him.” Grandfather countered

“You never challenged me on my ideas before why now?” Puzzled by his vehemence on the matter.

“Because they won’t care about an old man gaining a title before he dies and neither did I if you wanted to risk your own neck then so be it, I’ve cautioned you before. But a child, my grandchild? He is now either a threat or a pawn in their games and we don’t have the resources to protect him. The eastern lords will support him while the western lords will feel threatened by his encroachment on their domain.” he expalined his reasoning in more detail.

“Come now you are exaggerating.” spreading his arms wide to imply he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

“I’m not. A patent of nobility is a double edged sword seemingly only providing benefits to those without. However to those with one there is a hidden cost and danger to carrying it. That is what I have been trying to prepare Aleera and Kai for, a world that will not hesitate to stab you in the back. Especially now you have added a target to their backs and a bonus of experience to be gained by their deaths!” he answered brow furrowed and fingers pressed against his head.

“No lords own any property out here apart from the prince and no one will know for months till the house is registered with the prince when Mercurio returns to the capital. You worry too much.” He pointed out that any possible danger was miles and months away from me.

“And you worry too little. The reason no lords own property out here is precisely because it is the Prince’s domain. Settled by commoners and all Lords were either blocked from expanding out here or had no desire to. You have changed all that and change comes at a cost.” He repeated finally realising that he was not going to be able to convince Granpda Smit of his position.

Finally, ignoring Grandpa, he strode past him to come and pick me up.

I felt myself lifted as if to be passed to Grandpa and as I was used to being carried everywhere half the time, I didn’t think anything of it. It was either Des or Sinis who had picked me up to pass me over. That is all what I though until I saw Grandfather’s eyes widen in fear and felt myself being launched backwards up into the air as he flash stepped towards me seemingly appearing where I had stood only a moment before but a second too late.

I did not even have time to scream so surprised by the turn of events. 

I reached the top of my arc, 

before beginning to fall, 

backwards . . . 

off the top, 

of the cliff!

Had it been Des or Sinis? No, they stood there watching me fall horrified their arms stretched out uselessly in shock.

No, there was a fifth person standing on the edge of the cliff a red light flaring from something in his hand as he faced off against a now furious grandfather. One of the Merchants or porters from all that I could see of his clothing from behind.

Grandpa stood in the background to their burgeoning conflict standing still in disbelief as he watched his dream drop out of sight.

Quick reflexes almost a curse I had the time to take the whole scene in before my momentum and the face of the cliff took it from my view.

. . .

Level: 11 Name: Kai
Experience: 221,250/ 409,600
Age: 14 months, 0 weeks, 2 days, 16 hours
Health: 1140/1140 Stamina: 546/546 Mana: 1140/1140 Psi: 1160/1160

Trait: Long Lived, Fast Learner, Super Senses, Source of Mana,

Vitality: 114
Endurance: 25
Strength: 25
Dexterity: 29
Senses: 117
Mind: 116
Clarity: 50
Magic: 116
Charisma: 7

Free Points: 30

Skills:

Tier 1: Time sense (LV 26) Listening (LV 26) Meditation (LV 35) Swimming (LV 27)
Humming (Lv 22) Sneak (Lv 22) Whistling (Lv 22) Singing (Lv 22) and Drumming (Lv 22)
Running (Lv 17) Acting (19) English (Lv 15) Spanish (Lv 15) Japanese (Lv 15),
German (Lv 10) French (Lv 7) Dodge (Lv 11) Breath Control (Lv 7) Sight (Lv 15)
Scent (Lv 15) Detect (Lv 15) Taste (Lv 15) Bussola (Lv 7) Draw (Lv 4) Climb (Lv 7)
Calligraphy (Lv 5) Mathematics (Lv 10) Decoding (Lv 6) Lie (Lv 5) Knife Skills (Lv 5)
Trading (Lv 10)

Tier 2: Sense Mana (LV 35) Eavesdrop (LV 25) Memorisation (LV 22) Composition (Lv 22)
Recall (Lv22) Pain tolerance (Lv 13) Piano (Lv 20) Violin (Lv 20), Trombone (Lv 20),
Saxophone (Lv 20) Linguistics (Lv 16) Translation (Lv 16) Stealth (Lv 11)
Quick reflexes (Lv 12)  Haggling (Lv 5)

Tier 3: Echolocation (LV 25) Expel Mana (Lv 31) Absorb Mana (Lv 31) Mana Manipulation (Lv 15) Ignite (Lv 15) Freeze (Lv 10) Boil (Lv 11) Bargain (Lv 10)

Tier 4: Mana Drain (Lv 20) Parallel Processing (Lv 15)

Tier 5: Mind fortress (Lv 17)

Skill experience: 4000
Origin experience: 0
Combat experience: 0
Crafting experience: 0
Trading experience: 0