Today would be the day. After years of training, years of blood and sweat, Yaric would finally cast his first proper spell. No more pieces of magic, and no more parlor tricks.
It was a crisp, cold morning. Snow was melting, but the weather had merely given in to the regular winter weather, which was still cold enough to form frost overnight. That, combined with the heavy snow that used to cover the ground, had turned the range closest to their classroom into a field of mud and shattered debris. It would be Yaric’s job to try and dry it out.
“Gather round now. The attempts will be made one at a time,” Emil announced. Despite less than a dozen attempts being made, the whole class was there to watch. Their instructor had decided that the first few successful castings would motivate everyone else, so Yaric was left with an audience, and as the furthest ahead, he would have the ‘honor’ of the first attempt.
Yaric took a deep breath. He knew he could do it, but all the pairs of eyes on his back complicated things. With eyes closed, Yaric began to build the spell. He channeled arcana and raised his hand, then with a long exhale, released the spell.
A torrent of flame gushed out, bathing the nearest two targets in fire and creating steam on the ground. The heat of the flames was blocked by the spell, but the light danced across Yaric’s face while his class began to cheer.
His first successful spell!
Lauren was next, and while she took longer to form the spell, her flames were projected further. Unlike the others, Lloyd had impressed upon Yaric the importance of speed, and he worked hard to form his spell as quickly as possible. As Lloyd had said, victory would most often be about who was faster, not who was stronger. He couldn’t deny that the long arc of flames from Lauren’s hand was impressive though.
Several others had their turn as well, including Sven, Anton, Chris, and Chelsea. All were successful.
No one could match Lauren’s spell, and no one was anywhere near as fast as Yaric had been.
Yaric also made the only attempt at the airblade before heading back to class, but that was less successful. He formed the spell without fault, but the spell was trickier to use once cast. The blade was created and fired directly at the nearest barrel. It flew with great speed, cutting through the air almost invisibly and slicing deeply – into the ground.
“Good attempt,” Emil said consolingly. “Your blade was just angled slightly off. Don’t forget that if the edge isn’t perfectly aligned it will drift in a different direction. The problem is the same as when you cut with a misaligned sword blade or run your hand at an angle through water. The spell will be pushed off course if it isn’t aimed correctly. Of course, if you drop your focus on making a blade and use it more like a club, you wouldn’t have this problem to begin with.”
“Yes sir,” Yaric replied in disappointment.
“No need to sound so glum, you already cast your first spell. You were very close with your second as well, though I would suggest you try to get your air spell working correctly first before you focus on compressing it so much. A faster and wider burst of air is very effective, and far more versatile.”
There was a lot of excited chatter when the class made their way back. Everyone was eager to work on their own spells, so they could also use the range.
Within a week Yaric had both air spells added to his list of successful castings. He still couldn’t get a proper blade to go anywhere near where he wanted, but he was able to knock over barrels with a large amount of force whenever he wanted, and he could make a larger, though shorter-ranged blast as well. It was ideal for pushing back a group of people at once.
The basic fireball spell was more difficult. His first fire spell was simple and projected his flames wherever he pointed, with a force directly proportional to his casting. Both air spells were similar, in that they were projected wherever he pointed as well. The basic fireball spell consisted of two parts though and made aiming complicated.
Initially, the spell created the fireball and tethered it to his hand. Continuing to channel arcana kept the fireball going and prevented it from using the spells stored arcana. To fire it, the second part of the spell was used, which broke the tether and projected the fireball away from him. The force with which it was fired was also dependent on exactly how much arcana was channeled into the second part of the spell, making it even more complicated. It took several castings to get used to aiming the fireball, and many posts and barrels were unintended victims.
Lauren had just as much collateral damage as he did, so they spent most of the lesson trying to get the aim right. In less than two weeks, both were able to reliably cast all four spells, though the fireball was still not always on target. Everyone else could project flames at a minimum, so the 7th-year class effectively took over the range whenever they had a free moment. No one skipped practicing for the next magic lesson.
Sven had some difficulty with maintaining cohesion for his air spells, and Li Na was positively dangerous with her fireballs, but they were almost there as well. As long as Sven took an extra moment to focus before casting, his air spells stayed together long enough to strike their target. Li Na just required everyone to get back, because once the fireball left her hand, no one knew where it would go, least of all Li Na. Friendly fire was quite literal in her case.
There was also a second appeal, even if it was very similar. A small shipyard needed some repairs done, but there wasn’t enough room in the cramped workspace for any of the equipment needed to move the materials around, so Yaric and his friends functioned as winches and cranes. They spent the entire afternoon there, mostly because Sven insisted on having the whole setup explained in detail.
Most classes were already becoming routine. Basic telekinesis would be the next subject in their magic lessons, once they were proficient enough with the four basic self-defense spells. The entire class had continued with Flora, Fauna, and Fiends, and they were still far ahead there as well. It wouldn’t be long until they had their first lesson at the bestiary either, as the weather was already beginning to warm.
Scouting was much the same. Four others had joined the class, and Ivan had them going over lessons that Yaric and Lauren had already gone through, which they also got to practice again when not building the hides that Ivan was currently teaching them. Finding good observation points and setting yourself up took time, something that Ivan never seemed concerned about. If there was one lesson he taught every time, even if unintentionally, it was patience.
And that was even more important at the moment, as the warming weather heralded a change in this class as well. The Corporals from Duke Anton’s army would be leaving soon, and their lessons would start becoming far more in-depth.
Logic and Reasoning only had slightly more students than his scouting lessons, none of whom Yaric knew particularly well, but it was a nice change of pace in its own right. Less than thirty students made for a much quieter, more relaxed atmosphere.
Runes and Law classes were the difficult classes. Some of the techniques for Runes were very complicated and took multiple lessons before they could be used reliably. Law was mostly just a lot of information, but you couldn’t just learn everything, you had to understand it well. Their instructor made a point of making everyone apply the lessons in increasingly complicated situations.
Worse, Yaric quickly had practical experience with Law, and his lessons proved vital. Their third appeal involved a dispute over delivery space. The whole situation seemed stupid, with grown men fighting and arguing over the space behind their stores and how deliveries were to be made.
One shopkeeper often received new deliveries, but chose to unpack and store everything when he had the time. That left his neighbor struggling to receive their own deliveries whenever the narrow ally behind their building was blocked.
This would usually be something that the local authorities would resolve, and they had tried, but the shopkeeper who lost the argument had filed an appeal with the Academy. Although they were a parallel legal structure, and issues such as this were almost always resolved locally, the Academy was universally seen as unbiased and fair. They were separate from society in many ways, which was an advantage when it came to public opinion about bias and fairness. Local authorities could be bribed, or they could have personal interests in the case or people involved, but not so with the Academy.
Unfortunately for the disgruntled shopkeeper, the local authorities had been correct in their ruling. Sven had the foresight to bring the relevant legal book with them, so after seeing the alley for themselves and confirming their suspicion, they took the shopkeeper for tea and directly showed him the laws.
He wasn’t very happy at first. His neighbor had no obligation to bring his deliveries inside within a set amount of time. The best solution would be to try and schedule their deliveries around each other. Once he mentioned that his neighbor’s deliveries were too heavy to easily move, however, because they were mostly wood items in the crates, Lauren was able to show him another law that stipulated that his neighbor had to keep someone present at all times while his goods remained in the ally. Those items were technically a fire hazard, and it was illegal to keep them between buildings like that without supervision. That changed everything for the man, and he left with a big grin.
The neighbor was surprisingly reasonable when informed, and promised to make sure that his goods were watched until they were unloaded and brought inside. It didn’t match the history of argument, but as Lauren pointed out, things like that were often more about personal issues than business.
All three completed appeals came with impressive assessments, so much so that Sandy took the time to see them and congratulate the four on their performance so far. She seemed to be particularly happy about the resolution of their last appeal, and explained that it showed that the four were able to handle delicate matters according to the law. The credits awarded were substantial as well, and Sandy very clearly hinted that future appeals would likely carry more responsibility. It didn’t take long for them to see the difference.
The first proper spring day ended with Scouting, and found Yaric himself lying under a basic hide with Lauren.
“There isn’t much variety available on campus, but you two get the idea,” Ivan said from outside the hide. “These species stay green for days after cutting and make ideal materials. Whatever you do, you need to avoid using items that change color quickly, or you may just end up highlighting your position instead of obscuring it.
“Your construction is good. Nothing is overengineered or squared, and you’ve kept the concealment to a minimum. Never forget that what looks like a thin screen of leaves to you from close up will completely hide you from someone watching at a distance. The same goes for the shade you’ve created. For you two in there, it’s just slightly darker, but someone a hundred meters away will see a natural dark patch, much like how a tunnel or cave seems dark until you walk inside.”
Lauren and Yaric had been moving through the lessons quickly, and Ivan quickly warmed up to Lauren as well. They both excelled at the subject.
It seemed that their friends were above average as well, as Ivan had been overheard describing their class as ‘unusually talented’.
Sandy’s prediction proved true that evening. Yaric and Lauren returned to the dorm room to find Li Na waiting with an excited grin.
“We already have our fourth appeal,” she announced.
“Is four appeals in three months normal?” Yaric asked. “This seems like a lot.”
“I don’t think other students do this many, no,” Lauren replied, looking concerned.
“The Council Head told me that it won’t last long,” Li Na answered, looking smug. “We got approved so early that she wants to show we can be relied on. When we have a good enough track record they will scale back. We just need to do enough to prove ourselves first.”
“Makes sense, I guess,” Yaric shrugged. “Whose stuff are we carrying this time?”
“No one's,” Li Na replied, moving the appeal slip behind her back and looking at them expectantly.
“So it’s another dispute?”
“Nope.”
“Lina, just tell us what it is,” Lauren demanded, trying to step around her to get to the slip. Li Na tried to twist away, but Yaric quickly went around the other side.
“Okay, okay, hold up! First, it isn’t a dispute or labor. It’s a real problem.”
“All of our appeals have been real problems, Lina.”
“Well, this is like real real. Another town has something wrong with food prices and no one can figure out why. We have to go and find out what’s going on.”
“Another town?” Yaric asked. “Like outside Lekton?”
“Yep. Stathmore. It’s downriver on a small tributary. We have to take a boat for a full day, then walk up the tributary. We’re being sent on a proper mission!”
Li Na was practically vibrating. She was so distracted that when Yaric stepped forward to take the slip, Li Na tried to keep it away from him by holding it above her head and out of reach. Her wrist barely cleared the top of his head.
“Hey!”
“We also need to read this,” Yaric responded.
“I don’t get it though, how could no one figure out why the prices are high? Just look at the costs and the profits?” Lauren mused.
Yaric smoothed out the paper and started reading the initial summary aloud. “The initial investigation could not be concluded without the Bakers Guild, and once the Bakers Guild was called in they confirmed that the profit margins are within legal limits. The only bakery in the town has had its pricing officially approved by the Guild which is accepted by law. Yet the price of bread is almost four times the regional average. Complaints have been received from no less than forty townsfolk, with appeals submitted almost weekly.
“Although the prices seem to only affect baked goods, many townsfolk have too little extra income to compensate, and the current situation is causing a crisis. Baked goods are a staple, with the price increases tripling overall food costs in most cases. Several families have left Stathmore already.
“An urgent resolution must be found. Identifying the cause of the issue is also essential. Expenses for riverboat and accommodation included. Additional expenses are to be filed upon return.”
“That’s weird,” Lauren stated.
“I don’t understand it either.”
“What’s to understand? We’re going on a mission! Let’s go pack, we’ll figure out what’s going on when we get there.”
“Hold on Lina, we need to see when it would be best to leave,” Lauren said, calling Li Na back.
“It said ‘urgent’. We need to leave right away.”
There was no requirement to leave immediately, but it would fit better with their class schedules if they left as soon as possible. When Sven arrived, he agreed with the assessment, so Li Na ran off to start packing while the others walked more calmly. Dinner was filled with talk of what to expect and theories about what could be causing such a simple problem, and why the answer wasn’t completely obvious.
The sun was only just peeking over the horizon when the four friends made it to the docks. They weren’t officially allowed weapons, but there was no issue with booking out staffs for each of them, and they were very proficient in their use. Though with a few spells under their belts, it’s unlikely they would need them. Even more so since bakeries and baked goods weren’t known for putting one in mortal peril.
People were already bustling about. Goods were being carted into town, cargo was being readied for loading, and despite the early hour, everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Everyone except the four students who found a seat outside the ticket office, where they sat munching on snacks Yaric had thought to take with them. They already had their tickets and only needed to wait another hour for the boat to arrive.
Milling crowds miraculously cleared after the riverboat docked, making way for the passengers as they disembarked. Once they were done, Yaric led the others up the ramp and into the dining room.
Lauren and Li Na were looking around at everything, only speaking to point something out or ask a question. It took Yaric a while, but it finally dawned on him.
“Is this your first time on a boat?”
Lauren nodded shyly, while Li Na’s head bounced excitedly. He also understood now why they had enjoyed rowing so much. It was probably their first time on the river. And now they were on a proper boat for the first time as well.
“We have all day with nothing to do, so we can explore a bit if you want?”
“What else would we do?” Li Na asked incredulously, as if talking to a slow child. Lauren just smiled.
They all left the dining room to watch the boat cast off and pull away. Watching the smaller boats was interesting, as was watching Lekton pass by, until they were cruising downriver past sprawling estates, and eventually, open wilderness.
No matter how excited they were to explore, everyone still tucked into a large breakfast first. Even though it was a different boat, the food was still as good as Yaric remembered.
Sven had been on a boat many times, far more than Yaric’s single experience, and often for just as many days, so he took over as tour guide once they had finished eating. This boat also had a game room, and there were several viewing decks and outdoor coffee tables. Sven was also able to talk his way into the wheelhouse, where they spent several minutes talking to the captain and getting to explore the controls.
The tour took a decided Sven flavor when they were led below deck and managed to get permission to enter a crew-only area. The machinery that drove the boat was impressive though, so no one complained. Not even when Sven spent twenty minutes inspecting the drive system. Their boat wasn’t currently being powered, so nothing was operational, but it was interesting, nonetheless.
Lauren and Li Na enjoyed the entire experience, and Yaric was just happy to be a part of it. They played almost every game available and sat out on a viewing deck late into the evening. The fresh spring breeze blew through their hair while they sipped their drinks, just taking in the sights on the riverbank. The passing scenery was endlessly fascinating.
Li Na reversed her previous game, and now waved and shouted to people as they passed them on the riverbank. Almost everyone waved back.
The boat eventually pulled over to the side, drifting along in the current, and dropped anchor for the night. Watching the sunset from the highest deck was an experience in its own right, with no responsibilities at the moment and their drinks being constantly refilled. Everything was quiet except for the birds and the slapping of water against their boat, audible even from the highest deck.
Lauren was delighted when two ducks landed on their deck and shuffled off to the side, obviously intending to roost there overnight. It was a quiet night and a welcome reprieve from three months of classes. There had been no weekend passes issued since becoming Novices. No respite in their workload. They all felt that they deserved the opportunity to lie back in lounge chairs and watch as the stars came out, simply enjoying the silence and company. Even better, they would be able to do this again on the way back.
Yaric looked at his friends, all smiling contentedly with their eyes closed. Li Na somehow looked smug while Sven looked calm and composed. Lauren seemed like everything was right in the world, relaxing deeply into her lounger with her hair almost brushing Yaric in the stiff breeze. Maybe Lloyd had a point. Maybe hunting alone in the wilderness wasn’t his best option.
Breakfast was hurried in the morning. They were going to be arriving very soon, so they had to eat quickly. That didn’t stop Yaric from packing away some extra food for the road. No one had unpacked anything other than to change their clothes, so they were amongst the first off of the boat. Luckily there weren’t many getting off at the junction with the tributary anyway, making the whole experience quick and effortless.
The road to Stathmore was visible even from the dock, and ran right along the river. Li Na seemed more concerned with the few buildings around them, and the town that lay beyond.
“We need to go this way,” Yaric said, pointing out the road and tapping Li Na on the shoulder.
“But where do we get the horses?”
“Horses?”
“Yeah. So we can ride to Stambabore or wherever.”
“We can’t rent horses for something like that,” Sven explained gently. “No one would let us ride off on horses when they can’t know if we’d come back. Horses are valuable.”
“But we’re students at the Academy,” Li Na protested, looking hurt.
“True. It’s just that students don’t often come through here looking for horses, so there’s no business set up for it. No one here will have horses to rent.”
Li Na looked like someone had died. Even Yaric felt bad for her.
He couldn’t do much more than offer her some muffins though, so they set off in silence, heading upstream toward Stathmore while snacking on the food Yaric had packed and thinking of how they could arrange more horse riding when they got back.
Spring was Yaric’s favorite time of year. It wasn’t cold like winter, hot like summer, or endlessly raining like fall. The sun was warm on their faces as they set out, with a constant, refreshing breeze keeping them cool. Even the waterbirds on the river seemed to be enjoying themselves, racing up and down only to disappear when they suddenly dived below the surface. Li Na soon forgot her disappointment as she started chasing ducks up and down the banks in between her pauses to help herself to Yaric’s muffins, biscuits, and scones.
They made good time though, and were already in sight of the town by midmorning.
“We can sort out our accommodation first,” Sven said. “Then we can start looking into the food situation.”
“I don’t even know where to start,” Lauren admitted.
Yaric felt very confident. “At the bakery. We can see the pricing for ourselves and speak to the owner. I’m sure we can find out what’s happening by asking. The cost of bread can’t be all that complicated.”
The town was larger than expected, particularly since it only had one bakery, and that immediately stood out as odd to Yaric. He pointed it out and the others all agreed.
Despite its size, the town didn’t usually experience enough visitors to justify a proper inn. They had a tavern, but all accommodation was done exclusively with guest houses. That suited them just fine, however.
“Alright, let’s see if we can get this sorted out today still,” Sven said, leading them back out onto the road. Putting down their packs was a relief.
“It feels weird to have four of us here for this,” Yaric pointed out.
“We’re still Novices, and our permissions only extend to appeals we respond to together.”
“I know. It’s just this job is more like a long trip to ask a question,” Yaric replied, looking at Sven like he was embarrassed.
“People here will probably be happy that their appeal is taken so seriously,” Sven pointed out.
It didn’t take long to get to the bakery, and the reason for only one bakery was readily apparent. It was massive. Four shop fronts were taken up by the bakery, and they could see several ovens in the back. Many helpful signs pointed out the different baked goods available, and some even made suggestions for what to pair with their products.
Unfortunately, the shop owner was less than helpful.
“Questions are for the Guild,” he said brusquely.
“We already have their response,” Sven replied politely. “There is no investigation into you or your business, just questions about the situation.”
“Questions that you should ask the Guild.”
“We just need to understand why the prices here are so high. The Guild has vouched for you, so we are confident that it has nothing to do with you. But are you stuck paying exorbitant rent maybe? Are there unnecessary licensing fees? Something must have changed.”
The shopkeeper turned sharply to face Sven and the others, an annoyed expression on his face. “I told you, speak to the guild. Everything here is above board. I’m not so stupid that I’d allow myself to be fleeced by landowners or corrupt officials. Costs are high, prices are high. It isn’t complicated, even for four kids like yourselves. Now stop asking me your questions and go and speak to the Guild.”
He turned around in clear dismissal, so Sven decided not to push their luck. They could always come back again if they didn’t antagonize him.
“There are two mills here,” Yaric pointed. “I want to ask them about the costs. Maybe the problem is with the ingredients?”
No one had a better idea, so they immediately set off for the river and followed it up to the first mill.
“Nope,” the supervisor said. “No changes in price here. I’m well aware of how much prices have gone up, but our prices are the same.”
“Have you seen other price increases?” Yaric asked. “Other than food?”
“Some. Cost of food goes up, everything else goes up. People need to eat.”
“And nothing changed when the prices started going up?”
“Only the forest restrictions, which cut down on hunting. But that only made the food prices hit harder, it didn’t make things cost more.”
“What restrictions.”
“The forest up there,” he replied, pointing up the hillslope that was covered in trees. “All hunting and the like is prohibited. We can’t hunt, cut down trees, or forage anymore. Lords land or some such.”
“Someone in the nobility blocked you from hunting?” Sven asked, sounding concerned. “Did they say why?”
“It needs a few years to recover, they said. We was overhunting and damaging the forest. Wouldn’t affect us much if food hadn’t got more expensive. But not hunting ain’t making bread cost more.”
“Thank you for your help,” Yaric said as he waved goodbye and started toward the other mill.
“Well, that wasn’t very helpful,” Li Na pointed out.
“It was,” Yaric replied. “If both mills have the same answer, we can rule out the cost of flour. But this is annoying. How hard can this be?”
The next mill was on the other side of a blacksmith, which Sven slowed down to take a look at. They were walking behind the building, where weird, low mounds ran parallel to each other.
“What are those?” Li Na asked, pointing.
“They’re kilns,” Sven replied. “This blacksmith makes his own charcoal. When they’re in use they would be really hot and have some smoke coming out of those openings. This blacksmith isn’t working right now though,” Sven added, pointing to the chimney above the main building. “He doesn’t have a fire going.”
They carried on to the second mill, walking through the tall grass that grew wild along the riverbank. It didn’t take long, though this mill was almost finished for the day.
“What can I do you for?” the supervisor asked with a friendly smile.
“Good afternoon, sir,” Yaric began, “We’re here on behalf of Lekton Academy, to answer numerous appeals regarding food prices in your town.”
“Huh,” the man exclaimed and turned to look over his shoulder, “See Tom, told you they’d come!”
The man ushered them inside and toward a walled-off section in the corner. “Names Asghar. I sent one of those appeals myself.”
“I’m Yaric, this is Lauren, Sven, and Li Na,” Yaric replied, pointing to each of his friends in turn. “We’re Novices at the Academy and are responsible for sorting out your problem.”
“Novices, huh?” the man asked, some of his humor slipping from his face.
Yaric stared at him blankly for a moment. “Oh, it’s just a title! It means we’re full students.” Holding out his hand, Yaric summoned a flame just like he had done with the thief. Amazingly, it had the same reaction yet again. Awe.
“I meant nothin’ by it. We just have different ideas of what a novice is.”
“No problem. Now, can you tell us what you know about the pricing issue?”
Asghar led them through a door and into an office in the corner, where he proceeded to go through everything he knew. It wasn’t much, and there wasn’t really anything new. Now laws had been passed protecting the forests, closing some of their trade in furs, and ending recreational hunting and foraging. That led to a few people in the fur trade shutting down and leaving.
Soon after, prices started rising. It was most noticeable with bread, which more than tripled in less than a month, but several other items increased as well, usually in response to the increased costs of living. Other businesses had also started, most notably with firewood and livestock. With the forests off limits, no one could gather wood or chop down trees, and hunting was entirely banned. But no one was forced to eat a lot of meat, and while annoying, paying for firewood didn’t add a lot to expenses.
“Thank you,” Lauren said when he had finished.
“You can help us then?”
“I’m sure we can, we’re just gathering information right now.”
“Well, make sure you talk to Matthew at the bakery. He insists he isn’t overcharging, but I spend as much now in a week as I used to in a month. And I sell him half his flour. He’s ripping us off!”
“The Guild has investigated and didn’t find anything, but we’re looking into it ourselves now. If there’s anything there, we’ll find it,” Lauren assured Asghar. They quickly shook hands and left, wanting to go back to find something to eat before it got too dark.
This time the blacksmith was outside his smithy, sitting on a chair and smoking his pipe. Sven went over to say hello.
“Hi there,” Sven started, holding out his hand with a friendly smile.
“Hi,” the blacksmith replied cautiously.
“My name is Sven, and this is Li Na, Yaric, and Lauren. We’ve been sent by Lekton Academy to investigate the food prices here, and I was hoping we could ask you a few questions.”
“Not sure I can help with that, I’m leavin’ town myself, but go ahead,” he replied, without giving his name.
“You’re leaving?”
“Too expensive. A barge is comin’ in two weeks to help move my smithy.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
The smith just shrugged, but he didn’t say anything in reply. He also didn’t have much to add, just complaining about the costs of everything going up. His business was more affected than most, he claimed, both in his own expenses and that of his customers, who were putting off repair work whenever they could. He didn’t have any new information though.
“Everyone is struggling,” Lauren observed quietly while they ate.
“Same in Lekton,” Li Na pointed out. “Just these people weren’t struggling before, so it feels harder. I know people who struggled like this their whole lives.”
“But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help them out.”
“Of course not!” Li Na replied indignantly. “I’m just saying that there are more people like this than you know.
Dinner was awkward after the outburst, and they were all tired from the long day of travel.
“Meet up in the morning for breakfast?” Yaric asked when they went back to the guest house.
“Sure. Sunrise?”
“Sunrise.”
They walked in through the front door to find the owner waiting for them.
“Ah, there you are! You all have fresh sheets and towels, and I’ve heated the water for you. If there is anything else, let me know.”
“Thank you ma’am,” Lauren replied politely.
“Think nothing of it, it’s why I’m here. Now, just know, I have everything cleaned and ready for you, including warm water, but if you feel the need for a fire, I ain’t paying business prices, so you’ll need to go buy your own firewood.”
“Business prices, ma’am?”
“For the firewood, yes. You need to buy your own as private individuals.”
Yaric stepped forward to stand beside Lauren. “I’m sorry ma’am, we don’t understand. Why would firewood have different prices?”
“This is a guest house, so they try to charge me as a business. I don’t use much though and I keep some aside each day when there are no guests, so I get away with it. I’m sorry, but if you each want a fire you’ll have to buy your own. There’s no other way,” she replied, starting to look worried. No doubt she was concerned that her guests were getting upset.
“But what we don’t understand is why there would be a business price for firewood. Firewood is the same for everyone.”
“Ah… I understand now. We have new laws here, you see. We can’t cut down trees or collect firewood, so we have to buy from downriver. And larger amounts cost more to transport, so they charge more for businesses. Lots more.”
Yaric and his friends glanced at each other.
“Ma’am, the costs wouldn’t work like that. Moving firewood in bulk is cheaper than smaller quantities. Almost anything is.”
“Well, that’s not how it works around here. Businesses have to pay up if they want firewood, and bulk costs far more, let me tell you. I think I’m the only business who needs firewood mind you, so it doesn’t affect people much.”
Yaric and Lauren stared at each other for a moment. “Businesses like bakeries!”
“I suppose,” the owner mumbled from where she stood, still worried by the reaction of her guests.
“Thank you ma’am, you’ve been a big help.”
The enthusiasm Lauren spoke with brought a big smile to her face, and she said good with what sounded like relief.
“We need to find out how much this firewood costs for businesses,” Yaric exclaimed. “That could explain the costs. They need to fire the ovens!”
“Not just the bakery,” Sven mused. “We need to go back to that blacksmith. He said his costs are up. If he’s forced to buy wood now and he’s being overcharged, he wouldn’t be able to run his smithy.
“Something is definitely up,” Lauren agreed. “Firewood should be cheaper in bulk, not more.”
“Uggg…” Li Na groaned.
“What?”
“Why didn’t we ask the lady what the price difference was? Now we have to wait until morning.”
…
“We’re tired?” Yaric offered weakly.
No one had an answer for their oversight, but it didn’t change much.
Thinking it over, Yaric quickly adjusted their plans. “We get breakfast tomorrow morning at sunrise, then go and see the baker. Matthew. And we need to find out where to get the firewood, so we can find out the prices for ourselves.”
“We need to see the blacksmith as well,” Sven pointed out.
“Bakery first, they will start before dawn, so we won’t have to wait.”
“Shouldn’t we wait to find out what the firewood actually costs first?” Lauren asked.
“Actually, that’s a good idea,” Yaric agreed after a moment of thought. “We can approach Matthew once we already have some proper numbers. I’d imagine that he goes through tons of firewood every day.”
“Then the blacksmith,” Sven added.
“So, just to be clear… tomorrow we should look for firewood and see if wood would explain how food that’s good would cost more than it should and if it could be why the Guild stood with the prices of every baked good in this neighborhood that can’t go into the woods to collect their own wood, and even if they could, why would it cost more for wood that…”
“Yes, Lina! That’s what we’re going to do,” Lauren sighed, watching Li Na take a deep breath after almost going blue in the face.
“Good! That’s what I understood.”
