Chapter 8: A Prodigious Return

Mordain sat at the table, chopping up vegetables for the supper. A bright red starchy type of vegetable called a tablar is being diced into cubes to add to a stew.

With their combined salaries, they could add meat to their stew, truly a luxury.

But stew is still stew, it is what they can afford. Mordain can't help but still be amazed at these knives, weeks of being used and their edge has not worn, truly a creation of magic from his dear friend.

It was hard without him here. Not knowing when he'd be back. Mordain missed practicing the English with him. He felt he'd gotten good at it too. When he thought about it, Mathias was the best friend he'd ever made. He never asked for anything, except information. He also shared back information from his world. What an extraordinary place it must be.

Structures that dwarf ours, metal horse carriages without animals pulling it?

Hahaha. He still didn't believe that one. But the way he described everything and how it worked, it just might be possible. Mordain was still curious about Mathias's unusual magic.

He had even gone to the city's library and found nothing in the records matching his powers. Creating from nothing. Amazing. Even water mages must take the water from humidity or create it using their magic reserves.

Mathias never even appeared to be weakened or tired but using his abilities. I must protect him until he gets a grasp on his powers. He's a kind soul, our world could really use him.

A loud thud at the door shook Mordain from his work and got up. An excited Krajek rushed into the room, rambling about an experiment and how it worked and what it meant. Mordain was happy for him but it was all so risky.

Trying to send his body into the dimension where his magic allowed him to take nothing and create something? He tried to warn him that it was too great a risk, he would really miss his friend if he left, even more so if he died. But Mathias was adamant, he did not enjoy being in this world and Mordain did not disagree after hearing about his world.

Mordain sat and watched as Mathias focused and calmed himself. Suddenly, something strange happened.

In a single blink of an eye, Mathias was no longer sitting down but was standing and wearing new clothes.

Puzzled, Mordain asked him what he did. Mathias was equally as puzzled, asking him why he had stood waiting there for all this time. Mordain reassured him that he had not actually left but simply...transformed?

But Mathias assured him to the contrary. He had actually left, went to his world and came back, it had also been near 2 weeks since. Mathias now had a new air of confidence about him.

Asking him why he had come back, he simply answered that he only did so accidentally but that he was prepared now.

"Things are going to change Mordain. I won't let this world push me around anymore."

"Well, since you are back. What do you plan to do?" Mordain replied, crossing his arms.

"We're going to the capital and I'm getting information on magic. I need to know why this happend to me."

"Before we can go though, I need to sell a few things at the market tomorrow first."

Taking off the bag on his shoulders, Krajek opens it and pulls out two sheathed swords, handing one to Mordain.

"We'll sell one and the other is for you. That knife won't do anymore."

Pulling it out of the sheath, the sword's edges glimmer in the light from the candles lighting the room. Testing the grip and lifting it up, the weight is evenly distributed and is not too heavy.

" Its exceptional! I can't accept this, you should use it instead."

Krajek chuckles and motions for Mordain to keep it.

"I have my own weapon, it's a bit different than what you use here."

Krajek took out from the bag a small black metal shape.

"If you insist then. It's hard to give an exact estimate but I could see someone paying hundred gold coins for a blade this exquisite."

Krajek stared in shock and awe at the ludicrous price Mordain appraised the sword at.

"Wow really? I bought this for 400 dollars."

"I've no idea what a dollar is...from your expression though it seems like a small amount."

"Well, compared to hundreds of gold pieces, it is yeah. Wow. I could really make a lot of money by trading."

The Next Morning

Krajek and Mordain head to market at first light, skipping breakfast.

Finding the smith's stall, the one they had sold the knife to almost a month ago, they approach to the sound of a hammer beating red hot metal.

Hearing us come intro his work area, the smith turned around and adressed us.

"Hey what can I get you? Wait, I know you guys right?"

I replied.

"Yeah, we sold you that knife some time ago. We've got something else this time"

Krajek takes the sheated sword out of the bag and hands it to him.

"Hmmm, yes, on again, some exceptional craftsmanship. I could sell this to Lord Sera himself and not feel shame! Problem is, I wouldn't have enough on me to buy it off you."

Krajek's face deflated, thinking the deal had gone sour. But the smith added

"However, I will act as an intermediary to sell it. Ill take 20% of what Lord Sera ends up paying."

"Ech... That's pricey, but let's do it. Don't forget, the more you manage to sell it for, the more your commission will be."

Mordain and Krajek left, leaving the sword in the smith's care. Glancing back, Krajek could see the smith trying to analyze it and figure how it was made.

" Perhaps it'd be better to sell smaller things. What can I turn a profit on though... "

Walking the stalls and looking at the wares, Krajek was trying to make up his mind on what to bring over.

"Hey Mordain, what do people need most here?"

"That's a very vague question... Some need food, others armor or weapons, some want jewelry. It really depends on each person. It's not like you could open up a store and say you're selling everything."

Ding. The lightbulb brightly shone in Krajek's mind.

" But I can! I can fetch anything, within reason. Foods people have never seen, machines that would seem like magic and all kinds of things. "

Krajek then continued after calming down from his excitement.

" So how do we go about opening a store? We just need to get enough so we can go to the capital without problems. I'd like to have a bit extra too, just in case. "

" Well, you would need to head over to the Merchant association headquarters and buy a charter. "

Looking in our pockets, there's some 5 silver and 32 copper coins.

" That should do. A small charter perhaps. Let us go. "

On the way to the headquarters, Krajek's mind is racing. Trying to calculate what would be profitable in this world. Food is pretty cheap, I can buy a 50 pound bag of potatoes for like 12$, but what can I sell it for here? One silver? One silver coin, melted, in my world is worth like 5$ max. If it's pure silver.

What about iron? They lack good iron, I know where I can get plenty. It's all mostly cut in the proper size as well... Yeah, that could work. I'm sure some tech stuff would work with the nobles also. I'll try and make a deal with that smith and get feedback from my store.

A large brick and wood building stood in front of them. A sign hung above the door, painted in green was 'Merchant Association'. Trying the door and seeing its not locked, Krajek opens it and steps inside.

A rather simple decor, some floral decorations here and there, with a few clerks writing down orders or something of that nature at desks spread throughout the floor.

A small man, dressed quite well for this era, approaches the pair. Eyeing them up and down, not recognizing them, he speaks quite rudely.

"May I inquire what your business here is?"

"Yes, hello. I'd like to start an enterprise and I've been told I'll need a charter."

Krajek's polished tone seemed to have soothed the man and he perks up, escorting them to a clerk's desk.

The clerk proceeds to mention to them all the rules and laws they'll need to abide by. The clerks shows them a list of charters and their requirements.

City Charter. Can operate only in one city, must be registered to that city. 4 silver pieces. Good for one year.

Traveling Charter. Good for any one city. 10 silver pieces. Good for one year.

National Charter. Good for every city in one country. 20 silver pieces. Good for one year.

Grandmaster Charter. Unlimited trade. 2 gold pieces. No expiry.

They also learn about exchange rates. Copper, the lowest denomination, can be traded for silver pieces at a 20:1 ratio. Silver can be exchanged at a 100:1 for gold pieces. Palladium coins, only used by the richest, exchange at a rate of 100:1 from gold coins. Part of the reason for their price being they must be created by a mage using enchanting.

They settle on the City Charter and ask about renting a store front. The clerk tells them it's around 18 silver a month for something average looking.

If they're looking to buy, between 1-2 gold coins.

They decline for now, wanting to wait for payment from the sword first.

"Listen Krajek. I know how to fight but trading, I haven't a clue."

"It's alright Mordain. I'll do that, you just make sure no one robs us or tries to swindle me."

They head over back to the smith who rushes over to them first.

"Hey! So I looked and really, the only difference I could see was in the base material. Your grandmaster blacksmith isn't much more talented than I am, he's only working with better iron!"

"Yes. I had an idea though. If I could sell to you the same iron, could you also make swords of that quality? Also, what happend with our sword!?"

The smith's eyes lit up excitedly.

"I could make my best work yet! How much for the iron?"

"Oh, and don't you worry. I went to Lord Sera's estate after you left and got his Stewart agree to see us tomorrow. The sword is in my shop."

I looked over at Mordain, trying to see if he had any tips about price. He shook his head negatively.

"Well, how much do you think you'll be making per sword?"

I asked inquisitively.

The smith rubbed his beard, doing some mental calculations.

"If all goes well and your material is as good as the sword's, I think I could get between 20-40 silver pieces each."

I whistled internally. Just at the rate of silver per ounce, I was looking at something close to 5 $ per silver coin if I simply melted them. With iron being 7$ per 100 pounds, this would be a literal gold mine. Krajek tried to compose himself before speaking back to the merchant.

"That's a pretty big gap. I should be able to provide it to you for 10 silver pieces each."

Krajek knew he fucked up when he saw the gleam in the smith's head and his hand instantly outstretched to shake his. The smith had definitely low-balled him and he hadn't seen it coming. The smith was confident he could match the sword's quality, which was looking to be more in the hundreds of silver range now. There was still plenty of profits to be made though when looking at 20 swords, minimum and accounting for possible failures as well as loss of material, per batch of 100 pound of steel. That was still 200 silver pieces, close to 1000$ for an 8 $ investment. And he knew exactly where to get the steel.

"I'll start shipping tomorrow. I'll get you enough for 20 swords and we'll see how it works from there."

That night, Krajek sent himself back and slept at home, in his own bed. He was finally starting to get a proper hold on his powers. He had made notes, to see exactly what were his limitations and what he was capable of. In the span of a day, he could come and go 4 times before he was too mentally exhausted to keep sending himself back. There didn't seem to be a limit to how many times he could pull and store objects within though, perhaps there was but he hadn't reached it yet.

Oddly enough also, time stopped in the world he left and only resumed when he came back. He couldn't move buildings, he had tried sending his neighbor's house over but to no avail. He would have to try vehicles eventually but perhaps not his car.

Amethas didn't have suitable roads for it, a Jeep was a possible alternative though. He'd have to buy used, even though he'd likely start to become very rich soon. He could perhaps create a shell company, trade between the two worlds and become rich from it.

An endless stream of possibilities were open to him now, maybe it wasn't so bad he thought, to have these powers and have went through that ordeal.