Heavy work

At dawn, the first rays of sunlight began to timidly penetrate through the cracks in the old boards of the shipyard where Lancer and Raphaello slept. The crisp morning air was still filled with the scent of the surrounding earth and vegetation. The gentle chirping of birds heralded the start of another day in their lives.

  Inside the shipyard, where the boys slept soundly, oblivious to the gradual awakening of the world around them, the silence of the night had given way to a gentle murmur of nature. The wind shook the leaves of the trees, and the animals began to move.

  Under a worn blanket, a middle-aged man appeared at the shipyard to wake Raphaello and Lancer up for another day of work. It was old Cornelius, responsible for storing and guarding the bags of grain that came from the harvest. A man of imposing stature, with a face marked by time and the rigors of work in the field.

  With his steps determined, Cornelius approached the shipyard, clapped three times and gave a brief wave to Raphaello and Dante. He had a serious expression, characteristic of someone who was always attentive to his tasks. 

-It's time to wake up! We have a lot of work ahead of us today

Raphaello stood up, stretching his arms to shake off his drowsiness, and then bent over to do push-ups. Lancer, still drowsy, observed Raphaello's behavior, confused and without understanding the reason for that exercise. 

-What are you doing? It's better to save your energy for carrying the grain bags. Let's get our bread from Miss Adalynne; I'm starving.

After doing some exercises, Raphaello followed Lancer towards the main warehouse house. As they approached, the aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air, heightening their senses and increasing their hunger even more.

Upon arriving at the porch of the house, they were warmly greeted by a Miss Adalynne, a middle-aged woman with black hair and an affectionate smile always on her face. She was the farm's cook and was known for preparing the best breads.

- Raphaello and Lancer, good to see you! Apparently, they handled their first day of work well. I think I underestimated you. I told Cornelius that they couldn't bear to finish the first day carrying those heavy bags.

Upon hearing his words, Raphaello blushed slightly, his shyness being revealed. He scratched the back of his head and replied:

- Well, Miss Adalynne, the work was challenging, but we did our best.

Lancer, looking forward to the fresh bread, couldn't contain his enthusiasm at the idea of indulging in those breads. He muttered with a somewhat embarrassed smile:

- Yeah, bread is a nice reward for hard work, isn't it?

Adalynne laughed softly and served them both fresh bread.

- You deserve it, boys. Eat to your heart's content. It's always good to see young workers here. 

As he ate the bread, Raphaello watched the other men who also worked for Cornelius, carrying sacks of grain. Even though everyone worked in the same place, there was competition. Payment was made by bags of grain taken to the warehouse, and each of them had their own way of carrying the bags. Some used force magic, while others resorted to devices like wheelbarrows. However, what made Raphaello intrigued was this strength magic. 

- This spell he just cast seems to be a buff, but how does such a good spell fall into the hands of ordinary workers?

Raphaello couldn't help but ask about the buff magic he had witnessed, but he didn't expect a quick answer from Miss Adalynne without hesitation.

-Oh, that? This is the weakest strength buff in the scroll shop. It is considered a D rank spell. It is only valid for 1 minute and consumes a lot of mana. If you're talking about Josef, he can use it 3 times a day, but his brother Guph can use it 8 times a day. He is our best charger.

Adalynne's answer cleared Raphaello's mind, but raised two other questions about mana and magic development. However, before he could ask these questions, Cornelius arrived to charge both him and Lancer and asked them to get to work.

- Let's get to work, today I want to close the warehouse before night falls.

Cornelius's murmur left Raphaello frustrated, as he didn't know if he would have another opportunity to learn more about this world, as he would have to work to eat the next day. However, Lancer cheered him up after Cornelius' speech.

- Raphaello, did you see what he said? He plans to close by late afternoon. Today, we won't need to work until bedtime. We can take the opportunity to get to know the village better. 

Faced with a whirlwind of thoughts, Raphaello finally made an important connection. He hadn't fully absorbed Cornelius's words. Perhaps it would be an opportunity to explore magic and even learn more about the village's financial system. 

...

After a long day of work on the farm, Raphaello and Lancer finally finished carrying the heavy bags of grain. Their faces were sweaty, but there was a feeling of satisfaction in their eyes. They had successfully accomplished the day's task. 

- Here is today's payment

Thirty copper coins. Just like the day before, Raphaello and Lancer had each taken two hundred bags of grain together. Each bag of grain weighed approximately 110.23 pounds, and they carried these bags fifty yards to the warehouse. 

Raphaello and Lancer thanked Cornelius and took the coins. With the money received today, each of them now had 60 copper coins in their hands. With a farewell wave, they headed towards the village center to explore new opportunities.

As they approached the heart of the community, the streets began to fill with life. People walked back and forth, greeting each other with friendly smiles. The sound of passing carts and lively conversations filled the air.

To the left, a magic shop displayed magical artifacts and scrolls, attracting the attention of curious onlookers. To the right, a forge produced sparks as a skilled blacksmith worked on his creations. Merchants advertised their wares, and the aromas of delicious food wafted from a nearby stall. 

Raphaello and Lancer looked around, enchanted by the diversity of the village and the different opportunities that presented themselves. The coins in Raphaello's pocket didn't bring him much enthusiasm; his reason for being there was more to acquire information.

Raphaello whispered to Lancer as they watched the forge and the skilled blacksmith, both dressed modestly like farm servants:

- Lancer, look at how we're dressed. We look like ordinary servants, and the blacksmith will probably not pay attention to us, thinking that we have no money to buy. We need a strategy to get his attention.

Raphaello, following the plan he and Lancer had devised, approached the blacksmith's workbench with measured steps. His eyes fixed on a wonderfully wrought sword that rested there, a masterpiece of skill and artistry. He knew this was the perfect opportunity to get the blacksmith's attention. 

With a carefully chosen tone of voice so the blacksmith could hear, Raphaello said to Lancer: 

- Lancer, look at this sword. It's really impressive. I have heard that our boss is looking for an exceptional quality sword like this for a special job 

The blacksmith, who was focused on his task, couldn't help but overhear their conversation. He stopped for a moment, raised his head, and cast a curious glance toward Raphaello and Lancer. It was evident that the mention of their boss's interest caught his attention. 

- Is your boss looking for a sword like this? Well, you've come to the right place. This one is one of my best creations. Tell your boss I'll be happy to discuss the details with him if he's interested. 

Raphaello exchanged a satisfied look with Lancer, knowing that his strategy had worked. Now, they had the blacksmith's attention.