Arcane Innovator

The harvest season was coming to an end, and as the leaves started to fall, signaling the coming of autumn, it was finally time for us to journey to the city's big market.

It was a long and arduous half-day walk from our village, and we had to wake up early to make it in time. It was the only opportunity for us to acquire the scarce resources that we needed for the winter months.

We would be staying with my uncle's family in the city for the night before heading back home. I've never met my uncle, so I'm both nervous and excited.

Our cart was loaded with goods to sell, but it was only half full since we will mostly be buying things that are hard to come by in the village, like cloth and dried meat.

I also brought along my prized possessions: two rabbit hides from my hunting expeditions in the forest. My father promised to help me sell them, and I couldn't wait to make my first sum of money!

The journey to the city was not an easy feat. The road was long and treacherous, winding its way through dense, dark forests that loomed on either side.

After a very long time of walking, which I spent sitting on the cart since my stamina was still too low to walk all the way on my own, I could finally see the city in the distance, and my heart raced with anticipation.

High stone walls surrounded a huge portion of the horizon, making the city seem like a fortress.

Which was kind of true. The city was named Ereneth and was originally just a border fortress protecting the kingdom from the beasts' attacks. It then slowly, with time, turned into the sprawling city it is today, as I learned from my father during our journey.

When we came close, we could see the queue of people ahead of us waiting to enter the city gates.

When it was our turn, we came up to a pair of guards, and they checked our cart and asked us a few questions. After a brief inspection, we were allowed entry.

Since we were coming to the market, we were exempt from the entrance fee. But it was an exception only for markets and important occasions. That was also the reason we never came here any other time of the year.

As we passed through the gates, my heart pounded with excitement. The smells and sounds of the city filled my senses, and I was eager to explore every nook and cranny.

Multitudes of shops and stalls flanked the main street, and the city was full of people. The air was crisp, and the smell of roasting meats and freshly baked bread wafted through the stalls.

As we made our way deeper inside, my eyes widened at the sights that greeted me.

The market square was a cacophony of sounds and smells, with people haggling over goods, the sweet scent of pastries wafting through the air, and the bleating of goats and sheep mixed in.

I walked with my father, taking it all in as we made our way through the crowd. The sights were overwhelming: colorful stalls displaying everything from shiny trinkets to woven fabrics to fresh fruits and vegetables.

We stopped next to one of the stalls, and Konrad started to offload our cargo while Father was haggling about the price with a sly-looking merchant.

I decided to go around to explore more, although I was warned not to go too far.

When I turned a corner, a large, imposing building caught my eye. The exterior was made of dark, weathered stone, and the door was heavy and made of iron.

Above the door, a banner fluttered in the wind, bearing the image of a snarling wolf—the Beast Hunter Guild.

I stood there, gazing at the building; I could hear the faint sounds of men training within—the clash of swords and the shouts of commands.

I could almost smell the fear and sweat of the hunters as they prepared for their next mission.

As I understand it, it was somehow similar to the famous adventurer's guild from games and books.

This, on the other hand, was a much darker place.

The pay was meager, and the dangers were great. The beast's hunters' sole purpose was to scout the woods and surrounding countryside for any monsters or monster's nests and exterminate them before they could cause harm to the locals.

But since those who ventured into the Woods rarely came back alive, it was a place reserved for the lowest of the low, like orphans, bastards, and former criminals who didn't have anywhere else to turn.

I turned away from the ominous-looking building and continued my way through the bustling streets of the city. One particular shop caught my eye. It was a quaint little storefront, nestled in between the market square and the Beast Hunter's Guild.

The building itself wasn't very big; the walls were made of a pale stone, rough and uneven as if carved from the very earth itself.

The windows were tall and thin, with simple wooden shutters painted vibrant green. A small garden filled with herbs and flowers lay at the front of the shop. It was clear that this was some sort of herbalist shop.

I was immediately intrigued. Although my lessons with the hunter were very useful, he didn't know much about herbs and what uses they could have.

I peered through the window, and I saw shelves lined with jars and bottles filled with various ingredients and elixirs. I could see roots and herbs hanging from the ceiling, drying in the warm sunlight.

'If I could learn which herbs are useful and what they look like, I could then gather them up in the Forest and bring them here next time!' I thought with excitement.

Filled with the prospect of earning more money, I decided to go inside. As I pushed open the door to the shop, the tinkling of a small bell announced my arrival.

As I stepped through the door of the herbalist's store, a warm, earthy scent enveloped me. The aroma was a mix of freshly dried herbs and fragrant oils. The shop was dimly lit, with flickering candles casting dancing shadows across the walls.

The shelves were lined with jars of different shapes and sizes, each filled with dried leaves, flowers, roots, and other plant matter, their labels written in a flowing script that I couldn't read.

Behind the counter stood the middle-aged shopkeeper, a woman with a lined face and hands rough from years of tending to her wares.

Her hair was tied back in a messy bun, and a pair of spectacles rested on her nose. Her brown eyes looked at me with surprise as she greeted me. "Hello, there, young one, what can I do for you?"

"Good afternoon," I replied, taking a moment to glance around at the various jars, vials, and sacks of ingredients that lined the shelves.

"I noticed these herbs are growing around our village. Can you tell me what they are called?" I said while pointing at a particular herb that I was certain I had seen before in the forest.

"Well, aren't you a curious little boy," the shopkeeper remarked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"This is called Umbrifila and is used for medicinal purposes..." The herbalist explained.

"You can make a healing paste out of them and apply it directly to a wound, which helps heal minor injuries. They are also used as an ingredient in healing potions."

"But these require specific conditions to grow and are mostly found in the woods. So how come they grow in your village? Where are you from?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'm from one of the frontier villages, I came here with my father to the market," I told her

"I see... You live close to the Wild Lands then, don't you? No wonder then," she replied, understanding dawning in her eyes.

"I was wondering if I brought them to you, would you buy them?" I asked, hopeful.

"Well, Umbrifila is always in high demand, so I'm in constant need of them. But they need to be picked properly and then preserved so they keep their quality," she explained.

"Can you show me how to do that?" I inquired, eager to learn.

"What is your name?" the shopkeeper asked.

"My name is Darian," I replied.

"Hmm, I suppose I could, Darian. Come with me," she said amusingly, leading me toward the back of the shop.

There, I saw rows and rows of herbs hanging from the ceiling, each one labeled with a neat script.

The shopkeeper then showed me how to pick the herbs properly, emphasizing the importance of harvesting them with the roots intact.

She also taught me how to quickly dry them in a specific way so that they keep their properties.

"High-quality herbs are valuable, but most of the stock I can buy from the market has poor quality since the hunters usually gather them in a hurry. So if you could bring me high-quality herbs, I would pay you handsomely," She said.

"Thank you, madam, for showing me all this," I said, feeling grateful for the knowledge I had gained.

"You can call me Isadora, young one. I like your enthusiasm. You often don't see that, so I'm looking forward to what you bring me," she replied, her eyes twinkling with approval.

Leaving the shop, I breathed in the cool, crisp air, still tingling with the excitement of my new knowledge.

I then went back to the market. My father was already looking for me since he had already finished purchasing our supplies, so I quickly ran up to him.

We made our way to my uncle's house, where we would be spending the night.

As we walked, my father turned to me with a slight smile on his lips and pressed four small coins into my palm. "I managed to sell your hides," he said. "Here is your money."

My heart raced as I gazed in wonder at the small coins. 'My first money!' I thought, thrilled at the prospect of finally being able to buy things for myself.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Konrad casting a jealous glance my way. I ignored him, thinking to myself that it was his fault for not going hunting like I had.

I turned to my father, eagerly asking how much they were worth, and he explained to me the intricacies of local currency as we walked.

In this world, the currency system is based on the concept of "weight and worth." The value of each coin is determined by both its own weight and its worth, with larger coins being worth more than smaller coins of the same metal.

There are two types of coins: smaller pennies and larger marks. The cheapest and also what most people use is made of copper; then there are also coins made of silver; and the most valuable is made of gold, but most people go all their lives without seeing one.

The mark is worth ten pennies, and one loaf of bread is worth around two copper pennies. I got four, so that means I can buy two loaves of bread. I'm rich! or not...

Soon, we turned into a smaller alley and found ourselves in front of a two-story building that served as both a shop and a house. We knocked on the door, and my aunt Ingrid welcomed us inside.

In front of me was my uncle Leif's family. He was the older brother and worked as a carpenter in the city, inheriting the family shop in the process. Ingrid, my aunt, was a pretty woman with a warm smile, and they had two daughters, Kari and Ylva, who were both around ten years old.

The aroma of roasted meat and freshly baked bread filled the air as we settled for dinner. Platters of food were laid out before us.

The main course was a rich, savory soup made with tender meat and sweet root vegetables that looked like carrots. The broth was thick and hearty, and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. I savored every spoonful, letting the flavors dance on the top of my tongue.

As we ate, we told stories of our travels. My father then began speaking about what was apparently the main reason he was here.

He turned to my uncle and said, "Leif, I was hoping you would consider taking Konrad on as your apprentice."

Both I and Konrad looked surprised at him.

Leif rubbed his chin thoughtfully, considering the request. "I have no son of my own," he said after a moment. "For my business to stay in the family, Konrad would have to marry one of my daughters."

My eyes widened at the suggestion, and I looked over at Konrad, who was already throwing shy glances at Kari and Ylva.

My father slammed his fist on the table. "It's settled then!" he exclaimed. "I would also like for the business to stay in the family."

It was then decided that Konrad would marry his cousin Kari, and they would be betrothed in the spring after he starts his apprenticeship and marry when they reach adulthood.

As they toasted to the new arrangement, I congratulated Konrad, and the adults would then proceed to celebrate with drinks while we children were playing in the corner.

The next morning, we set off for our journey back to the village. The ride was long and uneventful, and my mind kept drifting to the thought of what my own future held.