Chapter 9 - To Burn Or Build

"I assume that these are the servants you bought," Kaylessa said to the returning group.

She took a quick glance over at the 2 collared people. Before saying, "any particular reason you bought a female one, as pretty as she is?"

"Now now Kay." Miadithis placated. "She has a very useful ability. Especially useful for someone like you and Calais who are starting a restaurant."

"Yea Mother. She can conjure any food she's eaten before at the cost of mana."

"Hmm, I guess we will see how it goes then. I am Kaylessa Ithai, a pleasure to meet you 2. I hope that we can live and work together in harmony. Do know that you will be treated well, and if one of the members treats either of you poorly you may come to me. I will rectify this behavior as soon as it comes to my attention."

Paula nodded and Antone said "Yes madam."

With introductions out of the way, the family and new servants entered the house. Having a single spare room. Calais's parents decided to double up Genghis and Calais in a room together on the 2nd floor of their home. While putting Paula and Anton In their old rooms.

Miadithis gave them a small tour of the home as well as gave them a rundown of what was expected of them.

While this was happening Kaylessa pulled Calais aside.

"Do you know which active you want to take first?"

"Yes, I'm going to take Paula's. Anton's can be very useful in the future for infiltration, hiding, and maybe even combat. But I'm in no need of any of those right now. In comparison, Paula's will allow me to conjure food. I don't know if I will be able to conjure foods from my past life. But even without that possibility. The active is useful for showing my food ideas and recipes for the restaurant. Also a great money saver!"

"HA this is true I guess. I will say though you're turning into quite the stickler regarding money. Nevertheless, I will go get her, we can finally see the base cost of mana for your active." Kaylessa said as she turned and exited.

Status!

Calais Ithai

Human

Male

Age: 5 Years

Level: 10 (16,700/51,200)

Health: (100/100)

Mana: (140/140)

Stamina: (10/10)

Vitality: 10

Endurance: 10

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 10

Senses: 9

Mind: 13

Clarity: 12

Magic: 14

Charisma: 12

Luck: 0

Free Stat Points: 10

Skills:

Tier 1: Swimming (LV10) Meditation (LV10) ) Time Sense (LV10) Listening (10) Mathematics (LV10) Reading (LV10) English (LV10) Economics (LV10) Spanish (LV10) French (LV10) Russian (LV10) Italian (LV10) Japanese (LV10) Arabic (LV10) Mandarin (LV10) Composition (LV10) Sense Mana (LV10) Acting (LV10) Breath Control (LV10) Atillin (LV10) Humming (LV10) Ambidextrous (LV10) Hiding (LV10) Balance (LV10) Sneaking (LV10) Reading (LV10) Crawling (LV10) Lie (LV10) Flute (LV10) Writing (LV10) Map Making (LV10) Poise (LV10) Singing (LV10) Dancing (LV10) Cleaning (LV10) Fiddle (LV10) Harp (LV10) Viola (LV10) Guitar (LV10) Bagpipes (LV10) Climbing (LV10) Trading (LV10) Wrestling (LV10) Learning (LV10) Jumping (LV10) Athleticism (LV10) Pugilist Skills (LV10) Running (LV10) Swords (LV10) Knives (LV10) Spears (LV10) Staffs (LV10) Aim (LV10) Throw (LV10) Athleticism (LV10) Quiet Step (LV10) Tracking (LV10) Dodging (LV10) Cooking (LV10)

Tier 2: Eavesdropping (LV10) Linguistics (LV10) Converse (LV10) Cartography (LV10) Calligraphy (LV10) Sprint (LV10) Quick Reflexes (LV10) Pain Resistance (LV10) Poison Resistance (LV10) Stealth (LV10)

Tier 3: Detect Lie/Truth (LV10) Night Vision (LV10)

Tier 4: Eidetic Memory (LV6) Polyglot (LV1)

Active Abilities: [What's Yours Is Mine, What's Mine Is Yours]

It had been 5 years since Calais was born. He had been grinding almost the whole time since and he was still not maxed level 10. Calais had learned all the musical instruments in his home and even composed a few songs from Earth. He also trained with his Mother and brother a lot.

But the most important thing he had done was help his father's business by creating new items. And pitched the idea of a restaurant to his Mother.

Calais tried to pitch the idea of the printing press to his Father. But as it turns out this world already had its own version of it. So he gave him one of the best money makers of all time instead. And one that would make selling said money maker easier. Alcohol and faster ships.

Calais had never extensively studied ships or how to build them. His drawing skill was 10, so he could still draw a decent blueprint. But how was he to recall something he had never known?

Thanks to his memory skill he was able to identify the ships in the port. He knew that they were caravels with a few longships. This lead to him deciding to draft out what he knew about clipper ships.

He drew the famous 'flying cloud' clipper ship. Putting labels and every detail down the most refined lines. Then wrote a description of what he knew about it and gave it to his Father to try and build.

Miadithis had taken it to one of his employe and shipwright. The shipwright was intrigued by the concept. After putting some thought into it and the promise of an increase in pay should he succeed. He began working on the first ship with gusto. He and his small crew had been working on the ship for 4 years now and was nearing completion.

As for the alcohol Calais introduce to Miadithis. It was whisky, which he knew extensively about. There was no bourbon, vodka, or scotch in this world. Something Calais planned to capitalize on. But first, he needed to secure the crops to make it.

Corn is a popular crop in Atillo. It is grown mostly in villages surrounding cities along with wheat and potatoes. This made making a long-term deal with a group of farmers for their corn easy.

Miadithis set up a factory on the outside edges of Gundahar. Where several employees would start the fermentation and put it through a still. The stills were very pricy to make, they needed heating runes which run on mana to heat up the mash. This caused Miadithis to only be able to make 3, which limited production speed greatly.

Next came the condensers. Which basically converts the vapor from the stills into liquid form. Then said liquid gets poured back into a new container.

The containers the whisky would age in were oak barrels. Calais informed Miadithis that each barrel needed to age at least 2 years. But it would be better if they waited longer.

Thus the 2 agreed upon a combination of timings. They would sell 5-year and 10-year-old bourbon only.

This was 4 years ago and the first batch of bourbon would be ready next year.

A few months ago Miadithis was worrying about funds. Over the past years, he had been investing heavily and used most of the gold he had saved.

So Calais pitched the idea of a restaurant. With new foods that he guaranteed would be loved and thus profitable. Buying in on the new source of income. Miadithis set Calais and Kaylessa in charge of the restaurant. While he secured the necessary things for it.

These are just the business ventures of the family. For Calais and Genghis's training, they continued with their Mother's overall training. While every now and then Miadithis would try and get them trading skills and experience.

The main sources of experience are skills, trading deals, and killing. Experience from skills is self-explanatory while killing is also. But Trading was new to Calais. As it turns out each trade a person makes grants experience. The amount varies from the quality of goods to who benefits gained. But each deal gives experience. Repeat ones have a cooldown of sorts where they give diminishing returns.

This allowed Miadithis to boost his children slightly. Instead of making a repeat deal at his trading company. He had Genghis and Calais come to do a few. They only got a small amount of experience because the deal was not negotiated by them. But experience is experience and Genghis finally hit max level 10 a few months ago. He sacrificed his Flute (LV10) skill. Then prestiged his Swords (LV10) skill unlocking further leveling.

"Calais," Kaylessa said. Snapping him back to the present.

"Ready honey?"

"Yes, Mother."

Kaylessa then beckoned Paula to come in.

"Now Paula," Kaylessa said. "I'm sure you have figured it out but we didn't just buy 2 slaves for help around the house. Although it is welcomed, what we bought you for is much more serious."

Paula stiffened at Kaylessa's serious tone.

"Now before I go any further. I would like to know more about you. Would you mind telling me about your life?"

"I don't see an issue. I grew up in the Kingdom of Alar on the Northwestern peninsula of Sinow. I never knew my parents and lived in an orphanage in the capital city of Agnar. The capital of Alar was full of all sorts of people. But as it turns out not many of them were generous. Life growing up in the orphanage was hard." Paula paused as tears were starting to well up in her eyes.

This caused Calais to throw a quick glance of understanding at his Mother. She appeared to be comforting Paula while touching her arm reassuringly. But Calais knew different.

"There often wasn't enough food for all of us. The only reason I grew up fine was because of luck. I had my mana unlocked and my active could conjure food." Paula said tears falling now.

"I grew up and made a life for myself. I always appreciated food and eventually got a job as a chef. I worked as a chef for a while in a handful of restaurants before deciding to travel. I wanted to eat new food and experience new things. I traveled to the free city of Tith, Fornegiora, Kasimir, Samir, and Frede. Even the beautiful island city of Aquila."

"This all took 10 years and I started when I was 16. So being 26 I wanted to take everything I knew and my active, and give making a restaurant of my own a chance."

"And it worked!" Paula exclaimed showing a full grin. "I was successful and my restaurant became very popular in Agnar. But with this came problems."

"My success caused many of the restaurants in the city to lose money. This made them resent me and they banded together to smear my restaurant and me. They hired thugs and spread rumors it was a tough time. But still, my few loyal employees stayed and my restaurant remained." Paula said while her eyes flashed as she relived the memories.

"The harassment didn't stop though. They realized people still wanted to eat at my restaurant. Even with everything they were doing. So they figured that if they could make the same foods I was selling they could regain their business."

"But the foods I was selling were from all over. I had eaten many foods and figured out their recipes, even improving on them due to my active. So their efforts only wasted time and money furthering their rage towards me."

"They ended up using their connections to one of the royal family members. Arno The 3rd Prince sent a messenger seeking to acquire one of my recipes. Naturally, it is hard to turn down a prince. So I stalled for a few weeks before he grew impatient. He sent another messenger this time with armed guards and demanded the recipe. But it just so happened Clint the 2nd Prince was eating at my restaurant. He stopped them from forcing my recipes out of me and promised to help me. Clint made the bad rumors go away and even spread that they were all false." Paula said with a small smile.

"He would come almost every day and eat at my restaurant. Then one day he asked if I could cook him a meal in the palace. Naturally, I was skeptical at first but he promised high to pay so I acquiesced. I made him my pasta carbonara, and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a dark room with a man in front of me. He interrogated me and used what I assume was his active to make me talk. His active made me tell all I knew about what he asked and he got all my recipes then I was sold to slavery." Paula said with a clenched fist and grinding her teeth.

"The 2nd Prince never wanted to help me. I was tossed away just like always. Now I'm here. So that is my story, what it is it you ask of me?"

"Paula. I promise as the controller of your command bead. I will treat you well and you will have a part in this family. But this will take trust being built up and that takes time." Kaylessa said.

Paula nodded with a bit of hope in her eyes.

"So as the first bridge of trust I ask you to make a request. A request that will help you live with us more comfortably."

"Hmm, I do not wish to be a servant. I heard Miadithis talking with Calais about your restaurant opening soon. I want to be a cook there. I love cooking and it will make my situation much more bearable."

"I will allow it, now what do you think about your active ability?" Inquired Kaylessa.

"I love it. It save my life, made my life. It is perfect for me and I could never ask for anything more."

Calais glanced at his Mother upon hearing this. I wonder how she is going to get around this. Honestly, I don't even know if I want to take her active anymore. I would be downright cold-hearted. But it's either her or Anton and her active suits my need more currently. Hmm, but it might be breaking her trust. But she is a slave and can't say no. Ahhh that's bad thinking... but to miss a good opportunity because I'm being a soft, maaaannn. Calais sighed.

To do or to not. To burn a bridge before it's made, or to build my own bridge.