3 Decision

(Alright first Fred, the pros of choosing him is that he is probably the most most desperate making him the easiest to convince. Plus he is a very corrupt individual so I don't have to feel bad about tricking him. The cons he is a very public figure so it will be hard to approach him in the first place)

Jack took out a pen and drew a F on one of the napkins and placed it in front of him.

(Next Miss Sharlet, Pros: she is very easy to approach seeing as she doesn't live within the upper or noble districts, instead she lives in the middle district. Cons: she is very mysterious no one knows very much about her, making it very hard for me to convince her. Not to mention she might not be corrupt, and in full honesty magic scares me I'm not sure the church could protect me from her.)

Jack wrote an S on another napkin and placed it below the F.

(Finally Reginald, Pros: he isn't too hard to approach since he is a merchants son he is constantly going to the outer parts of Forgemire. And he it's said that he enjoys a good story making it easier for me to convince him. Cons: From what I know of him he is not a corrupt individual what so ever, and his father is very protective of him, I don't really want to piss off Killsman.)

Jack drew an R on the third napkin and placed to the side of both the F and S. Putting his knuckle onto his chin he stared at the 3 napkins in deep thought. The waiter brought over his soup and placed it on the table breaking Jack out of his thoughts.

"Thanks"

"No problem anything else for you sir?"

"No that will be all"

Jack turned his head back to the table, the soup bowl was right in the middle of the triangle of napkins. Snorting amusedly Jack picked up his spoon returning to his thoughts about the present candidates, as he was deep in thought he felt something within himself. Almost subconsciously he pulled upon that source. As he put is spoon in the spoon he suddenly felt resistance letting go of the spoon it stood up straight, before falling with the handle pointing towards the R.

(Did... did I... did I just do a divination with soup?!?)

Jack stared in bewilderment at his bowl of soup, and then darting his eyes around the café to see if anyone else was looking. After about 10 seconds he grabbed his spoon and stirred the soup, picking it up and placing it back in the soup. If Jack hadn't felt that source within himself he would've thought that he imagined it. Shrugging he ate the soup all the while chuckling to himself.

(Pfft Divination soup, if I ever own a restaurant I'll have to supply this soup and call it such. Alright I have decided to trust Mr. Soup you better not let me down.) Jack warned his soup silently.

(But what was that source? Is that the key to magic, did I just discover magic on my own?)

Picking up one of his copper coins he searched for that source, he struggled for a couple seconds before he found it again. Reaching for it he felt it activate, extending his hand he decided to do a magic trick he saw back on earth closing his palm he put his hand on the table before imagining what he wanted the coin to do.

Nothing happened, frowning he tried again but this time he attempted to extend his source into the coin. Sure enough the coin phased through the table falling onto the floor.

Smirking with excited eyes Jack picked up the coin, still activating his source he started rolling the coin around and in-between his fingers. Before flipping it up in the air and catching it making it disappear. He got up from the table to to see a young child with his jaw agape staring at him with wide eyes.

"Shhh" Jack put up is finger up to his mouth winking at the child before turning around smirking to himself. He noticed that he felt quite tired from draining his source, and decided to pay his bill and exit.

Once he walked out of the café he stopped.

(I have nowhere to stay the night.)

"..."

(I don't know how long it will take to convince Reginald, so I better conserve my money for food and water. I can't just go out spending it all on lodging, if I recall it's about 1 silver per night here in Forge mire)

Frowning Jack walked aimlessly lost in his thoughts, soon the sky turned dark and stars started shining up in the sky. Looking up at the sky Jack muttered to himself.

"The constellations are different, I'm really in a different world... Damn."

A feeling of extreme loneliness flooded through him. Sighing he sat down in a alley putting his arms on his knees and leaning his head back onto the wall he stared endlessly into the surprisingly clear night sky.

'Drop' 'Drop' 'Drop'

Silent tears came down from his eyes.

"...Fuck"

In his quiet loneliness he eventually fell asleep.

The next morning he woke up and checked himself.

"Phew- I still have all my money"

Standing up with a new found conviction in his eyes he started walking towards the middle district. This is where Reginald would most likely be. People from the upper and noble districts very rarely came down the the outer districts. Unless they were going mass, or trying to gain support for their campaigns.

Naturally Reginald was no different but he did frequent the middle district in an attempt to expand the Cast brand into them.

(First I need to figure out how I'm going to convince him to sponsor me.)

Suddenly Jack's eyes lit up in enlightenment.

(That Source! If I can present myself as a mysterious arcane master who wants to support him and just so happens to have goals within the church, Then I might just be able to do it.)

His idea sprouted from his earlier success from pretending to be a scholar, and his newfound source. As a solid plan formulated into his head he became simultaneously excited and cynical.

(How am I going to pull this off? I mean I can't just do some coin tricks to intermediate him. I'm lucky but I highly doubt that Reginald Cast, son of a famous merchant, is afraid of coins.)

As he was lost in his thoughts a woman noticed him and started walking over briskly. Jack noticing her paled before regaining his composure and walking leisurely walking up to her.

"Good morning Celine"

'Sniff'

"I didn't take you as someone who drinks to cope his loses"

"..."

(I don't, but I can't just exactly say 'Oh no I just "borrowed" this from a drunk' that would just be ridiculous) Jack pasquinaded internally.

"I don't, I simply ran into some overly excited drunks at dinner, and with my current situation a could not afford new clothes" He said slyly

"Ah I see, I never thanked you the other day for stopping that man"

"It was nothing ma'am..."

Jack stopped mid sentence thinking of something

"Actually, if don't mind I have some business to take care of today; I could use your help with knowledge of the arcane"

Celine's pupils dilated before going back to normal.

(Does he know... no, no he wouldn't know he is just asking for help from me because I am a scholar of the arcane.) Celine prattled inwardly.

"Of course what can I help you with Mr. Axter?"

"Please just Jack is fine, and you see I am studying the magics used by magicians and rogues. I find it quite fascinating. But I have reached a dead end on ironically the stealth portions of their magic. Do you have any idea on how they pull off some of their stunts?"

(Is he testing me?)

Frowning Celine opened her mouth and nervously spoke.

"Jack don't be silly, of course I wouldn't be able to know how they perform magic only people blessed with aura or mana can perform magic"

(... Why am I an idiot seriously, I nearly just blew my cover again)

Smiling lightly Jack spoke

"Hahaha yes, I'm terribly sorry I just couldn't myself from making a small joke. You see what I actually need is some help in understanding the difference between aura and mana, you see in my pursuit of knowledge I narrowed down on the Zultein empire strictly studying their forms of magic. So my knowledge of the differences is little."

Jack jumped to something interesting that Celine said, Aura or Mana.

(Which one am I using?)

Jack pondered inwardly while also hoping that he didn't say something stupid again.

Celine put her knuckle up to her chin pondering for a few seconds before responding.

"Well.."

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