Buying a House in the Middle Ages
Half an hour later, Wayne sent Keinster to the Fox Tavern, where he would temporarily recuperate. He washed off the blood on his body, changed into clean clothes, and rode to the city hall in the center of the city.
The reason for his visit to the city hall was Wayne's decision to settle temporarily in Vizima City. After careful consideration, he planned to buy a property as a fixed base for his daily activities. This decision was influenced by the benefits provided by the system. The system, in addition to completing tasks and advancing Wayne's witcher level, offered a significant advantage of blessing in various skills. For the improvement of these skills, a stable environment was essential.
Wayne had gained insight into this during his month-long journey with Geralt. Most of the time had been spent on the road, lacking the efficiency for skill improvement that he experienced at Kaer Morhen.
Apart from skill improvement, Vizima was currently undergoing significant development, with land prices being relatively low. Over the next two decades, the city was expected to thrive, offering ample opportunities for land appreciation. Wayne had extra funds available for investment, making it an opportune time to secure property in Vizima and reap rich returns in the future.
Moreover, Vizima City boasts a variety of talents, offering a favorable environment for Wayne to learn, enhance various skills, and increase his own strength. As a modern-minded witcher, he aspires to become a respected, affluent, and powerful figure in the future. Unlike companions like Geralt, who have been around for dozens or hundreds of years and still struggling financially, Wayne sees the upcoming New Vizima as an excellent starting point for achieving his goals.
However, upon approaching the city hall, Wayne's demeanor set him apart from ordinary residents, prompting two guards at the door to stop him.
"Who are you? This is the Vizima City Hall. If you want to enter here, you cannot carry weapons," one of the guards stated.
Complying with their request, Wayne obediently untied the steel sword from his waist, expressing his intention to buy land. The guard with a scar on his face, suspiciously eyeing Wayne's amber cat eyes, questioned their unusual appearance.
"What's the matter with your eyes? Why are they like this?" he inquired.
Considering that he would be residing in Vizima for an extended period and had nothing to hide, Wayne explained, "Don't worry, gentlemen. I am a witcher, responsible for helping others deal with various monsters. However, this time, I came to the city hall not to find a commission but to do business."
Hearing Wayne claim to be a witcher, the scar-faced guard hesitated briefly before a look of disgust crossed his face, seemingly recalling something unpleasant.
However, the city hall did not have a regulation prohibiting the entry of witchers, especially as the mayor was currently grappling with the challenge of raising funds. One of the guards turned to his companion, spat on the ground uneasily, and addressed Wayne:
"I know you mutants. I heard that you are all thieves and human traffickers who specialize in stealing children and transforming them into monsters like you. I'll keep an eye on you, witcher. If you dare to cause trouble here, just wait for the gallows."
Despite the deep-rooted disdain expressed towards witchers, Wayne felt annoyed but chose not to engage in an argument. Calmly, he handed over his weapon and reassured the guards, "Don't worry, two guardsmen, I am a law-abiding citizen. Now I even want to contribute to New Vizima. Your mayor must like me more than you."
After dealing with the guards' hostility, Wayne sighed inwardly. He understood that the negative reputation of witchers was partly due to the diminishing number of monsters in the world.
Wayne's stay in Vizima had another purpose – to help King Foltest lift his daughter's curse and gain the king's friendship. This, he believed, would contribute to changing people's prejudices against witchers in the country. Given King Foltest's unique situation and controversial reputation, Wayne saw an opportunity to bridge understanding.
Entering the city hall, Wayne was greeted by a well-mannered middle-aged man. Though the man expressed surprise upon sizing up Wayne, he maintained politeness.
"Sir, may I inquire if you came to the city hall for any particular matter?" The polite inquiry was met with Wayne's equally courteous smile. Despite his witcher attire, excluding the distinctive cat pupils and elf-like ears, Wayne's appearance was quite ordinary and even handsome.
"I heard that the city hall has land for sale. I came here to buy the land," Wayne straightforwardly stated his purpose. The middle-aged man's enthusiasm grew upon hearing this, and he extended his left hand to Wayne with a smile.
"Sir, I am the administrative officer in charge of selling land, Peter Cross. Can you tell me your name?" Wayne reciprocated the handshake and replied, "You're welcome, Peter. Just call me Wayne."
After the introductions, Peter, the administrative officer, led Wayne into a room and provided him with a manual containing various price tags. In the center of the room, a large map resembling a sand table displayed the different areas of New Vizima City, each marked with numbers and lines.
Peter pointed to the map and explained, " Wayne, this is a simple map of New Vizima City. We have marked different prices for various regions. You can choose to buy land in these areas, and the larger the purchase, the better the price. Of course, this is just a preliminary intention. Once you have a general choice, we will send someone to accompany you for field inspections and adjust the details accordingly."
Peter continued his detailed introduction, maintaining a professional smile throughout the process.
"I must say, Wayne, you've timed your visit impeccably. Our mayor, Virelad, has decided to offer discounts on current land to expedite the construction of the new city. If you make a purchase now, you'll benefit from these discounts," Peter, the administrative officer, presented the offer with enthusiasm. As Wayne listened to the spiel, it felt akin to entering a real estate agency and being pitched by a salesman.
As he flipped through the manual, Wayne was surprised to find that the second half contained information on completed houses available for direct sale. Compared to the hassle of acquiring land, coordinating workers, purchasing materials, and overseeing construction, the prospect of purchasing a ready-made home appealed to him. Given that he frequently returned to Kaer Morhen Castle and embarked on missions in other countries, the house served more as a stronghold than a permanent residence.
Noticing Wayne's interest in the finished houses, Administrative Officer Peter became even more excited. Finished houses, being more expensive than bare land, promised greater profits, impacting their performance in the city's development and influencing salaries and future promotions.
Recognizing Wayne as a potentially significant client, Peter eagerly picked up a similar manual and meticulously compared it with the large map in the room, providing detailed explanations of each available finished house. The prospect of Wayne's potential purchase seemed promising for Peter's commissions and overall success in the new city's development.