He arrived at Ravenhold's gate, it wasn't so far from the farmhouse. The first thing he want to visit, is the merchants. At the market district, Rouen enter the 'general shop' building. He talk to someone, presumably the store's staff, and the two of them walk out the building, at the carriage, Rouen unpack his cargo, the store's staff take his note and a pen and start writing.
"This is it all;
One hundred twenty seven boxes of exquisite spices
Fifteen half plate armour
Twenty two swords
Seventeen spears
Sixteen shields
Twenty nine axes
Twelve leather armour
Thirty two helmets
And a handfull of jewelry...
I must say...what a cargo!"
The staff rub his chin, he's thinking.
"I think i need to consult with my supervisor sir, i cant make deal with this much items." He said.
"Okay then, i'll wait here."
"Be right back sir!"
Moment latter...
The staff's back with his supervisor who seems to check his note.
"Greetings sir, we already checking all the content of your items...we are ready to make a deal!"
"Good news!" Rouen said.
"I must said though, if i'am to buy all of your items here, i must give a price that will benefits me in the future!" He said firmly. Fair enough...
"I understand...what's your offer?"
"All these items sir...fourty thousand!"
Fourty thousand !?
Is it good? Is it bad?
Ofcourse it's good!
Fourty thousand of Karlings is what Rouen was saving for sonething like five years! For him to recieved this much only for one night, one single night!
This is crazy! Should i start raiding some caravans now!?
Stop talking nonsenses!
And that's not even all! The Karlings that he gather that night, from the caravan's and even from the bandits, was a total of fifteen thousand three hundreds! And that's why he only withdrawing thirty thousand from the bank, because his 'honest' earned Karlings that he get from questing and trading items was only five thousand two hundreds, together sumed up, it became more than fifty thousand!
Now with this offers, Rouen's worth more than a hundred thousands of Karlings now!
Where's my journal, i got list to mark!
"Deal! I take it!" Rouen knows, if he goes to the other stores or company, he'll probably get the samd offers, no need to waste time.
"Very good sir! Please sight here, and we'll ready your money just a moment.
"Alright." Rouen sight it.
A moment latter...
Rouen's carriage is much more lighter now, everythings that inside already sold, just a heavy chest full of coins now! Bank is the next stops ofcourse, carrying this much money throught Ravenhold's street is really such a dangerous things to do!
Ravenhold, the most south of a city in all Confederation, has it's own reputation. It's the most 'uniqe' city in the whole Confederation. The noble Dinasty that once hold Ravenhold and the whole area of 'Ravenor Duchy', is all dead. The line is broken with the great war coming. Ravenor's location that close to the war zone is the reasons of the area's deteriorated. Ravenhold it self become the most go to city for the refuges of the 'land of anarchy', making it's population booming, but not for a good thing. Thiefs, homeless beggars, bulgars, scamers, whores and such are poluting the city. And with it's ducal's line gone, the order in the city fall to the lesser ones. Thought the council of the Confederation proceed pointing Duke Franz Ludwig of Lower Cryx as the new ruler and master of Ravenor Duchy, the city of Ravenhold form their own council of the city, it's member mostly merchants and such. This happen because dispite if his new title, Duke Franz doesn't seems having any interest in ruling Ravenor, let alone developing it! The discontent people of Ravenor choosing to govern themselfs by forming this coucil based in Ravenhold, and Duke Franz doesn't really care about that.
Rouen arrived at the bank, the Ravenhold's branch of Union bank. He carry two heavy chest inside, he can feel some eyes stating him...or his chest? The teller welcome him warmly. "Mr. Rouen! That's quite a heavy haul you got sir!"
"Yes, i want to make some deposits, sir."
"Ofcourse sir! How much you going to deposits sir?"
"Fourty thousand of Karlings, sir!" Rouen remember about his uncle's advice about Toby's farmhouse. He left fifty thousand as an avaible payment.
"My oh my...that's a lot of money sir!" He's smile big. "Is that what's all inside the chest?" He asked.
"Everything here is actualy ninety thousands Karlings."
"My word, you doing good aren't you sir!"
You dont want to know...
"Thank you sir." Just make it fast...
"Here then sir...just sight here, and we'll count for your money."
"Right sir."
Momeng latter...
"Then let me brief you sir, as for today your deposits is fifty thousand two hundreds of Karlings. That's right sir?"
"Right sir, thank you!."
"It's all our pleasure sir!"
"There's something i want to ask help thought..."
"Ofcourse sir! What is it?"
"I'll be taking a walk outside, and i want to left my chest here awile...and my carriage outside."
"You want to leave a chest of fifty thousands of Karling, here?" He smiled. "Sir you asking the right place!" I know i can trust you...that's why i'am choosing this bank...in Union we trust!
"I'll be back in an hour."
"Take your time sir, your chest is guaranteed save!"..."and your...carriage"
Actualy if you lose that one, it's fine...it served it's purpose already.
Rouen exit the bank. He stops awile and think, then he go walking. He then arrived at an abandoned house in the slums area, where many refuges took shelters. He remember his days when he's just one of them refuge, cold and starve, no purpose, no hope. I dont know what i'll become...if uncle Mark's didn't take me that day...
Stop...i cant cry anymore...
I must keep on going...like uncle's said!
I must become better! Achieved my list!
And maybe then...i can become a help, for this unfortunate people, like uncle Mark who save me from this hell!
"Umm mister..." Rouen turn his back, a little girl appear from inside one of the empty houses. "Can you spare some coins mister...? I'am hungry." The girl is thin, malnourished and pale, her clothes was just a rags.
Rouen froze for a moment. She's probably only seven years old...to be here at so young age! Why would i wait to become someone who can help others like uncle Mark? When i can do it now? I too can do it! Just like how uncle Mark help me! I too can help the others who needs help!
"Yes!"..."yes i can give you some coi-"
The fuck!? Where's my money!?
The bank! Idiot! You left it all in the bank!
Shit!
"Sorry little girl, but can you just wait abit, i'll come back with the money...and some foods too! Will you wait!?"
"You promise...?" The girl give her pinky finger as gesture..."Mister...why are you crying?"..."are you hungry too?"
What...?
Why...?
Without him notice, tears fell out again his eyes...but this one is different from those one he waste for his uncle. "Ahh...it's nothing, it's just..."
"Eh!?" In the moment of unknown feelings Rouen hug the little girl, then he break into tears and cry like a kid.
"Mister, are you alright?"..."are you hurt anywhere?"
"No, it's fine!"... "Everythings going to be just fine! I promise!"
Moment latter...
Rouen run as fast as he could, he reach the Union bank.
"Ahh, Mr. Rou-"
"...scuse me!"
He pass the bank's security quickly.
He move straight where he left hi che-
The fuck!? It's no here?
Where's the chest!? Where's my money!?
Union's finally break bad!?
Where's my money!?
Some staffs who noticed Rouen strange behaviour come to confront him. One of them is the Mr. Teller himself. "Mr. Rouen, you back sooner than i tho-"
"Money!"..."where's my money!?"
Rouen's shouts so loud everyone is shocked. Suddenly everything is just stop and awkwardly silent. Even some people in the waiting bench curving their heads, want to see what's going on.
"It's in my personal office sir...i think it would be safer there, so i move it."
Said the Teller with a firm voice and most polite tone, with the most professional gesture too. Only to make everything even more awkward...
Rouen's take some hundreds Karlings and put it inside a pouch. He have some little time to apologise and explain his behaviours just now to the bank' Teller. The Teller's seems quick to understand Rouen's intentions. "It's fine Mr. Rouen, it's surprising, but i can definitely understand your potitions sir."
"Thank you sir, once again i apologise for my emberassing behaviours, i'll be back latter."
"Ofcourse! I'll be waiting."
Rouen then sprint out the bank.
"Everythings alright Mr. Rou-"
"...scuse me!"
"Oh well..." That's the second time.
Rouen goes to the market first, there he bought lots of foods, clothes, and even medicine. All that done, he sprint back to the slums!
.....
"What are you talking about Kora? Why you ask all of us to gather here?"
"I'am telling you Noel! There's this good mister who'll come and give us alot of money and food!"
There's at least eight kids gather in the abandoned house where Rouen meet Kora a moment ago.
"Mister's said that i should call all my friends to gather here, he'll be back with lots of food!"..." dont you all want to eat?"
"Ofcourse we all want to eat! But what makes you think this 'mister' will indeed back to give us foods? Let alone give us money?"
"That's right Kora! Now this actualy smells suspicious! Brother, we should go now! I have bad feelings about this!"
"You so mean Liam! Mister is a good man!"..."i hate you!"
"Wha-!? Now listen to me girl! Nobody in this wrecking wreched world, the so called 'good man' ever exist!"..."they only have bad intention for us!" Bitterness is deep within this boy.
"But mister is exist, and he'll come!"
"You silly girl, you'll get us a trouble!"
"I hate you! I hate you!" Kora's trowing tantrum.
"Stop it liam! You both stop!" Noel said, he's the oldest in the group, and everyone hears him. "Fighting in this moment settles nothing!" He's quite wise for a ten years old boy. "Kora...i need you to tell me exactly about this 'mister' of yours."..."who's he's name? What did he said to you? Tell me slowly from the begining."
"Okay...so i just sit inside the house and holding my hungry tummy...then i see outside, this mister is there...he seems to staring at nothing..."
"See...a weirdo!"
"Shut up liam...go on Kora."
"Then i come outside...he doesn's seems like a person's from the slum, he wear an armour that looks really expensive, so...i come and asking him for some money...since i was so hungry."
Every kids there is quite...they understand all about it...it's their life. To feel hunger every day. To have eaten just once a day is already a good day for them!
"I understand Kora, we all do...then what the mister said?"
"He said yes! He's going to give me money and food! Even more, he said i should gather all my friend so that we all could eat together!" She said excitedly.
"Okay, but where is he now? The mister you meet."
"He said he doesn't have the money for the moment, but he'll get it in this place called 'bank' , and he'll be back soon!"
Noel's curve his fore head. To be fair, it does sounds suspicious now!
"Is that...all?"
"Oh! The mister is actualy cried! Then he hug me!" Said the girl with a big smile.
" The fuc-"
"See!? I told you! He's must be a maniac! A lolicon!" Liam's shouting, now some of the kids actualy pick his sides.
"Tha- that's right noel! Maybe we should scram after all!?"
"He does sound's like a bad guy to me now." Said the other kids.
"You guys all so mean!" It's back to square one.
"Listen to me! It wont be late if we all just scram out of here right no-"
They sudently froze...Rouen's arrived.
.....
"Mister! You back!" Said kora excitedly.
"Kora wait!" Noel's held Kora's hand.
"Wha-what are you doing noel!?"
"Just listen to me first! Stay at back for now." Noel's put Kora and the other kids who's girls back, while the boys pick anything they can use for fighting.
"Mister! Are you the one who's told Kora to gather us here?"
Rouen's quick to understand the situation. After all, he's been there too.
"Yes, i did." He said calmly.
"Why?"
"Pardon?"
"Why would you want to give us food and money?"..."what do you want from us!?"
"Noel you are mean! Mister is a good man" shout Kora's from behind, the other two girls holding her.
"I dont want anything from you kids...i just want to help."
"There's no such a 'just want to help'!" Liam's shout. "You must have ulterior motives for us!" He point his wood stick to Rouen. "Just like everyone else!"
He's hurt...they all hurts
I cant force them...i must give them space.
Rouen put down all the bags of foods, clothes and medicine he brought to the ground. He take his purse, all the Karlings that he taken back in the bank, and toss it near the bags, and he slowly steps back.
"It's all yours now..."
"Wha...!?" The kids were astounded.
"I'll be leaving you for now...i'll back to bring more tomorrow...we can talk when you are ready." He said, then he walk away.
"Wait mister!" Kora's shout. "Noel apologise! You too Liam! Mister is a good person! You all so mean!"
Never the less, Rouen decide to give them some time alone. It would be better if he leave them to their thoughs, nothing's good comes from rushing things.
When Rouen's completely gone, the kids starts to look upon the bags and pouch Rouen's left.
"Ohh...look at all this foods! It's all look tasty!"
"There's some clothes too! And even some medicine!"
"Oh my Gods! Noel look!" It's so many Karlings inside this pouch!"..."how much it is? Roughly around two hundreds i think!"
"I never seen so much money before! It's too good to be true! Is this dream!"
"You all BASTARDS!" Everyone's shocked. They slowly turn their backs awkwardly.
Kora's face is ominous, she's mad.
"After all you did making the good mister leave, now you all just going to enjoy his gifts without any second thoughs!?" ..."Shame on you all! Shame!"
"It's, it's not like that Kora...we just being carefull!"
"Right! We dont know what's his intention are."
"Carefull my arse! I told you he's a good person! I told you!
In the end the other kids is silent while Kora's cursing them.
Could that person really is a good man?
Is a good man really exist to begin with?
They thoughs.
Nightfall, Rouen's arrived home, it's all dark obviously, no ones home, he's the only one living in this big plot of land. He do some chores, make himself a meal. After he ate, he bring a cup of tea outside, he sit in the terrace's chair. Siping his tea Rouen stare ar the horizons which covered in dark, a wind blows lighly at him, he could feel a little cold in it.
It's quite chilly...it's not even winter yet.
Those kids...how will they spend the night?
Will they cold? I hope the clothes i bought today can help them tonight.
But when winter comes...Gods...
I must help them! I must convince them to trust me, that's the only way...
He sips his tea again, he remember the little girl he meet today, Kora. Then deep in his thoughs, a memory came out...a painfull memory he tried to forget. The regret, the guilt...the shame.
Cecil...