Spring 17, 1388

  FIELDS

  81 Strawberries — 12/36 Days (Masterwork) (1x1) — 81 tiles.

  81 Potatoes — 12/20 Days (Masterwork) (1x2) — 162 tiles

  81 Peas — 12/23 Days (Masterwork) (1x2 — Trellis) — 162 tiles

  81 Carrots — 4/5 Days (Uncommon) (1x1) — 81 tiles

  81 Carrots — 3/5 Days (Uncommon) (1x1) — 81 tiles

  81 Carrots — 2/5 Days (Uncommon) (1x1) — 81 tiles

  81 Carrots — 1/5 Days (Uncommon) (1x1) — 81 tiles Tiles

  GREENHOUSE

  9 Broccoli - 2/10 days (Poor) (1x1) - 91 tiles

  9 Carrots in the Seed Maker.

  99 Uncommon Carrots being sold by Jasmine.

  216 Uncommon carrots to be delivered.

  Current Finances: 10 Gold Pieces (Clean), 270 Gold Pieces (Unlaundered)

  I decided to sleep the rest of the day away after my conversation with a being that hurt my head to even think about.

  I could no longer ignore the amount of crops that hadn’t been delivered. After 3 days, they weren’t good for the market. They were perfectly acceptable for eating, though I feel like a carrot based diet would be irritating.

  It also meant I hadn’t seen Jasmine in three days, and that felt weird to me. In the academy, I was forced to see people I didn’t necessarily like everyday. Even in school here, I saw Jasmine, Adrian, and even Melissa everyday.

  Now, if I wanted to see someone else, I’d have to go out of my way to see them. And last time I saw Jasmine, I helped her mother but then annoyed her fiancee? Husband?

  I should really make it a point to learn about Nathaniel, if I wanted to get closer to Jasmine. And, if I’m doing that, I have to learn about Aywin, since Noel would expect the same.

  The water in the tub was appropriately warm and soapy as I cleaned my filth and thoughts off. My white hair reflected grimly, and my fingers stroked the white strands.

  Turning it back to red would make it very clear that the pig’s words had an effect on me. I splashed my reflection and put on my farming attire again. I’d have to look into buying some normal clothing. Going out either incredibly formally or wearing this was an odd dichotomy.

  Hopefully, Jasmine sold the last amount of crops. I could do with some money to buy new dresses.

  I stepped out to see Ophelia and Laertes lounging underneath the Gazebo. Laertes wore a metallic breastplate with the same metallic greaves. He already had a greatsword affixed to his back that looked far too heavy for farm work. The metal had a dull sheen to it that didn’t sparkle, suggesting that it was mostly iron, and not steel.

  The pair were talking however, so I figured it would be easy to slip out. I had enough of the undead thing for a while.

  “Lady Hart, a moment of your time,” Ophelia called out. I froze on the spot, looking around for anything. Ophelia could outrun me, so that was out. I could command her to leave me alone, but that felt crass.

  I slowly turned around and saw the pair approaching me. Ophelia looked beautiful and deadly, but Laertes looked like an aggressive beast of war. “This is Laertes,” Ophelia reintroduced me.

  “I know, I made him,” I responded. Ophelia’s smile wavered for a moment before shaking it off.

  “Laertes, this is Lady Hart. She is our Patron, as much as we are hers.” Laertes growled, but said nothing.

  I looked at his neck to see the stitch lines all but faded. His skin was thick, and the scars and wounds he had were mostly faded.

  I then turned to Ophelia. Her preparation wasn’t done as well, and I still had room to improve. I could dismiss her body and rework the soul, but there was no chance that Ophelia would be this one.

  “I have to clean you and bathe you as well, Ophelia,” I responded, looking at the poor craftsmanship at her skin. Though, Ophelia was naturally made from what I understood, and now that I knew what I was looking for, I could spot the dark holes on her jugulars.

  “Sorry? You’re going to bathe me now…?” she responded. I stopped looking at her body to look at her eyes.

  “Aye? Your body is damaged. I need to recoat it and prepare it properly. Laertes went through the procedure, and look at him.”

  Ophelia looked at her companion, who was mostly not paying attention. Her finger extended, and the nail turned into a pale claw. The finger tried to dig into Laertes’ skin. Her muscles twitched, but she did draw black blood!

  “Impressive. I can carve it, but that much resistance just for dry skin..? Fine, I will acquiesce to your bath.”

  “Oh, and that stuff you have on him looks silly. If you get me bones - preferably animal or wolf - I can reshape Laertes’ armor to not be just crude iron.”

  Ophelia nodded again, before raising her hand to stop me. “I do thank you for the concern, but this is a meeting, not an inventory check. Laertes, this is your mistress. Mistress, Laertes will be in charge of the ground forces. Very tactical brain. Not strategic, but it is what I requested.”

  Laertes didn’t offer me his hand. I didn’t offer him mine. We stared at each other, and he grunted. I nodded in response.

  Ophelia shrugged her shoulders, “I had wanted him under my command, but knew to ask you first. I assume since you have no need of him for this task, you’ll be alright if Laertes, and the rest of my intelligent kin, were moved to Hawthorne manor when its rebuilt?”

  “Oh, yeah. Sure. I’m going to be making more as soon as I get the bodies and souls. Did you know skeletons and zombies can also advance? Maybe I can make one with many arms that’ll help me pick strawberries.”

  Laertes again snorted. “Strawberries? You expect our kind to pick strawberries?” His voice was a constant growl, breaking into bat-like snorts. It sounded like he ate gravel, and broke boulders with his teeth.

  “No? I have zombies for that. I expect your kind to… I don’t know. Whatever Ophelia wants. I guess, just buy my products?”

  Ophelia patted Laertes' shoulder. “Dear, find a wolf for our mistress. Take it in alive so she may have a soul to work with, before making you new equipment. I’ll oversee the con–”

  “Actually, do you want to visit Jasmine with me in town?”

  “You blighted the city, Lady Heart?”

  “No? That’d be reckless. But we are friends, right?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “We are friends, right, Ophelia?”

  “I am your serv–”

  I pushed Ophelia’s shoulders and then stared into her eyes. “Are we friends?”

  Ophelia’s smile broke into a confused grin. “...I did not realize you wanted affirmation? High Society generally lives in subt–”

  I pushed her again.

  “Fine! We’re friends! What does this have to do with –”

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  My symphony became stronger. The chill of winter was slowly growing bleak. There was a joy in the coldness when frost first settled the lands. Yet, as the temperature dropped, snow and bleak gray became the main palette.

  My temperature was dropping, and the cheer of snow was replaced by the inevitability of an end. The howling storm was moving through an empty valley.

  And being a [Chirurgeon] meant that there was this strange smell of cleanliness. It smelled strongly of alcohol, which probably meant I should investigate that more. Oddly, it smelled more like wood vinegar, the sweet-smelling byproduct of making charcoal.

  I was lost in that thought before feeling a push against me. Ophelia was staring at me, with her blue eyes. And smooth black hair. Her face looked plush and lively even if she still looked incredibly in shape. Her chest heaved with breath.

  “I thought we weren’t dying our hair?” I asked, coming back to reality

  “I… wasn’t. What is this, Lady Hart?”

  “A Veil, so you can walk among the living. As long as your under my employ, at least.” I responded.

  Ophelia looked to Laertes and gave him a nod. “After the wolf, deal with our goblin friend and see if the shipment of stone and raw resources will happen so we can begin construction.”

  Laertes nodded, and walked off towards Lyrelle forest. I looped my arm around Ophelia’s first – and she felt warm.

  “Wow, you look so pretty, Orphy!” Jasmine cooed. She moved about the woman, looking at her black hair and warm skin. “Not that you didn’t look pretty before, but now you look…”

  “Mortal?”

  “I was going to say Human,” Jasmine responded, putting a small bowl of bread on the table.

  I wasn’t hungry so I didn’t reach for one. However, Ophelia did. She took the stale loaf and squeezed the crackling loaf between her fingers. She then brought it up towards her nose, and inhaled. She finally opened her mouth to take a small bite. That quickly turned into a massive one, consuming half of it one go.

  “Never ate bread before?” I asked, but Ophelia scrunched her brows. She slowly swallowed.

  “I have. Just not in over 150 years. Even this low quality crust you peasants eat is… a welcome change from blood and blood products,” Ophelia responded, taking another loaf to inhale and then stuff in her mouth. “Even being able to smell again…”

  Jasmine lunged at Ophelia to rub her face against hers. “And you’re so warm now too! That means when you finally become a Lady of House Hawthorne, you can come into town!”

  I continued to look at Ophelia. “Careful with that. You can pretend to eat and taste, but it isn’t sustaining you. You’ll still need anima.”

  Ophelia nodded, and took another loaf of bread. I rolled my eyes and handed her one of my carrots. Jasmine released Ophelia at that moment, and pulled out a bag. Ophelia’s hands instinctively moved away, as silver coins rolled out. Jasmine stopped the bag before all of it could.

  “8000 silver pieces - or 80 gold - Ashley!”

  I stared at the table, then back to Jasmine. “You sold all the carrots in three days? It’s not going to make the price drop?”

  Jasmine crossed her arms. “So, this is the part I have to be upfront with you. Uncommon carrots don’t exactly sell well. But uh… word got around that you healed my Ma and Mrs. Bellamine. So, your carrots became hot commodities…”

  I stared at the table overflowing with silver coins. “So, they didn’t want my carrots?”

  Jasmine slid her chair beside me, as Ophelia kept biting into bread. “I know lying to you won’t help, so I won’t. Nobody needs this many carrots Ashley, at least in town. If we sold it in Flowers-By-The-River, it’d do better, or if they were masterwork… but uncommon?”

  “Then why did people buy it?” I asked.

  “Becaush Lady Hartsh –” Ophelia began, bread still in her mouth. She stopped, realizing it was improper, swallowed, and then cleaned her mouth with a napkin. “Because, Lady Hart, your other role probably has the townsfolk convinced they need to earn your favour. Did you charge either of them for the visit?”

  “No! I wouldn’t charge Jasmine or Add– Melissa.”

  Ophelia nodded, “And you didn’t charge Noel either. The impression people are going to get is you offer your services for free, so the only way to keep you around is…”

  “To purchase my carrots,” I finished, looking at the coins. I turned to Jasmine. “You said the vendor price is 50 silver, right?”

  “Right! You’ve been making 30 silver profit!” Jasmine proudly stated.

  “I want 50 gold then, and you can keep the remainder. Vendor these for me then, and don’t sell it to the open market.” I said, placing my pile of uncommon carrots on the table.

  Jasmine took the pile, then at me. “And what do you want me to do with the 30 extra?”

  “Keep it, I guess? I didn’t earn it.”

  “Ashy. Shut up.” Jasmine immediately responded. “If you do nice things for people, people will do nice things for you. If we want to put it into your logic - it’s them keeping their ledgers’ clean’.”

  “Right, but it’s not the same. I have to make this farm successful, not because everyone wants Ashley the Doctor’s help!”

  “That’s not how people work. A person’s reputation and name matters just as much as the product! And besides, Ashley, if you aren’t charging people for your medical work, they’d feel guilty.”

  I said nothing. “Then, save the last amount to buy The Stew. I want to set up a bathing facility here so people can get rid of their Rot.”

  Ophelia snorted, swallowing her bread. “And you do that, and people will buy your products regardless if they need them. A very clever way to deal with your money laundering…”

  “I’m not even selling anything illegal yet! I want them to buy my stuff since it’s something they want to buy!”

  “And that will never happen. I imagine the poor sales before was because they were your carrots, Lady Hart. Now that you’re fixing your reputation, it’s going to swing the other way. The artist is just as important as the art, as the saying goes.” Ophelia said, pushing the basket of bread away. She then reached over and grabbed another one, anyway.

  I crossed my arms at that, but Jasmine leaned into me. “You handle the products, Ashley. I’ll handle the selling. And Besides, you’re going to make good products anyway, but right now…?”

  “It just feels wrong, right? They should be going down in price….”

  “And at 50 gold per 100 uncommon carrots you sell - that’s just [Vendor] rates, you’d only need 20 shipments before the entire debt is paid off,” Jasmine stated. “The reason it’s capped is because of Azadin’s edicts on the dead and dying. After that, you’ll have to actually pay for land use and the tithe.”

  My frown deepened. “So, the money problem never ends, huh?”

  Jasmine shook her head. “You have to be able to pay that off for your land, and then monthly upkeeps. Alongside the manure, labour cost and watching market trends… you’re just lucky that people can afford that cost… but, Ashley, money doesn’t really come from nowhere for us mortals – sure, Ophelia can generate it in her Lair, but her money isn’t minted. We always had to get more people interested in buying in the legal world too.”

  I let my elbows rest on the table as I scratched my hair. “I kind of liked the whole ‘putting everything into a box and forgetting about it’ thing my dad had.”

  “Flora only wants corn at the moment, but your dad also was… just very poor too, Ash. And he dealt with this as well. You’re not just competing with your land, but other land, and then people making the same products. Oakheart is a small town with a lot of farmers, and if you really want to make it here, you’re going to have to let your name do the work. Or we can sell elsewhere.”

  “I guess that gives me another reason to go back to the Academy.”

  “You’re going back?” Jasmine asked.

  Ophelia took one of the carrots from the pile and bit into it, loudly crunching. “She’s going to investigate her old headmistress.”

  Jasmine smiled with that, and tapped me on the shoulder. “Good! Means you can actually finish your exams and spy on cute boys that AREN’T going to get us killed. And you can see Madeleine again!”

  “And Alicia.” I added, which made Jasmine scrunch up her face.

  “Of course you’d want to see Adrian’s sister. Ashley, make space between you too!” Jasmine advised. “Oh! That reminds me, Maximilian was looking for you. Something about the frost conduit?”

  My eyes fluttered for a moment, trying to figure out who that person was. It did not come to me.

  “One of Lord Skye’s knights. He said he’d meet you whenever, since Lord Skye is currently in the maintenance phase. The knights and him stay at The Gryphon.”

  My blood froze at that, and my eyes stared forward. Jasmine laughed, causing Ophelia to glance over. “Hey, Orphy. Wanna come with us and grab a real meal then? Seems like Ashley needs our help.”

  But that wasn’t why I froze. What Jasmine said earlier was… making sense. If I lean into the good face, the bad side fades away. No one wants my carrots, but everyone needs the doctor. No one needs the Cold Ashley, but needs the Farmer Ashley they know about.

  Rhyvesta’s… slug and weed metaphor went far. As long as I kept my ledger in balance; the good of helping the community verse the whole soul slavery bit… nothing would happen.

  I stood up. “Well, if Nyla wants a priestess to maintain her fisheries, she’ll get one. I’ve to maintain the balance.”

  Jasmine chuckled, “Ashley, what are you talking about?”

  I looked at Jasmine, watching her eyes. “Slugs and Weeds, Jazzy. Slugs and weeds. Got to do nice things for the townsfolk so I can sell them my carrots.”

  Jasmine slowly nodded. “...I mean, that’s not how I’d phrase it, but that is one way to look at it.”

  Ophelia swallowed her bread. “I do not know what either of you are talking about, but I do want to try real food again.”

  I took Jasmine’s wrist and Ophelia’s hands to get them up. “Gryphon, right? You two talk to the new person for me. I already need to figure out who I have to stop knowing to know Aywin and Nathaniel.”

  Jasmine snickered but led the three of us along. I just stared at the emerging pattern. The world worked in ledgers… and that made sense.