Sansa sat relaxed in the room's single chair, one leg crossed over the other, a confident smile playing on her lips. Ethan and Alan were perched on the edge of the bed, the room's only other seating option. The air was thick with negotiation.
"Three hundred points for a month," Sansa stated, her tone leaving little room for immediate argument. "You'll have an hour of my time each day."
The reaction was instantaneous and split.
"WHAT 300?!!" Ethan shouted, his frugal, analytical mind recoiling at the sheer cost, which represented three-quarters of their entire combined wealth.
At the exact same time, Alan's voice rang out with genuine surprise, "300? Hmnnn.. That's not bad at all..."
Sansa's head swiveled, her amused gaze darting between the two boys, her eyebrow arched at the starkly different responses.
"You know, Alan?" Ethan said, a flattering, strained smile on his face. "I'm starting to think you're more of a noble than I am." He turned fully to his friend. "Since you're such a noble man with such a relaxed view of finances, why don't you take out 195 points, and I'll handle what's left?"
Sansa leaned back, thoroughly enjoying the domestic drama unfolding before her.
Alan's eyes widened in panic. "No, no, no.... Senior Brother, I apologize for speaking out of turn!" He immediately pivoted towards Sansa, deploying a look of pure, unadulterated sincerity. "What do you say, Senior Sister? Can you be a little more considerate, please?" His voice was soft, his smile disarming.
The effect was immediate. Sansa's cheeks flushed a faint pink. "Who's a senior sister, you little freak? I'm only twenty-seven!" she retorted, a note of pride in her voice, as if this were a remarkably young age for her accomplishments.
The statement only served to confuse both boys, their blank stares making it clear they had no frame of reference for what constituted a prodigy in the Aeltic Order.
Seeing their utter lack of comprehension, she sighed in defeat, the fight going out of her. "Alright, fine," she conceded, the professional mask slipping back into place, though her tone was softer. "I'll take 200 points for tutoring you both. That'll be one hundred each."
It was a significant discount, another unspoken favor added to the growing ledger of their debt to her.
"Deal," Ethan said immediately, before she could change her mind.
"Agreed!" Alan chimed in, relief evident on his face.
A swift series of taps on her Soulband, and two contact requests were sent. Ethan and Alan accepted just as quickly
Immediately after receiving the points from both boys, Sansa stood up, interrupting Ethan, who was already mentally preparing to dive into his first lesson. "Hold on," she said, a glint of practicality in her eyes. "You both need a few things before we can start properly. Stand up and come with me. We're going to buy a few essentials."
Ethan and Alan exchanged a confused glance. They had just paid for tutoring; why did they need to spend more?
Sansa read their hesitation. "Don't worry," she assured them, "it'll only cost a few points. You need a journal and a proper pen to take notes. I hate repeating myself, and you'll forget half of what I say if you don't write it down."
The logic was sound. Understanding this, both boys stood up. "That's fair," Ethan conceded.
"And I need new clothes anyway," Alan added, plucking at his own worn tunic.
Sansa, already moving towards the door, called over her shoulder, "Well, those aren't expensive unless you're looking to buy enchanted ones. They are quite pricey, I'll warn you."
They followed her out of the initiate rank accommodations and into the sprawling grounds of the Aeltic enclave. Sansa moved with purpose, weaving between crystalline structures and across shimmering bridges until they arrived at a vast, open area teeming with life. It was a massive plaza filled with a bustling crowd and dozens of stalls, each manned by ascendants hawking everything from glowing herbs to intricately carved weaponry. The air was thick with the scent of strange spices, ozone, and the low hum of bartering.
"This is the Trade Point," Sansa explained, gesturing at the vibrant scene. "Anyone with a permit can set up a stall here to sell anything they've crafted, foraged, or... acquired." She lowered her voice slightly. "As a bonus, I'll let you know that the really good things are not usually found here, but in the black market. But that's a conversation for another day, and not what we're here for."
She led them through the maze of stalls, her presence commanding enough that people subtly made way. Finally, she stopped before a stall overflowing with books, scrolls, and writing implements of every description. The man behind it had spectacles perched on his nose and ink stains on his fingers.
"Henry, it's been a while," Sansa said with a familiar smile. She gestured toward Ethan and Alan. "I brought you two new customers today."
"Initiates?" Henry asked, a sad look clouding his features as he glanced at Ethan and Alan.
Sansa replied with an equally somber expression. "Yes, initiates, unfortunately."
Ethan and Alan, watching this cryptic exchange, were utterly confused. What was so tragic about being a new ascendant? Before they could ponder it further, Henry's demeanor did a complete flip. A brilliant, eager smile spread across his face as he addressed them directly while thinking to himself "mosquito's still count as meat in these eyes of mine.. he...he".
"Welcome to my anything store, boys! Remember the name." He then turned back to Sansa. "We have to step into my store; I don't have what you need right here."
Sansa nodded, as if she had expected this. "Sure thing, I don't mind. Lead the way."
In a flurry of motion, Henry began stacking the goods from his stall. Then, with a single, sweeping gesture of his hand, everything—books, trinkets, and all—vanished into a simple ring on his finger. It was the same type of spatial ring Sansa possessed, and the sight of it sent a fresh thrill of excitement through both boys. Without another word, Henry set off down the crowded street, Ethan and Alan scrambling to keep up, with Sansa strutting confidently behind them.
He led them down a side alley that ended in a blank, grey wall. Without hesitation, Henry walked right up to it, placed his palm against the stone, and muttered a few low words. Immediately, the bricks began to shift and realign with a soft grinding sound, revealing a hidden doorway that opened into a vast, cavernous space.
They stepped inside. The interior was a treasure trove, far larger than the outside suggested. Shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, crammed with a bewildering array of items: ancient books, glowing scrolls, pulsating crystals, and an assortment of weapons leaning against dusty corners.
"Welcome to my store, kids. I'm Henry, feel free to look through.... everything is for sell here don't hold back.... please." he announced, already rummaging through a cluttered desk for something only he seemed able to find.
"Show-off..." Sansa muttered under her breath, then got straight to business. "Two space rings of one cubic meter capacity. Two scrolls on the nature of elemental energy. Two large journals. And two beginner's books on the nature of runes."
As Sansa listed each item, Henry moved like a ghost, flowing from shelf to shelf and plucking the exact items from the organized chaos. Once he had everything, he deposited the small pile on his desk. "I'm assuming each of you will be paying separately? That'll be 75 points each."
Ethan's eyes widened slightly. He turned to Sansa, a silent question in his gaze. Is this fair? She gave a slight, reassuring nod. Turning back, he saw Alan, without a moment's hesitation, happily swipe his Soulband to pay his share before eagerly snatching up one of the space rings to admire it.
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Ethan thought, I guess I'm actually the odd one here when it comes to spending. He set his band to transfer 75 points but paused. "Right! You said it's an 'anything' store... Do you have some clothes? Mine are a bit ruined, as you can see." He felt increasingly self-conscious about his torn and stained noble's attire.
The moment the words left his mouth, Henry moved with an energy that belied his earlier, more subdued manner. In the blink of an eye, he was directly in front of Ethan, a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, these are pretty ruined if you ask me!" Using that same smoke-like movement technique, he zipped to a different shelf and returned holding a pristine white shirt and trousers. "Here! One of the best in the store. Enchanted with minor runes from those Creation alchemists—auto-clean, auto-dry, and even a small protective rune, too!"
Ethan, overwhelmed by the sales pitch, stammered, "Uhh... re... regular clothes, please."
Henry's enthusiastic expression deflated instantly. "Oh. Right." He trudged back to a different, less glamorous shelf to fetch a simple set of black shirt and trousers, leaving Sansa chuckling softly at the entire spectacle.