A new rumor went around the castle that day. Something about Loki playing a prank on the King and Queen yet for some reason instead of punishing him. Prince Loki was gifted the royal store front.
No matter what happened that morning, the whole family was normal at breakfast.
"Hilda will take you to the store front and have organized some beginning personnel for you by noon", My father said to me in a normal tone.
Sif was looking at me strangely.
I was curious so I asked, "What's wrong Sif?"
She was nervous for a second, "One of the maids said you snuck into your parents bedroom to see them naked. Is that true?"
I heard the guards in the room take a gasp.
I decided to just poke the bear a bit. "No I did not go into their room for that reason. Tell me Sif, do you know where babies come from?"
I gave out an inner laugh as I heard someone's utensil hit the table.
"Now now Loki, our conversation was a private matter having to do with alchemy. There's no need to keep her wondering", my mother as usual being the tension eradicator.
I smiled and said "Yes mom I won't say a word. So there you go Sif, I can't say anything... actually Sif, we are gonna go somewhere cool today. Want to come?" I said while thinking of ways to train her into the perfect nurse
Sif looked at me and smiled, "Yea I wanna see something cool as long as big brother Nix comes with us."
I looked at Nix who was already nodding. "Of course he can come Sif."
Nix looked at me with a stern expression but, I couldn't help but notice the sparkling eyes.
"Son, you may do what you want within reason, but all is ask is that as the future leader of this tribe, as someone born with its will, that you protect your friends." My father has been very lenient with my antics, but there is one thing he's been a stickler for and at has something to do with this will thing.
As I said before, I assumed it to have something to do with politics. Something along the lines of we are the royal family so we have to represent the country or represent the military. Not sure, but I was wrong because of a key detail in his statement.
Born with its will.
It is not something learned apparently. In any case, "Of course father ill protect them".
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Walking out into the city was very eventful as usual. I learned something new recently about the tribes dynamics. The books I learned about the basis of our society didn't really discuss how the economic system of the tribe was set up. Anything close to discussing it would talk about representation in government and how people in peer are usually put there from service.
It's a meritocracy with the exception of the royal family from what I can tell, but the result of gaining merit isn't monetary pennigars.
It seems this society values honor and personal worth more than money. People with a lot of money do have a lot of spending ability but certain things are inaccessible to them unless they use that money wisely and not selfishly.
Elders are an example. They are supposedly the ideal citizen. They've all opened their own business and devoted a lot of their lives to bettering the tribe. They serve in the military to offer protection while actively making a difference in the tribe. Because of that, their businesses are given a lot of subsidies, tax breaks, and other help.
Because of that, most elders are very renown and known to be honorable. It's even said that even if you join Rank 4, you might not become an elder unless you already have taken part in helping the tribe.
Opening businesses is one of the many outlets elders use to do this. Others teach at schools or produce great works of art and culture.
It's not like my old world where personal wealth was how you gained political power or vice versa. This society was more based on what you do with your already existing power. Because everyone can train, personal strength was everywhere. The most honorable and giving warriors or druids were always the people in power.
Of course the government was set up in the interest of fairness so people who have no ability to gain personal strength have an outlet to voice their opinion. People who have struggled and made a living off their own personal craft are always wealthy and people of great influence. The city representatives in the chamber of the people are from this group.
The dwarves have this mirrored with craftsmanship.
I'd say it's a mixture of the ideas of democracy, meritocracy, Capitalism, warrior culture, and personal virtue.
As I walk through the shimmering stone streets of the inner city, you can see that most of the people who live here are strong warriors or people who have done great works.
Lots of stores on the main street are shimmering with rare objects and artifacts fron the wild. I was told by my dad that artifacts are dangerous at times and without me having gained experience outside and learning about runes, that I shouldn't approach them.
Our little group that morning came to a stop right in front of a closed small store on the Main Street. It was close to the auction house. It was two stories tall with a roof top. There was a sign hung on top that said Royal.
The building was made from stone and what seems like gold embroidery all over it. There runic lanterns at the entrance but were turned off.
Since we live in a mountain, the city is lit up with runic lanterns that are fueled by mana. They work using runes and are automatically enabled.
Stores with runic lanterns turned off in front of it are usually closed.
The front door was wooden and very wide. Perfect for a clinic.
"Okay guys, this is our clinic. We will be here every weekend. Hilda will teach us all etiquette in business while we're here when we have the chance. Nix, you will work as a guard here while giving you experience in dealing with people. Sif you will be my assistant."
As I said that, they both nodded and smiled.
Hilda slightly happy her teachings were included, walked to the door of the store and unlocked the runic door. The require a matching runic stone to make it unlock. It's a inventive substitution for lock and key.
Walking in we saw that the room was about 40 feet wide and largely empty. And 30 feet long. There was a door leading to a back area to the back right and a decorated stair well on the back left.
There was a long standing concierge desk to the left side of the room with ample space to hold documents money.
Walking through noticing the amazed glances of the kids I walked, I to the desk and peaked over it.
I saw a lock box, and and open cabinets for documents. The table desk was 20 feet wide with about 7 feat away from the left wall. There would be plenty of space to move and store medicines in shelves like a pharmacy if I just move the desk closer to the center of the room. I can probably move the left edge of the table against the store front entrance wall or the stairs depending on my floor plan and enclose it to make an official pharmacy.
I can also make the right side of the room a waiting area.
Walking through the back door is another smaller room with 20 more feet of length. The room was pressed against the stair well so it was likely 30 feet in width. It would be a perfect room to see patients. It has enough space for two rooms but since I trust no one else currently, it could be a single room.
I don't have expertise in surgery so druid arts which don't take of space and medicines are my go to. A lot of space isn't required for that.
Once Sif gets good enough, I can consider moving her from my assistant to doctor.
I walked out and walked toward the stairs. I saw I can go up or down.
"A basement, sweet!"
Sif was looking at the stairs too in amazement, "This is a big store place Loki, is this all ours?"
"As long as we use it wisely, this is all our little labor... I mean play area to try new things." I always have to be careful of what words I use around people. Some terms aren't colloquially known.
"You said it's going to be a clinic. What does that mean?" Nix asked confused.
Shooing him away from the topic, "A clinic is a small place to get healed. I read it in a book somewhere."
Walking downstairs, I see a large empty room about the same size of the entire first floor. There a vault lodged against the halls right wall. The vault door was the only thing visible so I don't know exactly how big it is.
I can make this a large storage area for all kinds of goods and medicines I'm bound to produce. Connecting it to the pharmacy upstairs can prevent anyone from entering unless the go through the desk.
Over the counter upstairs and prescription downstairs. Nurse is only allowed to administer the over the counter while I am the only one to distribute the medicines downstairs.
It's a good way to help Sif and by having a list of the otc items at the desk for customers, they can pick out a medicine for her to distribute if she feels it's necessary.
Now what's upstairs?