It's been about a year since Albert was reincarnated as he could now stay awake for longer periods of time. Although most babies wouldn't be able to crawl, as a baby with adult cognition his attempts were better than most.
'Come on just a little more…!'
After a few more struggling tries, Albert collapsed in exhaustion as his mother watched him in adoration.
"Good boy, Albert! You managed to crawl a few more meters than yesterday!"
Indeed, he was able to crawl for an astonishing distance of five meters today. Although not quite the grandest achievement, babies his age would be spending their time sleeping in their cribs.
With that being said, Albert was in good spirits.
Within the year he has lived in this new world he has learned a few new things. Countries here were mainly governed by monarchies. The royal family was the ruling faction with nobles governing different regions of the country. Higher ranking nobles governed more land while lower ranking nobles naturally governed less.
One's status as a noble would either rely on their military exploits or achievements through magic research. In other words, strength.
This could further be simplified by correlating that mages were the ruling faction. In human society, mages were a rare commodity. It's said that less than one out of every two hundred individuals manage to awaken as a mage. An even smaller number of them are capable of progressing as one.
Typically one awakens as a mage at ages seven through ten. The latest age a human mage awakened was recorded at the age of twelve, although quite a rarity.
When an individual awakens, it refers to their dormant mana core activating to draw in atmospheric mana.
Albert felt his mother pick him up.
"Let's have lunch shall we?"
Alise placed her son in a booster seat as she left for the kitchen to prepare a meal.
Albert watched as his mother lit the stove with the tips of her fingers.
'That never gets old. Someday I'll be able to use magic too.'
***
Albert let out a small burp as he rubbed his stomach in satisfaction. Going back on the previous thought, the main reason most mages were unable to progress was because of a separate factor.
Crests.
Crests were like a type of amplifier. For example, mages that did not possess a crest could at most output a small flame when they channeled a fire spell. Quite useful for daily chores, but nothing more. With a corresponding flame attributed crest however, the output would be in a completely different league.
Albert watched as his mother was tidying up the kitchen.
He knew both his mother and father were mages, but he had no clue whether or not they possessed a crest. Even if they did, it wasn't like they had a chance to use it in this tiny peaceful town.
Albert craved adventure! He was finally in a world where he wasn't limited by his duties yet regrettably he was stuck in the body of an infant.
"Hey Albert, why don't we go out to town to visit your father?" Alise suggested.
His ears perked up at his mother's words as he began to nod excitedly. Alise often was skeptical whether or not her son understood her words, but at times like these it seemed obvious.
"I'll be done cleaning in just a moment, we'll leave after I'm done okay?" she continued, smiling at his enthusiasm.
Visiting town was indeed quite boring for him, but visiting his father's workplace was a completely different story.
As the only large trading post within a large radius, there would always be a large assortment of different magic tools and even animals. Each time Albert visited there would be something new. Another motive of his was to potentially secure another book. His mother would always buy him something, resulting in an abnormally large stack of books stored in the study.
Soon after, they began to make their way to the trading post. Although the town was small, it was as bustling as ever. Residents were haggling prices with one another while an occasional adventurer would pass by.
The unnamed town was a popular resting stop for passing adventurers, hence the need for a trading post.
The trading post was also the only three story building in town
Upon reaching his father's workplace, Albert's eyes lit up at the detached stable on the side of the Shawling Trading Post. Several large creatures were lined up in rows standing side by side imposingly.
'What in the world are those!'
With an appearance resembling that of a lizard, they had scales made from what appeared to be dirt lined from head to toe. Speaking of which, they kind of resembled komodo dragons from Earth, the only difference being that they took on the size of a rhino.
Noticing her son's fascination, Alise explained, "Those are Earth Lizards. They are similar to horses as they are mainly used to pull carriages, but they are suitable for harsher environments."
'Earth Lizards huh…'
Albert clasped his small fists in anticipation.
'What else does my father have in stock today?'
As they entered, shelves were lined with a wide assortment of magic tools Albert had never seen before. From accessories to weapons and even survival necessities like tents and maps, you name it and the Shawling Trading Post would provide it.
Currently there was only a single receptionist lady in the back of the store assisting customers. Albert nudged his mother in the direction of the books section. Knowing her son's intentions, Alise made her way over to the small corner of books.
'Countries and Governments…I've already got that one. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs…I've got that one too…is there anything new?'
Albert began to scan through the few books lined up. A lot of them were books Albert already had access to, however finally something caught his eye.
'The Introductory to Magic and Crests.'
This was it! Although Albert knew a little knowledge about magic from overhearing his parents' conversations, he actually had little idea on where to begin. This book was perfect for him!
"Which one do you want?"
Without hesitation Albert pointed his tiny finger to 'The Introductory to Magic and Crests'. His mother knelt down as she checked the price of the book.
"Oh my, it's one gold! Albert, how about we pick another one?" she suggested.
The currency in this world was divided into copper, silver, gold, and finally platinum. A hundred copper equates to one silver, while one hundred silver equates to one gold and so on. A rural family could live off under thirty copper a day.
'One gold was definitely expensive for a book. In fact all books tend to cost at least several silver. Knowledge never came without a price, but an actual book about magic was rare. The price could most definitely be justified.'
Albert looked at his mother with pleading eyes.
"Even if you look at me like that…" Alise sighed, her resolve softening looking at her son's face.
He continued to plead unrelentingly. Albert needed this book! It was the first real clue on how to embark on a journey as a mage.
After a few more moments, Alise relented with a warm smile. "Alright, alright, we'll get it. We won't get a book next time we come though okay?"
'Yes!'
He pumped his fist, ecstatic. Although their family lived in relative frugality compared to their relatives, it didn't mean they were poor. Far from it actually. The profits from running the trading post easily made them one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest family in town.
That's why Albert didn't hesitate to beg his mother for books. No one in their right mind would spend several gold on them month after month if their income wasn't high enough.
After picking out a book, they then went on to wait in line for their purchase.
***
Currently on the third floor of the Shawling Trading Post…
"I can offer you forty gold for the rations, potions, and mounts. This is a fair price Mr. Shawling, you must understand."
The one speaking was a bulky adventurer sitting across from Lael. His armor had nicks and scratches all over with a sword that appeared to have lost its former luster. With an unshaven face and sunken eyes, anyone could tell he was a third-rate adventurer looking for a bargain.
Lael rubbed his chin tiredly and thought, 'Do I really need to deal with this today?"
"I'm afraid forty gold is too little. The month's worth of rations you ordered for your party are no more than five gold. However, the total for all of the potions are worth at the very least forty gold. This is still not counting the Earth Lizards imported from the neighboring kingdom; Acrad. I still haven't mentioned the new swords, battle axes as well as the whetstones needed to maintain them."
Glancing at his client, Lael noticed his expression was giving its best attempt at a poker face.
"What do you think is a fair price then sir?"
"One hundred gold."
The adventurer's eyes widened in disbelief. "With all due respect, that's unreasonable!" he exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table in frustration. "Eighty gold. That is more than double my initial offer.""
Lael was unfazed as he slowly explained, "The total value of the entire order without me making any profit is worth at least eighty five gold. If you are unable to pay, Lisselotte, show him the door."
Seconds passed like an eternity as Lael bore his steady gaze into the adventurer, his expression unwavering. He watched as the adventurer's expression turned from mock composure to a mix of sourness and reluctance.
Just as Lael was about to stand up to end the negotiation, the bulky man finally spoke, his voice gruff with resignation.
"You have yourself a deal. One hundred gold."
Sitting back down, Lael gave his usual business man smile.
"Pleasure doing business with you," he replied smoothly.
With the deal settled and the transaction complete, the adventurer gathered his belongings and counted out the agreed-upon coins, placing them on the table with a heavy thud.
Lisselotte then carefully guided the man downstairs ready to prepare the goods.
With an exhausted sigh Lael sank into his seat. One hundred gold was already an extremely good deal he provided. Upon seeing the shabby appearance of his customer, he figured he ought to help him out a little. He too was once an adventurer after all.
Being an adventurer was a dangerous profession. They raided dungeons on the daily for treasures to sell. If there weren't any treasures, monster parts were also in high demand. This technically meant that their lifestyle was a high-risk, high-return type of job.
In reality, only a fraction of adventurers made it big. The income from a successful dungeon raid could be substantial, but the costs were equally steep. Maintaining equipment, restocking on potions, paying for lodging, and even the occasional bribe or fine—it all added up quickly. For beginner adventurers, it was a constant struggle to balance income and costs, often resulting in barely breaking even.
Reflecting on his own past as an adventurer, Lael felt a pang of nostalgia. He remembered the thrill of killing his first monster, the rush of adrenaline when his party was surrounded, and the camaraderie he built over the years.
'Those were the days…'
***
"Is my husband busy currently?" Alise inquired politely, approaching the receptionist's desk.
"Miss Alise! You should've said something if you were here, you didn't need to wait so long in line."
Alise shook her head gently, "That would be disrespectful to everyone who already was waiting patiently in line. Besides, my son enjoys looking at everything the trading post stocks up on."
"Well if you say so…"
The receptionist, a young woman in her early twenties with dark brown shoulder-length hair and a sprinkle of freckles across her cheeks, had the wholesome appearance of someone from the countryside. She was different from Lisselotte, who had been sent to assist Lael from the main Shawling Trading Post in the capital of Eston, Everton.
"My, another book?" the receptionist remarked, noticing the book Alise was holding.
Alise smiled at her son, "Albert enjoys books. I can't help but get one every time we come."
The receptionist wore a surprised look, "Your son just turned one year old recently right? He can't read yet."
Indeed, Albert couldn't read yet, at least not in the traditional sense. Unbeknownst to the others, he possessed a unique ability gifted to him by his reincarnation. Just as spoken language was automatically interpreted for him, written language was as well. To Albert, the words on the pages of the books were as clear as if they were spoken aloud.
Currently an extremely large stack of books was waiting for him at home to read through since his mother didn't quite allow him to do anything aside from eat, sleep, and play under her supervision. It would be strange if all of a sudden a one year old baby is reading full on encyclopedias.
Alise laughed softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"He may not read just yet, but I'm sure in a few years he will. Albert has always seemed different from other children."
The receptionist was skeptical. Wasn't this just a mother being extra doting on her son? Although she had her doubts she never voiced them aloud. This was her boss's wife!
"I forgot to say, Mr. Shawling is busy preparing a large order at the moment. Should I let him know you're here?"
Alise paused for a moment, considering.
"If he's busy I would rather him focus on his work. I'll see him at home later today anyway. Albert might have to be a little disappointed though."
The two women both turned their attention to the small boy in Alise's arms. He was still curiously turning his head looking at all the products the shop had to offer.
"He can always visit next time. Would you like me to wrap this book?"
"I'll take it as is, thank you."
After quickly paying for Albert's new book, she bid the receptionist goodbye.
"Albert, are you sleepy? Do you need to take a nap?"
Albert wanted to reply no, but the only sounds that came out were a few gurgles.
"Aww, so you're sleepy?"
'No mother!'
Albert was tired of life as a baby.