Mark of the Fool

Chapter 446: New Frontiers of Fortune

So, Ive been doing some thinking in the last day or two. Alex leaned forward, elbows pressed to the table, glancing over his shoulder at the room his sister and his girlfriend shared. Youre getting bigger, Selina. A lot bigger.

He looked at Claygon. Youve changed a lot too, buddy, and I need to make you a speakerbox or something thatll let you talk, and since thats going to be a big project, I started thinking that Id kinda like to have my own workspace at some point. So, Ive been thinking that it might be time for us to move into someplace with more room.

Selina frowned. You mean somewhere else in the insula? Like a bigger apartment? Can we afford that?

Pffft, youre too young to be worrying about finances, he said.

Alex, what should I worry about? You said I shouldnt worry about monsters, then you say I shouldnt worry about coin? Im not a brainless donkey, ya know. I know were not exactly rich, so Im not going to pretend that we dont have to watch our coin.

Well, thats the thing, right? Her brother said. I didnt have to worry about money when I was growing up with mother and father, and neither should you. Id be a pretty bad brother if I let my kid sister worry herself to death about coin.

Well, Im not going to sit here empty-headed, thinking about building blocks and clay all day. She crossed her arms. So. Can we afford it?

Right now? Alex said. Absolutely, we cant

There might be something we can do about that. Theresa interrupted him. Actually, this is as good a time as any to bring this up. She tapped the pommels of her swords. I think I might quit my job at the beastarium. Or, at least, ask if I can reduce my hours.

The huntress smiled. Im thinking about doing some monster hunting. Actually, Im thinking of doing a lot of monster hunting. It was too dangerous for me to do it alone before: if I met anything that my swords couldnt cut, well, Id probably be dead, right? Her smile grew positively predatory. Now? I can cut through stone if I put enough force behind my strikes: itd take a really, really tough monster to resist them. So, with the right contracts, I could earn a lotmore coin for us than I do at the beastarium, and itd be a whole lot more fun too. Isnt that right, Brutus?

One of his heads lifted from his food bowl, yapping in excitement.

Alex gave Theresa a look, one Selina had seen him give the huntress many times when he thought no one was looking. The strange thing was that he only seemed to have that look when Theresa was being particularly scary.

Ah well, her brother was just weird sometimes.

You shouldnt go alone, Alex tone was filled with concern. Youre an absolutely amazing fighter now, Theresa, but Baelin taught us, and we know what can happen if theres no one around to watch your back.

Itll be alright, she said. Ill pick bounties that I know I can handle and I can ask you to teach me about the monsters Ill be hunting. You can tell me their weaknesses and strengths. Plus, Ill have Brutus with me and She smiled at Claygon. If youre up to it, you can come with Brutus and me sometimes. The three of us would be almost unstoppable.

Alex turned to Claygon with a quizzical look on his face. Would you be alright being away from me for a while, buddy? He cocked his head, his expression growing distant. Oh yes, Ill be fine. Usually campus is safe: except for Careys rally, Ive never been attacked here. And, therere plenty of Watchers around to make sure I stay safe while youre gone. So, by all means, go if you want to smash monsters with Theresa and Brutus, dont let me hold you back. Okay? Aaaaah, perfect.

He looked at Theresa. Claygon says he wouldnt mind; itd help him fight better now that he can think. And you guys can communicate using simple signs, or he can write things until I build his speakerbox.

Awesome! The huntress cheered. Now we definitely can get that bigger apartment. Should we go talk to Hobb?

Well, heres the thing about that, Alex said. I thought of talking to him, butIm thinking that itd be a waste to give the university even more money, now, wouldnt it?

What do you mean? Selina asked.

Well, I mean, if were going to be paying more for our room and board, Id rather be paying us instead of making Hobbs abacus go clack, clackor maybe not, actually. Come to think of it, Ive never seen him use an abacus. Maybe he doesnt need one, hes a devil after all, and they have some amazing powers of logic and mathematical law

Alex, focus, Theresa said.

Yeah, dont start talking about random stuff halfway through a sentence, Alex, the younger girl frowned.

Oh yeah, right. Alex shook himself. Alright, what Im suggesting is maybejust maybe, we buy our own place. Our own little piece of Generasi. We want to stay here, dont we? Dont we? He looked at Selina. You want to attend the university when you graduate from the junior school, right?

Yeah, she said. Id like to. Thats why I want to study hard and get a scholarship like you did.

Alright, then, were staying in Generasi for a while. At leastoh, youre eleven and you probably wont finish an undergraduate degree until youre at least twenty-one. So thats a full decade. Why keep paying Hobb for ten years or more when we could have our own place?

Alexthat sounds reasonable, but uhhow much does a place in Generasi cost? Theresa asked. I thought itd bethousands.

He paused. ...well, I did some asking around. I think wed want a townhouse, so we have enough room for all of us, anyway, I asked what prices are like. and in some districts, a townhouse can run you like eighty thousand gold.

Eighty thousand? Selina and Theresas eyes grew wide.

Now, now, the good news is that we would want a place near the school, which ischeaper. Alex held up his hands, waving them as though he was trying to fan down a fire.

How much cheaper? Selina asked.

Oh.about He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. About sixty thousand.

Silence hung in the air.

You knowgive or take.

Alex, in what lifetime would we ever be able to afford that? Theresa choked. Iitd take me years at my jobat our jobs. If I hunt monsterswhats that likeforty mana vampires? No, no the one we captured had its bounty increase a lot, so that means itd be even more, and besides, theyre not exactly common. Id probably have to start looking for dragons to hunt, and while thatd be fun, I dont think dragons are exactly falling off of trees around here.

Alex, you dont have to worry about that kinda stuff, Selina said, feeling a little guilty. Her big brother shouldnt have to think of crazy, impossible schemes just because she was getting a little big for a bed. She glanced at her and Theresas room.

Maybe it was time to suggest that Theresa should move into Alexs room, after all.

It wasnt like Mr. and Mrs. Lu would get mad at her.

She opened her mouth, ready to make her suggestion.

No, you wont have to hunt a dragon, Alex smiled, patting Theresas hand. For you see! I have a cunning plan, and I think I can take the next step toward it thanks to Claygons evolution. Thats right, its time for the next part of the financial portion of Operation Grand Summoning Ascension!

He raised his arms to the ceiling as he declared the terrible name for his plan, reminding Selina of a picture of a mad and dangerous ancient wizard summoning a demon in one of her textbooks. Of course, instead of conjuring a terrible creature, Alex was calling out a terrible name.

Theresa and Selina exchanged unamused looks as the young girl turned to Claygon, patting one of his lower arms. If you ever have to name anything, Claygon, then dont be like Alex.

Hold on now, I named Claygon! Her brother huffed, putting his hands on his hips. Youre not saying that he has a lousy name, are you?

No, because you didnt name him, I did! Selina puffed out her chest. I thought Claygon was an awesome name, and you just agreed with me!

Thats not how it went! Alex said. Thats not the way I remember it at all!

Youre both remembering it wrong, Theresa said. Nua-Oge mispronounced clay golem: she said Claygon and you thought it was brilliant, Selina. Alex agreed. So, technically, it was Nua-Oge who came up with it and you both just agreed with her.

Oh, right, Alex muttered, like his thunderd been stolen.

Mhm, which means youre still terrible with names and thats why Claygons name is perfect and not stupid, Selina huffed.

Youre not stupid! Alex said. Then he froze. No, no, waitwaitwaitwait

Thaaaaaank you Alex. His little sister grinned. You should be nice to me like that all the time.

...I should let you stay in that room. Make you sleep on the floor.

Brutus would keep me warm anyway, she said.

Alex glared at the cerberus. You would too, wouldnt you, you treacherous dog.

Brutus barked happily.

Yes, he would, Theresa said proudly. Because hes a good boy.

A good, treacherous boy, Alex sighed. Anyway, the point is that we wont be able to get our own place yetbut if the financial part of my plan works, we wont have to worry about coin ever again. Unless we want to build or buy a castle, of course. And, wellone thing at a time.

As Alex started going over the details of his plan, Selina gave her room a final once over. Briefly, she wondered if she should bring up the idea of Theresa moving into Alexs roombut decided against it.

After all, he was right: they would be staying in Generasi for a long time, so having Theresa move to another room wouldnt exactly solve their problems. Even if that gave Selina more space, it still meant theyd be paying the university a lot of money for way too long

Besides, itd mean Theresa and Alex would be the ones cramped in his bed: her big brother had gotten bigger over the last year. She couldnt imagine how annoying itd be for them, bumping into each other all night.

And Theresas parents would be really mad too.

She shrugged, deciding against making the suggestion.

Of course, she had no way of knowing thathad her brother and Theresa known what shed been thinkingtheir mournful screams would have been heard halfway across campus.

And introducingthe new and improvedClaaaaaygoooon! Alexs voice boomed through Shales workshop as he gestured toward his golem like a farmer pointing to his biggest, and most beautiful, prized pumpkin.

Awed murmuring swept over the workshops staff gathered around the pair in a circle some three people deep. Crafters, assistants, salesfolk and administration all crowded each other, vying for the best vantage point.

Inside, Alex beamed; amused as he watched these grown wizardsall masters, or at least masters-in-the-making in their fieldsgathered around like children excited for the country fair.

They oood and aaaaad as Claygon simply raised his arms, turning in place like a young nobleman modelling his new finery.

Some of the crafters clapped, and Lagor was among them.

He, Sim and CarmenAlexs closest colleagues and friends at workwere pressed together by the crowd drooling over Claygons new form.

Ill be damned, can you feel the power coming offa this thing! Lagor gaped as the golem raised his war-spear over his head triumphantly. Feels like Im standing next to the damned sun!

Im glad Shaleleath doesnt have to fight him, Sim murmured. If you enter the duel by proxy next year, Ill be sitting it out unless I do a whole lot of upgrades.

And if hes like this now Carmen gawked. Whats gonna happen if he evolves again?

Claygons head turned toward Alex.

Theydo notdislike me, father?

Oh, I think it goes a little beyond dont dislike you, Claygon, he thought. I think they adore you!

Theydo?

Oh yes, Alex thought. Youve drawn everyones eyes. And I do mean everyones.

He glanced up at the catwalk and spied the very person hed wanted to see Claygon the most.

Toraka Shale.

His boss of bosses.

And she was staring at his golem like he was the most beautiful thing shed ever seen.

Perfect, Alex thought. The next step of the financial part of Operation Grand Summoning Ascension begins.