26 Chapter 15: Priests Belonging (1/2)
Magnus traveled down the dusky road. The hour was getting late as he traveled back home. He carried with him the game board wrapped around in a piece of cloth and his daily wage, which was a grand total of one gold lion.
This new gig was getting sweeter and sweeter by the day, not only was he getting top of the line training. He is also getting paid an extortion amount, which he would have never made in a single day even if he worked his ass off until it was bone-weary.
Magnus owed these professional thieves an endless amount of gratitude. They did something nobody else in this goddamn city would ever have done for him, raise him up from poverty, and give him an honest to god chance. The only thing that was holding him back was the secrets gnawing at his heart. The mystery behind his hire would not let up!
Even so, the gold lion wage went a long way, buttering him up, he can sit cushy with this gig while he slowly uncovers this mystery and gets the answers he needs.
Magnus walked up to the orphanage doors, and right at the front entrance stood Mother Selin with her arms crossed together at her chest. ”The Matron told me you found work, huh?”
Magnus could not tell if the Mother was angry, sad, or happy-- who knew, maybe it was all of them only just tangled up, and the Mother, herself, did not know which one to exhibit. Magnus made sure to tread carefully and gave a simple answer, ”Yes, I finally found work as a bookkeeper.”
Though Magnus hated lying to the Mother, it wasn't like he could outright tell her he found a job as a professional thief. This story was more believable, and she could wrap her mind against it.
”Good,” was the only thing that the Mother said.
Magnus walked around her and went over to the donation box, and he dumped his whole wage inside it.
The Mother must have seen the amount that Magnus put into the donation box because there was a sharp intake of breath and followed up with a question. ”Where did you get that money, Magnus?”
Magnus could detect a hint of suspicion in her tone. Mother Selin was the one most unpleased with Magnus's string of robbery. While there was an air of sadness around Mother Nevra and a feeling of resignation around the Matron, Mother Selin did feel those emotions too, but what trumped it all was mortification.
”Oh, you mean those silver bolts?” Magnus asked innocently wanted the Mother to squirm a bit. There is nothing that can stop his vindictive nature. What made Magnus cross was the willful ignorance that the Mother still held on to, he just couldn't believe she would adhere to virtuous principles after all she saw and experienced.
Though a small part of him was envious that she could remain so pure after everything, look at him and how he changed so fast in under a few months.
”Yes,” Mother Selin said, Magnus could see the guilt and shame clearly written on her face, oww how low he has fallen.
Feeling guilty and ashamed, Magnus swiftly answered the Mother's question, ”That was my wages.”
Shock overread the Mother's face, and she asked, ”You mean you get paid ten silver bolts, daily?” Then not stopping just there, she added, ”Who do you work for?”
Playing up the lie, Magnus awkwardly scratched at the back of his head and said, ”I think the owner is a guilder, but he never said so I can't be sure. Though if he is a guilder, he doesn't act like it, he was able to overlook my status and hired me thanks to my skills and knowledge.”
”Well, that is wonderful,” Mother Selin said as she heard everything that she needed. ”We should announce it and have a small celebration. What do you say?”
”Come on, Mother Selin, we can not do that! Didn't you say our funds were cut?” Magnus said as he felt there was no reason to squander around with their meager amount on his behalf.
”Oh,” the Mother said as he excitement evaporated.
”Well, we can just announce it then,” Mother Selin said as she sighed in defeat. ”I believe congratulations are in order.”
Magnus did not like that option too. He felt more than happy, just helping the orphanage from the shadows. He wasn't shallow enough to need praises and whatnot. That is why he said, ”It is okay, Mother Selin, I could do without.”
Mother Selin shook her head, ”This is the least we can do Magnus to show you our appreciation. It would not do at all if you helped in the orphanage, and nobody showed you any thanks.”
Magnus saw that he was going to be forced into this, so to scare off the Mother, he said. ”Okay, we can do that, but only after I kept this job for a few days. What do you say to that?”
Mother Selin compromised to that and left him to be, as she proceeded into the orphanage.
Magnus sighed; he knew at best he bought himself only a few days. After that, he could be damned, but it would be appreciation day for him.
Magnus did not enter the orphanage; he went around the building and made his way over to the side tower. It was an old unused section of the orphanage, the Mothers and Matron do plan on fixing it up and trying to make it into a greenhouse, but so far it remains untouched.
Magnus cracked the door open as he walked into the side tower, the place was three stories tall and had stairs on the side that lead up. The first floor was an open round area with only dust, trash, and broken stone littered around.
The young practitioner climbed up the stairs and entered the second floor. This floor was the same as the first floor except it had a door opening out to an archway which leads to the second floor of the orphanage. Furthermore, this floor held occupants who were chatting and playing around.
Magnus waved and chatted with them, saying only some pleasantries then moved on to the third floor. This floor was different from the rest; it was a circular room with an overarching pointy dome. It also had windows that showed the grounds of the orphanage.
The little orphan sat himself in a small corner of the room then took out the coin purse he stole from the priest. Magnus was not expecting that there would be much inside the purse, though still, he chose the privacy of this room over his own bedroom. Right now, the place at least has a few occupants inside of it, so best to look over and tally up his underhanded gains inside this place rather than where there are plenty of eyes watching him.
Even if he is going to carry out stealing, he rather do it on the sly then right in the open. He did, after all, set down the rule that there shall not be stealing anymore, so it would not set a good example if he went against it and quite openly.
With little care, Magnus upturned the whole coin purse and dumped all its content on to the floor. What he was expecting was a few iron shims, maybe even some copper thumbs, however, what fell out was none of those above but real actual gold lions.
Magnus's eyes nearly popped out; he counted 27 gold lion, GOLD LIONS! All the little orphan could do was splatter. What took the forefront of his mind was not greed or delight but fear and anxiety.
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Codex's words came back to him like a speeding truck, the uneasy feeling she was getting from those followers of light. Now here were her words all over again, refreshed and now becoming a substantial fact! All that was needed now to string it along was Codex saying I told you so.
However, Codex had the grace to say nothing, which did not make it better, but all the worse for Magnus.
Now to complete the mystery, Magnus took out the holy book he stole from the priest, gods be damned he should have listened to her. However, Magnus set aside his thoughts. Those could be chewed on later; right now, he needs all the facts he can gather about this new religion and see how much trouble he is in.
So he opened the holy book, or that is what he tried to do, but the damn thing wouldn't budge an inch. Magnus looked it over; the thing looked like a perfectly normal book however it wasn't acting like one.
Magnus heard Codex sigh as she said, ”It looks like you need expert help.”
Magnus could agree with that statement, he was truly out of his depth.
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