Raising Status.

[Days Remaining: 84]

'Okay, system tell me what my most important goal is right now.'

[Host needs to raise his status to make it into the inner city to find a noble selling crystals.]

'Okay, status. What the hell governs status in this world? Screw it I'll just go to the library and check what's been done historically.'

[Historically status has been increased by doing acts for the public and the kingdom]

'How the hell do you know that when I don't?'

[System can scan any open book around it, the host was in the library next to a person reading a book on history, the system was able to examine 60 per cent of the book while you were there.]

'Well, that saved me a lot of time, seeing as I wanted to get around to it eventually I might as well just implement one of my future plans right now.'

After that James headed back to see Fletcher, safe to say he was a big fan of how efficient Fletcher's work was.

"James, you don't even give me time to think these days, do you?" Fletcher was obviously joking, but James really had been coming to him a lot these days.

"I wanted to see if you had and decent sized buildings anywhere in the city with a few medium-sized rooms in it."

"I think I have one of them open, do you want to buy or rent it?" Fletcher really was fast to adapt to new concepts and had already begun to apply renting to his business practice.

"I'm gonna have to buy this time I'm afraid, I need to have all of it in my name for now."

"What do you plan on doing? If it's another business, I may be able to put you in contact with some people to help" Fletcher now acknowledged James as his business partner and so wasn't afraid to share his resources with him.

"I plan on opening a free to attend school for the lower class."

"I didn't know you were so giving James, I truly see you in a new light!" Obviously, the Merchant Fletcher was making fun of James, he knew this was merely a stunt to increase his social standing. Although he couldn't have known that regardless of status this was something James wanted to implement anyway.

"Alright, I have a lot of work to do to get it prepared, do you know where I would be able to source the materials for learning? Pencils, paper etc."

"Those are all industries I run, as long as you put in a good word for me I can give you all our surplus and defect goods. Most of them are perfectly fine too use just people refuse to buy the stuff that isn't of the same quality as the rest. You would be doing me a favour I have so much stuff piled up I couldn't bring myself to throw out. At least it is going to a good cause now."

"You truly are my idol Mr Fletcher, such a broad heart on such a small man, who would have known!" Now that Fletcher and James were closer James decided to poke fun at him to test the waters.

"Haha, you really don't hold back young man, not many people would go straight for the weight when making fun" Fletcher took it as nothing and merely passed it off as a joke between friends. This indeed was an odd friendship, a mid-30s man and a 12-year-old boy, if news of their friendship got out, there's every chance people would start spreading rumours.

"Alright, thanks again for all your help Mr Fletcher, I need to get going to find some teachers!" After saying this James gave Fletcher the 2 Cedi for the building that was not too far from his own house and went towards the markets.

"I am recruiting anyone that can read and write to teach others at my school for 13 Leones a month!" The salary alone would bring in a lot of people just aiming to get themselves a quick payday, but James filtered them out soon enough by administering a quick exam of getting someone to read out a paragraph and then write the paragraph he told them. He was extremely strict with them and any more than three errors he would take it as a fail. He didn't have a lot of time to train them to read and write correctly.

After two hours of recruiting in the market, he told everyone that had passed to accompany him to the building he had just bought, as James got there he saw that the promised papers and writing tools were being brought into the building for him, true to his word Fletcher had given them all for free.

"This will be where you teach from now on before we open for business in three days I need all of you to spend these days refining your reading and writing skills, take notes from Miss. Langford here, don't be afraid to ask for help just because you feel it may harm your pride, this will be these youths futures you are changing right now so we must do a good job."

Miss Langford had impressed James, she was the only candidate who had made no errors when she took the test, so James had decided to appoint her as the main teacher even though she was quite young and a woman. Thankfully James didn't have time to care about these things, and if any of the male teachers had a problem with working under a woman, he would ask them if they were capable of doing better.

James had begun to feel that he was making too many moves in the city recently and with his school, his name would no longer be closed behind his various contracts and the nobles so he decided it was time to invest in some guards for his safety. You never know what unscrupulous person may think James was carrying valuables on him or if they just didn't like the changes he was making in the city.

After heading back to the market, James found himself looking at a group of mercenaries who had an excellent reputation in the city. They had never had a client die on a protection mission, so naturally, James would go for the best and not worry about the cost of his life, as far as he could tell he would only have one more of those.

"I would like to hire your group for my protection in the city" The mercenaries saw a skinny boy approach and were initially going to dismiss him until they noticed his clothes were of very high quality compared to the commoners.

"How long will the contract be?" The head mercenary was apparently okay with James' age and only asked him what he needed to know, money was money, after all, no matter the age of the client.

"There isn't a set time frame, it will just be until I move into the inner city I suppose, or I'm able to protect myself." The head mercenary Devan found himself shocked at the surety in James' voice when he said he would move to the inner city. That wasn't an easy task.

"20 Leones a week, no negotiations."

"17 a week and I will outfit you all with better equipment."

Devan found himself unable to understand this young man in front of him more and more, where did he get his confidence from?

"You're the son of a merchant right? Why not get your parents to hire your guards?"

"I don't know my parents, I live by myself."

This answer was the one Devan expected the least and found himself even further confused by this weird young man, every word out of his mouth was the thing he least expected.

"What equipment will you supply us with?" Devan decided to hear the boy out, something was definitely different with him.

"Hold your sword out in front of you straight."

After doing what James had asked Devan watched James directly draw his sword and slash down before returning it to his sheath and hearing the end of his own sword hit the ground.

"Well that convinced me, we'll take the deal!" Devan was sure not to miss such a golden opportunity.