System Change

Derek stretched and yawned as he woke up from a good night’s sleep. The beds in the hotel were much more comfortable than any other one he’d slept on while in Cydaria. Though he didn’t sleep often, it was quite refreshing when he chose to do so instead of using Greater Meditation.

Looking to his left, Derek saw Thomas still in a deep slumber. It was a guarantee that the boy had never spent the night in such a comfortable place. The previous night, the boy had fallen asleep in the tub. He was so tired that he could barely make it to the bed after Derek woke him to keep him from drowning.

Derek quietly got up and washed himself in the sink in the small bathroom. The sink was a miniature version of the tub, but attached to the wall with a small mirror above. It was more than enough to wash his face. There was also a ‘toilet’ in the room. But really, it wasn’t much more than a stool with a Cleaning rune on it.

Another thing Derek miss, other than a shower, was proper dental products. The system already made it so that anyone with just a little increased Endurance would never have to worry about plaque or cavities, but he still missed toothpaste as part of his daily routine. He’d run out a while ago. Still, he what he could with his toothbrush and some mint leaves.

Derek left the room card next to Thomas before quietly slipping out. Silvi had chosen to stay with Brandi and the girls, so he didn’t bother waking them either. When he closed the door and looked down the hall, it surprised him to see Jacks slipping out early as well.

“Early riser?” Derek asked.

Jacks nodded. “Always have been. Even more so during my time as the Guard Captain.”

The two chatted while making their way downstairs to the lobby. The duo went to a side of the hotel lobby they hadn’t visited yesterday. It was littered with tables and chairs, not unlike the first floor at the Crown Restaurant.

As soon as they sat, a young lady was at their side, taking their order. They had a few things to choose from, but Derek went with the classic bacon and eggs. Of course, the bacon was from a high-level boar type beast, and the eggs were from a bird Derek had never heard of.

Surprisingly, coffee was on the menu, so he didn’t have to settle for some off the wall juice or hot tea. It made sense, as the restaurant was part of the Crown.

“So, what’s the plan today?” Jacks asked.

“First, I need to go to the City Building and scout out some land. I would also like to talk with Stella about some of our prior business once she gets settled.” Derek said. “You’ve been here before, right? I wouldn’t mind a bit of a guide if you’re down for it.”

“Might as well.” Jacks replied. “I need to go to the City Building to send a letter to my son, anyway.”

Derek nodded. Soon, the young lady arrived with their meals, and the two ate in silence before heading out.

“So, where exactly is this City Building?” Derek asked as the two walked out of the hotel.

To answer Derek’s question, Jacks pointed. “It’s just over there. We’re basically at the center of the city. That’s where all the most important businesses are. The Adventurer’s Guild is there…” He pointed in a slightly different direction. “The Savannah Mansion it right there.” He pointed to a building about the size of the one Walter lived in.

“It’s… not very big. Where’s the giant courtyard? Or the guest mansion?” Derek asked.

“Bigger doesn’t always mean better.” Jacks said. “The cost of a residence in the center of the city is astronomical. They pay for their residence the same as everyone else. There is no special treatment, even for the Savannahs themselves. Of course, most of them grow up with much more business knowledge than anyone else, so it’s not hard for them to obtain money.”

“What’s the point of being the City Lord, then?”

“Technically, if Natalie Savannah wanted to make her residence free of charge, she could. She is able to pass whatever regulations she wants in the city. Different lords do different things. The previous City Lord didn’t pay taxes or rent on the mansion, but I think the current one likes the extra pressure.” Jacks explained.

“Just don’t forget… she does rule this city. She also probably has one of the top forces in the entire Cydarian Kingdom.” He said.

“Got it.” Derek said. “What’s the deal with the layout of the city? It doesn’t seem the same as Wilmette or Torith. I thought the cities all followed that style.”

“That’s the basic blueprint that most cities follow.” Jacks confirmed. “You won’t find many sub-cities with different layouts. The Capital and Savannah are different. As a city of commerce that cares more about business than separating the classes, this layout works best. The closer you are to the center, the more expensive everything is.”

“Of course, it is also where all of the government buildings are located as well. That’s not to say that there aren’t any great shops outside the city center, there are. In fact, one of the best Blacksmiths owns a shop at the edge of the city. But that’s because of his personal preferences. In Savannah, it’s easier to grab attention closer to the city center, but if your product is good enough, it doesn’t matter where your business is.” Jacks explained.

Derek nodded. “Let’s go to the City Building.” He walked towards the direction Jacks had pointed out.

The City Building wasn’t too far away from the Teleportation Building, just a few buildings over. After entering the City Building, one of the running themes of the ‘governmental’ buildings, Derek noticed, was the lack of aesthetics on the outside, but the lavish decorations on the inside. That’s not to say that the outside wasn’t kept well, it was.

The inside of the building was decorated in Savannah’s colors. Other than the light fixtures, carpets, and waiting areas, there were four counters. On the back wall, splitting the four counters, was a 20 foot by 20 foot map of the city.

It being quite early in the day, there weren’t many people in the place. Derek looked above each counter and read the labels. To the far right was ‘Business Registration’ then ‘Property Management.’ Then was the map, followed by ‘Send/Receive’ and ‘Citizen Registration.’

“Guess I’m going there.” Derek pointed at ‘Property Management’ then lined up behind one person.

Jacks nodded and walked towards ‘Send/Receive.’

Derek waited around five minutes before the man in front of him turned around in a huff and stormed out. He took a step forward.

“What was that all about?” Derek asked the gray-haired old man wearing spectacles behind the counter.

The man snorted. “Just another person trying to get around taxes.” He said, then looked up. “How may I help you today?” He said.

“I’m looking to buy, rent, or lease some property.” Derek explained.

The man nodded and adjusted his glasses. “Have you already found a vacant lot or building?”

Derek shook his head. “No, I just arrived here yesterday for the first time. A friend suggested I start here.”

“Very well.” The man said. “Are you looking for residential or business?”

“Both? Does it make a difference?”

The man nodded. “Very much so. The business property taxes are more expensive than residential, and there are regulations when it comes to residential properties.”

“Such as?”

“If you are caught conducting business in a residential building, you will be evicted.”

“Ah, I get it.” Derek said.

The man flipped a book open and muttered some things to himself before speaking again. “Alright, I’ve eliminated all of the residential only properties. What size property are you looking for? Would you prefer a vacant lot or one with buildings already on them?”

Derek had done a lot of thinking about this. He was hoping to make an underground facility with noise suppression and airflow runes with different workstations. Up top would be a General Store that sold all the created goods, storage, and a Contract Store for Rudy. Then, he wanted another floor for their living quarters.

“I think it would be best for it to be vacant.” Derek said. “I’m thinking I can get away with 2,500 square feet.”

The man whistled. “You’re not asking for much, are you?”

Derek shrugged. “It’s what I need.”

The man flipped some pages in his book, injected some mana inside and mutter quietly again. “Alright, that’s narrowed the search down quite a bit.” He said. “Now, do you have a part of the city you would like to build on?”

“Is there a lot of property for sale?” Derek asked.

“There is, and there isn’t. We just expanded the borders two years ago, so there is a lot of land ready at the edge of the city.” Saying that, the man walked out from behind the counter and over to the map. Instantly, a pointer appeared in his hand and adjusted its sized. He moved it in a circle around the edge of the map.

“As you may know, many business ventures fail, especially in a city like Savannah. There are some recently cleared lots here, here, and here.” He pointed at three locations on the map. One was close to center, one was in between the center and the northeast edge, and one was at the very northeastern edge.

“This.” He circled much of the western part of the map. “Is the main residential area. Businesses are restricted from this area, aside from some restaurants and other types. Many famous adventurers, merchants, and nobles live in this area, at least, those who don’t live in their businesses. “This area.” He circled the southeastern part of the city. “Is for businesses only. You may not reside in the buildings. But it is slightly cheaper. Most successful merchants have a building here, and a house in the residential area.”

“I see.”

“Which leads us to here.” He circled the northeastern part of the city. “This is where all the businesses that double as living quarters are. You will find the hotels and inns in this part of the city.”

Come to think of it, even though it’s in the center of the city, the Crown Hotel was on the northeast side. I was wondering why the restaurant wasn’t beside the hotel. He thought. “So, what will these places run me?”

“Well, this one was recently demolished and the materials were sold to pay off some of the previous owner’s debts.” He pointed at the spot closest to the center. “The cost would be 35,000 gold a month, plus 7% taxes on all sales.”

If Derek would have had something in his mouth, he would have spit it out. That was five times his projected monthly coffee revenue. Derek stayed calm. “And the others?” He asked.

“This one…” He pointed at the second one he showed. “Is 21,200 a month, and this one…” He pointed at the one on the edge of the city. “Is 5,000 a month.”

“That much difference?” Derek asked. “What about a place that hasn’t been built on yet?”

The man pointed to the spaces around the last lot he showed. “8,500 gold.”

“Why not 5,000?”

“Because this one had a failed business on it already, and there are open lots around it, so it’s already got a reputation.”

“So, is the other lots cheaper than other lots around them?” Derek asked.

The man shook his head. “No. That’s because there aren’t any open lots. Everything other than the new land is prime real estate. There aren’t many lots left on the edge, either. Soon, there won’t be any discounts out there.”

Derek sighed. I need to talk to Stella later. It’s time for my monthly percentage of coffee sales. This will be the first real month’s pay I get from it. That was why he planned on talking with Stella later. “I think I’ll take a look at the 5,000 gold one later.”

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