Isaac was getting used to his daily routine.
Wake up, run some errands for Grandpa, sketch at the Civic Eye, help write some editorials and articles if needed, go home, sleep and then repeat.
This was another day like that.
He had woken up and just gotten freshen up, while Birger was currently getting freshened up. As he came into the living room, where Grandpa was currently sitting in his rocking chair, before he called Isaac.
"Isaac, my boy, can you go to the market a little ahead of our village, you'll need to buy some general items, that's all." Said Grandpa.
"Yes Grandpa, I'll go and get the stuff, Where's the list?" Asked Isaac.
Grandpa handed him the list, and some currency notes, and Isaac got a big cloth bag, and was ready to leave...
"Isaac...can you take Birger along with you?" Said Grandpa.
"...why?" Asked Isaac. He saw him as another person he just tagged along with.
"Well...he's clearly been...let's say isolated...his learning is going well, he's grasping the lexicon pretty well, but i can't say that much, since he has great grasping power on subjects, his printing is going very well, he'll be ready to take control of the press!...but he'll need some normal, everyday experiences too...so...take him along!" Said Grandpa.
"...Okay." Agreed Isaac.
"Birger! My boy! Why don't you go along with Isaac to the market!" Called out Grandpa.
"Coming Grandpa!" Said Birger as he rushed along with Isaac.
As they walked towards the market, Isaac could sense that Birger was...staring at him...why? A quick glance up to the heightened red head proved that he was infact staring at him...not directly at him but the currency notes in his hands.
"Birger? Why are you looking at me?" Asked Isaac.
"What are those...paper rectangles in your hand?" Asked Birger.
"Oh these?" Said Isaac as he separated a reddish note from his hand and brought it in front of Birger." This...is a Finn."
"A...Finn?" Asked Birger.
"It's called a Finn because it's named after the Founder and first King of The Kingdom of the Veldt, King Finneas, he's on this side of the note." Said Isaac as he showed him one side of the reddish note, it had a lot of intricate patterns, with the face of thehandsome, clean shaven face of the first King on the right, and a blank space on the left, a portrait like image created around it.
"Wow...I have to say, Finneas doesn't sound like a strong name...but the man himself looks strong!" Said Birger.
"Well, what can I say? Names can be deceiving!" Said Isaac.
"Can you show me the other side?" Asked Birger excitedly.
"Sure." Said Isaac, as he flipped the note, the other side showed a full body drawing of a charming looking prince, wearing a dashing outfit. "Who's this...handsome looking man...?" Asked Birger.
"This guy?" Said Isaac as he flipped that side to himself, as there was...a small, uncomfortable pause...as he gave that side a...scrutinising look that side with an...annoyed expression.
"Isaac?" Said Birger in a concerned tone.
"Oh! Right, right this guy..." said Jsaac as he snapped out of the staring contest with the note.
"This guy is the second Prince of the Royal Family of the Veldt, their youngest, and he's said to be a charmer! Every girl and boy falls for him!" Said Isaac.
"Oh... is this the only Finn?" said Birger.
"Yeah, there's coins worth of 1,2,5 and 10...but Finn are worth of 10,20,50,100,200 and 500." Explained Isaac.
"And what...drawings do they have in them?" Asked Birger.
"Oh, they're all Royal Family stuff, 10 has the Royal Palace, 20 has the Second Prince, 50 has the First Princess, 100 has the First Prince, 200 has the Queen, and 500 has the King." Explained Isaac.
"Wow...is that...all of the family members?" Asked Birger.
There was a short pause again, before Isaac spoke. "Yep. All 5." Said Isaac. "And if the notes didn't need to be bifurcation enough, they have different colours too!" Said Isaac.
"...what's a bi...fur...ca...tion?" Asked Birger.
"Right, it means to...separate, like to make sure you know that this note is different from the others." Explained Isaac.
"Oh...what are the colours?" Asked Birger, mostly understanding the explanation.
"There's uh...brown for 10, red for 20, cyan for 50, purple for 100, orange for 200 and green for 500." Said Isaac.
"Wow...I always thought these notes were useless, back in my tribe, we'd used to trade goods with each other, we didn't need small notes!" Said Birger proudly...as he accidentally revealed to Isaac that he was a Tribal.
Isaac pretended to ignore that and said "Hey! Wanna see something amazing about this note?" Asked Isaac.
"What? Yes! I'd love to!" Said Birger joyfully.
"Here...let me just..." said Jsaac as he pointed the note to the sun, the side with King Finneas facing them...and the blank spot on the left was now full...with another portrait of King Finneas.
"Wow...how...how does it do that?" Asked Birger, his eyes sparkling in awe.
"Lemon ink, it can only be seen under a source of light..." Explained Isaac.
"Wow..." said Birger in wonder.
"Hey! Hey! We're at the market! We can't just spend our time staring at Finns can we?" Said Isaac.
"Right...right..." said Birger as he followed Isaac into the marketplace.
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The marketplace was like a wonderous place for Birger. So many people around, going to other people and giving Finns and receiving other things in return!
As Isaac dragged him around the marketplace, he could see all the places had small little rectangles on top, with letters written on them...Grandpa told him to try to spell any words he saw written somewhere...
First Store...V-E-G-E...T-A-B-L-E-S...vegetables.
Second Store...T-E-X...T-I-L-E-S...textiles.
As he saw around the marketplace, he saw a smaller wooden table in the middle...with a weird looking man, with short, curly hair and colourful clothing...he seemed to have some stuff that he was selling.
Birger separated from Isaac and made his way towards the man and his table of...stuff.
"Hello?" Said Birger as he approached the man.
"Hello my friend! I'm Anees the Alluring, are you here to buy some of my wares?" Said Anees in a cheery tone.
"What are...your...wares?" Asked Isaac.
"Oh! Here are true, authentic royalty clothes! Made by the greatest tailors and worn by nobles! And here are authentic clean leather noble shoes!" Said Anees.
"Wow..." said Birger, this man had so much good looking clothing and shoes! Which the rich men wore?!?! Isaac needed to know about this!
"Isaac! Isaac! Come here!" Birger called out to Isaac.
Isaac approached them "Birger... what the hell are you doing?" Asked Isaac.
"This man is selling clothing and shoes all the rich people inside the stone walls wear!" Said Birger.
"Yes! Authentic and cheap!" Said Anees.
Isaac took a look at the clothing and shoes, inspecting them. "This is fake." Said Isaac bluntly.
"What?" Said Birger.
"Hey! Hey! How can you say that!" Said Anees, sounding offended.
"The clothing is thinner than actual clothing and the patterns are not so close together, and the leather in the shoes is harder and more rigid than the actual shoes." Said Isaac bluntly.
"..." Anees was stunned.
"Oh...then you're a liar!" Said Birger.
"A forger, that's what he is." Said Isaac.
"Wait! Wait! Please don't tell anyone!" Said Anees in desperation.
Birger and Isaac just stated at him.
"You...you seem to be more intelligent...I think we should be on...Good terms right?" Asked Anees to Isaac.
Isaac just stares at him.
"Here, here's our address, if you need my help, then our doors are always open!" Said Anees.
Isaac...took the card, placed it in his pocket, and dragged Birger out of the marketplace, his bag full of the stuff they needed.
Birger felt a little weirded out...how Isaac knew so much about Finns...or how he looked at the Royal Family on the Finns...or how easily he recognised how the clothing was fake...oh well...a thought for another day...he needed to focus on his studies and learning how to print more!