Rewriting His Past

Livable

"I don't need you telling me that you're a new student." Duff said, stroking his chin. "It's as plain as the whiskers on a bear fish!"

"Is that so?" Dusk asked, wondering what gave him away as a first-year. When all the robes are the same color, despite the year difference.

"It's your accent; we don't get many from your part of the world." The granddaughter said, her hands busy making, what Dusk guessed was, new baskets for the stall. Her fingers were too fast for his eyes to keep up with. Impressive.

"Coal," Duff coughed her name and ruffled his beard with displeasure. "Grandpa," Coal said with a wrinkle of her nose. The pair were cute; Dusk would give them that, but he had wasted enough time here already. Looking up at the sun, he could see it was getting close to noon. The daylight was dwindling faster than the task he had to complete.

"About the deals?" Dusk urged him to get back on track.

"Yes," he said, giving Coal a sideways glance. "We have the starter pack for all your basic tokens. Three silver." He bent down and brought back up a small wooden box. It had the same symbol as their stall front on it. "Covers teleportation to cleaning, a basic guide in the lid." Dusk nodded, adding it up in his head, like the dwarf promised he was getting a discounted price.

"I'll take it; can the cleaning token handle a hard mess?" Dusk asked, thinking of the cabin and its unique condition. Dusk tried to spin it well, but the cabin was in horrible shape. At least the stench alone made it so; the bones were good, Dusk had to remind himself. The bones were good. 

"No, sir, it's meant to tackle everyday cleaning." Duff's eyes glinted like a silver coin. Ah, here it comes. Dusk thought it would come sooner or later. Whatever he was going to bring up was going to hurt his wallet. "Bought one of those run-down cabins, looking to turn it around, make yourself some coin in three years time?" Dusk watch the dwarf's eyebrows wiggle with excitement. The speech made Dusk's stomach sink. It was spot-on but also raised flags about a pricey deal.

"Don't have time or know how?" Coal came up, popping from behind her grandfather."Holes in the walls? Does it stink like a sweating pair of-" Duff looked to his side and coughed. A flush rising up from the sides of his beard.

"Skunk-apes?" Coal cut in, and Dusk thought they all knew that was not what Duff was going to say. Dusk nodded, but Duff's sigh of relief didn't go unnoticed. "Crud so thick you could construct a city with it?" 

"This repair kit is for ye!" Duff's chest puffed out, while the Coal brought out a larger, more elaborately detailed box. A sign of expense, if there ever was one. Dusk thought, looking at the fine flourishes that decorated the outside of the box. Even the middle had a craved-in stall ship sign, where the other had fewer details and was much simpler. Dusk would bet that the granddaughter had made the first one, and this would be Duff's work.

"Grandpa completed it!" She declared while puffing out her chest, imitating her grandpa to a t. "It can fix every minor repair and tackle all the hard cleaning and yard work!"

"Comes with my guarantee! There is nothing for ye to worry about!" Duff and Coal both started grinning. Dusk was nearly blinded by their combined pride.

"How much?" Dusk liked the sound of it; a guarantee was always good, but the price was what it always came down to. If someone wanted to know what distinguishes men from monsters, it was financial worries. Dusk wouldn't mind a little less of it right now. He had enough to not worry right now, but if he wanted to build up a new life after university, He couldn't afford to spend foolishly now.

"One platinum." Coal held out one finger. It wasn't a large number, but it was. Dusk took a long breath. It was a tenth of his limited budget. It wasn't a bad deal. Time is also money. Dusk thought, and it was money that he couldn't earn back. He couldn't live, let alone sell the cabin as it is now.