An Offer to Ponder

The tall bastion of the city darkened my surroundings as I approached walls. After questioning a couple of people for the location of the city guard's garrison, and some explaining I had to do for the people who knew Aelius, I finally found my way to a walled-off section within the city that connected to the walls.

As I was making my way to enter through the open gates into the courtyard, someone shouted from above me. "Aelius!"

I looked up and saw Dieter waving at me from a window at the second floor inside the tower.

"So you decided not to quit, huh?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Well, seeing as you're a blank slate from your former self, I figured you'd be interested in another job."

I chuckled. "I don't think my body knows any other skills than wielding a sword. Craft masters won't take an apprentice in his thirties."

Suddenly, someone inside called for Dieter's attention. He turned around again. "I've gotta go now. You should drop by Matrius's office and let him know you're starting your shift."

I looked inside the courtyard, only spotting a few buildings, though they may not be the only ones in there. They also looked quite big, and if every other building was the same size, I feared it would take the entire day just searching for it. I looked back up again to Dieter to ask where the office was, but he was no longer there.

Damned guy forgot I lost my memory.

* * *

I've been searching for a fair bit of time since I talked to Dieter. I was walking the halls of one of the buildings, the barracks. From the outside, they looked similar, but one was a cafeteria, one was a gym, one entire building was for storage, which was honestly a waste of a building, and the last one was a barracks. Thankfully, I met Gallus on the way to the gym, so despite a twenty to thirty minutes wasted inside the cafeteria, I got to skip the gym and the storage and went straight to the barracks.

They should really invest in some signage. I feel like there are a lot of things that could be fixed here.

I slowed my pace to a halt in front of a door. I was fairly certain this was the room Gallus had instructed me directions for. I knocked beforehand, a habit for manners in my past life when meeting senior members of the family and clan executives.

"Come in." A voice spoke behind the door, muffled to some extent.

I pushed open the door and stepped in. Matrius stood in front of the window overlooking the courtyard. He spun on his heel and smiled at me.

"Aelius, it's nice to see you still with the city garrison." He said, holding his hand out in offer to take a seat.

"Did you know I was coming to meet you?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"So you were just standing in front of the window?"

"That's correct." He affirmed with a nod and puckered lips.

A silence befell the room.

"You're a captain, right?"

"Yes, I am the north wall's city guard captain. Your captain, to be exact," he said, pointing my way. "In any case, what's with all the sudden questions?" He leaned on the backrest, the chair creaking from the sudden pressure.

"No, it's just that-" I stumbled, taking a seat across from him, a table separating the two of us. "Well... do you not have any work to do?"

"Of course I do, why kind of question is that?"

"It's just that you've been standing there when I came in. I thought it was for dramatic flair, but now I'm just curious what exactly your job is."

"Well, I assign the men to guard their walls."

"And when you're not guarding it?"

"I supervise the men doing their work."

"And when you're not overseeing them?"

"I go home."

Another silence carpeted the room.

"Are you sure you're the Captain?" I asked, breaking the awkward atmosphere that was choking me.

"You know, you never liked to talk this much before."

"Well, new soul, new me," I muttered.

"What?" His head perked up.

"Oh, I said new day, new me."

"It's certainly a new you."

Tell me about it.

"Well, I just came here to tell you that I am starting my shift now. I heard that letting you know gets me paid."

"You're certainly correct there. Thank you for letting me know."

As I made my way to leave the room, I stopped at the door. "Aelius?" he called, "Is something the matter?"

I spun to face him. "Do you not have any other work?"

"What do you mean by other work?" He crossed his arms

"It's just that I thought you'd be doing paperwork."

"Paperwork? Like paying your salaries?"

"That, and other logistical things?"

"Logistics." He said. I swore he scoffed at the idea, as if it was a preposterous notion to even bring up. "That's the quartermaster's job. Not mine. I'm a guard captain. I look at the bigger picture!"

"How did you become a captain?" I asked, sincerely confused.

"I sense doubt in your voice, mister Eventide."

"Frankly speaking, sir, considering what I've seen so far of the facilities around, you're not really doing a great job."

He nodded. "That's fair." He dragged out a long and deep sigh as he shifted his gaze deep into my eyes. "No one was fit to lead the north wall. Not when the bastards at the east and west take the cream of the crop. So, not wanting to employ anyone unqualified, I was designated as the Captain, which was a demotion from my old post."

"What was your old post?"

"I was a man in the lord's retinue."

"Why is the north wall still in this condition, then, considering we have you?"

"I'm a soldier, not an administrator. I was also pushed into this by the lord since everything we did, we did without fail. I did try to refuse, but the Earl simply stated that I will always be one of his soldiers and should I find someone worthy to replace me, then I can return to my post."

I nodded. "I hope you find someone then."

"Hold on there, Aelius." He said, stopping me in my tracks as I tried to exit the room. "When I said you seem different, you really are." He stood up and walked to me. "I always thought you had a good head on your shoulders, certainly better than mine when it came to these things." He placed his fist on his chest passionately. "Nay, I felt it. Knew it deep down."

I stared at him. My confusion slowly raised my eyebrows as he got closer and closer. "Thank you?" I said, the words of gratitude coming out more like a question.

He then spun around, walking back to his desk. "But alas, you were a quiet one. I didn't want to push you with this job, but now you seem like you fixed that problem, so what do you say?"

I blinked a few times as I processed his words. "Wait, are you asking me to —"

He leaned into his desk. "I'm offering you to be my replacement."