Chương 12: Non-Citizen

After another few minutes of walking, Mark was still entranced by the variety of species he was seeing and it led to him asking Wes another question.

"What species attend the Academy?"

"Any citizen species. Humans are the most numerous of course, but there are plenty of elves, dwarves, centaurs, beastkin, and even some dragonkin who attend the school. I have heard of other citizen species like minotaurs, gnolls, and orcs attending too, although you might go years without seeing any of them due to the rarity of magical capability in those species. The key thing is that anyone from a citizen species can apply if they develop the aptitude and can pay the fees."

"Are there kobolds at the Academy? Students, I mean, not familiars." Wes shook his head.

"Kobolds? No. They're a non-citizen species." Being called a non-citizen species did not sound promising.

"What's a non-citizen species? Are kobolds the only non-citizen species?"

"No. Far from it." Before Wes could elaborate, something small shot between two market stalls at head height, fast enough that Mark only caught the impression of wings and a glimpse of a face that looked irritated. The nearest merchant who was sitting in a stall by the road covered his coin box without looking up.

"What was that?" Mark asked.

"That's a sprite. Don't make eye contact, it encourages them." Wes steered them slightly left.

"Non-citizen species are any species without the capacity for structured magic. Sprites, goblins, trolls, kobolds, and gremlins are just a few. There's no shortage of them." Wes's voice had dropped into the register he used when the information was going to be awkward.

"It has nothing to do with intelligence. A species earns citizenship once a natural-born member demonstrates they have the capability of channeling structured magic. That's the entire test.

"Orcs were the most recent species to receive citizenship. A couple of generations ago an orc was shown to have magical capabilities, and that was enough to upgrade the entire status of their species. Since then several more orcs have been discovered with the capability of magic as well.

"My father said Arvandor was close to reclassifying orcs as monsters at that time. That would have allowed adventurers to kill them outside protected settlements without penalty. Then that one orc demonstrated the ability to perform structured citizen magic, which forced Arvandor to recognize the species as citizens."

"Now we have individual cities and towns negotiating with local orc chieftains and while their culture is definitely violent and they still raid sometimes everyone can agree it's been a lot more peaceful between the civilized world and orcs since."

"So if orcs became more peaceful after giving them citizen status and everyone started treating them like they were people, why isn't that the obvious default stance of all species regardless of whether they can do magic?" Wes grimaced a little.

"A lot of people think it should be, but most people don't. One of my first-year instructors taught us that structured magic requires a mind capable of learning novel patterns and overriding its innate responses. The argument is that if a species can produce a wizard, its members must be capable of developing beyond their instincts." What the hell kind of logic is that?

"Every sudden movement on this street makes me want to run and hide. I'm still here, walking beside you and asking questions. I'm trying to learn more about the world so I can adapt to it as a person. What would your professor call that?" Wes's hand slipped into his robe pocket.

"They would probably say you're different because you're a construct."

"Then the theory is unfalsifiable! Every counterexample gets declared an exception!"

"I'm just answering your question, Makriss. I haven't been around enough non-citizens to really have an opinion one way or another." Mark could hear the frustration from Wes. Mark had been riled up due to the twisted reality he was in, but Wes really was just answering his questions. Just because he didn't like the answers didn't mean Mark should get angry at the messenger.

"Let's quit talking about this, Wes. Please…" Ahead, a pair of goblins haggled with a fishmonger. Both of the goblins were shorter than Mark and were green, big-eared, and had tusks coming out of their lower jaws. They appeared to be negotiating with the fishmonger like every copper was worth a gold piece. The fishmonger was an otter-like humanoid creature Mark assumed was a type of beastkin. Mark was happy to watch the scene in front of him rather than think about their previous conversation.

He even kept staring and twisted his head backward while he and Wes passed them. The sight was just so unbelievable, to see two actual goblins and an otter person conducting business. Evidently Mark wasn't being very discreet as the goblins started yelling loudly about "da rude, nosy kobold". With that Mark responded.

"Sorry! I'm a new construct created just yesterday, and just a little enthusiastic about every new thing. Sorry for the staring!" This seemingly satisfied the goblins and their attention went back to the otterkin. Once they were out of earshot, Mark returned to his questions.

"So Wes, are non-citizens capable of any magic?"

"Yes they have some innate magical ability but just can't do structured magic like what's taught in the academy. Sprites for instance can turn invisible, move in bursts too fast to track, and most have an elemental trick or two. None of it counts toward citizen magic." Wes paused.

"I should show you how to read your innate abilities. Kobolds get a few…"

"I actually found my list while I was in the pouch."

"Really? That's impressive, most people have to be taught how to do it. What do you have?"

"It said I had earth and metal magic plus chemoreception which is my tongue sense and lots of other small things. But why doesn't my earth and metal magic not count as structured citizen magic?" This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Yours are abilities that can do certain things and can improve a bit over time, but it's limited to dealing with Earth or metal. Structured citizen magic lets a wizard manipulate raw magical substrate into learned patterns directly or through rituals. Although ritual magic is far more powerful, both offer more possibilities than innate magical abilities because they aren't confined to one innate function."

"So do non-citizens have any protections in place?"

"Some. Attacking or killing a non-citizen is a crime, but the sentencing tends to be a bit lighter than it would be for citizens."

"How much lighter?"

"Killing a citizen without it being self-defense is typically public execution." Wes then looked down, "For killing a productive non-citizen you may get a week in jail while they sort things out and have to pay their family and the town a rather large fine if someone reports you for your first offense. It does get stricter for repeat offenders.

My first year at the academy there was an adventurer who came into town after losing a party member due to wild goblins, and he killed around twenty working goblins in town before they caught him. They actually ended up executing him for it, but I know a lot of my fellow students thought it was a ridiculously strict punishment." Mark stopped walking rather stunned by what he heard. A week in jail and a fine for murdering one person but to get executed for killing non-citizens you have to become a serial killer?

If the place had widely gotten rid of the death penalty in general fine I could understand that but that clearly wasn't the case. Certain lives had more perceived value than others just because of species.

"And bonded familiars, how are they treated?"

"Different. Killing a bonded non-citizen familiar without being provoked may lead to anything from execution directly to just a massive fine or anything in between. Typically they go with what the owner of the familiar prefers."

"So the law protects your investment in me more than it protects a working kobold's life? How is this a thing?" It took Wes several seconds before he said anything.

"I think the reasoning is because a kobold who is a familiar likely cost a lot to create and train and would need to be replaced. Most non-citizens who live in towns were exiled from their community with nowhere else to go and others are just young runaways who want to see the world. So when most citizens think of non-citizens in the city they often have a rather negative perception of them, with most people thinking they are just going to cause problems."

"So because I'm a kobold my protections exist because I am owned by you. However, If you decided tomorrow to dissolve me, is there a way I could appeal?"

"At your formal review in six days, I would have to claim you were unmanageable and request dissolution but I'm not going to do that. After that formal review I would have no right to request dissolution. You have nothing to fear."

"For the next six days, I can be killed because you decide I'm too inconvenient. I have reasons to be afraid."

"I won't make that request," Wes said.

"I promise, Makriss."

"So one last question, Wes. If I can't learn structured magic, what is my purpose to you? I thought that was why you wanted a familiar, to help you learn magic."

"I originally wanted a dragonkin because we could have practiced structured magic together, but with your intelligence at eighteen and the way you talk you clearly look at things differently than I do. You question everything which can be annoying but it makes me look at everything in a different manner.

"You may not be able to cast the spells, but you can learn the theory and correct my mistakes. With your mind I bet once you learn the basics of magic you'll be designing new and better rituals. I could easily see you succeeding in whatever you want to do and helping me succeed at the same time." He hesitated.

"I don't need you to be another wizard, Makriss. I need you to be my tutor. In order to pass my courses and eventually create something new instead of barely repeating what other people have done, I need someone in my life who thinks the way you do." Wes had made the arrangement sound mutually beneficial, and perhaps one day it could be but he did note that he had evidently forgotten about Mark's previous diatribe about not wanting to be forced to do research.

"I'm willing to help you learn," Mark said.

"That doesn't mean tutoring you is my purpose. I need goals of my own." Wes nodded.

"That's fair." Mark hoped it would remain fair if their goals were no longer pointed in the same direction. As the upper district came into view, Wes veered off into a tangent.

"I work tomorrow afternoon. I think you'll enjoy meeting Morty, since you two have a lot in common. He can tell you first-hand about being a construct familiar." They continued through the town, and the character of the streets shifted as they walked. The buildings grew larger and better maintained, the cobblestones smoothed to something approaching level, and the people wore clothes suggesting they had never personally hauled water from a well and would have been offended if asked to do so.

The air's chemical composition was different here as well with much less manure and more ozone and herbs. One major difference in this part of town was the number of familiars clustered around people, and how he seemed to recognize the familiars as familiars rather than pets of their owner. There was a cat looking supremely uninterested in everything walking in lockstep down the street with their owner. A small dog nearby was verbally discussing interesting smells with his master.

A small creature with the head of a human woman and the body of a lion with wings was perched on a man's shoulder, grooming itself with an air of studied indifference. Mark was pretty sure it was a miniature sphinx. With so many people and familiars around in this area Mark became painfully aware of how sensitive his widened peripheral vision was to movement. Every quick motion tugged at the same instinct to flee and hide. Fortunately he kept calm and stayed right by Wes's side. It was strange as well.

He had noticed feeling remarkably vulnerable while outside and had thoughts about how nice and comfortable the low-ceilinged tunnels were in the dimensional warren. Wes followed Mark's gaze.

"Most wizards have familiars. It's considered standard practice once you're advanced enough. Among non-wizards, though, familiars are incredibly rare. Another thing that separates the magical from the non-magical." Mark thought about the woman hauling water, about the blacksmith.

"What happens to familiars when their masters die?"

"Elevated animals can become unbound if they aren't transferred. They stay elevated although getting unbound does lower their stats significantly. Unfortunately, many can't survive well on their own and have to find another master. A former dog familiar may be sapient, but that doesn't give him hands, and most aren't willing to go back to living as wild animals after personhood. Constructs…"

"You told me before." Mark said.

"If I can't sustain my own magic, which I can't since I can't perform structured magic I have perhaps a day before I dissolve. I was hoping I had misunderstood."

"You didn't."

"Then we need a contingency plan. Someone willing to assume the bond if something happens to you. Someone we both trust." Wes then smiled.

"I mean I don't think I will die anytime soon but I think we can ask around. Just like my parents plan to give me their farm when they die I should make sure you are well treated if anything happens to me.

"I'm not a farm, Wes." Wes flushed.

"That isn't what I meant. I meant you're right we've got to find someone to take you in if anything happens to me. Morty might…" A tavern door opened directly in front of them, and a dwarf set a dented metal bucket beside the well before turning back toward the doorway. Metal struck stone. Mark's head snapped toward the sound. His feet were heading toward the bucket before his thoughts caught up. The bucket was cracked badly enough that it probably leaked, but that was irrelevant.

The bucket was made of metal and it glittered. It would look magnificent in his hoard. He was already reaching for the handle when Wes spoke from behind him.

"What are you doing? That isn't treasure. It's a tavern owners bucket they use to get water for their drinks." Mark was thoroughly embarrassed. He was just glad he couldn't blush due to his scales.

"I know. I was stretching. Doctors recommend it." He straightened and hurried after Wes.

"It's important for the joints." Wes pressed his lips together, visibly fighting a smile. This was just absolutely great. It couldn't have been much more than ten minutes after Mark had argued that kobolds were not governed by instinct, and Mark had nearly stolen a stranger's broken bucket just because it glittered.