Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

The bell chimed as the door of the bakery swung open.

"Welcome!" The female clerk welcomed the entering customers pleasingly.

Her smile was kind and genuine but as soon as she saw it was just two homeless children dripping wet, her smile disappeared.

"Haist…get out of our store! We have enough of you homeless children stealing our goods," said the female clerk, walking up to them and shooing them away.

"Wait…wait! We only need a place to stay until the rain settles," Jonathan pleaded to the clerk, but it had no effect.

"No, get out!" The female clerk shoved Jonathan to the door, their smell repulsed her.

Her eyes flickered to Poul, specifically, at his silver hair. Her face contorted in disgust.

"Albians…I have enough of you people stealing our bread! Get out before you spoil the food with your filth."

"But we will only stay for—"

"I SAID GET OUT!" The female clerk snapped and pushed them out of the door.

The two landed on their haunches, wincing in pain while the female clerk looked at them in disgust as she rubbed her hands on her long black skirt.

"Disgusting…" she said repulsively before closing the door behind her.

The two were then again outside, exposed to the incessant rain falling over the town.

"I guess we won't be able to find a place to stay due to my appearance," Poul commented. "Why are they so repulsive against silver-haired people…wait…is this not some sort of a dye? Is my hair that naturally silvers?" he blabbered as he ruffled his hair.

"At first, I thought your hair was dyed. But judging from their reactions, I'd say it is not," Jonathan said. "Well, there goes our shelter and possibly a chance to learn where we are."

The two stood up and scanned around the surroundings. It was truly different from the ones they are familiar with.

"Perhaps this is one of the shows where they drugged people and make them believe that they were sent back in time," Jonathan inferred.

"I don't think that's possible," Poul shook his head. "The reasons are simple, how did we wake up in a child's body? We haven't reached that level of technology of transferring one's own consciousness to the other. Also, if this is a prank or a show of some sort, then they wouldn't hit us hard that could badly injure us," he explained.

"You got a point," Jonathan agreed.

"Now what are we going to do? Seeking shelter didn't work and it was still raining. Our body is so small and frail that we would collapse at any moment. Our body temperature is decreasing rapidly, I'm approximating around 37 degrees. If it falls below 35, hypothermia will set in. Not to mention the fact our body is combating the cold by regulating our temperature, which burns calories. So without shelter, food, and a change of clothes, we would die within 24 hours."

"We already died," Jonathan said flatly. "If there is life after death and it was this, I won't waste it. I'd say we won't give up?"

Poul chuckled. "Yeah…we will not give up brother."

"Right. I'm going to change our plan of approach. I'll be the lead as they considered me as one of their people, hence a citizen of this country. Ask for crucial information like what this place is and what year it is. Some money if they could give us some."

"Sounds like a plan," Poul nodded his head in agreement. "I'll stand by and watch. I'm starting to understand the norms here. When you are with Albians, i,e, me, then you would receive harsh treatment."

Jonathan hummed a reply. "Wait for me here…oh look, there's a man coming over, stay low."

"Got it!"

Jonathan walked up to the man with an umbrella that was heading their way and stopped him.

"Uhm, sir…can I borrow a minute of your time?"

The man frowned. "Why are you outside? It's raining, you'll get sick."

"I am aware of that. It's just that I have something important to ask before I can go home," Jonathan reasoned.

"What is it?"

"Ah…what is the name of this country and what year is it?"

"Hah?" the man exclaimed softly. "How come you don't know your country?"

"I have a mild amnesia that made me forget it…"

The man gasped understandingly. "You're in the United States of Avalonia in the state of Ohio. The year is July 875 in the continental calendar," the man answered.

"United States of Avalonia…July 875?" Jonathan repeated, his feet faltering momentarily.

"Ah…what's the name of the continent this country's in?" Jonathan asked.

"North Columbia."

"Oh…does a country named Denmark ring a bell?"

The man shook his head.

"Okay…"

"Since I answered all your questions, I will take my leave…"

"Wait! There's one more thing kind sir," Jonathan blocked his way. "Ahh…ehh…you see…ahh this is embarrassing…Do you have some spare change? My brother and I are really hungry…"

The man sighed, expecting that this would happen.

"Do you and your brothers have a place to stay?"

"Huh?" Jonathan was surprised at the question, why would he want to know that? "We haven't, we have been staying in the alley…"

"That's not good. Since I'm feeling lucky today I'll lend you three dollars. Two dollars is enough to rent an inn for a day and the rest is two days' worth of food."

"Really?!" Jonathan's eyes lit up. "Thank you, mister! I appreciate it…truly."

The man pulled out three pieces of a dollar bill and handed it to Jonathan. "You should know that I only helped you for the day, tomorrow will be your challenge. How old are you, kid?"

"I'm…twelve…" Jonathan replied with a lie. He doesn't know how old his new body is, so he came up with a number appropriate to his body figure.

"You're old enough to do some work. There's a lot of job opportunities here, you just have to take it," the man advised.

"I'll apply for one tomorrow," Jonathan said gratefully. "Thank you, sir. May I know your name?"

The man smiled and replied. "My name is Felix Sumpter. I ran a cafe house nearby. Though I'm not accepting men below fifteen years old, if you are thinking you can apply for a job at my store. so I'm afraid I cannot take you."

"No, I am not planning to, Sir Felix. Anyways, my name is Jonathan Axelsen. I'll pay you back someday sir," Jonathan promised.

"You don't have to," Felix rejected and started walking away.

"Wait!" Jonathan blocked his way again.

"What is it this time?" he asked. Clearly, he is annoyed.

"Is there a map that I can look at? I'm curious about what our country looks like, is there a place that has one?"

"You can try at the city hall. I'm sure they have a map there. Look I really need to leave, Jonathan so if you'll excuse me."

Jonathan knew that he was overstepping his bounds and decided to step aside and let him through.

As he watched Felix get smaller from a distance, he smiled, thankful that there are good people in this world.

***

"So what do you got?" Poul asked expectantly.

Jonathan briefed him about their conversation with Felix. It lasted for three minutes and after that, Poul heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank god we are saved for the day!"

"Let's find someplace to stay first before we eat," Jonathan proposed, his body shivering in the cold.

"Let's do that," Poul nodded before offering Jonathan a fist bump to which Jonathan responded.