Thabit/Lost and Found

In-universe date: Era Nova, February-March, Year 3

Real-world date: 2026-08-27
Author: Thabit

The income of a merchant was enough for a decent lifestyle in Kheta-Kedet. In fact, Thabit had recently bought a new house using the money he saved up from the few tours the Ib-Nbw advisor tasked him for. It was a small house - with barely enough room for even one person to live - located on a moderately busy street. Citizens and slaves passing by would sometimes peek inside from the windows out of curiousity, seeing a quick glimpse of the interior before moving on.

Thabit was kneeling in front of the only chest inside of the house, rummaging through the contents to find some coal for his furnace. As he was searching, his hand grazed something. Whatever it was, its texture felt strangely familiar to Thabit. He grabbed the rectangular object and pulled it from the unorganized mess. It was his diary! He had lost it all those years ago, on his first tour. He used to spend at least one day every week at the Temple of Ta-Hapi to confess for almost a year after he had lost this object made of nothing more than paper and leather. His father had devoted his life to Ta-Hapi; so ever since his passing, Thabit would pray at the Temple whenever he had to share something, in hopes that his father would be the one to hear his prayers and answer them. Thabit quickly fetched his quill and ink, his diary had so much to catch up on.

Log 2:

(I finally found my diary again! I thought a pickpocket had stolen this from me years ago but here we are. I still can't believe it...

First of all, I finally became a REAL merchant! For my first tour, I went to Coronado. The advisor is keeping me from many of the trades happening because I'm still relatively new to the profession, but I am sure that he will notice my talent soon. Unfortunately, the international trades between other nations and ours is not as alive as it was when I wrote my first log, which was almost 2 years ago!

Kheta-Semet left the nation for an expedition a few months ago, and her absence has showed its effect quickly. Internally, the difference is almost unnoticable: The city square is just as lively and loud as ever. But with the Queen's expedition, new trade deals have slowed down and I haven't gotten a chance to go on another tour ever since then. As great as our advisor is, I think it's impossible for him to be as efficient with these agreements as the Queen.

But I guess there's nothing I can do about any of that, and maybe that's why I'm writing this here. I know that my job will get lively soon, I guess it was just unfortunate timing. Either way, I can't wait to go on a new tour, no matter however long it takes. I'm only a servant of Ib-Nbw, after all.)

Thabit waited a few seconds for the ink to dry before closing the book. This log in his diary felt better than the first one, like he was actually talking with the book instead of forcing himself. He turned around and looked at his empty new house. It was going to take a while for him to get used to this.