A Reincarnator’s Guide: How to Survive a Victorian-ish Era

“Sensei ordered waterskins for us?!” Josh stared at her in astonishment. “I thought you were just taking a walk with the donkey? How did it turn into waterskins?”

“Well, I’ve always wanted to get you all water bottles. I just couldn’t decide what kind,” Jade said with a shrug, letting out a small chuckle. “Guess I really need to go out for a walk sometime, otherwise I wouldn’t have realised we could make them out of leather.”

Josh watched as Jade scribbled the details into the account book. “How much did it cost in total?”

“£7 for all students, plus ten extra as his personal donation,” Jade replied with a smile. “I’ve already given him £2 as a deposit. He said he’d deliver them before the Spring Ball, probably during your break for the spring ploughing. So, in other words, you’re getting a ‘back-to-school’ present!”

Josh smiled as well, then murmured to himself, “We can afford something worth £7 now…! I wouldn’t have dared imagine it before. £7, just under my pen…”

“Hey, remember the allocation for the blankets?” Jade winked at him. “That’s £60 in total. As long as we keep up our current sales, we should be able to afford them by the end of the month.”

“But that’s only a verbal agreement. It’s not even written in the account book,” Josh said, frowning. “We haven’t reached that amount yet, and who knows if the trader will keep his promise? It’s been weeks since you spoke to him, he might have forgotten.”

“I told him that setting those blankets aside for us counts as a form of donation,” Jade replied with a casual shrug. “So I’m pretty sure he’ll keep them for us.”

Josh raised a brow. “That counts as a donation?”

“Of course it does,” Noticing his confusion, Jade continued, “Now, we can’t expect everyone to be like our dear patron, signing off a cheque without even blinking. People have their own priorities and their own difficulties. His kindness might not be pure, but that’s just human. We’re all shades of grey – not completely pure like white, not completely sinful like black.”

She tapped the edge of the account book lightly. “His priority is his job, and making money for his family. Setting aside that much stock for us might already be the most he can offer. He could even get scolded by his employer for letting goods sit in storage when they’re meant to move. He’s taking a risk to keep his promise.”

“Hmph, I doubt that.” Josh narrowed his eyes. “He might get praised instead, for clearing that much stock in one go.”

“That’s possible too. I’m not denying it,” Jade said with a nod. “If so, then it works out for both sides – a win-win situation.” She gave Josh a light pat on the head. “But that’s not our concern. All we’ve gotta do is appreciate the help and say thank you. That’s enough.”

Josh pouted. As a former street urchin, he had seen too many cold stares. Kindness was rare, and cruelty often fell hardest on those already struggling.

“You’re right to be cautious,” Jade said softly, her lips curving into a faint smile. “We’re like wild weeds. If we want to survive, we have to stay alert; we don’t have the luxury of brushing off even a small misfortune. Kindness doesn’t come easily to people like us, showering us only a little. Only the flowers in greenhouses, the ones that are carefully tended, get to live without worry.”

She looked at him. “But Josh, do learn to appreciate kindness when it comes. It makes life happier. And being a happy boy is always better than becoming a grumpy one, isn’t it?”

Josh did not reply, likely still holding onto his own view. Jade hadn’t expected him to change in a single day anyway, and perhaps he never would. So she shifted to a topic she knew would interest him.

She pointed at the account book. “If we keep this up, one day, I’ll be able to get you all better materials for crafting, and even proper clothes. So, you’re going to help make that happen, right?”

“Of course!” Josh puffed out his chest, and helped Jade continue tidying the storeroom after they concluded the account book discussion.

Apparently, wealthy donors treated the domus as a sort of decluttering site. Many of the items they sent were either too fancy for the domus to use, or broken – useful only for display unless repaired, which the domus certainly wouldn’t spend money on, since no one here would use them anyway.

The most obvious example was the violin. It was broken, and no one in the domus knew how to play it. It was a quality piece – a fact confirmed by Clara, the only person in the domus who knew how to play the piano. But unless it was repaired, second-hand traders wouldn’t offer much for it.

Jade also found family photographs, diaries, and recipe books – though most of the ingredients listed were far beyond the reach of the domus kitchen. There were broken boots, defective porcelain, dented bottles, metal boxes, and countless other items that didn’t seem worth much now, but might become niche antique in a few decades.

Well, that was assuming anyone here would bother to preserve them that long.

“I’ll take care of those unnecessary pieces,” Brother James said as he accepted the inventory list from Jade. “Some traders and the poor don’t mind mending such things.”

“More coins for our treasury!” Jade said with a nod. “Every penny counts. I think we could use it for maintaining the roof of our main hall… you know, I’ve always had a feeling that one corner might give way and start leaking when it rains.”

“Ah, that corner,” Brother James nodded in agreement. “Yes, we should have it repaired when the weather improves. Oh, and Father Rochester would like to see you, Miss Jade.”

“Father? When?” Jade asked.

“Whenever you’re free. I think now is a good time,” Brother James said.

Jade nodded, bade him good day, and headed toward the chief clergy’s study. It was around four in the afternoon. Josh had already gone to the bakehouse to continue practicing piping flowers, and Jade practically had little left to do after finishing up the storeroom.

The White Robe greeted her with a careful look, which soon softened into a smile at the sight of her restored energy – a stark contrast to the earlier days when she had seemed on the verge of collapse. “Come, Miss Jade. Have a seat.”

The clergy was in his sixties. Jade wasn’t quite sure whether to think of him as elderly or merely middle-aged. He was alert, active, and far healthier than most men his age – she had compared him to a few farmers she knew who were in their sixties; they all appeared very old and weathered. She would definitely call the farmers “old man”, but Father Rochester? She was confused, but dared not ask such a silly question.

Father Rochester asked how she had been feeling during her two days off without the burden of teaching. He soon concluded that she truly needed rest, and that the school ought to find additional teachers to support both her and Mr. Anderson.

Noticing the slight furrow in his brows, Jade knew it must be because of the financial difficulties. This was a charity school. after all. A place with limited resources could hardly afford properly trained teachers from college or universities – those people came from prestigious, often wealthy backgrounds. While teaching at a ragged school might improve their reputation, they could achieve the same in far better environments; the ragged school held little appeal for them.

Jade spoke up at once, bringing up the idea she had thought of the day before.

The White Robe smoothed his moustache and nodded as he listened. After Jade finished speaking, he remained silent for a while, deep in thought, before finally saying, “A very plausible suggestion, Miss Jade. Through this apprenticeship, we may find Mr. Anderson a capable assistant – and perhaps even secure a few instructors for the tuition classes. However, we would still need a good teacher, Miss Jade. You mentioned that you intend to leave after Semester 3, did you not? Who, then, would take over your class?”

“Um…” Jade blinked, “I thought my students would graduate after Semester 3, no? I mean, the main point of them attending our school – specifically, my class – is to learn how to write, read, count, know right from wrong, and get a bit of moral push so they don’t end up as scum, right? I think after Semester 3, they’d perfectly meet those goals you set up when I was hired as their teacher. So after that, they can leave the school and are free to make use of the knowledge they have acquired.”

Father Rochester rubbed his chin thoughtfully and gave her a look, prompting her to continue.

Jade blinked again. “Um, also, since my students graduate, we can take in a new batch. The new teacher who follows me for a semester can adapt my syllabus, or maybe form their own, and then start their own class. As for the tuition classes, I think we could even hire some of my graduated students. They should be capable of teaching the beginners – not skilled enough to be masters, but enough to get a blank slate started from zero.”

She thought for a moment, then added, “And if any of them show real talent, maybe one of the Brothers could teach them? Would Brother Benedict be willing to tutor a few students? I don’t think there would be many, probably less than ten. And mostly just guiding them on how to teach themselves from books.” She hesitated briefly before continuing, “We could even ask Lord Ashborne for sponsorship. Who knows? Maybe a famous artist or scientist would blossom out of a barren place like our domus?”

Father Rochester regarded her quietly for a moment, then smiled. “A most thoughtful proposal, Miss Jade. Let us refine the details before presenting it to Lord Ashborne, shall we?”

“Alright!” Jade nodded, already imagining who might be chosen as her assistant – someone who would eventually take over her role as a teacher at the ragged school. By then, she hoped she would have saved enough to rent a small house for herself and Josh, while she tried her luck applying for a position as a cake decorator or baker.

They spent about an hour discussing the matter before the White Robe finally agreed to let her snuggle in her room for the remainder of her day.

Just as she was about to take her leave, he looked at her with a warm, almost amused expression. “Miss Jade, to be fair, the domus can hardly be called barren since your arrival.”

“...huh?” Jade blinked, her thoughts still tangled with plans and half-formed ideas – and her mind already drifting toward the comfort of her bed. She had completely forgotten what she had said earlier.

“Never mind.” Father Rochester waved a hand lightly. “Go and get some rest before supper. I believe we are having penny skewers again today, if I am not mistaken.”

“Again?” Jade’s eyes widened. “The kitchen still hasn’t finished all that donated meat?”

“Perhaps. I trust Sister Geenia’s judgement in matters of food.”

“Me too, but… maybe I can come up with another recipe? It sounds like there’s far more meat than penny skewers can handle…” Jade muttered as she stepped out of the study. “Anyway, bye, Father, see you at supper!”

The White Robe watched her leave with a small smile. Then he reached for a blank sheet of paper and began drafting a letter to a sister domus. Perhaps they might have a suitable candidate for the position.

Though, he reflected, he might need to temper his expectations. It seemed unlikely that any of them would quite measure up to Miss Jade.