Name Noa Kai

Age 19

Class [Mender] 8

Aether 114

Spells [Lesser Appeal] 15, [Lesser Assessment] 10, [Lesser Examination] 23, [Lesser Mend] 53, [Lesser Restore] 7

Status [Base Class Exp Bonus +30%], [Party Exp Bonus +70%], [Deific Mentor Bonus +200%]

[Total Exp Bonus +300%]

“You might want to close your mouth before a spider makes its nest in it,” Armael━Noa’s mentor━said, his voice terse. Actually, Noa was pretty sure his voice was never not terse.

He clamped his mouth shut, and pulled his hands from off the altar, watching the stat sheet━ahem, table, fade away. “I didn’t realize a mentor bonus would be so big,” he said, looking up at the tall man, wrinkles stained into his brow.

“Of course you didn’t,” he said, moving away from the altar with hands clasped behind his back. While Armael was a hard man, his efforts, few as they’ve been the last day, were rather fruitful based on the increase in Noa’s skill levels alone, followed by a level gain for his class. “Come before you’re late.”

“How did you get so good at disdain?” Noa asked quietly, scrunching his face up before following after Armael.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Noa said quickly, making his way from the church and up the street towards Mini Buckingham. “Considering the war going on, and all, why did the church send such a high level [Grand Healer]?”

“All I do is train healers. Faster to supply the warfront with them the faster we can level them,” Armael said.

“Yeah, but you originally only came for one healer. Wouldn’t you do better to mentor an entire group of them?”

Armael sighed, and looked at Noa with a bored expression. “Run along, kid,” he said.

Noa raised an eyebrow. “I’m not late yet,” he said.

“Consider it part of your training. Now run,” he pointed.

Noa rolled his eyes, and started forward. The run to Mini Buckingham was not at all like the run days before that Magenta made him do. Fortunately, the troll had been busy helping with the job fair lately rather than Harassing Noa for the next part of The Lord of The Rings━he was confident that story would last a while.

The job fair was visible from the front of the manor, occurring right inside the courtyard, and wrapping around both sides of Mini Buckingham. While Noa had written the letters, Magenta and the trolls worked with Lila to actually set it up physically. Of course, then dozens of questions were asked, and Eliaz took over to answer them according to Noa’s job fair experiences, given that he wasn’t getting any better at talking in front of crowds.

Stopping in front of the plethora of booths set up━mostly tables, sprinkled with a few tents━Noa made his way to Blondie the Barbarian, who looked through a few scrolls.

“You’re late,” she said.

“I’m not late,” Noa retorted.

“Tell that to Priest Olwen. He’s been expecting you at the booth.”

“He knows Priest Armael has been training me,” Noa rolled his eyes.

Lila looked at him, rolling her scroll back up. “Why don’t you drop by Eliaz’s booth before moving on to Priest Olwen’s?”

“Eliaz has a booth?”

“Of course he does! He runs a healing business, albeit small and inconsequential,” Lila said.

“Right.” Noa moved past Blondie, only to nearly jump out of his skin as Renee rounded the corner.

“Ah, Noa!” Blondie the Second grinned. “How are you?”

“Indebted to the church,” Lila said.

Noa cringed. Yeah, he was a fool to think Lila would give him any money. “It’s not so bad,” he said. It’s awful, a little voice told him. He frowned, violently stuffing the little voice to the back of his mind.

“Still trying to get out of our engagement? Your new tactic is debt now?”

“Why do you...” Noa shook his head. Why was she so, so━whatever! “I was swindled into it.”

He yelped when something hard collided with the back of his shoulder, and stumbled forward, right into his betrothed. She about screamed as they both went down, and Noa scrambled away from her as quick as possible. “Ow,” he winced, feeling heat spread over the back of his shoulder, like his muscles were actively knotting up. Lila held up a fist.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Do not defame Priest Olwen by saying he swindled you, Noa Kai. It’s a bad look, especially as an ardent,” Lila said.

“You just had to punch him, didn’t you?” Renee huffed, pushing herself up.

“He deserved it. You were collateral.”

Yeah, I’m out of here, Noa thought, moving away from the two sisters as they argued. “Hold on, you!” Renee hissed, grabbing Noa’s shoulder.

“I’m late!” Noa tried.

“We’re not done with you!” Renee argued.

“I have to go talk to Eliaz.”

System Eliaz Serandour invited Tin Garandel to the party.

System Tin Garandel joined the party.

System Party full.

Status Effect [Party Exp Bonus +100%]

[Total Exp Bonus +330%]

Huh, interesting. Noa furrowed his brow at the notifications, and scratched his head. Why invite Enora’s little brother to the party? Well, the bonus was certainly nice, and had him thinking that his start bonus of 30% was just wimpy now compared to the other bonuses he━

“Noa! Noa! Are you listening to me?” Renee shook his arm.

“Nope,” Noa said, shrugging her off. “I’ll see you around.” He walked away. He just... walked away. Damn, he thought, looking over his shoulder. Neither of the blondes seemed to care about him walking away. In fact, there was the slightest smile on Lila’s face as she looked in his direction. I should do that more often, he thought. I haven’t been getting in messes because I stick around too much, right? No... that’s just silly!

Eliaz was handing out small tokens when Noa arrived, and even offered him one. “What’s this?” he asked, holding up the coin-like wooden chip. It had the symbol of a flower carved into it.

“Advertising,” Eliaz said, grinning. “I’ve found myself an apprentice to join our party, and with a mentor in the party to help him...”

“Tin’s going to start healing as well?” Noa asked. “Wait, but don’t you need to run it by Priest Armael to mentor the━no,” Noa paused, considering Armael’s terse attitude. “Eliaz! Priest Armael might crush his soul! He’s not a nice━”

“Not a nice, what, ardent?” So that was why Eliaz had suddenly paled. Noa cringed, turning around and looking at Priest Armael.

“You caught up,” he said slowly, giving a nervous laugh. “Not a nice, erm, pilates instructor? Because, you know, you heal, not do, um, squats.” Pilates? Seriously? That’s the first thing that came to my mind?

Armael narrowed his eyes. “Is ‘pilates’ some sort of slur where you’re from?” he asked.

“No! No, why would you think that?”

The priest sighed. “You don’t have to like me, kid,” he said, and walked on by.

“That was embarrassing,” Eliaz chuckled.

“Yeah, thanks for letting me know he was right behind me.”

Eliaz shrugged, smiling as he said, “I’m just advertising.” He flicked a wooden chip up. “But you know, I was thinking that it would be nice to leave at least one healer here when we went to school.”

Noa raised his brow at Eliaz’s thoughtful expression. “Yeah,” he nodded. “That’s important.”

“Hopefully more church presence will bring in more healers too, but it’s not the popular profession.”

“Why is that?”

Eliaz shrugged. “It’s not cool, I guess,” he said. “Maybe a cultural thing. Strength matters.”

“Is that why I get pushed around all the time?”

“Maybe. Don’t you have a booth to get to?”

“Yeah, Priest Olwen wants me there,” Noa ran a hand down his face and started his way between other booths. Priest Olwen’s was a full tent, and stood directly in front of Mini Buckingham. Olwen sat behind a table with a set of books while Armael was nowhere to be seen.

“You’re late,” Olwen said.

“Yeah, that topic has been exhausted already,” Noa said. “What did you want me to do here?”

Picking up a stack of wooden chips, ones with the church’s stars on them, Olwen handed them over to Noa. “Walk around, hand those out. Look for future ardents.”

“Okay,” Noa said, turning around. I guess I am a missionary now, he thought, pursing his lips.

“Ardent, wait,” Olwen said, and Noa turned around. Priest Olwen pointed a bony finger down the booth-created street.

At the end of it, amongst the dull hues of tans and greens, was a prominent figure in black and gold robes━the high prelate, Noa assumed.

“We must go greet him immediately,” Olwen said, moving faster than Noa ever saw the old man go as he shuffled around his table and hurriedly down the street.

Noa followed after, though slower━authority figures had him feeling apprehensive lately. Even Armael moved to quickly greet the high prelate, Lila already in a deep curtsy for the man.

No... that couldn’t be, Noa thought as he grew closer. His hair is better than Eliaz’s! The tall elf had pure white hair longer than any woman around. Despite its whiteness, his features didn’t look any older than, well, Noa.

“High Prelate Caradec, it is an honor,” Priest Olwen said, bowing.

“The honor is mine, Priest Olwen,” the high prelate said. As Noa approached, he too gave a bow, though awkward it was. “Your ardent?” the elf asked.

“Yes, High Prelate. Ardent Noa Kai,” Olwen introduced, and Noa slowly rose back up, giving a wave and a nervous smile. Why is your hair better than Thor’s?

“An honor, Ardent Noa Kai,” BetterthanThor bowed to him, and shiver ran up Noa’s spine. Oh, this can’t be normal, he thought, certain high prelates didn’t often bow to ardents. Cringing, he bowed again, and bumped heads with the high prelate.

Damn! Noa winced, His head is harder than Thor’s too! He rubbed his head. “Sorry,” he said.

The high prelate blinked, then chuckled. “No worries. Let’s go inside, Ardent, there is much I have to discuss with you.”

“With me?”

“Of course. It is not everyday I meet an ardent that single handedly undermines the monarchy’s influence.”

Noa paled. “I what?”