Joe grimaced at Garnedell’s use of master but then stopped as Garnedell shook his head, shutting Joe down before turning to the other two, “Zilnek, Kilniara?”
Kilniara stood first, bowing deeply to Joe, “Master. I, Kilniara, will choose you as master and accept apprenticeship with you. I will remain silent and reveal nothing of you and yours. So I swear.”
Joe blinked a bit in surprise when… something… happened, although Joe wasn’t able to see what it was. The crowd around them had turned to them as soon as Kilniara spoke and that was when Joe recognized the pressure wave similar to what happened when he had a word that needed translation. It was remarkably hard for him to notice, although everyone else around him seemed able to notice it quite a bit easier than he could. Hmm… maybe they’ve seen it a lot more since they were kids? Been kind of trained to do something like this since they wer…
Joe focused again quickly when he saw Zilnek stand and repeat the words, bowing beside the still bowing Kilniara. From what Joe could remember, Zilnek repeated Kilniara word for word and he glanced to the side to focus on the magic that would form and was able to see it much more easily now that he knew it was coming. This one wasn’t a three dimensional sphere which spread outward like his translation magic, but a torus that also seemed to revolve around the one speaking the words before it shrunk inward at about chest height before disappearing into the chest. That… that was centered on their heart, wasn’t it?
Joe’s curiosity was piqued but unsatisfied. Man… I wish there was another one I could…
Garnedell then turned and bowed and repeated the words as well. While Joe had been surprised and uncertain by what was happening, it hadn’t really bothered him but Garnedell’s action actually shocked him. He raised a hand but stopped. It seemed to be some kind of apprenticeship ceremony with magic involved.
All three stood before him bowed deeply at the waist at almost a full ninety degree angle. Joe watched them for a bit, not wishing to mess up the ceremony as he was uncertain of what was coming next. But the other three did not move, each remaining in their deep bow. Joe fidgeted when he realized that they weren’t moving and he needed to do something or something needed to happen.
“OK, guys. I’m sorry, but I don’t know what to do next. I want to accept you as apprentices. I already have asked you, but I don’t know this ceremony. Please teach me how to finish it or what to say to finish it.”
The three fidgeted and Zilnek and Kilniara glanced to the side towards Garnedell although they didn’t move their head much at all. Garnedell seemed to shuffle a bit, shifting his body and almost seeming like he was about to stand before he stopped moving and still refraining from saying anything.
“Guys. I need your help. You can tell me if you need.”
Kilniara and Zilnek still did not move, but Garnedell seemed to shuffle in his bow a little but also said nothing. Joe frowned, uncertain what to do so thought back on what they had said. He considered their words and went over their vow and decided that he had to respond in similar way. He went over his words carefully, staring at the three apprentices while his mind struggled with the wording. He took another few moments to consider, finally nodding to himself.
“I, Joe McConell…”
Joe ended up pausing, head glancing to the side when he heard some gasps but then pulled himself back to the moment only to have his focus shattered again by more gasps. He rolled his eyes and sighed but got himself back on track, ignoring people’s responses and stares in their direction.
“I, Joe McConnell, accept you, Kilniara, Zilnek, and Garnedell, as my apprentices for as long as you wish while you hold me as your master or until I deem you successful in completing your apprenticeship.”
The three shuddered and took deep breaths, almost like they were uncertain or fearful for Joe’s reaction and Joe smiled with reassuring disbelief. Reassurance for them but disbelief for himself that they didn’t believe his word. Then again, with magic being real as a way to force … huh… I guess it’s a lot like a contract. I’d feel a lot more relieved if I had a contract in hand, especially as this is a lot like renting a place to stay a long with food… ok, yeah… I would feel pretty relieved once the contract is settled then.
Joe washed the disbelief from his face when the epiphany hit him and he realized its importance, smiling with stronger affirmation for the other three, “Are you guys OK now?”
* * *
Garnedell’s heart curled up in utter fear even as the words escaped him. His fear only spiked when he felt Master pause. He seemed reluctant, even. Joe spoke odd statements that had nothing to do with ritual acceptance and he felt his heart fall into further fear. I… I was a fool! I was a fool Of course I am incapable of being an apprentice to an Eccentric? What was I thinking… His thoughts juddered to a halt when he heard Joe beginning his acceptance.
“I, Joe McConell…”
Garnedell fell into despair. He… he didn’t… he cannot accept us. Of course… how could three orphans with no backing ever get an apprenticeship. He tried… at least he tried. That is better than any I could ever hope for. His breathing hitched even further, the desire to scream growing even as his desire to flee in embarrassment began to thud ever stronger with each heartbeat. I am no coward. Hold strong. I will accept the rejection. I will not flee. Zilnek and Kilniara stood to either side of him, showing their bravery to holdout for his rejection, giving him strength to remain.
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After this day, they could have no face to remain in his presence. Such a fool. I should have taken what little nuggets of wisdom… what little Dao he was willing to share. I could have… There was so much more to learn. I didn’t need to be arrogant. I had no right to seek.
“… until I deem you successful in completing your apprenticeship.”
The magic swelled without them, rushing inwards and washing them in power. Garnedell shuddered, the feeling overwhelming in its comfort but the shock of being accepted outweighed any mana bind. I… we… are we… accepted it?! Garnedell remained bowed for a time, then took in a deep shuddering breath as the mana completed its work within their spirit. He noticed Kilniara and Zilnek also shudder as the mana worked, but he couldn’t care less, his own relief at being accepted stuttering through him. It took a long time to process. It didn’t stop the ecstatic joy welling up within him. I’m… I’m going to be a wealthy Eccentric!!! Ahh!!! Haha!!
* * *
Joe grew a bit concerned as he saw the three remain bowing before him. They took another deep shuddering breath, seeming to shiver before calming. The whispers around the room swelled to surprised gasps and Joe glanced around to see them all staring in wonder and no little amount of envy and shock. Why… did I do something wrong? No… they … it seems good, if they are jealous, so… The three before him began to rise slowly and Joe whipped his head back towards them.
“Is everything alright?”
Garnedell smiled hugely, nodding quickly, “Yes.”
Kilniara also had a big smile and was bobbing a bit between standing proudly and a half bow that she struggled to resist. Joe smiled at her reassuringly once again, nodding. He looked at Garnedell and found him standing quite proudly, bouncing and almost shivering in excitement.
Zilnek, however, while showing pride and excitement, had his head dropped in shame. Joe focused on him, “Zilnek. What’s wrong?”
Zilnek kept his head down and said nothing, shame seeming to grow in his posture and his head turning away even more sharply from Joe.
Joe began to speak again but Garnedell stepped forward and interrupted Joe, “Master, Zilnek has one other thing he must say to you. Zilnek?”
Zilnek remained silent, refusing to speak but not obstinate since Joe could easily see his shame building.
Garnedell turned to Zilnek this time, tone becoming quite a bit harsher, “Zilnek!”
Joe held a hand up and looked at Garnedell, shaking his head quietly while frowning slightly, “Zilnek. Look at me.”
Zilnek brought his head up quickly, looking at Joe but still keeping his eyes down. Joe sighed quietly while he watched Zilnek continually shifting and darting his eyes to the side and away from Joe’s gaze. Joe looked carefully at Zilnek, compassion softening his face.
“Zilnek. It’s OK. Look at me.”
After another couple of seconds, Zilnek finally looked at Joe before glancing away again. Joe realized he still wasn’t going to look so Joe decided to be kind and try to ferret out the issue although he was pretty sure exactly what was going on.
“Zilnek. You… did something wrong?”
Zilnek grimaced but nodded and dropped his head again, no longer able to hold his head up.
Joe nodded, pausing for a moment to let Zilnek regain his equilibrium before starting again, “The cores?”
Zilnek’s subtle shifting ended as he froze entirely for a few seconds before nodding jerkily.
Joe sighed deeply and remained silent for a while as well before continuing, “Let’s… talk about it later tonight at the inn so that we don’t have to … let’s do this privately.”
Zilnek relaxed, his shoulders slumping before he nodded in relief. Joe smiled a bit at Zilnek’s response before he turned away and let them out into the goblin killing field. As he led them towards the goblin king, he remembered his dilemma and stopped, waving the three towards a goblin they could kill and reconsidered his options. The three quickly bounced away from them, Kilniara taking the time to excitedly half bow to him before they crowded around one of the goblins and began to wale on it.
While they killed a goblin, he realized he’d made a mistake in the entire process. He’d assumed he would be able to level while also farming titles but failed to realize that the titles he’d planned to get would only require him to kill two or three, at most six, monsters. The goblin king twice, once at the entrance and once in the hobgoblin’s throne room, and the hobgoblin king. If the other sub-bosses showed up, that would be another four. That was only six two core monsters which would net him two experience each. While his learning was absolutely ridiculous right now, it was still going to take him a half a day, about, to get a job to level twenty. Killing six monsters isn’t going to do it, even if they’re two core. And there probably won’t be six monsters in the throne room since I won’t have all five medallions, only the goblin king’s.
Joe’s mind pondered this for a bit and wondered if it was worth it. Titles certainly would give him the base stats he needed but wouldn’t give him any skills or significant benefits from the titles either. On top of that, he’d already got some stares and rumors from killing the goblin king the first time. Doing it every day in front of the crowd would likely draw significant attention and he already had too much, some from known sources: such as his and his apprentice’s new dungeon weaponry and his defeat of the goblin king twice. Some fame was unknown but would cause significant problems if his name was linked to it, such as the legendary sparks in the expert dungeon.
Joe wrestled through his thoughts time and again trying to figure out his options. If he chose to go with amassing titles while still trying to keep quiet, he would have to kill one of the other sub-bosses on the fourth floor, which didn’t give him any titles. He would then have to fight the hobgoblin and that sub-boss, likely, but only get the two titles from the hobgoblin and possibly the dungeon titles, and maybe only one of those, too. Which meant, if he was lucky, he could get four titles and six kills. If it was what he really thought it was, then he would only get three kills and two or three titles, which wouldn’t net him much at all compared to even leveling the commoner job to level twenty. He would get two added to his base stats leveling a job like commoner to twenty versus three from the three titles. It still would be to his benefit to farm titles, all he would have to do is travel through the dungeon each day. Travel… Travel to the empty fourth floor from the crowded third floor where everyone will be able to see us go in, day after day, to a place known not to have monsters, known to be empty. A place known to only have a single purpose: the boss of the dungeon. And this place would be entered daily by a team known to have defeated it.
Joe sighed, cursing once again. Farming titles was out, especially if he wanted to stay under the radar and quiet. If he wanted to go all out and catch attention, it was better to just farm legendary monsters for the titles and insane amount of exp. He could secretly farm legendaries but cause an uproar in the area. Or he could keep it to a dull roar by regularly and visibly conquering a dungeon daily. Doing it once was already causing significant individuals in the city to be interested and even shocked with him. Doing it again and again…