Garnedell shrugged and smiled, “There was little need. And you were incredibly busy and many strange things had happened. Gaining two new apprentices, dealing with theft, then,” Garnedell trailed off at that and meaningfully looked at Joe before continuing, “Being visited by the Matriarch and dealing with Kukurnal’s thousand questions. It was of little importance.”
“Hmm… maybe, but I can offer advice on job changes if you do tell me. I’ll know if a job opens for you and give you options to change or go in another direction. Plus, I can more appropriately train you if I know your stats have changed.”
Garnedell groaned at the last before smiling up at Joe and nodding.
“Don’t hide it from me. I am supposed to teach you. You do not need to be worried about such things. Let me know, OK?”
Garnedell happily nodded before the two continued on in silence for another moment or two before Joe started once again.
“Then, do you have any questions or things you want to tell me just about… anything?”
“Hmm… things are going well enough. Um… may I know… how you are doing with your levels, Master?”
Joe frowned at his use of master and pointedly looked at Garnedell who simply shrugged and countered Joe’s pointed stare, “Right now you are teaching as a master, so you are master.”
Joe rolled his eyes again in as many minutes and hid his frustration before replying, “I’m doing well enough. I’m not sure, how many, but I’ve changed maybe a dozen jobs and leveled all of them to thirty, so…”
“You’ve had thirty levels?!?” Garnedell whisper shouted, stopping in the street to stare and look at Joe.
Joe smiled and turned to him, “Yes, in ten or so different jobs.”
“Oh… thirty levels in ten different jobs, so maybe five in each… that seems more reasonable but…” he trailed off as he saw Joe shaking his head no.
“Thirty in each of the ten.”
Garnedell’s eyes widened at that and he froze, mouth flapping a bit like a fish before he shook his head and turned away, walking down the street, “This is why you are going to the temple square so often.”
Joe said nothing, but nodded in agreement and Garnedell accepted his statement in silence for a few moments before continuing.
“The other two are curious why you travel to the temples so often. They believe you are very devout, but are confused that you go to … different temples.”
“Hmm,” Joe hummed consideringly, “OK. I’ll be more careful next time. Maybe head to the temples alone. What should I say?”
Garnedell thought for a moment before continuing, “The truth?”
Joe shifted uncomfortably at this before replying negatively, “We’ve only known each other a week. I am not… comfortable opening up such to them yet.”
Garnedell considered this before nodding with a shrug, “I’ll just tell them you are quite devout, only able to worship the water goddess sufficiently at the inn and wish to worship the other gods appropriately as you may.”
Joe chuckled at that, “Sounds good.”
Garnedell flicked a glance up at Joe before smiling in response and the two walked down the street in companionable silence before Joe finally hummed thoughtfully.
“Mind if I ask some questions then?”
“Yes, Joe.”
“What happened today, with the goblin king. I was certain he stabbed me in the kidney, but I found no wound. Can you tell me why?”
Garnedell looked up at Joe in surprise before responding cautiously, “You are certain he stabbed into your back?”
“Quite. I felt it distinctly. It was painful, but not as painful as the real thing, but still painful.”
Garnedell’s eye’s widened in shock at Joe’s statement before he continued carefully, “How… you are,” leaning forward cautiously and whispering the next few words, “seven digits. You have quite strong health. It would take much for a simple goblin to destroy your health shield.”
Joe blinked at that and began to nod, realization coming to him as he decided that he would not perform a fun experiment tonight with one of his knives. They sidled through the temple square together before Joe slipped on a cloak and asked Garnedell to stay behind before slipping into another temple and swapping his job out for Theologian although he did take the time to quickly look at the available skills for Philosopher before being slightly disappointed as only one revealed itself just as he’d reached level thirty. Advanced Problem Solving. Interesting, cool… useful? Hm… going to be pretty… abstract I should think? Or do I get some kind of glowy light that shows things for me. Hmm… System, show me how to get back home!
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Joe waited expectantly but found nothing and released a depressed chuckle before completing the job swap and quickly returning to Garnedell. The two then meandered companionably through the streets until Joe found some street food and Garendell excitedly grabbed some food and the two enjoyed basic small talk on the return to the inn. When they got close to the inn, Joe took a moment to stop before looking around cautiously, finding the street a bit emptier than the temple square and he leaned in to whisper in his ear carefully.
“Loki,” Joe barely breathed before standing up and continuing more normally, “Anything you can tell me about that? Is there more to learn?”
Garnedell had frozen at Joe’s whispered word before glancing around feverishly then drawing a breath of relief, “I … I have said all I can say, Mas… Joe. I really have little knowledge of such.”
Joe nodded carefully before nodding again firmly and leading the way to the inn, “OK. That makes sense. It’s fine, don’t worry. I’m just trying to learn. Any last thing you want to do before we head back and I get Zilnek?”
Garnedell shook himself from his paralyzed fear before running up to Joe and shaking his head, “No. I’m good and ready to return. You need to also spend time with the other two.”
Joe smiled and then beckoned Garnedell after him into the inn, “Great. I’ll talk with the other two quickly then return with them as well. If you want to hang out with either of them, just wait around here, OK?”
Garnedell smiled as he nodded and both slipped into the common room of the inn, Garnedell easily charging straight to the stairs before heading up to the room, although Joe had to stop for a moment, as always, to allow his eyes to adjust to the incredibly low lit interior. Everything’s so dark here… everything inside, anyway. Dungeons are almost freakish with the light they give off. Weird! Joe found himself suddenly trapped in the strange idea that dungeons were so well lit, but every other human habitation struggled to illuminate themselves adequately, the candles they used barely able to give light. Joe let his mind wander over the strangeness until Zilnek came bounding down the stairs and met Joe at the door and Joe smiled before leading him outside.
“Right. Let’s walk and enjoy the day… and talk. Anything you wish to ask me? Or tell me? Or advise me so I may train you well and carefully?”
Zilnek took his normal two to three seconds to respond before nodding and beginning a bit cautiously, “Would I … may I try to become a combat job?”
Joe glanced down at Zilnek, surprise lighting his eyes, “What about your clothier job?”
Zilnek quickly shook his head at this, “I have no inheritance, no shop, and no money to begin anew, and those are the least of my worries. I also have no backing or support to start such a shop.”
“I could help you with all that,” Joe spoke honestly.
Zilnek looked up at him with widened eyes before smiling but still shook his head, “I’m… wow… thank you much, Master, but I still would rather be a combatant, if possible.”
Joe nodded thoughtfully, “OK. But… it is a very dangerous job.”
Zilnek’s reply was an excited disregard of Joe’s observation, “But you do well and…”
Joe cut him off, “It is still a dangerous job! I am an exception, not the rule. For every adventurer living there are hundreds and thousands dead beneath their feet. The adventurers of today live on the graves of those before, learning carefully or they die.”
Zilnek’s mood sobered but he still looked to Joe with some excitement, “But I’m learning from you.”
Joe felt his soft smile sour, a bit of a frown twisting his lips before he continued, “Yes, and that only increases your chance to survive. You will have a great likelihood of dying.”
Zilnek nodded but pressed on, “I know, but I still desire it.”
Joe stared at Zilnek for a few moments before nodding slowly in acceptance, “OK. I can do that. We’ll have to deal with your… issue… first. Then you will have to change jobs to Commoner.”
Zilnek’s eyes rose at this and he began shaking his head, “I do not want to be a Commoner!” he exclaimed in fearful denial.
Joe chuckled and shook his head before continuing, “You will not. But if you wish a combat job, you must start from the Commoner job as combat jobs open with the Commoner job.”
Zilnek’s eye’s widened once again in some shock before nodding carefully but still reluctantly, “But I do not wish to be a Commoner! I would rather stay a Cloth Armorer if I must become a Commoner first.”
Joe laughed and shook his head, “Do not worry. You will be a Commoner for only a month or two before changing your job to Adventurer and then after that to Scout and whatever else you need before becoming a combatant, OK?”
Zilnek breathed excitedly before nodding, “Only one month?”
“About, if you work hard.”
Zilnek began nodding excitedly, “I will definitely work hard!”
Joe smiled at that before smirking, “But first I must work hard to help you with your first issue. That… will take time. I am sorry, Zilnek.”
Zilnek sobered at that before bowing his head, “I am truly sorry, Master Joe. And I am truly grateful that you are willing to help me.”
Joe clapped a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him, “We’re all good, man. No problem at all. OK?”
Zilnek’s eyes rose at that before a smile fluttered on his slips before he nodded, “Yes! Thank you, Joe.”
Joe nodded then turned towards the snack street that Garnedell and he had enjoyed before returning to the inn, “Anything else you wish to ask or discuss?”
Zilnek considered carefully before shaking his head and the two then walked in silence a bit before Joe struck up a simple conversation, enjoying some small talk with Zilnek the rest of the afternoon until they’d returned to the inn.
As before, Joe found himself waiting at the entrance for his eyes to adjust, but Zilnek scampered off to their room while Kilniara stood up from the table she was sitting at to join Joe at the entrance. Joe called after Zilnek as he ran away.
“Come back tonight to sleep. Don’t stay out all night. Tell Garnedell that, too! You guys can go off and have fun. Oh, wait! Tell Garnedell to come down fast, and you come back, too.”
Zilnek stopped and Joe’s cry before nodding and scuttling up the stairs to return with Garnedell. Joe waved them both over before pulling out a few coin to give to all three before turning to Kilniara.
“Do you want to explore the city with them this afternoon, Kilniara? They can wait until you return.”
Kilniara looked up at him before shaking her head no shyly, “May I spend more time with you?”
Joe smiled at that and turned to the other two, “Is that OK, guys?”
Garnedell said nothing, but Zilnek grinned brightly, “Yes! Please enjoy each other.”
Joe felt his eyebrows rise at Zilnek’s statement. Enjoy each other? That… doesn’t seem quite… right? But he didn’t let it show on his face before looking at all three and continuing.
“Then, do you two want to take off now?”