He did consider changing to the next priest job in the job tree. He spent the time calculating the days but figured out that it had only been five days since the last job change. Granted, they’d only seen his face once, so wouldn’t likely notice it, but he really didn’t want it showing up again so quickly. He grimaced and scrolled through the long list of jobs available to him, but didn’t find anything new at all. He looked at the opening jobs under crafting and nobility lines. Could do that… maybe… but… nobility… Joe was still a bit concerned about nobility as there seemed to be a pretty big secret related to it that only clanners knew about. Dual jobs… for nobility only… so doing a subclass change out in the outer city would bring a lot of attention… and I don’t like that death… curse thing… If I want to open up the third sub job… gonna have to look at the top jobs… best guess right now… so… Joe glanced at his options, considering the three available to him: commoner, crafter, and noble. Haven’t found it in commoner yet… so… maybe… ooH! That… would work. Do commoner to thirty… check for another sub job unlock and get another step towards combat jobs! That…
He grinned, feeling excited once again but carefully looking through the list one last time before he was called forward by the job change priest. Joe nodded as he stepped forward, excited. Sweet… gonna be able to start working towards combat jobs and other things!
“Commoner, please.”
The priest looked up at him with shock, “Are you sure, sir?”
Joe blinked. Why is he… oh… Realization hit of why the priest was shocked and he put effort into keeping his head down as he nodded, “Yes.”
The priest seemed uncertain and worried before he nodded and changed his job. Joe was now a level twenty one commoner again. He grinned in excitement after he turned away, feeling like he was now pushing on towards his goals once again. And I can still help Zilnek… just… another couple days and I’ll swap to the next priest job.
Joe swept away from the temple, leaving quickly to try to keep his anonymity and he slipped out and headed to the beginners dungeon. Before he could leave the district, he paused and looked out over towards alleyway leading to the day job camp. No point now… especially if I can get a couple jobs at the same time now… I’ll be my own healer… be able to open it up pretty quick… but… He almost decided to just return to the dungeon but paused once again as he realized that he was still a ways away from being able to change his own job. He grimaced and sighed then ran to the camp. One last chance. I know someone now… maybe they’ll be more open… but if I don’t find anyone today, there’s no point. Probably be able to be my own healer sooner than finding one anyway with sub jobs available.
He arrived once again at the day job camp, but found it almost entirely empty. Where… why? Oooh! The new job! He remembered the long lines of people at the temple and frowned, depressed to see no one available. Makes sense… hope for a new and better job, then? Wonder why… anyway. Joe began to turn away when he was interrupted.
“Another dungeon healer job? Or more soreness?”
Joe paused and looked up, glancing at the man who’d spoken. Oh, one of the healers! He glanced around at the others and quickly recognized all of them, each one having come before him at one point or another to seek out a job as a healer with him although the one who’d helped them this morning was absent.
“Are you all healers?”
“Yes. Is it a dungeon dive again?”
Joe frowned. Why are they… oh! They’re already not interested! The realization struck, the obvious nature of it making Joe sigh even as he deepened his frown.
“You guys are paid well.”
The non-sequitur took almost everyone aback before the man who’d first asked interrupted him once again, “Is it a dungeon dive again?”
Joe frowned, “Yes.”
Everyone there rolled their eyes and turned away. The one who’d spoken sighed deeply and shook his head, continuing to speak with Joe.
“I don’t know why you keep coming. You know healers and priests do not go into the dungeons. It is our death. And yes, we are paid quite well. Why would we seek death?”
“I’m fairly certain that a core is much more than what you are paid?”
The man sneered, “Yes, but what good is a core if you are dead? Our pay may not equal that of a core, but if we desire one, receiving one is quite easy.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“And if you could join our group and gain some of the experience to level… uh… grow?”
Most of them snorted, although one of the younger ones’ interest seemed captured and Joe quickly continued, excited that one might be interested, “You could maybe grow and we will keep you safe while we…”
An older man snorted loudly, “You think us fools? How easy is growth for such as us? Growth is a matter of years… not days. We gain nothing but the possibility of death over years… decades even, while you gain safety. What good is your offer?”
Joe quickly replied, happy for the change to argue his position, “Growth, wealth, greater power, just… there is so much.”
The man shook his head, “Young ‘uns…”
Joe’s eyebrows shot up with that and he kept the grin off his face, “I have done well enough.”
“You are still alive. Of course you have done well enough… then you don’t. There is no point for you to return, we will not take your offer. Not unless it is as the one this morning.”
Joe turned to gaze at the young man who’d seemed interested, but it seem the old man had been rather persuasive as he’d already turned away. Joe frowned, thought carefully, then chose retreat for the day. There was little more he could do. Man… hope… this doesn’t piss off the one coming tomorrow?
He sighed and nodded, “Then I apologize for bothering everyone here. I did not understand your … the current situation. I will take my leave.”
Joe offered a small bow with his apology before turning and jogging away. Well… guess that makes a lot more sense. They’re all quite happy with even part time jobs, so aren’t willing to change at the chance of this… obviously they’re quite happy with their current life… Joe’s mind pondered the economic ramifications of what he’d just learned for the time he ran back to the beginner’s dungeon.
By the time he got there, he found out that he’d been gone for quite some time and the other three were already in the dungeon. Joe grumbled but got in line and found another rather long line as it was now later in the day. By the time Joe made it to the dungeon entrance, he was almost an hour later than usual and getting a bit worried as the other three must have had been in the dungeon a good thirty minutes already by themselves.
Joe didn’t run, but did stride quickly down the staircase to the first dungeon floor. He made it to the safe area of the first floor and looked to their favorite corner. When he found it empty, the panic he’d been keeping at bay easily began to overwhelm his control, seeping over the edge of the storm walls which kept it at bay. His gaze ripped from the corner and began rapidly staring everywhere, taking in each person around him carefully. He hadn’t gotten to the point that he was going to interrogate random individuals about his team, but panic was rising until he saw them still waiting in the safe area in one of the corners. Joe reflexively shuddered, sighing a deep breath before walking over to them.
“Glad you guys didn’t try to go yourself.”
“We’re not that stupid, Joe,” Garnedell mocked.
Joe smiled, “Glad you aren’t”
Kilniara smiled and nodded while Zilnek actually looked smug. Joe saw their mockery and finally rolled his eyes, accepting defeat, “Alright, alright. I failed to consider your incredible intellect and amazing brilliance in not doing something stupid! I have failed as a master and boyfriend so should end any relationships as I am obviously so poor at them. So please forgive me. You are all free to go!” Joe ended with a smirk and a mocking smile.
The other three were laughing when Joe began but Garnedell and Zilnek soon began to panic, worry swamping their glee. Kilniara, however, recognized Joe’s joking manner and simply watched on, enjoying the other two’s panic.
“No! No, master! It was … it was a joke!”
Zilnek replied a bit later, “Please forgive me, master. We were only entertaining you.”
Joe stared at them, keeping them in their fear for a few moments but was unable to hold it in and soon began laughing, “You should see your faces. You are joking with me, so I returned the favor!”
Zilnek took a while, but Garnedell immediately understood and grimaced, shaking his head, “OK. OK. You got me.”
Zilnek, after seeing Garnedell’s relief and reply, he also calmed and began smiling, shrugging in acceptance of Joe’s win. All four joked together as they stood and headed towards their favorite corner to begin their grind for the day. The settled in the corner as they normally did, planning their day, teams, and work.
Joe and Garnedell paired together first today and both went out to fight, the two siblings heading out for their own fights as well. Joe picked up a stick to use to throw at a close goblin, now preferring using sticks as the goblins tended to pick them up and try to use them as weapons, which proved only to inflict mildly irritating stings if the goblin ever did hit them. His stick hit the goblin perfectly and it grabbed the stick and charged at them as normal.
And as the norm, the two settled in next to each other, Joe taking on the defending role while Garnedell prepared to take the attack. As the goblin struck, Joe raised his shield and took it easily, not even allowing the strike to slide of and actually rammed into the strike to throw the goblin off. Garnedell took Joe’s action in stride perfectly and altered his strike slightly, aiming for the arm since the goblin would likely be unable to adequately defend itself.
As they two fell in sync with one another, Joe began a conversation, “Hey, Garnedell. Something weird happened at the temple today. There were a lot of people lined up to change their job and supposedly a new job appeared.”
Garnedell actually stopped fighting in shock, looking up at Joe, “A new job?!”
Joe glanced at Garnedell in return surprise and quickly interjected his shield in as Garnedell almost got hit by the goblin. He then speared the goblin through its lower torso before withdrawing his spear and stabbing again as it staggered from his strike. It fell and Joe stepped back, watching it carefully but speaking to Garnedell.
“That wasn’t too smart! You just got hit.”
“Ah! Oh… um… sorry Joe. It… I was just so surprised. I’m so sorry.”
Joe nodded, “No problem, but please be careful. Let me grab another goblin, but I would like to ask questions. Can you talk while we fight?”
“Certainly.”
Joe nodded with a smile, “OK. Good. Then go ahead and tell me all you can about this whole thing. A lot of people seemed surprised, excited, and a bit manic. Why?”
Joe picked up the stick again and tossed it at the next goblin as he spoke, and Garnedell nodded along before beginning his answer. Garnedell and Joe spoke their entire time, killing goblin after goblin.