Joe actually laughed at that, pecking her on her forehead before turning back to his status. He needed to figure out what his next job was going to be. When he opened it, he was surprised to see another grouping of jobs opened up, this time above his gifted jobs which obviously included the incredibly powerful ‘gifted’ job: the job that gave him the three new sub job skills. The new grouping of jobs was, ironically, named grouping and the first job in the list proved to be quite tempting as it was partier. It actually gave him pause, as he considered. Could make my own groups! Although, is it worth it? The partiers at the guilds can only make a three person group, and I already have that. Unless I can… well, they are all older… so… should be pretty high leveled as well… should be at least twenty five… maybe thirty? Hmm… not sure… Despite his intuition telling him it would be an utter waste, he was still incredibly tempted to go for it right away anyway. Regardless of whether partier itself proved useful, since it was opening a group of jobs about grouping, it would be immediately useful for their dungeon diving. Joe’s thoughts waffled until he just set it aside and took a look at the next job in the combat line of jobs. Gotta focus… get my physical stats up now… It proved as he’d discovered before: explorer.

His eyes drifted back across his jobs again, his passion drawn towards the grouping line of jobs and the next combat job which looked utterly boring and seemed to be purely a gatekeeper to keep too many from easily pursuing combat strength. He sighed as his eyes drifted back and forth between the two before his attention was caught on faith line again. With the reminder of unlocking a useful priest line of jobs, Joe scrolled down the page and saw that he had Mimir acolyte available, his grin spreading as he realized it had been a while ago. That was like…

Joe closed his status and opened his journal as he ran the dates back in his head. It’s been more than ten days! I can… crap! That was Mimir! I need to do Saga and… Joe’s thoughts derailed as he flipped through his journal again and calculated dates again before he grimaced, realizing that while it had been a bit of time, it was still only about a week ago. Joe looked around the temple square, noticing that it was quite busy during the day, then began chewing at his lip as he opened his available jobs window and stared at it, cautious deliberation warring with the excited desire to push ever forward. His thoughts wandered, sometimes flipping back and forth between partier and explorer before returning to look at Saga Acolyte. Joe grimaced, coming to a decision.

Turning to Kilniara, he leaned close to her, “Kilniara. Which is the temple to Saga?”

Kilniara looked up at him then pointed without concern just across the way. Joe looked at the temple, then back at the next temple in the queue for his job change shenanigans. Joe stared between them before nodding.

Looking at Kilniara, he leaned in close and spoke in a low voice, “Could you do me a favor, Kilniara?”

Kilniara smiled brightly although in a soft whisper, “Of course!”

“Please go to the temple of Saga and just watch for a bit. See… just… just stay in the temple and watch the priests and workers of the temple for me, OK? Just stay for a bit, and when you see me come back and sit at this bench… uh… or stand near it if someone else has taken it! Wait for another few moments, watching the workers before returning to me, OK?”

Kilniara smiled brightly before nodding and gave him her own peck on his forehead as she stood and skipped excitedly across the plaza towards the temple of Saga. Joe watched her go, a smile growing slowly on his face before he stood, taking a deep breath in happiness before heading to the next temple, pulling the next cloak from the backpack so easily he almost did it without even looking before wrapping it around his shoulders and sliding across the temple square onto the steps of the next temple.

He stopped at the top of the stairs and looked back to find Kilniara just getting to the bottom of the stairs to the temple of Saga. She walked up the stairs quickly before winding through the crowd at the top of the stairs and heading inside. Joe watched on for another few moments, worried that she may be kicked out because she might have skipped a line, but when she wasn’t ejected back out, Joe turned and went into the temple. Welp… time to try and hope I don’t get bitten in the rear for this!

Joe stepped up to the job change line, finding it pretty full of people and had to take almost ten minutes before it was his turn. He reached the front of the line and asked for a change to Saga acolyte. As before, the clergy stared at him, disapproval on their face, but this time Joe had prepared, hopefully in a way that would diffuse and remove suspicion.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Joe leaned forward, still keeping his face deep in the folds of his cloak, and whispered in confidence, “I know this… is unusual, but I seek not the glory or praise of beings, but only to do the good work of Saga. If I were to do so at Saga’s temple, there would be much praise or fanfare, which I do not deserve as Saga is … she deserves such praise or glory. It is her work and effort, not mine.”

The priestess’s eyes widened at that, surprise first but quickly replaced by a sense of awe and pious gratitude.

“You truly are a great man.”

Joe grimaced, not wanting this to continue too long, although it looked like he really wasn’t going to be able to be low key enough to fade from her memories. Still, better than suspicion so Joe was happy.

“As I said before. Saga, not I.”

She breathed, nodding quickly before turning her glance away to enact her job change skill. Joe immediately received the notification but before he could leave, she leaned forward and laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Such may be true, but her greatness does not take from yours. You have inspired me greatly.”

Joe hid his grimace behind a quick duck of his head that he pretended was a jerky nod before he turned away, leaving the main auditorium of the temple after it was all done. He was able to keep his feet moving normally even though fear almost drove him to flee. When he made it outside, he breathed a sigh of relief and slipped around one of the many columns dotting the entrance to the temple. He made sure to slip around it very closely before pressing up against it slightly and whipping the cloak from his body quickly. He remained there just a few moments, slipping the cloak back into his pack very easily before he turned and climbed back up the stairs from around the column. He headed back towards the line of people then clicked his teeth in annoyance, as if upset by the long line before turning and leaving the temple a second time. He hoped his paranoia wasn’t too much, but the moment with the priestess had backfired spectacularly and he turned to leave the temple and head back towards the bench.

As he feared, it was now occupied, but he didn’t really worry about that, instead focusing on the temple of Saga. Nothing really untoward seemed to be happening and he simply stood there to allow Kilniara an easy view of him while he waited for her. It was almost twenty minutes later before she appeared at the entrance, quickly seeing him and almost turning to head back into the temple. Joe shook his head and waved her on towards him, and she instead came back, once again skipping happily. When she came up, he shook his head and turned, leading her from the square.

“You are doing well, then?” Joe asked.

She looked up at him, and Joe slowed his pace so he could stare at her pointedly. Her eyes searched his for a few moments before nodding, “Yes. Quite well.”

Joe smiled and nodded, remaining silent until they’d left the temple square before he began again, “So, where do you want to go first?”

Kilniara once again searched his face for clues on how to respond but his easy smile relaxed her enough that he felt it in her easy drape against his side, “My favorite sweets! You’ll love them. Come! They’re this way.”

Joe laughed and allowed himself to be pulled along until they’d gone around two corners at ended up at a small corner shop, which seemed at odds with the purpose of having a corner shop. Regardless, the place proved incredibly busy and seemed to cook some kind of strange confection that was similar to some kind of pastry but was decidedly not any kind of grain flour. It proved sweet and delicious, so Joe wasn’t really concerned and enjoyed it with Kilniara. When they’d finished their first, her longing look brought Joe back to buy another, and she squealed excitedly before jumping a few times when he brought back a second for both of them.

They ate more slowly this time, but still in silence until Joe finally decided to ask about the temple.

“So. Anything happen at the temple?”

She quickly shook her head, not saying anything.

“The priests or workers didn’t seem to … look up at anything, or talk with each other excitedly?”

She shook her head no again, but this time looked up at him, thoughtfully considering before she responded, “No. Nothing truly… great occurred. There was one point that almost all the priests stopped to look at their status before quickly returning to the work. It was likely some communication from Saga, but… nothing I could see.”

Joe didn’t allow the excited worry to show on his face, hiding his half smile and grimace before simply nodding while he frowned and sighed, hoping to hide his excitement and concern behind faux disappointment.

“Oh well… then I guess I failed. Let’s continue on then. What’s the next thing you wish for?”

Kilniara opened her mouth, almost seeming to want to know what his failure was but then cocked her head, looking at him and smiling. She shrugged her shoulders and turned away, “Then I hope it will work next time.”

Joe through his head back and laughed, a deep exhalation of relief and gratitude at her easy acceptance, “You… really are amazing. Thank you for trusting me so easily.”

She looked up at him with wide eyes, seemingly shocked, “Why would I not trust you?”

“Thank you. Truly.”

“It is only right I do so, if we are to be more.”

“More?” Joe asked with a teasing grin.

She blushed at that, but glared and pulled him away, “You will have to work for more!”

Joe laughed at that, “And I will… for you are more than worth it!”

She stopped at that, staring up at him with wide eyes before blushing furiously and turning away, pulling on his arm once more, “You better know this.”

“Truly. I do,” Joe replied quietly.

The soft statement still proved loud enough to reach her ears and she shivered as a wave of goose bumps slithered across her skin and vanished almost as fast. That proved fascinating enough that Joe stopped teasing her and simply watched the quickly appearing and disappearing goose bump wave.