Joe laughed and nodded, the strangeness of the differing status gains forgotten in Garnedell’s excitement for food and the two headed downstairs where Joe found Kukurnal and Zilnek waiting for them. Joe blinked in some surprise to find Kukurnal there, but was actually grateful for the company and the two once again were deep in thought experiments, science, economic development, and every subject Kukurnal could drag from Joe. The two boys had long escaped the evening meal and fled back to the room but Joe sat a bit longer in discussion with Kukurnal.
Joe did bring up the monster tide, but Kukurnal seemed unworried and quickly dismissed it, but did answer some of Joe’s questions which he couched in terms of what was the norm for the city of Coushar. Sadly, Kukurnal answered in kind by mostly saying the monster tides were typical tides, which meant Joe really didn’t learn anything as he’d never experienced a tide to be able to compare it. Kukurnal did offer some unique quirks but when Joe delved deeper, they proved to be just small deviations specific to this city, such as certain monster types and directions that most tides attack from.
Kukurnal appeared to be more informed, and quickly explained that while mist monsters were a real thing, they were not the only type of monster in a monster tide. All monsters struck against any tamed or inhabited area in an attempt to destroy sapient life. The mist monsters were simply one of many that could attack, illusory monsters that proved to be more terror inducing that most others and were known to steal children from beds. Even Kukurnal seemed a bit unnerved by the topic but dismissed the idea that there would be any mist monsters attacking the city, actually calming with that thought and Joe let it drop.
The only last piece of interesting information came in the form of several new jobs that seemed to have appeared in the available jobs for inhabitants. Joe really didn’t think much of it, but Kukurnal’s excitement appeared a bit more than usual, although Kukurnal always was excited about anything new, so Joe thought little of it.
Joe finally ended the night as he felt exhaustion dragging his eyelids down and bid Kukurnal farewell, much to his reluctance, before heading up to his bed. He hadn’t used his second char: skill at all, so quickly changed his job to medic, applied char: to the heal skill, and he quickly used up his job change skills, power leveling the skill up as quickly as possible before collapsing in relief. He started using his heal skill but then fell asleep quickly, forgetting to look at his job skills, his exhaustion taking him so quickly that he had no thoughts when his head hit the pillows.
Within him, a small but radical change occurred.
* * *
Gwenvair spent the afternoon in deep and intimate conversation with Kilniara discussing what it would mean to be Queen. There was a nervous energy that vibrated through Gwenvair in a way that was overwhelming. Layered over the nervous energy was an excitement that drove her through the conversations all throughout the afternoon and the excitement seemed to be contagious as Kilniara responded in the same way. They spent quite a bit of time in the bathhouse together until almost midafternoon and then they spent the rest of the afternoon in pointless enjoyment with one another but it turned out to be one of the happiest times she’d had where she was truly free to be herself without concern with what others thought or concern with maintaining her image as First in Line for Matriarch.
With the sun long set, Kilniara and Gwenvair called the day to an end and they headed back to the inn for the evening. They came into the cafeteria and looked around the room but found no one of the team and Kilniara regretfully called an evening to the day, but hugged each other deeply, both reluctant to leave each other’s embrace before finally parting.
“Good night, Kilniara.”
Kilniara smiled then leaned in close again to whisper in her ear, “Good night, Queen.”
Gwenvair flushed at that, her cheeks immediately red before she reached over and squeezed Kilniara’s arm in playful attack but she was unable to keep her smile off her face as she reveled in a fantasy she thought she’d never be able to ever have.
“We… still must ask him and he me… and my mother.”
Kilniara sobered, “I will make sure. Both to ask him and have him ask you.”
Gwenvair calmed, “I will… speak to my mother. Clan politics demand it.”
Kilniara smiled, “Yes, but it is all but done.”
Gwenvair’s happiness returned, underlined by jittery nervousness and she looked at Kilnaira with a joyful gleam in her eye, “It is… isn’t it.”
“It is. It really is!”
Kilniara flashed her an impish grin and fled from the common room, slipping up the stairs with all the grace typical of an Acokzau. Gwenvair stared around the room for a bit, almost choosing to simply take her place right then and there but then resisted as she needed to head home.
She sighed regretfully and left the inn and headed home. She slipped through the streets quickly, not running but moving quickly into the inner city, clan center, and finally into her family compound. She came to her room and called for her maid immediately, sending her out to find her mother and request an audience with her. Her mother’s response was almost immediate, her maid returning so quickly that Gwenvair almost didn’t have time to change. She did, however, take a few moments to change to more appropriate evening wear and followed the guide to her mother’s room for a private conversation.
Her mother’s maid knocked on her mother’s door and waited for her mother’s permission to enter before entering the room to announce her presence then retreating from the room in deep bow by backing up from the room. Gwenvair waited for the maid to slip from the room and another few seconds besides, as was appropriate, before slipping into her mother’s room. She came in and offered the bow of the First in Line to the current Matriarch. The Matriarch accepted her bow before dismissing the Matriarch and calling her daughter over to her side, patting the bed beside her.
Gwenvair saw her mother dismiss formality and stood before rushing to sit beside her mother on the bed, offering her a hug before she sat down beside her. Her mother stared at her as she came over, hugged, and settled at her side before she spoke.
“You are… quite happy.”
Gwenvair chuckled, actually shivering before looking at her mother, “There is much to teach and much to speak of. It is… It has been an amazing day.”
“It seems to truly have been,” her mother replied with a calm simple smile but refused to say any more.
Gwenvair frowned a bit at her mother a bit before grinning in reply and continuing, “He told me of the consumable portions of our stats.”
Her mother nodded but didn’t reply, simply listening.
“The consumable stats are a system gift and not our strength.”
Her mother’s brows furrowed inward, “How does this… What does it mean?”
“When our mana, health, or stamina is emptied, our exhaustion is not true exhaustion. That is simply the ending of our system gifted mana and stamina and now we are now using our own personal mana and stamina.”
Her mother’s confusion remained as she replied for clarification, “The system mana and stamina is different than our own?”
Gwenvair nodded, “Yes. I spoke with Kilniara and she told me they are training their personal mana and stamina as well.”
Her mother replied quickly, “How?”
“Each morning, all of them practice until they have emptied all of their stamina, then they continue fighting and exercising. The eccentric claims that it will strengthen them immensely.”
“Truly? There is evidence of this?” her mother asked with narrowing eyes?’
Gwenvair nodded, her smile dropping as a bit of fear shadowed her eyes, “Yes. The eccentric fights all day in the dungeon without any stamina.”
Her mother’s eyes widened in shock, fear flooding her face before quickly being replaced by excited greed, “Truly?”
Gwenvair quickly nodded, “I see him fight without stop until we leave the dungeon. According to Garnedell, before the Acokzau, the eccentric fought in the spark dungeon all day.”
“Even in the spark dungeon?”
“And longer as he fought till evening.”
Her mother’s breathing spiked a bit and a brilliant smile came over her, “He … you are certain he is comfortable sharing this with us?”
Gwenvair’s smile dropped and she shook her head, “I was told to offer it, but wisdom might ask us to be reticent for a time.”
Her mother’s face calmed with that statement before she smiled softly, “That would seem wise. Please ask the eccentric tomorrow to be certain.”
Gwenvair smiled at that brightly before replying, “Oh. I am quite certain!”
Her mother leaned forward and narrowed her eyes, staring carefully at her daughter. Her mother waited, but Gwenvair simply kept smiling at her mother’s stare turned firmer and her mouth twisted.
“You will hide from me?
Gwenvair giggled and shrugged, “It is an excellent secret.”
“You cannot tell me?”
Gwenvair shrugged, but her smile grew.
Her mother’s patience wore thin but a small smile did draw her lips up, “You are hiding something. Can you not tell me?”
Gwenvair smiled, “Oh. I can.”
Her mother snorted and shook her head, “You find this humorous but my patience grows short.”
“Your patience will be greatly repaid.”
“Excellent. Then repay my patience now.”
Gwen grinned ever more brilliantly before exclaiming, “I am to be Queen.”
Her mother’s eyes widened continually even as her speech left her and her jaw dropped like a weak commoner.
* * *
Status
Blessings
Current Job
Available Jobs
Current Skills
All Skills
Log
Joe McConnell
Status
Physical Resistances
Magical Resistances
HP
30.00
Physical:
Wind
30
SP
30.00
Piercing
0.00
Water
30
MP
30.00
Crushing
0.00
Earth
30
Attack
30.00
Slashing
0.00
Fire
30
Defense
30.00
Ice
30
Magic
30.00
Gravity
30
Magic Defense
30.00
Loki Priest
30
Magnetic
30
Strength
30.00
Crafter
30
Light
30
Dexterity
30.00
Groom
30
Shadow
30
Agility
30.00
Staff Warrior
30
Space
30
Speed
30.00
Spirit
60
Endurance
30.00
Mental
60
IQ
120.00
Sound
30
Wisdom
120.00
Electricity
30
Will
90.00
Learning
600.00
Luck
0.00
Status
Blessings
Current Job
Available Jobs
Current Skills
All Skills
Log
Joe McConnell
Status
Physical Resistances
Magical Resistances
HP
30.00
Physical:
Wind
0
SP
60.00
Piercing
0.00
Water
0
MP
30.00
Crushing
0.00
Earth
0
Attack
30.00
Slashing
0.00
Fire
0
Defense
30.00
Ice
0
Magic
30.00
Gravity
0
Magic Defense
30.00
Crafter
30
Magnetic
0
Strength
60.00
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Loki Priest
30
Light
0
Dexterity
60.00
Groom
30
Shadow
0
Agility
30.00
Staff Warrior
30
Space
0
Speed
30.00
Spirit
0
Endurance
30.00
Mental
0
IQ
60.00
Sound
0
Wisdom
60.00
Electricity
0
Will
45.00
Learning
60.00
Luck
0.00
Status
Blessings
Current Job
Available Jobs
Current Skills
All Skills
Log
Joe McConnell
Status
Physical Resistances
Magical Resistances
HP
30.00
Physical:
Wind
0
SP
120.00
Piercing
0.00
Water
0
MP
30.00
Crushing
0.00
Earth
0
Attack
30.00
Slashing
0.00
Fire
0
Defense
30.00
Ice
0
Magic
30.00
Gravity
0
Magic Defense
30.00
Groom
30
Magnetic
0
Strength
60.00
Loki Priest
30
Light
0
Dexterity
30.00
Shadow
0
Agility
30.00
Staff Warrior
30
Space
0
Speed
30.00
Spirit
0
Endurance
60.00
Mental
0
IQ
30.00
Sound
0
Wisdom
30.00
Electricity
0
Will
22.50
Learning
30.00
Luck
0.00
Status
Blessings
Current Job
Available Jobs
Current Skills
All Skills
Log
Joe McConnell
Status
Physical Resistances
Magical Resistances
HP
120.00
Physical:
Wind
0
SP
120.00
Piercing
0.00
Water
0
MP
30.00
Crushing
30.00
Earth
0
Attack
90.00
Slashing
0.00
Fire
0
Defense
120.00
Ice
0
Magic
30.00
Gravity
0
Magic Defense
30.00
Staff Warrior
30
Magnetic
0
Strength
120.00
Loki Priest
30
Light
0
Dexterity
150.00
Shadow
0
Agility
60.00
Space
0
Speed
60.00
Spirit
0
Endurance
60.00
Mental
0
IQ
60.00
Sound
0
Wisdom
60.00
Electricity
0
Will
45.00
Learning
30.00
Luck
0.00