So we were off to the inn. I didn't even catch that he hadn't answered, and I reddening a bit. He walked ahead, so I just followed him to The Lunar Inn and Tavern. He was off to get the room while I was analyzing all I could get my eyes on. It didn't work on people, but the furniture and chairs all had a description.

Sturdy Table, Basic: of Simple construction, qualifies as a table and is made of Pine

Sturdy Stool, Basic: of Simple construction, qualifies as a stool and is made of Pine

Sturdy Straight back chair, Basic: of Simple construction, qualifies as a chair and is made of Pine

Nothing odd about their descriptions. Just a general description. No stats. The closest thing to a stat would be that they are sturdy and basic. Jet approached and let me know that we could rent the room for about a week on our current funds. It included meals if eaten here. I could make do with that. Jet handed me a key to the room, and let me know he would be back later.

I went to the room and sat on the bed. I thought about my massagers next to my bed at home and felt a pang of loss. Maybe I could replace it with a magic version at some point. If they have those, or if I can make one. For now, I plucked the laptop out of my inventory and beamed. I decided to analyze my laptop.

Digital computation device, Masterwork: This is a device able to store blueprints, and much more. This was crafted with precision on another world.

Total Energy capacity- 20hr with no mana or EC input.

Charged via a conversion cable, or in an inventory that has EC available.

Curtails mana regeneration during charging for 1 minute per 1 hour of charge restored.

Uses .1 EC per 10 hr of charge. (Class locked)

WHAT… my laptop will charge in my inventory, but only with a class. How the hell do I get a related class!?! I take a deep breath. Likely a special action or the right skills learned. The class is probably related to magic items. Like an artificer. If this were a steampunk game, they might be called engineers. So I have to do something like craft an item? Use a specific kind of item?

I decided to pull up my gaming manuals on my laptop. They might have good theoretical knowledge of this kind of thing. In Iron kingdom, they call someone who mixes magic and tech an arcane mechanic. They use runes. Maybe I can find one of those. I found a fire rune in one of my books.

I pull out one of my pens and a notebook. I copy a rune of fire from my computer. Instantly, many things happen in very rapid succession.

Runecrafting acquired at Rank F

Rune instability is extreme. Calculating. unrecoverable.

FWOOSH... My notebook CATCHES FIRE?? I start beating it against the floor. I had drawn small, and only the rune seems to have caught fire. I put it out and realized what went wrong immediately. The medium was unable to handle the heat of channeling fire. I also didn’t infuse mana into the writing as I drew. That last part was probably a good thing.

Looking at the message, Understanding hit me. I now have basic knowledge of runecrafting. It's weird remembering knowledge I never learned. The paper could still be used, but not for fire. Paper is fuel for a fire. I go looking for a hardening rune. I can't find one, but I found a rune of strength. Intent matters when drawing runes. I pull out a charred sheet of paper, decide to cut it into a star shape, then draw the rune of strength while trickling mana into the pen, thinking about making the paper tougher. The pen heats up slightly as I am drawing, but not too alarmingly. When finished… I don't get a rune instability message.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

The rune stops glowing after an instant. I go to pick up the paper, and it's not easy. It's stiff now. I push it to the edge of my end table and lift it. Now it's a hard sheet of paper. Like a thin rock. I try to bend it, but it doesn't give. I try harder, and finally, an arm of the star snaps off. Hmmmm. That was interesting. That paper got much tougher. Probably could make it a throwing star or something. Can an item have 2 runes? Maybe I can make a fire star? I make another star paper and sketch out the rune of strength, then, before it finishes, I make the rune of fire.

Rune instability is moderate, calculating. Recovered.

The paper was hot to the touch. Very hot. I also got another message a few moments later.

Class unlocked: Runesmith

This class is capable of crafting, maintaining, and linking runes to execute complex magic.

Trait gained. Magical maintenance. Able to examine the durability of runes and perform needed alterations with the appropriate materials to fix any damages or add small effects. May also charge magic items slowly.

Skills unlocked

Mana manipulation at Rank F

Runecrafting upgraded to Rank E

Materials Lore at Rank F

Rune lore at Rank F

Runesmith? I guess that makes sense. Using runes just got easier, and now I have more tools to create and manipulate them. It also looks like they will allow me to charge magical items in my inventory. Let's verify. I pull out the laptop and examine it.

Digital computation device, Masterwork: This is a device able to store blueprints, and much more. This was crafted with precision on another world.

Total Energy capacity- 20hr with no mana or EC input.

Charged via a conversion cable, or In an inventory that has EC available.

Curtails mana regeneration during charging for 1 minute per 1 hour of charge restored.

Uses .1 EC per 10 hr of charge.

The class-locked line is missing, so it works. I store my laptop to test. Are classes upgradable, or do they stay the same? Most systems stay the same. Sometimes there are prestige classes that build on existing classes.

I had been lost in my own head because just then, The lock clicked, and now the door was opening. A high-pitched scream escaped my lips. Jet is holding his ears. “I'm so sorry. I was lost in my head, you scared me, and I didn't realize how much time had passed. I hope I didn't ....”

“Yes, I mean, no” he interrupted, badly fumbling his words. He took a short breath, “It's ok. I went for a walk, and tried to figure out what I can about where we are.”

“Oh, that’s a great idea. What did you learn?” I asked, thinking I should probably have joined him.

“This town is near a place called Pine lake. The town is Pinely.” Jet explained. “There are monsters nearby. Some of the posts on the bulletin board indicated that some shop owners need materials from monsters or animals that make homes around this town. They pay in EC, Gold, silver, copper, or equivalent goods if they are listed on the system's standardized list. I don’t know much about the monsters nearby, but some of them might be worth looking into. We need the money.”

“That sounds good. I have learned about Runes. It looks like I can add effects to items. This might be good for money too. We should find out how rare Runes are. I might have a few ideas, but I would need money to get them going. As for the monsters, I could look them up in the manuals I have. If you gave me a few examples, I could find out if I have any references. I will not be going out to fight them. Look at me, I'm no brute that can swing a stick real hard. I don’t have any weapons. I have information, and I will be using that to help the best I can.”

I realized I hadn't eaten anything for the whole day, and we proceed to dinner. Time flies when distracted by learning about magic. While we were eating the stew, which wasn’t bad but wasn’t that good either, I thought about my future here. This is a relatively new simulation, but it is effectively another reality. A chance to restart my life.

This is a chance to become someone who mattered. I have many magical experiments to run, but I need to have tools. I want to be the woman who gives a group of adventurers a magic item that allows it to be defeated. Maybe going out on my own after I get some knowledge under my belt. I want to be able to transport large amounts of goods over large distances if necessary, Fight villainous bandits, and maybe be a wandering enchanter of some kind.

Experiments and study will be key. I also need someone to go out and get what I need while I work on my magic. Maybe I'll join Jet in bed tonight and see how he reacts. I studied many ways to arouse people, and I could make it seem like his idea. I'm missing my toys, so I really could use an alternative.