Alfred did not spend much time on avatar creation. He has several limitations, after all. Mr Anderson requires his new character to be human – TSA is run by human, he said, so the ‘representative’ has to be that also.
And his previous character is also a human character, so he just chooses the same appearance as before.
As for the name, he is required to have a professional name. So it must not be UB3R_CH4R or swordman113 or something similar.
‘Alfred’ certainly has been taken. ‘Afred1’ is certainly out of the question. Not that it matters because it has already been taken also. Out of curiosity Alfred tried Alfred 1 to Alfred 20, and find out that the only available is Alfred14. Millions of RR players certainly made choosing name difficult, thought Alfred. TSA has been taken also.
So he choose Alfed. Fortunately it is available.
Good enough, he thought
And so he entered RR.
Upon arriving at the RR, Alfed emailed Mr Anderson his new character’s name. Then he went and go through several easy quest. It was then a private message came to him.
“Morning, Mr Alfred,” a character named Serin whispered to him, “Mr Anderson told me to look for you,”
“Morning,” said he back
“Where are you right now?” the character asked again
“Central Town,” said he. Central town was one of the starting town in the Versailles continent. It comprises of three large towers and an even larger castle. All of the buildings are inside a one hundred feet of massive stone walls. Most of the buildings were from stones, and it gave impression as a great castle city.
Usually people do not started there as it is far too crowded and all the guilds controlling nearby dungeon are quite menacing for beginners, but Mr Anderson told him that most of his info tells that it is also a good place for architect.
Alternately there is Morata, on the far north, that is supposedly ruled by a great sculptor and provide a lot of quests for architect. But with all the resources TSA will provide to Alfed, there is no need to go that far.
The benefit of being a golden boy. Other players must have been jealous if they know
“That was far from where I am. Please wait for me in two week,” said Serin, “I am in the border of plain of despair,”
“Not to worry. It’s not as if I can go out of town yet,” said he
He took time to mail some of his RR friend about his new character, then he resume his life as newbie
First he go to training hall. By a video of certain someone, it is now well known that training there increase STR. Alfed reasoned that Architect will be benefited from STR as it can make him carry more load, so he go for a bit.
But of course he had no intention on spending weeks there.
After his 10th point in STR, which took him two real life days and large mental strains, he went out of there. He supposedly can get 40 point of STR, but it was not worth that much to him. He has other things to do.
Alfed’s main goal is to change his class to be an Architect. But before that, he needed several other things first.
The next thing he needed is ART stats. It was rumored to be hard to raise, but it can increase by visiting places and observing piece of art. Which means, the earlier he get it, the more benefit he will have. So his next destinations are the place where he has very high chance of getting it -- artisan guilds.
The first quest by the painter guild is to buy ingredients for paints. His reward is some copper and a low quality red paint. Then he do more quests, from standing as model to run errands, and on and on. After his 6th quest, he was asked by the guild master if he wanted to be painter, but he rejected it.
What woe him is that he has not get the ART stats yet.
His rejection certainly made him lose a tiny bit of influence with the guild master, but it does not stop him from being barred from the painter guild. He still can take quests, which he did. So he took one after another while waiting for Serin.
On his 10th quests, tho, a lady came to him.
“Are you trying to get ART stats too?” asked her
Alfred turned to her
From her equipment, she is probably also a novice. But her long hair and pretty face set her apart from most.
“Yes,” said Alfred
“This painter’s guild is stingy,” said she, jeered at the guild building behind her.
“What do you need the ART stats for?” asked Alfred
“I hear a rumor that if we have a high enough ART stats, we can get invited into secret magician class,” said she in return
That there are Secret classes in Royal Road is fact that’s already a well known. Some secret classes are even as common as the ‘main’ class. For example, the secret class ‘Paladin’ Class is extremely popular so that it can be said that even though it is not listed among jobs in the job agency, it’s not exactly a secret anymore.
Alfed’s goal is one of the secret classes too. Now that he think about it, if there is a secret architect class, it is quite possible that he needed ART stats also
The lady introduced herself as Meri. They chatted a while then continued on their respective painter quest.
Serin arrived a few days (RR time) after. Serin’s avatar is a pretty lady with long tied blue hair, with three swords around her belt. She has a light blue mild armor with gold engraftment, and a half crystal half mithril helmet.
Alfred is certain that she is a high level player. He will not be surprised if her level is above 300. TSA certainly provide him an extremely powerful back up.
“From our information network, there is a secret architect class which will only be unlocked if you met the ART, STR, and DEX requirement. Then get friendly with the royal librarian and he will refer you to another legendary architect near Sky Island Lavia, where you will not do other quests. The specific quests we do not know, but I suppose it can be done so no worry about it”
“STR and DEX requirement can be achieved by leveling, so we have no problem on that. The problem is ART. Do you have it yet?” asked she
“I have not get ityet,” said Alfed
“In RR, you can get a stats by doing it. So let’s try painting,” said she
Serin takes out several canvases and one painting equipment
“Try drawing with these,” said she
In Real life he is a trained architect, so he was quite proficient on drawing. It does not take too much time and effort on his side to make a great picture. The quality of material that Serin gave also help boosting its effect
TRING
Due to continuous effort in painting, ART stats is created.
Due to creating a good drawing, ART stats increase.
ART stats increase by 3
“That wasn’t hard, wasn’t it?” Serin laughed
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“Well, I suppose,” said he
He will tell Meri about it if they meet again
“And so, we repeat,” said she, “Till you get enough. Then we will work on the level as we go to Lavia,”
“What’s the ART requirement?” asked Alfed
“Let’s see … it’s 500,” said she
That took Alfed aback
“How much again?” asked he
“500 Art stats,” said Serin, and then he get a hint of Alfed’s worry
“Ok. How much do you get by drawing that …?” Asked Serin
She is probably a full battle character so Serin never try raising her ART stats – probably she does not even have it in the first place as she is better off prioritizing combat stats
“Three stat points,” said Alfed
“Come again?” asked Serin in disbelief
Alfed took 1 hour of RR time to make the drawing
And he will need to do close to 200 more of it.
That is certainly as long and as tedious as hitting scarecrow in the training hall
Both of them stunned a bit, before Alfed finally continue
“Well, it’s not that it will be done by just imagining it …” said he
“I suppose you are right …” said Serin, and then give him 20 more of the canvas and paint, “I suppose I will have to ask Mr Anderson for more gold later. But he is going on vacation... damn. Have to look for merchants that we can borrow on. That paint is a very rare item obtained from dungeon in the West. It costs 20 piece of gold each. And the canvas price is 5 gold, obtainable only in vampire land …”
And he will need 200.
Quick at calculation, Alfed realized that his current worth is minus 5,000 gold … something that no ordinary novice will ever be able to have.
"Will cheaper paint do the job?" asked Alfed
"If with these legendary paint, you can only get 3 stats ... common paint will probably not a good investment, time-wise," said Serin
With no other choice left, he starts drawing even though his heart aches from using material so expensive.
With so much resources TSA provides him, it would be a dishonor if he lazed around. Besides, he will really be paid to do it anyway.
---
It was Friday afternoon at TSA’s office. Mr Anderson is getting ready to go home when he is called by his RR informant about a mistake.
“I typed it wrong,” said the informant, “the ART stats for the secret class is 50, not 500”
“They must have realized it, not to worry,” said Mr Anderson, “As a class with ART myself, I know that no one can get 500 stats in ART right away as classless character anyway. If someone did, then the title ‘Legendary’ is way too modest of a description. But just in case I will call him. Thanks for letting me know,”
He then gave Alfred a call, but Alfred did not pick it up.
Then Mr Anderson completely forgets about it. After all, that was the beginning of his two week vacation …
---
Hundreds of hours of hard work later, the almost disillusioned Alfed went to the Royal Library.
He has increase his art stats to 501 (Add additional one, said Serin, better be safe then sorry). As a bonus of doing so much sketches, he also get roughly 300 point in Fame and Beginner 7 in painting.
His later works can also be sold for 25 - 30 gold, so he can recover some expenses.
Those stats were tremendous. A level 1 classless novice with 300 fame was unheard of -- much less 500 art point. But the side effect was kicking really bad, Alfed was pretty wasted physically and mentally.
(Meri was recruited halfway to assist Alfed, with the reward of one painting set. She gladly accepts that and pretty sincere in helping)
Due to his fame, and probably due to Serin's fame (she never told how much fame she got, but it would not be surprising if adventurer at her level will have more than 2000 fame), they were immediately welcomed at Royal Library.
The royal library’s assistant told them to look for the Royal Librarian in the palace. He then wrote Alfed a letter of introduction.
At the castle gate, though, they were stopped by the Guards. As there is only one letter, only Alfed is permitted to enter.
Alfed gave an ok, and then entered alone.
“Will he be ok?” asked Meri to Serin, “After so much hours of drawing, he can’t even walk straight anymore,”
“Well … we can only hope,” said Serin
Alfed actually could not even hear everything clearly anymore. He was way too tired physically, and even more mentally. It’s fortunate that the Guard led him to where the Royal Librarian is. Else he do not think that he can make it.
As they reached the library, Alfed was made to wait – where he then fell asleep at once.
He was still half conscious when someone approached him
The man who approached him looked very dignified, with long robe and a lot of golden ornament.
The man then started talking non-stop, of which Alfed’s tired mind can’t cope up anymore. He can only grasped a bit of what he said
“I’ve never seen a youngster with so much artistic sense before,”
And
“The genius artist of a decade”
He was too tired to confirm his identity. Must be the Royal Librarian, Alfed thought. So he cut it a bit
“I want to be a legendary architect,” said he
“That is good, we need a gifted architect,” said the man in fancy robe, “But are you sure you do not want to go to the path of sculptor or painter?”
And then the man continued talking again. Alfed can only grasped a bit of information
“the one that unite the Versailles continent is a legendary moonlight sculptor”
And such
“I want to be an architect,” said Alfed again. He wanted it to end quickly so he can get a well deserved rest.
The man think about it for a while
“There’s a legendary architect in Lavia I suppose … but no. You are way too talented to settle for such. You know what? Go to the Magnacarta, and meet a man named Koma there. He might be a better guide for you,” said he, “and once you do, please come back and look for me,” said he
Then the long awaited sound pop-up
TRIING
You received a quest
This is the first chain of the class change quest
Meet the man named Koma in Magnacarta and learned the way of building from him
Difficulty Level: E
Warning: once you change your class, you can not change into another class.
And so Alfed went out and tell Serin and Meri about it
“It’s magnacarta and not Lavia huh? I guess the info can go wrong sometimes,” said Serin
“I don’t exactly care. I want to go to sleep,” said Alfed
“Right,” said Serin
And so Alfed logged out of RR and went to sleep right away, without knowing that his meeting with the man in fancy robe has set several things in motions.
After all, the quest send by the Kingdom's senior minister is usually an A or S class quest.