The castle interior was a maze of criss-crossing hallways. On the walls, portraits of ancient dukes and prestigious knights were illuminated by candles.

The further in walked, the more my hands clammed up. To think I’d get to meet a duke. How should I talk to him, how should I walk into the room, how should I walk? My thoughts couldn’t stop spinning and before I knew it, I was standing in front of the duke’s court room.

“Don’t be too nervous,” reassured Damien. “My lord is one that will become greater than legends. He doesn’t care for the same formalities as lesser lords. Hold yourself together and you will do fine.”

Taking his words for all they were worth; I took a deep breath and entered the room. It was bleak, devoid of anything except a large U-shaped table in the middle of the room. At its head a young man with a peculiar hairstyle was slouched over piles of parchments.

His clothes looked to be made of the richest silks in the most exotic colours, but his odd hairstyle regained my attention. Instead of regal shoulder or ear length hair, his stopped well before his ears and were parted over to one side.

Finally, looking to us, the duke jumped up.

“Damien!” He yelled as if saved by a great scourge. “You took your, I have other things planned that I need you to do.” He looked gleeful, not something I’d expect from a lord.

“And who is this?” he asked. “I hope he’s talented in the right sort of way.”

What was he talking about?

“I’m not knowledgeable on his talents,” answered Damien. “He’s a class holder I brought to report on the incident near Pont-Audemer.” He bowed, apologetically.

“Oh… that can wait, no?” He waved off the captain’s worries.

“Please—” Damien seemed to beg but gave up seeing the broad smile on the duke’s face. “Yes, anything for my lord.”

“Yes, that’s how you’re supposed to treat your liege. Now.” The duke shifted his attention to me.

I straightened my back. “Anything for you.” I didn’t know what to say. As long as, I could leave with my head attached on my neck and the right to open a workshop I’d do anything.

“Anything? I wouldn’t be so sure. But regardless.” He waved it off. “What’s your class?”

“It’s apprentice gargoyle craftsmen and I’ve yet to level it up.”

“Oh yes! I remember seeing a family with such powers in the registry.”

I suppose it was only right for the duke to know the classes of his subjects.

“It’s quite the unique power, but—”

But its uses are limited.

“Exactly!”

Had I just interrupted the duke? Of course I’d fuck it up somehow.

“Not only that, but creating a gargoyle is time consuming, costly, and they aren’t the most powerful beasts.” The duke smiled and leaned forwards, crossing his arms. “The class has long outlived its prime. Now gargoyles are sold to extravagant nobles who want to appear grander than their position.”

My clothes clung tight to my body, and I wiped my forehead clear of sweat. Was I being deemed useless?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?” The duke asked.

Caught off guard I stuttered. “It’s—Gregoire. Ah, Gregoire de Gargoyle.”

“Gregoire de Gargoyle, a fitting alliteration!” He chuckled.

I looked to Damien, but he gave a curt shake of his head. I doubted anyone would understand the duke. Perhaps his extravagant style wasn’t a result of his station but permitted thanks to it.

“Look, Gregoire, if you’ll permit me to call you that. What do you think of classes?”

Taken by surprise yet again, and still trembling I spat out the first thing that came to mind. “It’s a crystal that gives us powers.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Just a crystal?”

“Ah!” I’d messed up. “It’s a stone formed as proof that the gods recognized the dedication and superiority this class of people.” I corrected myself.

“No!” yelled the duke standing straight.

I jolted back. “My apolo—”

“No, your first answer was good.” He took a deep breath and sighed. “Gregoire de Gargoyle, the first thing I did when I ascended to my position was to assess the cards at my disposal. Let me be frank—” he snickered. “Yes, let me be Frank. The people here are too rigid, dogmatic, and uninspired. It saddens me.” He smiled. “Justin de Gargoyle lived and died in his workshop. His creations were made in that workshop, and now rot in vacation retreat castles. There are tales out there in the stars, where the people develop magnificent powers that can rival the gods, but they DO NOT! I repeat, DO NOT, do so by filling their lungs with dust in a workshop.” His gaze which had long disappeared into the sky fell back to me before shifting to the knight captain. “Damien, train Gregoire to be a knight, and do not let him touch a hammer or chisel.”

The knight nodded.

“You got that Gregoire!” He pointed to me.

I nodded fervently, but then remembered, “I don’t mind fighting, but my friends need me to help them dungeon dive—” Maybe I was being impolite, but if I didn’t bring it up now, I’d be damned.

This time the duke took his time before speaking. “You grew up in the slums?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“Very well,” the duke sighed making his discontent evident. “You must understand that dungeons are dangerous, and I do not have the privilege to send a knight to accompany you. Instead, I think we can come to an agreement. I did not want to bring this up as I think it is a barbaric practice, but securing your lineage should be of great concern to you.”

Securing my lineage?

“I know commoners aren’t a fan of arranged marriages nor are you of being forced into labour, so this is what we’ll do. You’ll have three months to decide on a partner, if you do so I’ll give a stipend to your friends so that you’ll be able to undergo knight’s training without worrying about them. Is that a deal?”

Was that why—my father.

“I will take your silence as acceptance.”

I couldn’t believe it—

“Then you may go, Damien will escort you as to make things easier for you until you get your things in order.”

Damien tapped my back.

I was lost, confused.

He tapped me again and seeing the duke had finished speaking, I realized it was time to leave, and so I bowed and left.

#

“I’m sorry for that.” Damien couldn’t look Gregoire in the eyes. “I understand your situation, but I can’t help you. My lord is rather direct and eccentric. In a way, this is what let him—no, it is because of this character of his that he was able to ascend to his position so young.” Damien passed a hand on his melted face “He’s like no other lord,” he muttered. Snapping out of his memories, he looked back to me. “I’ll bring you to the class holder registration office first, then we’ll find an escort to bring you back to Bayeux.”

With Damien accompanying me, the registration process didn’t take long. The scribes asked for my name, place of birth, and confirmed my identity with an orb I’d never seen. They didn’t explain how it worked.

Leaving, Damien led me down the main street. Ladies and lords dressed in luxurious fabrics strolled the various storefronts selling jewels, exotic blades, and dresses. “I’d bring you to the craftsmen guild to get you economical support, but they require you to work as a craftsman to maintain your status with them. Instead, I’ll give you this.” He pulled out a small pouch from somewhere within his armour.

Taking it, I glanced inside. “Gold!” I couldn’t help but yell out.

“It’s not much, only five pieces, but I don’t have more on hand, I tend to spend it all on equipment.”

“No! This is too much, and for what!”

“It isn’t spare change, but it isn’t tavern money either. It’s to buy armour and weapons. I’d go and buy some with you now, but your class progression will dictate what best suits you.”

I nodded. It was hard to believe that so much money could fall from the sky. “Thank you.”

Still in the noble district, Damien took me to an escort company and within the hour I was already sitting in a comfortable, fully enclosed carriage with guards standing outside, ready to escort me to Bayeux.

“Then, this is goodbye for now,” said Damien.

“It is, and thanks for everything.”

“It’s no problem, and before I forget, you are to present yourself to Viscount de Bayeux’s castle in three months. A carriage will be waiting for you there. You will begin knight’s training then.”

“Wait. Wasn’t I allowed to stay in Bayeux and continue as a dungeon diver?”

“In three months, you should be close to getting your class upgrade, this is just to confirm the duke’s suspicions.”

“Suspicions?”

“Not in that way. Like he said, he suspects that if you do not use your craftsmen class to craft, then you may be able to unlock a martial class upgrade. He wants to witness the results himself. He’ll let you return after, especially if his suspicions are confirmed. He’s putting his trust in you, that is the greatest privilege you can have as his subject, do not betray him.”

“Yes…” Although I understood what they wanted from me, I was still divided on whether this was for the best. Things were moving too fast, and I needed time to think.

“Good.” Damien looked ahead and yelled at the caravan driver, “Go and report back as soon as he arrives!”

And like that I left for Bayeux, my expectations uncertain and nerves tensed.

#

On the third day, I was lying in the carriage after having finished supper when something fell out of my shirt and clinked around on the caravan floor. Looking down, five gold coins were thrown about the floor. And it’s then when it hit me.

With this I had more than enough to cure whatever sickness Richard’s sister might have. Not only that, but with this much money I could get a room in a nice town house and ask the butcher’s daughter out for a date. Regardless, I should be able to solve Richard and the duke’s worries without issue.

Reaching down, I picked up the five golds, stacked them into a little tower of greed and fell asleep; my reward for enduring it all secure against my chest.