As Blake followed after her she walked carefully, her gait just the same as his but a step ahead and to his right. Blake couldn’t help but look at her and considered what she must go through as a slave, to be helpless to the whims of another, but she seemed cheerful and had clearly been taken care of by Jasmine. “Kiania, Do you like your master?”

Kiania slowed a bit at the question. “Yes, she is mean and can get angry, but she looks after myself and my sister, she bought both of us at the last tribute and has been more merciful enough to place us in her building than in the alley.” she said with a warm smile, her conviction to that statement clear on her face.

They walked in silence for a few more seconds. Before Kiania opened the door to a shop, the sign above read, ‘traveler's goods’, Blake walked in and looked around as the bags, and camping supplies, along with other needed items, like water skins, pans, pots, and fire-starting equipment. He then turned to Kiania as he realized he had no idea about the currency system of this nation. “Kiania, what is the value of one gold?”

She looked at him as she beamed at his question. “One gold is about one hundred silver, and one silver is about one hundred coppers. Most traveling supplies are only about two silvers so you can for sure get everything you need, and if you want, I can try to haggle on your behalf, I know the owner.” she said with a wide smile.

“No that’s not necessary, so can I just grab what I need and take it to the counter?” Blake asked.

“Yes master, I get the impression that this will be your first journey?” She said quickly before realizing something, and she backed away, hints of panic in her posture and visage. “Please forgive my rudeness, it is not my place to judge you, sir”

“It is fine, I am not mad, you are right, this will be my first solo journey, and I am a bit excited.” Blake said back with a smile. “Now, I need you to find the best bag this place has and start gathering anything you think I’ll need.”

Kiania watched him for a second then nodded, and walked over to the bags that were hanging nearby, while he walked to the counter. The man behind it looked at him with pity, “You know that allowing her such freedom is dangerous, right?” the shopkeeper said in a harsh tone that sounded like he was disappointed in Blake.

Blake smiled at him, “How I choose to treat the slaves under my command is my business as it is yours to sell me what I request.” Blake said back in equal measure, “Now, I need information and a map if you have it.” He said as he pulled out a gold coin. “This should pay for all of it, even what she chooses.”

The shopkeeper went a bit pale at the gold coin on his counter. “I have a map of the whole kingdom if you want it, and what information are you looking for?”

Blake smiled as the money made this man’s disposition shift quickly. “I want to know about classes, I have only heard of a few.”

The man watched Blake for a second then started a long-winded explanation. It turns out that this land doesn’t have any understanding of multi roles. They generally have one of three roles, physical combatants like warriors, sword saints, and heavy knights. Magic combatants like wizards, battle mages, and sorcerers. And support classes like beast master, exorcist, and priest. Which is absurd to him, but it doesn’t matter as he was classless. So, he finished his shopping, and they headed back to the inn. He got some basic clothes from a tailor and even scored an old brigandine and a cheap halberd from a blacksmith, which was perfect as his mind guide his hands through its use and to get familiar with the weapon. He also found out from the blacksmith that weapons proficiency just meant you could use your skills with the weapon in hand so all his training as a hobby didn’t get wasted.

As they walked back, Blake spotted a restaurant, “Hey Kiania you go back I think I’ll eat here.” he said as he looked over the restaurant.

Kiania froze and looked back, kind of conflicted over his decision. “But my master will be cooking for you soon…”

“Tell her I’ll happily eat her cooking tomorrow, now go.” Blake said calmly.

Kiania looked back and forth, but finally nodded and left. Her ears are a bit down as she walked away. Blake didn't know if she knew what her master did for the king, but he didn't need to tell her, best she believed that it was a caring place for her sister.

As Blake walked in and looked around for a bit, spotted an empty table just as a waitress walked up to him. So, he just pointed a finger at the table, "Can I sit there, I don't need much, just some food and a drink, I'll be paying of course."

The waitress looked at him for a second then looked at the halberd, and then back at him with all his gear, "Are you an adventurer? Did you just get to the city?"

Blake thought about it, "Yes I did, do you know where I can find lodging?" He said with a smile.

The waitress smiled back, and waved for him to follow "Wow, the capital doesn't get many adventurers, are you heading north to Wynberg?" She said as they reached his table. "As for a meal tonight, we have a heavy Plane's Boar soup with Huywah bread, is that ok with you?"

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Blake sat down and smiled, "Yes I am, coming from the south as I am, also yes that is a fine meal." He said warmly "What do you know about Wynberg?"

The waitress stopped and scrunched her face as she thought, eventually smiling again, "I know it has a big forest to its west called Wynward Forest, and it's supposed to be full of monsters. Oh, there is also a great vineyard owned by the local lord, I have been told he is a kind man." She said before leaving to a door to the back.

Blake sighs a bit, he was hoping that she would know how far it is, but then again, she most likely never left this city.

"Hey hey, so you're an adventurer, what's your class then." Said a foul alcohol-riddled voice. "You don't look all that tough, maybe you are a newbie." Blake looked over to the face of in his honest opinion the ugliest person ever.

"None of your business, now leave me alone." Blake said back, a death glare in his eyes.

The man smiled wider, "I am not scared of a newbie, I bet you never even had a real fight." Said the drunk.

The waitress started walking back over with a bowl and a small loaf of bread, her eyes switched back and forth between the two men. "Umm, I have your food."

"Miss, how much do I owe for my meal and drink?" Blake asked.

"Umm five copper, sir." The waitress said.

"Great, then I'll be paying for everyone's drinks." Blake said as he placed a gold coin down.

The place went silent as the coin sat on the table, the waitress put his food down and picked up the coin and looked it over. Then her smile widened "Yes sir," she said and rushed to the bar space and climbed up on top before yelling to the room, "All drinks tonight are paid for by our generous adventurer!"

Causing the room to go wild and everyone swarmed the bar, making the drunk that was bothering him get swept away as people walked over and thank Blake for the drinks. Giving him a chance to eat and drink in peace, the waitress did eventually make her way back over and smiled.

"Didn’t you say you need lodging?" She asked as she took his bowl and refilled his mug.

"Yeah, I did, you know anywhere good?" Blake asked back.

The waitress thought it over and smiled, "Oh my cousin has an inn on the north side called wild wanderer, you can go there. Tell them Clarice sent you and they will give you a good deal." She said after a second.

"Thank you, Clarice, the food was great, I'll make sure to stay there tomorrow, my contractor paid for a room tonight," Blake said with a smile as he stood and headed for the door.

As he returned to the Wonder Wake Inn, the dining area was partly full, but Blake could tell that about a third were soldiers for sure, and the rest seemed also capable. He had literally just walked into the lion's den, but it would be odd if he didn't, he nonchalantly walked right up to the counter and locked eyes on Jasmine.

"Is my room ready?" Blake asked calmly.

"Yes, it is, Master Winters, room three just up the stairs to your right. Can't miss it, Kiania told me you had your supper somewhere else, it is a shame I was going to cook you up a feast." Jasmine said back with a forced smile as she handed him a key.

"Tell me how much is a drink here?" Blake asked.

Jasmine cocked her thin brow at his question before answering "While if you want a mug of grog, it will be two coppers. you can get an unopened bottle for a silver and you can get everyone in here drunk on a gold piece."

Blake smiled wide and warmly, "can I buy an unopened bottle of wine?"

Jasmine scrutinized him as she reached down and pulled up a bottle of wine. Blake looked over the bottle before opening it and spinning to the room. "Ladies and gentlemen of the Wonder Wake Inn, let us raise a glass to his benevolent Majesty King Ludi Kain-Frollo the twentieth of the kingdom of Marica. Long may he reign." Blake called out to the room, as he flipped Jasmine a gold piece. "Let us party to his success in all he does for as long as he reigns, Cheers." He took a swig of the wine, which wasn't bad, but everyone in the room toasted with him and looked at Jasmine.

She shrugged, "Master Winters has paid a whole gold piece for all of you to forget your ways home, so have at it." she roared as she started to place bottles on the counter. But Blake slipped away and sat on the stairs taking a drink every few minutes. A few of the occupants thanked him and shared a toast to the king, the kingdom, one of the princes, or the princess. Not that Blake minded any of them but the king, however, he was curious and caught one of the guys that was more drunk than the rest.

“Hey, so the king’s children. who is their mother?” Blake asked nonchalantly.

The man looked at him and then smiled wide, “I only met her once, she is Lady Jessica, the fiery beauty of the east, you gots the hoots or something?” the man said with a wink.

“No just wondering is all, but what about the queen?” Blake asked.

“Ha, no. The king said to the court she will never bear a child of his seed, and to make sure of it he had her slave marked and ordered her to cast a magic that stops anyone that tries to touch her even himself.” The drunk man said as he rolled his head back and giggled. “Good riddance, we don’t need a cursed half-blood on the throne, gods forbid.” he said a laughed as he walked away, and Blake walked up the stairs as the partyer started to get too drunk to fight, leaving only Jasmine, her eyes show an annoyance at his smart trick to get the men to sleep.

He gave her a knowing smile, “I know that I was sent here to die, I recommend you kill one of them tomorrow and scar the body, I am not a fool as I died at the age of thirty-five and I know that I while I look ten years younger, I am still just as experienced.” He said as he left her sight, he gets to his room and looked around. It was small with a window and bed against one wall, a simple desk and chair opposite it, and a small chest at the foot of the bed.

Blake carefully examined the room from top to bottom and found that two parts of the walls are well made hidden doors, just big enough to crawl into the room from. So he got to work moving the bed to block one entrance and the desk to block the other, then he jammed the door with the chair and used a length of string to set up a pendulum trap with his halberd for the window. He glanced around again and felt proud of his work, his old drill sergeant would be proud of him too. And lay down to sleep, his mind needed rest but before that, he wanted to check something, so he raised his left hand up.

“Open rank,” he said softly, and the window opened.

Name: Blake Winters. Class: none. Race: human. Current power rank: 10

Health points: 100, Spell Points: 50/50, Spell Power: 0. Energy points: 20/20.

Strength: 11, Dexterity: 11, Constitution: 13,

Intelligence: 13, Wisdom: 14, Charisma: 12,

Trust: 3, Faith: 2, Honor: 6.

Skills: None.

Abilities: None.

Blessings: Language comprehension (12 hours).

Blake looked over his stats and noted some changes, and started pressing on different things to see what they were. He found out that trust is the level at which the common people liked him, the higher it was the easier non-nobles would do as he said. Faith was a level of combatants' belief in him, and the higher it was the more likely soldiers and warriors would fight for him. Honor was the level of respect he commanded among the nobility and the higher it was the more likely they would listen to him. His current power rank was basically his level and had no limit aside from time, the average person his age should have a rank of fifteen.

[so, I am weaker than the average, that's not new to me, I was always the underdog. Never mind, time to sleep]