The face of his mother told Nero all he needed to know. The Knights were in town and it meant trouble. For him, especially. While they walked under the light of a waning moon back to the village, Nero collected his thoughts and wondered why the Knights would be there for him. With war brewing, it could only mean two things. Either they were here to conscript someone, or they were here to root out traitors and spies.
With the raw power, these people wielded, anyone would be a traitor or a spy if they pointed a finger. No questions asked. His father was strong but he knew Byron had no chance fighting against a Knight squad. Yes, the bastards didn't travel alone. As they entered the village main square, he could see two wagons with the King's crest. A bunch of squires was keeping watch.
His heart sank when he saw two other metal-clad figures standing guard at the door to his house. They were led inside and found another Knight with a different insignia denoting a higher rank, an elf, sitting on the table, the chair barely holding his weight, talking to his father. Byron was... not in a good day. The man didn't even spare a glance toward them. He also noticed another person, a gnome wearing robes, sitting in a spot where he was hidden from the door by the elf's armor. He had a book, comically huge, open in front of him.
"Here he is," the veteran Knight said. "The man of the moment. Byron's son, Nero. Sit down, son. We need to talk."
"Then if you excuse us, lord Valanaagornif, we will go upstairs so to not annoy you," Rhynne said. "Please make yourselves at home."
"And the lovely lady with you, who is she?" The elf asked.
The gnome was the one who answered in a neutral and monotone voice. "Altia, Beast-kin, Minnid tribe. Level cap, one hundred and seventy-nine."
Nero walked around the table while Rhynne literally shoved Altia up the stairs.
"Young Nero, can you guess why we are here today?" Valanaagornif asked.
"No, sir. I would not dare guess. I clearly see no reason for that, if you allow me to speak freely."
Nero was in his own house. The difference between the elf in front of him and himself was like sludge to platinum. These guys would get away with anything they wanted anyway, so why play nice.
"We received a report that someone was hiding their cap. You see, for those blessed with a cap above two hundred our King granted the privilege to join the Knights."
Nero had to force the snort down his throat. It was funny how he knew he was terrified of the elf but he was completely level-headed.
"But some misguided souls still think ill of our noble mission. These detractors seek to evade service. You can see how that is bad, don't you?"
"And you have reasons to believe there is someone like that here. I understand everything, sir. I just don't know what it has to do with me."
The elf wasn't smiling anymore. He leaned forward and Nero felt his father's body tense. "Because you were denounced as being one of these detractors, Nero. Now, are you one?"
Nero sighed. He met the elf's eyes knowing very well he could be dead without even realizing it. The thought, however, wasn't so bad. A cornered animal will react unpredictably.
Nero didn't reply. Instead, he just asked, "Permission to raise my left arm, sir?"
"Granted," Valanaagornif had a smirk that said 'as if any trick this novice pulls can even scratch my armor'. Or so Nero imagined.
Nero rested his hand on the table, spread open to show it was empty. Then he activated his device and cranked it all the way to show his full Status to everyone.
"My level cap is Zero, as Gadgeteer Glom should've reported already, sir." Nero deadpanned.
If they had Altia's cap, they also had his. There was no use in trying to hide it.
Valanaagornif and the gnome examined the display, taking note of the numbers.
"Is your device defective, son?" Valanaagornif asked.
"I have no idea, sir. What I can tell you is that in the week I had it, it performed as expected for an Adventurer of my level. Milord scribe, was Glom's report defective or false?"
The last question was directed at the gnome. The tiny person coughed and fumbled as the attention turned to him. He turned a page, scribbled, and then cleared his throat.
"Nero. Beast-kin, Minnid tribe. Level cap, zero. Attributes, three, two, three, four, two, three, two, three, one. Level at the time of this record update, zero. Class, none."
"That's impossible. Byron, we will need to take your son with us to the workshop, to see if his device was tampered with."
Byron finally broke his silence.
"That's bullshit, Valanaagornif. You know very well the gadgeteer guild will uphold Glom's evaluation. The kid's cap is zero, he used thirty Anima crystals and remained at zero. You and I know very well there's no tampering around that."
The gnome nodded in agreement and Nero wondered what exactly Anima crystals were. But the elf chuckled in derision.
"I'm no gadgeteer, Byron. I don't know," The elf had a wicked smile. It seemed he wanted to trigger Byron all this time.
"Well, there's no time like right now then," Byron rose to the challenge. He opened a pouch and pulled three glowing white crystals. He showed them to everyone and then put one over Nero's device. "Go ahead, son."
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Nero felt a warmth he didn't know existed. His father saved some Anima crystals for him? These were small ones, probably tier one. Nero wouldn't let it go to waste.
"Absorb Anima," He gave the verbal command where only a thought was enough.
> +1 Charisma.
Damn. Of all times when he wanted a level up, it didn't happen. The elf scoffed.
"That only proves he is indeed at level zero. His cap could still be tampered with."
Byron put another crystal on Nero's device. "Also tier one, confirmed?" He asked the gnome.
"Confirmed. That's a tier-one Anima crystal," the gnome answered, much to the elf's chagrin.
> +1 Vigor
No! Nero's distress was visible. And with every drop of cold sweat that formed on the youngster brow, the elf's smile grew. Byron used the third crystal.
> +1 Dexterity
"Is that all?" The elf asked. "You didn't prove anything."
Byron took another crystal from his pouch. "Do you wanna bet on how many of these I have?" He taunted.
"Wait a moment. Youngster, if I may activate diagnosis messages on your device?" The gnome asked. There were two things regarding the gnome that Nero was aware of. First, the elf had no jurisdiction over the scribe. Second, the gnome wasn't a big fan of the elf's antics. Maybe Nero had an ally on the scribe's neutrality.
"Of course. I have nothing to hide."
He pulled some weird tool and fiddled with something underneath the display of Nero's device. "Go ahead now."
Nero absorbed the fourth crystal, desperately wishing it would come out like nothing.
> Level advancement from tier I Anima crystal denied. The user is already at his level cap.
The gnome was scribbling frantically.
The elf's smile vanished. "Whoever tampered with your display might have also tampered with the ability to absorb Anima."
Nero locked eyes with the elf. "Sir, the last Gadgeteer to service my device was the Lord Scribe here."
He was gambling on the gnome being a Gadgeteer but to mess with an Arbitrium in front of a Knight, he must be one. The gnome nodded and wrote more.
"Here, Tinkwezilsky," Byron extended something to the gnome. "Here is the assessment card Glom made when he serviced Nero's device, looking for flaws."
The blank card with his "all zero" status was handed over to the gnome. Tinkwezilsky slotted the card in his device, lit up the screen enough for him to see, then scribbled, even more, adding that assessment to Nero's record. He meekly handed the card back. "The assessment card contains diagnose information, Captain. The boy's device was all green. I see no probable cause for the accusation of tampering and it will say so on my report to the Guild and the King.
Valanaagornif clicked his tongue. He glowered at Byron, whose mood had slightly improved, and then at Nero. He was as haughty as his station allowed when he spoke.
"I am offering you a unique opportunity, boy. A trip to the capital at the King's expenses, a visit to the best Arbitrium workshop in the whole Kingdom, and maybe an opportunity to join the Knights in a suitable position."
'Wiping your horse's butthole, probably', Nero thought. "No, sir. I am not worthy of such an invitation. I have to respectfully decline." He bowed.
The elf Captain wasn't fazed. He looked up the stairs and Nero understood that he was being blasé because of his own self-loathing. But as he smiled and watched Nero's reaction with the corner of his eyes, Valanaagornif knew he had broken through the boy's mental armor.
"That girl upstairs, Altia, is it? One hundred and seventy-nine, not bad. Higher than [Magus] Rhynne, even. Are you engaged?"
Nero's heart raced. But in his internal dilemma, he went with the textbook answer. "Not yet."
"Excellent. Her level cap is high enough, maybe I should extend a proposal to her father. What do you think?"
"Valanaagornif," Byron warned. "Don't try to poach an Adventurer's party member. It is against the law, even for you."
"I'm not poaching. She'll become my wife, live at the Capital, have access to all cards she desires, the best of food, jewelry, and anything she wishes for."
Nero heard something break upstairs and some heavy steps. Then utter silence. He clenched his fists. His jaw, locked. He stared at the elf and wished he could one day duel the bastard and kill him.
"What do you say, Byron. Would you extend hospitality to me and my men until her father returns from his trading trip?"
There was something sinister in the elf's voice, beyond all the taunting and provocation he displayed until now. Nero feared for Altia's father. His life could be in danger. But why that elf had such a huge bone to pick with them? Why did his mom rush upstairs, dragging Altia? He did specifically mention Altia's cap was higher than Rhynne's. And why did he joke of stealing Nero's bride...
His father and Valawhatever knew each other. They had a story together and a grudge. It didn't take plus ten Reason to connect all the dots. Nero decided to break the silence and address the only ally he had.
"Master Tinkwezilsky, do you believe Gadgeteer Glom was mistaken in his diagnosis? Would you like to perform another quick diagnosis with a blank card on me?"
"Wait a moment, I didn't autho--" Valanaagornif was cut off by the gnome's stern stare.
"No, there's no reason to believe that. Glom was my brother's apprentice, and any doubt cast on the apprentice's work reflects badly on the master's," He said. "I shall conduct the quick diagnosis. Where is my blank card... would you please open your Class slot?"
Nero opened the Class slot and Valanaagornif quickly shoved a card inside. White borders. Nero only saw a blur and then he slammed the port shut. The device showed a message.
> Class assignment rejected. The user does not match the prerequisites.
The port opened and the card, a white [Rogue] with +5 Charisma and +5 Willpower flopped on the table.
"That was funny, Captain. Sorry, I tried with even worse Classes. Anything would be a godsend, actually," Nero deadpanned. "Father, I think I heard mom calling for you. Please go see what she wants."
It was what stopped Byron from smashing the Knight's face and committing treason. The man stood, nodded at his son and went up the stairs.
"Captain, I thank you for your hard work. But I think the ones that filed the report on me were misguided, malicious even. To bring a Knight detachment to this backwater village, they might be conspiring with the enemy. I wish you good luck and the blessings of the gods. Master Gadgeteer and Scribe Tinkwezilusky," Nero bit his tongue, "Please perform the diagnosis."
He opened his Class slot again and the gnome inserted the blank card. The device showed a hundred glyphs Nero had no idea what meant, and then the card came out, with his Status printed.
"Diagnosis completed. All green," The gnome declared. "Captain, our mission here is completed. Gather your men and let us depart to the train station immediately. I wish to see dawn at the Capital."
The elf's eyes were almost bloodshot, but he was staring daggers at Nero. He stood up, picked up his helmet under his arm, did a half-turn and stormed out of the house.
"Master Tinkwezilsky, thank you."
"Just doing my job, lad. Your case is most peculiar, a friend of mine will seek you out. Do you mind if I send him?"
Nero knew what the gnome meant. As he did Nero a favor, he was already collecting on it. The boy smiled.
"It would be my pleasure, sir. Oh, he forgot his card."
"As far as I am concerned, he gave it to you when he slotted it. It was rude, I apologize," The gnome bowed slightly.
"I will wait for your friend, sir."
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> Nero [0/0]
>
> Strength: +3 (+6 with clockwork blade, +4 when blocking)
> Vigor +3
> Endurance +3
> Agility +4
> Dexterity +3 (+4 inside a Dungeon)
>
> Reason +3
> Willpower +2
> Perception +3 (+5 inside a Dungeon)
> Charisma +2
>
> Equipment: [Rending Clockwork Blade of Regrowth +1], [Self-Cleaning Brigandine of Regrowth], [Dungeon Goggles], [Elven Boots], [Hot Muffler], [Dungeon Clock], [Spiked Clockwork Shield of Regrowth +1]