"Good morning, my hero!" I am met with a big smile right by my side when I wake up. I take a lock of those golden threads in my hands and carefully feel their soft texture.
I smile back at my bride and greet her, "Good morning, my angel." I look at the window, the sun is already up and going. "Should we go to your home for breakfast?"
"No way! We are not going anywhere." She cuddles next to me, pinning me down with an arm and leg.
"The breakfast invitation was a kind of test, right?"
"Yes. We are not supposed to go back early today."
Softness all around me, I am a bit concerned about last night. "How are you feeling?"
"Wonderful. I have never felt better... Say, are you hungry?"
"Yes."
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We leave the inn by noon. We were supposed to visit the apothecary this morning. "I forgot about the herb. Should we visit the apothecary?"
"Yes, but don't worry. I used a spell on me, there won't be any problems. Druid magic is powerful but can't be relied on repeated times. We should secure a stock of heart-shaped silphium soon."
Hand in hand, we go shopping in the town. I have to buy new clothes for everyday wear, restock some supplies, buy spices, some disposable clothes for tonight's duel, and finally the apothecary. The shop has a sweet scent of herbs, and there are fresh, potted and dry herbs everywhere. On the shelves, hanging from the roof.
"Welcome, customers." A middle-aged stout guy with a long white beard braided in several tresses and a stocky build greets us as we move past the front door. It is a dwarf.
"Good afternoon, apothecary. We are looking for some herbs, can you help us?" I answer him while Helen goes off to browse some herbs.
"Sure thing, young lad. What herbs do you require?"
"Heart-shaped silphium, lemon thyme, purple lavender and chytheria." There are other herbs necessary for our preparations, but we have them in stock from the gathering requests. We kept some for our own use.
"You look like an adventurer, so I bet you are making mid-grade repellent potions, but the silphium..." His gaze drifts to Helen. She notices and waves back. I am not making repellent potions with the chytheria, but I won't correct his mistake.
"Yes, we are embarking on a journey soon, and we need it." I state matter-of-factly. Everyone here knows what the herb is for, so please don't probe any further, I tell him with my eyes.
It seems the message got across. "Sure thing lad, I understand ye. I have the herb here, and also the extract already prepared, what will it be?"
"Both. As many as this can buy." I flick a gold coin on the counter in front of the dwarf. His eyes widen, but his businessman sense pulls him back in place.
"Aye. Are you intending to buy all my stock, lad?" He measures me. Is he thinking I am some kind of fool?
"I understand sir. It was rude of me. You should keep a few samples for an emergency, I understand. I want you to keep the change too, because I don't like some weird rumours going around about us, if you get me."
"Ha ha ha! That is more like it! Wait here, lad I'll fetch ye herbs." The dwarf disappears through a cloth curtain separating the front and back of the shop. Minutes later he comes bringing a wooden box the size of a desktop PC. "Here you go." He opens the lid. Inside there are several potion flasks in a wooden holder filled with round holes, and bundles of fresh herb. There herb is really shaped like a pink heart. Amazing.
"Do you have any of these herbs potted?"
"Aye, but if ye are traveling around..."
"We have a herbalist in our party, they are very interested in cultivating the plants. So if you please."
"Sure thing, lad," the dwarf goes to the back and brings a lidless crate with nine plant pots. helen approaches and examines the herbs, then smiles and gives me a thumbs up.
The gold coin is more than enough to buy these herbs and the dwarf's silence. We leave the apothecary and find a safe place for Helen to use her magic on the herbs. Not a empty alley, of course.
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"Beowulf, Marcy is calling us back home. We should go if you don't have anything else to buy."
"Sure. Let's get our stuff from the inn and head home."
Back at Helen's, Marcy is flustered. "Are you seriously going to miss the duel because of your date?" I notice she is already wearing her adventurer gear.
"We were already returning, Marcy. There is no need to worry. Helen, stow the herbs in a safe place. I am going to get changed and we will go to the guild with the bare minimum gear."
Helen leaves, and Marcy pins me. "Was the night fruitful? I have never seen Helen's cheeks this glossy."
"If you know, why ask?" I give her a stern glare. "Or are you having mixed feelings?"
Now it is her time to blush. "No way, I am just happy for my friend." I'll let it slip.
"Where is Zarr?"
"Aunt Hilde played with him all day long. The kid is fine." The several-millenia old kid.
My inlaws come to greet me after they notice our presence. It seems I passed the breakfast test. After some small talk, Helen returns in her magician robes. Emory is on her shoulder as it is usual now. They bombard her with questions and I slip to get changed. My combat outfit is just a grey loincloth not much different than those sumo fighters wear and some leather sandals. I know I am going to bleed like crazy, so anything i wear is going to be ruined. I throw a robe and a hooded cloak over my barely clothed body, and get out. The only item I'll take with me is the guild card.
The four of us leave for the guild. When we arrive, there is a huge crowd inside. Everyone turns to look at me. I expect an undertaker to come measure my height any time, just like in those western flicks. None come. Are there coffins in this world? I don't know.
"Please make way," the receptionists urge the crowd to let us through.
"The way to the job-changing crystal, please." I smile at the receptionist. She scowls. This is the one that was working as aide to Kareena when I tried to hire the girls.
"This way, please." I almost laugh at her anger. This is my triumph. She takes me to a room behind the counter row. Inside there is a glowing and deliciously active job-changing crystal. I can't believe I spent the whole autumn prancing around for this.
I keep the window open in front of me.
Skill *@$%! / #%& Management (A) unlock status: 2 - Undergo a job change. 3 - &#$ an active #%& !@&%# C%@#&L.
"How do I use this thing?" I ask the receptionist.
"Hold your hand over it and think of changing jobs just like you do with your status."
I touch the crystal and chant "Job Change!"
Three options appear in front of me:
Apprentice Warrior Apprentice Scout Apprentice Magician
I'll make my choice.
Beowulf has become a level 1 Apprentice Magician. 3 skills awarded: Fire Magic level 1 awakened.
Spell {Firebolt} learned. Water Magic level 1 awakened.
Spell {Water Jet} learned. Earth Magic level 1 awakened.
Spell {Sand Burst} learned.
Oh, it comes with freebies. My MP is now triple what it was as a level 35 villager...
"Are you done?"
"No, I think I did not get it right. Let me try again. [Job Change]!"
Apprentice Warrior Apprentice Scout Villager (Level 35)
It seems I can go back to villager.
Beowulf has become a level 1 Apprentice Warrior. 3 skills awarded: Swords level 1 awakened. Armor level 1 awakened. Axes level 1 awakened.
"Did it work now?"
"Not yet. [Job Change]!"
Apprentice Magician (level 1) Apprentice Scout Villager (Level 35)
Farm farm farm.
Beowulf has become a level 1 Apprentice Scout. 3 skills awarded: Presence Detection +1 skill point added. Stealth +1 skill point added. Bows level 1 awakened.
Yeah. This is fun.
"How can't you perform a simple job change? It is impossible to miss 3 times in a row!" The crowd behind us burst into laughter.
"Fourth time is the charm... [Job Change]!" And settle as apprentice magician. "Yes! it worked!"
"What class did you pick?" I believe this receptionist is breaking protocol.
"Apprentice Magician! I always wanted to use magic!" Everyone frowns.
"Hah, the pipsqueak will fight Kareena as a level 1 apprentice magician!!! Hurry up, I want to go home!" Some rude adventurer yells from the back row.
"Can we go to the arena now?"
"Yes, sure." On the corner of my vision, the window changed.
Skill *@$%! / Job Management (A) unlock status: 3 - &#$ an active Job Changing Crystal.
I wonder what was I expecting.