“You want more intellect? Then you’ve certainly come to the right place, young elf. The books stored here can increase your knowledge a hundred-fold and you would have barely made a dent in the amount of text we have.”
“I don’t want just any knowledge; I want books relating to magic and spells.”
“An aspiring practitioner of the arcane arts, are you? Whilst we certainly do have an impressive selection in the subject, it is by no means the most comprehensive on the continent, you would have to travel far to get to that place.”
“I want to read here. Where are the books?”
“They are right this way. Let me show you.”
The man rose from his seat and led Nayir through the shelves of books before stopping in the middle of an aisle.
“All of our books containing information on the arcane arts are on this side of the aisle.” The man spoke as he gestured to the several bookcases in front of them.
“Where can I study them?”
“There’s a desk and chair around the corner at the other end of the aisle to the one we approached through. Please feel free to use it and take your time.”
Nayir glanced over the books in front of him, not knowing where to start.
He was about to ask the man which book would give him stats the fastest but he noticed that he was now alone.
Looking back at the books, he picked one out at random, went to the location of the desk and sat down.
“The Memoirs of the Archmage Horrell. Well… it could be worse.”
Nayir began to read.
The book told of the Archmage’s life, from his humble roots as he studied magic under one of the masters of magic and was constantly beaten for being incompetent to his rise to fame as the most powerful mage in Versailles of the time. Through tenacious effort and a desire to break free of the tyranny of his master, the Archmage developed a form of magic that had previously been inconceivable. The book did not state what type of magic it was, or provide anything more than vague details, instead it focused on the feats and accomplishments that the Archmage had completed, which had led him to his high status among the rest of the world’s eyes. At the end of the book, in the epilogue written by the author, it mentioned that, in the last couple of months of his life, the Archmage disappeared from the world until his body was later found in a crater, created by an explosion that had been seen several leagues away. His body was interred at that spot and a tombstone constructed for him. It was located in the Kingdom of Regrid.
After finishing the last page, he closed the book and a system message appeared.
Wisdom increased by 1. ( +1 WIS )
“Wisdom?!”
Nayir had wanted to gain more stats in Intellect. There was less effort required than the physical training he had done in the prison so he did not feel too upset.
“And there was no information about spells. Maybe I just need to read a different type of book?”
He retrieved another book from the shelf and started to read once again.
This time, at the end of the book, no message appeared.
“Huh?! Why didn’t I get anything?! I read the entire book! This is unfair! There was even a mention of this awesome spell! Why didn’t I learn it?! I better get one on the next book!”
After reading another book, still no message saying that there had been a stat increase or new spell appeared.
“Come on! This is stupid! That’s three books and only one stat! In Wisdom! You stupid books! Give me stats! Give me spells!”
Nayir threw the books on the floor and stormed over to the librarian’s desk.
“Why can’t I learn new spells?!”
“Well, young elf, if learning spells and skills were that simple, wouldn’t we all be walking around using them?”
“I…guess.”
“It will take several weeks of studying very specific texts, combining the information found into something practical and experimenting to learn a skill through the method you want.”
“Oh… isn’t there a quicker way to get a spell?”
“Well, there are. As a matter of fact, I have a skill that I could teach you and if you work hard then you can learn it faster. It’s not exactly one of the ‘spells’ that you are after but it will benefit you greatly from having learned it. If, of course, you are willing to help me out by copying some decrepit scrolls so that their knowledge is not lost?”
Transcribing scrolls.
The librarian of Dessera has asked you to become a scribe so that the knowledge contained in the library’s old scrolls is preserved.
Difficulty: F
Quest Completion: Finish copying the required number of scrolls.
Quest Reward: The librarian’s skill.
A new skill! It better be worth it!
“I am willing.”
You have accepted the quest.
Scrolls to copy: 0/17
Seventeen! This is going to be boring! But now I’m definitely sure that this skill will be amazing and I! Will! Have! It!
“If you would like to follow me then I will show you to the room where we store the old scrolls. All of the necessary items are in there so you may use it as a workspace where you won’t be interrupted.”
Nayir was led to a side room along one of the walls of the library.
He sat down at the desk inside.
“What do I use?”
“These are the books I would like you to write in, the ink is here, the quill here and the scrolls are lined up on the shelves either side of you. Take your pick of whichever you want. Depending on the quality of your work I may provide you with extra rewards. Work hard and thank you for your assistance.”
Nayir got to work, eager to attain a new skill; he chose a random scroll off of a shelf and started copying it out.
After copying the entire scroll, he lifted his head as a system message displayed.
Intelligence increased by 1. ( +1 INT )
Wisdom increased by 1. ( +1 WIS )
“Wow! Two stats from this mundane work! This quest could turn out to be more profitable than I thought! Although… if only it wasn’t so boring.”
He started to work on another scroll but, soon after, he stopped.
“No. I can’t write any more today. It’s too boring. I guess I’ll…”
His stomach growled.
“Great! Now I’m hungry! Writing is more tiring than I thought! Inventory.”
Nayir’s inventory window opened before him only for him to find nothing.
“What?! Why is there nothing?! I’m sure I had food before… that guard! He took my food! I’ll kill him!”
Nayir had risen out of his chair and was pacing back and forth in front of the desk he had been sitting at.
“First, I need food. I’m not dying again!”
The cogs in his brain turned until the answer appeared before him.
“I’ll get some off of the librarian!”
Nayir emerged through the door separating the room that he had been working in and the library and walked briskly back to the entrance where the librarian was sitting.
“I want some of your food.”
“I do apologise, young elf, but I have none to give you. If you are in dire need, I could direct you to a friend of mine who will provide you with the means to getting your own food, if that will help?”
Offer of food.
The librarian suggests that you visit one of his friends who have the ability to supplement you with food.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Difficulty: F
Quest Completion: Presenting the librarian’s friend with a letter written by the librarian.
Quest reward: Food.
“That will do. Give it to me.”
“Let me make a note for you to pass on explaining the situation and draw you a map.”
After several minutes of scribbling, the librarian handed over two pieces of paper to Nayir.
“Here you go. Make sure to go quick. You don’t want to get there after he closes as you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
Nayir left hurriedly, following the detailed map that the librarian had given him.
He walked quickly through the streets, eager to have something to eat before he died of hunger since he did not think he could last until the next day.
As he neared the end of the directions, Nayir noticed that the scenery had changed to one that he was familiar with.
He stopped outside of the building that the directions had led him to and read the sign above the door to the shop.
“Gourd’s Spell Shop.”
Nayir sighed.
“Great...”
Nayir was conflicted with entering, risking another trip to prison, or dying of hunger.
He came to the decision that he would rather have a small chance at not dying and walked into the shop.
The shopkeeper looked at the person who had just entered his store.
“You! Here for another shot at thievery, are you?! Didn’t learn the first time, did you?! Tough! Get out! Go on, get out!”
The shopkeeper dashed around the counter and advanced upon Nayir.
As he got close, Nayir held out the letter that had been given to him.
“Read.”
“What’s… Oh no you don’t! Trying to distract me and then make off with my goods! Do you think I was born yesterday!”
“Read. The librarian wrote it.”
“The librarian? Really?”
“Read.”
The shopkeeper took the paper offered to him, read it and sighed.
“Let’s… get started then.”
“Good. What are we eating?”
“Eating?”
“Yes, I’m hungry. Aren’t you going to cook for me?”
“You do know why you’re here, don’t you?”
“To eat.”
“The librarian has asked me to give you a job in my shop in exchange for a favour he did for me a while ago.”
“I don’t want to work. I want to eat.”
“Do you have money?”
Nayir checked.
“…no.”
“If you don’t have money, how can you eat?”
“By people giving me food.”
“In this world, you don’t normally get something for nothing.”
“But I want to eat.”
“If you work, you will earn money and, with that money, you will be able to buy food anytime you want.”
“I want to eat now.”
“Right. Because of how much debt I’m in to the librarian, I can’t just throw you out, as much as I’d love to. I need you to work here but, because you’ve tried to steal from me before, I will have to ask you to work under the effects of a spell whilst you’re here. If you can make a promise to follow this, I will even give you some food now, just this once.”
“I get to eat? Ok. I promise.”
Quest complete.
Working for Gourd.
Gourd, the owner of the spell store, has offered you an opportunity to work for him in his store because of his past with the librarian.
This is a repeatable quest and automatically completes at the end of the working day.
Your pay is determined upon how hard you work.
Due to your poor relationship with the shop owner, you are required to work under the effects of an enchantment for the duration of the time you spend working in the store.
Difficulty: E
The shopkeeper went out to the back of the store and brought back several pieces of fruit.
“These should last you a while.”
Nayir started devouring the fruit he was given.
“Come over here and I will show you how to run the shop.”
Reluctantly, Nayir went over to him and listened to the explanation.
The shopkeeper explained how to process transactions, include discounts for fame and other factors and how to deal with the more common of customer requests.
“If a customer asks for a Rank B spell book or above, come and get me and I shall deal with it.”
Nayir nodded.
“Now for the enchantment.”
He went out to the back again but this time returned with a plain golden bracelet.
“Wearing this enchanted band will cause the wearer to be unable to not follow the commands given to them. If you try and go against it, it will paralyse you until you are released with the key phrase being spoken.”
Nayir nodded again, he did not like the sound of it but he had promised.
“It’s an accessory that I never would have thought that I would use at the time that I had bought it; I thought it would have made a nice gift for the woman I was courting but….”
Gourd fell into a solemn silence. After a few moments he shook his head as if to clear the thoughts from his mind.
“Anyway, if you’ll give me your hand… Ok. Do you swear to not touch the store’s merchandise without the intention of making and completing a transaction to another person, to not attempt to use the knowledge in these books for your own personal gain and to not leave the store whilst you wear this enchanted band?”
“Yes.”
The bracelet flashed brightly, adorning Nayir’s wrist.
“Good. I feel more reassured about leaving you to work. I’ll be in the back organising the merchandise if you need me. Work hard.”
The storekeeper left Nayir in the now, empty store.
Deciding to check the bracelet, Nayir called out,
“Bracelet stat window.”
The Bracelet of Compulsion.
It appears to be a simple golden bracelet at first glance but it has been enchanted by a powerful mage.
Durability 10/10
Effect: Causes the wearer to follow the will of the person who attached it. Can only be removed by the same person who put it on the wearer.
The Bracelet of Compulsion is currently affecting you:
Unable to touch the store merchandise unless it is for a transaction.
Unable to use the store merchandise for yourself.
Unable to leave the store.
Nayir sighed as he stared at the window but he was unable to do anything about it since he desperately needed food. He made a resolution to never die of hunger for as long as he played this game.
“Anyway, it doesn’t look like this place will get many customers, so this will be easy money. I’m quite lucky.”
Nayir faced the front of the store as the front door opened and a customer walked in.
-END CHAPTER-
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Another short chapter. I'd like some more opinions on some of the comments I've been getting. If you want longer chapters then I will be forced to release chapters at a greater interval than one week. This is the best I can do with the time available at the moment.
It's getting closer and closer to the time where I make a definitive decision on whether to continue this FanFic on or not.
~Emeki