Chapter 3
Settling in…
Mark Collier
“As I said before, sir.” The same clerk at the Merchants Guild reminded me as I approached. “You need to level to a specialization in your class, to register with the guild. No need to waste your time.”
Character sheet
Name: Mark Collier
Age: 18
Tier: 1
Class: Merchant
Level: 11
Specialization: Security
Level: 4
I sent him an edited version of my Character Sheet. To which he gaped. It had only been a couple of days since I had been here last. Sure, the first ten levels were considered the easiest. They were quick, dirty, and like dipping your toes into your new class. Usually, it took about a year, maybe two, as you leveled and tested the various facets of a job. You got some stats, learned some skills, and earned some money. By then, the other merchants or whatever class you have, would have had time to gather information on how reliable you were and among other things they could trust you with.
“Yeah…” I let the word settle. “Did that already. I need some work and the only way I can get it, is if you let me register.”
“Security?” He looked me over. “You don’t look very strong. What in all the hells made you think that that was a wise decision?”
I shrugged. There was no way I could tell him that I chose it while I was blackout drunk. “I’ve always had a bit of an interest in security.”
The elf quirked an eyebrow. “Really? Did you not read any guides before picking that specialization?” I shook my head. “The recommended path is to start with Stockboy or Sweeper, then the other. Then Clerk or Server, followed by the other. Security, Errand runner, and Mascot are considered on the higher end of tier 1.”
“Yeah…” I felt my charisma kicking in. “I got a bit excited and chose this one before thinking about it overly much.”
“Don’t you try using that measly Charisma on me.” The elf sneered.
“Wait.” I held up a hand to forestall. “You can control when you use it.”
The elf sighed. “You would have learned this had you been trained properly and not power leveled through, like a neanderthal.”
“Neanderthal?” I asked.
The elf, just face palmed. “Yeah, that thing you and your buddies did, was similar to what those neanderthal adventurers do. You shot up to that level without learning a single thing along the way. Now, I must figure out what to do with you. Your first ten levels should have been simple. Buy and sell a few things, rent a room, and buy a meal. Then start with the basics and get the low-level tasks out of the way.” He groaned, knowing that there was nothing he could do right now. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You are going to tell me your stats. Then I’m going to find something that should be acceptable.”
“Uh, okay…” I agreed. I couldn’t imagine that my early level would be all that different from the standard.
Stats:
Strength: 13
Agility: 13
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 30
Wisdom: 30
Charisma: 34
The elf quirked an eyebrow after looking at it. “Been captured for quests a few times I take it? You’re a bit weak for a Tier 1 class, but that’s to be expected when you focus on the levels rather than the achievements.”
“Yeah.” I did not elaborate.
“Fine.” The elf sagged with relief. “I think I can work with this. Security is a dangerous job and requires high Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. I would assume that you have gained the Negotiator skill with that stunt?”
“I did.” I agreed.
“Good, you’ll need it.” The elf stated. “Now, you barely meet the mind requirements for the level one security class. We’ll assign you something in that order. I recommend that you get yourself a few items. Affer’s sunglasses of perception, Clint’s business class security suit, Torpin’s boots of threatening speed. Each of these items will help you in areas that you are lacking. Hopefully, you’ll live long enough to either earn or purchase the perception skill. These will allow you to level this class much faster.”
“What will I be doing?” I asked, taking the list that he handed me.
“Learning on the go.” The elf stated. “Your only available job will be to catch thieves in a local shop. You are not quite strong enough to work the night shift, but the day shift should be fine. You will need to be very perceptive and catch anyone that might try to steal items from the shop. You can call for the guards if they are needed. Gain more XP for catching a thief without their help. Although, with your stats, I would recommend that you call the guards. You do not receive the same boost to your stats as the guards. This is a merchant’s guild quest; you are not being hired by the shop. There is a difference.”
I nodded and feigned understanding. I was getting a little tired of this guy talking down to me. “Is there any recommendation on point allocation as I level my main class?”
The elf snorted. “You shouldn’t even think about that until you have maxed out your specializations. Hopefully, over the next few years, you will be ready.”
“I see.” I nodded.
We spent the next half-hour filling out paperwork, going over the best way to apply for a job, collecting rewards, handling rough situations, and what was expected of me in any given situation. As the man that registered me, this elf had taken responsibility for me. Therefore, if I did well, so did he. If I failed, it was on him. In the process of learning this stuff, I had learned that his name was Charlie.
Charlie was a brusque person that treated everyone like that. He was a mid-level administrator. As a tier 3 trader, Charlie had worked for years on the path to nobility. He was almost half-way there. Training me was considered a privilege of sorts, the type of privilege that clerks fought over for leveling purposes. Not because I was special or anything. Being and administrator for the guild was a great alternative for those that could not afford to purchase a shop of their own. The guild also had alternatives for several other types of hard to afford positions. Such as temporary caravanner positions that allowed for you to rent a spot to lead a caravan owned by the guild. You still had to provide security, purchase merchandise required for the delivery, and ensure that your goods were properly stored on the wagons. Any lost goods, wagons, or pack animals were on you, and you were required to either purchase the outrageous insurance or replace any damaged guild goods. It sounded a bit like extortion to me, but to those that could not afford the alternative, it was probably a good deal.
After making the rounds to the recommended shops, I mostly learned where different businesses were. The glasses gave a +2 to perception, the suit had a +2 charisma and +1 agility, and the boots gave a +1 agility and +1 intimidation. Overall, it was about what you might expect from the position that I had. I had noted that since I did not have intimidation, my stats sheet did not have a perk for it. Then headed for home.
“So, when do you start working?” Rica asked as we sat down for dinner.
“In the morning.” I stated. “Don’t forget to pick up those gifts I got for you and Tyler. They should be ready.”
“Mm.” Rica nodded while chewing on some food. “Going to be a bit boring without you though.”
I nodded. “But you and Tyler can run a few dungeons this week if you get that bored. There is also that training that you wanted. I bet a few more spells could keep you entertained.”
“Yeah.” Rica smiled. “I would go for an upgraded fire spell, but I’m thinking a few more base spells might be the way to go.”
“I agree.” I said, digging into the fried chicken. “Base spells are easier to max. It might be better to start with those before trying the higher-level spells. I read that there is a relation that uses aspects from other types at higher levels. Have you ever heard of Borokial Magdux?”
“Who hasn’t?” Rica quipped. From the smile on her face, I could tell that she was teasing.
“Quite a few of my magical texts were written by him.” I explained. “He stated that with a good base, you’ll have an easier time creating your own personal spells at higher tiers. Honestly, the way I understood it. The more points you use on your base spells and max them out. The easier it is supposed to be to create your own spells or learn new ones. Granted it may take more effort to gain higher tier spells. But how often do you hear about someone casting a tier 8 hellfire ring?”
“Never.” Rica snorted. “That’s more of a threat to use rather than a useful spell.”
“I agree.” I smiled. “It also has a ten-minute cast time. Which means, if the fight were to last that long, you would need protection from warriors for long enough to cast it. Then you have to consider that if they were strong enough to defend for that long, you wouldn’t need to cast that spell. There is also the fact that if you actually need to cast that spell, everyone in your party is already dead.”
“Yeah.” Rica chuckled. “I think that one might just count as a party trick. That’s why I was thinking about working my way up slowly. Besides, you won’t have to watch the boring slow wait time part.”
“Oh, does you fire spell have a shorter cooldown?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Rica snorted. “You could say that. At level ten it was cut down to 2.5 seconds from 5 seconds. At fifteen, it became a multi-shot spell. At twenty, the max, it became sustainable.”
“Sustainable?” I frowned.
“Yeah.” Rica nodded excitedly. “So long as I have the mana, I can cast a continuous rain of fire spell. With the damage output as is, the fights tend to end quickly.”
“Nice!” I pumped a fist. “Wish I could do that. All I can do is buy and sell stuff at a discount. Oh, and look at something really closely.”
“Ha!” Rica barked with laughter. “I bet the shop that you buy in the future will be super cheap compared to this place.” She squeezed my hand from across the table. “Totally worth it.”
“Thank you.” I squeezed back.
“Pshh.” Rica laughed it off. “Call it a small investment in our future. That money was just sitting around anyway. I… I only had one focus for the last few years.”
“Was it bad?” I asked gently.
Rica nodded. “At first, when we were focused on finding you… I couldn’t sleep without Tyler forcing sleeping potions down my throat. I blamed myself for getting mad at you before the attack. Then again for not noticing the monsters were a diversion that let the Angel approach you.” She took a painful breath before continuing. “At least, I had a goal at that time. When we had finally got you… I… I was lost. You were broken and I had no idea what to do. Our parents’ party was no help. Your sister threatened to kill me. Mother disowned me. Gale just seemed indifferent. They wanted me to just forget about you. Tyler was the one that intervened. He took care of both of us. He should have a saint class to be honest.” With a heavy sigh, she couldn’t quite meet my eyes. “Eventually, years later probably, Tyler got me to snap out of it. As soon as your body was whole, he came to me with a plan. We began to travel from city to city, speaking with priests, mages, alchemists, and rumor mongers.”
“Rumor mongers?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Hey.” Rica swatted my arm. “I’m trying to be serious here. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Rumor mongers. No one helped. There were some plausible leads that we chased, but they turned out to be nothing. One night, we were lying in that wagon, about to go to bed. You just stared at your chest full of books. I remembered how you loved reading those stupid things. So, in a moment of inspiration, I decided to start reading them to you. And that’s what we did, night after night I would read to you. A year passed by as we worked our way through your collection. About a half-hour at a time. Then you did something strange as I read from a sleezy romance novel that I enjoyed.”
“Sleezy romance?” I grinned. “What kind of sleezy romance?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Rica blushed. “You closed my book and nodded to your chest. Startled, I dropped the book and began to dig out book after book from your chest. Nothing. You didn’t respond any further. I explained it to Tyler, and he probably agreed that it was a sign just to placate me. I thought you were coming back. It was exciting. I began to read other types of books. Accounting, historical, Magic guidance, and just about anything educational.”
“Did you pay attention to them?” I grinned cheekily.
“Yeeees.” Rica protested with a slight smile. “It was a historical tome written by an adventurer married to a commoner that got a reaction from you. You even flipped the pages and got me to the right section. That was how I learned that we needed to return to the place that we had been camping the night you were taken. It had been years and we were not as certain as to the exact location. The roads had changed over the years as the local nobles had the bright idea to turn it to stone. But after about six months of back-and-forth travel, we stopped for the night to discuss other locations that it could’ve been. I had left you in the wagon by yourself, you usually stayed put, it was common to find that you hadn’t moved for half a day or more. But that night you got up and sat down in the exact spot that you were in when you were kidnapped.”
“At which point, you attacked me with lust in your eyes and love in your heart.” I grinned.
“Ugh.” Rica groaned. “Why did I even tell you this story?”
“Because I’m one sexy hunk.” I winked.
“I liked you more without the confidence.” Rica tried to hide a smile. My stats were starting to affect my looks and the way others looked at me.
“Want me to sleep on the couch?” I asked.
“Don’t you dare.” Rica warned.
***
“Your goal is not to stop them.” The clerk, a shorter than average elven woman stated. “That is for the guards that I pay. No, your job is to spot the thieves and either notify the guard or notify me. You may try to talk them out of it, but I will not be paying any death insurance or hire adventurers to save you. Understand?”
I had to try exceptionally hard to ensure that I didn’t bark with laughter at the end of her statement. Rica would burn this store and half the town to the ground in search of me. I had learned to accept that whether or not I could claim her, she would not give up waiting for the day. And she didn’t want it spoiled by a fling in the night.
“Yes, mam.” I agreed. “Are there any items in particular that you want me to watch? Stuff that has a higher probability of being stolen.”
“Everything!” The elf stated, frustrated. “Everything in the store has some sort of value. I want you to watch out for anything and everything to be stolen. I don’t care if it’s an expert thief or some beggar child. If they are stealing, report it. My guards will take care of the situation. Got it?”
“Yes, mam.” I said and started my patrol.
I had no idea what I was doing or looking for. But, as a wiseman once stated in my favorite novel, ‘fake it till you make it.’ So, I paced in a circuit slowly. Pausing at various locations, looking for anything shady. I checked the faces as the bell rang at the entrance. Not fully convinced of what I should do, I continued to check on each customer as they perused the stock.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have caught anyone had it not been for my perception. I stopped three children, a woman with a high Charisma by the looks of her, and a teenager that looked as if he was going for a rogue class. I notified the guards on each of them. They were posted at the door and caught each of them. But…
Congratulations! You have caught a criminal! 70 XP earned.
Congratulations! You have caught a criminal! 70 XP earned.
Congratulations! You have caught a criminal! 70 XP earned.
Congratulations! You have caught a criminal! 85 XP earned.
Congratulations! You have caught a criminal! 120 XP earned.
Congratulations! Your perception has improved! Level 2 earned.
“Hmm.” The short elf looked concerned at the end of the day. “Normally, we catch more on an average day. But, considering that this is your first day and you are still learning. I understand that you had power leveled to get to this point, yes? You know what… never mind. Return tomorrow and try to catch a few more.”
“Yes, mam.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll try harder tomorrow.”
She passed me a bag of coins. “Don’t try. Just do better. Or you’ll be stuck at tier one forever.”
Congratulations! You have earned 60 coppers.
“Yes, mam.” I agreed. “I will.”
***
That night Tyler met up with us for drinks in the tavern. He and Rica did not seem to care for the Adventurers guild all that much. And in the Heights, we didn’t have to deal with someone trying to use me for a kidnapping quest nearly as much. The ale was expensive and tasted better than the stuff they served at the Guild Hall. The servers were better looking, and the bartender was a nice guy. Coincidently enough, he was the only other demon kin that I had met in town.
Most of the clientele was upper class and not as likely to start a random brawl either. To my surprise, Tyler liked that part the most. I supposed that I could understand why. Everywhere he went it seemed like the rougher looking people were always trying to size him up. Probably to see if they could take him.
“There I was, pants around my ankles and my axe was lying back in camp by the fire.” Tyler acted out the story and it got funnier the drunker he got. Another reason he liked it here. He could actually get drunk. They had higher tiered alcohol for people with strong constitutions. “A freaking Gorber Snake showed up.”
“Yeah!” As Rica laughed, ale shot out her nose. “Then he latched onto your balls, like a calf to a cow.”
“No!” Tyler laughed. “I killed the beast with my bare hands.”
“Yeah.” Rica continued. “And couldn’t wear your pants until we met a healer.”
“I forgot that part.” Tyler grumbled. Then looked at her with a wicked grin. “Why don’t you regale us with one of your epic adventures?”
Rica suddenly stopped laughing.
“That’s what I thought.” Tyler pouted, half-drunk. “Maybe next time you won’t ruin the story.”
I frowned. “Did I miss something?”
“No.” Rica shook her head. “I just forgot what Tyler’s like when he gets into his cups. Let’s go.”
“Ah, don’t be like that, Rics.” Tyler slurred. “The funs just starting. Why don’t you tell Mark about the time I walked in on you trying a new method for waking him up?”
“You’re an ass, Tyler.” Rica said, pulling me toward the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, when you are ready to apologize.”
“Fuck that.” Tyler muttered as we headed for the door. “I don’t need to apologize. You need to apologize.”
***
The next morning, Tyler was at the door when I answered it. His eyes were bloodshot, the ale was still on his breath, and he looked absolutely miserable.
“Hey, Tyler.” I greeted him.
The foulest belch I had ever smelt escaped from his lips as he leaned forward. “Hey, little buddy. I’m… I’m sorry man. I shouldn’t have been such an ass. Rica’s always been good to me. I didn’t mean to insinuate the stuff she did to help you was bad, man. Hell, I encouraged it. Anything to not have to check for shit… Ah, fuck man. I’m just gonna shut up now.”
“It’s fine.” I said. “Rica told me about how you helped me out. There’s nothing you could say to upset me. I’m not so certain that I could have done the same.”
“You would.” Tyler slapped my shoulder confidently and looked seriously into my eyes. “You did far more than that. No way I could forget that debt.”
“Debt?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Tyler nodded. “I owe you big for &$%^” And the headache consumed my brain as he explained what I did.
“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t even remember that. So, don’t go feeling like you owe me.”
Tyler frowned. “Did you not hear what I said?”
I shook my head. “With the added stats, the headache isn’t nearly as bad.”
“Trust me.” Tyler smiled. “It was the least that I could do.” He pat my shoulder again. “Is Rica still here or should I meet her at the gates?”
“She likes to visit the Mages Guild every morning.” I explained. “I’m about to head out for work. See you guys later.”
***
A few weeks passed as I got used to my routine. I leveled once, both in my specialization and perception, and had gotten much better at my job. I noticed smaller details. I learned that anyone, anyone could be a thief. That didn’t mean that I had caught everyone, just that I knew that I was getting better at it. I was starting to get confident enough to use my Negotiator skill with the criminals. I suspected that that would give me more experience. Even though, I had yet to try it out.
There was a definite change I noticed upon getting home. Rica sat in the swing on the porch reading a book, dressed in the white with yellow flower summer dress that I had purchased for her. She looked gorgeous. Her almost ash grey skin, long flowing silver hair, just a hint of makeup that accentuated and highlighted her sharp cheekbones and drew attention to her beautiful golden eyes. Her nails were painted red, her horns seemed to have been polished to a shine, and her tail flicked back and forth, almost nervously.
Rica looked up as I approached, delivering a smile that nearly dropped me to my knees, she gave me a small wave.
“How was your day?” Rica asked sweetly.
“It was okay. I caught twelve thieves today.” I said as I approached, practically drooling as I openly let my eyes roam over her figure. The last I had saw her, she was wearing her beat-up and well-worn mage’s robes. They were thick, hid her figure, and incredibly bland.
“That’s-Oh!” Rica squealed.
I couldn’t help myself as I grabbed at her rear and kissed her deeply.
“Mm.” Rica melted into my arms. “What’s got you all feisty today?”
I grinned and kissed her again. “Have you seen yourself today? You’re gorgeous, Rica. We need to get a dozen more of these dresses for you.”
Rica blushed, suddenly looking very shy. “Y… yeah. I’ll go order some tomorrow… you like it, though?”
My hands ran over her hips feeling her form through the fabric. It was blissful. “Yeah, Rica.” I nearly moaned, myself. “I like.”
Rica gathered herself with great effort and slapped my hands away. “As much as I like the attention, this is a new dress from my current suitor.” She gave me a smug grin. “And I would like it to last for more than a day.” She had the thing in her closet and had yet to wear it.
Rica took my hand, led me through the house, and up to the balcony. She had a table, some chairs, and a canopy set up to give us some shade. As she sat down, I noticed that the book she was reading was titled, Wives and Darlings. It sounded like a smutty romance book. That was her favorite genre. The last one I caught her reading was called Guest in the Forest. I found that I liked that she enjoyed reading. It was something that we shared. I may not care for the ten copper novels that were her favorite guilty pleasure, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t a shared hobby.
Rica would discuss these stories with me, and I would share my more educational knowledge with her. I learned the story of how Henander had taken his fourth succubus wife. Shaking my head in disbelief, I could only grin at the hidden content that she did not mention. It is full of sex, domination, and slavery.
Slavery was not particularly frowned upon in the kingdom, there were certain aspects of it that twisted my guts. Sex slaves, children, sometimes both. Indentured servitude was not nearly as bad. Mostly a debtor’s contract is placed on an individual for failing to repay a debt. It essentially forced the pledger of the debt to work at half the wages normally earned while working for the loaner. Usually, these contracts would be sold to various businesses and enforced by the system. Bounties were dispatched and town guards were notified. It was useless to run when you were labeled an outlaw.
I in turn would educate her on civilian information that she did not receive as an adventurer. Explaining taxes, registration regulations, rules for commerce, as well as many other trivial facts. She had found it interesting that there were stringent rules placed upon citizens that were not in their favor. She knew but hadn’t known. Her little retribution that destroyed half the town was common. Had a civilian tried the same thing… they would have been hung from the gallows. That’s if they lived that long.
The most shocking thing she had heard was that civilians could only have one married partner. The number of wives/husbands one could take increased with nobility rank. As a merchant, it did not matter if I was the richest man in the country, I could only have one wife. You could not gain a rank of nobility without land. Land could be claimed through a number of paths. Of course, the property we lived in did not count. You had to either set up a new settlement, with people that settled on it willing to pay taxes. Have a settlement granted to you by the king. Inherit a settlement from your family, so long as you meet the requirements. Gain one through the right of conquest. And so on…
The problem was that you needed to be able to defend that land as well as provide the citizens with a certain degree of authority. In all cases you had to adhere to the laws of the land and the system. Invest in the lands and instill improvements. How? I don’t know. (It was a secret that nobility would not relinquish even upon death.)
The only land currently available to set up your own kingdom was in the dead lands. And unless you were willing to set that up deep into the territory, one of the five kingdoms that surrounded it would just conquer your territory. That and the fact that the name had explained it all. You would have to have an army of high-level soldiers or adventurers at your command, just to conquer and defend it. The elite level mobs and champion tier bosses were so numerous that only the most suicidal person would go there. There were tales that that land was where high-level people went to die when they had finally had enough of living forever.
“How long do you think it’ll take you to finish your security duty?” Rica asked.
“I’m not sure.” I muttered as I paged through my book. “I’m thinking I might start some high-risk stuff soon. Maybe it’ll give me a boost to my leveling. A year at minimum. Unless we can figure out something to speed level my merchant class.”
“Like buying something big?” Rica smirked.
My eyebrows shot up. “I had forgotten that we can do that. But I don’t want to waste money on stupid shit.” Wait, that’s a great idea. The food purchases alone would be a steady supply of XP.
“I don’t know how stupid it would be.” Rica smiled. “But I was thinking about getting a pet.”
“What kind of pet?” I asked. A cat or dog? Something larger?
“I’m not sure.” Rica smiled. “Maybe a Devil Dog or Hell Cat? I would rather not get something gaudy like a Dragon or Griffon. A unicorn and their damn holy horn would likely kill me. And could you imagine a grand eagle?” She shuddered. “No, thank you.”
“Not a bad idea.” I agreed. “What’s the budget?”
“I’m not spending more than 50,000 gold.” Rica stated, pointedly avoiding how much she actually had.
“Hmm.” I nodded. “If you want, I can start looking around tomorrow.”
“Would you!” Rica clapped her hands in delight.
Quest alert! Find a pet for Rica the Mage. – Rica is feeling a bit down and lonely. Please help her find a pet to fill the hole in her heart. Pet must cost less than 50,000 Gold. Reward – Trader’s tunic, 2,000 gold, XP varies based on the quality of the pet and satisfaction of the customer.
Accept? Y/N
“Holy shit…” I mumbled as I accepted. Why didn’t I get a quest for the houses? Too low-level? Because they were partially for me? Whatever. “Yeah, I’ll see what I can come up with.”
She’s lonely?
Hopefully she’ll start feeling better when her mother arrives. Whenever that was supposed to be. As of right now she had responded and let Rica know that she would stop by when she had the time. Rica said that that had meant that she might show up. Shealla’s faith in Rica’s ability to restore my faculties was minimal at best. I had the nagging sensation that she was not telling me the whole truth.
Something big had gone down during the time that I was checked out. But neither she nor Tyler had mentioned what it was. I had the feeling that it was dire. But not in the way that affected adventurers the same way it affected civilians. I got the vague sense that it was something that everyone knew, but no one spoke about.
The way that Rica and Tyler had emphatically demanded that we ‘settle down’ for a while. The snippets of conversation that I overheard when they thought I wasn’t paying attention. Something to do with the king and Rica’s grandfather. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Like a war maybe? Or assassination?
“So… Hell Cat?” I asked. I knew that the only reason she was with holding that information from me, was likely because my mind couldn’t handle it, and she hated seeing me in pain.
“Yeah.” Rica beamed. “I just think that they are soooo cute! Devil Dogs are fiercely protective and loveable. Hell Cats can be a bit haughty but they are known to be just as protective of their owner as a Devil Dog. On a hunt, Hell Cats have mostly stealthy attack skills. They’ll slip into the shadows and takeout targets without a sound. Devil Dogs on the other hand, will guard their owner while trading massive amounts of damage. Like a tank.”
I smiled. “I’ll see what I can find. Maybe they’ll be fairly cheap. Last I heard, not even dragon pets cost 50,000 gold.”
“Oh…” Rica deflated. “Yeah, just expect some inflation. Don’t worry about it.”
Quest alert! Find out what’s driving up the price of pets. During your absence, something occurred to drive up the prices of all goods. Did you not notice the cost of housing? Figure it out. Reward – knowledge, varied XP, chain quest progression, 20 silver, and trader’s shoes.
Accept Y/N?
I nodded to her while accepting the quest. Lying to Rica wasn’t on my priority list, but this felt like everyone around me was lying as well. Maybe it was just some inflation. Then again, maybe not. The only way I would find out is to ask. Even if it took becoming an information broker. Probably wouldn’t have to go that far, but the class was essential to ferret out secrets. Something that would definitely come in handy as a noble. Guaranteed discounts on a spy network. The same reason to work security, traveling merchant, and cattleman. Cheaper prices and an increased reputation for setting up trade routes, and business necessities.
“That dress is so much better than I could have imagined.” I stated not remembering if I had complimented her on it already. “Your beauty really draws out the colors.” My eyes peeled her form like a lecherous bastard. “Are you not wearing any undergarments, Rica?”
Rica’s ashen skin darkened with blush as she refused to give me a straight answer. “Tyler said that he found the first dungeon we’ll be diving. It’s super low-level, but should be a great learning experience, considering that we have never run a real dungeon. And don’t say that bear cave near Calvara. It was just a cave that had one bear spawn on repeat.”
I chuckled in response. “What kind of dungeon is it? Supply or fodder to sell off?”
“Goblin?” Rica stated confused. “So, fodder, I guess. You can sell our goods to the local merchants and keep five percent for yourself. I’m less worried about the money and rewards, than I am about the chance to level my new spells.”
I grinned. After explaining my Negotiator skill to her, Rica had understood that I would gain more experience for it if I only took a cut of the profits. Rather than the charity that she and Tyler had planned on doing until I reached noble rank. I didn’t want charity, I wanted to earn it myself. This was our middle ground.
“Great!” I clapped my hands together. “Are you excited? What spells are you working on.”
“Snowball, shocking grasp, magic missile, and the move earth spells. As for the excitement?” Rica rolled her eyes. “No. I just want you to claim me and skip this farce. We can move far away and be happy. No need for this nobility crap. That was our parents’ plan for you. They wanted you to make the most of your class, even if it wasn’t adventuring.” The note of bitterness in her voice told me exactly what she thought about them and their plans.
I shrugged. “Better than scraping by with nothing to gain. Besides, you know that I can’t do that until I can stand by your side. Not clutch to your skirts.”
“It’s not like that.” Rica protested. “You know how I feel and by the way that your body reacts, I can tell that you feel the same.”
“Let’s not do this again.” I sighed. “Rica, it doesn’t matter how I feel about you. How can I call myself a man if you are the one always protecting me? For fuck’s sake, I can’t even remember confessing to you. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?”
“It’s not fair.” Rica pouted. “Why does it have to be like this? The fucking system blanked out some of our most important moments.”
“I don’t know.” I groaned. “But believe me. That’s not how I imagined gaining your favor. I wanted you to see me as an equal. No offense to Tyler, but I wanted you to see me as a better option. Right now…” I feel like a pity case.
“Fine.” Rica snapped, standing abruptly. “But you better get your shit together and level quickly.”
I nodded as she left me to stew in my seat.
***
As the days passed, I began to dual level. I would make purchases that we required and sell the objects that Rica and Tyler would bring in. Collecting a share from the sales and experience in the process I pressed it for a much faster leveling process than Charlie recommended. My need to impress and feel on the same level as Rica drove me to a new level.
Merchant hit level twelve and security hit seven. Negotiator and perception increased by three levels a piece. Storing my excess points for the moment, because I didn’t want to know what it felt like to have them ripped out of me when I took my next tier 1 specialization. I was now catching thieves at a nearly normal rate. My need for XP had pushed me into catching the criminals myself. I was right, it had vastly improved my experience gain.
In between purchases, I gathered intel on what had happened in the last decade while I was out. Yet, it did very little good. Townsfolk knew nothing and adventurers refused to talk with some low-level nobody. I think that it might have something to do with my inability to see anything other than the woods while we were traveling. A little mind fuckery. I decided to let the matter settle for now.
As for the pet… well that was another matter altogether. Without finding one in the wild, you had to go to a breeder. Hell beasts were bred far to the south. They needed much warmer climates to be comfortable. Rica was not interested in the local variety of beasts, so I had to do a little digging.
Looking into the System shop, I did have an option to purchase pets. Untrained, baby, pets. Little monsters that would piss and shit everywhere, and just might attack on sight. Depending on the pet. Those were marked at an astounding 10,000 gold. If I wanted a specific pet? Add on another 1,000. Potty trained? 2,000 gold. Trained to attack only monsters? 5,000 gold. Special skills and traits? Forget about it. Want one that is better than common? Go fuck yourself. I haven’t decided if I should even mention it to Rica. After finding out about breeders, I explained that it could take some time. She just accepted that we would have to relocate before getting a pet. As dejected as she had looked was the reason that I even investigated the system shop in the first place.
***
“Look.” I stated, looking at the elven woman slipping a potion in her bag. “I don’t care if you need the money, have a sick sibling, baby, or whatever. I care that you are trying to steal from my employer. Either put that back or I’ll call the guards.”
“You don’t understand.” She said quickly.
“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t. And I don’t want to. I have a job to do. Now, put it back. Or I’ll call the guards.”
“Please, mister, it’s my mother.” The elf pleaded.
“Yeah.” I said pitiless. “Talk to the guard or the owner. But you need to put that back before you do so.” My hand snatched out at a passing child. “That goes for you too.”
“What?!” The kid protested loudly.
“Right.” I deadpanned. “I’m not falling for that shit again. Correct me if I’m wrong kid. But this is your third offense. I believe that puts you up for indentured servitude.”
“No!” The boy spat as my hand snapped out and caught the girl. “I ain’t done nothin wrong. Hey! Let her go!” He tried to kick at me. Good thing I was a human with long arms.
“Just put the stolen goods back and we can forget this whole situation.” I said and began to haul them to Gertrude the owner. “Got two here Gerdy. This one.” I shook the boy. “Claims he ain’t done nothin wrong.” I smirked and shook the dangling girl. “This one, claims that its important and her kid’s dying.”
“That’s right.” The girl nodded eagerly. “She’s such a sweetheart, too. I could bring her by the next time I’m here.”
The boy, much younger than her, face palmed and shook his head.
“Wait.” I chuckled. “I thought it was your mother.”
“Uh…” The girl panicked. “Her too.”
Gertrude examined the potion in her hand. “And what would either of them need a vial of petrification for?”
“You see…” She was having trouble explaining it.
“Just shut up, Tammy.” The boy sighed. “If you’re lucky, they might only fine you.”
“Thanks, Thomas.” I grinned. “But I think Tammy can speak for herself.”
“Take them to Gerald.” Gertrude said. “He can sort them out.”
I nodded and headed for the entrance. One thing that I had learned since starting was that even if I didn’t have the boosted guard stats, the customers didn’t know that. Which meant, I could ‘fake’ it. And that alone made my job so much easier.
“Gerald.” I greeted the ex-adventurer/guard. “Got another two for you. Tommy’s back!” I smiled shaking the boy out toward him. “I believe he is due for indenture. Check his inventory to be safe. And this…” I shook the girl out for him as he finished cuffing Thomas. “Is Tammy. She’s got a whole host of family issues. Apparently, her mother and daughter are sick with some sort of strange illness that requires a potion of petrification.”
“Is that right?” Gerald chuckled. “Tommy, you know the drill. Tammy, copy your friend.”
“I liked you better when you were an unobservant fool.” Tommy glared at me. “And how many times do I have to tell you. It’s Thomas, not Tommy.”
“And I liked you when you were an innocent little brat.” I chuckled. “Tommy.”
“I’m not a little brat!” Tommy protested. “I’m thirty-five for fuck’s sake. I work at the thief’s guild. And I could kill you in your sleep if I wanted.”
“Sure, you are.” I chuckled and patted his head. “Then you should be used to indentured servitude contracts.”
“Yeah!” He spat, swatting at my hand. “They soon regret it! I take everything not nailed down!”
“Ha!” I barked with laughter. “Good for you, Tommy. Let me know how the mines work out when they catch you.”
“Screw you!” Tommy shook his manacled fists at me.
“Okay, Tommy, that’s enough.” Gerald clamped a big meaty fist down. “I don’t know why you let Mark get you so riled up.”
“He’s an ass!” Tommy growled. “Petrification potion is a 20-copper potion. How’s a thief supposed to earn their stripes?”
“Be better.” I chuckled and turned to the girl. “Your class sucks. But there are so many good things that you could do with it.” I looked at Tommy. “If she wants to earn her stripes, she could do it in a dungeon. Plenty of locked chests, doors, and traps. Stop stealing from honest hardworking folk and join a team.”
“I will.” Tammy agreed quickly.
Not really caring if she followed through with it, I returned to my duty…