Robert pushed open the inn door, the familiar scent of ale and woodsmoke greeting him. His gaze quickly found Elara. She was perched at a table near the hearth, her posture slumped and a distant look in her eyes. He slid onto the bench across from her, his brow furrowing with concern. "How are you feeling?" he asked. "Better," she said, her voice a little flat. "The exhaustion''s gone, but... I feel adrift. Like I''m supposed to be doing something, but I haven''t the faintest idea what." A smile played on Robert''s lips. "Well, how about we give you a purpose? I joined the Adventurer''s Guild. They gave me some leads on a few dungeons suitable for novices. We can head out in a few days, start getting you some experience, and see about getting you a profession. And, of course, get you into the Guild, too, if that appeals." Elara''s face brightened, a spark of excitement igniting in her eyes. She nodded, a hint of anxiety creeping into her voice. "Do you... do you think I''ll be any good? That I''ll find a good profession?" Robert leaned back, a playful glint in his eye. "That depends," he said, a teasing lilt to his words. "What is it you want to be? And don''t feel pressured to follow in my footsteps and become an enchanter. There are plenty of other paths."
Elara''s smile widened, but then softened at the edges. "Enchanting does sound interesting, but I don''t think it''s me. Honestly, I have no idea what I want to do. My family... they never really dreamed big. But me? I feel like I could do anything." Robert laughed, a warm, encouraging sound. "Because you can. You''ve got so many options, it''s almost overwhelming. And with my free skill points and my traits letting me unlock high-level skills... I could easily get you to Tier 2 or 3 in a bunch of different areas. That should open up a whole range of high-tier professions. You just need to figure out what sparks your interest, and we''ll get you there." Elara''s smile turned wistful, her gaze drifting towards the window. "It''s silly, I know," she began, her voice softer now, "but when I was little, I saw a powerful healer in our village. A man had fallen from his barn roof, cracked his head open. Everyone was whispering that he''d never recover. But this healer... she just touched him, and within minutes, it was like it never happened. No scar, nothing. I remember thinking... what would it be like to have that kind of power? To be able to heal anyone?"
"That''s definitely something we can work with," Robert confirmed. "You''ve got Light and Healing magic, so we just need to figure out what other skills would round that out. Hal, any thoughts?" A moment later, Robert relayed Hal''s response. "He says it depends. Does she want to focus on magical healing, physical healing, or maybe even alchemy as a supplement?"
"Is it possible to do more than one?" Elara asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Hal says absolutely," Robert reported, then added, speaking directly to Elara. "In fact, a combination would probably make for a more powerful and versatile profession. We''ve got the magic side covered. Hal''s recommending Alchemy, First Aid, Herbalism, General Surgery, and Diagnosis to go with it." Elara''s face lit up. "Really? All of that? Would you... would you be willing to help me learn all that?" Robert smiled warmly and reached out, giving her a gentle pat on the head. "You''re my apprentice now. Of course I''ll help you be the best you can be. Though," he added with a twinkle in his eye, "I''m also going to insist on teaching you swordsmanship, some armor proficiency, and meditation. Gotta be well-rounded, after all." Elara practically leaped out of her chair and threw her arms around Robert in a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, thank you!"
"Hal, can you clarify something about the Teaching skill for me? My understanding is that I can unlock skills in another system user at my Teaching skill level minus three. Is that right?
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 62.9006%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center">"Not quite, teaching is a bit more complicated than that. There''s a formula involved: it''s half your total levels, multiplied by 10%, and then rounded down. In your case, you''re at Tier 5, Level 3, so that''s half of 53, times 10%. That comes out to 2.65. So, you could unlock skills up to Tier 2, Level 6."</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
"So," Robert mused, "if I spent three of my unallocated skill points to bump Teaching up to Tier 6, I could unlock skills for her at Tier 3?"Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 33.1731%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center">Technically, yes, you could, but I wouldn''t recommend it. In fact, you can actually set a limit on the skill level when you''re teaching. I''d suggest capping it at Tier 1, Level 5.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
"Why?" Robert asked, surprised. "Wouldn''t she be better off with higher-tier skills?"
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 40.2244%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center">In the short term, maybe, but think of it this way. You''re Tier 6 in Fire Magic. If you had to fight another Tier 6 Fire Magic user, one who had spent the last century honing and mastering their skill, who would win?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
"Okay, I see your point," Robert said, understanding dawning on him. "So, are you saying that my rapid advancement has actually hindered my overall development?"
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 55.2083%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center">You still have plenty of time to solidify your foundation, and you have the unique advantage of wielding multiple spheres of magic. Give it a hundred years, and you''ll be unstoppable. You just need to get there. That said, I''d advise against using skill points to artificially boost your skills. Let them grow naturally.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
"That makes sense," Robert agreed. "But back to Elara - would unlocking skills at Tier 2 give her a more powerful profession? Would the trade-off be worth it in her case?"
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 43.8301%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center">I can''t say for sure, I don''t have access to her specific data. However, your intuition might be correct. Tier 2 skills could potentially bump her up a profession tier, which could be a significant advantage.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
"Okay," Robert said, making up his mind. "Tier 2 skills for Elara." He swiftly allocated the skill points, laying the foundation for her advancement. That evening, he dedicated himself to the task of teaching her. It was a long and arduous process, pushing both of them to their limits. He carefully guided her through each skill, watching as she grasped them with surprising speed. By the time he was finished, Elara was on the verge of collapse, her energy reserves utterly depleted. Knowing she needed rest, he left her to recover, making his way down to the familiar comfort of the common room, a quiet sense of satisfaction warming him from the inside.
Robert sat at an open table, and Anya soon joined him. "Evening, Robert," she greeted him. "Is Elara alright?" Robert smiled, "She''s just tired, she learned some new skills today, and that can be draining." Anya frowned. "I''ve never felt drained after unlocking a skill." Robert paused, then explained, "I have a teaching skill that allows me to impart skills above Tier 1, Level 1. Elara unlocked several Tier 2 skills." Anya''s eyes widened. "I didn''t know that was possible! What would you charge for something like that? And, if I may ask, what skills can you teach?" Robert smiled. "I have quite a few skills. If you''re interested in learning one, I''m sure we could work something out." Anya blushed. "I''ve never... done that before," she stammered. "I''m not sure I''m ready. I only unlocked my system a few weeks ago when I turned 15." Robert''s smile vanished. A look of horrified understanding dawned on his face. "I''m so sorry!" he blurted out. "That''s not what I meant at all! Please, no, I would never ask a young lady to pay like that!" Anya''s blush faded, replaced by a flicker of what looked like disappointment. "I''m sorry," she murmured, "I shouldn''t have assumed... I know I''m not anyone important."
"No, no, it''s not that at all!" Robert interrupted, flustered. "I''m married, with children older than you. And a young woman should never be pressured into... that sort of arrangement. Besides," he added, his voice firm, "regardless of what the System says, in my world, fifteen is still a child, and children deserve to be protected, not exploited." Taking a breath, Robert steered the conversation back on track. "About those skills... it depends. Have you thought about your build?" Anya looked confused. "My build?" "Your plan," Robert clarified. "What classes and professions are you aiming for?" Understanding dawned on Anya''s face. "Oh! I just assumed I''d follow my father''s build. Most children inherit their parents'' skills. Gaining new ones is expensive, and most people can''t afford it."
Robert raised a hand, signaling a shift in the conversation. "Let''s say you had the opportunity to learn any skill, not just the ones your father could teach you," he began, his voice gentle. "What would you choose?"