《[Farmer] Mage》 Chapter 1 - Third-Rate Death This battle was a lost cause. Cal knew there would be no escape¡ªnot when nearly all the higher-ups had already been killed and the few that remained were too busy trying to save their own lives. He wiped the blood around his eyes to prevent it from blocking his vision. A preventable handicap was the last thing he needed when he was fighting for his life. Cal stood in what used to be the best residence hall in the guild, where he had lived since joining over two years ago. Now, it was just rubble. ¡°I never thought a guild like this could have someone like you. It''s a miracle that an Initiate of this third-rate guild could kill our Trainees.¡± Cal glared at the immaculately dressed girl who had been observing the fights like she was royalty among peasants, too high and mighty to get involved in their ¡®silly¡¯ brawl till the very end. ¡°There¡¯s no need to lie,¡± Cal spat between heaving breaths. ¡°Your guild already won. What¡¯s the point of claiming these are Trainees?¡± ¡°Lie?¡± The girl laughed without restraint. ¡°Why would I bother? This is mainly a test for our Trainees to become full members of my guild.¡± He didn¡¯t want to believe that was true. He wouldn¡¯t believe that was true. It meant his worldview would crumble. An unnecessarily cruel thing to experience before the end, and he wasn¡¯t going to fool himself¡ªthis would be his end. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Cal clenched his fingers, trying to summon the mana left in his reserves. ¡°And I don¡¯t care,¡± the girl shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll be dead soon enough.¡± He clenched his teeth to avoid asking her why she was waiting to act. That might make his end come sooner. He saw the girl look around as if she was expecting someone to show up, and at the same time, he felt his mana respond to his summoning. Cal¡¯s fingers twitched when the power of lightning filled his arm. This was the only element that he could control. While powerful, it also required a stupidly long time to prepare. Thankfully, the girl¡¯s monologue, plus not taking him seriously, helped immensely. He just needed a little more time. ¡°Why choose my guild? What did we do to deserve this?¡± Cal asked something he actually wanted to know. As far as he knew, this attack was unprovoked and without warning. The girl glanced at him for a moment before returning to searching the surroundings. ¡°Your guild is too weak, so why not? Our Trainees need a way to prove themselves. It''s not like we can attack another territory for this.¡± The rage her response sparked was unmatched. This girl had just told him that his guild was targeted for convenience and nothing else. His mind was in no state to consider that it was unlikely she was right with her explanation. She was likely an Initiate, the same as him. It didn¡¯t matter if her guild was far stronger. There was little chance she would know the reasoning behind this attack. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°The Herald is about to finish off your guild master,¡± the girl frowned. ¡°It looks like the other Trainees have either died or passed the test.¡± Cal could feel mana reinforcing his arm. A surge of lightning was building up to a critical level. [Lightning Strike] wasn¡¯t anything special, but he had worked hard on learning that spell over the past year. He knew his limits, and he was currently blowing past all the safety points that he was well aware of. ¡°There is no longer a need to keep you alive,¡± the girl pointed a finger at him. Cal felt his instincts screaming at him that what she would do next would kill him. This was the time to act. He wished there was more time to gather power, but this would have to be enough. He jerked his arm up, palm facing the girl just as her finger started to glow a bright pink. He let go of the tight control of his mana to release [Lightning Strike]. Cal''s scream of pain was suppressed by the deafening crackle of lightning. His arm was shredded under the power of his spell. The flash of blinding light made it impossible to see if he had even hit his target¡ªthe girl¡ªbut he was confident that she couldn¡¯t have escaped unharmed. He slouched, chest heaving from his exhaustion as his right arm hung limply on his side. He blinked to regain some semblance of vision, hoping he had somehow taken down the girl with his surprise attack. Cal¡¯s vision returned slowly, the air before him still hazy from being superheated from [Lightning Strike]. This was the strongest attack he had ever managed to use, with the consequence of doing likely permanent damage to his arm. It would all have been worth it if he had managed to heavily damage the girl. ¡°¡­ You hurt me.¡± His heart sank when his vision cleared enough to see the girl standing mostly unharmed. The only visible change was that she had moved a few feet to the left. It seemed that she had avoided his last-ditch attack. A red drop fell from her still-pointing finger. That¡¯s why she said I hurt her. A scratch. Cal collapsed on the ground. The failure to cause even moderate damage killed his will to resist exhaustion. He could hear footsteps getting closer but couldn¡¯t find it in himself to care. He turned to face away from the shining sun and flinched at seeing a dead body not even ten feet away. Whoever it was seemed familiar, likely an acquaintance from his guild. Cal hissed in pain when his head forcibly turned to face up. The girl glared at him with unhinged fury as if he had done something unforgivable. She can¡¯t be this stupid, can she? ¡°You locked away my mana with your pointless spell!¡± She complained like a child. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to resort to this.¡± Cal needed a few seconds to prepare. That¡¯s all. ¡°Before you kill me, tell me. Are you an Initiate, too? Or someone higher ranked?¡± ¡°Hah! You want some comfort before your death of being bested by someone higher ranked?¡± He didn¡¯t reply and simply stared into her dark eyes. He already knew the answer. ¡°I¡¯m just an Initiate,¡± she said with a cruel smile, ¡°but still far beyond someone like you from a third-rate guild.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cal closed his eyes as if he had given up. He blocked out all his senses to focus on compressing his mana at his core. He succeeded in less than a second, after which he opened his eyes. ¡°I already knew only an Initiate could be as foolish as you.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Cal¡¯s body exploded with enough power to level anything within several feet of his body. *** ¡°¡ªdecide. Time will start to flow soon.¡± Cal regained consciousness to a horrific scene. He saw pieces of his body frozen amid an explosion, ready to scatter even further once normalcy resumed. It didn¡¯t go unnoticed that his head was nowhere to be seen. He quickly concluded his head was somehow still able to support his life and allowed him to see¡ªat least while time was stopped by these two¡­ beings. ¡°How is it that her soul is already destroyed, but the boy¡¯s still lingers?¡± It knows that I¡¯m listening. ¡°Irrelevant. This timeline will be forgotten. Her death doomed the world. Select a reset point now before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°¡­ To use the only exception on something like this. Very well, I will put her on a path to avoid this battle.¡± Cal felt like his entire being was squeezed into a tiny tube before he knew no more. Chapter 2 - A Familiar Time ¡°Was there something else you wished to speak about?¡± Cal blinked sluggishly, wondering who this guy was¡­ and where this place was. He shouldn¡¯t be wherever here was, but the problem was that he didn¡¯t know why he had that feeling. ¡°Trainee, is there a problem?¡± Trainee. Cal felt that should mean something to him. Something significant, judging by the excited jump of his heart. ¡°¡­ I must be feeling under the weather,¡± Cal mumbled, his legitimate confusion helping greatly to sell his claim. ¡°Right on Selection day? How convenient.¡± Selection day. His heart was thundering in his chest. He could practically hear it, and apparently, so could the only other person in the room. ¡°Uncertainty,¡± the man spat, ¡°is not an excuse I will accept. You have already delayed your Selection once before, and the only way I will allow another is if you get a permission slip from the Overseer!¡± Cal stiffened as hazy memories started coming to the front of his mind. ¡°Would that really be enough?¡± He couldn¡¯t stop the question from leaving his lips even if he wanted to. He remembered asking this before. Just like he remembered what the reply would be. ¡°Please, I welcome you to give it a try,¡± the man said with a mocking smile. Cal had to stop himself from collapsing in shock as the rush of information slammed into him like a runaway train. The man was called Jon, a plain name for a man with a matching, plain appearance and personality. He was the bean counter, the minder of Trainees like Cal, making sure they were accounted for and did as the Celestial Order demanded of them. In other words, a failed Initiate that was forever stuck in a role nobody aspired for. But Jon wasn¡¯t important. He was a blip in the hierarchy of the newly created Celestial Order. A grand name for a very ordinary guild within the Union Territory. No, instead of caring about Jon, Cal needed to make sure he wouldn¡¯t make the same disastrous mistake he did¡ªor would¡ªin the near future. Cal had the memories of what was to come and his fate¡ªa pointless death¡ªif he didn¡¯t make any changes. He was given a second chance, and he wouldn¡¯t waste it. He purposely pushed aside the clear memory of the two beings¡ªgods, world masters, time mages, whatever they were¡ªresetting time. He also pushed aside the fact that he remembered a life that he wasn¡¯t supposed to¡ªaccording to the beings¡¯ words. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I have better things to do than stare at you.¡± Cal¡¯s eyes caught a glimpse of Jon¡¯s annoyed expression before he turned to leave. Another image lay over the man¡¯s face in his mind. Blank, unseeing eyes staring at the sky as a hopeless fight raged around Jon¡¯s dead body. He left the small, standalone building and walked out to a vast, isolated training ground where other Trainees like him were being ¡¯taught.¡¯ Of course, that description was questionable since he was aware of the high failure rate to get into even the most basic [Class]. Most guilds within the Union had an attrition rate of around fifty percent among their Trainees, while the Celestial Order had over ninety. The Order claimed that this was due to their selective nature, but Cal¡¯s death to another guild¡¯s ¡®low-level¡¯ member proved that was a blatant lie. He could be considered the cream of the crop here, and that was telling of the scraps the Celestial Order had to work with once the more powerful guilds in the Union had their pick. ¡°Cal!¡± A lanky, bright-faced young man ran towards him. ¡°Did you get to delay your Selection again?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but stare. This was Oleg, a formerly close friend he hadn¡¯t seen in years. After failing the Selection, Oleg had given up on having a [Class] and settled down to live a quiet life. Cal had scoffed in disgust at that decision when he heard of it and wrote Oleg off as useless, but now, it sounded¡­ heavenly. ¡°Cal? What''s wrong? Did Jon say something? We can get one of the masters to tell him off for talking back!¡± He snorted in amusement. He had forgotten how much of a little shit he had been, running off to others to fight his battles, even if they were minor. ¡°What do you think about getting out of here?¡± Cal asked almost dreamily, thinking of living a peaceful life away from the endless death and carnage that would inevitably come from joining the Order. ¡°Now?¡± Oleg frowned. ¡°The Overseer is already furious about the comments the higher-ups are making after Jon allowed you to delay your Selection last month. It might not be a good idea to make him angrier.¡± Cal obviously didn¡¯t mean just the training field but leaving the guild and all of its nonsense behind. Thankfully, Oleg hadn¡¯t taken it like that. It might have been trouble if he had since there was absolutely no chance the guild would let their prized Trainee¡ªCal Maddox¡ªleave so easily. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He needed to devise a plan to escape before the guild pulled him too deep into its grip. Failing the Selection was not an option. The only reason he had previously asked for a delay was to get a better [Class]. There was zero chance he would actually fail, and they all knew that. Jon, the Overseer, the higher-ups. Everyone. The first time around, Cal did as Jon mockingly suggested and asked the Overseer for another delay. This would be the first change he would make. There were some [Class] options that would let him avoid the guild in every way that mattered while also giving him enough time to plan an escape before everything went to hell. It would place him in a menial position he would have previously raged at, but now, he didn¡¯t care. Oleg escaped with his life last time, likely ending with a wife and some kids like most mortals that didn¡¯t have the luck to have a [Class]. That would be Cal¡¯s new goal. He no longer wanted to dominate the guild. It would have been nice if that was an option, but it wasn¡¯t to be. He would have liked to use his knowledge of the future to change himself drastically, but he had only been a member of a ¡®third-rate¡¯ guild, as the girl often mocked before his death. He wanted the quiet, happy life he turned his nose up at in his first life. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re off today. I think you should get yourself checked by the healer, just in case.¡± Cal waved off Oleg¡¯s worried comment. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was debating if I should bother delaying again. I don¡¯t think I will. I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Oleg perked up. ¡°That¡¯s great! We can enter the guild together!¡± No. We won¡¯t. Cal replied with only a closed-mouthed smile. He prayed this didn¡¯t somehow give Oleg the will to perform better in the Selection. For his sake, having his hopes fail was for the best. ¡°Hm, that would be nice,¡± Cal said noncommittally as he looked around the training ground. For the life of him, he couldn¡¯t recognize any other Trainees here, which was fair since out of the few hundred spread out over the ample space, only twenty or so were qualified to enter the Celestial Order, even though it was a third-rate guild. And of the few that did enter, Cal couldn¡¯t remember ever interacting with anyone present. They had likely been crushed by the competition within the guild. Simply entering the Celestial Order wasn¡¯t the end of the struggles. It was just the beginning. Even more of a reason for me to get away. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Tavia, she¡¯s on the other side.¡± Cal snapped his head to Oleg, ignoring the shit-eating grin he had on his face before following to where he was pointing. Tavia was a name he had long forgotten but one he had been intensely focused on as a Trainee, much to her displeasure. Cal could see her at the edge of the training ground, head buried in a book with a few friends chatting beside her. Now that he could see her again, memories of the annoyed frown on her face as she tried to understand complex concepts reappeared, causing a small smile to form on his lips. ¡°Should we head over there?¡± Oleg prodded from beside him. Cal noticed one of her friends saw him staring and alerted Tavia that he was looking. She glanced at him¡ªlips thinning in irritation¡ªbefore quickly ignoring his existence. She never did like him, and now that he no longer thought of himself as some god that graced everyone here with his presence, he understood why. Tavia was a diligent Trainee who did her best to prove herself to be one of the best among the group. She succeeded, and that had caught his eye. It also helped that Cal thought her diligence only made her more attractive than she already was. But that was all he knew about her since he never cared to know more than her surface qualities. Tavia was another that Cal had never seen after the Selection¡­ which was strange. He had not seen her go through the test in his first life, but he couldn¡¯t imagine that she had somehow failed. ¡°You really have it bad for her, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ve never seen you zone out this long.¡± Cal blinked rapidly and looked away from Tavia. ¡°Nothing like that. It¡¯s just the Selection occupying my mind, nothing else.¡± ¡°Sure it is,¡± Oleg snickered as they walked to their usual spot at the center. ¡°I¡¯d believe that if you weren¡¯t practically drooling at her.¡± Cal shrugged, not minding if that was what Oleg assumed. It wasn¡¯t like he could admit that he had lived through all of this and was constantly getting hit by buried memories that were distracting him. ¡°Let¡¯s leave Tavia alone,¡± Cal said when they stopped, hyperaware of the eyes on them. "It¡¯s time to stop playing around.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s a first. And speak for yourself. I¡¯m not the one constantly bothering her.¡± He met Oleg¡¯s eyes with a raised brow. That was an exaggeration¡­ or maybe not. His self-awareness at this point in life had been close to zero, and only when he was humbled close to the end did he realize how his actions were viewed. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Cal nodded. ¡°Let me rephrase that. I intend to leave Tavia alone.¡± ¡°Sure you will.¡± He ignored Oleg¡¯s doubt as he locked eyes with the Overseer, a man with sharp, angular features that gave him a somewhat hollow appearance. The Overseer''s robes hung loosely on his body, highlighting his overly lean frame. It was strange, but he had never learned the Overseer¡¯s name, even in his first life. Their only one-on-one interaction was when Cal asked for the second delay, which wouldn¡¯t happen in this life. The Overseer broke eye contact after a moment and continued to watch over the Trainees. ¡°When was the Selection supposed to start?¡± Cal asked as he glanced at a Trainee close to them that yelped in pain. A bone was sticking out of a girl¡¯s arm¡ªnothing serious. ¡°¡­ It should be any time now,¡± Oleg said, looking a little green as he avoided looking at the injured girl. Cal was confused as to why until he realized that his view of what a ¡®serious¡¯ injury had been skewed by his experience. Oleg had never seen death. ¡°Halt your training! It¡¯s time for the Selection to begin!¡± The Overseer¡¯s voice boomed. The area he occupied rumbled slightly before a blood-red pillar rose from the ground to tower behind the Overseer. Cal had forgotten about this. All the Trainees had been frantically practicing their spells and reviewing concepts before the Selection since the Celestial Order didn¡¯t tell them any information of how it was done. It hadn¡¯t been amusing at the time, but Cal had chuckled at the memory of the Trainees turning red when they were told all they had to do was touch the pillar. ¡°Today is when you will discover if you were blessed at birth. And for those who weren''t, if your hard work made up for your deficiency. The activation pillar behind me is the decider. If you activate your interface, your rank will be automatically raised to Initiate!¡± Cal hadn''t gone through the Selection with this batch, but the reactions were the same. Confused grumbling. ¡°Form a line before me!¡± The Overseer ordered. ¡°I hope that many of you join my guild.¡± A few Trainees shifted in place but didn¡¯t make a move. They¡¯re nervous. I can use this to put more pressure on Oleg. ¡°Come on,¡± Cal spoke up. ¡°We don¡¯t want to look like cowards. We¡¯ll be the first ones to go.¡± ¡°What¡ªWait, Cal!¡± He ignored Oleg¡¯s protests and walked confidently to the Overseer. It wasn¡¯t necessary to look back and check if Oleg was following. There was no doubt that he was. Cal didn¡¯t know what he had done to deserve Oleg¡¯s friendship, but he wouldn¡¯t squander it this time. He would start by making sure Oleg failed the Selection¡­ again. Chapter 3 - The Selection ¡°Trainee Cal,¡± the Overseer greeted, ¡°are you volunteering to go first?¡± ¡°Of course! It looks like everyone else is too scared to move. I should lead by example,¡± Cal made himself sound as pompous as possible. Changing character in front of Oleg was one thing, but doing so when all the Trainees were watching¡ªmost of whom disliked him¡ªwas unwise. The Overseer smirked and stepped aside to give him a straight path to the blood-red pillar. ¡°Place your hand on the activation pillar and push as much mana as you can into it.¡± Cal nodded with a determined look and glanced at Oleg. I know how to manipulate the result. I worked hard to get the [Mage] class last time, and now I¡¯ll work hard to get one of the ¡®inferior¡¯ classes. Oleg looks up to me. It will make him more nervous when he sees me ¡®fail.¡¯ He stepped forward, nodding to the Overseer as he passed, and placed his palm on the rough, uneven pillar. It pulsed red when he pushed his mana out. Cal ensured his outward expression was tense, showing he was putting in all the effort possible but was truly doing the opposite. The [Class] system was a strange concept to most people, and even though it had existed for centuries, it still wasn¡¯t well understood. This activation pillar would link his internal mana with the laws of the world, assigning him to a [Class] and activating a personal interface. It would decide the rest of an individual¡¯s life¡ªmostly. Some exceptions allowed reassignment, and he intended to use that to his advantage today. Cal abruptly held back his mana, stopping it from flowing into the activation pillar¡ªsomething that would have been impossible for a Trainee to do purposely. Only the experience carried over from his memory of his first life allowed him to do so. This should look like I lost my concentration. The guild won¡¯t accept the [Class] I get unless I make it look like an accident. He noticed the alarmed look on the Overseer in the corner of his eye when the activation pillar started to pulse rapidly, indicating that it was about to assign a [Class]. It was far too early for [Mage] to be assigned, which was what the Celestial Order badly wanted him to be. In truth, Cal had little idea of what other types of [Class] existed. There were rumors of ones higher than [Mage], but as far as he knew, the Celestial Order had none that were part of the guild. As for ones lower than [Mage], he knew of [Caster] and [Alchemist] since those were the most common in the guild, but he had little knowledge of anything lower. He knew for a fact that they existed on the edges of guild territory since he had heard the higher-ups occasionally deride the ¡®others¡¯ as glorified servants. I remember laughing at those who had access to mana but were still destined to be servants to their betters. I was too arrogant to even learn their [Class], thinking I would never stain my eyes with their presence. The irony of trying to be one of them now doesn¡¯t escape me. Cal blinked when the pillar flashed red brightly before becoming inert. A familiar interface appeared before him, with letters and numbers in blood red. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 1 Skills: None Traits: [Second Chance] - The laws of the world have recognized that you have lived this life before. It does not know how you accomplished this, but you will be rewarded for surprising it. For the next week, you will experience a boost towards tier upgrades. Rewards: [Tier Boost] - All actions that contribute to increasing your tier level will automatically be counted as double the normal increase. (7 days remaining) Cal had to admit he had never heard of [Farmer], nor did he think that could be a [Class]. He also had no idea why [Farmer] had the word ''special'' next to it, but with the additions to the interface, he had a guess. In his first life, he had never seen [Traits] or [Rewards]. This could be a feature of a ''special'' [Class]. ¡°Farmer? Damn it!¡± The Overseer cursed quietly beside him. Cal became aware of the barely-held-in snickering from the crowd of Trainees behind him. He turned to see Oleg staring in shock, but the Trainees in line behind him couldn¡¯t hide their joy at his ¡®downfall.¡¯ He knew he wasn¡¯t well-liked, but not to this level. However, he didn¡¯t pay it any mind. His goal wasn¡¯t to try and look impressive, just to get himself out of harm¡¯s way. Cal glanced at the activation pillar to see [Farmer] displayed in large letters at the top. He was thankful it didn¡¯t also show the word ¡®special.¡¯ That might have made the guild keep him close despite the [Farmer] class. Stolen story; please report. ¡°What happened?¡± The Overseer moved closer and hissed in his ear. ¡°Did you use all the mana you had?¡± He sounds ready to kill me. ¡°N-No,¡± Cal shook his head, making himself look nervous. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to before the connection broke off.¡± The Overseer was calmed by the answer, but only a little. He still looked furious. ¡°Then you¡¯re eligible to retry next month. Stand to the side and get out of my sight.¡± Cal hurried to the directed spot and met Oleg¡¯s eyes. His friend had gotten over his shock, only to look terrified at the thought of stepping forward. ¡°Initiate Cal has been inducted to the agricultural division as a farmer! A fine addition to the Celestial Order! Trainee Oleg, step forward.¡± The Overseer deserves praise for saying that with a smile. And I need to find out what the agricultural division is. In my first life, I was taken from the Selection immediately after I was assigned as a [Mage], so I missed the other [Class] options that existed. I won¡¯t stay ignorant this time. Cal smiled weakly when Oleg looked to him for reassurance. It caused his friend to walk toward the activation pillar with shuddering breath. Good. The more nervous he is, the better. I¡¯ll make it up to you later, Oleg. He still couldn¡¯t help but feel bad when the activation pillar didn¡¯t react at all after Oleg placed his palm on it. ¡°Unfortunate,¡± The Overseer didn¡¯t wait long to call it. ¡°Oleg is no longer a Trainee. Vacate the spot for the next Trainee and exit the guild premises before the end of the day.¡± Cal winced at the unforgiving, dismissive tone. He tried to catch Oleg¡¯s eyes, but his friend couldn¡¯t bear to look at anyone as he quickly left the training ground. I need to find him before he leaves. If I wasn¡¯t required to stay, I would leave this farce of a ceremony right now. He waited impatiently for the Selection to finish. Still, one positive was that he learned the different types of [Class] that could be assigned. Of the ones that would be genuinely welcomed into the Celestial Order, [Mage] was nonexistent¡ªas expected¡ª[Caster] was the majority, and a few Trainees were assigned to [Alchemist]. Those Cal was already aware of. It was the others that were new to him. [Builder], [Carpenter], [Gardener], and other mundane-sounding [Class] were assigned. And the most common among these were [Farmer]. I was assigned to the most common of the menial types of [Class]. No wonder the Overseer was furious. Looks like I cut off the flow of mana too early. However, it might work to my advantage when I continue to underwhelm the guild¡¯s expectations. Cal glanced at the increasingly crowded space around him with confusion. I thought the Celestial Guild had around a ninety percent attrition rate? Well over fifty percent of the Trainees have been assigned a [Class]¡­ I¡¯m missing something. He ignored how the lucky¡ªor unlucky¡ªfew assigned a [Class] who would become ¡®true¡¯ members of the Celestial Guild sneered at him with superiority. They were naive fools about to be thrown into the blender. Instead, he was interested in the person about to step up to the activation pillar. Tavia worried her bottom lip as she did her best to hide her nervousness, but Cal¡¯s sharp eyes caught some obvious signs. Her well-manicured fingers twitched toward her body, stopping at the last moment to avoid fiddling with her robes. Her breathing was too stable, as if she were consciously controlling it. She must have failed the Selection or gotten one of the menial [Class]. That¡¯s the only reason I can think for never seeing her again in the guild in my first life. Tavia gently placed her palm on the activation pillar, which started to pulse as Cal expected. However, it went on for far too long. Impossible¡­ this is a sign of being assigned [Mage]. A glance at the Overseer practically confirmed Cal¡¯s guess. The man couldn¡¯t keep the smile off his face as the pulsing stopped. [Mage]¡ªCal stared at the lettering in numb surprise. This might have resulted from him changing what was supposed to happen. Maybe a [Mage] needed to be assigned, and since Cal took himself out of the running, Tavia was chosen as a replacement. I shouldn¡¯t assume that. Maybe this still happened in my first life, but something else caused Tavia to disappear. It could be possible that she went out of her way to avoid me¡­ yeah, that¡¯s more likely. ¡°Initiate Tavia has been inducted to the elite division as a mage! A true pillar that will support the Celestial Order¡¯s future! To the several trainees left, this should be your aspiration! The next Trainee, step forward!¡± The Initiates assigned to [Caster] and [Alchemist] finally stopped looking at him with mocking sneers. They were now busy staring at Tavia in envy. No wonder I don¡¯t remember any of them. My talent was the only reason my attitude was tolerated in my first life. I might have been nothing in a more powerful guild, but I was more than enough for a third-rate guild like the Celestial Order. They will be crushed immediately if they¡¯re this expressive with emotions. Cal watched a few Trainees completely fail to get a [Class] and walked off the training ground dejected. Only three were left before he could try to find Oleg. ¡°What happened?¡± The question was whispered, so much so that Cal didn¡¯t respond initially, thinking it must have been directed at someone else. ¡°Cal,¡± a soft voice hissed. ¡°What happened during the Selection?¡± Cal looked to his side in surprise and stared dumbly at Tavia. Her closeness put her pale, almost porcelain-like skin in focus as the sun highlighted the soft, ever-present blush that tinged her cheeks. Her most unique trait¡ªeyes a striking shade of violet¡ªwere narrowed at him. When did she get here? And what¡¯s she doing talking to me? I only need a single hand to count the number of times she initiated a conversation. Maybe she¡¯s using this to twist the knife when I¡¯m supposedly hurt. It would be understandable but disappointing if Tavia was capable of that cruelty. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean,¡± Cal smiled dimly. ¡°You saw what happened.¡± ¡°You might be a pain in my side, but there¡¯s no way that result is real,¡± Tavia insisted. He raised his eyebrow. ¡°I would have thought you would be the first to be happy about this. Congratulations, by the way. You deserve your assignment.¡± Tavia stared at him in suspicion before shaking her head in wonder. ¡°You really mean that.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Cal nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve seen how hard you work.¡± ¡°No, I mean you¡¯re not resentful at all,¡± Tavia said, pushing away his reasoning. "You almost sound happy.¡± That¡¯s not good. I should be the opposite of that. ¡°You won¡¯t be the only mage for long,¡± Cal smirked confidently. "I¡¯ll redo the Selection in a month and join you. Don¡¯t be too comfortable, Tavia.¡± That was a lie. She rolled her eyes, but her smile wasn¡¯t hidden. ¡°Good, I was worried I wouldn¡¯t have you around to annoy me.¡± I must be hallucinating. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Tavia smile. Maybe this is her when she isn¡¯t stressed. And she doesn¡¯t sound like she intended to avoid me even if I had continued being an ass. So what happened to her in my first life? ¡°Do you really think you have the right to talk to someone like Tavia? Your situation has changed. Learn your new place, Cal.¡± He met Tavia¡¯s eyes before facing the man who interrupted them. Chapter 4 - The First Step ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± Cal tilted his head curiously. The man¡¯s bravado faltered momentarily before coming back with full force. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to know my name anymore, servant.¡± ¡­ Was this how I acted? I refuse to believe it. This isn¡¯t a man. He¡¯s a man-child at best. ¡°If you say so,¡± Cal shrugged, his nonchalance infuriating the man-child even more. ¡°I wish you luck in the guild¡­ whoever you are.¡± He¡¯s looking for a fight. I might no longer have the [Mage] class, but the simple fact I have better control over my mana means I can easily overpower him. By the time he can even think about retaliating, I should be far out of the guild¡¯s reach, let alone this guy¡­ I almost hope that he tries something. I could use some release after the way I died. The man glowered before forcing a chuckle as he reluctantly backed down. ¡°You won¡¯t get me to stoop to your level. Even now, you try to embarrass me before the Overseer.¡± That implies I did this before. ¡°¡­ Seriously, who are you?¡± Cal asked again with a frown. I freely admit to being arrogant, but I rarely go out of my way to purposely put someone down. It wasn¡¯t that I was too good for that, but more that I didn¡¯t see it worth my time. The man-child grew red in the face and was obviously about to lose his temper. Tavia chose that moment to break her silence. ¡°Tarn, what¡¯s the point of all this?¡± She asked in an unamused tone. ¡­ Nope. I still can¡¯t recall anyone named Tarn. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to tolerate him anymore, Tavia. All his boasting amounted to nothing. We can just ignore him like we all wished to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lump me in with everyone else. I had no interest in your games the entire time I was here. Just because I was in the proximity while you trash-talked half the Trainees, it doesn¡¯t mean I was a part of it.¡± Tavia¡¯s words were sharp, leaving no room for any misunderstanding. ¡°I see,¡± Tarn¡¯s expression twisted into something ugly. ¡°The moment Cal becomes useless, you show interest. Looks like you only like trash around you, just like all your other friends¡ª¡± ¡°The Overseer is watching,¡± Tavia interrupted his vitriol, ¡°and so is everyone else. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself any further.¡± She wasn¡¯t lying¡ªwhich Tarn discovered when he looked around¡ªbut Cal didn¡¯t care much about the attention. He was thinking over Tarn¡¯s words. Even if Tarn was throwing a tantrum, he does bring up a good point. Tavia¡¯s behavior is too strange to keep brushing off. Cal waited until the focus was off them, and Tarn had moved away in mortification. Too self-conscious, that one. The last Trainee stepped up to the activation pillar. Cal leaned closer to Tavia. ¡°He might be an ass, but he¡¯s not wrong. What¡¯s the real reason you decided to talk to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Tavia shrugged. She folded quickly at the pointed look she received. ¡°Fine, I didn¡¯t want to see you give up because of your class assignment¡­ and I really did think something went wrong with your Selection. You might have been arrogant, but I felt you were justified in being so.¡± Cal stared at her blankly, vaguely aware of the Overseer announcing the last Trainee had failed. ¡°So¡­ you were overwhelmed with pity and wanted to reassure me?¡± Cal couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the thought. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll accept that, though we both know it¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°What reason do I have to lie?¡± Tavia asked with indignation. ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know, but I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t tell me,¡± Cal studied her curiously. I can¡¯t think of a good reason for her to be so friendly¡­ unless I finally drew Tavia¡¯s attention by not bothering her the moment I saw her? It can¡¯t be that easy, can it? Tavia glared, a much more familiar¡ªand expected¡ªsight to Cal. However, she didn¡¯t get the chance to defend herself. ¡°We have lost quite a few Trainees today. However, all of you have been warned that this will be the result. I congratulate all of you on being assigned a class!¡± The Overseer waited for the new Initiates to finish cheering. ¡°To the Casters, Alchemists, and our one Mage,¡± he looked directly at Tavia, ¡°you will be accepted into the core guild immediately. As for the rest, you will have to go through another step. However, rest assured, you are all Initiates!¡± Cal didn¡¯t know of this previously since he had no reason to. He still didn¡¯t mind the unexpected news, though he made sure to match the expression of the others who had received a menial [Class]. This must be the step where they weed out those barely qualified for a menial [Class]. But even if that were true, they would have to cut almost everyone and keep only a handful for the rumored ninety percent attrition to be true. Maybe it was just an exaggerated number. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°You are dismissed! Enjoy yourselves, celebrate, then return here tomorrow to leave for your new station!¡± He means that only for those heading to the core guild. I know there are places near the edge of the guild¡¯s territory for people like me¡ªone with a menial [Class]. I remember a place in the north that was untouched by the invading guild in the future. I should try to get placed there. ¡°Cal, stay back! I need to talk with you.¡± The Overseer called out when he saw that Cal intended to return with the rest. ¡°I knew it,¡± Tavia whispered with vindication. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll get another try sooner than you thought.¡± He glanced at the Overseer and ignored the Trainees'' stares as they slowly walked away. ¡°Doubt it. He already told me that I would get a retry next month.¡± ¡°¡­ Well, l hope this is some other good news then.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Cal shrugged noncommittally. ¡°I guess it could be¡­ I¡¯m curious, would you have talked to me if I had been assigned to Mage or Caster?¡± Tavia frowned in thought before her expression slowly turned apologetic. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Cal was surprised at her answer, expecting that she would try to cushion it if she chose to tell the truth. ¡°I wish we had more time to talk, Tavia. I feel you¡¯d be a good friend to have.¡± ¡°Why does that sound so final? I fully expect you to join me in the core guild soon.¡± I don¡¯t think that would be true even if I wasn¡¯t planning to avoid that place at all cost. I still have no idea why Tavia was missing from the guild in my first life. Cal saw that the Overseer was staring at him impatiently and decided to say his farewell. With a lie, of course. ¡°I¡¯m glad you have as much confidence in me as I do.¡± Tavia rolled her eyes at his cocky smirk. ¡°Obviously, my pep talk wasn¡¯t needed. I¡¯ll see you later, Cal.¡± He returned the wave and watched her walk away, joining a few of her friends who had gained a [Class]. Another thing to note: try to find out what happened to Tavia after the Selection. Cal turned away from the retreating Initiates and approached the Overseer. ¡°You spoke to Jon about asking me for a delay,¡± the Overseer said blankly when Cal stood before him. ¡°Why did you go through the Selection when you were doubting your readiness?¡± I forgot the Overseer always knew what went on in the training ground¡­ wait, does this mean he heard me speak of my doubts about the guild to Oleg? I was vague with my wording, so hopefully, it didn¡¯t set off any suspicion. ¡°It was a passing thought,¡± Cal said with a grimace. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I actually needed more time.¡± ¡°You were wrong,¡± the Overseer¡¯s nostrils flared in annoyance. ¡°If I find that you are lying about what happened during your activation, there will be harsh consequences. You do know how I will find out, right?¡± That is a rhetorical question. I shouldn¡¯t have known there was even a possibility of a retry at this point. Cal shook his head silently. ¡°The activation pillar will not respond to your mana,¡± the Overseer narrowed his eyes. ¡°There is a quota for the number of Trainees that can be tested after the activation pillar recharges over the month. I will not be amused if I find that you wasted a spot.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Cal nodded firmly, continuing the lie. He wouldn¡¯t take the test anyway, so it was a nonissue. ¡°I¡¯m not messing around.¡± ¡°I hope that¡¯s true for your sake. You will be leaving immediately for your new posting. Your possessions will be sent in a few days, so you can leave immediately.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± Cal asked with surprise. ¡°You told everyone that would take place tomorrow.¡± ¡°Did you want to be assigned to a plot of land? Or would you rather prefer to focus on preparing for your retry next month?¡± Again, the questions were rhetorical, but Cal intended to reply. ¡°¡­ As counterproductive as it seems, I do want to be assigned to a plot of land.¡± The Overseer froze, staring at him dumbfounded. ¡°I must have misheard. Did you say you want to farm?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Cal said, not looking away from the Overseer¡¯s stare. "I¡¯ve noticed that I¡¯m too distracted by the constant training and preparation. Instead of doubling down, it would be better if I took my mind off the whole thing.¡± ¡°So farming is your solution.¡± The overseer still looked like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°I¡¯m confident that it is,¡± Cal nodded without hesitation. ¡°No, let me rephrase that,¡± the Overseer¡¯s expression slowly shifted to anger. ¡°You want me to let you waste time doing nothing for a whole month, and then I should expect it will help you?¡± ¡°¡­ When you say it like that, it sounds bad.¡± ¡°No, Initiate Cal. It is the worst idea I have had the pleasure of hearing,¡± the Overseer looked to have exhausted his patience. I need to offer something in return. A way to convince him I don¡¯t need specialized teaching. That will make entering the core guild inevitable. ¡°A week,¡± Cal blurted out, remembering the message on his interface. ¡°Give me a week before you write off my idea as useless.¡± The Overseer studied him carefully, likely weighing the pros and cons of letting him try. ¡°A week,¡± he nodded reluctantly. ¡°I¡¯ll personally check to see if you¡¯ve made progress. If I feel that it hasn¡¯t been productive for any reason, you will abandon your idea.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Cal replied instantly. The Overseer is strict, but he has always been willing to let the Trainees do what they felt was best. It wasn¡¯t purely for altruistic reasons, but I learned that much later. Still, it doesn¡¯t matter. The Overseer pulled out a folded map from his inner coat pocket and opened it. He scanned it briefly before nodding. ¡°I can send you southwest. You¡¯ll have plenty of experienced farmers to help you if necessary¡ª¡± ¡°Er, I actually had an area in mind,¡± Cal interrupted, taking the glare that followed as a consequence. ¡°Is there any undeveloped land in the north?¡± ¡°The north,¡± the Overseer repeated. ¡°Where all you have is a pile of rubble and land that can barely grow weed. That north?¡± So that¡¯s why the invading guild didn¡¯t bother with that place. There was nothing there. ¡°Yes,¡± Cal nodded to the Overseer¡¯s continued surprise. ¡°¡­ Very well,¡± the Overseer sighed as he marked the area on the map before handing it to Cal. ¡°The Selection has changed you, Initiate Cal. We will see if this is for the better or worse.¡± He accepted the map as he nodded slightly. ¡°The assignment opened my eyes. I have to work harder.¡± ¡°Hm, like I said, we¡¯ll find out soon enough. Skip the celebrations with your fellow Initiates and immediately make your way to your new station. There is an unused outpost you can use as your residence while you are there. I don¡¯t see anything productive occurring from your attendance to the Initiates¡¯ celebration.¡± Cal¡¯s first instinct was to insist on attending, but that quickly changed after some thought. The Overseer is right. He was only speaking of the celebration, but I would only return to speak to Oleg. My knowledge of the future has already changed enough. By all rights, Oleg was rumored to be content with his life after failing the Selection. If I offered him help or any words of encouragement, it might change how his life progressed. It¡¯s best if I avoid him altogether and ask for forgiveness later. As for Tavia, I have nothing else to say to her at the moment. Cal pressed his lips into a thin line before giving the Overseer a firm nod. ¡°Understood.¡± Chapter 5 - Ambition The Celestial Order¡¯s territory wasn''t too massive. To reach his new station in the north, it was a solid day¡¯s trek at walking speed. To someone with mana, it was significantly shorter but still numbered in hours. Some types of transportation had been set up¡ªmostly by rail¡ªbut those only connected every part of the Celestial Order except for the north. There really was nothing up there for the guild to expend resources to build infrastructure. Thankfully, a horribly maintained dirt road led to Cal¡¯s destination, so he wasn¡¯t forced to navigate the dense forests that covered most of the area. The guild must have created it for the rare occurrence of a mortal venturing to the north from one of the many towns that dotted the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. That was a disadvantage of choosing to get a plot of land in the north, one Cal didn¡¯t think of. The isolation was a positive for his plans. Still, those same plans required gathering information that would be found in mortal communities. He had been so focused on becoming the best [Mage] possible in his previous life that he had been utterly ignorant of the world outside the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. That is an understatement. The core guild was my world, and anything outside it was unimportant to me. I was barely aware of what existed inside the guild¡¯s territory. I need to make a trip to one of these mortal towns to get a few maps, both within the territory and outside its borders. A vague memory appeared in his mind. A couple pushing him toward a woman with a guild insignia¡ªa golden compass, the center containing a white sun. He swiftly shook his head. This is not the time to think of my barely-remembered family. I don¡¯t know where they live other than being from another guild¡¯s territory. Cal saw two arrow markers ahead at a fork in the road. Northern Wastes. Oracle Shores. He knew of Oracle Shores¡ªlocated east, crucial for the Celestial Order¡¯s trade¡ªbut he hadn¡¯t known the north had an actual name. And it was a fitting one, Northern Wastes. Cal was close. The arrow marker indicated he would soon reach the place that would be his home over the next month. He didn¡¯t expect much, but he also didn¡¯t care. This would be where he spent as little time as possible. He intended to do the bare necessity to prove he was ¡®farming¡¯ to get his mind de-stressed¡ªas he claimed to the Overseer. Every other possible moment would be spent visiting towns for ¡®supplies¡¯ while hopefully gathering as much information as possible on the best path out. The dense forest around the dirt road tapered with surprising quickness, going from trees¡ªbig and small¡ªevery few feet to one every few minutes of walking. Eventually, they disappeared altogether, along with the dirt trail. It would be nearly impossible for the guild to maintain such a trail here. The ground of Northern Wastes was just a combination of dirt and sand¡ªpocked and uneven¡ªwith stones of various sizes embedded, making it even worse to build anything, let alone farm. If it wasn¡¯t obvious why the guild left this area undeveloped and abandoned, it certainly was now. Of course, Cal didn¡¯t mind any of this too much. The Overseer mentioned there was a small outpost here. He looked around the flat ground and noticed a small structure in the distance. Nothing else stood out in this place, so he assumed this was where he was supposed to go. Cal frowned as he approached the structure. The stones in the ground are more of an annoyance than I thought. They get larger on average the deeper I venture into the Northern Wastes. No wonder the Overseer looked at me strangely. He thinks I chose this place to slack off for a month. He stopped before the building¡ªno, that word praised it too much. Shed would be better. It consisted of a door and three walls, barely able to fit four humans inside. Cal opened the door and raised his eyebrows at the tools inside¡ªa battered pickaxe, a shovel that looked like it would break apart from touch, and a plow that had to be unused with the absence of any wear and tear, that he could see at least. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Still, it was rusted to the point where it would likely break if actually used now. Some poor soul attempted to make something of the Northern Wastes. At least, I think that¡¯s the case with the condition of the tools. I can only assume the plow had never been used since trying to plant something in this barren land is the height of stupidity. Maybe whoever was sent here before was being punished. He frowned in thought as he continued to stare at the tools. His personal belongings were to be delivered in a few days, so it wasn¡¯t like he could wander off and head to the nearest town right now. There needed to be progress shown. What could I even do, though? Cal brought up his interface again. He hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it before since he had been at the center of attention. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 1 Skills: None Traits: [Second Chance] - The laws of the world have recognized that you have lived this life before. It does not know how you accomplished this, but you will be rewarded for surprising it. For the next week, you will experience a boost towards tier upgrades. Rewards: [Tier Boost] - All actions that contribute to increasing your tier level will automatically be counted as double the normal increase. (7 days remaining) The laws of the world having some type of awareness is news to me. In my past experience, the interface had always been a simple, one-way interaction. Knowing there are beings that can turn back time¡ªeven if it was for an exception¡ªthis isn¡¯t nearly as surprising as it should be. However, the trait and reward that I received seem a little underwhelming. Not that I should really complain. I plan to live a quiet life, and all I know is how to fight and use mana for destructive purposes. Farming will fit nicely into my future. Cal picked up the pickaxe and stared at it with an odd expression. This is the only tool that makes any sense to use at the moment¡­ though it is still not ideal. I would have preferred a hammer to break apart these stones. I might as well give it a try. If it doesn¡¯t work, I can use this as an excuse to travel to the nearest town. He traced the pickaxe''s twisted metal head with doubt. He fully expected it to fail after a few swings at a stone. Cal shut the door of the small shed and approached the nearest stone embedded into the ground. He lifted the pickaxe over his head¡ªstill unsure if he should expect the stone or pickaxe to break¡ªand brought it down on his target. The sharp, metallic clink from the pickaxe smashing into stone was louder than Cal anticipated. He could feel the slight shock of the impact in his arms, but he ignored it as he brought the pickaxe closer to his eyes. The pickaxe head looks undamaged¡­ impressive. Cal repeated his motion¡ªthis time with less hesitation. He grunted as he put more muscle into the swing. The sharp clink from the pickaxe meeting stone was even louder, but this time, it was accompanied by a piercing crack. The pickaxe buried itself deep within the stone and split it open, making it crumble into small pieces that were no longer lodged into the ground. He had little time to consider the ease at which the pickaxe did the job. The interface drew his attention when red text appeared to show some unexpected messages. You have gained [Basic Pickaxe: Poor Quality] as equipment. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. [Tier] increase has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 2 Skill choices available. Choose one. [Nature¡¯s Whisperer: Novice 1] - Blessed with a green thumb, every plant you grow on land you control experiences accelerated growth. You find that nature works with you more as your mastery increases. [Animal Empathy: Novice 1] - Animals living on land you control have increased productivity. You can sense a faint bond with all animals, which will help you tame wild creatures as your mastery increases. [Perfect Match: Novice 1] - The tools you use are one with you. As you grow, so do they. The more your mastery increases, the faster your tools will grow in relation to your [Tier]. Cal wasn¡¯t sure what he was supposed to do¡ªno, that wasn¡¯t right. He knew he was supposed to choose, but it was more of a shock that such a choice was available. This was far beyond anything he had experienced in his previous life, nor had he heard of anyone else experiencing this. Not that anyone would reveal they possessed a special [Class]. I certainly won¡¯t. He hadn¡¯t been taking this [Farmer] assignment seriously. It had been an afterthought¡ªsomething he considered halfheartedly at best as he figured out how to accomplish his main goal of escaping the guild¡¯s sphere of influence. The available skills changed that. It changed everything. Cal was nothing special in the grand scheme of things as a [Mage], but now, as a [Farmer], all his ambition that he had thought was out of the question was returning with a vengeance. He might not be able to become a traditional powerhouse, but it was entirely possible to be the first of his kind. A [Farmer] that stood above all. I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. This was the same attitude that humbled me in my previous life. Still, Cal smiled as he considered his decision on which skill to pick. No matter which one he chose, he could only see good things happening because of it. Chapter 6 - First Skill The skill he chose must be balanced. Cal wanted to select the skill that would extract the most value from what he saw himself doing in the future. However, it needed to help enough in the short term so it wouldn¡¯t be a complete dead weight until the distant future. That unfortunately meant [Animal Empathy] had to be discarded as a choice. There simply was no way for it to be of immediate help where he currently was, even though the possibility of taming wild creatures could have been invaluable¡­ eventually. It left him with [Nature¡¯s Whisperer] and [Perfect Match], enviable choices to pick from. Being a [Farmer], it seems almost obvious that [Nature¡¯s Whisperer] is what I should pick. After all, what [Farmer] wouldn¡¯t want to have a green thumb? And I would have chosen this skill if my [Class] was normal. However, it is not. Cal now saw a future that was more than just a peaceful, quiet life in a small mortal town. Of course, he still wanted that, but wanting to live a content life didn¡¯t mean he should shun all opportunities for power. It just wouldn¡¯t be his main focus. The description of [Perfect Match] mentioned nothing about the skill only applying to farming tools. It just said ¡®tools,¡¯ which implied anything that Cal equipped would be eligible. It would be a balanced skill that benefitted his [Farmer] class while extending to tools outside his [Class]. He tightened his grip on the tool he was holding. [Perfect Match] would eventually make this [Basic Pickaxe] glorious. If he advanced his [Tier] to a high enough rank, he would undoubtedly own a tool with the ¡®Rare¡¯ quality. All items¡ªpotions, weapons, tools, artifacts¡ªwere divided into separate quality ranks ranging from ¡®Basic¡¯ at the lowest to ¡®Divine¡¯ at the highest. The Celestial Order¡ªa third-rate guild¡ªonly had a sword classified as ¡®Rare.¡¯ The Guildmaster owned it and treated it like an irreplaceable treasure. Cal chuckled as he imagined the guild¡¯s reaction to a Rare Pickaxe. I know what I need to select. Three skill options hovered before him, but Cal was only focused on one. He reached out with an extended finger and tapped on [Perfect Match]. The red interface disappeared as the pickaxe in his hand pulsed red before returning to normal. Cal could feel a faint tether to the pickaxe, but it was too vague for him to know anything about it other than it existed. There was way one to improve that¡ªbreak apart more stones. I¡¯m a [Farmer], but I¡¯m breaking stones. I never expected this¡­ but I can¡¯t say I¡¯m unhappy about it. He moved to another stone embedded in the ground and went to work. Sharp, metallic clinks of the pickaxe slamming into the stone rang out repeatedly. He didn¡¯t let up until the stone shattered and broke into small pieces. Cal took deep breaths as he inspected the pickaxe, checking it to ensure it hadn¡¯t deteriorated. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t affected much. However, breaking the stone had taken far more time than the first. Maybe I didn¡¯t strike the stone correctly the second time. It didn¡¯t escape him that his [Tier] hadn¡¯t increased this time. An expected yet disappointing result. Of course, it just meant he had to find another stone to demolish. Not that it would be difficult. They were everywhere. The barren area was filled with the repeated sound of Cal bringing down his pickaxe onto stone. The sharp clink rang out until a stone shattered into pieces, only to start again when he moved to another stone. Cal clenched his teeth as he brought down the pickaxe on the fifth stone, feeling satisfaction spreading through his body when it cracked under his blows. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. He took deep breaths as he checked his interface¡ªhis body was not in shape to do this type of manual labor. It would be something that would slowly improve as he did more of this type of work. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 3 Skills: [Perfect Match: Novice 2] The skill level increased, but the pickaxe wasn¡¯t upgraded. It seems like those two things aren¡¯t directly correlated. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Cal trudged his way to another nearby stone. He was more exhausted than he assumed. He couldn¡¯t see himself destroying more than a few more stones before he was utterly incapable of lifting the pickaxe. I never realized how unused my muscles were. He grunted as he slammed the tip of the pickaxe down, shivering in happiness at the metallic clink that resulted from it. He was afraid that he was gaining an unnatural complex to the sound, but since this was now the sound of his strength increasing, he would accept it. Cal lifted the pickaxe again¡ªhigh above his head¡ªand brought it down swiftly with another grunt. The stone shattered. And so did the pickaxe. He flinched at the metal shards that bounced off his body and stared in shock at the deformed pickaxe head. [Basic Pickaxe] has degraded to Trash Quality. Further use of the tool could cause it to break completely. Cal let out a resigned sigh. It was already a miracle that it hadn¡¯t given up earlier, but at least he had used it well before it happened. Discovering the quirks of his [Class] was a worthy trade-off. He glanced at the stones he had shattered. He would need to remove them and set them aside to make the ground smooth and flat. He still didn¡¯t know if it was possible to plant anything in such barren-looking soil, but that wasn¡¯t important at the moment. All that mattered was his progress. He could worry about the rest when that progress slowed or halted. I have no choice but to get my pickaxe repaired. I should also buy other tools and equipment to make clearing the field easier. Cal stumbled back to the small storage shed with the broken pickaxe in hand. If he set out right now, it would be possible to return before sunset. The borders are guarded by Apprentices¡ªguild members one rank higher than Initiates. Still, I vaguely remember some incidents in my previous life of bandits entering the territory and causing havoc after dark. It''s better to be where the guild expects me since I have no doubt there¡¯s some type of watch where new Initiates are stationed. He entered the shed to pick up the shovel and plow, wincing at the additional weight straining his exhausted body. He would have to endure until it became commonplace. In my previous life, I single-mindedly focused on mastering my mana to the limit. I will do the same with building my body for farming. Cal exited the shed and shut the door behind him. The closest mortal town to the Northern Wastes was located in Oracle Shores. Two well-known towns that should have smithing services were Mariner¡¯s Rest and Gale¡¯s End, but Cal had no idea which was closer. He had been to neither in his past life since he didn¡¯t see the need, so he would have to hope there were markers on the path that would point him to the closest town. *** Cal huffed¡ªwheezed, really¡ªas he stopped at the first markers he had seen in nearly an hour, the last being the fork that directed him toward Oracle Shores. Mariner¡¯s Rest - 1 mile Gale¡¯s End - 6.2 miles Not too much further. Maybe fifteen minutes till I reach Mariner¡¯s Rest. He would have preferred to continue, but he was out of energy. He was more likely to fall flat on his face rather than take another step. Cal dropped the tools he had been carrying to the ground before sitting on the dirt path with a relieved groan. I just need a few minutes of rest. Then I¡¯ll start again¡ª ¡°Why are you sitting on the road?¡± He snapped his head toward the unexpected voice. A girl several years younger than him¡ªperhaps fifteen years of age¡ªstared at him curiously. She looked to have sun-tanned skin¡ªthough with the dirt sprinkled everywhere on her, it was hard to tell¡ªand her attire indicated skulking through the forest was an everyday activity. So did the bow in her hands and the quiver of arrows on her back. She¡¯s a hunter. Cal eyed the bow warily and turned a question back to her. ¡°Why are you sneaking around?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± She bristled like an angry cat and glared at him. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you couldn¡¯t hear me walk up to you.¡± I think she means no harm¡­ to me, at least. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Cal raised his arms in surrender. ¡°As for why I¡¯m sitting on the road, it¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m resting.¡± ¡°But you look like a guild member,¡± she stated with confusion. He found that interesting. Even though the Celestial Order¡¯s territory was fairly small, most mortals would go through their lives without meeting a guild member. ¡°Only by technicality. I¡¯m just a farmer, nothing special,¡± Cal waved off his status as a guild member. ¡°My name¡¯s Cal. Who do I have the pleasure of seeing me in such an embarrassing state?¡± She smiled¡ªwhite teeth peeking out beneath her dirty face. ¡°I¡¯m Seris! And there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about¡­ I think.¡± Seris¡¯s puzzled expression at the end made Cal laugh unintentionally. ¡°No, I guess there isn¡¯t. I have to start somewhere. Unfortunately, my ¡®somewhere¡¯ is at the bottom when dealing with physical labor.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Seris shifted awkwardly in place for a second. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll leave you to it?¡± ¡°Wait, where are you heading?¡± Cal asked before she could walk away. ¡°Why?¡± Seris narrowed her eyes, back to looking like a ruffled cat. Her bow rose slightly in warning. I made myself far too suspicious. ¡°I¡¯m heading to Mariner¡¯s Rest to buy some supplies,¡± he offered his destination first. ¡°If you¡¯re heading the same way, I would be thankful if you could help me carry my tools. I¡¯ll pay for the trouble, of course.¡± Seris glanced at said tools before looking even more confused. ¡°Why would you bother carrying broken tools? You can just buy new ones in town.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I would find replacements. It wasn¡¯t a big deal to carry them, so I didn¡¯t see a reason to place my expectations on the hope of the town having the tools in stock.¡± ¡°¡­ That makes sense, I guess,¡± Seris expression didn¡¯t match her words. She was unconvinced since it looked like a big deal. ¡°So you want me to carry those, and you¡¯ll pay me for it?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Cal nodded. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡± ¡°Five copper,¡± Seris held out an empty palm. ¡­ Copper? I don¡¯t have any of those. ¡°Er, I would prefer to pay you when we reach town. I think that would be fair to both of us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that,¡± Seris declared, though she continued before Cal could counter, ¡°but I¡¯ll trust you anyway.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He was genuinely surprised. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s get going now.¡± He recovered enough energy to stand without making sounds like an old man. ¡°I have rules,¡± Seris didn¡¯t move from her spot. ¡°You have to walk in front of me. And if you make any sudden movements, you¡¯ll get an arrow in your back. Agreed?¡± I doubt those arrows can do me much harm. I might be physically weak, but my mana still makes my body much more durable to damage by mortal weapons. Still, this means the girl isn¡¯t naive. That¡¯s good. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Cal said, picking up his precious, damaged pickaxe before stepping several feet away to put space between him and the other tools. It would hopefully settle Seris¡¯s paranoia. The pickaxe was the only one he was attached to. [Perfect Match] already started to work on it and he would keep the pickaxe unless there happened to be one of a higher rank in town. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± Seris chirped, the plow and shovel strapped to her back. It was impressive. The plow was of the variety meant for an individual, but it was still fairly heavy. Cal had no doubt that Seris would have been able to handle carrying it, but not with the ease she was showing. ¡°Let me know if you need a break. I can afford to stop if you need to take a breath.¡± Cal commented, turning to lead the way when Seris nodded casually. Chapter 7 - Mariners Rest The fifteen-minute estimate Cal had assumed was correct. The entrance to Mariner¡¯s Rest could be seen just ahead¡ªa lone guard stared at him suspiciously. The forests surrounding the dirt path became less wild the closer they got to the town. All the normal foliage existed, but in a more controlled manner that was clearly by design. All in all, Cal was happy that he had a silent helper as he approached the town¡¯s entrance. Having Seris carrying some tools was definitely helpful, but there was another reason he wished to hire her. ¡°Here we are,¡± Cal stopped. ¡°I¡¯m going to turn around now. Don¡¯t go reaching for your arrows. Agreed?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Seris replied, followed immediately by the metallic clanking of tools falling to the ground. He turned to see his shovel and plow at Seris¡¯s feet¡ªwho once again held out her empty palm at him. ¡°My coppers, please.¡± ¡°Are you from this town?¡± Cal asked as he rummaged in his coin pocket. ¡°¡­ Maybe,¡± Seris tried to be vague, but she might as well have admitted she was. ¡°Let¡¯s make another deal,¡± Cal hid the smirk at how her eyes widened at the silver coin he pulled out. ¡°I need a guide to show me around the town. I will gladly give you more than five copper if you can guide me.¡± Seris took a tiny step forward as if she couldn¡¯t stop herself from resisting the attraction of the coin offered to her. Understandable since it was twenty times what she asked for carrying the tools. I imagine a regular mortal would jump at the chance at silver. Seris is tempted but is giving it some thought. I was right to assume she must have had an above-average upbringing, at the least. ¡°That¡¯s all you want? For me to show you around Mariner¡¯s Rest?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± Cal confirmed. ¡°I could do it myself, but if someone familiar was helping, it would make my visit much easier.¡± Seris nodded slowly, staring at him while frequently glancing at the silver coin in his hand. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it. But only for a few hours. I need to get back home before dark.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± Cal flicked the silver coin to her. ¡°Take me to a blacksmith first. I want to get my tools fixed.¡± Seris carefully pocketed the coin and patted her pocket to ensure its safety. She looked up to see him picking up the tools she had dropped to the ground. ¡°Blacksmith. Right. Sure.¡± Cal smiled at her shell-shocked state and motioned toward the town entrance. ¡°Lead the way.¡± A silver coin might be a lot for a mortal, but it¡¯s nothing for someone who¡¯s part of the guild. I get one guildmark every six months as a basic allowance¡ªevery Initiate does. That¡¯s worth a thousand silver. ¡°Seris,¡± the lone guard greeted gruffly. Cal could see that he looked wary for some reason. ¡°You came back empty-handed. No luck again?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to look in the usual places I hunt,¡± Seris pointed at Cal. ¡°I found him on the way and decided to help.¡± The guard stiffened as his expression flashed a bit of fear. ¡°Show some respect to the Initiate, Seris!¡± He addressed Cal. ¡°Forgive her. She hasn¡¯t met many guild members before.¡± ¡­ It seems that mortals are scared of people like me. I should have assumed so. I didn¡¯t spare them much thought in my previous life. That made them more or less invisible at best and annoyances at worst. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive. Seris has been of great help,¡± Cal smiled to calm the guard¡¯s nerves. ¡°Yeah!¡± Seris added unhelpfully. ¡°I carried his farming stuff since he was too tired. I¡¯m even going to show him around town!¡± The guard¡¯s eyes bounced between Cal and Seris in concern. ¡°I can have one of the junior guards show you around if you prefer.¡± What use would that be? I might need to make a reliable connection with this town since my plans have changed. Unlike a guard, Seris might get me in contact with others who can help with my new goals. The guard''s willingness to speak up for her is a good sign. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Cal declined. ¡°Unless you feel you aren¡¯t up to the task, Seris?¡± ¡°I can do it, Cal!¡± Seris¡¯s shoulders had started to slouch after the guard¡¯s suggestion, but that disappeared when he spoke. ¡°See, she can do it,¡± Cal¡¯s lips twitched in barely hidden amusement. That seemed to be the switch that convinced the guard to relax. ¡°Very well, Initiate Cal,¡± the guard banged his fist twice on the massive closed door behind him. ¡°If you need anything, feel free to come to me.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Multiple clicks were heard from the other side of the door before it creaked open. ¡°Thank you,¡± Cal nodded at him as they passed through. Another guard on the other side glanced at him as the door shut after they entered, but he didn¡¯t pay too much attention. Cal was distracted by a whiff of air mixed with different scents. The backdrop was the salty freshness of a nearby sea, with other unidentified layers of smells intertwined. He had never experienced anything quite like this¡ªsight or smell. ¡°Do I have to call you Initiate Cal?¡± Seris¡¯s voice broke him out of his mini-trance. ¡°Not unless you want to,¡± Cal replied, eyes scanning his surroundings. This must be a sleepy part of the town since all there was to see were quiet houses and the occasional guard manning a spot. ¡°Nope,¡± Seris ended that word with a pop. ¡°We¡¯re friends, right, Cal? Friends aren¡¯t so formal with each other.¡± That made Cal give her an amused look. She went from suspicious to suspiciously friendly. It might be the change in surroundings making her more comfortable. ¡°Friends? That sounds like you want something from me.¡± Cal didn¡¯t try to coat his words. He would rather have her intentions out as straightforward as possible. ¡°What? Of course not!¡± Seris protested, though she quieted down when Cal gave her a doubtful look. ¡°Fine, but I swear this would be better for you anyway. I could take you to the town blacksmith who will overcharge you, or I can take you to my friend! He¡¯s really good. I swear it!¡± ¡°You used ¡¯swear¡¯ twice. That really convinced me,¡± Cal said drily. Seris slumped her shoulders, once again resembling a cat. A sad one. Why do I keep relating her to a cat? ¡°So, I guess you want me to take you to the town blacksmith?¡± Seris somehow made herself look more pitiable. ¡°¡­ Your friend, would he be able to fix my tools?¡± Cal wasn¡¯t sure why he was doing this. He wasn¡¯t close to this girl¡­ but he did like cats. And she reminded him of a cat for whatever reason. Alright, that¡¯s why I¡¯m going along with this. ¡°Yes!¡± Seris nodded her head rapidly. ¡°He¡¯s saving money to pay for the test, but he¡¯s already just as good as the town blacksmith.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Cal tilted his head in thought as he followed her down the cobbled road. ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t an exaggeration of your friend¡¯s abilities.¡± ¡°I swear it isn¡¯t,¡± Seris sounded adamant, as if willing him to believe her. ¡°Where is your friend¡¯s shop?¡± He noticed a slight decline on the street. ¡°It''s right next to the cliff. They won¡¯t let him open one in the commercial district until he has a license.¡± Cal didn¡¯t need to inquire about the cliff. He saw it ahead when they turned right onto a smaller street. There was a clear line followed by a void of buildings for twenty-or-so feet before all he could see was an endless sea. He was mute as they approached the cliff¡ªto stairs built into the side. The view he was able to see was magnificent. Cal had no idea such things were possible, nor did he know how something like these stairs was carved into natural rock. ¡°I¡¯m guessing the main part of town is down there?¡± Cal asked as he looked down. A sprawling town was nestled between the cliffs and the endless sea, looking like an idyllic place to live with stunning views. A large port with trading ships and fishing boats was set to the side, preventing the bustling activity from tarnishing the peaceful-looking atmosphere. Of course, this was what Cal assumed from afar. It might be completely different when he would personally be down there. ¡°The area up here is mainly for the guards and merchants who need access to the guild territory. Almost everyone else prefers to live next to the sea,¡± Seris said, taking one step down the stairs before pausing. "Do you need help carrying the tools?¡± That was a good point. Cal didn¡¯t think about that at all. He glanced down the cliff and estimated it was around two hundred feet to the bottom. The stairs zig-zagged down for practicality, so it would make the descent feel even longer. I might be out of breath by the time we reach the bottom, but it¡¯s doable. There''s no reason to let a girl far younger carry my burden. I need to get used to this anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Cal shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. It looks like it¡¯ll take us some time to reach the bottom.¡± *** ¡°You don¡¯t look fine.¡± Sweat dripped down Cal¡¯s face as he struggled to walk down the last few steps. He ignored Seris¡¯s comment and focused on not falling over. The trip down the stairs had been wonderful at the start, with the soft breeze washing over him and the view keeping him company, but that quickly lost its charm when walking became a chore. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Cal¡¯s foot reached the end, and he immediately released the tools he was holding over his shoulder, not caring about the racket they had made when they hit the cobbled road. ¡°Fine!¡± ¡°Riiight,¡± Seris casually picked up the dropped tools. "We¡¯re just a few streets away. Do you need a break?¡± He glanced at her before looking up, the cliff now looking like an impossible menace. How am I supposed to carry everything back up? I wanted to get a wheelbarrow to help move the stones. ¡°You said that merchants live on the cliff. How do they get the goods up there? I can¡¯t see how using the stairs is possible.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a pulley system for things like that,¡± Seris pointed in the direction of the port. ¡°It¡¯s free to use if you buy something large enough in the town.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡ª¡± Cal took a deep breath. ¡°¡ªgood. And no, I don¡¯t need a break.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Seris chirped. ¡°This way!¡± When considering the size of Mariner''s Rest, there was an odd absence of people in this area. It could be a combination of few people bothering to use the stairs to the top of the cliff and the lack of shops to create foot traffic. Cal noticed the few people they did encounter recognized Seris and greeted her by name. They also recognized him¡ªrather, his status¡ªand gave him a wary nod. He did his best to seem pleasant, but that was hard when it looked like he was drowning in his own sweat. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Seris announced happily before running into the house with the door ripped off its hinges and hammering echoing from within. ¡°Orrin! You have business¡ª¡± ¡°Gah! Seris! I told you not to surprise me when I¡¯m in the middle of something!¡± A male voice¡ªaround Seris¡¯s age¡ªexclaimed in frustration. ¡°I have to start over!¡± Cal chuckled when he heard them start to bicker at each other. He looked around the area, noting that the buildings around needed a little maintenance. He wouldn¡¯t say they looked in disrepair, but they were undoubtedly in a worse shape than the houses on the cliff. I¡¯ll give her friend a chance before I go to the actual blacksmith. Not with my pickaxe, though. He can try with the shovel or plow.
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above. Chapter 8 - (Not) A Blacksmith ¡°¡ªbig show about something minor! You can make that again in a few minutes. I¡¯ve seen you do it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point, Seris!¡± The words thrown back and forth were understood more clearly as Cal walked closer. He was walking straight through the house¡ªwhich had barely any usable furniture¡ªto the back doorway. Just like the front doorway, the door was ripped off the hinges. All of this indicated the house wasn¡¯t meant to live in. And with what Cal saw in the backyard, he understood why. Seris told him that her friend¡ªOrrin¡ªwas saving up money to pay for the blacksmith test. The setup reeked of a self-made, temporary, works-well-enough smithy. Cal recognized the forge, anvil, racks, and dizzying variety of hammers and other tools. Even if it looked rough, he couldn¡¯t deny that, in his uninformed eyes, this looked like a blacksmith''s workspace. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again¡ªCal!¡± Seris¡¯s annoyed expression turned into smug pride. ¡°See Orrin! I told you I brought a customer!¡± It took everything Cal had to stop himself from laughing. These two were a perfect pair when they stood next to each other. Seris was mussed up with her dirt-stained face and well-worn hunting outfit, and Orrin had a similar look. His face had a light sheen of sweat from the work he had been doing, black smudges from whatever it was blacksmiths used, and a tattered outfit that exposed his arms and legs. The boy was far skinnier than any blacksmith had the right to be. Cal personally thought the outfit was unwise when working with hot metal, but who was he to comment on what someone should wear when they were more experienced. ¡°¡­ Seris,¡± Orrin hissed unsubtly. ¡°You brought an Initiate here? Are you mad?¡± ¡°Cal is awesome, I swear it!¡± Seris said while nodding furiously. ¡°Seris is exaggerating, but I like to think I¡¯m alright,¡± Cal interjected before they could start arguing again. ¡°She told me that you were as good as the town blacksmith. Is that true?¡± ¡°I¡¯m better,¡± Orrin replied with a confidence that threw him off. He is fearful that I am here and still dares to make such a claim. This bodes well for Seris¡¯s boasts about him. ¡°Then you can help me out with those,¡± Cal stated, motioning his head to Seris and what she held. ¡°¡­ Common gardening equipment?¡± He thought that was an unfair insult to his precious pickaxe, but Orrin wasn¡¯t incorrect. Cal cleared his throat. ¡°My farming tools.¡± ¡°Right, that. So you want me to replace these?¡± ¡°Replacing the plow and shovel is acceptable, but I want the pickaxe repaired,¡± Cal insisted, not wanting to lose his progress on it, no matter how small. ¡°Most of the metal on the pickaxe will have to be replaced,¡± Orrin warned. ¡°Even the town blacksmith will do the same if he doesn¡¯t refuse the fix in the first place.¡± I expected this. Most of the pickaxe¡¯s head is still in pieces on the field. As long as my interface considers it the same, I don¡¯t care. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I want you to make the plow and shovel first. Seris might be confident in your abilities, but I must see it myself.¡± Orrin stared at him blankly before switching his focus to the tools in Seris¡¯s arms. ¡°You want me to prove my abilities by making a shovel.¡± ¡°And a plow,¡± Cal added before imagining the agitation the boy must be feeling. ¡°I¡¯m not insulting you, Orrin. I¡¯m taking a risk here and need to see something basic first. You can count me as a loyal customer if you prove yourself.¡± Orrin¡¯s expression cleared, the stubbornness slowly disappearing. ¡°That sounds fair. I¡¯ll make these for you free of charge, Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°Yes! I knew this would end well!¡± Seris cheered on the sidelines. Cal smiled at her before addressing Orrin. ¡°I always pay for work. Tell me your usual charge.¡± This is not necessarily true since I rarely had to pay for anything before. Still, I want to make sure these kids aren¡¯t taken advantage of¡­ I think like an old man. ¡°Oh,¡± Orrin looked flummoxed. ¡°Then¡­ twenty copper?¡± ¡°Twenty copper it is,¡± Cal agreed. If everything went well, he intended to commission all the tools he needed from Orrin. He expected that to cost over a silver, so the fact that he had no copper shouldn''t be an issue. ¡°How long will this take?¡± Orrin frowned as he thought it over for a few seconds. ¡°A few hours if I rush. Maybe four or five at most.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hm, if making two takes this long, I¡¯ll have to return tomorrow to get all the tools when they¡¯re finished,¡± Cal said with a frown. "I assume the town blacksmith will take the same time to make these? I do need other tools on top of this, so maybe I should commission both of you.¡± Seris looked indignant, but Orrin stopped her from defending him. ¡°He¡¯ll actually be faster than me. And simple things like shovels can be bought immediately since there¡¯s always some stock. But I can assure you that it will be worse than what I will make for you.¡± Admitting a competitor is faster and has immediate stock¡­ Orrin really does have confidence in himself. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to finish making these first before deciding. In the meantime, Seris can show me around town.¡± ¡°That works,¡± Orrin¡¯s face lit up. He walked briskly to Cal and held out his hand. ¡°You won¡¯t regret this, Initiate Cal.¡± He shook the offered hand with a smile. ¡°I hope so, Orrin.¡± ¡°You really won¡¯t, Cal!¡± Seris popped up beside them, reinforcing what had just been said. "Orrin is going to be a Master Blacksmith in the future. He will ask the guild to let him join when he turns twenty, just like you!¡± That¡¯s not how the guild¡ªany guild¡ªworks. Though, having far-reaching dreams isn¡¯t a bad thing. ¡°I already agreed to the commission, Seris. There¡¯s no need to tell me how good he is,¡± Cal chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s leave him to his work.¡± Orrin had already moved into his workspace. He was looking at a stack of raw materials in the corner of the smithy. ¡°Good idea,¡± Seris eyed Orrin. ¡°He¡¯ll start yelling if I bother him.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s another reason to leave.¡± *** ¡°So, Seris,¡± Cal smiled pleasantly at the twentieth person who looked at him warily. The buildings they were passing looked far better maintained than Orrin¡¯s area. ¡°Do you know everyone in this town?¡± Everyone who seemed cautious of his presence was equally kind when greeting his tour guide. Yet they don¡¯t make a move to shield Seris from me¡ªan apparently untrustworthy man. I never knew a mere Initiate had this kind of influence. He had never heard of an Initiate admitted into the core guild bothering to visit any of the mortal towns unless forced to. It led to the easy conclusion that the ¡®menial¡¯ [Class] Initiates were taking advantage of their status and lording it over the mortals. ¡°Not everyone. The sailors come and go, but I know most of the residents,¡± Seris noticed the impressed look on his face. She added, ¡°Only a few thousand people live here permanently. It¡¯s hard not to know them after living here my whole life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still something worth praising.¡± Cal meant it. There couldn¡¯t have been more than a thousand members of the core guild. He barely knew more than ten by name. ¡°Where are we heading first?¡± ¡°The Dockside Bazaar!¡± Seris¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°You came at a perfect time, Cal! A merchant fleet from another guild stopped at the ports last week. They finally finished unloading their wares and started selling them to the merchants today. I saw some awesome stuff you might like.¡± Cal¡¯s eyebrows were raised high. This sounded like something that would involve the Celestial Order¡¯s higher-ups. ¡°Did you see any guild members on the port?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Seris scrunched her nose in thought as they left the town''s narrow streets for a boardwalk leading to the busy port. There was a mass of makeshift stalls set up in the middle. ¡°I saw a few people dressed all fancy like you, but they pretended like we were all invisible. I assumed they were guild members, but I realized I might be wrong after meeting you.¡± ¡°¡­ No, you¡¯re probably right¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you being led around by a mortal?¡± A soft voice interrupted Cal from behind. He turned to see a woman who embarrassingly contrasted him in cleanliness and appearance. Seris¡ªwith her dirt-smudged face¡ªshouldn¡¯t even be mentioned. ¡°Sorry? Were you talking to me?¡± Cal asked, though it was obvious she was. ¡°Do you see any other Initiate around?¡± She looked amused instead of annoyed. ¡°You must be new. Follow me, I¡¯ll introduce you to the others.¡± Cal scanned her body again and noticed some details that were missed at first glance: faint calluses on her fingertips, slightly discolored nails despite being cleaned, and a sun-kissed complexion. The light, earthy herbal scent tied it all together. ¡°You¡¯re a gardener,¡± he stated. ¡°Well done,¡± she smiled. ¡°This gardener has a name, Vaela. Who might you be?¡± ¡°Cal. Pleased to meet you.¡± He noticed Seris¡¯s shoulders slumping out of the corner of his eye. She must have thought that her time as his guide was over. I promised to myself to be more considerate this time around, so I will not leave this girl stranded. But why does she have to look so much like a sad cat every time? ¡°Welcome to the outside club, Cal,¡± Vaela said wryly. ¡°You¡¯ll be bored out of your mind, but it¡¯s a decent life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually hoping for something of that sort. Anyway, you¡¯ll have to excuse me, Vaela. I¡¯ll catch up with you later. I¡¯m enjoying the tour my friend is giving me right now.¡± That reply apparently shocked Vaela enough to stare at him blankly when he left with Seris. As for Seris herself, she was looking at him with even starrier eyes than before. If Vaela was anything to go by, the Initiates here don¡¯t necessarily abuse their power. They just¡­ treat the mortals as invisible, which might be worse in some ways. ¡°Heh, I¡¯m your friend.¡± Cal shifted his eyes from the approaching bazaar to Seris¡¯s smug grin. ¡°Congratulations?¡± ¡°Orrin is going to be so jealous,¡± Seris¡¯s smug grin became¡­ smugger. I wonder if they grew up together. They fight like the siblings I knew from the core guild. ¡°Come on, friend. I¡¯ll show you something special for admitting the truth,¡± Seris moved closer and dropped her voice to a barely audible whisper. ¡°One of the sellers has something that feels like a treasure. Nobody¡¯s buying it because they think it¡¯s too expensive.¡± Cal¡¯s eyes darted around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Nobody was paying attention besides a few Initiates that gathered next to Vaela a good distance away. ¡°And how do you know it¡¯s worth more than the asking price?¡± Cal matched Seris¡¯s whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she shrugged casually before immediately contradicting herself. ¡°I just know. I always do.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to give me more than that, Seris.¡± ¡°I mean, I was never able to buy what felt like treasures before, but I watched the people that did, and they always disappeared,¡± Seris had an excited gleam in her eyes. ¡°They must have sold them for a lot of gold and left the town for the city.¡± The city she was speaking of was Lumina¡ªthe only city in the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. It was located near the Central Sanctum, which was the official name for the core guild. However, Cal felt Seris was gravely mistaken. She might be correct about being able to detect treasures, but the fate of those who bought them is not so rosy. It¡¯s more likely they were killed before the guild seized whatever they purchased. I should stay far away from this¡­ ¡°Interesting,¡± Cal¡¯s eyes matched the gleam that Seris possessed. If he was going to take a different path to power, he would explore opportunities before discarding them. This one needed further exploration. ¡°Take me there, Seris.¡± Chapter 9 - Dockside Bazaar They weaved through the throng of buyers shifting between stalls. It was a strange sight for someone like Cal, who had never seen how the Dockside Bazaar operated before. Opening an impromptu bazaar on the rather narrow boardwalk seemed like an ill-thought-out and ill-advised move, but it somehow worked. There were far too many stalls for the number of people that were available to browse through the wares, but the perfect amount of cramped space made it seem far busier than it was when shoulders were brushed often. He wondered who designed it: the sellers who saw an increased sense of urgency with the layout or the Initiates he saw in discrete corners, occupying places that had views of the entire bazaar. Every sale, every discussion, and anything of importance would all be within the Initiates¡¯ observation. I wonder if these merchants know. They scurry about, looking for a good deal, but anything that is deemed too valuable is likely claimed by the guild. ¡°Oh, Seris!¡± A portly man stopped his haggling when he saw her. ¡°Back to window shop again? One of these days, I¡¯ll convince you to join me¡ªan Initiate!?¡± This was the first time a townsperson bothered to address him verbally. ¡°You must be new!¡± The man abandoned his negotiation and held out a meaty hand. ¡°I¡¯m Nismus! I see our Seris¡ª¡° ¡°Sorry, Nismus! We¡¯re busy right now!¡± Seris interrupted the man in the middle of his sentence¡ª surprisingly rude as she tried to pull Cal away. He had to hold himself back from snapping at her in anger. He never liked the feeling of being pushed or pulled anywhere¡ªmetaphorically or literally. Seris might actually consider me a friend. This is likely her usual behavior if her interactions with Orrin are anything to go by. ¡°Nismus, is it?¡± Cal easily stopped Seris from moving him, making her look like a kid throwing a tantrum. ¡°Seris is unfortunately right about us being in a rush. I look forward to speaking with you later.¡± Nismus was flustered enough that he could only stutter out partial words before Cal walked away. ¡°I don¡¯t like Nismus. You should avoid him.¡± I need to have a word with Seris later. ¡°There,¡± Seris said in a low voice. ¡°Looks like there are more people at his stand this time. He¡¯s known for setting high prices. Most of the regulars don¡¯t bother checking anymore.¡± ¡°There are infrequent buyers here? I¡¯m guessing visiting sailors?¡± ¡°That¡¯s most of them. Some are people from the town who want to try their luck once in a while.¡± Seris stared at her target stall in confusion. ¡°All of these are regulars.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not stop now,¡± Cal wanted to find out what this treasure was purely to satisfy his curiosity. After seeing the setup and the Initiates in ideally situated positions, he didn¡¯t have any hope of it being suitable for a person who activated their interface. There was a large, considerable, near-unimaginable gap between what a mortal would call a treasure and what people like Cal would consider a treasure. The instances that Seris mentioned of the vanished townspeople must be rare cases. The ones that slipped through the cracks. Initiates are not perfect¡ªI know that all too well. ¡°Wait,¡± Seris hissed. ¡°If you go there now, it¡¯ll be too obvious.¡± Cal looked around, noticing the numerous eyes locked onto them. It wasn¡¯t the regular buyers¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t care about that¡ªbut the Initiates who were tracking them. Too late for any subtlety. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Cal stepped up to the stall. The moment the prospective buyers saw him unambiguously choose the stall they were perusing, they scattered like the wind and pretended they were never interested in the first place. ¡°An Initiate,¡± the stall seller greeted, almost with resignation. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to be of service.¡± ¡°I heard that you have a few interesting items,¡± Cal turned to smile at Seris. ¡°Which ones were you talking about?¡± Seris gaped at him in shock. Maybe it wasn¡¯t smart of me to go into this without explaining. I generally do things by myself so it¡¯s rare for me to have a need to instruct others. ¡°¡­ I like this one. It¡¯s pretty,¡± Seris eventually pointed at a¡­ stick. I wish she picked something more believable, but it will have to do. ¡°Ah, the bone of a withered dragon. I will give you my best price,¡± the stall seller paused dramatically. ¡°Just one guildmark.¡± Cal heard Seris wheeze in shock beside him. A guildmark is enough for a mortal to live in luxury for a decade. Even I only have three guildmarks saved up, and I was given special attention from the guild that barely let me spend. Other Trainees and Initiates spend as fast as they receive. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. This means the guild is directly involved in buying up things of interest from these sellers. And this one is taking advantage of it. ¡°Bone of a withered dragon?¡± Cal was impressed at the straight face the seller had. He was sure this was quite literally just a stick with minor modifications. ¡°I¡¯m not doubting you, but you¡¯ll have to give me more than just your word that this is what you claim. Especially for the price you are asking.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± the seller hesitated. ¡°I would be happy to, but an Apprentice might need to be present. This involves another guild.¡± Apprentices considered me an afterthought even when I was an Initiate as a [Mage]. Other Initiates were treated as invisible. This seller knows the hierarchy and interpersonal relationships of the guild. He knows Initiates are forbidden to delve into anything originating from another guild. He knows it will stop all the questioning immediately. ¡­ Who is this man? ¡°Fascinating,¡± Cal murmured, for different reasons than the seller and Seris likely assumed. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your name. I¡¯m Cal, and you are?¡± ¡°Benan, Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± he glanced at Seris¡ªwho still hadn¡¯t got over hearing the asking price. ¡°What else did you like in Benan¡¯s stall?¡± She didn¡¯t let her continued shock stop her from playing her role. ¡°There were some others, but I don¡¯t see them here. Maybe they were sold?¡± Cal gave Benan a questioning look. ¡°I might still have the ones that caught your eye,¡± Benan bent down to rummage in the hidden space below his stall. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you look around the bazaar before, girl. Seems Initiate Cal takes your word seriously.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not it at all,¡± Cal refuted immediately. Benan¡¯s rummaging stilled. ¡°I wanted to get Seris something as a gift. I never thought that her likes would be so expensive. I hope the others are more affordable¡­ or I will have to walk away empty-handed.¡± ¡°Ah, a gift!¡± Benan exclaimed. ¡°Then the bone of a withered dragon would be a terrible choice for her. I thought it was for you.¡± ¡°An understandable assumption,¡± Cal nodded sagely as Benan placed covered trays on the stall¡ªon top of the stick that was apparently worth one guildmark. ¡°I rotate what I have on display every few hours,¡± Benan uncovered the trays as he spoke. ¡°I have been wanting to get a larger stall, but I haven¡¯t got my approvals yet. Maybe you can help, Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m far too new to help with anything like that,¡± Cal dismissed the request. ¡°Ask me again in a few years¡ª¡± ¡°That one. I like the rock thing,¡± Seris interrupted. ¡°Oh! An excellent taste as always,¡± Benin praised with a broad smile. ¡°While it isn¡¯t as impressive as your last pick, I feel this one is perfect for you. From the gem mines of the Federation Territory, it made the long journey across the sea¡ª¡± Cal tuned out Benan¡¯s voice as the world around him faded¡ªblurry and dim. He had seen this before. This¡­ rock was in the hands of the Guildmaster in my previous life. He boasted about how it would change the Celestial Order and take them to the peak in the Union Territory. A few days later, the guild was destroyed. ¡°¡ªme. Cal?¡± Seris shook his arm. He gave her a strained smile. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really want this. I¡¯d feel too guilty if you spend so much on me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say ¡®too much¡¯ is the right way to put it, girl,¡± Benan sounded insulted. "Two gold for this gem is a deal. Admittedly, it doesn¡¯t have many proven effects, but as I said, it is rumored to bring you good luck. It is a worthy gamble, in my opinion.¡± ¡°Has it brought you good luck?¡± Seris pushed, to Cal¡¯s amusement. Benan shook his head regretfully. ¡°Impossible for me to tell. I own so many artifacts that any effects are usually diminished to the extreme.¡± ¡°Seris, is there anything else that caught your eye?¡± Cal asked. ¡°¡­ I like this too,¡± she said, pointing at a thin, gold pendant necklace with a row of multi-colored sparkling princess-cut sapphires. She really does like this one. It isn¡¯t a show. Benan gently unhooked the necklace from its spot and displayed the gemstone pendant in his hands, highlighting how it shimmered under the sunlight. ¡°Ah, this one, I can say with certainty of its benefit. I do not know the origin, but this came into my hands after I bought out another seller. The pendant has three gems, and it will give the wearer three chances to live by blocking three attacks.¡± ¡°Useful,¡± Cal agreed. ¡°And you have this confirmed?¡± Benan nodded. ¡°Indeed. I had this checked by a master appraiser. It can handle any attack from an Initiate. Even one on the cusp of being an Apprentice.¡± Cal hummed in thought as he glanced at the items of interest. I should walk away¡­ but what if that rock was why the guild was attacked? It¡¯s a slim possibility. Still, I might be able to prevent needless deaths by taking this for myself and hiding it. Or it might bring me disaster earlier than expected. ¡°What¡¯s the cost of the necklace?¡± Cal asked to buy himself more time to think. Even if I do buy it, the Initiates watching might take it from me to hand off to the higher-ups. Unless there is a tradition of looking away to allow for some occasional personal benefit. It was common in the core guild, which could extend here too. ¡°I can give this to you for one gold,¡± Benan looked pained at asking that price. Cal was sure it was an act¡ªstill, it was a good one. No, I have to give it a try. If it¡¯s taken from me, so be it. At least I didn¡¯t blind myself to a possible reason the guild was attacked. ¡°I¡¯ll give you seven gold for all three,¡± Cal said abruptly. Benan was shocked still at the unexpected offer¡ªso was Seris¡ªbut he quickly got over it to counter. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The lowest I can go is one guildmark for all of them. It¡¯s a good deal. I¡¯m giving you the gem and the necklace for free. All you have to pay is for the withered bone of a dragon.¡± It would be a good deal if this bone was real and not just a stick. And Benan changed the name of it, too. It¡¯s now a withered bone of a dragon. Not bone of a withered dragon. If I didn¡¯t want to hide my intentions of what I wanted to buy, I wouldn¡¯t be making this offer in the first place. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do better, Benan. I can¡¯t afford to spend that much.¡± ¡°¡­ Look, this is the lowest I can go,¡± Benan said with reluctance. ¡°Nine gold. My absolute lowest price.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only one gold less than before. Meet me in the middle. Eight gold and I¡¯ll buy it. Any more, and I will have to walk away.¡± Cal held out his hand to seal the deal. Benan stared at his offered hand before letting out a long sigh. "You drive a hard bargain, Initiate Cal. But you have it." They exchanged smiles as they shook on it. Cal knew they were both thinking the same thing. What a sucker. Benan couldn¡¯t have been faster in packing what was bought. The rock, necklace, and the stick were carefully tucked into separate packages and wrapped up before they were handed over. Cal pulled out a shimmering purple coin¡ªa guildmark¡ªand gave it to Benan. ¡°Good doing business with you, Initiate Cal,¡± Benan smiled as he gave him two gold coins as change. ¡°Likewise,¡± Cal nodded. He pocketed the coins and turned to Seris. ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto these and hand it over in time.¡± Seris blinked at him cluelessly but still nodded in agreement. That should be vague enough to take the focus off Seris. I don¡¯t want anyone to target her if they are interested in what I bought. ¡°I¡¯ll be here for a few more days, so come back anytime!¡± Benan called out as they left the stall¡¯s area. Cal waved at him in acknowledgment and eyed Vaela''s group ahead. Vaela stared directly at him and beckoned with her hand. Looks like I can¡¯t delay further. ¡°Seris, go back to Orrin¡¯s. I¡¯ll meet you there.¡± She hadn¡¯t missed Vaela¡¯s actions either, so she nodded quickly before scurrying off. He made sure she left the bazaar without interruption before walking toward the other Initiates. Chapter 10 - Initiates Together Strong Vaela¡¯s group of five turned into two as Cal approached, leaving only Vaela herself and one other¡ªa girl. ¡°You already splurged on your first day, Cal,¡± Vaela said as a greeting, with a small smile. ¡°And a fairly expensive necklace, too. Who¡¯s the lucky lady?¡± Nice of her to immediately confirm they were watching my purchases. ¡°The girl that just ran away,¡± Cal chuckled. ¡°I felt generous today, and she happened to be in the right place and time.¡± Vaela¡¯s eyebrows almost disappeared into her hairline at her surprise. She turned to her friend and said, ¡°If he gives such gifts to a random mortal, imagine what friends must get. Looks like we have a new friend, Liora.¡± ¡°Seems like that¡¯s the case,¡± Liora laughed lightly as she held out her hand. ¡°As Vaela said, I¡¯m Liora.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Cal shook her hand. ¡°And I¡¯m afraid this was an exception. I¡¯m not wealthy enough to give out gifts every time I meet new and interesting people.¡± Liora possessed all the same hallmark signs as Vaela. She was another gardener. However, she went an extra step to make herself look good, with her light green hair going down to the middle of her back in loose waves and slightly more intricate clothes. ¡°So, you never told me what you were.¡± Vaela studied him curiously. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an Initiate look so ruffled the day after they were assigned.¡± ¡°Ah, I was blessed to be a farmer, but one stationed in the Northern Wastes.¡± They laughed, thinking it was a joke, but their smiles slowly died off when he kept a straight face. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Liora said after a moment. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am very serious,¡± Cal cracked a smile at how much they felt for him. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too bad about it. I expect to be moved after a month or so.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. You were punished by the Overseer,¡± Vaela grimaced, a funny image on her gentle features. ¡°There were some I knew that were punished like you, but nothing as bad as getting stationed in the Northern Wastes.¡± That¡¯s because I explicitly asked for it. ¡°Are you prepared for the stray beasts that wander into that place?¡± Liora asked with concern. ¡°Beasts?¡± Cal had assumed those were taken care of at the border¡ªat least, ones that were too powerful. "You don¡¯t mean of the Uncommon rank, right? I knew there was a possibility that I could face Common beasts. Those shouldn¡¯t be of much concern.¡± ¡°There have been sightings of Silvermane Wolves in the past few months. They seem to be coming from the direction of the Northern Wastes, but the guild hasn¡¯t sent anyone to investigate yet.¡± Vaela looked annoyed at that fact. Silvermane Wolves were beasts at the Uncommon rank, but they were at the lower end of it. Their most dangerous ability was deflecting minor spells, which made most encounters fatal for inexperienced Initiates. I remember hearing something about this. The guild didn¡¯t bother dealing with it until there was a major attack on a mortal town¡­ and it was in Oracle Shores. That means it was either Mariner¡¯s Rest or Gales¡¯s End. I didn¡¯t care enough back then to learn the specifics. ¡°That¡¯s not ideal, but it¡¯s not the worst news if it''s limited to Silvermane Wolves,¡± Cal noted another issue to investigate. ¡°Confident,¡± Vaela stated. ¡°You must be one of the few who practiced offensive spells before the Selection. I¡¯m glad for it, though. If you need help, let either of us know, and we¡¯ll pull you away from the Northern Wastes for some made-up emergency.¡± ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± Cal had looked for some hint of a scheme or disingenuity but saw none. Such kindness was rare in the core guild. By rare, it was never seen unless members were related or had romantic notions for the other. Even then, it seemed to end in tragedy. ¡°Ah, you must have had a taste of the game played among the Trainees,¡± Liora said knowingly. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to out here. The only reason we survive is by working together.¡± Not Trainees. I can barely remember that playground. It¡¯s my time as an Initiate in the core guild that stands out. ¡°What do you mean by survive? Surely the guild gives us enough allowance to be comfortable.¡± ¡°¡­ How were you not told?¡± Liora asked with a hint of suspicion. ¡°The punishment,¡± Vaela filled in for him with her assumption. ¡°The Overseer might be waiting to reveal that at the end to add the extra sting. The sadistic bastard.¡± That¡¯s the first I heard the Overseer described as such. ¡°Of course he did,¡± Liora sneered. ¡°It¡¯s not enough that our allowance is reduced to four gold a year. He has to rub it in whenever possible.¡± ¡°¡­ Four gold isn¡¯t enough for the bare necessities.¡± Cal knew that activating the interface came with a permanent cost for Initiates. Simply living needed one guildmark worth of supplies every year. Anything else and Initiates would literally starve to death. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°It''s good that you already know,¡± Vaela said as she glanced at the stall where he had spent eight gold. "If you regret splurging on the gifts, I can help you return them. The seller will accept it if he wants to keep his stall active.¡± Cal shook his head. ¡°Thank you, but no. I try to keep my word, and I already made the deal.¡± The two women shared a look before Liora spoke. ¡°We won¡¯t force you to go against that but save up all the funds you have left. Best to have it available for emergencies.¡± ¡°And another thing,¡± Vaela said immediately after, not giving Cal time to respond, ¡°Do you plan on visiting this town frequently?¡± Ah, here it comes. I knew there was something they wanted¡ªthe catch, the reason for the random kindness. ¡°This is the closest town to my station,¡± Cal shrugged. ¡°You see this bazaar?¡± Vaela asked rhetorically as she motioned around. ¡°We Initiates watch over the dealings such as this in shifts. Some of the artifacts that arrive over the sea are valuable enough for which the guild will gladly pay an exorbitant fee.¡± ¡°Seems simple enough.¡± Cal waited for the issue to be explained. ¡°Simple, he says,¡± Liora scoffed. ¡°We have to pool all our funds together to buy what we suspect the guild would want. Half the time, we fail to predict correctly, and all the money is lost.¡± ¡­ I can¡¯t believe that. ¡°It¡¯s a gamble worth taking part in,¡± Vaela assured. ¡°We succeed more often than not, but it is always a risk. Especially since we must cut our time at the job the guild will pay us for the shifts.¡± They¡¯re serious¡­ I never thought the guild is in worse shape than I already assumed. Third-rate is more than it deserves to be called. I wondered why the guild says ninety percent attrition rate. Now I know. They are ashamed to acknowledge the others. No reliable funds means no way for them to advance. No way for any menial [Class] to become masters of their field. ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot to absorb,¡± Vaela said when Cal stayed silent. ¡°Take as much time as you need. This is an open offer. Every person that joins reduces the burden on us all.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think it over,¡± Cal replied quietly. ¡°The others¡­ you told me I would be introduced. Why did they leave?¡± ¡°Your purchases,¡± Liora said bluntly. ¡°They were¡­ vexed to see a new Initiate spend so much after learning of the reduced allowance. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be less so when they learn you didn¡¯t know. Just give them some time to cool off before we make introductions.¡± That¡¯s understandable. I would feel the same in their shoes. ¡°So you both weren¡¯t bothered,¡± Cal said pointedly. Vaela laughed with Liora. ¡°Oh, we definitely were. We were just more curious about you than the others.¡± Cal shook his head and smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to meeting the others. Unfortunately, I have to get going soon if I want to make it back to the Northern Wastes before night.¡± Vaela nodded. ¡°Have a safe travel. And if we¡¯re not here when you¡¯re back in town, just speak to any Initiate available. They¡¯ll know of you.¡± ¡°Take care, Cal,¡± Liora added before they left to return to a few waiting Initiates. They will probably tell them I¡¯m not a complete idiot spendthrift. He left the bazaar and went through the town, retracing his steps to get to Orrin¡¯s shop. The tour was cut early, but it was for a reason that was more than acceptable. Seris could give him a more thorough tour when he returned. I spent enough time here. If I start now, I should be able to get some more work done before I have to turn in for the night. Cal heard the rhythmic pounding of metal on metal as he approached Orrin¡¯s smithy. He saw Seris loitering outside restlessly. She perked up when she saw him before rushing inside. He half-expected Orrin to start yelling at Seris for surprising him, but nothing of the sort happened. The hammer pounding on metal continued without a break. Cal entered the house and saw Seris waiting at the entrance to the backyard. She held a finger over her lips. He stood beside her and glanced into the smithy. Orrin had a sheen of sweat covering his body as his coarse clothes stuck to his body. The boy was relentlessly hammering a misshapen, glowing-red piece of metal into shape¡ªthough what Cal couldn¡¯t tell. It was too early in the process. Whatever the end result would be, Cal found this impressive. Seeing Orrin¡¯s skinny arms lift a hammer that must be half his body weight and bring it down at full force¡ªthen repeat it endlessly¡ªwas almost magical. ¡­ I¡¯m an idiot. Cal motioned for Seris to follow and exited the house to put some space between them and the smithy. ¡°Since when did Orrin use mana while smithing?¡± Seris scrunched her face in thought before shrugging cluelessly. ¡°It¡¯s been forever, as long as I can remember. Maybe five years?¡± I found a gem. How did Orrin not show up at the core guild? ¡°Were you serious when you said Orrin would ask the guild to let him join when he is my age?¡± ¡°Of course I was. Why would I joke about that?¡± Seris narrowed her eyes. ¡°Did those Initiates say something? They laughed when I asked them to help Orrin.¡± I would have done the same. But why did I never hear of Orrin before? The Celestial Order would roll out the red carpet for him. Unless another guild poached him before he could ask. Cal suddenly recalled what Vaela spoke of. Silvermane Wolves. Orrin might have been one of the deaths caused by those wolves¡­ I need to fix this. Someone like Orrin can¡¯t be lost because the Celestial Order can¡¯t be bothered to care about anything outside the core guild. He glanced at Seris and added her to the possible casualties. He didn¡¯t want that to happen either. The girl grew on him quickly. I was planning to give this to her later when I felt she earned it, but now is also fine. ¡°How would you like a job?¡± Cal asked abruptly. ¡°Me?¡± She pointed at herself dumbly, surprised at the change in subject. ¡°I need someone to visit me at the Northern Fields every day for the next month. I¡¯ll give you a list of supplies I need and money to buy them. I expect them to be delivered the next day.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Seris still had a blank expression. ¡°Since the travel might be dangerous, I¡¯ll give you this as an advance,¡± Cal pulled out the necklace he bought from Benan. ¡°What do you say?¡± With the way Seris almost vibrated in place, it was obvious. ¡°Really?! I can do it for way less, Cal. Like way, way less.¡± That convinces me even more. Is it silly for me to trust her while barely knowing her? Yes. But I¡¯m enjoying this. Better than being on guard constantly. ¡°And I¡¯m offering you this instead of way, way less,¡± Cal dangled the necklace again. He smirked when Seris snatched it from his hands. ¡°No takebacks!¡± She warned as she wore her new piece of jewelry. ¡°On one condition,¡± Cal said seriously, making Seris look at him fearfully. ¡°Remember what you did when we met Nismus?¡± She nodded with confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t repeat that. If you think I should do something else, explain instead of trying to force me.¡± ¡°But Nismus is super weird! He keeps trying to make me follow him as he shops.¡± He wants to make money¡­ now that I think about it, if the mortal knows, how do the Initiates not know of Seris? ¡°You might be right, but use words instead of immediately resorting to force.¡± Cal wondered when he became a mentor. ¡°You got it, boss,¡± Seris saluted with a cheeky smile. He rolled his eyes and decided to take that as acceptance. Orrin conveniently chose that time to take a pause in his work. ¡°You better go in before he starts again,¡± Seris commented when she saw him turn to the house in interest. ¡°You¡¯re not coming?¡± ¡°¡­ Orrin banned me after I distracted him again.¡± Chapter 11 - Hammertime Cal entered the backyard to see Orrin wiping himself down while sitting down and giving himself a breather. ¡°Initiate Cal,¡± Orrin gave him a slight nod. ¡°It¡¯s still too early. I¡¯ll need at least two hours to finish making the plow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here for that. I¡¯ll return tomorrow for the tools, so take your time,¡± Cal¡¯s eyes moved to the various hammers on the rack. ¡°Are any of those hammers for sale? I need one that is good for breaking up stones.¡± ¡°You mean a sledgehammer¡­ I have one available, but it is on the pricier end. It has nothing to do with material cost¡ªthough that is significant. It¡¯s one of my first successes in creating a Common ranked tool.¡± Common-ranked equipments weren¡¯t much in the grand scheme of things. Cal had used plenty in the core guild and some of the Uncommon rank, too. However, it was different when considering that Orrin hadn¡¯t even activated his interface yet. He really is remarkable. ¡°How much?¡± Cal somehow stopped himself from drooling. ¡°¡­ One silver? I¡ª¡± Orrin caught the coin flicked at him in surprise. He hadn¡¯t even finished speaking. ¡°Is it possible for you to make similar ranked tools for me? I don¡¯t mind paying an increased cost.¡± Orrin shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t assure you anything. The sledgehammer is my only success at making a Common tool so far.¡± ¡°If you end up being successful, I¡¯ll up the pay. Fifty copper per Common tool. How does that sound?¡± Cal wasn¡¯t being altruistic. It would benefit them both. The more motivation available, the higher the chance of success. I have seen this far too much to not use it. Orrin looked like he wanted to question why, but eventually, he just nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± He pulled the hammer with a long wooden handle and a flat metal head off the rack. After a moment of looking at it¡ªas if to memorize the tool''s appearance¡ªOrrin handed it to Cal. ¡°It was being wasted here anyway. Tools are meant to be used.¡± ¡°Well said,¡± Cal praised. He knew Orrin was trying to convince himself that it would be better to let the hammer go. ¡°I won¡¯t take up any more of your time. I¡¯ll see you soon, Orrin.¡± ¡°Farewell, Initiate Cal.¡± *** Cal dropped the heavy sledgehammer to the hard ground with a relieved groan. The trip back was nearly as devastating as the trek to Mariner¡¯s Rest. The sledgehammer he now carried nearly matched the combined weight of the three tools he found in the shed. His plan to continue working was nearly killed in its infancy, but the allure of gaining the sledgehammer as equipment pushed any tiredness away. He eyed the last spot he was at. Far too many stones were embedded into the ground around the shed¡ªhis new home for the foreseeable future. He made himself a goal. Before he returned to Mariner¡¯s Rest, he would break apart all the stones within a thirty feet diameter of the shed. It would have been a difficult ask with the pickaxe, but the sledgehammer was designed for this work. Cal grabbed the handle and hoisted the hammer over his shoulder, wincing at the sudden pressure added. He walked up to the nearest target and brought down the hammer with a grunt. CRACK! The stone shattered under the hammer¡¯s head, small pieces of rock scattering everywhere. You have gained [Common Sledgehammer: Excellent Quality] as equipment. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 4 That increase in [Tier] gave Cal a boost to continue. And the stone broke with a single hit from the sledgehammer. It didn¡¯t even require me to use all my strength. This tool is perfect. The usually silent Northern Wastes was filled with the repeated shattering of stones. The sledgehammer always succeeded in breaking what it was targeted at. An hour in, Cal saw the interface light up again. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 4 Skills: [Perfect Match: Novice 3] There were still a few hours until sunset, enough time to clear several dozen stones. CRACK! The sun had almost set over the horizon when the interface lit up again. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. [Tier] increase has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 5 Skills: [Perfect Match: Novice 4] Skill choices available. Choose one. [Stone Breaker: Novice 1] - You feel at peace when shattering stones into rock and rock into rubble. Your strength increases to twice your capacity when targeting all stones. As your mastery increases, no stone can stand in your way. [Master Negotiator: Novice 1] - You might be a [Farmer], but you feel at home while trading. You will have an easier chance of getting discounts, but that chance increases and decreases depending on the skill of the person you are negotiating with. As your mastery increases, the skill of others matters little. [Benevolent Mentor: Novice 1] - You cherish passing on your knowledge to others. Those who wish to learn from you will feel a sense of peace and clarity in your presence. The higher your mastery, the better the effect and the more loyalty you will inspire. Cal took heavy breaths and put the sledgehammer down. He supported his weight by leaning on the handle as he thought of the choices he was given. All the skills were related to activities he had been doing since the last time the interface showed him skill choices. Unlike before, he felt that he had a much more difficult decision ahead of him. Except for [Benevolent Mentor], the other skills would be useful immediately while also having drool-worthy long-term benefits. This should have resulted in an easy elimination, but [Benevolent Mentor] might have the best long-term benefits out of all of them. Loyalty was not to be discounted. It would almost always be worth more than anything that gave him personal power. The only issue was time. [Benevolent Mentor] would need time that he might not have. At first, [Stone Breaker] seemed like a joke of a skill, but a close reading of the description made it frightening. This would be the most useful skill in the short term, but that aspect was the one he was least interested in. Breaking the stones around the field could be done with or without the skill, but it was the wording of the future that got his attention. As your mastery increases, no stone can stand in your way. There were a lot of things that could be considered stone. Even mountains, if the definition was stretched. He would be able to reshape the world at his whim. ¡­ There I go again with my ambition. What will I do with the title of the strongest stone crusher? The world is controlled by flesh and blood, not stone. Cal shook his head roughly. So maybe there was one that could be eliminated. It still left [Master Negotiator]. That skill was self-explanatory. There is nothing that¡¯s forcing me to make my pick now. I¡¯ll sleep on it and see if there is a clear winner in my mind tomorrow. He hoisted the hammer over the shoulder¡ªnoting it felt like it weighed considerably less¡ªand trudged to the shed. The [Tier] increases were finally making a difference he could feel. *** Cal sat up, fully alert. His hand surrounded the handle of the sledgehammer with a death grip. I heard something. Despite the terrible conditions¡ªthe hard floor, creaky roof, whistling wind made worse by holes in the wall¡ªhe had been sleeping well. Something had woke him up, but he heard nothing as he strained his ears. I doubt it¡¯s the Silvermane Wolves. They won¡¯t stop with one howl. Even if they did, I would wake in the middle of the howl. Cal spent a few more seconds staying absolutely still before he decided to take a look. He put the sledgehammer over his shoulder and opened the door slowly. His attempt at being quiet was ruined by the screeching racket the door made¡ªa first since he arrived. Perfect timing. Truly. The moon provided more than enough light to see everything clearly. There was nothing out of place. All the stones he had shattered, pieces and all, were in the same place. There wasn¡¯t any movement that caught his attention either. Wait. What is that? Cal stared into the distance, near the edge of what could be seen in the moonlight. He could see two yellow eyes staring right at him. The wooden handle creaked under the pressure he was putting on it. He could do limited things with his mana, but those should be enough to deal with two or three wolves. The only reason I am confident I can deal with them is the odd solitary nature despite being in the wolf family. They only gather when they are faced with overwhelming force. I do not qualify. The wolf¡¯s head¡ªthe silhouette¡ªtilted up, eyes disappearing before it let out a long, mourning howl. Cal saw the eyes reappear when the howl ended, but he wasn¡¯t the target this time. It was looking at an irrelevant spot to his right. The wolf glanced at him after a while before turning away. He wasn¡¯t sure what happened and why the wolf felt it had to have a showdown for no reason. Cal had fully expected to get into a fight. Silvermane Wolves do not back down once spotted, or so he had read. Unless I wasn¡¯t the target. It was targeting something else, and my presence made it rethink the situation. He didn¡¯t take more than a second to decide to find out what had the wolf¡¯s attention. Cal¡¯s footsteps might as well have been hammer blows, given how quiet everything else was. The barrenness of the Northern Wastes had never been so clearly on display. He reached the area that the Silvermane Wolf was staring at intently and froze in shock. There was a hole¡ªlarge enough to swallow him whole. What type of beast could do this without me noticing? Thankfully, that wolf wasn¡¯t afraid of it, so I shouldn¡¯t be worried either. Cal spent nearly half an hour trying¡ªand failing¡ªto find what had dug up the hole. He eventually felt that he was just wasting time. I¡¯m not at a [Tier] where I can afford to skip on sleep. He scanned the area one last time before heading back to the shed. He might have better luck in the daylight if there was something to be found. Chapter 12 - Return to Town Cal woke to light shining directly into his eyes. He squinted and moved out of the way, hand already around the handle of the sledgehammer. That was a surprisingly good night of sleep. As long as I ignore the interruption in the middle of the night. Cal pushed himself up and kicked open the door with his foot, sledgehammer already on his shoulder. I need to get a holder for this. Maybe a strap. He walked directly to where the hole appeared in the ground and saw it was deeper than he had assumed. He would drop well over twenty feet before he would touch dirt. The hole is likely dug from above. The opening looks like it was pushed inward. Cal still couldn¡¯t see any sign of what beast could have done this¡­ and why the hole was dug in the first place. There couldn¡¯t have been something worth the effort that had been buried, but even if that was the case, any evidence was long gone. ¡­ It¡¯s not worth the time to investigate this. I don¡¯t particularly care to find out what caused this other than sating my curiosity. He gave a last glance at the hole before going back to work. The now-light sledgehammer was barely a thought on his shoulder as he merrily made his way to the first stone he was about to destroy. Cal hadn¡¯t forgotten that he still needed to choose his second skill. He was just putting it off as long as possible until a clear answer came to him. Last night¡¯s sleep didn¡¯t help to make a choice clear. CRACK! With a small grunt, he hoisted the sledgehammer back on his shoulder. All he needed to do now was casually swing to break the stone. It was no longer necessary to use all his strength. He looked around, estimating that at least two hundred more stones were between the shed and the beginning of the dirt path leading to the interior of the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. Clearing all of them would make a clean walkway, around ten feet wide. It didn¡¯t really accomplish anything else other than that. After all, he was just breaking stones. Cal abandoned his previous goal of clearing everything within thirty feet of the shed. He had time for that later since there was nothing rushing him. I need to stop thinking of this as clearing. Even after I shatter the stones, I still need to remove the rock pieces. CRACK! He zoned out¡ªalmost in a meditative trance¡ªas he moved from stone to stone, leaving each one as rubble. The sun moved high in the sky, bearing heat down on his body, but it did little to stop him from his mission to reach the beginning on the dirt path. CRACK! Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 6 Skills: [Perfect Match: Novice 5] Cal¡¯s breathing had been getting heavier by the hour, but the [Tier] increase immediately let him return to regular breaths¡ªas if he had been doing nothing strenuous. He tested his strength by waving the sledgehammer with one arm before laughing loudly in excitement. It feels like I¡¯m waving around a toothpick. Cal stopped playing around and brought the sledgehammer close to see if it had any wear and tear from the repeated stone smashing. The interface didn¡¯t warn him that it had deteriorated. Still, there was clearly a range before it was considered of a lower quality. He could see the slight dings and dents covering the metal head. It was in no way affecting the sledgehammer''s efficiency, so everything he could see was just cosmetic. A Common-ranked tool shouldn¡¯t be this durable. This is either the result of Orrin¡¯s smithing or [Perfect Match] working on the sledgehammer. I think it is more likely to be the latter. It would be ideal if the interface could quantify the requirements for the upgrade. But I don¡¯t have that information. A few more stones stood between him and the dirt path. He glanced at the sky and figured this would be what he could finish for the day before traveling to Mariner¡¯s Rest. Any longer, he might have to stay in an inn to avoid coming back in the night. CRACK! Demolishing the stones wasn¡¯t as fulfilling as before. Still, it was better than sweating like a dog after every few swings. Cal made quick work of the rest. What would have taken him well over an hour was finished in less than ten minutes. CRACK! Your equipment [Common Sledgehammer] has been upgraded to [Uncommon Sledgehammer]. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. He stared at the tool in surprise as it glowed a soft white. It didn¡¯t last long, but the metal head was changed in a subtle manner. There were faint, white streaks running throughout the metal head. They couldn¡¯t be seen unless he looked at the sledgehammer from different angles, but they were hard to miss once spotted. ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Cal muttered in shock. Reading the skill effects in the interface was one thing, but it was completely different when it happened in his hands. ¡°What¡¯s ridiculous?¡± He snapped his head up to see Seris staring at him. Her smile was so wide it stretched from cheek to cheek. ¡°Nothing,¡± Cal shook his head, but it didn¡¯t lessen the crazed smile on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just smashing up rocks. I used to do this as a kid,¡± Seris laughed. ¡°Funny you say that. You still are a kid,¡± Cal said drily. It didn''t affect her at all. ¡°So, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to report for duty, boss!¡± Seris gave him a sloppy salute. ¡°Orrin finished the tools you wanted. They¡¯re ready for you.¡± I forgot that I gave her a job. ¡°Oh good!¡± Cal pretended like he had been expecting her. ¡°I was pretty much done for the morning. Let¡¯s get going.¡± *** ¡°Did you pretend to be tired yesterday just to make me carry your tools?¡± Seris asked with her arms crossed. Cal had basically waltzed down the stairs that almost put him on his knees yesterday. The multiple [Tier] advances he had gained from smashing too many stones caused the change. ¡°I am an Initiate, Seris. I get stronger every day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that easy?¡± She questioned with doubt. ¡°I see other Initiates get winded going up and down these stairs. And this is after months of them experiencing it for the first time.¡± ¡°What can I say?¡± Cal shrugged. ¡°Maybe this is something unique to me.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright. You can stay suspicious, boss.¡± Seris repeated her sloppy salute. ¡°Anyway, what do you want to do in town today? Go back to the bazaar?¡± ¡°Not the bazaar,¡± Cal rejected immediately. He didn¡¯t want to meet the other Initiates again this quickly. ¡°Maybe the central market in town. That might be interesting.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Seris''s excitement deflated. ¡°What about the port? That¡¯s way more interesting.¡± That still requires me to go through the bazaar. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fit everything at once. You can show me the port another day.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see if you feel that way after seeing the market,¡± Seris scowled as they walked to Orrin¡¯s smith. ¡°It¡¯s really, really boring.¡± ¡°Hm, be that as it may, you are my tour guide, are you not?¡± ¡°¡­ Right you are, boss,¡± Seris gave him another sloppy salute, which was becoming her signature, before stepping aside. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go inside without me. Orrin banned me until he was done making all your stuff.¡± Cal raised an eyebrow. ¡°You interrupted him again?¡± ¡°No,¡± Seris huffed. ¡°He didn¡¯t want me to be near him because he is using the expensive stuff for your tools.¡± He laughed at her affronted expression. ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s just taking precautions, and rightfully so.¡± Seris narrowed her eyes before motioning to the open doorway. ¡°You should head in, boss.¡± He chuckled and gave her a backward wave as he entered, heading directly to the workshop. Orrin was polishing an immaculate shovel, running a rag over the metal with an almost concerning expression. ¡°Orrin?¡± Cal stepped slowly into the backyard. "Seris told me that everything was complete.¡± His voice startled Orrin enough that the boy jumped to his feet and almost dropped the shovel in surprise. ¡°Initiate Cal!¡± Orrin¡¯s smile was blinding. ¡°I did it! It¡¯s a Common-ranked shovel!¡± Ah, that expression makes more sense now. ¡°Congratulations, Orrin!¡± Cal was genuinely enthusiastic, both for Orrin and himself. ¡°Did you get an idea of how to make this a consistent result?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a step closer,¡± Orrin¡¯s excitement made his personality nearly match Seris¡¯s. His usual formality and maturity had disappeared. ¡°I just need to test some techniques a few more times¡ªIs that the sledgehammer you bought from me?¡± Orrin¡¯s excitement cut off abruptly when his eyes met the sledgehammer Cal had over his shoulder. I knew this would happen, but hiding my equipment isn''t an option if my assumption of Orrin¡¯s future success as a blacksmith is correct. He should be aware that they occasionally and inexplicably get upgraded. Now, I need to act mysterious. ¡°It is,¡± Cal nodded, choosing not to explain further. ¡°¡­ And it¡¯s now an Uncommon-ranked tool?¡± Orrin continued his questioning in disbelief. ¡°Correct,¡± another nod from Cal with nothing else added. Orrin¡¯s gained a near worshipful look in his eyes. ¡°Are you a blacksmith, Initiate Cal?¡± ¡°Not even a little. I couldn¡¯t tell you the basics if my life depended on it.¡± The boy nodded slowly¡ªhis expression displaying envy before he did his best to hide it. I can¡¯t allow that. It will fester into something unpleasant. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it in the future,¡± Cal said, lifting the sledgehammer off his shoulder, his hand high on the wooden handle, touching the metal head. "How about I leave this with you while I explore the town with Seris? You can study it. Maybe it¡¯ll help with your future forging.¡± ¡°Really!?¡± Orrin¡¯s excitement was back¡ªeven more than it was previously. ¡°Really,¡± Cal confirmed. He offered the sledgehammer handle first. ¡°Have at it.¡± Orrin slowly reached out and grabbed the handle with both hands. It looked like he was being given the greatest gift of his life. If he gains an advantage, it¡¯s good for him and me. The guild pays out of the nose to buy good tools and weapons. I can only benefit if I am on good terms with a skilled blacksmith. Plus, I like this kid. People who are serious about their craft always have my respect. ¡°Thank you, Initiate Cal,¡± Orrin inclined his head in gratitude. ¡°This will be of immeasurable help. I expected it would be years before I could study an Uncommon-ranked tool.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a hardship, so don¡¯t mention it,¡± Cal said before moving away from the subject since it looked like Orrin wouldn¡¯t. ¡°Let¡¯s see the new tools you made me.¡± Orrin looked like he had forgotten that was the reason for the visit. ¡°Right, yes!" He gingerly placed the sledgehammer head-first on the ground before quickly removing the plow from the rack. ¡°Here you are. The shovel and plow you asked for, Initiate Cal. The plow is of the Basic rank, but I was able to make a Common-ranked shovel.¡± The pride in Orrin¡¯s voice was subdued compared to before the reveal of the upgraded sledgehammer. However, Cal could still sense a significant amount in those words. Rightfully so. I can¡¯t wait to see what he can do in the future. ¡°They look great,¡± Cal smiled. They looked no different from any other well-made¡ªbut typical¡ªplow and shovel. Still, compared to the ruined, rusted mess he had brought here, they were fantastic. ¡°Go ahead with the pickaxe, and what do you think about making a wheelbarrow?¡± ¡°A wheelbarrow?¡± Orrin repeated slowly. ¡°I never made one before, but it shouldn¡¯t be an issue. It has a simple shape.¡± ¡°Great! I¡¯d like you to make them for me, but before that, try to see if studying the sledgehammer helps. If it gets me better quality tools, I am more than willing to wait.¡± Cal paused before adding, ¡°As long as it isn¡¯t too long. Would studying it even make a difference if it¡¯s only for a few hours each day? I can only lend you the sledgehammer when I¡¯m in town.¡± ¡°I assumed that,¡± Orrin didn¡¯t look upset in the least. ¡°I don¡¯t know the answer, but hopefully, I¡¯ll have a good one for you at the end of the day.¡± ¡°I wish you success, Orrin. How much do I owe you for everything? This is including the new commissions.¡± The boy tilted his head in thought. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not sure. The wheelbarrow needs more material than I usually use. Can we decide the payment after I make everything?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what works best, sure.¡± Cal was more than happy to accommodate the request. It wasn¡¯t anything troublesome, but even if it was, he would have accepted. Anything to avoid distracting him. I want him to be in his best mental state to gain benefit from the sledgehammer. [Perfect Match] will eventually upgrade my tools, but having a higher base in the first place will save time. ¡°Is that all, Initiate Cal?¡± Orrin looked antsy. He wanted to get to the sledgehammer as soon as possible. I¡¯ll give him his wish. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll leave all the tools with you and take them when I leave town.¡± Orrin gave him a mumbled acknowledgment, his attention already shifting away to the sledgehammer. Cal let him be and left the smithy. Chapter 13 - Disappointing Market ¡°I consider this my best piece, Initiate Cal. You won¡¯t go wrong choosing this.¡± Cal hummed noncommittally as he stared at massive strips of leather being offered to him. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Seris hasn¡¯t led me wrong so far.¡± The man beamed at the girl in question. ¡°Our Seris has always been reliable.¡± Our Seris? Is she the town mascot? Cal glanced at her as he nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go over this again. A leather strap that hangs across my shoulders which can support up to three large tools. Another strap that goes around my waist, with small pouches and holes for a few smaller tools. And a bag you will make with the leftovers.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the leatherworker nodded eagerly. ¡°You¡¯re asking two silver for them,¡± Cal commented, stating a fact. It was well over the regular price for such work. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the leatherworker continued to be a bobblehead. ¡°I take pride in my work, Initiate Cal. I will guarantee a refund or a replacement if it fails you for any reason during its intended use.¡± I don¡¯t see a downside to this. This man is a lifelong resident of the town. It¡¯s not like he can run away from his promises. ¡°Go ahead. Send it with Seris when it¡¯s ready. She¡¯ll have the payment for you.¡± Cal officially gave her the first task as her boss. ¡°Oh! Our Seris is moving up in the world!¡± The leatherworker schmoozed. ¡°Seris, you¡¯ll have to tell me when¡ª¡± Cal had to turn away and walk out of the shop. Keeping a straight face in that man¡¯s presence was becoming difficult. He really reminds me of the hanger-ons that followed me around in the core guild. It''s not a pleasant association to have. He looked around the sleepy market with some disappointment. Meeting Seris and Orrin and experiencing the surprisingly lively Dockside Bazaar had given him unrealistic expectations of the town. This is likely a good thing. My funds are running out at an uncomfortable pace. Who knows how much I might have spent if there was something interesting here? ... Having to worry about money is a strange feeling. Cal heard the leather shop''s door open before Seris stood beside him. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s trustworthy? He tried too hard to ingratiate himself.¡± ¡°Ohhh,¡± Seris extended the word with a look of realization. ¡°That¡¯s why you looked so annoyed! He didn¡¯t mean anything, boss. That¡¯s just how he talks to anyone who looks like a customer.¡± ¡°Hm, I see.¡± Cal found that hard to believe. At least, he found it hard to believe that the man was fanatically salivating over every customer like he was toward an Initiate. ¡°Anyway, you might have been right about the market. There isn¡¯t much here.¡± ¡°I told you,¡± Seris said with a shrug. "Other than the leather shop and the blacksmith, it¡¯s just normal stuff for the people living here, like food¡­ and other people things.¡± Mortal food is useless to me. ¡°People things? Well said, Seris.¡± Cal chuckled. ¡°Even still, I find it surprising that so few are here. Where does everyone spend their day?¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably working at the port,¡± Seris perked up. ¡°Do you want to go there now?¡± ¡°In time,¡± Cal ignored the happy little jump she made. ¡°Before that, where can I buy a map?¡± I will need maps of the surrounding territories. Although I don¡¯t plan to leave the guild¡¯s territory as quickly as I originally intended, I see that happening in the future. Seris stared at him blankly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe in one of the larger towns.¡± Cal was taken aback. ¡°There are none in a town where sailors are frequent visitors?¡± ¡°Uh, they might have some, but I don¡¯t know of anyone in town that sells maps.¡± I didn¡¯t expect that. Luckily, I have a hands-off solution. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to do that for me, Seris. Find out where I can find maps of the surrounding territories and a map of the Celestial Order¡¯s territory.¡± Seris narrowed her eyes, looking defiant. ¡°But that¡¯s not part of my job.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Cal agreed readily. ¡°How would you like that to be part of your job? I want to hire you as my assistant.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Seris¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, giving away what her reply would be. ¡°Yes! How much do I get for this, boss? One gold a month? No! That¡¯s too cheap for a big shot like you. Two gold! Right?¡± ¡­ I can see why she thinks this would be her payment. I did splurge multiple lifetimes worth of currency for a mortal yesterday. ¡°I was thinking one silver a week,¡± Cal corrected with a raised brow. ¡°That is more than generous.¡± ¡°Oh, well, I guess that¡¯s fine, too,¡± Seris said, holding out a hand. She was too quick with it and seemed far too happy, even though he was offering far less than she had assumed. Cal chuckled as he shook her hand to seal the deal. ¡°I suspect you were trying to see if I would pay you that ridiculous sum.¡± ¡°What can I say, boss. You might have gone for it,¡± Seris admitted without shame. ¡°Besides, if you actually agreed, it would mean that amount is nothing for you.¡± ¡°I hope you use this attitude when you deal with other people in my place,¡± Cal praised indirectly. There was another reason he wanted to hire Seris. ¡°Yes, boss,¡± Seris gave him the usual sloppy salute. The interface seems to give me skill choices based on my activity. I dealt with Benan, smashed rocks, and interacted with kids. All the skill choices I recently got were related to them. I have to be mindful of what I do from now. It would be foolish not to try and tailor the skills I get offered. Any task I feel would be detrimental to that, I can offload to Seris. ¡°Is there anything else you want to do here?¡± Seris prodded. ¡°No,¡± Cal sighed when he saw her knowing grin. ¡°We can go to the port.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Seris cheered. ¡°I spend most of my time there whenever I¡¯m not hunting. The stories the sailors tell are so interesting!¡± Cal hummed absentmindedly. He was thinking of the Initiates he would meet again on the way. I really don¡¯t have an interest in joining their operation. I have nothing against it, but I absolutely abhor wasting time. Standing around and watching others make purchases is the definition of that. Perhaps my view will change if I am in dire need of currency, but that is not now. The guild will not cut me off since they still have hopes that I will be reclassified as a [Mage] in one month. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Cal had walked to the bazaar on autopilot. Seris was staring at him tensely, and he quickly saw why. Vaela was walking towards them. ¡°What should I do?¡± Seris asked with darting eyes, clearly eager to be anywhere but here. ¡°Stay,¡± Cal ordered. ¡°You¡¯re working for me as my personal assistant. You might have to speak with people like her in the future.¡± ¡°Do I have to?¡± Seris almost whined in a whisper. Cal ignored that and smiled apologetically at Vaela. ¡°I still haven¡¯t made up my mind, but I have to admit that I¡¯m leaning toward not participating.¡± He was surprised to see that Vaela didn¡¯t look dispirited by that. ¡°It¡¯s not for everyone, especially new Initiates. As I said before, this is an open offer,¡± Vaela smiled. "And hello, by the way, Cal. Nice to see you again.¡± Cal smiled back sheepishly. ¡°Hello, Vaela.¡± He noticed that she was ignoring Seris. That wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°This is my personal assistant. Seris, meet Vaela.¡± Vaela was visibly surprised. It might have resulted from being put on the spot, but she offered a greeting. Seris¡¯s hesitant wave was given a strained smile from Vaela. She turned her attention back to Cal. ¡°A personal assistant? Do you see yourself being too busy in the future?¡± ¡°I hope that¡¯s the case,¡± Cal smiled but offered no extra information. Vaela chuckled at the short answer. ¡°I will assume you plan to impress the Overseer by performing a miracle in the Northern Wastes. I¡¯ll watch out for Seris if she runs into trouble, so focus on what you¡¯re doing in peace.¡± She¡¯s not that far off. ¡°That¡¯s kind. Thank you, Vaela,¡± Cal nudged Seris, who mumbled an inaudible thanks before trying to make herself invisible. ¡°It¡¯ll take barely any effort on my part, so it¡¯s no trouble for me. It looks like you¡¯re in a rush again, so let me get to what I approached you for. You¡¯re invited to a little get-together in three weeks. We have it every few months, and it''s a perfect place to meet everyone properly.¡± Cal raised an eyebrow, noticing the discreet glances he was getting from multiple unknown Initiates around the bazaar. "That sounds interesting. I¡¯ll be there.¡± The date was far enough that he should either be settled or out of the area altogether. ¡°Excellent!¡± Vaela smiled¡ªshe did that a lot. ¡°I¡¯ll inform the others. I¡¯ll let you be.¡± She paused and looked at Seris. ¡°Take care, Seris.¡± Cal had to stop himself from laughing when Seris started choking on air as Vaela walked away. ¡°Was it that much of a surprise?¡± ¡°Boss, that¡¯s the first time one of those Initiates acknowledged me!¡± Seris looked like she might faint. ¡°Well, you might have to get used to it,¡± Cal patted her on the back. ¡°You know, you¡¯re a pretty cool guy, boss.¡± She has forgotten I¡¯m an Initiate, too. He smirked but didn¡¯t say anything. They made quick work of the bazaar, passing it without getting distracted by the sellers trying to hawk their wares. Benan was in his spot, but he was one of the few who didn¡¯t do anything to attract them. The only thing that the man did was give them a slight nod. He did swindle eight gold out of me. He must be content for now. They entered what could be considered the start of the port. The mix of fresh salt air and the ocean breeze was stronger than ever, with an occasional waft of fish from the many fishing boats unloading their catches. Cal looked around and noticed an absence of Initiates, which was strange to him. Plenty of merchant vessels were unloading their cargo, so there was undoubtedly profit to be had. The guild may have placed strict rules about interference here. ¡°Interesting, right?¡± Cal glanced at Seris to see her waiting eagerly for him to agree. ¡°That¡¯s yet to be seen. What could possibly interest me here?¡± I wanted to be mindful of the places I visited, and I¡¯m already breaking that. What skill will the interface offer if I actually enter the port? A fishing skill? I should back out. ¡°Boss, are you not a farmer? A bunch of crop seeds come into the ports all the time. They get shipped off to the city, so this is the only place you can see them in town.¡± Seris¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Oh! And I saw a large animal thingy with something heavy attached to it. You can probably use it for farm work, right?¡± Cal stared at her silently in surprise. Seris lost her confidence. ¡°¡­ I guess you don¡¯t need them? I heard you couldn¡¯t farm in the Northern Wastes. Sorry, boss. We can¡ª¡± Cal interrupted her. ¡°You did good, Seris.¡± She regained all the confidence she had lost. ¡°I knew you¡¯d love it!¡±
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above. Chapter 14 - Crop Seeds ¡°Let¡¯s go straight to wherever the crop seeds are.¡± Cal was eager to see if this included crops beneficial for people with activated interfaces. He expected them since Seris mentioned the seeds were sent to the city. The guild wouldn¡¯t bother to do so with mortal crops. I was planning to convince the Overseer to give me crop seeds. I would love to avoid doing that. ¡°You don¡¯t want to speak to the sailors? I bet they can tell you about the places they visited. You might even find the map you want.¡± If I interact with sailors too much, the interface might offer me a sailing skill. No, thank you. ¡°I see. I guess that means you are rejecting my job offer? This is something I asked you to do, Seris.¡± ¡°Ah! I was just kidding, boss.¡± Seris turned away from him and speed-walked as if that would help her distance herself from his words. Cal didn¡¯t mind. He was happy to trail behind and observe the port in near anonymity. The few he had passed in town were beyond wary of his presence. The people in the bazaar were used to Initiates, so they didn¡¯t react much. The port was another type of experience. He got a taste of what it felt to be invisible for the first time in his life. There were no wary looks, no respectful glances, no explicit attempt to avoid him. Everyone was too busy doing their own thing. Whether that meant the sailors relaxing near the moored ships of varying sizes, the plethora of porters carrying a tremendous load on their shoulders, or the innumerable others going about their business. Everyone was too busy to take a second look at him. This is a strange feeling. I can¡¯t think of a time when I was this insignificant to others. It is¡­ unpleasantly pleasant. Cal put that aside and took in the sheer sprawl of the port. From the top of the cliff, he had seen that it was larger than the town, but a decent portion had been blocked from his view. The fishing boats were closer to the boardwalk¡ªhe could only assume most of the fishermen were people from the town. The merchant vessels were moored on the other end, with more waiting near the shore to get their turn to dock. Warehouses were plentiful, with the largest in a cluster close to the cliffside. Still, there were smaller ones near the shore, where they were used as temporary storage places for the wares on the ships¡ªfor both unloading and loading. I see the livestock Seris mentioned. They are being herded onto a ship. ¡°Seris, is the animal you were talking about one of those?¡± Cal pointed at the animals walking up the large plank. She squinted for a second before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Those are grazing animals meant for slaughterhouses. New batches come in all the time, so I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you, boss.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Cal praised as they passed an enormous inn with a sign over its entrance. No Vacancy. That makes sense. I wouldn¡¯t call the port ¡®packed,¡¯ but there are plenty to fill a single inn. ¡°There it is, boss. Drex is the guy in charge of the crop seeds. He likes me, so there shouldn¡¯t be a problem if we ask to look at what¡¯s available.¡± A shockingly skinny man wearing well-kept clothes hanging off his frame held a clipboard. He was directing porters to place barrels in stacks of three, likely in preparation for moving them to the city, Lumina. A large elevator powered by a series of pulleys was nearby to the stacked barrels. It was currently carrying hundreds of crates up the cliff without issue, and he could see people waiting at the top of the cliff to unload it. When Seris mentioned a pulley system, I didn¡¯t think it would be this expansive. Which is my mistake. With a port this large, the elevator will need to match the flow of goods to the guild. ¡°Drex!¡± Seris called out as she sped up. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in forever!¡± Cal watched with interest as she went in for a hug without hesitation. The man, Drex, almost dropped his clipboard. He looked shocked before he realized who was hanging off his body. ¡°Seris! Didn¡¯t I say you can¡¯t do this? What if I was doing something dangerous?¡± ¡­ The girl seems to have a fondness for interrupting people without warning. Come to think of it, Orrin isn¡¯t the only other person she did this to. She surprised me this morning. ¡°But you weren¡¯t,¡± Seris said pointedly before switching subjects when Drex looked angrier. ¡°And that¡¯s not important! I have a boss now, Drex. He wants to take a look at the crop seeds.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°A boss?¡± Drex frowned when he finally noticed Cal. ¡°An Initiate. What need do you have to hire Seris for anything?¡± Not fearful, this one. He doesn¡¯t care for my guild status. Interesting. ¡°I ran into Seris, and she offered me help,¡± Cal said casually. ¡°I figured I might as well pay her for it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Drex¡¯s frown grew more severe. He glanced at Seris, asking her silently if what Cal said was true. Her rapid nodding convinced him. ¡°So, you¡¯re interested in crop seeds.¡± Drex gently pushed Seris away, having had enough of the hug. ¡°Well, I am a farmer,¡± Cal said dryly. ¡°Hm,¡± Drex paused for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal to let you see what I¡¯m shipping to Lumina, but it¡¯s another to let you take any without logging it.¡± The goal is to be independent of the Overseer. He wants me to be a [Mage]. Allowing me to have crop seeds is not conducive to that. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to hide anything. My goal is to get my crop seeds directly from the source.¡± ¡°¡­ I should ask why you don¡¯t want to go through the normal guild procurement process, but I don¡¯t really care. You do realize that the cost won¡¯t be cheaper? The guild doesn¡¯t markup the price when they sell to their members.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Cal nodded. ¡°Alright then,¡± Drex waved his hand, directing the porters to shift their stacking to one side. He motioned for Cal to follow. ¡°What types of crop seeds are you interested in?¡± ¡°Something that grows in a harsh environment. The place I¡¯m stationed has poor soil and scarce water.¡± Drex froze and gave him a puzzled look. ¡°The guild only puts farmers on fertile land. Either this is a lie, or you¡¯re being punished.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lie,¡± Cal said a half-truth. It wasn¡¯t a punishment either, but explaining that was unnecessary. ¡°This is making more sense. Where are you stationed?¡± ¡®The Northern Wastes.¡± The moment the words left Cal¡¯s mouth, he saw the immediate change in expression. ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡± Drex shook his head when Cal didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°You don¡¯t have ¡®poor¡¯ soil there. You have no soil! There¡¯s a reason it¡¯s called the wastes.¡± ¡°I plan to fix that issue,¡± Cal said confidently. My ¡®plan¡¯ might be based on the skills the interface will offer me in the future, but I believe I can do it. After all, I¡¯m a [Farmer]. Drex scoffed. ¡°Look, anything I have in stock won¡¯t grow there. Even if you miraculously solve the soil issue, I still have nothing in stock. I¡¯ll have to special order Sunfire Grains, which will cost you an arm and a leg.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so special about Sunfire Grains?¡± Cal ignored Drex¡¯s pessimism. ¡°They¡¯re designed to be grown in terrible environments. They grow in bunches close to the ground and have roots that extend deep below to tap into any water reserves. You can find them thriving in deserts¡­ but the Northern Wastes is worse than a desert.¡± Drex couldn¡¯t help but add the last part when he saw Cal¡¯s eyes gleam. ¡°That sounds promising. How much would this cost me?¡± Cal asked eagerly. Drex stared at him for a moment before looking at Seris. ¡°This is your new boss? Are you sure you want that?¡± ¡°Hey! Boss knows what he¡¯s doing!¡± Seris glanced at Cal before muttering quietly, ¡°I mean, I think he does.¡± Cal chuckled at that. ¡°You heard her. So, how much?¡± Drex sighed. ¡°Give me a moment. Let me check the current prices.¡± He immediately left them to head to the shore toward a massive ship that looked like it was about to disembark to sail off. He waved to get someone''s attention and sped up his walking speed. Cal looked away from Drex¡¯s retreating figure and focused on Seris. ¡°How do you know all these people?¡± I¡¯ve been too distracted to find out Seris¡¯s background. Now, I¡¯m too curious not to learn more. ¡°I told you, I grew up in town. It¡¯s hard to not know the people in them,¡± Seris said with a shrug. Cal doubted that was the reason. He didn¡¯t think she was lying, but more so that she was unaware. ¡°I see. I never asked, but what do your parents do? You never mentioned them before.¡± ¡°Oh! They¡¯re sailors!¡± What? A simple roundtrip trip to a nearby port will take a few months, while a more likely destination will take close to a year. ¡°How often do you see them?¡± Cal wondered who raised her if she had lived in town the entire time. ¡°Uh, maybe once or twice a year?¡± Seris quickly added more when she saw Cal¡¯s confused expression. ¡°They love me. It¡¯s just their job.¡± ¡°So, the townspeople raised you then?¡± Cal made the obvious guess. ¡°Yes,¡± Seris nodded. ¡°We¡¯re like one big family!¡± Cal¡¯s lips twitched in amusement. ¡°That¡¯s nice¡­ but that leads me to another question. Why do you not like the blacksmith if the town is your family?¡± Seris¡¯s face twisted with displeasure. ¡°Oh, that guy moved into town last year. He acts like he¡¯s blessing everyone with his presence, and he refuses to let Orrin train under him. He¡¯s terrible.¡± That makes sense. I feel that anyone who wrongs Orrin in Seris¡¯s eyes is immediately considered terrible. ¡°Boss, Drex is back.¡± Cal looked in the direction she pointed to see Drex a few strides away. ¡°Five gold per barrel. This is without the twenty percent bulk discount the guild usually gets. But you will need to order a minimum of twenty barrels for the discount.¡± Drex was blunt, clearly expecting Cal to shy away after he heard the price. Twenty barrels will cost eighty gold. Or eight guildmarks. That¡¯s out of the question. ¡°How large of a field will one barrel cover?¡± Cal thought about the space he was clearing around his shed. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re stubborn.¡± Drex sighed. ¡°Look, if you¡¯re serious about this, I¡¯m willing to visit your station. I can give you exact quantities if I see it for myself.¡± Cal¡¯s raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°That would be amazing, but didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s no hope of me growing anything?¡± ¡°I did, and I still think that. But Seris is working for you.¡± Drex said that as if it explained everything. Is this a warning to treat Seris well? Someone like Drex must have some pull in the guild if they trust him to deal with crop grains worth this much. ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you beforehand,¡± Cal gave him a slight nod. ¡°Could you come in a few days? Seris can lead you there.¡± The Overseer should arrive tomorrow with my personal effects. I don¡¯t want Drex or Seris to meet him. ¡°Sure, that works,¡± Drex agreed readily. ¡°Now, if you can excuse me. I have work to do.¡± He clapped his hands and motioned for the porters to resume stacking the side avoided by his earlier instruction. Seris tugged at Cal¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go. He¡¯ll get cranky if we disturb him anymore.¡± I didn¡¯t expect to find what I needed so quickly. It¡¯s been less than an hour, and Orrin likely hasn¡¯t had a chance to study the sledgehammer too closely. ¡°Show me around. I have a few hours to kill, so I might as well see why you like the port so much.¡± Seris gave him a blinding smile in response. Chapter 15 - Little Thief Cal quickly learned that what interested Seris did not interest him at all. She spent well over an hour telling him too much about ships. It was in so much detail that he feared this would influence the next skill choice. Now that I know her parents are sailors, it makes sense why she is attracted to the port. I gave her enough time to have her fun. Orrin will have to deal with only having a few hours to study the sledgehammer. ¡°¡ªship needs a fifty-man crew just to¡ª¡± ¡°Seris,¡± Cal interrupted, ¡°I have to head back to my station.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Seris looked put out. ¡°Why so early, boss? You can¡¯t really do anything there besides smashing up more stones.¡± She¡¯s not wrong. But I will smash as many stones as necessary with an entire week of boosted [Tier] growth. The shovel Orrin made also helps. I can move the rocks into a nice pile. Hopefully, that will also add to my growth. ... I¡¯m really more of a miner than a [Farmer] right now. But it looks like as long as I better my field, it will count toward my [Tier] growth. ¡°I happen to like smashing up stones.¡± Seris stared at him before letting out a puff of air. ¡°Alright, I guess I already covered most of the ships.¡± *** ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Seris didn¡¯t dare to move closer to the entrance of Orrin¡¯s house. ¡°He really scared you into listening,¡± Cal said with a bit of surprise. Seris pretended like she didn¡¯t hear him. He chuckled as he walked in. There was no sound of hammerblows coming from the smithy, so it was likely that Orrin was still studying the sledgehammer. Cal stepped into the backyard and saw that he was wrong. The sledgehammer sat off to a corner while Orrin measured fine minerals into small piles. ¡°Orrin?¡± He announced his presence. Orrin looked up and smiled when he saw Cal. ¡°Initiate Cal! I¡¯ve made excellent progress! I thank you for letting me borrow your sledgehammer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great news!¡± Cal cheered him along. ¡°How do you feel about your success rate in making Common-ranked tools?¡± ¡°I feel good enough that I wish to redo the plow, Initiate Cal. I¡¯m confident that I can upgrade it.¡± Cal¡¯s brow rose high on his forehead. Orrin doesn¡¯t seem like one who likes to boast about his capabilities. Such progress is stunningly rare. I will not need the plow for some time, so it won¡¯t be a headache to let him do as he wishes. ¡°Done,¡± Cal smiled. ¡°Just make it the lowest priority. I want the wheelbarrow and pickaxe done first.¡± Orrin hesitated for a moment. ¡°If the plow is your lowest priority, it would be better if I work on it first. That way, I can test my new techniques on it.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense,¡± Cal agreed. ¡°Very well, let¡¯s do it your way. But if you can make the wheelbarrow by tomorrow, it will be greatly appreciated.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Initiate Cal,¡± Orrin gave him a firm nod. *** Cal entered his shed with a relieved sigh. The trip to the town was pleasant, especially with the lack of need to watch for surprise backstabbing like in the core guild. However, he was still the most comfortable when alone. I never thought a place like this would be where I feel most comfortable. A dingy shack that even a core guild member¡¯s pet would turn its nose up against. He placed his sledgehammer and shovel down before sitting on the floor. One thing I¡¯m looking forward to is getting my things tomorrow. I won¡¯t have to sleep on the hard floor, though it wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought last night. Cal summoned his interface and stared at the red text. The trip to the town¡ªspeaking with Orrin and Seris¡ªeliminated one skill out of the two he was considering. He wouldn¡¯t be choosing [Benevolent Mentor]. He liked the two kids, without a doubt. However, he wasn¡¯t keen to have a gaggle of them around him. [Benevolent Mentor] was a skill that would surround him with loyal subordinates, but he was well aware of his personality. He had never tried to gain political power in the guild, just personal power. That was why he was generally liked by the high-ups. While Cal wished to change himself in this timeline, becoming a leader of sorts would be outside his interests. It would make him miserable, and knowing how he loved to maximize every power in his possession, he would do his best to elevate that skill despite being miserable. It would create a horrific feedback loop he couldn''t escape. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. One of his first thoughts after he was sent back in time was to be like Oleg. Live peacefully and happily. That was still his main goal, and [Benevolent Mentor] would take him on a path that was the opposite of it. Yes, he wanted to grow in power, but it was more about being safe and protecting himself, allowing him to live peacefully. Being a leader meant he would be responsible for far more than he was comfortable with. [Master Negotiator] will be helpful to my [Class]. I won¡¯t have to rely on someone like Seris to help me with traders. Though, I question how I¡¯m supposed to upgrade the skill. This would be another time it would be helpful to have the interface quantify the upgrade requirements. At least I will be talking with traders often. It should upgrade naturally. Cal reached out with his finger and hesitated. [Benevolent Mentor] was tempting. Really tempting. He frowned and quickly tapped on [Master Negotiator]. The interface disappeared, leaving him with some regret. It¡¯s for the best. I don¡¯t want to be a teacher. I have to keep that in mind. Cal grunted and pushed himself up. There were several hours before sunset. He could get most of the broken rocks into piles by then. He left the sledgehammer in the shed and carried the shovel out to his field the usual way he was becoming accustomed to¡ªover his shoulder. He walked to the nearest stone that he had turned into rubble and held the shovel awkwardly. It took a few tries before it felt right in his hands. Cal plunged the shovel downward into the edge of the hole. DING The shovel ricocheted off the hard ground, the handle almost smacking him in the face. ¡­ I need the pickaxe for a ground this hard. He looked around with weariness. It will take days, at the minimum, to soften up the ground. ¡°¡­ Wait, this is a good thing,¡± Cal said out loud. If smashing the stones is any indication, every time I swing that pickaxe, it¡¯ll contribute to my [Tier]. This is a jackpot. He smiled before chuckling as he prepared to use the shovel again. The annoyance of using it inefficiently was significantly reduced by what he knew lay ahead. The plunge of the shovel was nowhere near as forceful this time. He wasn¡¯t trying to dig into the ground. He was just trying to scoop up the rocks in the hole. Cal ignored the crunch of the shovel as it went through rocks and scooped up a quarter of the rubble inside. He stared at it before dumping it nearby to the side. You have gained [Common Shovel: Excellent Quality] as equipment. He glanced at the interface before plunging the shovel down again, scooping more of the rubble and adding it to the pile to the side. He repeated this until all that was left were a few insignificant rocks that could only be picked by hand. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to bother with them. It shouldn¡¯t affect the growth of any crops¡­ though this is the least of the problems this field has right now. Cal looked at the pile of rocks before moving on to the next stone-turned-rubble. That is a job to complete when I get my wheelbarrow. *** He grunted as he sunk the shovel into the last rubble-filled holes. There were hundreds of piles of rocks next to empty holes all over the field, and he could feel the soreness of the effort that was required for it. Cal had sweat dripping down his face as he dumped the rocks to the side. His muscles screamed when he went in for another scoop. It was only the sheer determination to feel the satisfaction of completing such a tedious task. He turned over the shovel and smiled as the last of the rocks fell onto the pile. It¡¯s finally done. [Common Shovel] has degraded to Good Quality. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. Cal immediately felt his sore muscles stop feeling like they were dying on him. The single [Tier] increase significantly improved his body¡¯s stamina. I had given up on this task contributing to my [Tier] growth. This is an unexpected gift. Though, it¡¯s a shame that the shovel degraded. Not that it was unexpected after how much I used it. He inspected the shovel closely and saw minor defects on the square-shaped tip. It wasn¡¯t as perfectly shaped as he originally got it, but he didn¡¯t know why this much damage would cause the quality to drop. Maybe the shovel¡¯s scooping ability has degraded¡­ I¡¯ll test that tomorrow. The sun is about to set. Cal put the shovel over his shoulder and walked back to the shed. He glanced at the large hole that appeared last night before turning away decisively. I¡¯ll think about this if it happens again. *** Cal forced his eyes to stay closed, resisting with all his will to snap them open. He hadn¡¯t been sleeping for more than a few hours. Something is inside the shed with me. It was nearly inaudible if not for the faint chittering he heard occasionally. I should have investigated that stupid hole. What is it trying to do here? Whatever it is, the thing must be small. With me sleeping on the floor, it would be hard for anyone else to stand without stepping on me. Cal heard the chittering get closer. It was near his torso. Only a twitch of his hand away. He used his rudimentary control over his mana and prepared to strike. With how unpracticed this body was, even a slight use of mana at this intensity would be damaging, no matter how much experience he had in his memories. At least it won¡¯t be debilitating. I should be able to have any damage fixed in short order. Cal¡¯s mind blanked when he felt a tiny paw reach into his inner coat pocket. He reacted instantly. He snapped his eyes open, looking in the direction where he felt the beast was as his left hand pierced toward it. Damn it. My mana isn¡¯t quick enough to respond. Cal couldn¡¯t back out now. He heard the thing squeak loudly in surprise when he felt his hand barely come into contact with a soft, fluffy coat. He could see large, luminescent eyes staring at him before the beast disappeared. He was left staring at nothing, alone in the shed again. He patted the small package in his coat and felt the rock and the stick still there. Cal pushed himself up and grabbed his sledgehammer. He was about to leave the shed to check if there were any more holes dug up outside when he noticed a change in the shed. He approached the small hole¡ªbarely visible in the moonlight¡ªand looked in. He was ready for the small beast to jump at him, but nothing happened. It seemed like it genuinely fled. It dug into the shed¡­ or it made this in its escape. I didn¡¯t hear it either way. It was only the chittering that alerted me. It was targeting what I carry in my coat. The stick is likely a fake, so it¡¯s the rock¡ªor gem, as Benan said¡ªthat the little beast wants. Cal noted there was no sign of dirt dug up as he exited the shed. His hand gripped tightly around the sledgehammer¡¯s handle as he surveyed his field. A quick walk around the area he cleared didn¡¯t reveal any changes. I have to find out what this beast is. I would be annoyed if it only made holes in my field, but I wouldn¡¯t care too much. It made me care by going after the rock. Cal swept the field with his eyes one last time before retreating to his shed. He would have to sleep lightly in case that little beast came back. Chapter 16 - The Overseers Visit ¡°Looks like you settled in quite well, Initiate Cal.¡± He sat up in shock, squinting his eyes at the sun shining from behind the man standing at the shed''s entrance. ¡°Gather yourself. We need to have a talk.¡± The Overseer backed up and shut the door. Cal immediately patted his hands over his coat¡¯s inner pocket and sighed in relief. That little beast could have stolen the rock if it came back. I didn¡¯t wake until the Overseer spoke to me. He stood and smoothed his clothes unsuccessfully. He glanced at his tools and wondered if the Overseer would mention it. I would be surprised if he didn¡¯t. The Common Shovel can be somewhat explained, but the Uncommon Sledgehammer is only available for purchase in Lumina. Cal exited the shed and saw a small pile of items on the ground beside the Overseer. It was his personal effects. I forgot how pampered I was. I received a personalized pillow, sheets, and top-of-the-line clothes. Knowing the situation here, the Overseer included a cot. I¡¯ll live in a run-down shed with bedding luxurious enough to make some Apprentices stew in their own jealousy. ¡°Thank you for bringing my things yourself, Overseer,¡± Cal spoke when it looked like the Overseer wouldn¡¯t. ¡°What are you doing here, Initiate Cal?¡± He wasn¡¯t interested in exchanging pleasantries. ¡°¡­ Er, I¡¯m training?¡± Cal saw that the Overseer was looking at the piles of rocks around his field. ¡°Hm, training to be a farmer,¡± He turned to him with an intense glare. ¡°What are you hoping to achieve by clearing this field? Actually grow something in this wasteland? Do you think the guild hasn¡¯t tried?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with that,¡± Cal returned to his original excuse. ¡°This is done to clear my mind. I already feel that it is helping me greatly. And as you said, this is a wasteland, so nothing I do here will matter. I can be without worry about causing damage.¡± The Overseer wasn¡¯t convinced in the slightest. He wordlessly took out a small crystal and offered it to him. ¡°This is imprecise, but it will have to do. If you can make this glow any color, I will allow your¡­ method of training to continue.¡± I¡¯ve never seen this before. Cal took the crystal with a genuinely confused expression. ¡°I just push mana into this?¡± ¡°Pretend that this is the activation pillar.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± I have to show an improvement, but if I show that I have the capability to be a [Mage], the Overseer might decide I spent more than enough time in this station. ¡­ I¡¯ll push a little more mana than I used with the activation pillar. I¡¯ll try to match what I think a [Caster] would display. Cal let his mana flow into the crystal, carefully observing the amount in preparation to cut it off abruptly. Only a few seconds had passed when the crystal started to glow a bright red in his hands. It took him by surprise. He quickly tried to cut off the mana flow. He couldn¡¯t react fast enough. CRACK! Cal stared as the shattered crystal fell in pieces before looking at the Overseer. He looks just as surprised as I am. ¡°I see,¡± the Overseer cleared his throat. ¡°You may carry on, Initiate Cal. Is there anything else you wish to have? I see that the outpost here is in severe disrepair. I can call on some workers to build something fitting for an Initiate.¡± ¡­ So I¡¯m safe for now, but I might have just made it much harder to convince the guild that we are better off with me as a [Farmer]. This might necessitate a move out of the Celestial Order¡¯s territory as initially planned. I was hoping to build up a small post here while I increased my [Tier] in relative peace after the interface gave me a surprise [Class]. ¡°I was intending to rebuild the outpost. Could you point me to who would be good for the task?¡± Cal wasn¡¯t about to decline to get a proper place to sleep¡ªno matter how temporary. He half hoped that the little beast wouldn¡¯t be able to dig into the outpost when it wasn¡¯t a shed with the ground as a floor. However, the little beast could dig through the hard-as-rock ground. Actual flooring would likely do little to stop it. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Runes would do the job, but they are prohibitively expensive. I have never heard of a runemaster inside the guild territory, so everything available must be imported. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll send some people by the end of the day. The guild will cover the costs, so choose any design you like. I don¡¯t want you to be thinking of anything but your training.¡± ¡­ This is a drastic change of mindset. ¡°I appreciate the guild¡¯s generosity, but I prefer to pay for it out of pocket. The guild has done more than enough for me.¡± This wasn¡¯t due to altruism. Cal wanted to negotiate with the workers to train [Master Negotiator]. He was well aware that whoever arrived would be told to charge him the least amount possible, but it wouldn''t matter since it would still contribute to the growth of the skill. Plus, he was working on the assumption that he would have to barely pay anything. His funds were dwindling, and the next allowance wouldn¡¯t be due for well over four months¡ªfar too late to be useful. ¡°I see, I see,¡± the Overseer muttered twice. ¡°Very well. Is there anything else?¡± Cal thought about asking about the little beast that had been haunting him for the past few days, but with its attraction to the rock in his inner pocket, it would be safer to keep quiet for now. It seems harmless overall. I didn¡¯t see any sign of it wanting to attack me. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything else,¡± Cal said with a shake of his head. ¡°Excellent,¡± the Overseer smiled, looking like he was about to leave before stopping. ¡°Ah, I forgot. This is your guild entrance reward.¡± Cal blinked at him in confusion. ¡°Here you are,¡± the Overseer pulled five purple coins from his inner coat and offered it to him. ¡°Five guildmarks for every new Initiate. Use it well.¡± This is not a thing. Cal took the offered guildmarks numbly and gave the Overseer a vacant smile. ¡°Oh, this is unexpected.¡± ¡°This is simply a supplementary reward, unimportant in the grand scheme. We don¡¯t see a need to make it known.¡± This is a year¡¯s allowance for a core guild Initiate. There is nothing simple about this. ¡°That should be it. I¡¯ll give you the original time you requested and return after five days, Initiate Cal. I hope to see further progress then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Cal nodded, his mind elsewhere. The crystal breaking obviously means something significant. If there wasn¡¯t already, someone far higher in the hierarchy than the Overseer will be keeping an eye on me. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way,¡± the Overseer made to leave but paused again. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot. I would like to know how you got an Uncommon tool. Take your time, but have an answer in five days.¡± ... At least he didn¡¯t ask questions about how the hole in the field came to be. I possess no tools or skills to do what the little beast did. ¡°Oh!¡± Cal¡¯s heart sank when the Overseer paused again. ¡°There¡¯s a girl that calls you boss waiting at the fork. I¡¯ll send her in. Train well, Initiate Cal.¡± He held his breath until the Overseer¡¯s figure finally left his sight. He let out a sigh and scratched his chin. He would need to operate under different assumptions. [Perfect Match] is too obvious of a skill. It¡¯s impossible to hide. As far as I know, looking at another¡¯s interface is unheard of, so I¡¯ll have to use that to my advantage. The Overseer deliberately gave me five days to come up with a good lie. Cal shook his head and picked up his personal effects before moving them into the shed. He set up the cot in the best possible position to cover every part of the shed¡¯s floor so he would be alerted early if the little beast made another attempt. ¡°Wow, boss! You made yourself busy after you left town!¡± Seris''s voice was heard from afar. Ah. Right. It passed my mind that I didn¡¯t want Seris to meet the Overseer. It seems so unimportant after the crystal broke. He shifted the cot to make room for the tools before exiting the shed. He froze when he saw that Seris had brought multiple surprises and gifts. ¡°Boss! Look!¡± Seris sounded upbeat despite her sweaty, mussed-up appearance. ¡°Orrin finished all the stuff you asked him to make! And the leather guy, too!¡± She was pushing a wheelbarrow with a pickaxe and plow poking over the brim. Cal sped toward her in excitement. He had expected all this to arrive in a few days, fully accepting that he needed to waste precious hours of boosted [Tier] growth in the town while he waited. ¡°That was quick,¡± Cal said while reaching for the pickaxe. The interface appeared the moment he touched it. Your equipment [Basic Pickaxe] has been upgraded to [Common Pickaxe]. Your equipment [Common Pickaxe] has been restored to Excellent Quality. ¡°Orrin worked on it all night,¡± Seris said proudly. ¡°You better give him a tip, boss.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Cal tried on the straps he ordered. Both the shoulder and waist straps were seamless fits. He put the pickaxe in one of the slots on the shoulder strap and was surprised at how firmly it grabbed onto the tool. The pickaxe hung diagonally across his back, the metal head pointing toward the ground. It stayed put until he tried to pull it out himself, at which point it was released smoothly. ¡°I was doubtful about the leather worker, but this is some good work,¡± Cal admitted to Seris. ¡°It¡¯s well worth the two silver.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Seris pointed at the tools, ¡°but look at these. All of them are Common-ranked tools! Even the wheelbarrow!¡± ¡­ Jackpot. Cal¡¯s lips formed a slow smile. ¡°How much did he say the wheelbarrow will cost me?¡± ¡°Orrin says two silver for everything.¡± So, one silver for the wheelbarrow. I would have refused to give a tip, but the guild decided to splurge on me. I¡¯ll give Orrin a little more. ¡°How much does this blacksmith test cost, Seris?¡± Cal asked as he rummaged in his coin pocket. ¡°One gold for the application,¡± Seris replied angrily. ¡°That¡¯s just the start, though. You also need the town blacksmith to approve your application, or it¡¯s useless. That guy will never do it. The other way is to make an Uncommon-ranked item.¡± She suddenly smiled. ¡°And you might have made that possible, boss!¡± Cal paused before pulling out six silver. ¡°There¡¯s an extra for Orrin. And the week¡¯s pay for you.¡± ¡°Thanks, boss,¡± Seris gave him a sloppy salute. ¡°Are you coming to the town today?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cal denied quickly. ¡°I have too much work to do. Remember to bring Drex here before it''s too late. Don''t travel near sunset.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Seris nodded, hesitating before asking. ¡°Who was the scary-looking man that stopped me on the path?¡± Cal winced. ¡°You know how you call me boss?¡± Seris nodded. ¡°I call that man my boss.¡± ¡°Ohh,¡± Seris¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Good thing I listened to him, then.¡± ¡°Yes, I would say so,¡± Cal chuckled dryly. "Continue doing that, and you''ll be fine." Seris nodded rapidly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head back. See you later today, boss!¡± She waved as she walked back to the path leading her out of the Northern Wastes. Cal waited till she was gone before grabbing the wheelbarrow''s handles. I can gather the rocks into one giant pile off the field. Then, I will use the pickaxe to break up the ground. Chapter 17 - Field Work Cal picked up the shovel and set down the plow in its place. He left the shed and pushed the wheelbarrow to the nearest pile of rocks. He used the shovel to scoop up a large portion of the rocks easily and dumped them into the wheelbarrow. He noted that the shovel''s reduced quality didn¡¯t reduce its scooping capabilities¡ªat least, not that he could tell. Also, the interface didn¡¯t show itself. I might need to complete a task like I did with the other tools for the wheelbarrow to be added as equipment. Cal quickly finished dumping the pile of rocks into the wheelbarrow in seconds. The interface still didn¡¯t show itself. Perhaps I need to fill the wheelbarrow to the brim before it¡¯s considered a complete task. It might also need me to empty the wheelbarrow. If it doesn¡¯t appear as equipment after that, I have to accept that the interface won¡¯t consider it equipment. He moved the wheelbarrow to the next pile and quickly cleaned it up. Depending on the size of the pile of rocks, it would fit around two more in the bucket. Cal filled the bucket to the limit before looking around for a spot to dump it. The interface still hadn¡¯t appeared, so this was the last chance in his mind. I can feel the weight of the wheelbarrow when it¡¯s full. Moving it a large distance several times won''t be an issue, but I¡¯ll need to make more than thirty rounds before the field is clear. I originally wanted to start a pile close to my shed, but with its expansion imminent, that has to be thrown out¡­ I should move it where it won¡¯t ever cause an issue, no matter how much I managed to develop the field. His eyes drifted before they locked onto a spot. I can dump the rocks next to the dirt path. The opening is large enough that it will barely matter if I pile them on the side. Cal moved the wheelbarrow to the spot and tipped it over. You have gained [Common Wheelbarrow] as equipment. When the interface showed up, he sighed with relief. He looked at the work to be done and decided to start with the piles of rock close to the dirt path. Cal knew without a doubt that he would be dead tired at some point in this rock-moving process. He hoped that a [Tier] increase would give him an extra stamina boost when it was time to haul the piles of rocks furthest away from the spot he chose as a dump. I feel like I¡¯m about to master a difficult spell. Instead, I¡¯m shifting a pile of rocks about. Ha! Let¡¯s get started. The rock pile near the dirt path grew larger every few minutes at the start. It didn¡¯t take Cal long to clean up the field closer to the path. The short trips did little to sap his stamina, but it started to get tedious once everything close was done. The few minutes turned into five. It didn¡¯t take long after that for the five minutes to turn into ten. Cal could feel the burn in his muscles as he pushed the empty wheelbarrow to the area of the field near his shed. He cleared everything at the medium and short distance from the dirt path. However, the interface still hadn¡¯t rewarded him by giving the needed [Tier] upgrade. He had greatly underestimated the number of trips he needed to make. I need to buy spells that enhance my body when I reach the next [Tier] rank. My current [Tier] might be [Initiate 7], but I can feel how much weaker my mana is when compared to the same level when I was a [Mage]. It¡¯s fitting since I¡¯m a [Farmer]. Still, the substantial weakness means I will need to be at a higher level for my mana and body to support spells I would have easily used as a [Mage]. He let go of the wheelbarrow and pulled the shovel from his back, ready to return to work. Despite the weakness, my current [Class] is a gift beyond my wildest dreams. In less than a week, I can match two years of hard work as a [Mage]. Even when the boosted growth ends, I can¡¯t see a downside. Cal plunged the shovel into the rocks and quickly scooped everything into the wheelbarrow. Your equipment [Common Shovel] has been upgraded to [Uncommon Shovel]. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 2 levels. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Initiate 8 Skills: [Perfect Match: Novice 8] [Master Negotiator: Novice 1] He chuckled happily as he skimmed the interface, his body refreshed and ready for more punishment. I think of how quickly I progress, and the interface immediately reinforces it. Why did my skill increase by two, though? I want to replicate that again. Cal glanced at the wheelbarrow before coming to an unsure guess. Maybe the act of using two tools together gave me the double upgrade¡­ I really wish the interface quantified this. He looked around and estimated that he might need to make around ten trips before finishing up. It should be easier than before. Cal got to work, and less than thirty minutes later, he was tipping the last load out of the wheelbarrow. The pile of rocks by the dirt path had become substantial, measuring tens of feet wide and several feet tall. It had become more of an eyesore than he had imagined, but it was too late to do anything about it. I doubt the interface will apply moving the rubble elsewhere as [Tier] growth. It has nothing to do with my field. The last bit of rubble fell out of the wheelbarrow when the interface lit up. Your equipment [Common Wheelbarrow] has been upgraded to [Uncommon Wheelbarrow]. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 2 levels. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 rank to [Apprentice 1]. [Skill] increase has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Skill specialization available. Choose one. Quantify skill [Perfect Match] - You will be given the exact requirements needed to reach the next level of the skill. Quantify equipment upgrades - You will be given the exact requirements needed to reach the next rank of your equipment. The way the options are given almost sounds¡­ curt. Did my complaining really influence the interface in giving these specializations or is this just a hard-to-believe coincidence? Cal knew he would have to attempt a repeat and see if it happened the next time a skill went up a rank. There were plenty of things he could complain about. The choice between the two specializations is obvious. I would appreciate knowing when [Perfect Match] would level up. Still, it¡¯s unnecessary since it depends on the tools I use. Knowing when my equipment will upgrade will provide motivation while also stopping my constant frustration at not knowing how far my tools are from the next rank. He tapped the choice he wanted and eagerly checked his equipment to see their upgrade requirements. Equipment: [Common Pickaxe: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 0/100 Tasks [Uncommon Sledgehammer: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 32/1000 Tasks [Uncommon Shovel: Good Quality] Upgrade: 85/1000 Tasks [Uncommon Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 0/1000 Tasks Cal glanced at the numbers before focusing on the requirements for the shovel. That was the tool that had been upgraded most recently and then saw immediate use. I did not do eighty-five tasks with the shovel. At least, it¡¯s not something that I would consider a task. I made ten trips with the wheelbarrow to clean up the remaining rubble. Each trip I was able to take around three piles of rock, and each pile needed three scoops from the shovel. ¡­ The interface counts every use of the shovel as a task. ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± Cal muttered out loud. ¡°This is broken beyond the extreme.¡± He stiffened before blurting out, ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining. Not at all.¡± I¡¯m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He had a broad smile as he put the shovel on his back. He pushed the wheelbarrow to the shed to get it out of the way for what would come next. There was no way it would fit inside, so it would have to stay outside until the shed was expanded. Cal pulled the pickaxe off his back and looked around for where he should start chipping away at the ground. If he would tear up the field, it would be best to start from the side. It would avoid creating disruption from the dirt path to his shed. He chose to start from the left, which was closer to the forest than the cleared field''s right side. If the interface didn¡¯t give him the appropriate skill to solve his issues, he planned to use the soil from the forest. Cal paused as he walked by the hole the little beast made. I saw soft dirt in the hole when I first looked in, but I didn¡¯t pay attention to where it started. He approached the hole and frowned as he looked down. The hard surface looked to be mixed in with the soft dirt. Cal tapped the tip of the pickaxe lightly on the inside edge of the hole. It created a sharp ringing sound from the impact. He repeated the taps, going lower ever-so-slightly until the pickaxe didn¡¯t bounce off the edge. He eyed the depth before looking at all the exposed sides of the hole. He frowned as he pulled back. I¡¯ll need to chip away around three inches of the surface before I hit soft dirt¡­ this will take days of constant work. Cal could already feel the phantom soreness he would have as a constant companion. There is a bright side. I will be able to grind my [Tier] level and my pickaxe¡¯s rank¡­ wait. He summoned the interface and pulled up the pickaxe information. [Common Pickaxe: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 0/100 Tasks I was hoping the light taps I made with the pickaxe would count as a task. I knew that was too much to expect. I¡¯ll check again after a proper swing. Cal glanced at the sky and saw it had to be around noon. It would give him around five hours to work before the visitors he expected would arrive. He reached the chosen spot and raised the pickaxe high before swinging it down with all his might. CRACK! A shower of broken-up ground scattered on impact. He checked the pickaxe for damage. After seeing none, he studied the damage done with one swing. It¡¯s deep enough that I can see the dirt... This is good, but I worry about the quality of the pickaxe. I fully expect it will be nearly ruined by the day''s end. [Common Pickaxe: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 1/100 Tasks Excellent. I¡¯ll happily swing away as long as I need to. It will be amazing if I can get the pickaxe to the Advanced-rank. Cal glanced at the debris that was spread around before raising the pickaxe. The wheelbarrow and shovel will be used greatly in the cleanup. I¡¯m looking forward to owning multiple Advanced-ranked tools. CRACK! Chapter 18 - Advanced Rank Your equipment [Common Pickaxe] has been upgraded to [Uncommon Pickaxe]. Cal glanced at the interface before dismissing it. It wasn¡¯t that big of an achievement since it only needed a hundred swings to get. He was more concerned about the condition of the pickaxe. It has some visible marks, but the interface hasn¡¯t declared it as degraded in quality. My hope is that the upgrade in rank will give it enough durability. I need a thousand more swings to get the pickaxe to the Advanced rank. He kicked aside the scattered debris to clear the area before him. Every swing of the pickaxe had thrown up a significant amount of broken ground, and with him having done a hundred swings, there was enough debris that it was becoming a problem. For such a small area dug up, it¡¯s creating an oversized headache for me. Cal put the pickaxe on his back and pulled the shovel. He had cleared only a seventy-square-foot area¡ªa fraction of a percent of the cleared field¡ªand the hard surface he had dug up with the pickaxe showed him how big of a problem he would face in the near future. The hard rock-like surface he was removing would form a pile that would dwarf the stones he had cleared up by many orders of magnitude. This can¡¯t be solved by simply piling it up and forgetting about it. It¡¯ll be enough to form a small hill I can never ignore. I¡¯ll need to find a way to repurpose it. Cal shoveled everything he had dug up into one spot to clean up later with the help of the wheelbarrow. Today had been designated as ¡®ground break up day¡¯ in his mind, and he wanted to keep his focus on that. He switched the shovel with the pickaxe to go back to work. Digging up the previous area and shoveling aside the mess took him a little over thirty minutes. He was pacing himself so he wouldn¡¯t exhaust himself, making it sustainable to keep the pace for the rest of the day. I should be able to dig up around seven hundred square feet today. That¡¯s only about five percent of the field, but it¡¯s something. Cal toed the soft dirt which was uncovered after removing the hard surface and wondered why it couldn¡¯t support any plants. He didn¡¯t know that for sure, but the guild would have already done it if it was so easy to farm. He shook his head and moved to the next spot he would dig up. I can ask Drex when he comes here today. He seems to know more about the conditions here than I do. CRACK! Chunks of debris flew at the impact. Cal raised the pickaxe again and brought it down. CRACK! It didn¡¯t take him long to zone out, falling into a peaceful trance as he repeated the same actions over and over. He might not have been truthful to the Overseer about why he wanted to be stationed in the Northern Wastes, but there was no lie when he said this wiped away all his worries. The sharp crack of the pickaxe breaking up the ground was a constant, repeating sound over several hours. Cal didn¡¯t think of anything except swinging the pickaxe¡ªat least until the interface activated. [Uncommon Pickaxe] has degraded to Good Quality. Cal wiped the sweat from his brow and flung it off his fingers. He stuck the pickaxe in the newly uncovered soft dirt and leaned on the handle to give himself a little rest. He had expected the quality to degrade, but the time it took was well beyond his expectations. It was nearly three hours of continuous use before the pickaxe was damaged enough for the interface to finally call it degraded. Let me see if I made good progress on the tasks. It certainly felt like I did with how much of the field I dug up. [Uncommon Pickaxe: Good Quality] Upgrade: 649/1000 Tasks Cal nodded to himself. ¡°Looks right.¡± He tapped the pickaxe¡¯s head on the ground to shake the dirt loose before swapping it for the shovel on his back. He could keep digging up the field, but the five hundred square foot area he had done so far was more than enough to experiment with crop seeds. I¡¯ll continue in my spare time. There¡¯s no point in spending all my time digging up the field when it¡¯s unnecessary. Cal scooped the plentiful debris to the side, just out of the field¡¯s bounds. It was a good thing he got started with a few hours to spare since cleaning up would take most of that time. He was nearly done when the shovel suddenly gained a faint blue aura and pulsated slightly. The interface appeared again. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. Your equipment [Uncommon Shovel] has been upgraded to [Advanced Shovel]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the [Advanced Shovel]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one Self-Repair - After 24 continuous hours without use, the shovel will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' Efficient Excavation - The shovel''s digging and resource collection speed are 50% faster. It also has a 0.01% chance of unearthing rare minerals or items. Cal stared for a few seconds before focusing on the shovel. I knew an Advanced-ranked item could be imbued with mana to give it a trait. I was expecting to have to get that done. The options I have been offered due to my special [Class] dwarf anything I could have planned. I underestimated the value of my [Class]¡­ even though I thought it was beyond overpowered. The choices he was given were difficult. He wanted both, and it hurt all the more knowing that after he chose one, it was unlikely the other would be offered again. The next time an artifact can have another imbued trait is at the next rank¡ª¡®Rare¡¯ rank¡­ right, the skill level increase should have affected the equipment upgrade requirements. Equipment: [Uncommon Pickaxe: Good Quality] Upgrade: 649/950 Tasks [Uncommon Sledgehammer: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 32/950 Tasks [Advanced Shovel: Good Quality] Upgrade: 0/4750 Tasks [Uncommon Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 0/950 Tasks A five percent decrease in required tasks. If every skill level increase reduces it by that much, some legendary ranks will be reachable. That makes the equipment trait more obvious, as long as that assumption holds true. The [Advanced Shovel] was already out of reach for Orrin to repair, at least for now. This would continue as he upgraded the tools far faster than Orrin could train himself to work on higher-rank tools. The other option would be to depend on a Master Blacksmith to do the repair work, but that would defeat the purpose of intending to have an independent life apart from significant guild figures. Of course, this was assuming that he would find such a blacksmith. They certainly didn¡¯t exist inside the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. Picking Efficient Excavation as the shovel¡¯s trait would be a mistake. It would definitely help, and the discovery chance is impressive, even with the low percentage. Finding such an item once every ten thousand uses is mind-blowing. Still, I have to pass on it. What¡¯s the point of the shovel having that trait if its quality has fallen to an unusable state? Cal reached out and tapped on Self-Repair. He felt no regret as the interface disappeared. A self-healing tool that will eventually be of a legendary rank is nothing to scoff at. The shovel stopped pulsing in his hand, but it retained the faint blue glow. I¡¯ll definitely need to come up with a satisfactory explanation for the Overseer. This skill will get increasingly ostentatious. Cal quickly finished shoveling the remaining debris into the massive pile to the side. It had grown to a size that matched the rubble near the dirt path. Perhaps this can be repurposed to build something rudimentary¡­ somehow. I¡¯ll have to ask the people the Overseer is sending at the end of the day. He looked at his day¡¯s work with satisfaction before putting the shovel on his back. Using the shoulder strap to hang his tools was becoming second nature. Cal rolled his shoulder and walked back to his shed. He could still work for hours without issue since the [Tier] increase gave him more than extra stamina. Still, he had no intention of exhausting himself. He was sure another [Tier] increase was outside reach for the day. I don¡¯t want the little beast to catch me by surprise tonight. It appeared two nights in a row. There will likely be a third. I finally have comfortable bedding. I might as well enjoy it while I wait for the visitors to arrive. ¡°Boss! I¡¯m baaaaack!¡± He froze in place as his lips twitched. Or I guess I¡¯ll forget about resting¡­ Seris has perfect timing. Cal plastered a smile on his face as he turned to them. He saw Drex¡¯s thin form skulking behind Seris, almost making him look sinister. He might have acted if he hadn¡¯t known Drex¡¯s true nature. ¡°Initiate Cal,¡± Drex greeted when he got closer. His eyes were scanning the surroundings, mainly focusing on the recently dug-up part of the field. ¡°You¡¯ve been hard at work.¡± ¡°I did say I was serious. Now you know,¡± Cal paused before saying. ¡°Welcome to my field, Drex.¡± ¡°What about me, boss?¡± Seris looked insulted that she wasn¡¯t included in the greeting. ¡°I see you every morning. Is it really necessary to welcome you every time?¡± Cal asked with a raised brow. ¡°¡­ Well, it would be nice,¡± Seris muttered. Cal hid his smile as he ignored her. ¡°Drex, let¡¯s not waste time. The Overseer is sending some people over for reconstruction shortly.¡± ¡°I had the same thought. I would prefer to leave within the hour. How much of the¡­ field do you expect to use for farming?¡± ¡°All the places where I removed the stones dotting the land.¡± Cal waved his hand vaguely at the field surrounding him. ¡°Hm, so fourteen or fifteen thousand square feet of land,¡± Drex said after glancing at the stone-free area. ¡°A normal crop will need one barrel of seeds, but you will need more with Sunfire Grains. You will need it naturally since they are larger than regular crop seeds, but I would recommend more since I expect multiple failures while attempting to plant them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that you are not telling me a number,¡± Cal replied with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s making me assume it¡¯s a large one.¡± ¡°Smart. It is large. I recommend five barrels at the minimum,¡± Drex revealed without mercy. ¡°... No, what I truly recommend is to abandon this foolish idea.¡± That¡¯s twenty-five gold. Two guildmarks and five gold. The money the Overseer gave me immediately came in handy. ¡°It looks like you are still being stubborn,¡± Drex sighed when Cal didn¡¯t look discouraged. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to care about such a pointless endeavor, but Seris talked my ear off on the way here about you. I¡¯ll help you make a plan that might give you some level of success. If this somehow works, remember my name when the guild promotes you.¡± I wanted to pick his brain about this anyway. Seris was of help again. With the proud smile she was directing at him, she was well aware that she was owed thanks. Cal gave her a slight nod in acknowledgment, letting her know it was noted before looking at Drex. ¡°I will be endlessly thankful for your help.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Drex looked¡ªand sounded¡ªresigned. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Chapter 19 - A Strange Field Cal turned to lead them to where he dug up the ground. ¡°I have a few questions about¡ª¡± ¡°Where did you get that?¡± He turned in surprise at the abrupt question. ¡°What?¡± Drex was staring over his shoulder. ¡°Did the guild give you¡­ never mind.¡± He shook his head, reconsidering his need to know. ¡°I suppose I can see why you have such confidence.¡± I didn¡¯t expect a mortal to have knowledge of Advanced-rank items. Even if said mortal might have somewhat autonomous control over the crop seeds delivered to the guild. ¡°Hey, boss. Do I need to be here for this?¡± Seris already looked bored out of her mind. She hadn¡¯t noticed the shovel Orrin made for him looked different. If she did, there would likely be more interest showing. ¡°It¡¯s up to Drex,¡± Cal looked at him. ¡°Are you fine if she leaves?¡± ¡°Go, you don¡¯t have to be present.¡± Drex shooed Seris off. ¡°I¡¯ll find you in town and give you a list of the things you¡¯ll need to buy for Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Drex. Bye, boss!¡± Seris ran like she thought they would change their mind about her leaving. ¡°A list of things?¡± Cal asked as he watched Seris disappear past the tree line. ¡°Yes, and it¡¯ll be a long one.¡± Drex sounded annoyed simply thinking about it. ¡°You said you had questions. What are they?¡± Cal raised an eyebrow at the attitude. He wasn¡¯t forcing the man to help him. This was done entirely by choice, so he felt the tone was uncalled for. The previous me would have smacked this mortal down for such disrespect. However, I have changed. I am slower to anger¡­ this is a lie. I still want to smack this mortal, but Seris will probably make that sad cat face again. I don¡¯t want to deal with that. ¡°Can this dirt that I uncovered support any plant life?¡± Cal asked with a pleasant smile that didn¡¯t show his inner thoughts. ¡°I suppose it might be able to,¡± Drex knelt near the edge and pinched some dirt between his fingers. ¡°There was an attempt by the guild a few decades ago. They cleared a few acres of the Northern Wastes just like you did here. The hard surface layer grew back within a week.¡± ¡­ I couldn¡¯t have heard that right. ¡°I must have misheard. Could you repeat that again?¡± Drex looked at him with no hint of a joke. ¡°They did discover something in that failure, though. The surface layer is held back as long as an Initiate works on the field. I suspect it¡¯s the mana that is expended with every action an Initiate does.¡± Cal shook his head in confusion. ¡°Then why would it have grown back?¡± ¡°There was one Initiate farmer and a little over a hundred regular farmers. Out of the acres dug up, only the one the Initiate worked on personally remained without the layer.¡± ¡­ That makes sense. ¡°And the guild decided to give up after that?¡± Cal could guess why Drex mentioned only one Initiate was working. ¡°The Celestial Order isn¡¯t short of farmland. However, they are short of Initiate farmers. Developing the Northern Wastes is not in their interests.¡± Cal nodded, his guess confirmed by Drex¡¯s reply. He still had one question. ¡°I¡¯m not doubting you, but how do you know this is true? Many things can be misremembered even if it''s only decades ago.¡± ¡°I was one of the farmers that worked here. Unless my memory has completely failed me, you can trust what I say as fact.¡± His mind blanked for a moment. Ah, now I understand. Drex is like Oleg. Someone who failed at activating their interface but still had rudimentary training with mana. He looks far too young to have worked as a farmer decades ago. He must have a relative in the core guild to have his current position. No wonder he talks to me in a blunt manner. There must be an artifact that protects him from attacks, just like the necklace I gave to Seris. Luckily, Drex seems decent enough in his position of power, even though he annoys me. ¡°That¡¯s more than enough proof,¡± Cal accepted readily. ¡°So, you said there was no soil here. This looks like soil to me.¡± ¡°Dirt and soil are two different things,¡± Drex put the pinch he grabbed into a small container he pulled from his pocket. ¡°With how long this dirt has been covered by the surface layer, I suspect it has been stripped of anything that might have made it usable soil. I¡¯ll have it tested to make sure. In the meantime, let''s assume this is just dirt.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Cal already expected that, so he nodded without hesitation. ¡°How long will it take to test the dirt?¡± ¡°You might have the results by tomorrow morning. If not, the end of the day for sure,¡± Drex brushed off his knees after standing up. ¡°Like I said, I wouldn¡¯t put too much hope into the result being favorable. With that in mind, what do you think about ordering the necessary items to make this farmable?¡± Cal wanted to jump at the offer, but he kept in mind that the crop seeds he needed to buy were costly. ¡°How much will this cost me?¡± ¡°Depends on how many rounds of treatments this will need to go through,¡± Drex paused. ¡°I would guess anywhere from fifty to eighty silver.¡± He raised a brow at the estimate. ¡°For a patch of land this small? That would mean the whole field will cost over two guildmarks.¡± ¡°That sounds about right,¡± Drex agreed. How is farming so expensive? I can¡¯t keep spending with the assumption the guild will fund the shortfall. ¡°Let¡¯s put that aside and assume that I can successfully grow the Sunfire Grains. How much profit can I see from the area I dug up?¡± ¡°Assuming ideal growing conditions?¡± Drex asked, getting a nod in reply. ¡°Each matured Sunfire Grain can be sold for one silver, and you could squeeze in five hundred Sunfire Grains here. The cost to get the seeds would be negligible since it would be a fraction of a barrel.¡± Ah, so that¡¯s why farming is expensive. It could be insanely profitable. Five hundred square feet of my field could earn me five gold¡­ the entire field would be fifteen guildmarks. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the cut the guild will take from you,¡± Drex pointed out when he saw the dreamy look appear on Cal¡¯s face. ¡°You won¡¯t get to keep most of the money you see.¡± The Overseer never mentioned anything about this. Then again, he didn¡¯t expect me to actually be farming. ¡°Understood,¡± Cal said with a nod. ¡°So, I¡¯m assuming the Sunfire Grains are the most profitable crops?¡± Drex laughed. ¡°Not even close, but you don¡¯t have the natural water supply here to support anything else, even with the best soil possible. Speaking of, you have an irrigation plan, right?¡± I have some vague ideas of connecting to Mariner¡¯s Rest if necessary. Still, it would be a disaster if that is necessary. I want to use water spells that my mana should be able to support after getting to the next [Tier] rank. ¡°I do. Leave that to me... unless you have something in mind.¡± Drex shook his head. ¡°An issue that major is out of my capabilities¡­ I think that should be everything. There¡¯s nothing else for me to advise until the fertilizers I order arrive.¡± ¡°What about the issue of the surface layer regrowing?¡± Cal mentioned with a frown. ¡°You said an Initiate working on the field will hold it back, but there isn¡¯t any work for me to do.¡± ¡°The fertilizers will arrive in a few days at most, so this isn¡¯t something to worry about¡­ probably.¡± Drex fell silent as if he was rethinking his words. His following sentence told that he was. ¡°On second thought, maybe it¡¯s best not to take any chances. I¡¯m unsure if something might have changed in the decades since I¡¯ve been here.¡± ¡°Would using my plow on the dirt be enough?¡± Drex nodded slowly. ¡°That should do it.¡± ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± Cal held out his hand. He was left hanging for a few seconds before Drex finally shook it. ¡°I¡¯ll see myself off, Initiate Cal. I¡¯ll return with Seris when everything arrives.¡± Cal nodded and waved him off, watching until his figure disappeared in the distant treeline. He looked surprised that I offered him my hand. Perhaps his standoffishness was due to bad experiences from other Initiates? Even still, he provided great help. I may have been hasty in forming my opinion of him¡­ or not. He¡¯s still annoying. If he becomes less so, good. He glanced at the sky and saw that only a few hours remained until sunset. The people the Overseer was supposed to send should be arriving soon. Cal looked at the shed before switching to the dirt path. He did this a few times before making a decision and walking toward the shed. I¡¯ll get out of the sun and rest for a few minutes. I can¡¯t afford to lose my stamina before nighttime. He shut the door behind him. He took the tools off his back and placed them next to the plow and sledgehammer before falling on the cot. Cal let out a groan at feeling the soft bedding underneath him. He hadn¡¯t known he was this sore. This is nice¡­ *** He sat up quickly, eyes wide, and hand around the sledgehammer¡¯s handle. He could see the bright moon through the tattered roof. It¡¯s that little beast. I can hear its chitters. Cal stood from the cot and stepped out of the shed quickly, wanting to get a good glimpse of what it was before it disappeared again. He narrowed his eyes at the tiny figure sitting on top of the newly created pile of surface layer debris. It was nibbling at chunks of the stuff, eyes closed as if it was savoring the taste. This is the thing that tried to steal from me? The little beast was small, not even a foot tall. It looked as fluffy as it felt when he grazed his palm on its body last time, fur covering its body and a large bushy tail standing tall. It had two small ears with a furry antennae-like appendage upright in the center of its head. It looks like a mutated rabbit¡­ and it has already finished the clump of debris it was nibbling on. It opened its eyes and searched for another chuck to eat when it noticed Cal. He thought this would be when it ran away, but the opposite happened. The little beast snarled¡ªor tried to. All it accomplished was to reveal its buckteeth and let out a pathetic squeak. ¡­ What? It looked satisfied at its efforts and picked up the next chunk to nibble on. It glared at Cal with its large, black eyes as it took small bites, warning him from making a move. Does this beast have a strong defense to give it this confidence? I doubt it. When it sneered at him, that was a little too far for Cal to take. I would have let the little beast eat to its heart¡¯s content, but it¡¯s getting far too cocky. Cal took large strides towards it, and the little beast¡¯s demeanor changed completely. It squeaked loudly in fear, and its fur puffed up before it jumped headfirst into the pile it was sitting on. The little beast disappeared. ¡­ It was all show, as I guessed. Still, I couldn¡¯t let it assume I was scared. It might have gotten too bold in its attempts in the future. At least, I now know what it looks like. I should be able to find out more about it. He checked out the tunnel the little beast had created in its escape and found nothing worth noting, as expected. Cal shook his head and walked back to the shed. The people the Overseer supposedly sent didn¡¯t arrive. The man is strict on timelines, so something must have changed drastically for a delay. He shut the door behind him and put the sledgehammer down. He fell onto the comfortable cot and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it tomorrow.¡± Chapter 20 - Little Beast Cal had his arms reaching for the sky as he stretched as much as possible. He let out a sigh of pleasure when he felt a few pops. That was a great night¡¯s sleep. The only way it could have been better is if plans for a new outpost had been started yesterday. The Overseer should contact me today if it¡¯s been canceled¡­ though I doubt that¡¯s the reason for the no-show. The man was practically salivating at me after the crystal broke. He picked up the plow he had taken out of the shed and went directly to the dug-up area. He wasn¡¯t about to waste any time when he had the opportunity to gain another equipment in his interface. Cal dropped the plow onto the dirt and stared. If this was available when I was still a beginning Initiate, I doubt I would have the strength to push this plow. The blade digs deep into the dirt. He pushed, testing the force it would need, and was surprised that he moved it forward like it was on wheels. It sliced through the dirt like butter and turned it over easily. Cal pushed the plow straight to the other side in a few seconds. You have gained [Common Plow] as equipment. He dismissed the interface and moved the plow to the right. He would make a return trip and complete the entire dirt area in neat lines. Even if it¡¯s meaningless for crop planting, it doesn¡¯t mean I have to be sloppy. This is the practice round for the real thing. Cal quickly plowed the dirt, turning it over in ten clean lines. After he was done, he looked at them and imagined fifty Sunfire Grains planted in each line. Perfect. Now it just has to work out like I imagined¡ªWhat is the little beast doing here? He stared at the rabbit-like thing, and it stared back. It was sitting on top of the very first line he had plowed into the dirt, staring at him with pleading eyes. It even had its paws clasped together like it was praying. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Cal asked, feeling stupid the second the words left his mouth. Everyone knows that beasts that understand human speech are rarely encountered in the wild. He was vindicated when the little beast nodded its head. ¡°You can eat all of that,¡± Cal said, pointing at the large pile of surface layer debris it had been treating like a delicacy last night. He was surprised to see the little beast shake its head rapidly and point at the dirt it was standing on. ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± Cal said blankly. When it started pleading more intensely, he rolled his eyes. ¡°No, you want to eat one of the few things I must keep. Choose any of the piles.¡± The little beast¡¯s ears drooped, almost making him feel bad. Almost. It was asking permission for some reason, and letting it eat something essential was not a good way to start. I really want it to eat the surface layer debris. That''ll be a symbiotic relationship I will be happy to have. ¡°Can you show me why you don¡¯t want to eat that?¡± Cal tried another way to find out what was going on with it. He really wanted his disposal unit. The little beast looked at him warily before pointing at the plow with a stubby finger. This thing has human-like hands¡­ Cal watched on in astonishment as the little beast put on a show. It mimicked him using the plow, then mimed eating the dirt. Facing his confused expression, it jumped on the pile of debris. It mimicked using a pickaxe before again pretending to eat the dirt. ¡°¡­ You need me to use a tool before you eat,¡± Cal said more as a confused statement, so the rapid nodding of the little beast didn¡¯t surprise him. He quickly connected the dots. It absorbs the trace mana I leave behind as I work¡­ fascinating. ¡°Wait here. And don¡¯t eat the dirt,¡± Cal warned, waiting for it to reluctantly nod before returning to the shed with his plow. It¡¯s intelligent enough to reason it¡¯s better off working with me to get its food instead of trying to eat it sneakily at night. One thing I question is why it was trying to steal my rock. It might be playing the long game¡­ which is amusing if true. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. I want to see what it does. Better to keep it close and in sight. He left the plow outside. The blade was caked with dirt, and he didn¡¯t want that near his clean bedding. He took the pickaxe from the shed and returned to the waiting little beast. ¡°How much can you eat?¡± It had eaten enough to create a large hole at the start, then nibbled on small bites instead of being a glutton last night. The little beast spread its paws as wide as it could, which wasn¡¯t wide at all. ¡°¡­ Alright, then.¡± Cal decided to dig up a vertical patch next to the plowed dirt field. If it could eat all of that, he¡¯d continue. I hope it can eat all of it and more. Otherwise, it¡¯s just a cute hanger-on. Maybe Seris will like it¡­ on second thought, I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s safe to be around yet. So it¡¯s just another thing to watch out for. CRACK! The pickaxe made quick work of the surface layer. Cal rested the pickaxe on his shoulder and motioned towards the debris. ¡°Eat up.¡± The little beast went to work. ¡­ That¡¯s an impressive speed of intake. It¡¯s almost breathing the debris in. Where is everything stored? Or is it digesting in real-time? Cal continued to watch in fascination until only a quarter of the debris remained. The little beast patted its stomach and wandered off to the pile of debris close by. It climbed to the top and lay on its back, apparently comfortable enough to sunbathe and nap right before him. He scratched his chin as he stared at the relaxing beast. ¡°That¡¯s it? You don¡¯t want to eat more?¡± The little beast shook its head lazily before rubbing its stomach. It was saying it was too full. There goes my hope for a disposal unit. So, the little beast is another thing to watch out for. Very well. Cal put the pickaxe on his back and returned to his shed to get the shovel. He might as well dump the leftover debris on the already existing pile. He had half a mind to ¡®accidentally¡¯ drop it on the little beast. He was walking back to the dug-up area with a shovel when he heard the faint sound of hooves crunching the dirt underneath. When he listened closer, he could also hear the creaks of wooden wheels as they rolled slowly over an uneven path. Cal smiled when he realized there were many, many variations of hooves and wheels. Looks like the people the Overseer promised have arrived. And I see the reason for the delay. An entire village is coming here. That was an exaggeration, but with the constant stream of oxen-pulled carts slowly filling his field, it felt like that was precisely what was happening. His eyes roved over the covered carts and the people sitting in front of them. There were ten carts in total, and two people sat at the front of each one. Is the Overseer expecting me to build a villa? Cal saw a comfortable, horse-pulled carriage enter last. It slowly moved to the front and stopped a short distance from him. This must be the one in charge of the workers on the carts. It should be an Initiate. I remember taking a mission like this. It was easy gold. He watched the carriage¡¯s door open slowly¡ªdramatically¡ªwhen he remembered the little beast. It could be seen by everyone. Cal snapped his head toward the pile of debris, only to see the little beast gone. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the area but couldn¡¯t see any hint of the fluffy thing. It did seem reluctant to stay in my presence until it realized that was the best way to get food. It¡¯s fitting it ran after seeing all the new people. He heard someone clear their throat, reminding him that he had completely ignored the exit of the person in the carriage. His lips twitched in amusement as he shifted his focus back. I remember being offended when attention wasn¡¯t on me while on a mission. Though, that was only at the start. I started to not care after a year of the boring¡ª Cal¡¯s thoughts halted when his eyes landed on a familiar face. A familiar, smiling face. ¡°Tavia?!¡± ¡°You looked away when I made my exit,¡± Tavia accused in lieu of a greeting. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was expecting you,¡± Cal defended himself, shaking his head when that wasn¡¯t what he wanted to say. ¡°What are you doing here? You should be going through the orientation in the core guild right now.¡± Tavia raised a brow in curiosity. ¡°And how would you know that?¡± Ah. Right. I shouldn¡¯t know. ¡°Do you really think I wouldn¡¯t with how much attention was paid to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Tavia chuckled before she explained. ¡°The core guild isn¡¯t a good fit for me. I requested a transfer and was allowed to take some missions in the meantime.¡± ¡­ I have never heard of this, especially for a [Mage]. The Celestial Order would have rather have me dead than let me leave¡­ is that what they will do with Tavia? Maybe that¡¯s why I never saw her after the Selection in my first life. ¡°Where would you transfer to? As a mage, the best place for you to learn is in the core guild.¡± Cal felt like a hypocrite nudging her to stay in a place he wanted no part of, but he didn¡¯t have other options to suggest. ¡°I know it¡¯s the best place, but it¡¯s¡­ too much,¡± Tavia trailed off. ¡°I asked to stay somewhere in Oracle Shores or Star Fields.¡± He immediately understood what she wasn¡¯t saying. He had thrived in the immediate competition the guild threw the new Initiates into. As a [Mage], he competed with experienced members who had been in the core guild for years. Tavia had always shunned such competition. She did things at her own pace. At least she didn¡¯t ask for a transfer to another guild, just within the territory. ¡°What was their reaction when you asked?¡± Cal still had trouble wrapping his head around the guild allowing this, even if it was in their own territory. ¡°I wasn¡¯t being taken seriously until yesterday. Of all people, the Overseer permitted me to take some missions to visit the two areas I wanted to be transferred to.¡± Oh. Was this the reason for the delay? What¡¯s the reason for the Overseer going out of his way to¡ªwait. Is this the result of Tavia and I speaking during the Selection? ¡°So he gave you a mission to my station first?¡± Cal asked in a casual tone. ¡°Well, this was one of the four offered to me. But when I was told yours is time-sensitive, how could I not pick it first? I want to see what my ¡®rival¡¯ was doing in his humble station. And Cal, the Northern Wastes? Really? The Overseer told me you picked this.¡± Interesting. The Overseer gave her a choice, so maybe it isn¡¯t about me¡­ though I doubt that. ¡°I did pick this,¡± Cal admitted with a smile. He motioned at the surroundings and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Tavia made a show of looking around. ¡°Terrible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s sounds about right,¡± Cal laughed. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here with the others. To make it less terrible.¡± ¡°Ah, right!¡± Tavia¡¯s pale face flushed in embarrassment. ¡°Let me introduce you to the manager and architect.¡± A girl in the cart closest to Tavia¡¯s carriage straightened when they approached her. She¡¯s young. And she¡¯s the manager of men and women many times older than her. Either she¡¯s talented, or nepotism is in play. I hope it¡¯s the former. Chapter 21 - Life Isn鈥檛 Fair ¡°Cal, this is Miren,¡± Tavia looked between them. ¡°I saw some of the things she drew up for you, and I have to say I¡¯m jealous.¡± Looks like Miren is the talented sort. Good. ¡°I¡¯m excited to see the designs, Miren,¡± Cal smiled at the nervous-looking girl. She gave him a jerky nod but kept her mouth slammed shut. Her mousy appearance was further exaggerated by the way her clothes seemed to drown her when she moved her head. Cal didn¡¯t react to her muteness but to give her another smile. ¡°Go ahead and get your people set up. I¡¯m looking forward to working with you.¡± Miren gave him another jerky move of her head before turning to the stocky man sitting next to her. She whispered into his ear as the man nodded frequently at her words. A minute later, the man jumped off the cart. ¡°Move all the carts close to the outpost and start unloading!¡± The man¡¯s yells were a sharp contrast to Miren¡¯s muteness. ¡°Remember that Madam Miren will give us all a bonus if we finish everything today! You, at the back¡ª¡± Madam? That¡¯s a formal address to members of well-off mortal families in Lumina. Tavia nudged Cal and motioned with her head to move to the edge of the field¡ªwhere the little beast was previously resting. He nodded and led her to the spot. The convoy of workers made a racket behind them as they began unloading the carts. ¡°So, looks like a few days as a farmer is enough to change you,¡± Tavia commented as she studied the area he had dug up. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Doing physical work? And not immediately dismissing Miren when she couldn¡¯t speak to you? That¡¯s unlike you, Cal.¡± She¡¯s not wrong. But I¡¯m a better man now¡­ I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be true eventually if I keep saying it. ¡°Maybe I saw the light,¡± Cal said with a shrug. Tavia scoffed, though with a small smile. ¡°Hm, I''m sure you did¡ª¡± He blinked at her abrupt stop and saw her staring down. He followed her line of sight. I forgot I was holding the shovel. ¡°How did you get this?¡± Tavia sounded out of breath. Her hand was reaching for the shovel subconsciously. ¡°Oh, the shovel?¡± Cal moved it slightly out of reach. ¡°This is an effect of the interface.¡± I still haven¡¯t come up with an adequate lie. I can¡¯t say one thing to Tavia and then say another to the Overseer if I come up with a better lie. Tavia¡¯s eyes grew wider than they already were. ¡°It gives you an Advanced-ranked shovel?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Cal said vaguely. It wasn¡¯t polite to ask about another¡¯s interface, but he could understand why she was pushing at this instance. ¡°¡­ I was wondering how you were assigned as a farmer. Looks like you might be better off staying like this,¡± Tavia said with a disbelieving laugh. Cal agreed with her, but who knew if someone else was watching him. ¡°Let¡¯s not exaggerate. One tool can¡¯t replace an excellent assignment like a mage.¡± Tavia looked like she wanted to argue but eventually nodded as she let out a small sigh. ¡°That¡¯s sound logic, but it doesn¡¯t feel like it right now. Only you can luck into an Advanced-rank tool right after we become Initiates, Cal.¡± ¡°Really? I wasn¡¯t aware that I was seen as lucky.¡± He really didn¡¯t think he was. Even though he had gotten special treatment, that was due to the talent the guild valued. It had nothing to do with luck. Tavia didn¡¯t look surprised by his response. She gave him a pitying smile. ¡°Think of how it looks for others. You got special treatment¡ªfree necessities that allowed you to save your allowance, extra attention from the superiors, and practically all your needs were taken care of. All because you were born with your talent. You can see how others would view it as luck.¡± Why does it feel like I¡¯m being berated for being born with my mediocre talent? She¡¯s technically correct, but that¡¯s how life is. It¡¯s not fair. I know that better than most. ¡°So, you think this too?¡± Cal asked calmly, or at least tried to. ¡°I¡¯ve upset you,¡± Tavia winced. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± "I wouldn''t say I am upset, but I am disappointed to see you following the same path as others." Cal''s words struck a deeper chord. "Such thoughts are the mark of the insecure and discontent, those who find no joy in their own lives. Is that truly the life you wish to lead?¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. I sound like a preacher, but I feel happier the past several days than I ever have. Maybe it¡¯s a consequence of dying. Tavia fell silent. He was happy to observe the people working to unload the building material around his shed. It really did look like the Overseer expected him to build a luxurious villa. Is that starlit marble? Why is such a precious material being used in this construction? The inclusion of that material makes the cost go from gold to multiple guildmarks. ¡°Wait!¡± Cal rushed toward Miren, startling her at his approach. ¡°I don¡¯t have the budget to use starlit marble!¡± Miren gave him a frightful glance before whispering furiously to the man he now considered her amplifier. ¡°Madam Miren says the Celestial Order has given you the starlit marble as a gift. You will not be required to foot the bill.¡± The man paused before adding, ¡°Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cal¡¯s anxiety fell when he realized that the five guildmarks the Overseer had given him wouldn¡¯t leave his pocket today. ¡°Let¡¯s talk price before we continue, so I¡¯m not surprised. Miren, can you show me your designs?¡± After another round of whispering, the man said, ¡°Madam Miren is happy to show you the plans she has drawn up. Please approach.¡± The man paused again before adding, ¡°Initiate Cal.¡± I can almost feel his disdain. I would feel the same if I thought I was building a villa in the middle of a wasteland for a pampered guild member. ¡°I know Miren¡¯s name, but what¡¯s yours?¡± Cal asked when he was next to the man. ¡°Torin,¡± he grunted. ¡°Be careful with Madam Miren¡¯s plans. There are no copies.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Cal took the small booklet and flipped through it. Each page had detailed drawings and dimensions of individual rooms. He still thought the whole thing was for his personal use until he saw animal pens. Miren intended to build two structures. One was a regular house that couldn¡¯t be called a villa but rather a cozy yet luxurious space. A separate building, connected to the house by a single hallway, contained a workshop and storage room. Cal flipped to the end and saw what Miren intended to build in its entirety. The house was furthest to the right, the connecting building to its left, and the animal pen at the end. ¡°This is impressive, Miren,¡± Cal praised as he flipped through the booklet again. ¡°How long will this take to build? Surely it can¡¯t be in a single day, as Torin claimed.¡± He looked up and gave her all his attention, even when Torin spoke. Maybe when he shows less of an attitude, I¡¯ll acknowledge his existence. It doesn¡¯t seem likely, though. ¡°Madam Miren assures that completing this in a single day is very possible. There are no complex runes to incorporate, so our master crafters can work quickly.¡± I was under the impression there are no rune crafters in the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. ¡°Impressive, Miren,¡± Cal repeated. ¡°What¡¯s all of this going to cost me?¡± After more whispering, Torin spoke. ¡°Madam Miren is willing to do this for one guildmark and nine gold.¡± Cal felt the cost would be far higher with the materials he glimpsed. Still, he couldn¡¯t stop the wince that escaped him. He hoped that the guild instructed them to be relaxed in the negotiations. If this was a place I was planning on staying in for the long term, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate. What I find most concerning is that the guild almost seems to expect me to stay here longer than the month the Overseer initially expected. I need to find out what the crystal breaking means as soon as possible. ¡°That¡¯s beyond what I can pay,¡± Cal said apologetically. ¡°How can we get this under a guildmark?¡± Miren looked confused, and Torin didn¡¯t hide the laugh that escaped him. The man only stopped when Miren glared in warning as she whispered words in his ear. ¡°Madam Miren says to give what you are comfortable with,¡± Torin glanced at his boss and hesitated. ¡°This will be the bonus pay for the workers, so be mindful.¡± Miren was instantly inflamed with anger. She hissed her words in Torin¡¯s ear before heading toward the workers. Torin looked regretful that he angered her, but not about his words. He stayed to wait for Cal''s response. Great. Now I have to decide if I want to shortchange the workers. The Overseer had the guild cover the actual costs despite his request, which meant that [Master Negotiator] was unlikely to be helped. Without that, Cal was even more reluctant to pay more than the least he could get away with. The original ask would have given every worker one gold. It was a significant amount, but for master crafters, it was well worth it. He could afford it, but he would be back on a shoestring budget with the upcoming farming costs. ¡°I apologize in advance, but one guildmark is all I can offer.¡± Cal justified it by thinking this was just bonus pay, and the workers would be paid in full for what they were owed for their work. It still didn¡¯t feel good. However, he wouldn¡¯t take himself to the brink for such a reason. The Overseer might have thought he was doing me a favor by calling Miren, but I don¡¯t need all of this, at least not all at once. ¡°Understood,¡± Torin said gruffly. ¡°I will tell the others they should expect a fifty percent bonus cut.¡± He left to join Miren abruptly. Cal gritted his teeth before closing his eyes and took deep breaths. This was the first time I was about to lose my temper. I can¡¯t even blame Torin, even if he is a generally frustrating person. He glanced at the workers before returning to Tavia¡¯s side to watch them from afar. ¡°That¡¯s more proof.¡± Cal blinked, turning to Tavia with confusion. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I really thought that you would give them nothing after Miren revealed that you are only giving them bonus pay,¡± Tavia expanded. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you do that before.¡± Cal frowned in thought, slowly recalling a vague memory. ¡­ It was an embroiderer. I dangled the idea that I would give extra if he finished my order first but laughed in his face in the end. I had no idea Tavia was there. Not a great look. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count that as similar to this,¡± Cal shook his head. ¡°I was in the wrong, but he willingly pushed down others who were ahead of me for extra money. He had no integrity.¡± Tavia giggled. ¡°You have a strange sense of fairness, Cal. And you know what, you¡¯re right. I agree there¡¯s no point in having such thoughts.¡± Cal stared at her with even more confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­ Thinking of what others have?¡± Tavia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Did you forget about that?¡± Ah. Yes, I completely forgot about that. In all fairness, I just spent one guildmark. ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t,¡± Cal said unconvincingly. ¡°Right,¡± Tavia drawled. ¡°Well, don¡¯t let me keep you from whatever you do here daily. My job is to stand here and watch them... unless you want to keep me company.¡± ¡°Oh, good!¡± Cal straightened in excitement. ¡°I¡¯m glad you said that because I have a lot of work to do.¡± He didn¡¯t see Tavia¡¯s annoyed glare as he ran to the shed to get his tools. Chapter 22 - Apprentice ¡°Excuse me,¡± Cal wove through the workers and the stacks of materials as he got to his shed. He lifted the plow beside the door and dropped it in the wheelbarrow before entering the shed. He ignored the bedding and snapped the shovel onto his back. He followed that by doing the same with the pickaxe and sledgehammer, carrying all three at once for the first time. Not bad. I can barely feel the weight. Cal rolled his shoulders and moved his arms around to see if the range of motion was worse with all three tools on his back. He couldn¡¯t sense a disadvantage. He smiled and exited the shed. He ignored the strange looks he received when he pushed the wheelbarrow back to where Tavia was waiting. She was giving him a look of disbelief as he approached. She was doing that a lot. ¡°What?¡± Cal asked as he let go of the wheelbarrow¡¯s handles. ¡°Your interface did all this too?¡± Tavia waved her hands at his tools incredulously. ¡°Mostly, yes,¡± Cal¡¯s response visibly annoyed her. ¡°So, what, you just touch some farm tool, and then you make it better?¡± I still don¡¯t get it. When did Tavia start to talk so much? I barely saw her talking this much with her friends. She usually lets them fill the silence with words. ¡°Do you feel less stressed now that you¡¯re a mage?¡± Cal switched subjects abruptly. ¡°Wha¡ªno?¡± Tavia replied unsurely. ¡°Why did you ask me that?¡± There goes that theory. I suppose it¡¯ll be well-known soon enough. And even if the guild decides to use me as a tool upgrade factory, I don¡¯t care. ¡­ Well, I care slightly, but as long as my [Tier] increases, that situation will be temporary. ¡°You wanted to see how my interface helps with the tools, right?¡± Cal left the wheelbarrow behind and pulled the pickaxe off his back. [Uncommon Pickaxe: Good Quality] Upgrade: 661/950 Tasks This won¡¯t take too long. Maybe thirty minutes at maximum. CRACK! Cal saw Tavia jump a little at the sudden sound. The same could be said for the workers, who turned sharply before staring curiously at him. CRACK! He didn¡¯t let the stares prevent him from entering his peaceful zone. His body went on autopilot as he repeatedly brought the pickaxe down, digging up the surface layer in neat patches that aligned with the work he had done yesterday. Your equipment [Uncommon Pickaxe] has been upgraded to [Advanced Pickaxe]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the [Advanced Pickaxe]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one Self-Repair - After 24 continuous hours without use, the pickaxe will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' Enhanced Penetration - This pickaxe can penetrate harder materials with less effort, allowing you to mine through tough ores and rocks that are otherwise too challenging. Cal should be happy that the interface again offered him self-repair as a tool¡¯s trait, but a small part of him was disappointed it was there. He only glanced at the other option before dismissing it. If the tool has an option for a self-repair trait, that¡¯s the one I will pick. He reached out and tapped ¡®Self-Repair,¡¯ and the interface disappeared. He looked around and knew the next job was to shovel the mess into a neat pile. Cal didn¡¯t know he had a smile as he put the pickaxe on his back and pulled out the shovel. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± He jumped in shock, turning to see Tavia gaping at him. He had forgotten she was there. ¡°Cal, you might have been born to be a farmer.¡± Tavia froze and quickly backtracked. ¡°Not that you won¡¯t be a great mage. You¡¯ll be an even better mage than a farmer! And you¡¯re a really¡ª¡± ¡°Thank you, Tavia,¡± Cal laughed, mercifully cutting off her rambling. ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± She smiled sheepishly before lowering her voice. ¡°Is it smart to show that to me?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Cal shrugged. ¡°I''m not exactly trying to hide this from anyone here.¡± Tavia seemed to understand what he was saying when her eyes flickered in the distance. Not that she would find anyone. I would be surprised if anyone was monitoring people''s movements in person. There are better ways to do this. ¡°I¡¯ll keep quiet anyway,¡± Tavia reassured. ¡°I appreciate it,¡± Cal smiled as he twisted the shovel. She glanced at the tool with a knowing look in her eyes. ¡°Go have your fun. I won¡¯t disturb you further.¡± He shot her a happy smile and moved to the closest target. That¡¯s why I always found her pleasant. She was always well aware of what others wished for. Of course, I just want to shovel some dirt, but it¡¯s still my dearest wish right now. Cal plunged the shovel into the recently dug-up ground and paused. Carrying a shovel full of debris to the edge would be a headache, so it would be better to use the wheelbarrow instead. He quickly went to the wheelbarrow and took out the plow he put in the bucket before returning to the shovel. Shovel. Fill the wheelbarrow. Dump the debris into a newly forming pile. Repeat. Cal diligently worked to clean up everything he had dug up. He sensed that a few hours had passed by the time he was done. ¡°You really enjoyed that.¡± He had pushed the wheelbarrow back to the place near Tavia. ¡°What¡¯s not to enjoy?¡± ¡°Hm, I would strongly disagree, but it¡¯s hard to deny you enjoyed it.¡± Tavia didn¡¯t seem to believe her words even though they left her lips. ¡°Do you enjoy completely the incremental, tiny steps when you learn a spell?¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± Tavia said as if it was obvious. ¡°The same applies here. Only the end result isn¡¯t a spell. I grow some crops.¡± Cal looked proud of his analogy. Tavia snickered, and seeing his offended reaction, it turned into a full-blown laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t get what¡¯s so funny,¡± Cal said blankly. ¡°Y-You looked so proud, but that saying could work with anything!¡± Tavia burst into laughter again. Cal rolled his eyes and resolved to ignore her. The analogy still works. He glanced at the workers and saw the shed completely dismantled. In its place, a hole had been dug with white stones set as some type of foundation. ¡°They really do move fast,¡± Cal¡¯s words broke through Tavia¡¯s continued laughter. She slowed to a chuckle as she nodded. ¡°They should be done soon.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Cal glanced at the sky. There were still six or seven hours of daylight left. ¡°I¡¯ll stay busy with them.¡± He grabbed the plow and prepared to turn over the newly uncovered dirt, which roughly doubled the size of the workable field. Since he intended to plow the entire thing again, he would be able to make around twenty lines in the dirt. Cal put the blade in the dirt and pushed, the plow gliding smoothly through to the opposite end. He shifted the plow and repeated. By the time he was done, he had counted twenty-one lines. It didn¡¯t feel like it had taken a long time, no more than an hour, but when he looked at the workers, they were already building up the house. Cal could feel his body throbbing dully with soreness. It was nothing particularly worrisome, but neither was it comfortable. He intended to keep going after a few minutes of rest with the intention of upgrading his [Tier] before the end of the day. Getting to the next rank opens a world of possibilities. My mana will be capable of sustaining useful spells. It will be invaluable for farming, but I can also use my first life¡¯s knowledge to relearn a few offensive spells for dire situations. ¡°Again?¡± Tavia asked as he left the plow next to the wheelbarrow and made to walk off. ¡°I have a lot of work to do. This is my field, so I¡¯ll work it as is my job.¡± ¡°That would be better if you didn¡¯t smile like a crazy person as you said it,¡± she called out as he walked away. Again, she¡¯s not wrong. Cal pulled the pickaxe from his back and swung it down. CRACK! He immediately zoned out and dug up the ground like a machine. He could feel his arms burning with each swing, but he had no idea why that was the case. It hadn¡¯t been long since he started. I may have been more tired than I had thought. [Advanced Pickaxe] has degraded to Average Quality. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 rank to [Apprentice 1]. [Tier] increase has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Reward choices available. Choose one. [Guardian Scarecrow] - A scarecrow created by pure mana will protect your farm from any threats, be they beasts, humans, or any other creature. After 3 uses, this reward will expire. [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] - You may apply this reward to one type of crop seed (Limit 1 barrel). They will grow and mature at a 10x accelerated rate, allowing you to harvest crops in a fraction of the usual time. After 3 uses, this reward will expire. Cal was taken out of his zone by the interface. He noticed that his clothes were soaked with sweat and stuck to his skin, and he had dug up a tract of land so large it quadrupled the previous size he had cleared. I went long enough to degrade my pickaxe. How many tasks did I complete? [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 1262/4500 Tasks ¡­ I was far too deep in a trance, but it worked out. The skill increase reduced the required tasks by another five percent, using the original requirement as a base. Wait, they¡¯re all looking at me¡­ the house is finished too. ¡°You¡¯re finally back!¡± Tavia yelled from her spot. ¡°How about you check out your new place before you zone out for another five hours?!¡± Cal glanced at the waiting interface for a long second before looking away. He would make a choice when he was alone, though he already had a feeling about what he would pick. Chapter 23 - A Proposition He tapped the pickaxe¡¯s metal head on the ground to knock the gunk off before putting it on his back. I¡¯ll store this until it¡¯s repaired back to ¡®excellent¡¯ condition. There¡¯s no need to use it for the foreseeable future. Cal saw Tavia hurriedly waving him over as if afraid he would return to pickaxing the ground like a maniac. ¡°Relax!¡± He shouted when she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°I¡¯m done for the day.¡± Tavia raised a brow in doubt and waited for him to get closer. ¡°And how was I supposed to know that? And honestly, I don¡¯t think you know either. I¡¯m reasonably confident all it takes for you to ignore the world is a swing of that pickaxe. I¡¯ve never seen anyone focus on their actions at the intensity I just witnessed.¡± ¡°¡­ Thanks?¡± Cal scratched his chin. This felt like another tirade, but it was different from when she claimed he was ¡®lucky.¡¯ It almost sounds like she¡¯s mad at herself. Tavia saw him staring at her curiously and quickly changed the subject. ¡°You know Miren tried to leave multiple times? She was trying to get your attention for the past hour.¡± ¡°Miren?¡± The girl can¡¯t even talk to me, let alone hope to get my attention. ¡°Oh, you know what I mean,¡± Tavia rolled her eyes at his expression. ¡°Miren told her aide to call you.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cal glanced at Torin, who leaned on the side of the cart Miren was sitting on. The man looked bored out of his mind. ¡°I find it surprising that Torin didn¡¯t do more to grab my attention. He does not hesitate to show his dislike for me.¡± Tavia giggled nervously but stayed silent. ¡°What?¡± Cal narrowed his eyes. ¡°He did try. And almost got split in half for his trouble. Nobody dared to get close to you after that.¡± Is this due to my personal dislike of Torin, or will anyone who approaches me while I¡¯m working experience the same? I¡¯ll need to warn Seris¡ªwait, where is Seris? ¡°What are you looking for, Cal?¡± He stared at the tree line to see if Seris was hiding there. She was an expressive girl around him, but she clamped up and became a mouse when other Initiates were around. ¡°Did you pass a young girl wearing hunting attire on your way here?¡± Cal was having unpleasant thoughts appear in his mind, even though he was confident the path to his station from town was safe. Especially after he had given Seris the necklace. ¡°¡­ No,¡± Tavia gave him a strange look. ¡°Why are you asking?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my assistant. One of her jobs is to come here every morning to see if I want to order anything from town.¡± ¡°How did you manage to get yourself a¡ªnever mind,¡± Tavia shook her head resignedly. ¡°She might have seen the convoy and decided this wasn¡¯t a day to visit.¡± Cal nodded slightly in agreement. I¡¯ll check on her if she doesn¡¯t show up tomorrow. ¡°If you don¡¯t approach them, we¡¯ll stand here all day. They¡¯re all too scared to get near you.¡± He blinked at Tavia¡¯s words, looked at the workers, and found she was right. Miren looked like she wanted to be anywhere else¡ªhe suspected this was normal for her. Torin might have put on a bored expression, but the frequent glances the man gave him before looking away quickly told a different story. All the other workers had put a healthy distance between Miren¡¯s cart, likely to avoid having to interact with him. I couldn¡¯t have been that frightening¡­ was I? Cal cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll put them out of their misery.¡± ¡°Wait, do you mind if I come with you?¡± Tavia put on a pleading expression. ¡°I really want to see the interior.¡± ¡°Er, okay,¡± Cal looked away quickly and approached Miren¡¯s cart. It seems that returning in time has some lingering effects. The affection I used to feel for Tavia remains within me. ¡°Initiate Cal,¡± Torin greeted politely. ¡°Would you like to walk through your new outpost?¡± He was taken aback at the change in attitude. I needed to threaten Torin¡¯s life to get his respect? Strange man. ¡°If you would,¡± Cal stepped aside and motioned Torin to the newly built outpost. He wasn¡¯t surprised when Miren avoided his gaze and stayed on the cart when her aide led them to the outpost. Torin opened the entrance and ushered them into the great room. There was no furnishing¡ªnot that Cal expected any¡ªbut he could easily imagine it matching his residence hall in the core guild with the correct decor. It was concerning that the guild put such care into the materials they chose for what was supposed to be a temporary residence. It made it all but certain that the intention here was no longer a month-long stay. The guild wanted him to stay here for the longterm. It hinted that the crystal break somehow changed the higher-ups minds about him becoming a [Mage]. This is not a small expense for the guild. Staying here will benefit me in the short term, but I will need to reevaluate my situation periodically. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°How much did all of this cost the guild?¡± Cal asked for confirmation. ¡°Madam Miren is the only one who knows the exact amount, but the materials used are not what I call cheap.¡± That¡¯s one way to sidestep the question. ¡°This is¡­ good,¡± Tavia commented quietly beside him. Cal had almost forgotten she was there with how quiet she had been. Her expression told him she was feeling envy. To be fair, it¡¯s natural to feel this way. I would feel the same for a moment or two. ¡°Let¡¯s see the rest,¡± Cal walked to one of the joining rooms. ¡°What¡¯s special about this place?¡± Torin moved quickly to get in front and opened the door, revealing a large bedroom. It would be more impressive if the cot he had been using in the shed hadn¡¯t been placed in the center of the room. What seemed luxurious before was now ill-fitting with the room. ¡°We have furnishing options available,¡± Torin noticed his displeased expression. ¡°Anything you order from the catalog will be delivered the same day.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about the rest of the place, but I¡¯ll need a bed,¡± Cal said bluntly. ¡°Of course, Initiate¡ª¡± ¡°What?!¡± Tavia cut in, stepping in front of Cal to face him. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave the rest of the place bare?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure why she was so incensed. ¡°What¡¯s the point of having all of this space if you¡¯re going to waste it?¡± Tavia was riling herself up to unnecessary levels of emotion. Cal glanced at Torin to see if he had committed some type of faux pas, and the smirk on the man¡¯s face wasn¡¯t promising. ¡°How much will it cost to get Cal a bed?¡± Tavia had gone from being intense at Cal to bypassing him to speak to Torin. ¡°We provide different levels. From beds designed just for comfort to beds inlaid with runes to enhance the quality¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s focus on comfort,¡± Cal interrupted. When I hear runes, I see guildmarks leaving my pocket. ¡°Our most expensive bed of that type would be one gold, with plenty that are cheaper,¡± Torin¡¯s smirk grew slightly. I¡¯m out of the loop. What¡¯s so funny here? ¡°How about comparable furnishing for the rest of the place? Give me an approximate cost,¡± Tavia ignored the look Cal was shooting at her. ¡°Four gold at most, five in total,¡± Torin replied dutifully. I feel like I should refuse Tavia purely out of pettiness toward Torin. Still, it would be nice to have the outpost furnished completely. I just didn¡¯t want to waste my time decorating when I am only going to spend the nights sleeping here while the day is spent in the field. ¡°A maximum of five gold to fully furnish a home sounds good to me,¡± Tavia nodded, agreeing with herself. ¡°This would cover the great hall, bedroom, and what else?¡± ¡°There are two more bedrooms in this structure, and the cost would also cover the workshop,¡± Torin glanced at the hallway that led to said workshop. ¡°The workshop is the most interesting thing Madam Miren has designed. Would you both like to take a look?¡± I¡¯m not sure why there are three bedrooms, but I suppose it¡¯s better than having something like a kitchen. Mortal food can be eaten for pleasure but provides no sustenance to me, and I do not have the skills to make useful meals for people with activated interfaces. Speaking of which, I will need to order some food in a week or two. I¡¯ll start to get hungry soon. ¡°Just give us a second, Torin,¡± Tavia turned to Cal. ¡°So? What do you think? Five gold is a reasonable price, don¡¯t you think?¡± Why does Tavia care about this so much? ¡°Five gold is too much,¡± Cal said without lowering his voice. Torin could hear everything. ¡°If I can get a better deal, I would consider it.¡± ¡°How do you feel about me covering the cost of the furnishing?¡± What? ¡°What?¡± Cal repeated what he thought. He shook his head before staring at her warily. ¡°You have the savings to pay for¡ªno, wait. First, why?¡± ¡°Your station is perfect,¡± Tavia gushed. ¡°It¡¯s isolated without being too far from the closest town. The guild provided you excellent housing, and most importantly, I won¡¯t have to deal with all the idiots in the core guild.¡± ¡°You want to stay here,¡± Cal bluntly said what she tried to avoid. ¡°Occasionally,¡± she stressed. ¡°I hate the idea of staying in one place, but I would like a place I can rest if I want.¡± She¡¯s likely beggaring herself by offering to pay for the furnishing. I should say no, but I want to do the opposite. ¡°Did you forget I live here too? We seem to get along, but this is only a recent change.¡± ¡°I was fine with you before the Selection and this attitude change, but I couldn¡¯t afford to take it easy like you were, so I avoided you. Now, I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be an issue,¡± Tavia shrugged. I don¡¯t know if I want to give up my privacy, though it would be nice to have her here. I wouldn¡¯t be left with just the little beast as company. ¡°Let me think on it,¡± Cal shifted his eyes away from Tavia¡¯s disappointed look. ¡°I assume the other bedrooms are nothing special?¡± Torin nodded. ¡°Then show us to the workshop.¡± He felt the silence was a little more tense than necessary as they followed Torin. Tavia may have been planning this for some time. She isn¡¯t one for rash decisions¡­ at least, that is my impression of her. ¡°Wow,¡± Tavia¡¯s hushed word was the first sound heard when they stepped into the space meant to be a workshop. Cal would agree with her, but he was concerned about the lack of reaction from his interface. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary for me to say, but the Starlit Marble floor Madam Miren designed naturally gives a learning boost when involving mana. There are no runes involved whatsoever.¡± He wasn¡¯t interested in what Torin explained and instead stared at the flooring. It had a glass-like appearance with flecks of silver and gold set on a midnight blue backdrop¡ªa standard appearance for Starlit Marble. Why am I not getting the boost? Without that effect, Starlit Marble is just an overpriced stone. ¡°¡ªpossible to turn one side into a library.¡± ¡°It depends on what Cal decides,¡± Tavia nudged him to get his attention. She got it. Tavia must have known about the Starlit Marble before she arrived, or it could have been when Cal panicked and made her aware it was being installed. She wanted to gain access to it. There were some rooms in the core guild with Starlit Marble, but it was shared between hundreds of members. For some reason, I feel more disappointment than relief. ¡°Are you getting enough of a boost for it to make a significant difference?¡± Cal asked, mind already made whatever answer she gave him. ¡°It will be invaluable to me,¡± Tavia¡¯s violet eyes implored him to make the correct decision¡ªfor her. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Cal made it sound casual, ¡°make yourself at home.¡± Being alone would have become tiresome. Plus, this can change whatever happened for Tavia to disappear in my last life. ¡°Really?¡± Her eyes went wider than they already were. ¡°That¡¯s great! Torin, let me see your catalog! I want to start decorating right¡ªAh!¡± She looked at Cal awkwardly. ¡°Is that alright? You didn¡¯t seem too interested in it before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not interested. Just let me know what you¡¯re choosing for my bedroom. I care about what that looks like¡­ slightly.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Tavia chirped uncharacteristically. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Torin.¡± The man followed Tavia, but not before giving him a last smirk and nod. Cal was left alone in the empty warehouse, which finally got the gears in his brain to click. Oh¡­ Torin thinks that Tavia and I¡­ He shook his head and walked to the storage room, which Torin had neglected to show. To be fair, it was not nearly as interesting as the workshop since it was just a plain room with no special features. However, this room was the most useful for Cal. It had places to hang his tools on the wall and was large enough for him to fit tens of wheelbarrows¡­ Cal facepalmed. I¡¯m a fool. I can have Orrin make multiples of each tool so I can have a backup to use while I allow a tool to repair itself for a week. I must tell Seris to give him the order the next time I see her. He was still shaking his head when he hung the pickaxe on the wall. At the least, he caught that error reasonably early. It would be possible to upgrade the ranks of the backup tools and not have them too far behind. Miren and the workers had included a convenient exit to the field right in the storage room so it wouldn¡¯t be necessary to use the house to access it. Cal left the storage room and stepped back onto his field. He needed to pay them the one guildmark bonus so they would be on their way. He still needed to pick his [Tier] rank upgrade reward. Chapter 24 - Choosing the Reward Thankfully, I don¡¯t have to deal with that. I have a free decorator. I wonder if this means they would fix whatever I say I dislike. I could use a slightly larger storage room. However, I won¡¯t be able to use such an expansion for months at the earliest. I¡¯m not sure why the guild ordered this built. I¡¯m having enough of a headache trying to plant a crop, let alone have the energy to keep some beasts alive¡­ though Seris did see a beast that could be helpful for farming. I concede. The stable might be useful. I might as well use it. I can¡¯t take it anymore. Madam Miren¡¯s guild? So she¡¯s a member? I¡¯ve never heard of her before, and it certainly looks like I should have. She supposedly has rune crafters in her employ, which is mind-blowing if she is part of the guild. The arrogance a person must have to judge someone for something so ridiculous. It reminds me of those with a stick up their behind in the core guild. Torin is more of the same, just a different flavor. I liked him better when I thought he was just a naturally rude ass. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Oh, right. Tavia is one of those that Torin looks down on. someone.¡± Perhaps the real question should be about the Overseer. Things are not matching up about him. I didn¡¯t think he was important since I had never saw him after the Selection in my first life, but the man has a little too much sway about how things are going to be too far down the hierarchy. That¡¯s an issue I didn¡¯t think about. Am I really capable of trying to pickaxe my newly built house to destruction? It is an issue that I hesitate to say I won¡¯t. Still, I¡¯m reasonably confident I will know the difference between the ground and brick walls. ¡­ I just have to ignore the Torin incident. This was a productive day. The place I sleep is no longer a hovel. I have Tavia as a roommate. And the best of all, I¡¯ve finally stepped into the next [Tier] rank. I need to find the proper spell that will allow me to replace an irrigation system. It won¡¯t be too hard since I just need a basic water spell without much damage potential. There should be no restrictions on¡ª It¡¯s waiting for me to give it approval. Another positive to add to this productive day. I might have found my disposal unit after all. It was a false alarm. I still have no convenient disposal unit. Hopefully, Miren will find some use for rubble. I can see this place filled with high-ranked tools¡­ This will be a target of theft if I leave it unprotected. However, the rune inlays for theft defense will cost me a minimum of five guildmarks for the weakest kind. I¡¯ll need income from a harvest to be able to afford¡ª How did I not realize this? I can sell the tools that I upgrade for a nice profit. An Advanced-ranked tool will get me a few guildmarks at auction. Unfortunately, anything of a lower rank isn¡¯t worth the effort. An Uncommon-ranked tool might fetch one or two silver at most. The rank only increases the durability of the equipment. The true value comes from the infused mana, which only becomes possible at the Advanced-rank. I won¡¯t need the extra funds for security features anytime soon, so I don¡¯t need to rush with this. slight doubt. [Guardian Scarecrow] isn¡¯t attractive to me. The main issue is that I need to have a farm to protect for the reward to be worthwhile. I don¡¯t see the point of picking a reward that might be useful after I succeed in farming. It could also protect my storage room if that is considered part of my farm, but there are alternatives that don¡¯t involve me wasting a reward. [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed]. The interface disappeared immediately afterward. I don¡¯t feel much for this reward either. It only helps to grow a crop faster, not that it will grow in the first place. [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] is more of a money-maker than a farming tool. Still, that¡¯s better than picking [Guardian Scarecrow]. The money I earn from the accelerated crop growth will allow me to buy the rune inlays to protect the farm if necessary. The little beast might try something tonight¡­ I¡¯m ready if it does. Chapter 25 - Finally, the First Step Seris still hasn¡¯t arrived, and it¡¯s almost midday. I¡¯ll give her an hour before I head to town to check on her. That¡¯s the last of it. I need to plow the entire thing to keep the surface layer from growing back, but other than that, there¡¯s nothing else that¡¯s required of me. I¡¯ll have plenty of time left in the day. I don¡¯t want to use the pickaxe to dig up new areas of the field. I want to let it repair itself. I haven¡¯t used my sledgehammer in a while. I might not need to expand my field soon, but I can see a use for the rocks. I can hire someone to create a cobblestone path or do it myself after learning how. I will have plenty of time to kill, so I¡¯ll look to do the latter. did not like that. will hurt you, beast,¡± Cal growled, taking a threatening step forward. It was not convinced. It has gotten very bold. My inaction has given it the courage to show me attitude. It¡¯s a hollow victory, but it¡¯s still a victory. I can¡¯t actually bear to harm the little thing, given that it has become a sort of companion, but it doesn¡¯t need to know that. I don¡¯t see anything that catches my attention. Maybe the quality degradation hinges on the tasks completed instead of increased stress in a short period of time. I expected the plow to degrade by the time I reached the end of the dirt field if I was going at a slower speed. If it happens earlier, I¡¯ll know the answer if speed and stress change how a tool degrades. [Common Plow] has degraded to Good Quality. [Common Plow: Good Quality] Upgrade: 86/90 Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. I could do four more lines to get the upgrade, but it¡¯ll only get the plow to the Uncommon rank. It won¡¯t give me any special choices that make it worth the rush. I¡¯ll let it happen naturally. They¡¯re both a little silly to me, but at least Seris isn¡¯t a moocher like the little beast. Speaking of her, I should head to town¡ª She has perfect timing, as always. How is my tiny dirt patch requiring all this? I heard it smells horrid in small quantities. With the amount on the way, it might permeate every part of my field and drown me in the smell. She¡¯s being serious. Confidence is good to have. There¡¯s the real reason. Seris is comfortable around people she knows but retreats into a shell when there are too many unknowns. If it was only Tavia, she would have likely approached me. The workers pushed her into skipping. I forgot about the test Drex was doing on the dirt. I need to travel to Lumina and get a basic water spell. The guild subsidizes the price of such spells, so cost won¡¯t be a concern. I should be able to modify the spell to meet my needs. A trip to Lumina will take up an entire day. It wouldn¡¯t be wise of me to go until after the [Tier] boost period ends. Unfortunately? Did he expect me to just stand aside? This is a golden opportunity to gain a skill that will help me greatly. It will be much faster than that. All-day work is a dream. A few [Tier] increases will drastically reduce that time. Chapter 26 - Drex Gives a Lesson Drex turned around and clapped his hands to get the attention of the people he had hired. ¡°There¡¯s been a change of plans!¡± The hired hands froze, stopping their unloading of the carts. Drex hesitated to continue and looked at Cal as if to ask if he was sure. Cal knew he wouldn¡¯t change his mind on this. He answered with a confident nod. Drex didn¡¯t doubt him a second time. ¡°After you finish unloading the carts, you can return to town. Initiate Cal will not require help with his field.¡± A low grumbling immediately started, making Drex hold up a hand. ¡°Everyone will still be paid for the day as promised. Continue as you were!¡± The grumbling didn¡¯t disappear altogether, but Drex¡¯s words were enough for them to return to unloading the carts. ¡°It seems that I took away the jobs they expected to have for the next week,¡± Cal pointed out, not with any regret, but indirectly saying it wasn¡¯t his problem. Drex understood. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. I have other work that can be assigned to them. Now, let¡¯s get the basics out of the way.¡± He motioned Cal to follow. ¡°The last step involves this,¡± Drex slapped his hands on a tightly woven cloth-covered sack. Multiple piles of them reached their shoulder. ¡°This is mulch, but a very customized one based on the test results. It¡¯s made from compost out of the Serenity Tree and mixed with rune-infused, crushed gemstone powder.¡± Cal¡¯s ever-present fear of the staggering cost of runes flared up. ¡°You quoted me a price before. Has it changed drastically from that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Drex looked confused at the interruption. ¡°Why would it change? I factored this into the cost, though it was previously at a higher concentration since I assumed the dirt here was completely dead.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cal stood in the middle of a growing pile of mulch sacks. The carts were still not completely unloaded. ¡°So this still cost me around fifty silver?¡± ¡°Less than that since I didn¡¯t need to make the fertilizers as potent. Forty silver will cover all this.¡± Cal had been thinking it would be well over a gold, so finding it was cheaper almost made it seem like he was getting it for free. ¡°I see. Please carry on. I apologize for interrupting. Drex nodded as he moved to the open tubs of black powder. It gives off a soft glow I can only notice when close. Strange, when the powder itself is black. ¡°This is loam,¡± Drex dug his fingers into the fine black powder, letting his fall through his fingers after he lifted a handful. ¡°Again, this is heavily customized for your specific need. The soft glow comes from a fungus that grows along with the Serenity Tree.¡± ¡°This is the second time I¡¯ve heard about this Serenity Tree. What¡¯s so special about it?¡± ¡°It lives a fast life and spreads like a weed. When it dies, it leaves behind rich nutrients that make perfect fertilizers. It¡¯s not the cheapest you can get, nor is it the most expensive. However, when speaking of a project requiring this level of intense repair, it makes for the perfect material.¡± That makes sense. If a five-hundred-square-foot dirt patch needs this much, I shudder to think of how much the entire field would need. ¡°I¡¯m guessing this is also made from that tree,¡± Cal tilted his head at the closed buckets. ¡°If that were the case, your cost would be significantly less¡ªby over ninety percent,¡± Drex said, carefully unlatching the top of the tub and removing it. Are these purely crushed gems? ¡°These are powered elemental crystals. Most of the earth variation, but some water, fire, and wind are mixed in. Most of your money goes here since we have to import these. The Alchemists that bother to make this are rare outside the territory and nonexistent in the Celestial Order.¡± I see why the guild doesn¡¯t bother if its purpose is to revive dead land. They have surplus fertile land. ¡°¡­ Do I have to worry about theft?¡± Cal thought about the skill he had dismissed after thinking it was unnecessary. ¡°Theft? No, but you¡¯ll have to worry about the crystals attracting beasts. This is so rich in mana that it¡¯ll act like a beacon of sorts,¡± Drex paused and looked around. ¡°I suppose being in the Northern Wastes will finally be advantageous here.¡± The little beast will likely beg me for a taste of this. I won¡¯t allow it. But I¡¯m more worried about the wolf I saw. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Let¡¯s have the workers move all of this into my storage room,¡± Cal said. ¡°I saw a beast on my first night here. If it comes down to it, I can protect it better if it isn¡¯t left out in the open.¡± ¡°A beast here?¡± Drex was surprised, but that didn¡¯t stop him from getting the workers'' attention with a loud clap. ¡°Move the crushed crystals into that building. Leave the rest out here.¡± It looks like the mulch and loam aren¡¯t attractive to beasts. Cal saw the workers grumble more. They had just about completed their work, and now they had to reload the carts with the closed tubs. Drex was already moving on to the next step. ¡°Now that you know what you are working with, let me show you how to apply them to your field. Water is heavily involved here, so I hope you have a solution ready.¡± He stared at him with a question in his eyes. Cal shifted uneasily. ¡°How early in the process is it required?¡± ¡°It¡¯s at every step,¡± Drex¡¯s stare grew more doubtful. Using a day to take a trip to Lumina might be necessary. Perhaps the Initiates in Mariner¡¯s Rest might have a solution. ¡°Tell me what I need to do first,¡± Cal had already resigned himself to losing a precious day of boosted [Tier] growth. ¡°It¡¯s a fairly simple process, but the trouble is that it is time-consuming. It takes time to mix each fertilizer with the field, and the gap between each step makes it excessive.¡± Cal stared. He still hadn¡¯t got the instructions. ¡°I¡¯m not going to change my mind about getting help with this, Drex.¡± ¡°¡­ Apparently,¡± Drex said with a sigh. ¡°At least you can¡¯t say I warned you multiple times, Initiate Cal.¡± He immediately went into the steps needed. ¡°Loam is the first needed to be used. Spread it evenly over the surface and use a rake with long tines to mix it into the dirt. Water and leave it for about half a day at a minimum.¡± Cal winced. Yes, I¡¯ll need to get the water speed as soon as possible. ¡°The powdered crystals are next. You will need to make a mix of two parts water and one part powdered crystal. Irrigate the field with this solution once a day even after the soil is repaired.¡± I¡¯ll need containers for the water¡­ and a tool for irrigation. ¡°The last step is the mulch. Spread a thin layer¡ªan inch or two at most¡ªand water it lightly. When the process is complete, the mulch will have a stronger glow. If it doesn¡¯t, repeat from the first step with the loam until it does.¡± Cal noted the steps carefully in his mind. It wasn¡¯t complicated, so it made him especially eager to not miss anything. He would be embarrassed for himself. ¡°It¡¯s really this simple?¡± Cal asked with a raised brow. ¡°As I said, the time needed is the most difficult part. Might I suggest¡ª¡± ¡°Boss!¡± Seris was her timely self and ran towards them. She interrupted what would have been yet another pointless suggestion of using help by Drex. ¡°Why¡¯s your place so empty? I thought it would be interesting, but even Orrin¡¯s broken house is more interesting.¡± Cal raised an eyebrow at the somehow-offended Seris and his house. ¡°If it was so uninteresting, why did you spend so much time there?¡± ¡°I was looking for hidden doors after seeing how empty it was. I heard you people hide the really good stuff there.¡± Seris had no hesitation in revealing her skulking. Cal pinched the bridge of his nose before shaking his head. ¡°Who told you this?¡± ¡°Er, I¡¯m not sure. I remember it from somewhere,¡± Seris tapped her chin. ¡°Oh! Maybe¡ª¡± ¡°Seris, you work for Initiate Cal. Why don¡¯t you offer him help with applying fertilizer?¡± She stiffened and looked like she was about to swipe at Drex for pulling her in. Cal didn''t miss the timing of the interruption. Drex must have told Seris some tall tales when she was younger. He didn¡¯t expect her to be around an Initiate long enough for it to cause issues. ¡°Uh, boss, I still haven¡¯t looked at the stables!¡± Seris looked ready to bolt. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out!¡± ¡°No, wait,¡± Cal commanded before turning to Drex. ¡°Is there anything else I need to know?¡± Drex took a few seconds to think over his explanation before shaking his head. ¡°No, that is all, Initiate Cal.¡± The workers had finished moving the powdered crystals into the storage room and were preparing to leave the field. ¡°Perfect, then we are done for the day. I greatly appreciate your help, Drex.¡± Cal smiled as he handed him forty silver. ¡°I¡¯ll inform Seris when I¡¯ll need more fertilizer.¡± Drex pocketed the silver as he nodded. ¡°That works. I¡¯ll send the workers to deliver your order. My presence won¡¯t be necessary unless I drastically change the composition of the fertilizer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Cal agreed. ¡°Now, if you can excuse me, I need to speak to Seris about some orders.¡± Drex didn¡¯t look suspicious like he had been at the start when he first met Cal. He simply nodded. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll take my leave. Good luck, Initiate Cal.¡± The worker had already been filing out, and Drex soon joined them at the back of the makeshift line. Cal was content in waiting for them to leave his field before speaking. Seris wasn¡¯t. ¡°Boss, please don¡¯t make me help you farm.¡± Her pleading tone raised Cal''s brow. She looked like a sad cat again. ¡°I never said I wanted you to do that.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ great!¡± Seris bounced back to her usual self. ¡°So, what did you need, boss?¡± ¡°I have new commissions for Orrin,¡± he was a little surprised to see Seris pull out a small notepad. ¡°Tell him I want another of every tool he made for me so far. A rake with tines that are longer than normal¡ªmaybe six to eight inches long. Something that I can use to irrigate my field. And large, water-tight tubs. Three of them. I should be able to sit inside one comfortably.¡± Seris had questions. He saw it clearly even as she wrote down everything he wanted, but she somehow held herself back from asking. ¡°Is that all, boss?¡± ¡°From Orrin, yes. Speak to Vaela or Liora and ask if any water spells are available without traveling to Lumina.¡± Seris fidgeted. ¡°Do I have to speak to them? Why can¡¯t you do it, boss?¡± Cal stared, telling her silently that she would have to do it. I want to ease her into getting used to speaking with other Initiates. It will be helpful for both of us. ¡°¡­ Fine,¡± Seris pursed her lips before jotting it down. ¡°Anything else, boss?¡± ¡°That should be it.¡± Seris nodded before glancing at Drex¡¯s cart. It was still in the field but was nearing the tree line. ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back and get started right now. See you tomorrow, boss!¡± Cal chuckled when she sprinted after Drex¡¯s cart, waving frantically to get the man¡¯s attention before eventually hopping on. When the cart left his sight, he looked away and pulled the sledgehammer from his back. I got my fertilizer delivered, but it¡¯s pointless to start the process without water at hand. I¡¯ll clear more stones in the meantime. Chapter 27 - Threats CRACK! Cal lifted the sledgehammer when he saw what he had been expecting far too many swings ago. As always, the stones were easy to break, but just because he barely used any strength didn¡¯t mean he expected the sledgehammer to keep its ¡®Excellent¡¯ quality the entire time. Still, this is far less than the degradation I expected. Instead of a reduction of quality, all that appeared were minor cosmetic scratches and slight imperfections that would do nothing to hinder the sledgehammer from performing at its peak. [Uncommon Sledgehammer: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 852/900 Tasks This will be the first tool to carry an ¡®Excellent¡¯ quality to the Advanced rank. Cal stared at the surface layer pervasive in the Northern Wastes and wondered if this was why his other tools degraded so quickly. It was a guess that he wanted to believe as fact, but the pickaxe degrading to ¡®Trash¡¯ quality stopped him from doing so. All other tools were used on other materials. Of course, his pickaxe was already in such poor shape at that time that it could¡ªand very likely did¡ªplay a large part in the degradation. Cal shifted to the next stone and swung the sledgehammer down. CRACK! He repeated that in quick succession until the interface let him know he got what he wanted. Your equipment [Uncommon Sledgehammer] has been upgraded to [Advanced Sledgehammer]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the [Advanced Sledgehammer]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one Pest Deterrent - This sledgehammer will emit a low-frequency vibration that repels farm pests from the area of use, helping to protect crops and livestock from damage or disease. Weight Adjustable - This sledgehammer has an adjustable weight mechanism, enabling you to customize the weight for different tasks, from light tapping to heavy-duty smashing. You are limited by the mana you can supply to the sledgehammer. Cal hadn¡¯t taken the time to look at the options carefully before disappointment set in. I had a feeling that Self-Repair wouldn¡¯t be an option this time. The sledgehammer had breezed through the tasks with little issue of degradation. Now, he would have an Advanced-ranked equipment that would be nearly impossible to repair if necessary. Cal shook off his disappointment and studied the available choices. It didn¡¯t take long to realize that neither was attractive to him. ¡®Pest Deterrent¡¯ sounded useful, but this was a solution to a problem he didn¡¯t have¡ªin the present, nor did he think he would face it shortly. The Northern Wastes didn¡¯t have any native pests. While he knew the crops he would grow would eventually attract them, it would be a waste to use his sledgehammer as a sort of prop to ward away pests. By then, Cal knew he would have more than enough funds to invest in proper pest-repellent rune inlays. What he had learned from Drex about the risks and rewards of farming practically made it impossible not to. This leaves me with ¡®Weight Adjustable.¡¯ He knew that most of the points that made him disregard ¡®Pest Deterrent¡¯ also applied to this one. It was a solution to a problem he didn¡¯t have, but he didn¡¯t think he could replace this with a readily available alternative. My biggest concern is the quality deterioration if I increase the weight too much. It would break my heart if the sledgehammer shattered in my hands along with some dumb stone I targeted. Still, this was more fitting of a trait for a sledgehammer to have. It might come in handy if he was in a pinch that required him to smash through a particularly tough stone. ¡­ I can¡¯t even convince myself. I suppose I won¡¯t get a choice that is good every time. Cal sighed as he tapped ¡®Weight Adjustable.¡¯ The interface disappeared as the sledgehammer settled into a dull blue glow. He put the sledgehammer on his back and looked around. There were well over eight hundred stones he had demolished. It meant there was now around a hundred thousand square foot area cleared of stones. I¡¯m getting ahead of myself again. I have to use the wheelbarrow to take all the pieces off the field¡­ the pile will be enormous. Cal stormed to where he had left his wheelbarrow in the morning. Having over two acres of land available to work on appealed to him greatly. The duplicate tools I commissioned from Orrin will come in handy. I¡¯ll need to get more pickaxes with the expansion of the field. He pushed the wheelbarrow into the expansion when a faint sound stopped him. Cal turned to see the little beast back in its spot. The visitors'' disappearance had given it the courage to return. Now that I think about it, this thing has an eerily similar personality to Seris. The little beast chittered again, this time louder when it noticed the last one didn¡¯t get a reaction from him. Cal considered ignoring it, figuring it was asking to eat something again. The wide eyes of something¡­ different changed his mind. ¡°What is it?¡± The little beast got more animated at Cal listening. It jumped off the pile of surface layer rubble and landed in front of the wheelbarrow. It started to cross its arms¡ªforelegs, whatever it was¡ªand squeaked repeatedly. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°You want me to not clear the field?¡± His instinctive reaction was to ignore it and proceed with doing his job. Why is it asking me to not work? It¡¯s most eager to eat the parts of the field I recently touched. There must be a good reason. ¡°Why?¡± Cal¡¯s question stopped the little beast''s joy at being easily understood. It stood with a confused pose before getting down on all fours. Cal had only seen it standing upright on its hindlegs. Its small ears stood up as it tried to pull its lips back to show its teeth threateningly. It didn¡¯t work since the buckteeth became all the more visible, but the acting was a success. ¡°Wolf?¡± Cal asked with alarm. The little beast jumped, nodding furiously as it pointed in the direction of his storage room. Not directly at it, but beyond, into the distance. Still, the target was obvious. I didn¡¯t think the powdered crystals would attract attention this early. Cal let go of the wheelbarrow''s handles and switched focus. He reached up and wrapped a hand around the sledgehammer¡¯s handle, a vague plan forming in his mind. It¡¯s my mistake for neglecting to acquire an offensive move. Ordering a lightning simulacrum and regaining access to that element would have been simple, and my previous experience would have made relearning [Lightning Bolt] a breeze. Of course, there was another way to gain access to an element. Cal would have to experience the element intimately¡ªon a level that touched the mana core. It was the ideal way to start learning an element, allowing for a higher potential. However, there was a reason it was rarely taken. In fact, Cal had never heard of anyone in the Celestial Order that had done so. One needed to perfectly align with the element, or it would corrode the mana core into nothing. Anyone who was blessed with the interface fears one thing more than death. Loss of their mana core. It would return them to normal¡ª Cal¡¯s thought cut off at the sight of yellow eyes in the distance. He had gone off on a tangent that had always interested him. Something he dreamed of trying in his past life but was terrified to. I no longer wish to attempt something so foolish, but my mind still wanders off at that subject. He shook his head roughly. He was doing it again. Luckily, the wolf was even less of a concern than it was when he was in the novice [Tier]. Now that he was a rank higher, there wasn¡¯t much a single wolf could do. Cal returned the stare, observing a Silvermane Wolf in the sun for the first time. It wasn¡¯t as sinister as at night when only the baleful yellow eyes could be seen clearly. It won¡¯t be an issue for me, even with a hundred of these wolves. Is it just checking on what it senses in the storage room? The wolf let out a long, mourning howl¡ªjust like the one Cal saw some nights ago. Unlike that time, there was an answering howl a few seconds later. Then another. And another. And another. It didn¡¯t stop. I didn¡¯t think I would manifest a hundred wolves by thinking of it. Cal pulled the sledgehammer from his back. His vague plan would need to become far more concrete. He watched with confusion as wolf after wolf appeared in his sight. It really looked like they were preparing to attack. ¡­ Is it possible that the powdered crystals are potent enough for the wolves to try for a distraction? Silvermane Wolves are solitary creatures. To gather in this number is surprising. Cal heard a wolf howl again. There was no chance for him to know which one made the sound, nor did he care. They¡¯re fanning out, trying to surround me on all sides¡­ no, not me. The storage room. He didn¡¯t hesitate to stand before the door that led directly into the storage room. The wolves didn¡¯t have an attack strong enough to bring down walls, but enough of them would eventually break through a wooden door. I¡¯ll have to leave the front door unattended. I hope the wolves are blinded by greed and solely focus on the storage room itself. Cal¡¯s eyes darted about as the wolves slowly stalked closer. They were letting out low growls that steadily increased in noise the closer they got. My best bet is to scare them into running away. Killing one and getting into an actual fight would be a headache. It might put them in a frenzy. A guttural snarl broke the consistency of the low growls. The wolves looked away from him for the first time. I don¡¯t like this. A fifth of the pack broke away, edging closer to the front door. The exact thing he hoped wouldn¡¯t happen. Cal had to act now. He leaped forward¡ªstartling the wolf pack at the sudden movement¡ªand slammed the sledgehammer to the ground with all the strength he could muster. He targeted an area only a few feet away from the pack. He pushed half his mana capacity into the tool right before the sledgehammer met the ground. Cal¡¯s eyes widened for an instant when it felt like he was holding a mountain in his hands. Even if he wanted to stop, it was far too late. BOOM! The ground rumbled as if there was an earthquake. Shards flew in all directions, rock spikes protruding around the sledgehammer where the shockwave of the contact ended. The sound of the strike was still ringing in Cal¡¯s ear when he looked up to see the wolf pack¡¯s reaction. They were terrified. Their previous aggressive stances were gone. Their ears were flat, their growls turned to whimpers, and they backtracked quickly. He pulled back his mana¡ªnoticing a surprisingly small loss¡ªand did his best to casually point the sledgehammer at the pack. It was hard to ignore the aftershock tremors that he could still feel throughout his body. Still, his desire to avoid financial losses made it possible. ¡°If you leave right now, I¡¯ll spare all of you,¡± Cal motioned to the distance with his sledgehammer. The wolves might not understand his words, but they should get what he was gesturing. The wolves were hesitant, but some still had an eye on the front door. My show of force dissuaded them from trying to get past me. Cal¡¯s ears twitched when he heard familiar squeaks behind him right where the front door was. The little beast was trying to help. Surprisingly, more wolves favored a retreat after the squeaks started. That¡¯s right. The lone wolf I saw in the middle of the night was wary of the little beast. Just when it seemed like the tense standoff would end, a guttural snarl reversed the trend. The timidity of the wolves allowed Cal to pinpoint where the snarl originated. He met the eyes of the wolf that raised the courage of its brethren. It looks familiar¡­ Cal would give them another warning. Then, it was time to attack with lethal intent. He shot forward, hovering directly above a wolf at the edge of the pack. He gave it ample time to release a frightened yelp and dart away before he viciously brought the sledgehammer down. BOOM! [Advanced Sledgehammer] has degraded to Good Quality. Cal¡¯s eye twitched in irritation as he dismissed the interface and stared at the once-again frightened wolf pack. He slowly, dramatically lifted the sledgehammer after pulling his mana away and pointed at the wolf that let out the commanding snarls. ¡°You will be the target next time,¡± Cal flicked the sledgehammer to point it into the distance. ¡°Leave now.¡± The wolf¡¯s eyes flickered between the sledgehammer and the demolished ground. It let out a small whine before backing away. That was all that was needed for the entire pack to do the same. Cal didn¡¯t take his eyes off the retreating pack until they disappeared from his sight. Two uses of the trait were enough to degrade the sledgehammer¡­ I need to set this aside as an attacking tool. Or at least one to use sparingly. He felt a slight tug on his pants and looked down to see the little beast trying to get his attention. It pointed at the storage room and then at its mouth before pinching its fingers. Cal narrowed his eyes. ¡°You want to eat some powdered crystals as a reward, right?¡± The little beast nodded his head rapidly. ¡°No,¡± he was ruthless in his denial, ¡°all of it is meant for my field.¡± Cal ignored the depressed look that fell on the little beast and glanced at the sky. The sun would set in less than an hour. I¡¯m nowhere close to running out of stamina. And I don¡¯t have much to fear by working well into the night. He looked to where the wolves had disappeared before speaking to the little beast. ¡°Stay here and keep a lookout. I¡¯ll order extra powdered crystals next time, specially for you.¡± The little beast perked up in happiness and rushed to stand beside the storage room¡¯s door. It made a show of looking alert as it glared into the distance. Cal smiled at the sight before returning to the field. There were a lot of rocks that needed to be moved.
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above (It''s free on Royal Road). Chapter 28 - Lumina The little beast might have hoped for powdered crystals as a reward for helping. I still see that as a positive. Better for it to earn than try to steal. I want to see how the surface layer grows back. Your equipment [Common Plow] has been upgraded to [Uncommon Plow]. [Uncommon Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 521/900 Tasks [Advanced Shovel: Good Quality] Upgrade: 2038/4500 Tasks This is why I¡¯m getting Orrin to make duplicates. give. You should still pay him, boss. Just because he¡¯s dumb and won¡¯t take money because he¡¯s thankful doesn¡¯t mean you should do that,¡± Seris¡¯s face scrunched up in disgust the longer she spoke. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. She wants to pay out of her own pocket. ¡­ It seems like she¡¯s right. I assumed the worst of her. I thought I had broken that habit in this life. I expected something like this. I should find another reason to get her to speak to them again. She¡¯ll get used to it quicker. [Tier] rank upgrade had done to his body. This is almost a test of the trustworthiness of the little beast. I might be making a thirty-silver mistake, but I have no choice. I¡¯m close. It was all the same for me back then. Chapter 29: Fintan person made it hard. I have been standing here for over fifteen minutes. The aroma that annoyingly wafted in his direction let him know this was not a mere mortal treat. This made his stomach growl. I should eat my fill before returning to the Northern Wastes. ¡­ Who introduces themselves like this? ¡­ Farming Initiate? Head to the Great Market. The simulacra will be for sale on the tenth floor. I can be out of Lumina before the next hour¡ª No, Cal. You can¡¯t harm this man. [Tier] boost. It wasn¡¯t my original intention, but perhaps I changed the fates of these people. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. very happy about. He went from the back of the line, fifty feet away from the entrance, to the front in less than a few minutes. It helps that the mortals are exempt from the security checks. Technically, I would be considered an Apprentice, but the guild doesn¡¯t know about my [Tier] rank increase yet. [Tier] rank increase with such nonchalance. It was usually a massive celebration that would have involved most of the core guild acknowledging his accomplishment. That may change once I regain access to elemental spells. ¡­ That smells so good. I need food anyway. It¡¯s been close to five days since the last time I ate. Why am I being given strange looks? ¡­ Unless I was so focused on getting into the Great Market that I ignored the obvious. I¡¯m getting the strange looks again. I would know. I had plenty. [Farmer] got as an allowance from the guild, but with the comments of the Initiates in Mariner¡¯s Rest, it was less than the Trainees. ¡­ I can¡¯t. I could have bought a hundred tools from Orrin for this much silver. I also made a mistake thinking Fintan is arrogant. I think he¡¯s just overly naive and spoiled. I was right. He¡¯s can¡¯t be too self-important if he followed to learn more about me. Chapter 30: Spells That¡¯s precisely why I came here. How do you get to the higher floors? Why do I get the feeling Fintan is starved for acquaintances? It took me days to acclimate to the lightning element when I was a [Mage]. If it¡¯s known that I casually absorbed both lightning and water simulacrum today, the guild might decide to groom me as its next leader. I have enough experience to manipulate an element to my needs without a quality spell manual. The guild provides the simulacra for free, and thankfully, they are the same no matter the quality of the spell. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. you are paying for all of this?¡± That answers how this place never closed with such a small customer base. It¡¯s always best to start the indoctrination when people are young¡­ I know this intimately. Strange man. But a good one to know in the future for my farm. [Lightning Strike] from memory. The cost doesn¡¯t matter for this. Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything useful in the water spells. Water Sparkle Description: Makes water shimmer with a faint light. Effect: Causes water to glow softly, providing dim illumination for a short period. Warning: Overloading the spell will cause water to catch fire. Water Stream Description: Conjures a steady stream of water from the caster''s hand. Effect: Projects a continuous stream of water using the caster¡¯s mana. Warning: A low water element affinity will exhaust mana quickly. Dewdrop Description: Produces tiny droplets of water on a surface. Effect: Moistens a small area with droplets of water, useful for nurturing plants or cooling down hot surfaces. Warning: Expanding the spell area will require high water element affinity. Rainfall Description: Summons a localized rain shower. Effect: Causes a gentle rain to fall in a small area, useful for watering a garden or creating a soothing ambiance. Warning: Requires a high water element affinity to use. perfect, but he could modify the spells to his needs. The choice wasn¡¯t all that important in the end. I will be happy even if I have low water element affinity. I can work around any limitation as long as I can absorb the water simulacrum. How does someone so young know¡ªNO. It doesn¡¯t concern me. Chapter 31: Lightning Simulacrum He placed his palm on the lightning symbol until it flashed yellow. The cutout in the wall gained an opaque barrier over it, and he waited patiently for what was to come next. I have to give the guild credit here. They might be stingy about the allowance, but the fact that they freely give out simulacra is a near-miracle. A Senior Master¡ªsomeone only below the Guildmaster and the Elders¡ªmust make these. The true value of these must be several gold at the minimum. Cal could hear the faint sound of crackling electricity getting closer. The simulacrum was being transported to the room by means he had yet to figure out. As was common when this was the case, it was more his disinterest and neglect in his first life that caused the gap in knowledge. He heard the crackling electricity become louder before the opaque barrier disappeared. It revealed a small, jagged, crystalline shard that pulsed with energy. It had a bright, vibrant yellow color with flashes of light flickering along the edges in the form of small bolts. This was the lightning simulacrum. There¡¯s a possibility that the guild might be keeping an eye on the room¡­ especially since I¡¯m here. Time to act recklessly. Cal only had the confidence to do this since he knew how high his affinity was with the lightning element. That, and he had the experience of going through the process before. He pulled mana out of his mana core and formed an unbroken stream from his right hand to the core. Just because he wanted to act recklessly didn¡¯t mean he would grab the lightning simulacrum without preparation. Cal waited till he could feel mana pulsing just under the skin of his fingers before reaching for the simulacrum. He was sure anyone observing would be shaking their head in disappointment. They don¡¯t know this will be as easy as breathing for me. I just need to act like I was rejected harshly. I¡¯ll pretend that I got severely shocked the moment I touch the simulacrum¡ª The sharp crackle of electricity increased dramatically before a thunderous noise shook the small room. Cal grunted in pain. A lighting surge flowed through the ideal connection he had created to his mana core in preparation for absorbing the lightning simulacrum. This was not supposed to happen. Smoke rose from Cal¡¯s exposed skin as he frantically struggled to pull his hand away from the malfunctioning simulacrum. He hadn¡¯t taken damage yet, but he could feel the mana protecting his body rapidly getting eliminated by the lightning invading his body. What happened to my lightning affinity!? He sensed that there were precious few seconds for him to stop a catastrophic injury from occurring. It wasn¡¯t the damage to his body that concerned him. It was his mana core that he was panicking about. The invading lightning was surging toward it with an intent to destroy. Cal gave up on trying to separate himself from the simulacrum and threw himself head-first into a dangerous, last-ditch effort to save himself. This was his plan before everything went to hell¡ªwhen he thought he had a decent lightning affinity¡ªbut he would have to take the risk despite having little control. He gritted his teeth before letting the invading lightning through. He would try to absorb it and hope his mana core didn¡¯t implode in the process. Cal let out a low groan as he tried to keep the pain from overtaking his senses. He could feel his mana core getting battered. It was like a million needles were repeatedly piercing his body¡ªneedles dipped in molten metal to exacerbate the pain. He forced himself to shut out the pain¡ªunsuccessfully¡ªand timed the next strike on his mana core. He softened the barrier around the mana core and used everything in him to drag the rampaging lightning into the core. It could be a fatal mistake, but if he allowed this to continue, it would end in the same way, just slower and more painfully. Cal forcefully began merging the lightning with his mana core, a brute force method of absorbing a simulacrum that was never recommended. Still, it wasn¡¯t like he had a choice. I have become utterly incompatible with the lightning element. The process was painfully slow, at least relative to the ease he had been expecting. It was made all that much worse by the constant pain shooting through his body. Cal was fighting a losing battle¡ªit was all too familiar to how he got killed the first time. NO! I won¡¯t allow that to happen. Not again, and especially not to a simulacrum of all things. He used the move of absolute last resort. It was similar to detonating his mana core¡ªagain, something he had experienced before his first life ended¡ªbut a more controlled version of it. Instead of self-exploding with the goal of taking anything in his immediate surroundings along with him to death, the mana core released all the mana contained inside in an instant, momentarily overwhelming the lightning trying to destroy it. It was just enough for Cal to finally make progress. The mana core pulsed when the weakened lightning fought against being contained inside. It looked for a moment that his last gambit would fail. Then it stopped. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Cal had exhausted himself of mana, but his mana core returned to normalcy. Somewhat. ¡­ I really thought this would be the end. He felt the lightning simulacrum crumble into ashes under his fingers, finally freeing him from the frozen position. He quickly put his hands on the wall to support himself. I have felt mana exhaustion before, but not to the point where I can barely stand. Cal took deep breaths and tried to recover some energy. He could still feel phantom shocks across his body. I hear someone approaching. He winced as he forced himself to stand steadily without any support. He put on a confused expression as he stared at the ashes in the cutout for the lighting simulacrum. It could be the girl checking out the commotion, or someone from the guild making sure I haven¡¯t lost my senses. Cal heard the door open. ¡°Er, good to see you''re fine¡­ mostly,¡± a young voice revealed it was the girl checking on him. ¡°Do you need any help?¡± He turned to her and saw she was staring at his exposed forearms¡ªwhich had been smoking copiously a moment ago. ¡°No,¡± Cal glanced at his forearms quickly. They were still smoking. ¡°Just an element incompatibility. Nothing to be concerned about.¡± The girl stared at him doubtfully. ¡°If this is what you look like after a few seconds of trying the lightning simulacrum, maybe it would be wise to wait for a friend before you try the water simulacrum.¡± That was a few seconds!? Cal thought little of the time that lapsed while he fought desperately. But it felt like minutes had passed at the minimum. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± he replied noncommittally. ¡°¡­ Alright,¡± the girl sighed like an exasperated parent before closing the door. Cal listened to her footsteps getting further from the room until he was comfortable letting go of the facade. He hissed in pain and fell toward the wall, catching himself in time to stop his face from meeting it before sliding down to sit on the floor. How did I suddenly lose my lightning affinity? It was never the best, but neither was it so bad the lightning simulacrum would be affronted enough to attack me. He flexed his stiff fingers and shook his head in disbelief. The entire point of using a simulacrum instead of trying your luck with the natural element was the sharply reduced level of danger. I might as well have attracted a true lightning storm instead of what just happened. Cal tested his mana core, carefully drawing out the minuscule mana that had recovered, not wanting to exacerbate any issues that might be lingering after the recent stressor event. That was a mistake. Cal bit back his groan of pain when lightning sparked across his skin. It disappeared when he left his mana core alone. The lightning hadn¡¯t been fully absorbed. Alright, then. I¡¯ll just sit here and wait. He glanced at the door, fully expecting the girl to reappear when he hadn¡¯t finished in the next few minutes. It would have been ideal if he could just take the water simulacrum back to the Northern Wastes and proceed on his own time, but the way a simulacrum worked made that impossible. The moment one was exposed to the environment, there was a very limited time it would remain functional. At the thirty-minute mark, it would be considered a waste product. However, the decay would start within five minutes of the simulacrum¡¯s exposure. The best time to use it was within seconds of exposure. Lamenting a well-known fact won¡¯t change that I must stay here until I can attempt to absorb the water simulacrum. Even if this causes me to stay¡ª The interface abruptly came to life. Lightning Simulacrum absorbed. You can now access the lightning element. Your affinity is¡­ ¡­ ¡­ No lightning affinity detected. You are restricted to lightning spells that require no affinity. Simulacrum absorption has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Trait choices available. Choose one. [Lightning Aura] - You are surrounded by an aura of lightning that matches the strength of your [Tier] level. It is possible to manipulate the aura within five feet of your body. Limit 1 use per day. Duration of the trait is 30 minutes. [Lightning Rod] - You are able to draw in ambient electrical energy to temporarily boost your physical attributes. The higher your [Tier], the more energy you can absorb safely. Limit 1 use per day. Duration of the trait is 4 hours. [Volt Surge] - You can boost your affinity to lighting. The level of boost depends on your [Tier] level. Limit 1 use per day. Duration of the trait is 1 hour. Cal could feel his mana core finally settle¡ªwhich was fantastic¡ªbut he was more interested in the traits offered. He hadn¡¯t been surprised that he had no lightning affinity. It was all too obvious with how he had nearly had his mana core destroyed by trying to absorb the lightning simulacrum. It didn¡¯t matter if he was reckless with how he started the attempt. That should have never happened unless his body actively rejected lightning¡ªsomething he hadn¡¯t even considered possible. As for the prospect of using lightning spells, that was out of the question. All elemental spells require some affinity, which means there are no lightning spells I can use. This makes the traits offered even more surprising. It might even be better than the rewards offered when I became a [Apprentice]. Cal¡¯s eyes were constantly drawn to [Volt Surge]. Increasing an elemental affinity wasn¡¯t unheard of, but it required constant use and diligent practice for even a minute increase. That wasn¡¯t possible naturally since he had no affinity, but [Volt Surge] would eventually let him regain that. However, it would be a slow, drawn-out process since the trait¡¯s duration was only one hour per day. It could take nearly a year before his natural affinity increased. And even more until it increased to a point where it was actually helpful in enabling access to more powerful spells. It would be better to take the trait¡¯s description on its face. As long as my [Tier] is high enough¡ªand it¡¯s increasing rapidly¡ªI will have an affinity that will make it easy to use any lightning spell for one hour daily. [Lightning Rod] was the least appealing trait for Cal. Increasing physical attributes wasn¡¯t his priority, though it was undoubtedly useful. However, where was he supposed to find ambient electrical energy? I would have to depend on the rare storms in the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. There is no point in choosing a trait I can use only a few times a year. That left Cal with [Lightning Aura] to consider. It seemed weak and severely lacking compared to [Volt Surge]. However, he kept thinking about the reason for the short duration. Surely, the trait with the shortest duration must be the most potent. Still, I can¡¯t see how an aura can be better than a temporary increase of my lightning affinity¡­ unless the manipulation of the aura is more extensive than I think it is. Cal wasn¡¯t in a rush to choose a trait, but the next few minutes of contemplation led him to a choice he was increasingly sure of. He slowly reached out with his finger to select his choice, but his thoughts had already jumped to the future. The absorption of the water simulacrum should give me another trait choice¡­ I really, really hope I have a natural affinity with water. Chapter 32: Water Simulacrum The interface disappeared when Cal¡¯s finger touched [Lightning Aura]. It was the safer¡ªperhaps unwise¡ªtrait to pick, but he felt it was justified. He knowingly sacrificed a better, longer-term trait for one that could help him immediately. The interface offered him a reward that focused on protection. Then, the wolves almost immediately threatened his storage room, necessitating that he get some type of defense. I have the sledgehammer, but overuse of that might destroy it. [Lightning Aura] will hopefully give me an alternative. I¡¯ll find out when I test it when I get back. Cal shifted his focus off the trait and hesitantly tested his mana core again. He sensed that a tenth of the capacity had recovered¡ªan average amount for the time taken¡ªand there was no adverse reaction when he drew a small amount of mana out. He sighed in relief before letting the mana return and stood up. Now that his mana core wasn¡¯t in danger of imploding, he could finally think about what happened to his previous lightning affinity. A [Class] change shouldn¡¯t have affected it, but I can¡¯t think of anything else that might have done it¡­ maybe it¡¯s the unique nature of my [Class] that caused the change. Cal stared at the water symbol on the wall and flexed his fingers. They were still a little stiff, and his body still felt phantom pain, but it had been reduced to a point where it was basically an ignorable issue. I have a good feeling about the water simulacrum. He placed his hand on the water symbol. The opaque barrier appeared over the cutout, and he waited. He was genuinely curious about what the water simulacrum looked like. It had never been an element he was interested in since water spells were weaker in battle than the other elements. ¡­ I hear waves. It was faint, but quickly getting closer¡ªand louder. The opaque barrier disappeared to reveal a simulacrum with a far different appearance compared to the lightning simulacrum. The water simulacrum was a smooth, polished crystal that appeared to have water inside. It was a deep blue color that rippled as the water moved continuously, replicating waves as it crashed against the crystal wall. It¡¯s almost a shame I need to absorb this. Cal replicated his steps for the lightning simulacrum¡ªforming a clean, easy path to his mana core. However, he had no intention of rashly grabbing the simulacrum this time. His mana wasn¡¯t at full capacity, so he wanted to tread carefully and give himself plenty of chances to pull back if things started to turn for the worse. He reached out with his hand but stopped an inch away from the water simulacrum. This was the proper way of handling it. Cal''s hand pulsed a soft white, his mana grazing the simulacrum to test if there were any undesirable reactions. He was ready for almost any mishap, but for some reason, he wasn¡¯t prepared for what actually happened. His eyes widened when the water simulacrum jumped into his hand as if the lightest touch of his mana was enough to attract it. He already knew it was too late to back out now. He was ready for another catastrophe. A catastrophe that didn¡¯t happen. Cal sucked in a deep breath when the water element peacefully flowed into his mana core. It was a seamless absorption that required barely any effort. In fact, he had nothing to do as the water element did all the work for him. I never imagined it was possible for an element to eagerly integrate itself into a mana core. Water Simulacrum absorbed. You can now access the water element. Your affinity is¡­ ¡­ ¡­ High water affinity detected. You are restricted to water spells that require up to high affinity. Simulacrum absorption has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Trait choices available. Choose one. [Aquatic Resilience] - You can heal when submerged in water. The higher your [Tier], the faster you heal. This trait is a passive effect. There is no limit or duration. [Flow Sense] - You can sense the water flow in your surrounding environment. The depth of your senses depends on the amount of mana used to activate the trait. Limit 1 use per week. Warning: Activation of this trait will stop the regeneration of the mana used for 2 days. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. [Mist Walker] - You can create a mist around yourself, covering up to 10 acres depending on its intended purpose. The benefits of the trait range from cooling to complete control over the created mist domain. Limit 1 use per week. The duration of the trait is 1 hour, regardless of the mana used. Warning: Activation of this trait will bar access to mana for 1 week. ¡­ I want all of these traits. Cal felt physically ill at the thought of only getting to pick one¡­ or it might be the lingering pain from absorbing the lightning simulacrum. Still, he hated the idea of only having one of these traits. [Aquatic Resilience] might be the worst option he was given, and that said a lot of the other two. The description of [Aquatic Resilience] basically meant it would give him functional immortality in water when his [Tier] was high enough. The drawback is obvious. This requires a body of water that is large enough to submerge my entire body. There is a loophole in creating a simple tub that could do the same, but I believe this still doesn¡¯t beat the other two traits. [Flow Sense] was the most obvious choice to pick. Cal had been worrying about irrigation¡ªthe entire reason he came to Lumina¡ªand a trait that could help with the problem fell on his lap. However¡­ On second thought, I should put [Flow Sense] in last place instead of [Aquatic Resilience]. There is no guarantee that there is flowing water under my field, and even if there was, this trait would be mostly pointless after I find a water source. Cal didn¡¯t ignore the limits of the traits. However, that only made things more confusing. I only wish there were more concrete details of the healing rate I will have with [Aquatic Resilience]. At this point, I don¡¯t know if my current [Tier] is enough to heal broken bones or minor scratches. The fact that the trait is a passive effect leads me to guess it¡¯s more of the latter than the former. He shook his head in frustration. He had changed his mind on the two traits far too much in a short amount of time. Thankfully, there were no doubts about [Mist Walker]. This was another trait that would be far better when his [Tier]was higher and he had more mana capacity. From the wording of the description, he would be able to have all the abilities of the trait immediately. Still, it would be in a severely diminished area due to his small mana capacity. [Mist Walker] has the same vagueness that the other two traits have, but it has one thing that the others do not. The description says ¡®complete control of the created mist domain.¡¯ Complete control means I am a god in that space, as long as the description isn¡¯t an exaggeration. The activation limit and penalty are brutal, suggesting that my understanding is correct. It''s fitting for the potential of the trait. Cal was tempted to pick [Mist Walker] and be done with it but knew he would regret it. He needed to know if there were substitutes for the traits traits in the form of spells. With a high water affinity and a reasonable expectation of increasing it in the future, there wouldn¡¯t be any water spells that would be out of his reach. ¡­ I don¡¯t expect to find substitutes for [Aquatic Resilience] or [Mist Walker]. Even if spells that mimic those exist, I doubt the Celestial Guild would have them. If I can irrigate my field, I¡¯ll happily choose [Mist Walker]. He thought about spending more time in Lumina and visiting those boutiques that Fintan had mentioned. The spells would be there if they existed in Lumina. The other option was to look inside the core guild, but that was a headache he didn''t want to explore yet. Cal shook his head after a second. I have to return. Drex should arrive with the Sunfire Grain seeds by the end of the day. I will revisit Lumina after the [Tier] boost period ends. In the meantime, I can use a regular watering spell to manually irrigate the field. He shook his hand to get the ashy remains of the water simulacrum off. His eyes glanced at the earth symbol on the wall and knew it was something that he wouldn¡¯t have to check on his next visit. If [Farmer] (Special) gave me such an affinity with water, it wouldn¡¯t be out of the question for it to do the same to the earth element¡­ the traits I will get offered might be more helpful with farming. Maybe I should just absorb it now... No. I need to wait. I don¡¯t need more attention on me right now. I expected absorbing the water simulacrum would have taken thirty minutes at a minimum, which wasn¡¯t the case. I¡¯m sure this has already been noted. Cal left the room and returned to the counter. The girl looked more alert than when he entered the store, but that was expected. She walked into the room and saw his skin smoking. She probably expected another disastrous failure. Which was heard in her relief when she spoke. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°I told you there was nothing to be concerned about,¡± Cal smiled, ignoring how his body still ached slightly. ¡°I won¡¯t need the lightning spell.¡± ¡°I assumed you wouldn¡¯t. Here you are,¡± the girl said, handing him the booklet for ¡®Rainfall¡¯ and returning twenty silver. ¡°Dreams are never-ending, and we are here to help you fulfill them. I hope you had a pleasant experience. Come back anytime you want to fulfill your dreams.¡± Cal stared at her as she said what was obviously a canned farewell. The girl stared at him in return as if challenging him to say something about it, but he wouldn¡¯t take the bait. His goal was accomplished, and it was time to return to his field. ¡°I will, and farewell,¡± Cal said, giving her a short nod before leaving the store. He quickly reached the exit and climbed down the stairs, leaving the Grand Market without any delays. He remembered that Fintan wanted him to drop by before he left, and as much as he wished to skip that, it wouldn¡¯t take more than a few minutes. He quickly returned to Lumina¡¯s entrance, weaving through the people going about their day before making the detour to the Registry Office. Thankfully, it was right next to the gate. However, the door was closed. It shouldn¡¯t be closed. Cal knocked and waited for Fintan to answer. After a few seconds, he heard no movements, so he knocked again. ¡°Initiate Fintan has left the office, but he¡¯ll return soon.¡± He turned to see a guard lounging in the shade of a tree. ¡°How soon?¡± ¡°No clue,¡± the guard shrugged. ¡°He usually comes back within the hour.¡± Too long. ¡°Could you tell Fintan that Cal tried to visit him?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the guard agreed readily. ¡®Thank you,¡± Cal turned to head to the gate. ¡°Zev.¡± He stopped and looked at the guard in confusion. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My name. It¡¯s Zev. Thought you should know.¡± ¡°Right¡­ Thank you, Zev,¡± Cal repeated his gratitude with well-hidden irritation. ¡°No problem, Initiate Cal,¡± Zev smiled in satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m happy to be of help.¡± Cal gave him a strained smile before quickly walking to the exit. He had only spent a little under an hour in Lumina, so he was still efficient with his time even though it wasn¡¯t as quick as he planned. There¡¯s plenty of time left today to start applying the fertilizer. Chapter 33: [Rainfall] Cal¡¯s boots crunched the dirt underneath with every step. He had just passed the fork that had the marker for the Northern Wastes. The trip back from Lumina took longer than it should have, but he didn¡¯t consider it wasted time. Not when he had been reading the booklet for [Rainfall]. Cal had already read the entire thing multiple times. As was typical with spells at this level, it was primarily based on understanding natural processes. The better he could understand how and why it rained naturally, the easier it was to direct his mana to cast the spell. Compared to [Lightning Bolt]¡ªthe spell he worked so hard on in his first life¡ª[Rainfall] was as simple as it could get. This was despite the fact they were technically considered to be spells at the same level. Perhaps it is just me, but learning about electrical charges building up and discharging¡ªthen replicating it with my mana is far more complex than doing the same with water vapor condensing into droplets before falling. ¡­ At least, I think that will be the case. I won¡¯t know for sure until I try the spell. He flipped through the booklet again, rechecking to make sure that he had the fundamentals down before closing it. He would need to test it on an unused part of the field first and make sure the spell didn¡¯t drown his field. Of course, that would also depend on the draw the spell would have on his mana. Cal reached the tree line when he noticed two grooves in the dirt path. There were plenty of others, but this one looked fresh. He brightened up. The only cart he expected today was his delivery of the Sunfire Grain seeds. He walked into his field with an added excitement that quickly died and was replaced with confusion when he saw a carriage parked in front of his house. What¡¯s Tavia doing here? I thought it would take more time for the interior decorations to arrive. Cal sped up his walk, curious to see how the interior looked, but saw Tavia leaning on barrels previously hidden by the carriage. He saw her face light up when she saw him and waved excitedly, but he didn¡¯t respond. Couldn¡¯t respond. There were five barrels near Tavia. A shudder ran through Cal¡¯s body as his walk slowed dramatically. I didn¡¯t think Drex meant he would deliver all the barrels of Sunfire Grains at once. This is enough for my whole field, not just the dirt patch I dug up. Tavia¡¯s smile dimmed when she saw his reaction, thinking he was unhappy to see her. ¡°Is this a bad time?¡± Cal glanced at her before looking at the barrels like they were his greatest enemy. I will be short of money after I pay for this¡­ I might need to depend on Fintan¡¯s generosity to get my meals. ¡°Cal?¡± ¡°Nothing like that,¡± he finally responded. ¡°Were these barrels here when you arrived?¡± ¡°Er, yeah. They were just sitting here.¡± ¡­ Drex just left a delivery worth two and a half guildmarks without protection. Cal pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration before letting out a deep breath. ¡°Sorry, Tavia. It¡¯s the barrels that are giving me an issue. Give me a minute to store them, then we can talk.¡± He moved as Tavia gave him a confused nod. He didn¡¯t think much of it when he easily lifted a barrel and casually started to walk to the storage room, but Tavia¡¯s gasp made him realize how ridiculous he looked. As a Trainee, they were taught the most basic hand-to-hand combat that allowed them to be just a level above hopeless if it needed to be used. Still, Cal couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would be called ¡®strong.¡¯ ¡­ I would be just as surprised as Tavia if I saw someone go from avoiding all physical tasks to lifting a barrel many times their weight with ease in only a few days. Though, she should have had a hint after seeing me work the other day. ¡°¡­ Is this another farmer thing?¡± Tavia asked while staring intensely. ¡°Definitely a farmer thing,¡± Cal nodded with a solemn expression. It threw her off as he expected. He had no reason to do it other than to mess with Tavia. He chuckled as he continued on to the storage room. She would figure it out soon enough. Cal entered the storage room and placed the barrel in the corner. He did a cursory check on the powdered crystals on the off chance he could notice a significant amount missing. He couldn¡¯t. The little beast was safe from his wrath for now. He quickly brought in the rest of the barrels and placed them in the same corner as the first¡ªall under Tavia¡¯s wide eyes. He looked around the storage room again before exiting to join his surprise visitor. ¡°So, what brings you here today? Is Miren already sending the furnishings?¡± ¡°It should be here soon,¡± Tavia confirmed as she glanced at the sky. ¡°Maybe in a few hours at most.¡± ¡°¡­ A large part of me still expected you to back out when you realized how much this cost you.¡± Tavia raised her brow as she stared at him. With a hesitant tone, she asked, ¡°What do you think of the starlit marble the guild gave you?¡± Cal wasn¡¯t sure why she changed the subject but assumed the gold she had to pay for the interior was something she would prefer not to think about. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I might see some use of it eventually.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Tavia looked more displeased by his answer than Cal thought she had a right to be. It was like he personally offended her. ¡°Eventually? Even if you don¡¯t want to change your Class, you can still use it now! Don¡¯t you have some farming spells or whatever it is your Class uses? You can practice it in the workshop!¡± Cal hid a smile at the thought of using [Rainfall] inside. ¡°For some reason, the starlit marble does not affect me.¡± Again, this would be obvious when he didn¡¯t bother using it, so there was no reason to hide. Tavia stared at him doubtfully, unsure if he was playing with her again. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really,¡± Cal confirmed, pausing when her face fell. ¡°¡­ Why do you ask?¡± ¡°No reason,¡± Tavia said it in a way that implied there very much was a reason. He considered pushing to know more, but it wasn¡¯t like he was required to know it. Not when she didn¡¯t offer it freely. Besides, his time was better spent practicing [Rainfall] before Seris arrived with the tools he had commissioned. Plus, I need something positive to keep my spirits up. If Drex left the barrels here without waiting for payment, he probably told Seris to collect it from me. Having learned [Rainfall] before I begger myself will make it less of an emotional hit¡­ maybe. ¡°Well, I have a spell to practice,¡± Cal said as he backed away. ¡°If you need me, give me a yell.¡± Tavia still looked like her mind was more occupied with the starlit marble issue than his words. She gave him a distracted nod. Cal let her be and moved to the part of the field that was completely opposite the dirt patch. Water vapor. Condensation. The droplets fall. He repeated the words in his mind and thought of the process as he gathered all the mana in his mana core, leaving enough where he wouldn¡¯t fall into exhaustion. He wanted a baseline of what to expect when he used everything he had. Cal roughly estimated he had twice the amount of mana as he did as a [Mage] in his last time. That sounded impressive until the fact that he was an entire [Tier] rank higher was considered. I¡¯m not going to complain. My [Class] gives me so many advantages that reduced mana compared to a [Mage] is something I will gladly accept. He raised his arm, hand open, and pointed to the sky above him. He pictured rain clouds the size of the dirt patch he intended to cultivate¡ªaround five hundred square feet and not too far above the ground. Water vapor. Condensation. The droplets fall. Call released his mana with a forceful command. His eyes widened when his mana rushed to the area he visualized and spread out to cover it evenly. In a fraction of a second, thick white clouds filled the area. That was quickly followed by a darkening until it was a stormy grey. After another fraction of a second, rain started to pour. He had no chance to modify the spell¡ªnot that he would have, even if possible. It happened so quickly that it took less time than to blink. Rain drowned Cal¡¯s form to the point where he considered cutting off the mana supply, but he soldiered on purely because he needed the information. Besides, it will only last a few seconds at most. His self-assurance was wrong. Cal counted well past the thirty-second mark when the downpour finally stopped. The rain clouds disappeared just as fast as they appeared, leaving a small pond on the field that looked very out of place when everything else was bone dry. And in the middle, he stood utterly soaked and resembled a drowned rat. ¡­ Well, at least I know not to use that much mana. The interface appeared unexpectedly. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. A smile grew on Cal¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t think learning spells would apply to his [Tier] growth as well. He had assumed that only working in his field would help it increase. ¡°What was that!? No, How did you do that!?¡± Tavia yelled from her spot near the carriage. Cal looked away from the interface and saw Tavia staring his way with an open mouth. She¡¯s surprised a lot. I wonder when she¡¯ll start to think all the strange things are normal. ¡°I tried a spell!¡± Cal yelled back. ¡°I overdid it!¡± Tavia looked like she would have a conniption at his severe oversimplification, but the distant sound of carts traveling toward them on the dirt path. She pursed her lips before shaking her head and looked to the tree line, determinedly waiting for her delivery. Cal bit back his smile and ran his fingers through his hair to remove the wet strands from his face. He then pulled up his interface to get a complete summary of his current capabilities. Name: Cal Maddox Class: Farmer (Special) Tier: Apprentice 2 Elemental Affinity: Lightning (None) Water (High) Skills: [Perfect Match: Apprentice 3] - The tools you use are one with you. As you grow, so do they. The more your mastery increases, the faster your tools will grow in relation to your [Tier]. [Master Negotiator: Novice 1] - You might be a [Farmer], but you feel at home while trading. You will have an easier chance of getting discounts, but that chance increases and decreases depending on the skill of the person you are negotiating with. As your mastery increases, the skill of others matters little. Traits: [Second Chance] - The laws of the world have recognized that you have lived this life before. It does not know how you accomplished this, but you will be rewarded for surprising it. For the next week, you will experience a boost towards tier upgrades. [Lightning Aura] - You are surrounded by an aura of lightning that matches the strength of your [Tier] level. It is possible to manipulate the aura within five feet of your body. Limit 1 use per day. Duration of the trait is 30 minutes. Rewards: [Tier Boost] - All actions that contribute to increasing your tier level will automatically be counted as double the normal increase. (2 days remaining) [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] - You may apply this reward to one type of crop seed (Limit 1 barrel). They will grow and mature at a 10x accelerated rate, allowing you to harvest crops in a fraction of the usual time. After 3 uses, this reward will expire. Equipment: [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 1262/4500 Tasks - Self-Repair - After 24 continuous hours without use, the pickaxe will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' [Advanced Sledgehammer: Good Quality] Upgrade: 2/4500 Tasks - Weight Adjustable - This sledgehammer has an adjustable weight mechanism, enabling you to customize the weight for different tasks, from light tapping to heavy-duty smashing. You are limited by the mana you can supply to the sledgehammer. [Advanced Shovel: Good Quality] Upgrade: 2038/4500 Tasks - Self-Repair - After 24 continuous hours without use, the shovel will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' [Uncommon Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 521/900 Tasks [Uncommon Plow: Good Quality] Upgrade: 6/900 Tasks He dismissed the interface with renewed determination from the detailed overview of his progress in such a short amount of time. Cal knew his mana would recover fully in thirty minutes at most. He planned to use [Rainfall] with half of his mana, then a quarter. That should give him more than enough information on how to use [Rainfall] for precise amounts of rain. Chapter 34: Escape and a Gift No, that¡¯s not true. I need to add a storage room to the very short list. A good bed and a large storage room are all I need. [Rainfall], and he was right. Well over half of his mana had recovered. [Rainfall]. It was likely his high affinity with the water element coming into play. Still, even then, it was shockingly easy to cast the spell. It was like his mana jumped at the chance to do so without any effort on his part. I struggled for months to get a simple spark when I tried to cast [Lightning Bolt], surely I couldn¡¯t have been that terrible with the lightning element¡­ right? I was a mediocre [Mage], with an average affinity in the lightning, but nobody could ever say I was lazy. To make it easier to cast [Lightning Bolt], I practiced my mana''s quick release and flow at a fanatic rate. I took it to a point where it was almost like breathing. Water vapor. Condensation. The droplets fall. slightly slower. But not enough to make any real difference that would matter when it was only fractions of a second slower to cast. The rate at which the rain falls has slowed. This should be a reasonable amount for watering the dirt patch between the fertilization steps. I don¡¯t feel it is necessary for me to test the lower limit of the spell. Tavia might actually lose her remaining calm if I continue to distract the workers from following her orders. [Rainfall]. It was apparent that the people Miren had sent to deliver Tavia¡¯s order didn¡¯t deal with magic in their daily lives. It would be easy to find out I went to the Grand Market if Tavia really wanted to. I guess this is another thing that there¡¯s no point in hiding. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. No, I think not. I have nothing to do here other than look at the decorations. I didn¡¯t expect to learn [Rainfall] so quickly, but that¡¯s exactly what happened. I can either waste my time and dawdle or head to Orrin¡¯s and get the rake. Obviously, I choose to do the latter. I don¡¯t see anything that stands out. Then again, the shovel is at ¡®Good Quality,¡¯ so there weren¡¯t many defects to repair. And the trait takes seven days¡ªanother thing that will make it hard to notice a difference this early. The shovel will just sit in my storage room. It¡¯s better spent with Orrin so he can learn from it. I just hope he made the rake before this break. Seris told me that Orrin destroyed all the Basic-ranked tools he had made, but that clearly isn¡¯t the case. Plus, I would rather not tarnish my image for something that isn¡¯t important. see how empty his mind become from shock. not use it. It¡¯s currently self-repairing, which will stop if used,¡± Cal warned. She¡¯s probably with Drex¡­ I¡¯ll talk to her when she comes to my field. At least that way, I¡¯ll keep my guildmarks for a few more hours. Chapter 35 - Interlude: The Protector really close¡ªbut never actually trespassed into the sacred chamber. felt like it could. Why else would the god speak to it? ¡­ Unless this is the mate¡ª I don¡¯t think it saw me. Stolen story; please report. Hmph. They might understand it, but the god chose me to be the protector of his land. I am still special. There¡¯s nothing wrong if I get closer. I can protect the treasure better. I can protect the treasure better if I¡¯m comfortable. This is the life. I have unlimited food, a place to rest, and the god¡¯s favor. I¡¯ll tell the god I was waiting for him to return. The god doesn¡¯t mind if I relax occasionally, as long as it¡¯s not excessive. I don¡¯t know why so many tunnels are needed, but I hope the god fills the prime hole soon. Father told me I have to keep building tunnels as long as it isn¡¯t filled. ... Is this my punishment for what I did? The god is merciful and generous. I must... protect¡­ I fell asleep. Oh no! Chapter 36 - Beautiful Drex didn¡¯t say anything specific about how much loam I should use. It will be better to use more rather than less. It is fairly cheap, so if I use too much, it won¡¯t be a burden¡­ even in my poverty-stricken state¡ª I can get some work in before I have to look at paintings or whatever it is that she bought. You have gained [Uncommon Rake] as equipment. The tines are a little too long and reach a little too deep into the dirt. The plow is the only one with a comparable depth when in use, but it is nowhere near as flimsy. If my theory of the dirt being the leading cause of my equipment degradation is correct, the rake will fail quickly. [Uncommon Rake] has degraded to Good Quality. It couldn¡¯t have nearly enough use for this. [Uncommon Rake: Good Quality] Upgrade: 94/900 Tasks I need to commission more rakes from Orrin. A lot more. How long has she been there? The sun is setting. After I water the loam, Drex said I should leave it be for half a day. It¡¯s perfect timing. I can start step two when I wake tomorrow¡­ wait, I need those tubs I commissioned from Orrin for that. I told Seris I would head to town after sunset to get the finished commissions. I¡¯ll head there in the morning. Orrin is occupied with the shovel right now. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Funny, since the next step involves powdered crystals. [Rainfall]. [Rainfall]. I don¡¯t need to worry about the enormous mana cost since I don¡¯t have to ration it. I¡¯m not in a life-or-death battle where every bit matters. I¡¯m farming, where time isn¡¯t a factor I need to consider. I can wait without worry for thirty minutes to recover mana. I think that¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to do. The Initiates I saw chasing after an Elder¡¯s granddaughter did something similar¡­ though it felt wrong to me for some reason. That man definitely knew. This has to be retaliation against me. ¡­ What does my bedroom look like? Oh, thank the gods! I never thought I would care about aesthetics, but here I am. Good, I prefer it like this. Perhaps I¡¯m being too critical. The one positive is that the living room no longer looks as cavernous as before. It¡¯s around twice the size of the dirt patch I¡¯m cultivating, but it no longer seems that large. Another room that hasn¡¯t been ruined. Chapter 37 - Alternate Cal watched in amusement as the little beast woke with a loud squeak and jumped well over ten feet in the air. It landed on all fours and stared at him with eyes the size of dinner plates. Clearly, it did not mean to sleep in the storage room. I wonder if this is where it hides. ¡°So?¡± Cal raised an eyebrow when it stayed frozen for a few seconds. The little beast went into action. It hopped off the stacked powdered crystals and pointed at the aforementioned stack. It straightened its back and walked stiffly around the storage room, face turning here and there with its eyes narrowed. ¡°You were guarding the the place?¡± The little beast nodded rapidly with an expectant look. Cal glanced at the sealed boxes and saw no sign of anything being opened. He didn¡¯t expect them to be, but his old habit of being distrustful was still stuck in him. ¡°Thank you, little beast¡ª¡± he cut himself off. This creature understood him clearly and was more helpful than most humans he knew¡ªand more intelligent. He couldn¡¯t keep calling it ¡®little beast.¡¯ ¡°Do you have a name?¡± It stared at him blankly. He tried to ask it in a different way. He pointed at himself and said, ¡°My name is Cal.¡± He pointed at the creature, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± It shrugged its shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have one?¡± Cal was already thinking of possible names to give it when he got a shake of its head. The problem was he could only come up with ones for humans. Naming the creature something like Jorik or Arlo seemed terribly awkward. He shuddered as he imagined calling it that. The little beast is adorable, but all the names I¡¯m thinking of make me think of a gruff, blacksmith-type person¡­ which is ironic since the only blacksmith I know is Orrin, and he is the opposite of that. ¡­ Wait, is this thing a male or female? ¡°Are you a boy?¡± Cal asked bluntly. He got a blank stare in response. ¡°A girl?¡± Another blank stare. He scratched his chin in confusion. With the creature''s intelligence, he certainly wasn¡¯t going to check. He would afford it the same respect he would expect for himself. Cal and the creature had a stare-off that lasted far too long. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll think of something fitting later.¡± The creature shrugged again as if it couldn¡¯t care less. Even still, he needed a name to stop referring to it as ¡®little beast¡¯ or ¡®the creature.¡¯ I should find out what people name beasts before coming up with a name. It¡¯ll give me some sort of guideline reference. ¡°Continue to guard the storage room. I¡¯ll order more of the crushed crystals when I see Drex,¡± Cal immediately regretted the words that left his mouth. He had momentarily forgotten that he was near broke. Still, he didn¡¯t take it back. Not when the creature started celebrating by performing some sort of jig, though it was just its body vibrating excitedly. If he was too poor to order more, he would just let it eat some of his current supply. Cal chuckled and walked to where the equipment was placed on the walls. He left his upgraded tools alone and pulled one of the two spare sledgehammers that Orrin made. His Advanced Sledgehammer was basically a pseudo-weapon, so he wanted one fitting for farm work. He would have to be calculated in how he used the sledgehammer to receive the trait options he desired, but that should be doable. Using the sledgehammer to break apart stones won¡¯t get me my wish. Not when the stones do little to no damage to the tool. Cal left the storage room with the creature following closely behind. It stayed behind to guard the entrance as he continued to his destination. He was about to pass his loam-covered dirt patch when he paused. He looked further down at the part he had purposely avoided working on and moved closer. I forgot to check if there were any signs of regrowth. Cal couldn¡¯t see anything that stood out when he compared the area he dug up with the dirt pact he was cultivating. It was the same, with not even a millimeter of the surface layer grown back. It¡¯s only been a day, but surely there should be some signs of it. He scratched his chin before shrugging. Drex did say that he wasn¡¯t sure what the exact timings were. I¡¯ll check again tomorrow. Cal passed the ever-growing piles of rocks and had to walk for more than he had assumed. He previously cleared up a significant part of the ground of stone on this side of the field, something he had severely underestimated. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I should have picked another side¡­ but I don¡¯t want to create another area with massive piles. He reached the first stone and turned to see how far he was from his house. It wasn¡¯t a blurry dot, but it was certainly getting to the edge of where he could make out the features in detail. It would be more distant when he was done using the new sledgehammer. Cal turned his attention back to the stone about to be demolished. He still used both hands to swing the sledgehammer properly¡ªeven though it felt like he was holding nothing. He let the natural weight of the sledgehammer land on the stone, with none of his physical strength behind it. It was still more than enough to shatter the stone. CRACK! You have gained [Uncommon Sledgehammer] as equipment. It will be designated as your alternate. Since you already possess a sledgehammer, the alternate is ineligible for increasing your skill, [Perfect Match]. However, [Perfect Match] will still apply its effects on the alternate. If equipment designated as your alternate is ranked higher¡ªor further in the upgrade process within the same rank¡ªthan your primary, the alternate will then be designated as your primary equipment. Cal stared at the interface with irritation. I was counting on upgrading the spare tools also helping [Perfect Match]. At least it still counts toward my [Tier]. Still, it severely decreases my desire to use the spares. If it wasn¡¯t for desperately needing money, I wouldn¡¯t bother¡­ as long as I was happy with my primary equipment''s trait. He pulled the information on the sledgehammer. Alternate Equipment: [Uncommon Sledgehammer: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 1/900 Tasks I want to try to get the Self-Repair trait for this one. If my previous experience is anything to go by, just breaking stones won¡¯t do it. I¡¯ll need to involve the ground to cause degradation. Cal glanced at the stones he would break apart. They were fairly close together. He estimated he could break apart a stone every two or three seconds, including the time it took him to walk to the next one. This sledgehammer will be upgraded in less than an hour. He lifted the sledgehammer over his head before bringing it down. CRACK! Cal¡¯s estimate of the time it would take was scarily accurate, and this included the occasional strikes he made to the ground. He left behind a trail of destruction¡ªonly with stones, of course¡ªas he steadily worked toward getting this sledgehammer to the Advanced rank. Unlike the past times Cal had worked on the field, he couldn¡¯t get himself into the trance he loved so much. If it was just the stones he had to break, he was confident that his mind and body would go on autopilot, but the ridiculous action of slamming the sledgehammer into the ground to purposely degrade it was too jarring. Cal pulled up the interface after he shattered another stone. Alternate Equipment: [Uncommon Sledgehammer: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 873/900 Tasks He frowned as he looked at the quality. He had to get that down to ¡®Good¡¯ before the upgrade. Cal could see the significant cosmetic damage on the sledgehammer¡¯s head. With the few tasks left before the upgrade, he would need to put some muscle into the blows to the ground. He decided to take it down a quality level before breaking another stone. Cal slammed the sledgehammer into the ground, a sharp crack coming from the point of contact. The ground split apart slightly, but it wasn¡¯t close to the level his primary sledgehammer was capable of with its trait. The cosmetic damage is more prominent. He repeated the action. Then again. And again. Continuing until he got his wish. Alternate [Uncommon Sledgehammer] has degraded to Good Quality. Cal dismissed the interface and stared at the damage done to the ground. He could see hints of the dirt underneath. It had taken too many strikes with significant muscle behind them to finally degrade the sledgehammer. This is the damage the sledgehammer can take when in the Uncommon rank. Two strikes with the ¡®Weight Adjustable¡¯ trait was enough to degrade an Advanced-rank sledgehammer. I underestimated how divesting that trait was. He shook his head and continued, wanting to upgrade the sledgehammer in his hands as soon as possible. CRACK! Cal didn¡¯t have many tasks left to complete. Just a little under thirty before it was done. It didn¡¯t take longer than a minute or two, even at his casual pace. Your alternate equipment [Uncommon Sledgehammer] has been upgraded to [Advanced Sledgehammer]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the alternate [Advanced Sledgehammer]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one. Groundbreaker - The sledgehammer has the potential to penetrate and break through materials that would normally be impervious, such as reinforced stone, metal, and magical barriers. Seismic Impact - The sledgehammer is imbued with the power to create a localized earthquake with every strike. He pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation at the choices he was given. The choice that he would pick was all too obvious, and if he wasn¡¯t irritated by the fact that ¡®Self-Repair¡¯ wasn¡¯t an option, it was quite a good trait to get. I can¡¯t force the trait toward the one I want. Senselessly attacking the ground only forced the options to be focused on that. Cal reached out and tapped ¡®Groundbreaker.¡¯ He hoisted the sledgehammer on his shoulder as the interface disappeared and started to walk back to the house. ¡¯Seismic Impact¡¯ might have less degradation effect than ¡®Weight Adjustable,¡¯ but it¡¯s basically the same thing in my eyes. ¡®Groundbreaker¡¯ is interesting and something that might become very useful to me. ¡­ And it might make the sledgehammer worth more if I need to sell it. He reentered his field and saw the little creature still standing guard by the storage room entrance. He gave it a slight nod, which it took as a signal to leave its post. Cal blinked when it puffed its chest up before it dived into the ground and disappeared. I wanted to convey it did a good job, not dismiss it. He chuckled at the miscommunication and entered the storage room to hang the sledgehammer on the rack before walking into the main part of the house. Cal had intended to go straight to his bedroom and get some sleep to wake up bright and early, but he was forced to stop. The wonderful, well-colored outdoors had made him forget how jarring the living room was. He stared at the clashing colors and hideous decoration. He couldn''t stop. Cal could feel his mood worsening. He reiterated to himself that he didn''t care about aesthetics. Not at all. Except for now. That¡¯s it. All of this has to go. Chapter 38 - Getting Work Done He gave the living room a last, disgusted look before reversing course. There was no chance he could sleep peacefully knowing what was just outside his room. I was too passive with this matter. In my defense, I never knew it was possible to feel such visceral hatred for color combinations. Cal reentered the storage room, picked out one of the four spare shovels on the rack, and dumped it into the wheelbarrow. He wheeled them outside, heading right to the area with all the newly shattered stones. The sun had nearly disappeared. He would give it a few more minutes before it was gone completely. Thankfully, it wouldn¡¯t affect his eyesight much. That wasn¡¯t to say he suddenly had super-vision. Everyone with their interface active had increased capabilities over regular mortals. While there would be a further qualitative change, it wouldn¡¯t happen until he was a [Tier] rank higher. I was never told much about the position above Apprentice¡ªJourneyman. Still, it was made clear to me that I was expected to be one in a decade or so. A Journeyman¡ªor Journeywoman¡ªwas never seen within the guild territory. At least, not to Cal¡¯s knowledge. After vocalizing his rare curiosity, a Master had casually replied that they were deployed outside the territory to oversee the guild¡¯s interests. It didn¡¯t answer much in his past life, but now that his eyes were opened, it was more revealing than the simple statement had any right to be. It was easy to conclude that the Celestial Order kept anyone with the position of Apprentice and below in their tight control. Whether it was for safety reasons or for indoctrination, he didn¡¯t know. If Cal had to guess, it was both. He let go of the wheelbarrow¡¯s handles and took the shovel out of its bucket. He plunged the shovel into the hole filled with shattered rocks, scooped out as much as possible, and dumped it into the wheelbarrow. You have gained [Uncommon Shovel] as equipment. It will be designated as your alternate. My primary shovel has the ¡®Self-Repair¡¯ trait. I want this one to be different. I must avoid all contact with the ground and only let the shovel touch the rocks. Cal didn¡¯t let that slow his pace too much. He had become so used to shoveling rocks that it was second nature¡ªfor better or worse. This was something he could easily fall into a trance doing. And he did. Shovel. Wheelbarrow. To the rock pile. And repeat. Cal relaxed and zoned out, his irritation disappearing as he put himself into the manual labor. It usually took three scoops of the shovel¡ªsometimes less, sometimes more¡ªbut it all averaged out. That meant he was only a third of the way through in clearing the area when the interface interrupted his happy, monotonous work. Your alternate equipment [Uncommon Shovel] has been upgraded to [Advanced Shovel]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the alternate [Advanced Shovel]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one. Stone Master - The shovel not only scoops up broken rock at twice the efficiency, but it also fuses them together. The size of the fused rock is only limited by the size of the shovel¡¯s blade. Geode Seeker - The shovel can sense hidden geodes or precious minerals under the surface being dug. The shovel¡¯s blade will glow softly on detection. The detection range depends on your [Tier], capping out at a maximum of five hundred feet. Avoiding the ground has paid off. However, this trait rules out selling this shovel for money. Cal wasn¡¯t sure what he would do with the ability of ¡®Stone Master¡¯ to fuse stones, mainly since it was limited to the shovel¡¯s blade size. Obviously, it could have some utility for building, but after seeing Miren¡¯s crew, he had no genuine desire to learn. Even if there came a time when he would need to leave the Northern Wastes, he had no doubt he could find others of similar or greater skill. The other ability of ¡®Stone Master¡¯ was straightforward. Scooping up broken rock at twice the efficiency would make his work that much faster. There would be a never-ending amount of that to clear in the Northern Wastes, and even if he had managed to clear everything, the trait would still be useful. ¡®Stone Master¡¯ is an easy choice for me¡ªit really is¡ªbut I don¡¯t want to choose it. Cal had been staring at ¡®Geode Seeker¡¯ most of the time the interface had appeared before him. Geodes were rare, naturally forming minerals that were worth a small fortune. It was a material used in alchemy, for what he wasn¡¯t sure, but he heard of their tremendous cost in passing. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The simple fact that this trait was an option hinted that there were geodes to be found under in the Northern Wastes. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, the trait still mentioned precious minerals. It was a vague term that encompassed enough to elevate the trait to another level. He reached out and tapped ¡®Geode Seeker,¡¯ ignoring the disappearing interface in favor of the newly upgraded shovel. He wanted to see if it would start glowing. It did not. That was too optimistic of me. That¡¯s fine. I have plenty more to clean up. There¡¯s still a chance. Cal returned to shoveling the broken rocks into the wheelbarrow. Shovel. Wheelbarrow. To the rock pile. And repeat. He wished he could have fallen into the trance where everything was peaceful, but the interface interrupted him all too soon. This time, it was about the wheelbarrow. Your equipment [Uncommon Wheelbarrow] has been upgraded to [Advanced Wheelbarrow]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the alternate [Advanced Wheelbarrow]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one. Enlarged Bucket - The bucket of the wheelbarrow can hold more than it appears, allowing it to carry larger quantities without increasing in size. The capacity depends on your [Tier], with the minimum being two times the capacity and the maximum being ten times. Self-Propelled - The wheelbarrow can move independently, making it much easier to transport heavy loads over long distances. I forgot how close this was to upgrading. Cal didn¡¯t waste time and tapped ¡®Enlarged Bucket.¡¯ It was a no-brainer. I¡¯ll save far too much time with ¡®Enlarged Bucket¡¯ to even think about not choosing it. Besides, ¡®Self-Propelled¡¯ might sound useful, but what need do I have to have it wheeled by itself? However, this would be beyond useful with the plow. He shook his head and went right to testing the wheelbarrow. He was able to shovel twice as much as usual before it looked like the bucket was about to overflow. ¡°Disappointing, but not unexpected,¡± Cal muttered out loud. He grabbed the wheelbarrow''s handles and pushed it to the pile of rocks to empty the bucket, but the added weight surprised him. Not that it was heavy, but it was more than he expected. I should have assumed it didn¡¯t come with reducing the weight of the wheelbarrow¡¯s contents. It won¡¯t be an issue at only twice the weight, but I worry about what would happen at ten times. The durability will most likely take a hit at that level. Cal continued to clear the area after he dumped the wheelbarrow''s contents onto the growing pile. Shovel. Wheelbarrow. To the rock pile. And repeat. This time, Cal wasn¡¯t taken out of the zone. He methodically cleaned up the area of broken rocks. He came out of the trance when he wheeled the last load to the rock pile. He glanced at the dark sky to see the moon out in full brightness. The shovel didn¡¯t glow¡­ I was at this for a few hours. And Tavia still hadn¡¯t returned. Cal pushed the wheelbarrow up and emptied the bucket onto the rock pile. He looked at his house and found it still. It hadn¡¯t been disturbed. His irritation at what was in his living room tried to spark back to life, but he quickly looked away. I refuse to enter the house. Cal returned the wheelbarrow to the storage room. He glanced at the powdered crystals for a cursory check before exiting the room. He looked over his field as he debated what to do next. Other than using one of the spare pickaxes to dig up the area I just cleared, I have to wait till the morning to do anything significant¡­ I can test my new [Trait]. Cal pulled up the interface to reread what he had gained after going through the torture from the lightning simulacrum. [Lightning Aura] - You are surrounded by an aura of lightning that matches the strength of your [Tier] level. It is possible to manipulate the aura within five feet of your body. Limit 1 use per day. Duration of the trait is 30 minutes. ¡­ I don¡¯t know how to activate this. I never had a [Trait] in my first life. He scratched his chin as he stared at the interface. His initial thought was to treat it as a spell, but the problem was he had zero affinity with lightning. He didn¡¯t even know how to go about trying to access it. Would you like to use [Lightning Aura]? Cal stared at the interface¡­ again. He knew something was watching him, but since it seemed benign¡ªnot to mention far beyond him¡ªhe chose to pretend it didn¡¯t exist. The question in the interface implied it was watching him more closely than he could have ever imagined. I¡¯m not sure if I should be slightly concerned or terrified out of my mind. ¡°Is someone listening?¡± Cal asked quietly, feeling silly talking to an interface. Some fell into the delusion that there was a real being behind the interface, but in his case, it might actually be true. There was no reply. He tried something more direct. ¡°How do I use my traits?¡± Still nothing. Alright. I was an idiot, apparently. I guess I just need mental commands to accept¡ª [Lightning Aura] activated. Cal sucked in a deep breath when his mana core was drained, leaving just enough mana for him not to fall into exhaustion. His mana flooded out uncontrollably¡ªor it appeared to until it exited his body and spread in a shockingly coordinated manner. He stared at his body, observing the faint white streaks of light swirling around him. It was more wisps than anything similar to lightning. Weak. Cal could only think of that word. Weak. When casting lightning spells, white was the color that signified the weakest form. He had experienced it at the very start in his first life. The better he had gotten at the element, the more blue his lightning appeared. That was obviously gone along with his lightning affinity. I can still manipulate it. That may erase the disappointment. Cal could feel the connection to the lightning aura. It was the same as his mana, except outside his body. He held his palm out and pointed it at the ground. He concentrated it to shoot out of his palm, attempting something similar to the spell he knew in his first life. There was a weak crackle as a tiny spark struck the ground. There was no damage. Cal stared at the spot he targeted before looking at his hand like it betrayed him. Do I need to have a much higher [Tier] to have this be effective? I might have made a blunder with my choice of [Trait]. His ears picked up the faint sound of a carriage heading toward his field. He turned to face the dirt path before sighing in resignation. Cal made the mental command to stop [Lightning Aura]. [Lightning Aura] deactivated. It will be unavailable for 24 hours. He didn¡¯t care about the time limitation. It was a uselessly weak [Trait] for him¡­ at least for now. Cal pushed aside the disappointment and waited for Tavia. Chapter 39 - Fixing a Mistake ¡­ I know almost nothing of Tavia to actually rule anything out. Do I really pine after her that much? No, I don¡¯t. So, it truly was companionship I was eager for. I miss Oleg¡¯s presence more than I thought. But I refuse to bring him back before he finds his wife. I won¡¯t ruin his chance at happiness to make myself more comfortable. Those horses are more intelligent than a regular beast should be. And it¡¯s something I regret not doing. Either I¡¯m a fantastic liar, or Tavia is terrible at reading people. I forgot she disliked Torin. She was fine when she mentioned she had to order all of this from him, but that was likely influenced by her happiness at having picked out her choices. Now, I¡¯m taking that away. I never thought I would have a serious conversation about furniture. Is this what happens when you want to live a happy life? I have to ask Oleg when I find him later¡­ much later. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. She said she was fully focused on succeeding as a Trainee, but it still shocks me how differently she acts now. That sounds about right. I never gave much thought to the Overseer in my first life after I became an Initiate. Neither did anyone around me. extremely curious, but instead of having Tavia ask someone who was part of the guild¡¯s administration, he might as well do it himself. The Overseer seemed to know things above his station and had an undeniable pull with the guild. Yes, it''s a deal that he has yet to learn about. It''s not my business if she doesn¡¯t share the information. Orrin has an independent mindset¡ªas he should. But the tools he will soon have access to will make him a target. The more time he spends here, the better protected he will be. Strange that the quality is reduced. All the spare tools Orrin made me were at the Uncommon rank. I wonder if the size makes it more difficult. I wonder how she will react when she sees the person she ¡®graciously¡¯ allowed to meet me alone without her interference walking out of a bedroom. It will also be an excellent way to get her used to another Initiate. Chapter 40 - Uncertainty I might have to go to Mariner¡¯s Rest and speak to Vaela. I was foolish not to have picked an appropriate spell in Lumina when I knew it was necessary. I can create one by trial and error, but it will take me days at a minimum. [Tier] boost. I could use [Rainfall] anyway. Make the clouds as compact as possible to reduce the water landing on the field. The leftover mini-pond from my tests of [Rainfall] has evaporated a little, but I don¡¯t want to add too much to cause another potential headache. It had become such a regular part of my field that it has almost become invisible. It also helps that it is out of the way, so it can¡¯t really interfere with anything to bring it to my attention. What if I fill it with water? Will it be able to hold it properly? In the future, it could act like a reservoir for an irrigation system. She¡¯ll be fine. Tavia is kinder than most. ¡­ Wait a second. How is there a pond when the ground is mostly flat? [Rainfall], the water had been spread thinly, but what he assumed was rapid evaporation had instead been consolidation. He continued until he stood at the center, where the water reached below his knees. This makes no sense. [Mage]. I bet she can show you something far more impressive.¡± [Mage] was. All Initiates were amazing to her, but his words were enough to switch her awestruck gaze to Tavia. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Even then, this is a stretch to believe. I will have to test this sometime later. I always wondered what element Tavia would specialize in. I never learned since she disappeared in my first life. My guess is Earth. She seems fairly grounded and stable. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen that look Tavia had on anyone except battle maniacs. I saw it in the Trainees of the invading guild. Even right before I killed them, they were enjoying the fight. I want to believe I was seeing things, but I¡¯m not in a habit of fooling myself. This is probably my paranoia. Still, it¡¯s better to be cautious. I will not change them. They will get dirty again later today. I need to mix it. Perfect. [Tier] boost period. Chapter 41 - First Meeting ¡°Woah! What are you!¡± Seris said before Cal was able to take a step. It made him sprint. He covered the distance in a second at most. If Seris had seen how fast he moved, she would have had another thing to be amazed about. Cal expected that the powdered crystal had attracted some beast, but what he saw was far more surprising. The little beast was standing before Seris, staring up at her with an annoyed expression. Why did it reveal itself? His confusion almost distracted him from noticing what had been added to his field. He was half sure the only reason he did notice was the number of them. There was a small hole in the field every twenty to thirty feet. The little beast had done this. He had seen these types of holes before, but they had always been filled quickly after creation. This time, they were left as is. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. This is just my¡­¡± Cal trailed off, unsure how to relate the little beast to him. ¡®Pet¡¯ could be a description, but since it was sapient, he wasn¡¯t comfortable with it. ¡°She¡¯s so cute!¡± Seris squealed, bravely bending to pick up the little beast. ¡°No,¡± Cal quickly grabbed her shoulder and forced her to stand before disaster could occur. The little beast was definitely cute, but it was also highly dangerous if the Silvermane Wolves feared it. ¡°This is no pet, Seris. Show some respect.¡± ¡°So, she¡¯s your friend?¡± Seris seemed even more delighted by that. Cal nodded, finding that a much better description than ¡®pet.¡¯ And it seemed the little beast thought the same. It nodded its head firmly before pointing to the house. It didn¡¯t take its eyes off Seris. ¡°¡­ Is she asking me to leave?¡± Seris asked unsurely. She was answered by the little beast nodding before intensifying the point to the house. I just realized Seris has been calling it a ¡®she.¡¯ ¡°How do you know this is a girl?¡± Cal stared at Seris, expecting her to say she knew the little beast''s species. ¡°Look how cute she is!¡± Seris lost her disappointment at the little beast wanting to dismiss her. ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯s a boy!¡± Cal raised an eyebrow at her declaration. He wasn¡¯t disappointed that she didn¡¯t know the little beast''s gender. He was disappointed in himself that he expected her to know. The little beast got fed up with getting ignored and took matters into its¡ªher¡ªown hands. Seris yelped when she was yanked towards the house when the little beast pulled on her pant leg. ¡°Fine! Fine! I¡¯ll go by myself!¡± Seris¡¯s protest was enough for the little beast to stop pulling her. ¡°I¡¯ll do the other side of the field, boss.¡± Cal nodded as he entered into a staring contest with the little beast. He waited for Seris to go past his house before speaking. ¡°I wondered where you were. So, why are you making holes in my field?¡± The little beast looked confused at his question. It looked around before returning to stare at him with a shrug. It pointed at itself and formed an ¡®X¡¯ with her forelegs while tilting her head. I¡¯m back to playing ¡®guess what the little beast is saying.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to stop yet. I need to know why you¡¯re making holes across my field without asking me,¡± Cal reiterated. The little beast looked even more confused at his question as if it didn¡¯t know why he was asking that at all. After a few moments, it dived into the ground, creating another small hole before reappearing further away. ¡°A tunnel?¡± Cal looked around. ¡°These are all connected tunnels?¡± The little beast nodded. That got his mind to quickly connect the dots. ¡°The first hole you dug up, the big one, is that connected to all of this?¡± The little beast nodded again. Cal immediately raised the little beast¡¯s status from ¡®helpful¡¯ to ¡®partner.¡¯ This may have solved his problem with irrigation over a large area, but he still needed to confirm one thing. He peered into the hole near him and estimated its depth. It was deeper than the hard surface layer. It went well past the start of the dirt layer and continued several feet deeper before it became impossible to see. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Is this hole as deep as the big one you dug?¡± Cal brightened when the little beast confirmed. ¡°I have a deal for you. Continue doing this with my entire field, and you can get some powdered crystals as an immediate payment.¡± That got the little beast¡¯s attention. It stood straight, ears perked up, antenna twitching back and forth, and its eyes sparkling in a way that very much reminded him of Seris. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡± Cal asked when it continued to just stare at him. That got the little beast out of its daze. It nodded rapidly and was about to dive into the ground with extra motivation. ¡°Wait, before you go, is Seris right when she refers to you as a girl?¡± ¡­ I feel ridiculous asking this. That feeling lessened slightly when she nodded her tiny head. A change from when she didn¡¯t answer the last time he asked. ¡°Good to know, and Seris works for me, which I¡¯m sure you already know. Don¡¯t harm her.¡± She tapped her chest as if making a promise before finally diving into the ground and returning to her work. This was a pleasant surprise. Things are coming together. Cal left her to it and returned to the front of his field. Seris was barely paying attention to what she was jotting down in her notebook. When she saw him returning to the dirt patch he was cultivating, she abandoned all pretense and rushed to him. ¡°When did you meet her, Cal? And you were talking to her!¡± In her excitement, Seris referred to him by name instead of ¡®boss,¡¯ but she didn¡¯t seem aware. Cal just raised his eyebrow and let it go. It wasn¡¯t like he mandated that he be called ¡®boss.¡¯ ¡°She does understand me, yes. And I met her the day I came here. She¡¯s just been hiding from everyone else till now.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m the second person to know about her?¡± Seris looked like she was about to run to the back of the field. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°No idea,¡± Cal shrugged, more interested in what was happening on his dirt patch. Not much time had passed, and changes could already be seen. The multi-colored, sparkling slurry had started to¡­ submerge? He wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, but he could see some of the black loam under it again. There were patches where the slurry was gone entirely. I might be able to start the next step sooner than I assumed. Cal blinked when he noticed that Seris was still staring at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean she doesn¡¯t have a name? You never gave her one!?¡± Seris sounded overly offended. It clicked in his mind instantly. Well, this works out perfectly. I¡¯m terrible at names anyway. ¡°Seris, do you want to give her a name?¡± Cal asked patiently. ¡°Yes! I mean¡ª¡± Seris cleared her throat. ¡°Only if you insist, boss.¡± ¡°After you finish the job I gave you, I insist you give her a name.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Seris gave him a blinding smile and rushed to finish her work. Cal hoped the little beast would look at Seris favorably after this little naming ceremony. It would probably take more than just that, but it would be a good start. The necklace I gave Seris is still sufficient protection, but I feel it will soon change at the rate I¡¯m progressing. If the little beast becomes fond of Seris, she can act as additional protection if necessary. He observed the dirt patch and saw the slurry visibly merging with the loam underneath. It wouldn¡¯t be long before it was time for the last step¡ªthe mulch. Cal glanced at the sacks of mulch stacked next to the loam before heading to the storage room. He quickly retrieved the rake and returned to the dirt patch. Drex told me I only need a thin layer of mulch¡­ he has grossly overestimated the supplies I need to repair this small amount of soil. Either that, or I¡¯m underestimating the number of times I need to repeat the steps. He patiently waited for the slurry to mix fully with the loam underneath, but while he looked fully focused on the slow, snail-paced, boring process of mixing, his thoughts were elsewhere. I change my mind about the trait choices. [Flow Sense] is the most useless one. If my irrigation plan works, there will be no need for it at all. That leaves me with [Aquatic Resilience] and [Mist Walker]. The latter is still the best choice. Passing the opportunity to have functional immortality was shocking even to him, but he had thoughts about it. He pulled up the trait on the interface. [Aquatic Resilience] - You can heal when submerged in water. The higher your [Tier], the faster you heal. This trait is a passive effect. There is no limit or duration. Leaving aside the requirement to be near water, my issue is its dependence on my [Tier]. I don''t think I will even need the trait when it¡¯s quick enough to heal severe injuries in a reasonable amount of time. I find it hard to believe I won¡¯t have other safeguards at that level. He studied the trait for a few more seconds before pulling up the one that interested him the most. [Mist Walker] - You can create a mist around yourself, covering up to 10 acres depending on its intended purpose. The benefits of the trait range from cooling to complete control over the created mist domain. Limit 1 use per week. The duration of the trait is 1 hour, regardless of the mana used. Warning: Activation of this trait will bar access to mana for 1 week. The penalty for using this trait almost makes me automatically dismiss it. Still, the same thing makes me think about the reason for such a harsh drawback. Barring access to my mana would leave me helpless, not just to threats, but for the regular upkeep of my farm. Cal frowned when he realized that testing this trait would be near impossible. He couldn¡¯t afford to go without mana unless all that was required to farm was his physical labor, and he didn¡¯t know if that would ever happen. Even with that detriment, everything points to this being a trait of last resort. Using it for ¡®cooling¡¯ as described in the interface is idiotic. However, complete control over the area where the mist is released sounds like a lifesaving chance. He was getting closer to making his decision, but it wouldn¡¯t be done with confidence. He stared at the warning for the trait before slowly coming to a different plan. The Overseer will arrive for the second check in a day or two. I¡¯ll ask him for access to the library in the core guild. There might be something there that will explain the reason why someone¡¯s mana is blocked. It could give me more information on [Mist Walker]. Cal nodded to himself before noticing that the slurry was gone. He dismissed the interface, attached the rake to his backstrap, and picked up a sack of mulch. This was the final step to repair the dirt, and he hoped he would see the telltale glow Drex mentioned that signaled completion. Chapter 42 - Named He pulled another sack of mulch off the stack¡ªthe last one needed¡ªand ripped it open as he returned to the dirt patch. It only took six of these to cover the dirt patch. I¡¯m getting the sinking feeling that I will need to redo these steps. It¡¯s possible to overestimate the necessary supplies. Still, I highly doubt someone like Drex could miss the mark to this extent. Cal emptied the last bit of mulch onto the dirt patch before throwing the empty sack along with the others to the side. He pulled the rake off his back strap and started to lightly even out the mulch into a uniform layer. He made quick work of it before he stepped out of the patch and looked it over. Everything seemed in order. There was a last step to be done, and then all of Drex¡¯s steps would be complete. Cal¡¯s mana had recovered fully recovered several minutes ago, not that he would have had a problem even if it hadn¡¯t. He planned to use a quarter of his capacity since Drex made it a point to mention it should be watered lightly after the mulch was applied. Stormy clouds quickly formed over the patch before rain fell. The mulch soaked it up and darkened ever so slightly. Not long after, the rain stopped, and the clouds disappeared. He waited, willing the mulch to ¡®have a stronger glow.¡¯ Those were Drex¡¯s words, which would signify the completion of the steps. One round isn¡¯t enough. I¡¯ll have to restart¡ª Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Cal saw the interface light up before noticing that the mulch started to emit an unmistakable glow. It looked like his little patch had been covered with tiny, brilliantly-cut, black gemstones with the way it sparkled. But it was mulch. Just organic waste products. ¡°You really like pretty things, don¡¯t you, boss?¡± He didn¡¯t react to Seris¡¯s voice. He had heard her walking up to him when [Rainfall] ended. I like things that don¡¯t annoy me to the point of distraction. ¡°I don¡¯t mind them, no.¡± Cal kept staring at the patch, surprised that it continued to glow. Drex didn¡¯t say how long it would last, but he was starting to think it would be a while before it went back to normal. ¡°So, are you finished with¡ª¡± He stopped when he turned to see Seris standing there with the broadest smile he had seen yet. She held the little beast in her hands, her arms outstretched toward him as if presenting to him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cal asked warily. The little beast looked to be near the end of her patience. If it wasn¡¯t for his request to be kind to Seris, it was obvious she wouldn¡¯t be so docile. ¡°This is Nibbles!¡± Seris lifted the newly named Nibbles as if declaring it to the world. I regret giving Seris a chance. Cal let out a small sigh and looked away from Seris¡¯s proud expression to¡­ Nibbles. ¡°What do you think? You like this name?¡± The little beast¡ªNibbles¡ªwas unimpressed, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. With the slight shrug it gave him, maybe it was better described that she didn¡¯t care one bit. ¡°Why Nibbles?¡± Cal had to ask. He wanted something more regal for a beast that understood the human language. Especially since it was a wild beast. That deserved recognition. ¡°I saw it nibbling on dirt, so I decided Nibbles is a perfect name!¡± ¡­ That¡¯s actually fitting. Half the time I see the little beast, she¡¯s always eating something. ¡°Nibbles,¡± Cal tested the name again. He was quickly warming up to it. ¡°You said I could name her after I finish mapping the field,¡± Seris pulled Nibbles toward her into a hug. He made sure the little beast was fine with her new designation before nodding. ¡°That¡¯s true. She is Nibbles. Now, go to Orrin and give him the field dimensions.¡± ¡°Can I take Nibbles with me?¡± This time, Nibbles cared. She tilted her head so she could stare at Seris and give her a silent warning, not that Seris noticed. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her back tomorrow morning.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. That¡¯s not a bad idea. If this can be a habit formed early, Nibbles would become used to accompanying Seris. Maybe it could be extended to others in the future¡­ but why does she look like she would revolt¡ªoh. ¡°Nibbles,¡± Cal didn¡¯t miss how she responded immediately to the new name, ¡°you can have some powdered crystal before going with Seris. What do you say?¡± Nibbles tilted her head cutely as she considered what he said. She pointed at the ground and made digging motions, which would have looked ridiculous in a regular situation but even more so since Seris held her up. ¡°There¡¯s no rush to complete the tunnels. You can continue when you return.¡± Cal hid a smile at the worried look on Nibbles. She took a few seconds to consider it before agreeing with a small nod. Seris didn¡¯t miss that. She pulled Nibbles into an even closer hug. ¡°It¡¯ll be awesome, Nibbles! I bet you had to stay in this boring place for way too long. Just wait until you see the town! And the ships! And¡ª¡± ¡°Seris,¡± Cal interrupted. ¡°Thank you for letting me know how boring my home is, but you¡¯re irritating Nibbles.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Seris realized she had lost herself and flushed a bright pink. She let Nibbles go before saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Cal said drily before addressing the little beast. He waved his hand at the containers of powdered crystals and said, ¡°Have your fill.¡± With how little I¡¯ve seen it eat of the things I worked on, I¡¯m guessing that Nibbles can barely consume the powdered crystals. It is far more concentrated in mana¡ª Cal watched with wide eyes when Nibbles tipped a half-filled contained into her mouth¡ªwhich should really be called a gaping maw¡ªand then did the same thing again with the last container, which was completely full. Nibbles dropped the empty container before flopping onto her back with a dopey smile. Before Cal could escape his shock, Nibbles opened her mouth and let out one of the most impressive sounds he had ever heard. A burp erupted from the depths of her stomach. It wasn¡¯t normal, nor something a beast the size of Nibble should be capable of, but the very ground trembled from the deep sound that left her mouth. Cal stumbled back from the surprise of feeling a gust of wind that was able to nudge him from his spot, and he swore he heard a scream that quickly grew faint. But he was too busy staring at Nibbles. Her fur had gained a luster that didn¡¯t exist before, making her look even more precious than before. At least, it would have made Nibbles more precious if the sound she let out didn¡¯t belong to an ancient demon from the depths of the underworld. ¡°That¡¯s so awesome!¡± Seris yelled, but her voice came from a distance. Cal turned and blinked when he saw Seris on the other side of the field. She ran back, unharmed by the wind from Nibbles¡¯s burp blowing her so far away. Strangely, all of his supplies didn¡¯t move an inch. He suspected this was done on purpose. ¡°What else can she do?¡± Seris asked immediately when she returned to stand beside him. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m still learning myself,¡± Cal muttered as he stared at Nibbles relaxing. A few minutes later, he watched Seris carrying Nibbles on her shoulder as she left for the town. He glanced at the patch and saw it still glowing ridiculously bright. This will last a while. He pulled up [Tier Boost] on his interface to check the time remaining. [Tier Boost] - All actions that contribute to increasing your tier level will automatically be counted as double the normal increase. (13 hours remaining) Cal dismissed the interface and stared at the part of the field he had dug up but purposely avoided. He planned on letting the hard surface layer grow back just to see how that happened. However, he could cultivate the rest of the dug-up field with the patch he was cultivating already repaired and barely any supplies used. It would also contribute to my [Tier] and give me more space to plant the Sunfire Grains. A temporary boost that doubled growth didn¡¯t sound like much in the grand scheme of things, but it was invaluable to Cal. At this rate, there was a real chance he would reach the next [Tier] rank by the end of the month. It would put him on equal terms with a Journeyman. At that point, if the guild didn¡¯t value his presence to the point they let him be, it would be easy to pick up and leave the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. Though, I¡¯m getting attached to this place. Cal looked around what he was building. It was still in its infancy, but he saw a promising future. I¡¯ll start the repair process on the rest of the dug-up field. *** He emptied the last tub of loam to the ground and looked at what remained. The loam ran out far earlier than expected. Around five hundred square feet of ground remained bare. It slipped my mind how much loam had been used up the first time. The powdered crystals and mulch were barely used, which made me complacent. Cal shrugged. It wasn¡¯t that big of an issue. He would just need to wait for another delivery of loam. He used the rake to mix in the loam before stepping back. He cast [Rainfall], this time double the size, and he supplied it with all of his mana to cover the entire thousand square feet he needed to water. Cal had a slight smile on his lips as the rain watered the patch. I still can¡¯t get over how easy it is to use the water element. After the spell ran out of mana, he went to the storage room, hung up the rake on the wall, and picked up three spare pickaxes. Cal pulled up the interface and saw twelve hours remained of the [Tier Boost]. There was no real work to do on the field, but he had plenty of surface layer that could be dug up. He would do that for the rest of the time and hope that was enough to get another [Tier] level up. He went to the back of the field where Nibbles had already created the tunnels underneath. He would start here. Even with my recent [Tier] level increase, I fully expect to be exhausted by the end. I look forward to it. Cal tossed two pickaxes to the side and left himself with one. He raised it high before bringing it down to the ground. You have gained [Uncommon Pickaxe] as equipment. It will be designated as your alternate. The sharp metallic clink and pieces of the broken ground flying from the impact brought a smile to his face. Chapter 43 - Interlude: The Intruder Tavia stared at the passing pedestrians as the carriage took her to Miren¡¯s unmarked building. It was where the younger girl conducted her business. There were times¡ªtoo many times, in truth¡ªwhen she thought of what it would be like to be someone with a typical mortal life, someone without an interface. It was an idle thought caused by the guild. I would not survive in the core guild¡­ metaphorically. If it wasn¡¯t for Cal opening his house to me, I don''t want to think of what my situation would have been. Tavia had told Cal that she had requested the guild to allow her to station in Oracle Shores or Star Fields, and that wasn¡¯t a lie, but those talks hadn¡¯t gone further than her request. If it wasn¡¯t for the Overseer informing her that there might be a solution to her problem with Cal, she might still be rotting in the core guild. I was a fool to think it would get better in the core guild. It just got worse but in a different way. She tried her best to isolate herself from the relentless competition among the Trainees. The friends she surrounded herself with helped somewhat, but Cal was the one who truly let her isolate in peace. His relentless pursuit of her prevented anyone from truly pulling her into any time-wasting petty conflicts. Cal¡¯s status as the ¡®Favored Trainee¡¯ helped her immensely. Tavia was surprised that he suddenly changed his attitude toward her and acted like he had lost interest in her overnight. She was glad it happened right at the end when his difference was least needed, but it did make her curious as to why his attitude changed so drastically. I approached Cal after the Selection to tell him not to give up hope, but he wasn¡¯t concerned... about anything. He was like a new person. Tavia had assumed it meant the guild would take care of whatever the issue was that happened to Cal during the Selection. That was quickly proven false when the Masters overseeing the core guild often lamented Cal¡¯s Selection result to the other Initiates'' pleasure. She frowned as she thought about Tarn. He had jumped at the chance to insult Cal at the end of the Selection, but in the core guild, he switched tactics. Tarn became one of the most irritating suck-ups she had the displeasure to be around. Not an hour passed without hearing how Cal would no longer be a headache to her. Unfortunately, hearing that repeatedly was giving her an actual headache. Unfortunately for Tarn, he was wrong about Cal. She was given a taste of what Cal experienced as a Trainee. The people she could barely stand were suddenly trying to get on her good side, and there were far too many individual meetings with the Masters to be normal. She loved the promise of future lectures and the contents that would be covered, but even with that, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. The overload of attention was maddening, and it was not something she could tolerate for long before breaking. She knew what she needed, and that was to be mostly left to her own devices. Tavia quickly realized something at that point. She missed Cal and the way his presence warded off attention from her. It had only been a few days of his absence before she wanted it back. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. That was when she decided it was time to get out. It had still been early¡ªvery early¡ªso there was a chance if she did asked now instead of later. The reactions I received didn¡¯t give me much hope. The Overseer really did save my sanity. The carriage slowed to a stop in front of Tavia¡¯s destination. She stepped out and patted the horses for their work. For something purposely left unmarked, Miren made it stand out far too much. The building had a stone facade with carved details from stories she had heard about the Celestial Order. Vines and flowering plants climbed the walls, giving it a strange, natural touch. Large one-way windows spanned the entire wall, with stained glass at the top that displayed the runes built into the glass. Even the door was unique. It was a heavy wooden door reinforced with wrought iron. The plain nature of the surroundings made all of this even more shocking. Miren¡¯s building wasn¡¯t in a crowded area of other structures, nor was it alone. The buildings around it had names like ordinary places of business, and the buildings were more utilitarian. I don¡¯t understand the choice to leave it unmarked when it stands out. Tavia saw several people across the street as they gaped at Miren¡¯s building. She gave them sympathetic looks before heading inside. I would stare in shock, too, at something so astoundingly ugly. I¡¯m shocked this is the best the Celestial Order has as a designer. ¡°Initiate Tavia! Welcome back. How can I help you today?¡± Tavia¡¯s eye twitched in irritation at seeing this man again. She hadn¡¯t forgotten how he casually insulted her before leaving Cal¡¯s field. He might not have known he insulted her, but that wasn¡¯t important. ¡°You told me Miren would be back today.¡± Tavia did her bare minimum to be polite. She considered it enough that she didn¡¯t growl at him like a beast. ¡°Madam Miren is resting in her office.¡± It was heavily implied that Torin could help with whatever Tavia wanted, but she didn¡¯t care. Plus, he truly couldn¡¯t help with her main goal here. ¡°Take me to her.¡± Torin waited a few seconds for her to take back her words, but when the reversal didn¡¯t happen, he sighed and nodded slightly. ¡°Very well, follow me.¡± Tavia smiled at the few others who were in this large building before they climbed the stairs. She didn¡¯t know what the others did as a job, but just like the last time she came here, they were chatting while drinking a hot beverage. Everyone here is strange. That was reaffirmed by what was on the second floor. The stairs led to one large office. It was all glass. The walls, the door, the furnishings inside. All of it. Miren stared at them when they came into view, but Torin still knocked on the glass door. ¡°Madam Miren, Initiate Tavia has business with you.¡± Tavia had to bite her lip to stop any ill thought¡ªand possibly rude¡ªstatements. Miren waved her hand, and Torin pushed the glass door open and led them inside. Tavia cleared her throat and put aside all the strangeness around her. She was disappointed that Cal seemed to abhor the color of the furnishings she chose, but she chose to look at it positively. With Miren back in her office, she could rectify a mistake. ¡°Miren, I need help to procure another material that¡¯s on the same level as Starlit Marble.¡± Miren stared at her momentarily before she called Torin and whispered into his ear. Tavia waited. She wouldn¡¯t be leaving without her agreement. She knew that she intruded on Cal¡¯s space, but she hoped that the Starlit Marble was enough of a gift to excuse her guilt. However, it was only made worse when it turned out that he couldn¡¯t even use it. What was a gift for Cal turned out to be a benefit only for her. I somehow convinced the Overseer to help me secure the Starlit Marble. I will need to do so again with another material. Miren is the best way to find the Overseer. ¡°Madam Miren says your request will cost a few guildmarks at a minimum.¡± It took all of Tavia¡¯s willpower to not sweat furiously at the cost, even if she wouldn¡¯t be paying for it. ¡°I need to talk to the Overseer.¡± Miren raised an eyebrow at her request and tapped her finger on her glass desk. She whispered in Torin¡¯s ear again. Torin looked confused but repeated the message. ¡°Madam Miren asked if this is for the same reason you procured the Starlit Marble.¡± Tavia blinked in confusion before nodding. That caused more whispering. ¡°Madam Miren says you will have her help.¡± Chapter 44 - Planting Second alternate [Advanced Pickaxe] has degraded to Average Quality. Cal tossed the pickaxe aside with sweat covering his body. He didn¡¯t think he could get this tired after increasing his [Tier] rank, but he should have expected this to be the case. This land had many odd properties, so it shouldn¡¯t be surprising that even an Apprentice-level [Farmer] would have trouble working continuously. Still, this was on another level. He reached behind him and pulled the last pickaxe he had taken out of the storage room. The other two had been tossed to the side after their quality had decreased to ¡®Average.¡¯ I should have put them back in the storage room, but I¡¯m too annoyed to be reasonable. Not after I did all of this. Cal¡¯s goal had been to work continuously when the [Tier] boost was active. He didn¡¯t stray from that goal, but that meant he ripped up nearly all of his field. The ground was broken up, with the hard surface layer ready to be scooped up and piled on the side. He shuddered at the thought. I would actually create a true hill... Miren said she would test whether it was useful. I¡¯ll ask Tavia where to find her in Lumina. Cal swung down the pickaxe. You have gained [Uncommon Pickaxe] as equipment. It will be designated as your third alternate. He dismissed that without a thought. He had done this twice already, and everything would remain the same with what he would do with the third. He was focused on breaking apart the surface of his field, only excluding a small area around his makeshift pond, his house, and the large hole Nibbles created. Cal continued to work. He ignored the burn he could feel in his muscles. It was pleasant¡ªand not¡ªat the same time. It came with the hope that the burn would disappear after his [Tier] leveled up. The fatigue made him far slower than usual. It would have taken him less than an hour to swing the pickaxe nine hundred times and get it to upgrade, but the fatigue slowed him to the point it took over two hours. Still, it was better than nothing. The swings of the pickaxe blurred into one. He was vaguely aware of the interface appearing, but he ignored it. It was probably the warning of the pickaxe degrading in quality. That happened to the last two spare pickaxes he used. Cal didn¡¯t bother to stop even when he felt the pickaxe change in his hands, and the interface appeared again. It felt stronger, more durable, and had that faint, pulsing blue aura. It had upgraded into an Advanced-ranked tool, but he didn¡¯t care. It would come with the same trait options, and he would choose the same one again. Cal kept going until he reached the last part of his field. The pickaxe smashed into the ground and broke it apart. That was when he allowed himself to be pulled out of his single-minded focus. The first thing he was greeted with was the interface. Third alternate [Uncommon Pickaxe] has degraded to Good Quality. Your third alternate equipment [Uncommon Pickaxe] has been upgraded to [Advanced Pickaxe]. Third alternate [Advanced Pickaxe] has degraded to Average Quality. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one Self-Repair - After 24 continuous hours without use, the pickaxe will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' Enhanced Penetration - This pickaxe can penetrate harder materials with less effort, allowing you to mine through tough ores and rocks that are otherwise too challenging. Cal didn¡¯t care about the trait choice but was beyond happy about his [Tier] increase. It had returned his body to a far better shape. He no longer felt like he was a few moves away from crumpling in exhaustion. He casually tapped ¡®Self-Repair,¡¯ and the interface disappeared. He had seen those two trait options for every single pickaxe. With how similar he had used them, it was understandable. Now I have four Advanced-rank pickaxes with the Self-Repair trait. This should leave me with a pickaxe available on most days. If I want to make that a sure thing, I¡¯ll need three more pickaxes to rotate between them every day of the week. Cal pulled up the alternate pickaxes on the interface to see how far they were into the tasks required for the Rare rank. Alternate Equipment: [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 833/4500 Tasks (1st Alternate) - Self-Repair [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 865/4500 Tasks (2nd Alternate) - Self-Repair [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 624/4500 Tasks (3rd Alternate) - Self-Repair He stretched, letting out a happy sigh when he felt a few pops. That feeling disappeared when he looked around his field and realized it was nearly impossible for any deliveries to be made with the ground this destroyed. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. I need to clear a path from the tree line to my house. Cal pulled up the remaining time for the [Tier] boost. [Tier Boost] - All actions that contribute to increasing your tier level will automatically be counted as double the normal increase. (4 hours remaining) He blinked at seeing four hours and looked up at the sky. The sun was about to set. He shook his head and dismissed the interface. If the boost had four hours left, he would use every second of it. Cal gathered the pickaxes and returned them to the storage room, exiting with the wheelbarrow and the shovel. I¡¯ll be able to give a true test to this shovel¡¯s trait, Geode Seeker. He looked at the trait as he walked toward the tree line. Alternate Equipment: [Advanced Shovel: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 1621/4500 Tasks - Geode Seeker - The shovel can sense hidden geodes or precious minerals under the surface being dug. The shovel¡¯s blade will glow softly on detection. The detection range depends on your [Tier], capping out at a maximum of five hundred feet. Surely, there¡¯s something to discover when I use it all over the field. Cal let the interface fade away when he reached his spot and returned to work. He refused to start a new pile of debris, so when he had to force the wheelbarrow over the uneven, cracked chunks of the surface, he realized it would be better to clear a path to the pile of debris first. That didn¡¯t take long since the width was only as wide as the wheelbarrow instead of a beast-pulled cart or carriage. He made steady yet quick progress and was almost finished clearing the path when he got an unexpected alert. Your alternate [Advanced Shovel] is now designated as your primary. Cal stuck the shovel into the ground and glanced at the interface. Primary Equipment: [Advanced Shovel: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 2039/4500 Tasks - Geode Seeker It had pipped his other shovel in the number of tasks completed. It¡¯ll finally contribute to [Perfect Match] now that it¡¯s my primary. He couldn¡¯t say this added to his motivation since it was already high, from his desire to take full advantage of the [Tier]boost, but it was another incentive on top. Cal quickly finished clearing the path within several minutes. He looked around, mentally prepared to make the plan to start removing the rest of the mess. His priority would have been the area around his house, but those plans were thrown away when he noticed the change in the dirt patch. It wasn¡¯t glowing as intensely as before. I think it¡¯s ready for planting! Cal¡¯s determined wariness about cleaning up the field disappeared. It was replaced with pure, unfiltered excitement. He left the wheelbarrow and shovel where they were and rushed to the storage room. He picked up the plow and a barrel of Sunfire Grain seeds before returning to the dirt patch. I keep calling to a dirt patch as an insult, but if this can actually grow Sunfire Grains, I¡¯ll have to stop. Cal tilled the patch with the plow. He created ten evenly spaced rows to give the Sunfire Grains sufficient growth space. Drex said he could fit five hundred of them in the patch, and he would aim precisely for that. He was about to open the barrel when he remembered the reward he had been disappointed to pick. It would be useful here. [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] - You may apply this reward to one type of crop seed (Limit 1 barrel). They will grow and mature at a 10x accelerated rate, allowing you to harvest crops in a fraction of the usual time. After 3 uses, this reward will expire. I still need to pay Drex for the barrels of seeds. Assuming every seed I plant can be harvested, I will get five hundred silver from it. That only covers twenty percent of what I will pay Drex, but at least it¡¯ll replenish my funds so it won¡¯t be nearly empty after I pay him. Cal repeated the same action he did to activate [Lightning Aura]. He simply thought of the skill as he touched the barrel. [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] activated. Two uses left. He stared in fascination as his palm pulsed with a green glow that transferred to the barrel. The glow quickly sank to the interior, but he could see it through the tiny gaps in the barrel. This didn¡¯t use any of his mana. Whatever that green glow was, it still came out of his mana core, but it wasn¡¯t something that belonged there naturally. He didn¡¯t know how he knew that, but he was confident it was true. Cal waited a few seconds for the glow to die before pulling off the top of the barrel. The inside was packed to the brim with spherical, mostly-brown brown seeds that were an inch in diameter. The [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] still left behind evidence that these were no longer standard seeds with the faint green tint that appeared in certain angles. There has to be thousands in here. This barrel by itself is worth more than the two and a half guildmarks I will give Drex¡­ assuming all of it can be harvested. He took two handfuls and started to plant the seeds individually. He formed a small depression in the soil with his foot before placing a single see inside, then moved a foot away in the row and did the same. Cal repeated the process, returning to get more seeds whenever he ran out. Fifty seeds would be placed in each row, and with ten rows available, that would give him the five hundred he wanted. Each Sunfire Grain seed has a foot of space on all sides. It seems excessive, but there must be a reason Drex said five hundred should be the max. He placed the last seed in the soil before leaving the patch. It felt good to see everything neatly finished. It feels like I¡¯m missing something. Cal stared at the patch for a long minute, reviewing the steps that Drex told him in his mind. He followed everything to the letter, but it still looked wrong. ¡­ I don¡¯t think the seeds should be exposed. He was hesitant to do something that wasn¡¯t in the steps, but it seemed silly to leave the seeds uncovered like this. Plus, he was confident that Drex would have never thought he would already be planting the Sunfire Grains this early. Cal decided to go with his gut. He got the rake from the storage room and used it lightly on the patch. He didn¡¯t let the tines go too deep and touch the seeds. He only did enough to move the soil he had displaced with the plow until the seeds were covered. He stepped out of the patch again after he was done and instantly noticed something was wrong. The soil was rapidly drying, and it was beyond obvious what was causing it. Five hundred distinct points in the patch were the driest, with the soil surrounding quickly losing moisture. Cal immediately cast [Rainfall]. The mana left his palm, formed stormy clouds, and poured down rain. He didn¡¯t overdo it even though the situation seemed dire. He used half of his mana like normal. If necessary, he would use the rest. Cal observed the patch, noting that the water was absorbed just as quickly as it fell onto the soil. He hoped this was only needed at the start, or this would quickly become a failure. He could not constantly supply the Sunfire Grains with this much water. He waited anxiously for the absorption rate to change. It wasn¡¯t till the spell''s duration was near its end that it happened. The soil started to retain water. The spell dissipated, and the interface appeared. Your [Tier] has increased by 1 level. [Tier] increase has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. Skill choices available. Choose one. Green Thumb - Your crops grow 10% faster and are more resistant to diseases and pests. Your harvest will always yield more than expected. As your mastery increases, the faster your crops grow. Seed Preservation - You can recover 10% more of the seeds from the crops you plant. Higher levels of this skill will allow for a greater percentage of recovery. Efficient Irrigation - Your watering methods are 10% more effective, conserving water while ensuring crops receive adequate hydration. Higher levels of this skill unlock increased effectiveness. WARNING You have a previous unpicked option. Only one option can be furloughed. Select your skill choice or the water element trait within the next minute. Failure to do so will cause one to be lost permanently. Chapter 45 - Boost Removed Cal had a growing smile as he read the interface. It died immediately when he read the warning. He quickly scanned the skill options again, hoping he had missed something that would make picking an option obvious. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case. If there¡¯s a choice I need to make hastily, it can¡¯t be something that will help with my farming. I would rather make a mistake picking a water element trait. I should skim the options again. Trait choices available. Choose one. [Aquatic Resilience] - You can heal when submerged in water. The higher your [Tier], the faster you heal. This trait is a passive effect. There is no limit or duration. [Flow Sense] - You can sense the water flow in your surrounding environment. The depth of your senses depends on the amount of mana used to activate the trait. Limit 1 use per week. Warning: Activation of this trait will stop the regeneration of the mana used for 2 days. [Mist Walker] - You can create a mist around yourself, covering up to 10 acres depending on its intended purpose. The benefits of the trait range from cooling to complete control over the created mist domain. Limit 1 use per week. The duration of the trait is 1 hour, regardless of the mana used. Warning: Activation of this trait will bar access to mana for 1 week. Cal threw out [Flow Sense] immediately¡­ again. There was no doubt that was the worst of the options right now. He already had an irrigation solution with the help of Nibbles. That might turn out to be a failure, but even if that was the case, Orrin would be able to help him eventually. That leaves me with [Aquatic Resilience] and [Mist Walker]. He knew the safe option was [Aquatic Resilience]. He knew choosing it wouldn¡¯t be harmful other than possibly having a rarely used trait since he needed to be submerged in water to get use of it¡ªand perhaps underwhelming at lower [Tier] ranks. The problem was the same negative could be applied to [Mist Walker]. The penalty of [Mist Walker] was so harsh that it would be impossible for him to test the trait any time soon. It was unacceptable for him to be without mana for a week. Not only would that make him fail at farming, it would leave him mostly helpless against any real threats. And by threats, Cal wasn¡¯t just thinking of beasts that might come across his field. He was also thinking of the guild, no matter how amicable they currently seemed. Really, only the Overseer is amicable, and I have little clue about how anyone else might feel. The penalty wasn¡¯t the only issue with [Mist Walker]. The benefits had a range that was extremely wide. The benefits of the trait range from cooling to complete control over the created mist domain. The trait''s low point is so useless that I question what it means by ¡®complete control.¡¯ I have tried to get the interface to expand on it without luck. In the worst-case scenario, it could just mean I have the ability to ¡®water¡¯ ten acres of crops. In the best-case scenario, I¡¯ll have a trump card that will let me instantly turn the tide by having full command of everything the mist covers. Cal shook his head as he wasted precious seconds thinking of how bad it could be. He had waffled on making the choice until only seconds were left. He couldn¡¯t delay any longer. The interface disappeared when Cal¡¯s finger tapped [Mist Walker]. He stared in silence at nothing in particular. He didn¡¯t know how to feel about what he had picked, even more so compared to any of the previous, disappointing picks he had to make. It¡¯s fine. [Aquatic Resilience] would have been useless anyway. I doubt there would be a convenient body of water for me to dip myself into. Nor do I think I will be allowed to make myself a little pool to heal myself in the middle of a fight. Cal tried to make himself believe the excuses he was thinking of. It wasn¡¯t working. His doubts would linger until he tested [Mist Walker], and that couldn¡¯t happen anytime soon. If the penalty wasn¡¯t so harsh, he would feel much better about the choice. I made a gamble. If I¡¯m right, I have no regrets. I can somewhat replace the effects of [Aquatic Resilience]. I can¡¯t say the same with having total control over an area. Besides, what is the point of a healing skill when I can be killed before I even have the chance to use it. That psycho girl from the other guild would have laughed and did exactly that. He sighed and checked the time remaining of the [Tier] boost. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Three hours. There was nothing left to do other than continue cleaning the field. Cal returned the barrel of seeds and plow to the storage room before getting back to work. And to hopefully forget some of his doubts. He worked on making the field around his house more palatable. Hours passed as the hill of broken surface layer debris grew steadily as the field was cleared. Half of the field in the front of his house had the dirt showing, with the other half still covered with broken rubble. [Advanced Shovel] has degraded to Good Quality. That was expected. It was more surprising to Cal it had taken this long to degrade. The only disappointing thing was that the shovel¡¯s trait, Geode Seeker, didn¡¯t activate at all. It looked like his field was a zone with no precious materials buried deep underneath. He continued well into the night until the interface finally showed him the message he had anticipated. [Tier Boost] period concluded. Trait [Second Chance] removed. The laws of the world are conflicted. You have diligently used the boost period, yet the same actions frustrate some. They are divided on what to do with you. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ The empty messages continued, and every time one appeared, they made Cal¡¯s heart skip a beat. He didn¡¯t think his actions during the boost period would have a consequence. Even if I knew, I would do exactly the same things. How am I supposed to know I should have done the opposite? If those two beings I heard before I was sent back in time are part of the laws of the world, I might be finished. Cal waited nervously for the interface to show something other than the constant blank messages he had been getting for well over a minute. If he wasn¡¯t so terrified he was about to be erased without any chance of resisting, he would be furious that he was back in this position. He had become a [Farmer] to avoid this. He wanted to avoid life and death situations, at least until he could dominate any true challenges, and now he was right back there for doing too good of a job at being [Farmer]. ¡­ The majority have overruled the dissenters. You will be rewarded for your actions instead of being punished. Congratulations, you have nearly maximized the benefits of your [Tier Boost] period! The laws of the world are pleased with your exceptional progress and have decided to reward you. You may choose one of the following rewards: Secondary Title - You have the privilege to choose another [Class] in addition to [Farmer]. There will be no special variants to the [Class]. It will be standard. Pocket Dimension - Gain access to a personal pocket dimension with unlimited space. This space can only be used to store inanimate objects, and it can only store objects considered ¡®yours.¡¯ Shared objects do not qualify. WARNING You have a previous unpicked option. Only one option can be furloughed¡ª The laws of the world have created an exception. You have one day to make your pick before you lose either the reward or skill choice permanently. Cal¡¯s heart had been skipping out of nervousness, but now it felt like it was about to explode from sheer excitement. This was a reward that others would fight wars for, and it was given to him on a silver platter. He could be a [Mage] again. He had zero intention of doing things any differently than he was right now, but regaining that [Class] would give him the massive reserves of mana it was known for. Wait. Do I even need that? Cal tilted his head as he thought it over. There were also advantages with spell casting¡ªespecially with more difficult spells¡ªbut it couldn¡¯t be forgotten that he had been an average [Mage] at best. With my current [Class], I can get most of what a [Mage] has. Maybe it would be better to pick something other than [Mage]. He knew there was a [Class] that was more prized than [Mage], but that was as far as his knowledge went. He didn¡¯t even know what it was called. Still, would it have mattered? Cal had been thinking furiously about why he might pick ¡®Secondary Title,¡¯ not because that was his preferred choice, but because ¡®Pocket Dimension¡¯ was suspiciously more attractive. That shouldn¡¯t be the case when these two choices were given directly by the ¡®laws of the world.¡¯ It solves so many of my current issues and will be of tremendous use in any emergency. All the high-ranked tools he worried about could be hidden in this pocket dimension. The rock he had been carrying around for days would weigh far less on his mind. Just the latter was enough to push Cal to choose ¡®Pocket Dimension.¡¯ I was given a whole day to pick an option. That¡¯s the only thing that makes me hold myself back. There might be something I¡¯m missing that should be obvious. Why would I be given such uneven rewards? Cal knew that the Overseer was due for another visit soon. He would choose before the Overseer arrived if it was earlier than the extra day given to him. Cal dismissed the interface with a smile. He felt refreshed about what awaited him in the future. It was more secure than he could have hoped. It lightened him in a way that suggested it was subconsciously affecting him more than he could have ever known. This is just the first step. I¡¯m no longer on shaky ground, but that doesn¡¯t mean I should slow down. He glanced at the patch where he planted the Sunfire Grains. It should be ten times faster with the use of [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed], but that didn¡¯t mean much when he didn¡¯t know the original time. Cal narrowed his eyes when he saw that the soil looked dryer from the last time he watered it. He cast [Rainfall] and used all of his mana, with the added capacity from leveling up his [Tier]. He watched the rain fall until the end without stopping it. The soil became more mud with the addition of this much water, but that was perfect, in his opinion. I can see it already getting absorbed. I have to ask Drex how thirsty these things are. How are they supposed to grow in a challenging environment if they need this much water? Cal froze as a thought came to mind. The skill I used to accelerate the growth of the Sunfire Grains has a lot to do with this. He accepted that he needed to wake himself up in the middle of the night and ensure the Sunfire Grains wouldn¡¯t die of thirst. He returned everything to the storage room and prepared for an eventful night. Tavia hasn¡¯t returned. I hope that doesn¡¯t mean I get another one of her ¡®brilliant¡¯ design choices tomorrow.
Complete stat sheet in author''s notes (under spoiler tag) Chapter 46 - Seriss Foe Cal yawned as he scratched the back of his head. It was still mostly dark outside, with the sun just peeking over the horizon. I slept for a little over five hours. He watched the rain stop and the clouds disappear. The first thing he did was cast [Rainfall] over the patch, and he did so just in time. The soil had been horribly dry since the Sunfire Grains had sucked the moisture away. Cal intended to wake up far earlier than he actually did, but yesterday¡¯s work had been more exhausting than he realized. Not physically, but mentally. He ended up being rewarded by the ¡®laws of the world¡¯¡ªwhatever that meant¡ªbut he did think for a moment that he would be killed. It let him know just how precarious his situation was. Cal no longer thought the most pressing concern were guilds or any such similar nonsense. It was the entities known as the ¡®laws of the world¡¯ and their whims. And there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. The only plus at the moment was that they seemed favorable to him right now, but his well-being depending on some unknowns was not what he would call ideal. He didn¡¯t move from his spot for minutes, staring at the patch. It wasn¡¯t for any specific reason. The thoughts that usually raced in his mind slowly disappeared by the second until nothing was left. It was blissful blankness. This is nice¡ªoh. There goes the blissful blankness. Cal considered doing what would have been unthinkable in the past week¡ªwasting time. Nothing was pushing him to be constantly productive, and he wouldn¡¯t feel guilty if he took a break now and then. Especially if it was even more effective in calming him than zoning out while working in his field. ¡­ It¡¯s not a bad idea to relax and admire my awesome field. Not everyone can be as good at this as I am. He purposely ignored the tremendous help his special [Class] had given him so far. The top of the small hill he had been forming over the past week was an excellent spot to sit and get a good view of everything. All he needed to do was stomp down a flat place at the peak. Cal shook his head and looked away from the rocky hill made of debris. His attention moved to the dirt path. He could hear wheels over dirt. With how early it was, it could only be Tavia. He was proven right a few seconds later. He returned to the house, getting there just as Tavia had stepped out of the carriage and freed the horses. Cal intended to ask where the replacement furnishings were before realizing that was rude. That couldn¡¯t be the first thing out of his mouth. It was good that Tavia was busy looking around as he debated for a few seconds on what to open with. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Cal frowned. That didn¡¯t sound quite right. Tavia noticed the awkward tension coming from Cal, but she didn¡¯t put any thought into it. There was something else occupying her mind. ¡°Are you this determined to make yourself a small mountain?¡± Cal thought about the view from the top of this hypothetical mountain. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be against it.¡± ¡°¡­ Right, of course you are,¡± Tavia nodded, somehow not surprised at the answer. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad you cleared a path to the house. Miren will be sending over the new delivery later today. And I have a surprise for you! But you might need to wait a few days for delivery.¡± Oh, good. I can find out where Miren is located when they arrive¡ªwait. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The first thing that came to mind about the surprise was another hideous decoration she would proudly call beautiful. ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± After all the trouble she had gone through to get this surprise, Tavia was rightfully offended. ¡°Does it involve bright colors on furniture?¡± Tavia¡¯s face turned red, to the point it was visible in the dim light. ¡°Has anyone told you that you¡¯re too blunt?¡± ¡­ This was common backtalk when I was a Trainee¡­ and I was told directly when I was in the core guild in my first life. I escaped this time until now, but that might be because I¡¯m not around many people. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Cal cleared his throat. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re too blunt,¡± Tavia said flatly, ¡°and I¡¯m exhausted from the trip. I¡¯m going to rest.¡± He blinked when she walked to the house. He spoke after her in a loud voice, ¡°Make sure to keep an ear out for any beasts sniffing around the storage room. I¡¯m heading to town for the day.¡± Tavia didn¡¯t turn around but acknowledged him with a wave. He didn¡¯t realize until she entered the house that his question was never answered. She did that on purpose. Cal pursed his lips before sighing. I suppose having one eye-searing decoration won¡¯t be the end of the world. It¡¯s only fitting I let her have this leeway since she is paying for everything. Tavia''s return gave him the opportunity to meet Drex without leaving his equipment unattended. He glanced at the carriage before putting it out of his mind. Walking to Mariner¡¯s Rest would be simpler than figuring out how the horses understood where to take a passenger. ¡­ Tavia wouldn¡¯t be happy I borrowed her carriage without permission anyway. Cal went to the storage room to get his primary sledgehammer before leaving his field. *** He stopped at the entrance into Mariner¡¯s Rest with a confused expression. It couldn¡¯t have been much longer than ten minutes since he left his field. I didn¡¯t think I walked faster than usual, but I obviously did. Cal hadn¡¯t thought much of it until now, but he realized that his current [Tier] would make him one of the most powerful people in the area¡ªif not the most powerful. Apprentices like him would be sent to guard the border to protect the guild¡¯s territory, but unlike a typical Apprentice, he was a [Farmer] instead of a [Caster] or [Mage]. The Celestial Order never had an Apprentice-level [Farmer], and they probably wouldn¡¯t know what to do with him. Cal chuckled when he thought of using his farming techniques at the border in response to attacks. ¡°A-Are you going to enter the town?¡± He stared at the familiar guard manning the entrance. The man was already nervous about speaking to him, and the stare did not help. Cal gave the guard a small smile before entering the town. He felt like he had seen that guard before but couldn¡¯t remember if they had exchanged names, so he walked through without a word to avoid any awkwardness. He walked down the steps and passed by Orrin¡¯s shop. Even though it was the crack of dawn, metal being hammered could be heard. Surprisingly, there wasn¡¯t an angry crowd at the racket, but maybe everyone was used to it. Cal didn¡¯t want to disturb Orrin yet. He would visit on the way back. He walked through the streets to get to the boardwalk, but it wasn¡¯t as empty as he had assumed. Most townsfolk were preparing for the day, while some looked to be returning from the port after a long night''s work. They gave him some odd looks, but nothing that matched the level of suspicion the first time he visited. I vaguely remember most of these faces. Hiring Seris¡ªwho is some kind of mascot to this town¡ªshould make them more familiar to me too. Cal had every intention of heading straight to the port, but to his surprise, he was stopped by a man who quickly exited a house just as he passed by. ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for you! Do you have some time to speak now?¡± He froze in surprise. The way this man spoke to him was so casual that it immediately set him apart from the other townspeople. He narrowed his eyes in thought at the familiar face, but a name didn''t appear in his mind. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man wasn¡¯t offended. Instead, his smile grew even more. ¡°Nismus. We met briefly at the bazaar, but young Seris was in a rush and pulled you away.¡± Ah, right. I remember being angry at Seris for that. This is the man she said she didn¡¯t like. From someone who generally likes everyone, I can¡¯t ignore her feelings. Cal couldn¡¯t deny that he was curious. This was the second time Nismus tried to talk to him. Even if he had ill intentions, Cal was an Apprentice-level guild member. There was nothing Nismus could do to harm him. ¡°I have a few minutes to spare,¡± Cal made a show of looking around. There were more than a few eyes on them. ¡°Do you want to speak out here?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Nismus shook his head quickly before stepping back into his house and holding the door open. ¡°I was just making some tea.¡± Cal¡¯s lips twitched as he entered the small house. Like the others on the street, Nismus¡¯s house was a compact, two-story building that didn¡¯t have much space to move around. It was fit for a bachelor. Nismus fit that description. I wanted to waste time, but not to the point of drinking mortal tea. I really am too untethered right now. I should find something to push me more¡ª ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± Nismus pulled two chairs out from underneath a small table. ¡°It won¡¯t take long for the tea to be ready.¡± Cal took a seat as he watched Nismus tend to a pot over the fire. Everything on the first floor of this place was a unified space. ¡°So, what did you want to speak to me about?¡± Nismus didn¡¯t respond and poured the tea into two small cups before placing one in front of Cal. This guy is a little dramatic, but bold enough to keep up the act in front of me. Maybe this is why Seris doesn¡¯t like him. ¡°I just took delivery of this tea yesterday. I hope it¡¯s to your liking,¡± Nismus smiled as he took the seat across from him. Cal¡¯s nose twitched at the faint aroma coming from the tea. It was fiery orange in appearance. This shouldn¡¯t be possible. He looked at Nismus¡¯s smiling face sharply. ¡°How did you get this?¡± ¡°I splurged a little for my own satisfaction. Seeing you passing by, I knew it would be perfect to share with you, Initiate¡­?¡± ¡°Cal. My name is Cal,¡± he muttered as he brought up the cup to take a sip. He felt his faint hunger get sated. This was nowhere close to the custard he had in Lumina, but it was more surprising due to where he was having it. Nismus somehow had tea that could sate the hunger of people with an activated interface. ¡°Initiate Cal,¡± Nismus¡¯s smile grew. ¡°This is made from Sunfire Grains. And it¡¯s quite valuable. Why, I almost had a heart attack when I saw the price to order it, but I knew I had to give it a try just once.¡± He knows I¡¯m growing Sunfire Grains¡­ it feels like he¡¯s about to blackmail me. Cal took his time to finish the tea and put the cup back on the table. ¡°Before you continue, I should warn you that you are speaking to a member of the Celestial Order. With that in mind, what do you want from me?¡± Chapter 47 - Business ¡°Some of my friends told me about the number of deliveries they had to make to the Northern Wastes. Imagine my surprise when I heard this included five barrels of Sunfire Grain seeds!¡± Cal simply stared at Nismus. Instead of being direct, the man went on a spiel he didn¡¯t care for. Still, he grew more curious about someone who seemed to dismiss the difference in their status. Even though Nismus gave him tea that no mortal should even think of buying due to cost, the man was still a mortal. There was a clear difference between them, one that even Drex was wary of at the start before becoming more comfortable with Cal¡¯s casualness. ¡°So, it got me thinking,¡± Nismus continued without shame at Cal¡¯s silence, ¡°what if I could do something that would greatly help the hardworking Initiate toiling away in the Northern Wastes.¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me what you want,¡± Cal said drily when Nismus paused again. The man really is one for dramatics. ¡°I have a buyer for your crop, Initiate Cal,¡± Nismus leaned forward slightly. ¡°Buyers that will pay more than you can get from the Celestial Order.¡± Cal tilted his head in interest. Not at the claim but at the sheer courage of this man. ¡°You realize this will not end well if the guild knows what you offer me?¡± Nismus waved him off with a carefree chuckle. ¡°At something so small? No, they won¡¯t care to look into it. If anything, the guild will be happy that they won¡¯t need to sell such a small quantity of Sunfire Grains. It¡¯s not worth the effort to try and find a buyer. After all, it¡¯s not a crop planted in the territory.¡± All of that seemed reasonable, but Nismus¡¯s way of speaking gave Cal an image of a sneaky, money-grabbing businessman. He would be stupid to believe his words. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s assume that¡¯s true. How do you know I¡¯ll be able to grow the Sunfire Grains?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. But given the Advanced-rank tool you¡¯re carrying on your back, I would wager you have a feasible plan.¡± Cal¡¯s hand twitched as he stopped himself from touching the sledgehammer he was carrying. He hadn¡¯t forgotten about it, but he also didn¡¯t expect a mortal to know what an Advanced-rank tool looked like. That was his mistake. Nismus clearly wasn¡¯t a typical mortal. Cal stood abruptly, surprising Nismus for the first time. ¡°I¡¯m focused on getting to a successful harvest. As for what to do after, that¡¯s something I¡¯m not interested in right now. So, I¡¯ll have to pass on this.¡± He turned to walk away from this potentially disastrous talk. ¡°My offer is open, Initiate Cal. I¡¯ll happily tell you the specifics anytime you wish.¡± Cal ignored Nismus and swiftly exited his house. He didn¡¯t stop until he was at the port to put as much distance between them as possible. Without the bazaar running, he didn¡¯t run into any of the Initiates that would have no doubt stopped him for small talk. Seris was spot on. That Nismus is unlikeable. That conversation is not one I want to be involved in right before I¡¯m expecting to meet the Overseer. He shook his head and searched the port for Drex. It wasn¡¯t as busy as the time he visited during the day, but there were still a good amount of people around. He found his target leaning against the wall of the inn, sipping on a cup of tea. ¡°Drex,¡± Cal greeted once he was close. Drex was still half-asleep. He slowly turned his head before staring at Cal in mild surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I finished planting the Sunfire Grains in the patch. I also started on a larger plot, but I¡¯m only on the first step.¡± Drex¡¯s drowsiness slowly disappeared as he registered what he had heard. ¡°I must be hallucinating. Did you really just say you¡¯re done planting? In two days?¡± ¡°You heard right,¡± Cal nodded, feeling comfortable that this was as unexpected as he assumed. ¡°I need more supplies¡­ and information on how the Sunfire Grains grow.¡± ¡°How many times did you have to repeat the steps?¡± Drex was still stuck on how fast it was done. ¡°Just once.¡± ¡°¡­ Just once?¡± Cal nodded and waited patiently for Drex¡¯s mind to accept reality. He was the one who did the work to fix the soil, and even he could barely believe it was so easy. Drex took a few sips of his tea. ¡°I guess the guild must have known what they were doing when they sent you to the Northern Wastes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they did,¡± Cal said drily. ¡°So, could you help with what I need?¡± ¡°The supplies will take a few days to procure, but it won¡¯t be an issue. I¡¯ll need to visit and get an idea of the correct quantities to order.¡± ¡°You can visit anytime you¡¯re free,¡± Cal offered generously. Drex hummed as he took another sip. ¡°I¡¯ll tag along with Seris. As for the Sunfire Grains, they have a fairly short growth cycle. Seventy days should be enough for a harvest.¡± With [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed], that reduces the cycle to seven days¡­ I¡¯m a rich man. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Cal couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the number of seeds in the barrel he used [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] on. If the small patch he cultivated got him five gold from the harvest, the barrel would get him well over a hundred gold. ¡°¡ªyou alright?¡± He refocused on Drex, who was staring at him oddly. He cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine. So, I¡¯ll come to you for help when it¡¯s ready for harvest.¡± Drex raised his eyebrows before shrugging. ¡°Remind me in a few months.¡± It¡¯ll be far sooner than that. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to do that,¡± Cal smiled as he imagined Drex¡¯s expression in a week. ¡°Thanks for your help, Drex.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Drex blurted out when Cal was about to turn away. He hesitated before continuing, ¡°Don''t take this the wrong way. I appreciate you taking care of Seris, but maybe she¡¯s not the best person to give responsibility over a pet.¡± Oh no. ¡°What did she do?¡± Cal asked with alarm. He had no idea how Seris could make Nibbles do something she didn¡¯t want to, but he was sure the girl would find a way. ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ bad,¡± Drex quickly headed off Cal¡¯s worry. ¡°She has insisted on showing everyone in town her new ¡®friend.¡¯ It¡¯s been a little too much¡­ even for her.¡± Cal¡¯s mind brought up an image of the overexcited girl shoving an exasperated Nibbles into everyone¡¯s faces. It made a small smile appear on his lips. ¡°I¡¯m being serious. It¡¯s honestly been a major distraction. We assumed Seris would get tired of it, but it was nonstop until she turned in for the night.¡± He burst out laughing before trying his best to tamp it down when he saw Drex wasn¡¯t amused. He held out a hand until he reduced the laughter to occasional chuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her today. She¡¯s just excited about her new friend.¡± ¡°When is she not excited?¡± Drex muttered under his breath. Cal didn¡¯t think he was supposed to hear that, so he ignored it. He was about to take his leave when he remembered something. ¡°Right, Drex, do you know someone called Nismus?¡± Drex frowned before trying to make himself look confused. His attempt failed. ¡°The name sounds familiar. Why? Did something happen with Nismus? Whoever that is.¡± Cal scratched his chin as he stared at Drex trying¡ªand failing¡ªto sound casual. Well, this is a dead end. ¡°Not really. Seris told me she didn¡¯t like him, so I wondered if there was a story behind it.¡± ¡°Oh, that Seris,¡± Drex let out a hilariously fake laugh. ¡°You know how she is. This Nismus might have bumped into her accidentally and she could be holding a grudge.¡± Whatever Nismus is doing, Drex is either looking the other way or is a part of it. It now makes sense how Nismus found out about the Sunfire Grains. ¡°¡­ I see,¡± Cal dropped the subject. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you be. I have to take care of some business in town before heading back.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Drex nodded eagerly. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Cal.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± he nodded before turning and walked away. He almost felt guilty that Drex didn¡¯t ask for the Sunfire Grain seeds payment, but the keyword was ¡®almost.¡¯ If Drex didn¡¯t feel that he needed to receive payment right now, there was no reason for Cal to insist on it. *** It didn¡¯t take Cal more than a few minutes to get to Orrin¡¯s shop. It wouldn''t have taken more than several seconds if it wasn¡¯t for the need to consciously slow himself while traversing through the town. He finally accepted that his [Tier] increase had significantly increased his speed to ridiculous levels. I need to figure out just how fast I am one of these days. Cal didn¡¯t enter Orrin¡¯s shop area and watched from the doorway as the boy furiously hammered a glowing red lump of metal. He didn¡¯t want to disturb his future blacksmith. He saw a pile of discarded, failed attempts in the corner of the shop. They all had a strange, black swirl in the metal. The amount of the swirl mixed into the failed tools varied, but it was always present. This must be the Voidiron. Luckily, Cal didn¡¯t have to wait much longer before Orrin stopped. It was too bad that the stoppage wasn¡¯t for a good reason. Orrin glared at the lump of metal he was working on like it offended him and his ancestors. With an annoyed grunt, it was flung into the pile of failed experiments. ¡°You¡¯re working hard,¡± Cal commented. The boy blacksmith jumped in surprise before exclaiming, ¡°Initiate Cal! Welcome back¡ªwait, are you here for the shovel?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cal shook his head, getting Orrin to relax. ¡°I was in town, so I figured I might as well stop by and see how that commission for the irrigation system is going.¡± Orrin shifted uneasily as he spoke. ¡°Seris gave me a layout of what you wanted¡­ it¡¯s too large.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°I can!¡± Orrin said vehemently. ¡°But it¡¯ll take me a long time to build. Maybe months since I need to find a way to incorporate Voidiron while keeping the metal malleable.¡± ¡°You want to make the irrigation system with this Voidiron,¡± Cal stated, curious as to why. Orrin nodded rapidly. ¡°The tools I make you deteriorate too quickly, and I expect the same with the irrigation system. But the system is much more of a headache to repair compared to the tools, so I want to make it last a long time.¡± Cal gained a new level of appreciation for Orrin. He glanced at the sparse amount of Voidiron pellets. He asked, ¡°Do you have enough of this Voidiron to keep experimenting?¡± ¡°There¡¯s plenty. I plan to melt the failed pieces when I run out of pellets.¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Cal muttered with a slight nod. Orrin started getting antsy again, so he decided he disturbed the boy enough. He understood the feeling. ¡°I look forward to what you come up with, Orrin. I¡¯ll leave you be.¡± ¡°Yes, Initiate Cal!¡± It almost looked like Orrin would salute like Seris often did, but he ended up standing rigidly until Cal left his shop. *** The ten-minute walk back to his field helped Cal get closer to picking a skill. The talk with Drex helped greatly in narrowing it down. Green Thumb - Your crops grow 10% faster and are more resistant to diseases and pests. Your harvest will always yield more than expected. As your mastery increases, the faster your crops grow. Seed Preservation - You can recover 10% more of the seeds from the crops you plant. Higher levels of this skill will allow for a greater percentage of recovery. Efficient Irrigation - Your watering methods are 10% more effective, conserving water while ensuring crops receive adequate hydration. Higher levels of this skill unlock increased effectiveness. None of these were ¡®bad,¡¯ so there wasn¡¯t a pick that he considered a detriment. However, [Efficient Irrigation] stood out as a distant third. With his ease in creating water, conservation was not a concern for him. Perhaps it might be a slight issue when he had a large area to use for crops, but with the underground tunnel system Nibbles was making and the irrigation system Orrin would make in the future, it should be manageable. [Seed Preservation] and [Green Thumb] were the skills he considered the most. However, consideration of long-term benefits won this time. [Seed Preservation] would be fantastic in prolonging the effects of [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed], but that would become less effective in the future. It was purely a short-term play with minimal long-term benefits. [Green Thumb] was the obvious choice. It would be of minor immediate help, but it would make him an unbeatable farmer in the future. Cal reached out and tapped [Green Thumb] without doubts¡ªa rare feeling when picking an option. The interface disappeared as he passed the tree line and stepped into his field. The trip to the town only took a little over an hour, and the sunlight was no longer dim. He saw someone studying the soil where he planted the Sunfire Grains with a fascinated expression. The Overseer arrived here much earlier than I assumed. Chapter 48 - The Overseers Return [Green Thumb]. The information on the skill options was all there for him to think over. That was not the case for the reward the laws of the world gave him. [Pocket Dimension] could still be the correct choice. It was a versatile reward that would do more than just store objects. Not only would it let him keep things of interest hidden, but it could also give him another ace up his sleeve. [Mist Walker] was his hope that it could act as an option of last resort. If it ever came to a point where he had exhausted everything and was on the edge of life and death, he wished for [Mist Walker] to turn the tide and allow him to come out ahead. [Mist Walker] would make anything less cause it to be a severe lapse in judgment. [Pocket Dimension] had no penalty, which made it an acceptable option even if he was wrong about what it could be capable of. Cal imagined that he could use it as a way to surprise any enemy by using the hidden nature of the [Pocket Dimension] to pull weapons from it at critical times. [Pocket Dimension] could be used instantly. [Pocket Dimension] was, he needed to gain more knowledge of what types of [Class] that existed above [Mage]. Right now, all he knew was that they existed and nothing else. This is another reason I didn¡¯t pick [Pocket Dimension]. The Overseer already knew of the unnatural rate at which I was gathering high-level equipment. Hiding them would just bring up more questions. I suspect that he knows something about the [Class] I received. There¡¯s no other explanation for the change in his attitude. Apprentice Cal.¡± [Tier] increase to be noticed so easily. This only confirmed his suspicions about the Overseer being far more than he seemed. This I can twist a little. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. I wanted to discuss this before he left anyway. I¡¯m glad he brought it up. It¡¯s like he needs it as proof. Perhaps there is someone the Overseer answers to, and this is what he needs to show that what I¡¯m doing is worthwhile. That¡¯s below the market rate for Advanced-ranked equipment. Still, considering I will provide farming equipment, it is somewhat fair. However, giving up fifty percent is a steep cost. No wonder the other Initiates look for other sources of income. Nismus¡¯s smuggling operation suddenly makes more sense. I need to tell Orrin to make me several more of these. You have sold all your alternate pickaxes. Three alternate equipment have been removed. As long as I ignore her horrid taste in design. That doesn¡¯t bode well for what happened to her. Tavia never showed up in the core guild like she did this life, so I might be mistaken. I don¡¯t think I will ever know what really happened. The Overseer is more amenable than I could have thought. It looks like I have someone firmly on my side. There¡¯s no doubt he has ulterior motives, but nothing comes free, so I can accept that as long as I benefit. Chapter 49 - Regret Cal stared blankly at the enlarged pond. He was sitting on top of the pile of rubble, relaxing, doing nothing as he had planned in the early morning. Of course, he finished all his work before making himself a nice, flat sitting area on the rubble hill to observe his field. Cal had covered the loam-covered patch with a slurry of powdered crystals and water, which also caused the pond to grow larger when he filled the tubs multiple times. When he saw the patch with the planted Sunfire Grains was getting a little dry, he watered it to allow the crops to drink. Then, he ambled around before deciding to do nothing. That pond is growing far too quickly. It will only speed up when I have more land to cultivate. His eyes moved to stare at the storage room. I can commission Orrin to make more tubs¡­ or one large tub that catches all the water from my spell. He would need to make something of that size on-site. Cal stretched and let out a soft sigh before leaning back, laying on the makeshift, flat peak of the rubble pile. I¡¯ll bring something soft to lay on next time. He stared at the bright sky for a moment before closing his eyes. *** Cal could hear a faint voice as he felt himself coming out of his sleep. It sounded like Seris, so he wasn¡¯t exactly in a hurry to bring himself back to full alert. However, the feeling of something touching his shirt certainly warranted such a reaction. His eyes flew open as his hand quickly grabbed whatever was about to attack him. He found himself sitting up with a frightened Nibbles in his grasp. Cal narrowed his eyes, suddenly remembering what Nibbles did early on. Her target was the rock that he had stored in his inner pocket. ¡°What were you doing?¡± Cal¡¯s tone had a hint of anger, which made Nibbles more frantic than she already was. He would have felt bad, but all he was thinking was how he was backstabbed. Nibbles was now using all four paws to point down the rubble hill. It was so odd that it almost took Cal out of his anger. He looked to where she was pointing and saw Seris standing there in confusion. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Seris asked warily. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have asked Nibbles to wake you if I didn¡¯t have to. I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you.¡± The tone Cal heard completely removed any anger that could have possibly existed in him. Hearing Seris speak like he was about to attack her hurt more than it should have. On top of that, he had wronged Nibbles by assuming the worst. Cal immediately let go of Nibbles, but she didn¡¯t move away. It was like she was waiting, accepting the inevitable punishment that was to come. That hurt just as much as Seris¡¯s reaction. I¡¯m never going to take a nap out here again. ¡°Thank you, Nibbles,¡± Cal lightly patted her head, ignoring the tense look that appeared on each pat. ¡°How about you have a treat for accompanying Seris yesterday? Have a few tubs of powdered crystals as a reward.¡± Nibbles warily pointed at the storage room to make sure. She only left after his nod, and even then, she took frequent looks back to make sure he didn¡¯t change his mind. I don¡¯t know how to fix this other than to gift the hurt away. Cal jumped off the rubble pile and tried to ignore how Seris stepped back when he landed. He failed because he could feel a frown appear on his face before he could hide it. ¡°So, how was your trip with Nibbles?¡± Cal kept his tone light, though he originally wanted to warn Seris not to treat Nibbles like a toy to show off. He was no longer in the mood to give any lectures. Not now. ¡°Good, we had fun.¡± What was my expression like to scare Seris into near muteness? ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± Cal, who was never fond of small talk, somehow found himself in a painful one. ¡°Drex told me you have fun showing Nibbles to everyone in town.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Me!?¡± Cal blinked in shock at the reversal in attitude. ¡°Boss, it wasn¡¯t me who did it! Nibbles insisted on sniffing everyone in town. Every time we passed someone on the street, she kept fussing until she could smell them. I only got a few hours of sleep!¡± He chuckled in relief, getting a huffy look from Seris in response. He wasn¡¯t concerned about something as minor as Nibbles wanting to get scents of humans. It was how Seris snapped herself out of her wary state from sheer irritation. ¡°It¡¯s not funny!¡± ¡°No, I agree,¡± Cal nodded in agreement, though that was ruined by his chuckles. ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t want to take Nibbles on another trip again?¡± This made Seris pause. ¡°¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll try again in a few days?¡± ¡°Sure, if that¡¯s what you want, and Nibbles is willing to go with you,¡± Cal said with a careless shrug. He actually wanted Nibbles to stay at the field and finish the tunnels, but he needed to earn back some goodwill. Seris fidgeted and looked to the storage room before nodding firmly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll try in a few days.¡± Cal hummed in acknowledgment. After a moment, he asked, ¡°So, what did you want to tell me?¡± ¡°Right! Drex said he could come by today, but he¡¯ll be here tomorrow. And he mentioned something about a payment?¡± I would be crying if I didn¡¯t get paid for my pickaxes. Cal didn¡¯t mind paying for the barrels, but he was concerned about giving it to Seris. ¡°Drex wanted you to take the payment?¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know. He only mentioned something that he would need it soon.¡± Good. Drex didn¡¯t tell her how much. Seris can be trusted, but others who might come to know will target her. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it when he comes here.¡± ¡°Sound good,¡± Seris¡¯s eyes started shifting around. ¡°¡­ Is Initiate Tavia here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still resting. Best to not disturb her.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Seris¡¯s shoulder slumped. Tavia¡¯s pyrotechnics seem to have gotten Seris¡¯s allegiance. Cal observed Seris''s overly downtrodden expression. He started to suspect she was using his more-than-usual gentle tone to her advantage. Well, if she is, it¡¯s working. He cleared his throat. ¡°Seris, do you want to go to Lumina?¡± Cal winced at the squeal that left her mouth. *** ¡°Here we are,¡± Cal let Seris down from the piggyback. He didn¡¯t think the trip through when he invited her. He had become so accustomed to the short trips that he didn¡¯t consider the extra time Seris would add. He quickly realized that at her fastest pace, it would take days. Cal knew he needed to carry her to solve the issue, so that¡¯s what he did. Seris wobbled on her feet before stumbling onto a nearby tree for support. Her hair was a mess, and her expression was stuck in shock. ¡°¡­ Seris?¡± Cal heard her laugh with joy at the start before she quietened down. He assumed that she got used to his speed. It didn¡¯t seem like it when looking at her. She slowly turned to face him, arms down, hugging the tree for comfort. ¡°B-Boss. I think I want to go back home in a carriage.¡± I slowed myself down just for her. I thought it was very slow since it took me nearly two hours to get to the city. ¡°I can go slower,¡± Cal offered, but Seris turned visibly green from his words. He held his hand up in surrender, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get you a carriage.¡± Cal gave Seris several minutes to gather herself before they entered the city. The guards at the gate had questions for Seris, but his presence made most of those moot. ¡°What did you want to do in the city? Anything you want to see in particular?¡± He mainly asked since he had little idea of any popular spots for mortals. ¡°How am I supposed to know? I¡¯ve never been here.¡± ¡°Right, I should have assumed that,¡± Cal muttered as they approached the Registry Office. ¡°It¡¯s not an issue. We¡¯re about to meet someone who should know these things.¡± They were stopped before they could get close to the office¡¯s entrance. ¡°Initiate Fintan has taken the day off.¡± Cal turned to face the familiar voice. It was the guard who told him Fintan wasn''t in the office on his last visit. ¡°Hello, Zev.¡± ¡°Initiate Cal,¡± Zev smiled lazily. He was under the same tree as before, resting in the shade. ¡°How am I supposed to register if Fintan is gone? Has nobody replaced him for the day?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll let him know you stopped by. You can go on ahead, Initiate Cal.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t going to insist otherwise and did as Zev suggested. However, Seris wasn¡¯t on the same mind. ¡°Boss,¡± she hissed. ¡°This is how the guards set up people for fines. We¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± Cal shot her an amused look. The last thing he was worried about was getting fined or getting into trouble. He was an Apprentice in all but name. There was nothing to fear inside the guild territory besides the Celestial Order¡¯s administration. The only reason he bothered to try to visit Fintan was due to the promise he had made. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get into trouble, Seris.¡± She obviously wasn¡¯t convinced, but she had no option but to believe him, so she nodded reluctantly. ¡°Since we have nobody to act as a tour guide, how do you feel about visiting a tower where an entire floor is full of shops that sell spells?¡± Cal smiled when Seris¡¯s eyes started to sparkle. I intended to get an Earth Simulacrum on this visit. Might as well get it out of the way at the start. ¡°Can I get one too?¡± Cal gave her a look. ¡°It won¡¯t be of much use to you. It¡¯ll just be a normal booklet.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! Orrin is going to be so jealous I have a spell!¡± He chuckled as her expressive hand motions drew the attention of the nearby pedestrians. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want. Pick one out, and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± It didn¡¯t take long before they reached The Great Market. The size of the tower made Seris point her face up to see the top of the building. It made for an odd sight when they were in line since Cal had to push her gently to remind her to move forward. ¡°Hand,¡± the guard droned when they reached the entrance. Cal offered his hand as he frowned. He forgot that this was needed. Seris wouldn¡¯t be allowed to the tenth floor. ¡°¡­ Initiate Cal, you may enter. Please stay on the first ten floors.¡± There was some hesitation there. And this was far more polite compared to the first time. Before he could ask for Seris¡¯s hand, Cal interrupted him. ¡°This girl is my assistant. I¡¯m taking her with me to the tenth floor.¡± The guard hesitated before finally nodding. ¡°Please keep her with you at all times.¡± The Overseer did more than just give me access to the core guild library. They entered the tower, and Seris gave him a questioning look, which he ignored. ¡°Let¡¯s stop on another floor first. I¡¯ll treat you to some good food.¡± Chapter 50 - Buying Forgiveness Cal could see how hard Seris tried to keep herself from asking to stop on every floor. The first few floors were meant for mortals, while the floors directly after were mostly for ones with access to the interface. The higher the floors, the more specialized they became. Some runes could be used by mortals on the lower floors, but anything higher was of little to no utility to them. In fact, the food on the ninth floor would mostly be a waste of Seris. Everything there focused on dishes with the greatest mana density to appease the hunger that came with having an interface. However, while that didn¡¯t apply to Seris, it should still be some of the best-tasting food she would have in her life. In addition, Cal knew that some mortals beggared themselves with mana-dense food in hopes of increasing their chances of gaining an interface. As far as he knew, that had never happened. But it confirmed that the food should be safe for Seris to eat. This senseless splurging can be considered another apology. I shouldn¡¯t be short of money after the deal with the Overseer, so it¡¯s not something I need to be overly watchful about. Cal led Seris into the ninth floor and saw the Starfruit Custard stand. He considered getting that again, but with the other options available, it would be more of a snack instead of a meal. Besides, he got the custard last time due to a combination of temptation and being in a rush. He pulled Seris to the side to prevent her from being run over by the others who entered and exited the floor. This was the most popular place to get the required food for people with an interface, and it was also on the cheaper side, not to say it was subpar in quality. The higher-end eateries were standalone shops that were more for showing off wealth and status than food quality. Cal had never been to one himself in his first life since it had no purpose in his mind. I believe that will change this time. Fintan will insist on taking me to one the next time we meet. ¡°What type of food do you like?¡± Cal interrupted Seris, who looked around like she had never had so many restaurant options. It was probably true since she likely hadn¡¯t traveled far from Mariner¡¯s Rest. ¡°Sweets,¡± Seris said as she drooled at the Starfruit Custard stand. Cal narrowed his eyes in thought. If that¡¯s what she wanted, then he wouldn¡¯t mind it. ¡°We can have that custard, or if you want to eat multiple varieties, you can get it for the same price elsewhere.¡± Seris took a sniff of the scent wafting from the custard stand before reluctantly pulling her eyes away. ¡°How many of them can I buy with two silver?¡± ¡°Two silver?¡± Cal blinked in confusion. He quickly remembered precisely how much he had paid her so far. ¡°Did you want to pay for it?¡± Seris nodded solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do for bringing me here.¡± Cal crossed his arms and gave her a skeptical look. He was happy about her offer since it meant she didn¡¯t think about the little episode at the field as a serious matter. Still, she sounded far too generous to be believed. ¡°Who told you to do this?¡± ¡°This is what I get for trying to be generous,¡± Seris sounded putout. When Cal¡¯s look didn¡¯t change, she looked away and muttered, ¡°Well, you seemed to be in a bad mood today. Everyone likes free food, so I figured this might work to fix that.¡± ¡°¡­ I appreciate the thought, Seris. However, save the money for yourself. You can treat me in a few years when you¡¯re an adult.¡± Cal felt a strange sensation he couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on. Whatever it was, it was nice¡­ and warm. Seris pursed her lips before nodding reluctantly. ¡°As you say, boss.¡± Good. I didn¡¯t want to tell her that even a single dish here would cost exponentially more than the money she had. I will need to splurge more than I intended to keep that a secret. Most of the restaurants here had the prices on the menu. However, there were a few that didn¡¯t list a price since its targeted customers didn¡¯t care much about the cost. That also meant they were priced a little higher than the others. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Cal motioned for Seris to follow. ¡°We¡¯re going to a place called Starlit Joy. It¡¯s a full-service restaurant known for the best desserts on the floor.¡± He made sure Seris followed closely as they navigated through the tight spaces due to most of the floor being taken up by restaurants. It left smaller-than-ideal walkways which was made worse since this was the most popular place to eat for guild members not part of the core guild. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Starlit Joy was a restaurant located in the middle of the floor. The restaurant itself wasn¡¯t any larger than most others on the floor. Still, there was a significantly larger seating area outside to show its wealth. He heard it was created by the owner of Starlit Joy buying the neighboring shop and tearing it down. Cal knew it was one of the reasons some core members chose to dine there. They could show off that they were eating there in full view of anyone passing by. Of course, simple ego-stroking wouldn¡¯t have made the restaurant as popular as it was. As hinted by the name ¡®Starlit Joy,¡¯ each table was made from precious starlit marble. It was the only reason he was familiar with the place. He wasn¡¯t always immune to the effects of the starlit marble, and in this first life, he found it interesting to have the option to practice while eating. Unfortunately, it was just a gimmick. The quality of the starlit marble was so low that it might as well have been any ordinary rock. All it did was make eating there more impressive and justify the higher prices. So yes, simple ego-stroking wouldn¡¯t have made the restaurant as popular as it was, but when that turned into exorbitant ego-stroking, it was apparently enough. They approached their destination quicker than they should have with Cal¡¯s carving a path through the walkway. The large windowed exterior was unmistakable, and so was the sudden space to move around that was available in its vicinity. ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re going?¡± Seris said in a not-whisper as they approached. ¡°Boss, it probably costs a silver for one dish in there. We should go somewhere cheaper.¡± Cal chuckled as he imagined her face if she saw the actual cost. ¡°Let me worry about the price. Your only job is to pick what you eat to eat and enjoy.¡± Seris didn¡¯t get the chance to reply since a staff member noticed him approaching. ¡°Welcome to the Starlit Joy! Just the two of you?¡± Cal nodded slightly. ¡°Wonderful! My name is Karl, and I¡¯ll be your server. Would you like to take a seat inside or outside?¡± ¡°Inside,¡± Cal said immediately. ¡°Inside it is,¡± Karl smiled. ¡°Let me take you to your table.¡± They followed Karl into the restaurant. Seris¡¯s presence would get some looks if they realize she¡¯s a mortal, but most won¡¯t bother to do much else. However, the chance of looks turning into action would increase with those who generally liked to eat outside. Namely, those who like more attention on them. ¡­ Now that I think about it, maybe choosing this place wasn¡¯t the best idea. But it¡¯s too late to back out now. Seris is already salivating at the scent of the food. The murmur of the crowd disappeared the moment they passed through the entrance. They were hit with an overabundance of golden hues and deep purples. It made Cal grimace. I forgot about this. This is almost as bad as Tavia¡¯s tastes. And they call this ¡®luxurious.¡¯ ¡°Wow, this is amazing,¡± Seris mumbled, making Cal turn to her in betrayal. There was another with questionable taste close to him. ¡°It is great, isn¡¯t it?¡± Karl beamed. ¡°The owner spent two years picking the best materials, sparing no expense to ensure our customers are comfortable.¡± Cal smiled wanly when he was looked at. ¡°How inspiring. It must have been challenging to put all of this together.¡± Karl nodded happily, not catching Cal¡¯s mockery. ¡°Here we are! Please take a seat while I get you the menu!¡± Their table was in the middle of the dining hall, which surprisingly was only half capacity. Cal couldn¡¯t recognize anyone he knew from either his first life or his current one, which he preferred. He had no desire to meet familiar faces. ¡°Boss, am I dressed right for this?¡± Cal just realized that Seris was fidgeting nervously while tugging at her clothes. He didn¡¯t think it was anything atrocious. It was the utilitarian hunter outfit she usually wore and was clean. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Cal motioned to himself. ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m dressed up?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re an Initiate. I¡¯m not,¡± Seris looked even more uncomfortable. ¡°Well, you¡¯re with me, so any exception you think applies to me applies to you.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Seris was still self-conscious, but at least she straightened up in her chair¡­ slightly. Cal decided to distract her. ¡°I like the tarts they make here. Some of their cakes come in at a close second, especially their honey cakes.¡± ¡°Honey cake? That sounds¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would ever show your face here, Cal. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re using the last bit of money left to feel special?¡± ¡­ Really? Cal looked at the man speaking and couldn¡¯t say he knew who it was. He had noticed the man sitting in a group of four a few tables away but didn¡¯t think it would have been an issue since he didn¡¯t recognize anyone. ¡°What has you so quiet? Shocked to find me here? Too scared to speak me me?¡± ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± Cal asked with genuine curiosity. ¡°Ha!¡± The man let out a harsh laugh. ¡°Still trying to make yourself look good in front of Tavia! It won¡¯t work a second¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Cal snapped at him when his rage spiked. He noticed Seris retreating into her shell again. ¡°First, I have no idea how you know Tavia, but she isn¡¯t even here. And second, I¡¯m being serious. Who the hell are you? And why are you bothering me in a restaurant of all places?¡± By this time, one of the people sitting in the same group as the man had walked up to them. Cal was ready to stand and deal with the headache, but the situation fixed itself. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing us. Get back to the table and be silent. You can deal with this in your own time!¡± Cal was given a last glare before the man left just as abruptly as he arrived. Of course, he still received narrowed looks from the table, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°B-Boss? Should we leave?¡± Cal shook his head while shifting through his memories to try and find that face. With such hatred towards him, it must be someone significant. However, he was drawing up a blank. There was nobody he could remember with the man''s face. Rather, there was nobody that he cared to remember. Maybe it¡¯s one of the Trainees I wasn''t kind to. I could see some wanting to lord over my supposed failure at the Selection. He noticed Seris was looking around the dining hall at the eyes that were now on them. This was supposed to be a simple meal. I definitely shouldn¡¯t have picked this place. ¡°Here we are!¡± Karl showed up with the menus, conveniently avoiding the chaos. ¡°Give me a wave when you¡¯re ready to order!¡± Cal sighed as Karl practically ran away before focusing on Seris. ¡°Ignore them. We¡¯re here to eat some good food. Everything else doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Seris gave him a jerky nod before browsing the menu. Cal kept his eye on the man that wanted to burn him with his gaze. Chapter 51 - Problems There were many things he questioned after making a binding decision. Most of these were skill or trait choices, but this was the first time it involved something as simple as food. I should have specified that ¡®some food¡¯ didn¡¯t mean ¡®stuff yourself until you explode.¡¯ ¡°You still have space in your stomach,¡± Cal commented as he looked on in fascination as Seris ordered more tart, this time in another flavor that he didn¡¯t pay attention to. ¡°I¡¯ll make some even if there isn¡¯t. I could eat this forever,¡± Seris¡¯s words were muffled by the piece of cake she had just put in her mouth. I hope that was an exaggeration. She finished eating before speaking again. ¡°Tell me when the price gets close to one silver, boss. I don¡¯t want to make you spend more than that.¡± ¡­ How considerate. It¡¯s too bad my estimate of the cost is already close to one gold. Cal only consumed half of a fruit tart before he lost the desire for anything else. He wasn¡¯t hungry in the first place and didn¡¯t crave anything that pushed him to keep eating. It meant most of the cost incurred was due to Seris. ¡°Try to limit yourself to two more,¡± Cal suggested after a pause. He was more curious about her overeating than worrying about the actual cost. The influx of three guildmarks from the sale of the pickaxes made money the least of his worries. Seris nodded as she did her best to avoid looking like a glutton while also eating as much as she could at the same time. I wonder if I could eat this much even if I tried. The mana density in the food would make me almost unwell from the excess. Seris clearly has no problem with this. Cal knew there would be no effects other than feeling nauseous, so he didn¡¯t bother to stop her at the start. Now, he didn¡¯t stop her due to pure curiosity. His eyes caught some movement that took his attention away from Seris. The group sitting a few tables away stood up¡ªthe one that included the man who randomly decided to pick a fight with him. Out of the four in the group, only the man who had an issue with him couldn¡¯t stop glaring every few seconds. Cal wouldn¡¯t have cared much if the glares were only at him, but it was sometimes directed at Seris. Granted, the looks at Seris were more confused than angry¡ªmaking Cal think the man was wondering why Tavia looked so different¡ªbut it changed how he decided to deal with this. He didn¡¯t want to waste more time on the angry moron, but he was concerned Seris might be targeted when he wasn¡¯t beside her. He would need to shut this down before that became a possibility. The group of four left the restaurant, with the angry man lagging behind as he kept looking back at Cal. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Stay at the table, Seris.¡± Cal received a confused nod before returning to busying herself with her dessert. He walked up to Karl. ¡°What¡¯s the tally for what was ordered so far?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ninety-one silver,¡± Karl answered immediately. Cal offered him a gold coin, which got him a questioning look.¡°In case she orders more.¡± ¡°You are only required to pay the bill at the end,¡± Karl almost seemed revolted at the thought of taking the coin. ¡°I have to leave for a bit. If you¡¯re fine with me doing so without the payment, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.¡± Karl didn¡¯t comment further, and he reluctantly took the gold. Cal found it curious that his attitude had changed so much compared to how they were welcomed into the restaurant. ¡°Who were the people who just left?¡± Cal noticed the way Karl¡¯s eyes gained a bit of fear. That told him more than enough. And the way he avoided eye contact almost confirmed it. He patted Karl¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I got it. You don¡¯t have to say anything.¡± Cal smiled at Seris, who gave him curious looks from her seat, before leaving the restaurant. The group of four was almost assuredly core guild members. The problem was that he had no idea who any of them were. I suppose that¡¯s a good thing. They would be important from my last life if I remembered them. But I feel like I should know the man with anger issues. Cal thought the man knew Tavia, so he must be a recent Trainee who had passed the Selection. He caught the group loitering just outside the area the restaurant had cordoned off from the general crowd. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡­ Wait, this guy tried to insult me when I ¡®underperformed¡¯ in the Selection. What was his name again? Something that starts with ¡¯T.¡¯ One of the men tapped T-something on the shoulder when he saw him coming. If possible, T-something¡¯s eyes would have spewed fire when he saw him. I think it was Tane¡­ or was it Thrain? No, I¡¯m almost sure it was Tane. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t hide in the safety of the restaurant.¡± Cal frowned at how aggressive the sentence was. Unnecessarily so. It wasn¡¯t like anyone would be allowed to cause issues in the Great Market. The ones who did would be permanently banned by the city, and no guild member wanted that. If I sound humble, it would dissuade him from staying aggressive. It would be a far cry from my arrogance as a Trainee. ¡°You seemed angry,¡± Cal¡¯s tone was mild and unassuming. ¡°We were Trainees together, and I couldn¡¯t allow our first meeting after the Selection to end like this.¡± The peace offer is given. Tane isn¡¯t worth the time it would take to go outside the tower and ¡®settle¡¯ this. As long as he calms down, Seris should be¡ª ¡°Allow? You have no say in how this ends, Cal. Not after how you strutted around, acting like you were better than everyone. You couldn¡¯t hold onto Tavia, so you got yourself a mortal girl who doesn¡¯t know better.¡± Anger flashed through Cal before he forcefully crushed it since it wouldn¡¯t help his current goal. With Tane''s focus on him, Cal doubted that Seris being a kid was noticed. Still, he had to mention it. ¡°That kid is my assistant. I would appreciate it if we keep your issues with me between us and only us. Would a sincere apology suffice, Tane?¡± A large part of Cal revolted at the thought of having to apologize to a nonfactor like Tane, even if the apology was only lip service. Still, the repetition of being the better man and taking the high road in his mind was helping. He couldn¡¯t go around crushing anyone that irritated him, not like he did in his first life. He wanted to be a more reasonable, calmer man. Violence was the last resort, not the first. ¡­ Why does he look angrier? ¡°What do you say, Tane?¡± It was the shortest of the group that spoke with a mocking tone. ¡°Take the apology. It¡¯s only right since he¡¯s being generous, Tane.¡± Cal resisted the urge to sigh in exasperation. He had gotten the man¡¯s name wrong. That doesn¡¯t bode well¡ª ¡°Tarn. My name is Tarn.¡± Not bad. I was close to getting it right. But I need to fix this somehow. Cal didn¡¯t get the chance. ¡°You know what I¡¯m going to do to make you remember my name?¡± Tarn snarled, his eyes spewing hatred. ¡°I hear you live in a filthy hovel in the wastes. And Tavia has been shipping furniture there, making you look all smug and happy. I won¡¯t stand for it! I¡¯ll gather every last person who despises you and turn your miserable, cowardly life into a living hell. I¡¯ll rip apart that pathetic shack you¡¯ve built. I¡¯ll drag Tavia back to the core guild like the Masters demand. And your little friend in the restaurant? She¡¯ll¡ª¡± Cal''s surroundings began to distort, a high-pitched squeal piercing through the sudden haze as the world blurred. Tarn''s rant faded into the background. He knew that the furious words were the wishes of a madman and nothing that would come true, but logical reasoning did not work in the moment. All Cal could see during the spoken threats were his memories of the Celestial Order being crushed by a far stronger guild. The hopelessness he felt when he was required to fight with the dead bodies of fellow members around him since dying was the only other option. It didn¡¯t take long for his mind to replace the Celestial Order with his field and the dead guild members with Seris, Nibbles, and Tavia. His own little slice of peace destroyed. The cold determination he possessed before his death flooded back. When there was no room left for mercy. ¡°¡ªCAL!¡± Cal blinked rapidly to see a wizened face far too close to his face. He instinctively tried to move back but realized he was surrounded by Celestial Order Masters on all sides. There was no space for him to move. ¡°¡­ Master Merrak?¡± The words had already left Cal¡¯s mouth before he realized he shouldn¡¯t know the Master¡¯s name in this life. ¡°You know of me,¡± Master Merrak said warily, though that was not for knowing his name. ¡°I need you to come with me, Apprentice Cal.¡± Cal stared at him in shock. He naturally suspected the Overseer for revealing his [Tier] upgrade, but that made little sense. ¡°Right now?¡± He asked more as a delay tactic to regain his bearings. There wasn¡¯t much he could do to deter four Masters, but he wanted to understand how this situation came to be. ¡°Indeed,¡± Master Merrak stepped aside while keeping him well within arms reach. Without his entire field of view occupied by Master Merrak¡¯s face, he could focus on other things. The first was his interface. [Lightning Aura] activated. [Lightning Aura] deactivated. It will be unavailable for 24 hours. ¡°Apprentice Cal?¡± He looked away from the interface to Master Merrak, even more confused about what was happening. Some faint ideas were forming in his mind, and if that was the case, he hoped that the only thing he used was [Lightning Aura]. It was weak. Very weak. Cal cleared his throat as he noticed how vacant the floor was. It looked like it had been cleared of all people. ¡°Where¡¯s Tarn?¡± Master Merrak looked ready to pounce at him at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°I think you have done enough damage to the young Initiate. Whatever he has done to attract your ire, we can deal with it in a civil manner.¡± What could I have done that would cause four Masters to arrive and restrain me? ¡°¡­ Will he recover fully?¡± ¡°We arrived in time to make that a certainty,¡± a low voice grumbled beside him. He couldn¡¯t recognize it, so it must have been a Master he was unfamiliar with. Cal nodded slowly before noticing the state of his clothes. Nothing covered his right arm other than strips of cloth still attached to the shoulder. There were plenty of tears around his stomach and chest, but luckily, they were nowhere near as bad. He could feel the cargo in his inner pocket, safe and sound. He looked back at the Starlit Joy to see it was also empty. He thought about asking where the customers were sent but figured it would be better to keep attention off Seris if possible. She has enough silver to hire a carriage if necessary¡­ that is, if the guild hasn¡¯t already discovered she was dining with me. Then I¡¯ll meet her soon anyway. ¡°Very well, Masters. Lead the way.¡± Chapter 52 - Interlude: The Glutton He looks annoyed. Maybe I should go with him? Seris glanced between Cal¡¯s retreating back and the half-eaten cake before her. She let out a sigh and made an important decision. Cal told me to stay at the table. Who am I to argue with the boss when he wants me to keep eating? She made sure Cal was out of the restaurant before dropping the fork. He told her that a fork was the correct way to eat a cake, but she thought that was stupid. What was the point of doing that when spoons were far superior in every way? Seris ate a spoonful of the citrus cake and happily closed her eyes. There was no need to worry about poking her tongue with pointy metal because she was a little too eager. I bet Cal told me to use the fork because he¡¯s still annoyed that I woke him up. She hummed as she took bite after bite until the spoon struck the bottom of the plate. She opened her eyes with a frown at the unpleasant sound and saw that the cake was gone. ¡­ Cal did say I could have two more. Seris had no idea how she was eating so much. She wasn¡¯t dumb, and it was apparent that this place wasn¡¯t for people like her but more for people like Cal. Something in the food made her feel awesome. After each bite, it was like she gained something she never knew she was missing. Unfortunately, that feeling immediately disappeared the moment she finished chewing. Seris was motivated to keep eating to try and make it say. So far, it had been unsuccessful. Still, the next bite she took could be the change. She waved her hand enthusiastically, getting the attention of everyone in the dining hall. The important part was that she also gained the attention of Karl the waiter. Besides, Cal didn¡¯t seem afraid of anyone here, so there was no reason for her to be either. ¡°Could I get another citrus cake,¡± Seris¡¯s mouth watered at the thought of another slice. When Karl didn¡¯t respond, she remembered to be polite. ¡°Please?¡± ¡°¡­ Of course,¡± Karl still didn¡¯t seem happy, though Seris didn¡¯t care since he had already agreed. She held her spoon in anticipation until her order was delivered. With a quick smile of thanks at a frowning Karl, she was ready to plunge her spoon into the cake and gobble it up. Seris didn¡¯t get the chance. A bright flash of light startled Seris into missing the cake entirely. The sharp impact of the spoon hitting the stone table was deafening in the suddenly quiet restaurant. Everyone inside was separated from the dull murmur of the crowd outside. However, it was still possible to see what was going on. The crowd that passed by the restaurant had a chaotic order before that flash of light. After that, it was just chaos. They were trying to get out of the area, and the panic made it worse. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Seris wasn¡¯t sure what to do, but one thing kept repeating in her mind. I should have left with Cal. I should have left with Cal. I should have¡ª She flinched when the restaurant door swung open and a wild-eyed group rushed in. The open door let in the screams of the escaping people, but even louder than that¡ªalmost drowning out the screams¡ªwere ear-splitting booms that sounded like thunder. ¡°Close the door!¡± Karl yelled with a tense expression. He stormed to the frightened group with shaky legs. Seris was even more frightened at the sounds she could hear and thought it was over. That was until Karl pushed the newcomers aside to close the door. The clear doorway revealed a direct line to the cause of what caused the chaos. ¡°Boss?¡± Seris uttered in shock. She didn¡¯t notice how everyone in the restaurant snapped their heads in her direction. She was too busy gaping at what she saw. Seris looked at Cal as a mostly easy-going person. She saw instances where his attitude changed entirely into someone far more severe¡ªlike today when Nibbles woke him up¡ªbut it was so rare that it was easy for her to dismiss it. Sometimes, she forgot that Cal was an Initiate and not just her boss/friend. What she saw now would imprint Cal¡¯s actual status in her mind forever. Cal stood shrouded in a soft, white glow, but the seething, pale yellow fury radiating from his right arm commanded all the attention. His hand was clamped like a vice around a man¡¯s neck, whose frantic clawing showed how futile it was to try and escape. He¡¯s the one who yelled at Cal. Each pulse of light from Cal''s arm caused a thunderous boom to echo. It was followed by the man opening his mouth in a silent scream. The repeated pulses sapped the man''s strength, each slowing his desperate attempts to break free. But it didn¡¯t seem to damage him physically. All of this was done despite three others trying to stop Cal. Seris could see that they were doing their best to make Cal¡¯s arm drop their friend, but their efforts didn¡¯t matter. It was ignored by Cal, who had an expression that she could have never imagined on him before. There was an absence of any hint of softness or compassion in his features that Seris was familiar with. It made him appear as a merciless presence, and by what he was doing, that was precisely what he was. Blissful silence fell back onto the dining hall when the doors were finally shut. Is Cal doing all this just because of the argument? Seris shook her head. That couldn¡¯t be it. Almost all the people who were dining swiftly got up from their tables to get a view of what was happening near the window. ¡°You said that was your boss?¡± Seris wasn¡¯t part of the group that wanted to see what was happening. She was still shocked at what she saw. Karl¡¯s question only got a dazed nod as a reply. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He spoke to me before he left. I¡¯m sure he knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± Seris looked at Karl incredulously. She wasn¡¯t sure what that even meant. Karl was about to say something else that would probably be equally confusing, but the window watchers gasped in unison. Seris immediately got up in concern, thinking that Cal had gotten hurt. The restaurant door opened again, this time softly. The sounds of thunder and screaming had stopped, leaving only eerie silence. A middle-aged man walked in, and the first thing he did was stare at Seris. She thought she was in trouble until the man looked away. ¡°We¡¯re clearing the ninth floor. You have one minute.¡± Seris blinked when everyone else in the restaurant spoke in unison. ¡°Understood, Master.¡± The man had already left without waiting for an acknowledgment. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Karl motioned for Seris to follow. ¡°I don¡¯t want your boss to be angry with me if you get lost.¡± He shuddered. ¡°Definitely don¡¯t want him angry with me.¡± Seris stayed close to Karl and saw the floor was almost empty. The only ones left¡ªbesides the people in the restaurant¡ªwere four older men who surrounded Cal. These are all probably the ¡®Masters.¡¯ They¡¯re the boss¡¯s bosses. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, to distract them so Cal could escape, but she made eye contact right when she was about to yell. Cal shook his head slightly as if to say ¡®no¡¯¡ªwith the same frightening, blank expression. She pursed her lips before nodding and followed Karl without making a commotion. Seris assumed Cal probably had a plan to get out of trouble. She hoped her assumption was right. Chapter 53 - Trouble Cal was thankful that they didn¡¯t leave the tower. He was led up the stairs, and instead of a dead end like he had seen before, there were stairs to get to the eleventh floor. The deadens he expected had been moved one floor up. He would have asked how that happened, but with the Masters¡¯ expression, asking frivolous questions was not in his interest. Cal expected to see the rarely seen Apprentices on the new floor, but it was just as barren as the ninth floor now was. It made sense since the entire floor had administrative offices and nothing else. ¡°Take a seat,¡± Master Merrak motioned to an open room with a table and a few chairs. ¡°We¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡± It looked like an interrogation room. Cal had heard of these being used for mortal criminals but never for guild members. He didn¡¯t have much of an option, so he did as requested. The thought of being in trouble had never really entered his mind until now. Since Tarn would apparently make a full recovery, he hadn¡¯t even expected a slap on the wrist. Cal frowned after the door closed, leaving him alone in the room. Would the Celestial Order punish an Apprentice for something that would have no lasting effects? From what I know, that would never happen¡­ perhaps this isn¡¯t about Tarn. The Masters could be more concerned about how someone who was a Trainee just a week ago was now at the same level as an Apprentice. Especially since he was just a [Farmer]. That is far more likely. Cal wasn¡¯t sure how to go about it. Of course, bringing up the Overseer was always an option, but that was not something he planned on doing. As far as he knew, the Overseer kept him a secret from most¡ªor all¡ªof the guild, and he wouldn¡¯t get the man who backed him into the focus. He drummed his fingers on the table. He could act clueless about how he had progressed so rapidly and keep reiterating that all he had done was improve his field. It¡¯s not a lie, and my relative inexperience in the guild¡¯s eyes will make it believable. Cal knew this still left a lot up to the goodwill of the Masters. Some Masters simply had too much goodwill, including Master Merrak. He didn¡¯t know the Master too well in his last life, but the man was a hierarchy climber. Cal had been a target for Master Merrak. The future potential was what the Master coveted, and Cal had been offered extra resources and lessons that were clearly for building a better relationship. It didn¡¯t escape Cal that Master Merrak almost ignored every other Initiate in his last life, and the rare times he didn¡¯t, the interactions were curt and unwelcome. Master Merrak¡¯s opportunistic behavior might be helpful for me here. He felt calm when he realized it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to navigate his current situation. That allowed him to think about something he had been pushing away for an appropriate time. Tarn and the [Lightning Aura]. Using [Lightning Aura] uses up all my mana, and that was confirmed when I checked my mana core. It had just started to recover when I became aware of my surroundings. Somehow, he had subconsciously used [Lightning Aura] to seriously injure Tarn. He had seen how weak the trait was, so what happened was almost unbelievable. I don''t know why Tarn was so unreasonable, but he gave me invaluable help. Could [Lightning Aura] be strengthened against living things? I can¡¯t see how this would have been possible if that hadn¡¯t been the case. I¡¯ll need to test this somehow¡ª The door opened, breaking Cal out of his thoughts. ¡°Hello, Apprentice Cal.¡± ¡°Overseer?¡± Cal said dumbly, noting that Master Merrak and a few others stayed outside when the door closed. ¡°Well, I wanted you to claim your increased status, but I didn¡¯t mean for you to do it like this,¡± the Overseer sat at the other side of the table. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Cal lost the last bit of tension in his body and smiled. ¡°I wondered how to get out of this without mentioning you. I¡¯m happy to see you here.¡± The Overseer smirked. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I wouldn¡¯t have known about this if the Masters hadn¡¯t acted like the city was about to be attacked and frantically rushed to the core guild.¡± The smile on Cal¡¯s lips faltered at the Overseer¡¯s wording before he quickly pushed it aside. ¡°¡­ So, what are we doing here? Unless the guild really does have an issue with what just happened.¡± ¡°Nothing like that,¡± the Overseer reclined in the chair. ¡°What happens next depends on you. I have temporarily taken control of this situation. The Masters that stopped you¡ªthose waiting outside¡ªwant to inform the council, but you can forget about keeping a quiet presence when that happens. Of course, you will have the full weight of the guild supporting you instead of the minor things I can offer right now.¡± Cal didn¡¯t reject it immediately. The positives might outweigh the negatives, but this would get him to form much closer ties with the Celestial Order than he was comfortable with. He preferred to keep them at arm¡¯s length and would like that to be status quo as long as possible. However, he knew of a significant issue that the Overseer hadn¡¯t mentioned. ¡°Even if I choose to stay hidden, how long will that last? I think there have been too many who witnessed what I did.¡± ¡°A severe understatement, but yes, you¡¯re right,¡± the Overseer said dryly, ¡°I would estimate hundreds at the minimum. The only good thing is that most were visitors from outside Lumina. The few that were part of the core guild can be silenced for some time.¡± Cal nodded slowly. The Overseer basically said that the people whose [Class] were [Farmer], [Gardner], etc. didn¡¯t matter. That might be correct, but he still felt slightly offended on their behalf. After all, he was one of them now. ¡°Some time is better than none. I want to stay hidden.¡± ¡°Again, it would have worked much better if you hadn¡¯t tried to destroy an Initiate¡¯s mana core in front of everyone, but alright. I¡¯ll do what I can to suppress this.¡± The Overseer¡¯s mocking tone didn¡¯t draw a reaction from Cal. His mind had blanked. ¡°I tried to destroy Tarn¡¯s mana core!?¡± The Overseer blinked at the horror in his voice. ¡°Well, yes? That type of targeting is so specific that you had to have known what you were doing.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t sure what he should be more surprised by. The nonchalance of the discussion, or the fact that he tried to do something so heinous. ¡­ There¡¯s no contest. I always knew the guild prioritizes talent to an extreme level, so this is no surprise. Destroying a mana core is quite literally torture for someone with an interface. They return to their mortal state before the mind slowly deteriorates from losing access to the interface. Death is a gift in comparison. Cal shuddered in self-recrimination. Tarn might be an unmitigated ass, but he didn¡¯t deserve that. Almost nobody deserved that. This single action felt like it negated all the corrections he had made to his behavior in this life. ¡°Where is Tarn right now?¡± Cal immediately realized what that sounded like. He added, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to do anything. It¡¯s just curiosity.¡± ¡°The Initiate is recovering in the core guild. I would suggest staying far away from him to avoid this matter spiraling out of control.¡± The Overseer didn¡¯t seem to believe him. ¡°... That''s probably the better course of action.¡± Tarn likely had little desire to see him anytime soon. More than that, Cal didn¡¯t know if he would be infuriated again at the sight of the man. With what he was apparently capable of subconsciously, he didn''t want to test that. ¡°Right!¡± The Overseer clapped, almost making Cal flinch in surprise. ¡°I think we¡¯re done here. I¡¯ll need you to avoid the core guild for the next week to let this blow over.¡± He paused. ¡°And avoid the Great Market, too. Shop in the smaller boutiques to try and avoid the usual crowd that comes to the tower.¡± Cal nodded again. That made perfect sense to him. Spending a little more money for what he needed was a small price to help keep his anonymity for a bit longer. ¡°Is there anything else you need to ask me?¡± I wonder if I will hear that question before every conversation with the Overseer ends. ¡°There is,¡± Cal wasn¡¯t shy. ¡°I need information on the types of [Class] that could be assigned. All of them. I was going to check the core guild¡¯s library, but it looks like that isn¡¯t the best idea right now.¡± The Overseer¡¯s eyes gleamed. Cal fully expected a few questions to follow, as was reasonable. That wasn¡¯t what happened. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be in the library. Nor would it be anywhere in the Central Sanctum,¡± the Overseer stood from his seat. ¡°Keep this to yourself, Apprentice Cal. I¡¯ll have what you need delivered into your hands soon. Where will you be staying in the city? Or will you be leaving for your station?¡± Cal shook his head. ¡°I need to get an Earth simulacrum before I leave. The spell shops are all bunched up, so I¡¯ll stay in that area.¡± The Overseer¡¯s eyes went from gleaming to practically glowing. That might have been a trick of light, or it could have been the effect of seeing the massive smile that formed on his face. ¡°This is an excellent plan, Apprentice Cal. I¡¯ll visit you personally and ensure you get the information you wish!¡± Cal stared at the open doorway when the Overseer left without another word, taking the Masters who were waiting with him. ¡­ This is a good thing. I think. The fewer questions that are asked, the better. Still, I believe the Overseer knows more about my actions than I do myself. He scratched his chin before freezing when he thought about something that should have been a suspicion long ago. The Overseer might know of another person with a ¡®Special¡¯ [Class]. That¡¯s the most straightforward explanation for why he is willing to comply with my requests with little pushback. Cal was now convinced that was the reason, not that he had any proof other than the extreme agreeability of the Overseer. He stood from the chair and left the room. With the eleventh floor full of offices and eerily empty, he didn¡¯t think it was wise to loiter. Besides, he had something more important to do. He quickly descended the stairs, noting the ninth floor was still cleared, and continued to the exit. He hoped to find Seris waiting outside so he didn¡¯t have to go on a manhunt. Chapter 54 - Familiar Face Cal exited the tower and immediately ran into one of the many, many city guards who were packing the area. He could see a few guild members dotting through the crowd to further keep the peace if necessary. This distraction is a great idea for hiding my exit, but it¡¯s not exactly helpful for finding Seris. ¡°Sir, please move out of the area.¡± Cal glanced at the mortal guard who spoke to him and almost felt sorry that he did. The poor man was sweating furiously while staring at Cal like he was a wild animal about to maul him. This must be common for the guard since nearly everyone who left the tower could do that. He gave the guard a slight nod and moved along to avoid giving the man a heart attack. His eyes darted about to see if anyone recognized him and to try to find Seris¡¯s short form in the crowd. The former didn¡¯t seem likely since the only guild members nearby were the ones acting like extra muscle. The tower hadn¡¯t been completely emptied, so it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to have everyone who had been on the ninth floor to be moved away. As for the latter, Cal saw someone who looked like Karl getting pulled away by one of those guild members. He quickly shouldered his way through the crowd in that direction. He hoped Seris was nearby, and even if she wasn¡¯t, Karl should have an idea where she was. ¡°¡ªdon¡¯t understand. I can¡¯t leave! Give me a few more minutes, and I¡¯ll leave willingly!¡± Cal frowned as he caught the last of Karl¡¯s words. The man sounded far too distressed, and the guild member who was pulling him away clearly didn¡¯t care for any of it. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. You¡¯re a guild member like me! You know as well as I do that I don¡¯t have an option here. I need to clear the area before¡ª¡± ¡°Karl,¡± Cal said calmly, cutting off the man¡¯s sentence. ¡°Where¡¯s the girl that was with me in the restaurant?¡± ¡°You¡¯re out! Appren¡ª¡± ¡°No need for any of that,¡± Cal interrupted quickly. He stared daggers at Karl for nearly ruining the entire reason this crowd was created. He should have assumed Karl would have realized he wasn¡¯t an Initiate after what happened. ¡°R-Right,¡± Karl stuttered. ¡°She was sent Mystic Lane by a Master.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cal blinked. The Overseer had taken care of that too. ¡°Well, you got what you wanted to stay for. Time to go,¡± the guild member playing guard said gruffly before glancing at Cal. ¡°¡­ If you are an Initiate, please leave the area.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cal nodded immediately before patting Karl¡¯s shoulder. He ignored the fear that grew in the man¡¯s eyes with every pat. ¡°I apologize for the trouble, Karl.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s no trouble at all!¡± Cal smiled thinly and gave him a nod before leaving. Karl didn¡¯t wait out of the kindness of his heart. He was terrified that I would remember his attitude and blame him if I didn¡¯t find Seris quickly. Not for the first time, he wondered what he did to Tarn. The Overseer told him the goal of his action but not what it looked like. However, it was obvious that he had been terrifying. Cal sighed and turned onto Silverfall Street. The Great Market was close to the center of the city, while the place he needed to go to was on the western edge. He observed the people going about their business and passed by the city¡¯s administrative buildings. He stopped at the entrance of a narrow, unnamed avenue that should lead straight to his destination. He narrowed his eyes and saw the other side a few miles away. It was definitely where he needed to go. The aptly named Mystic Lane The number of pedestrians walking around was reduced to zero. The narrow avenue was surrounded by the backsides of buildings, some of which were fairly filthy. I don¡¯t think this is the usual way to get to Mystic Lane. Cal had never been there before, and all he knew was that it was located on the west side of Lumina. So he walked on whichever road went the most westward. Thankfully, the trip through the odd avenue was uneventful. A small part of him was almost disappointed, but it was for the best. I didn¡¯t want to stay in Lumina for more than five hours. By then, those thirsty Sunfire Grains would need water. Cal stepped onto Mystic Lane and immediately felt underwhelmed. It was no different than any other street in the city. Why was it given so much praise by the Initiates in the core guild? A few groups of guild members were walking around, and unlike in Starlit Joy, he actually recognized some of these people. Not that he knew anybody¡¯s names, but he was aware of them as hangers-on. The problem was that the ones he could recognize were grouped around one person in each group. And he had no idea who they were. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Cal saw some look at him when they became aware of his presence. He had a suspicion of who they were. After a slight nod, he picked the shop nearby and headed toward it. The ones I don¡¯t recognize might be Apprentices. It would make sense why some Initiates were so eager to come here. He had no idea what they were doing in the city¡ªassuming they were actually Apprentices¡ªbut he also had little interest in finding out at the moment. Dreamweaver¡¯s Spells Cal frowned as he mouthed the name of the store. It seemed familiar for some reason, but that shouldn¡¯t be possible. He shook his head and entered. He was going to find Seris the tedious way. Checking every store wouldn¡¯t take too long anyway. It wasn¡¯t like there were too many¡ª ¡°Welcome,¡± a familiar, bored voice droned from behind the counter. ¡°Select the spells you desire and fulfill your dreams.¡± Cal immediately reversed course and ensured he hadn¡¯t somehow ended up on the tenth floor of the Great Tower. Given that he could see the sky, he was not in the tower. He entered the shop again. This time, the girl was staring at him instead of zoning out. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one that should be saying that, kid,¡± Cal retorted instantly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The girl looked affronted. ¡°I own this shop!¡± ¡°You!?¡± Cal knew arguing with a kid wasn¡¯t a good look, even if nobody could witness it. But he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Do you see anyone else here?¡± Cal was hit with flashbacks of his interaction with her in the tower. He suddenly regained the resolve he had back then. Put it aside and prevent getting pulled into a time-wasting mess. ¡°Forget it. Have you seen a girl a little older than you? Not much taller either, and with¡ª¡± ¡°B-Boss?!¡± Cal turned to see Seris with a booklet in her hands. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re fine, Seris. This trip didn¡¯t turn out as I wished.¡± ¡­ Whoever brought her here must have done so because of the girl at the counter. I doubt there is anyone near the same age. ¡°I thought it was pretty great!¡± Seris¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°I mean, it was fine, boss! Er, no, sir? Or should I call you Master¡ª¡± ¡°Alright, stop,¡± Cal rubbed his forehead in frustration. ¡°Enough with the titles. Just call me Cal.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Her eyes gleamed. ¡°Yes, now, what do you have in your hands?¡± Cal pushed past the issue firmly. ¡°Cal, you won¡¯t believe what I found. Elara told me I could browse the shop while waiting for you, Cal. And I think I found the perfect spell for you, Cal!¡± He stared at her blankly. After a pause, he asked, ¡°Are you finished overusing my name?¡± Well, that¡¯s one way to know Seris isn¡¯t terrified of me. She might have missed what I did to Tarn. ¡°I swear I¡¯m done,¡± Seris smiled as she pushed the booklet to him. Cal accepted it and flipped through the pages, his eyebrows rising at what he read. Blazing Furrow Description: A spell that creates a line of fire along the ground, burning everything in its path. Effect: Burn large swaths of land. Burn large swaths of enemies. Warning: Requires a high fire element affinity to use. Whoever created the spell was more than a little focused on burning many things with one cast. ¡°So, this is for me?¡± Cal said with a deadpan, not surprised when Seris nodded rapidly. ¡°Are you sure it isn¡¯t for Tavia?¡± ¡°Of course not. She already has a cool fire spell.¡± I should have known Tavia¡¯s pyro show had gotten her attention. And the first thing she wants me to get is something that can burn my field to the ground. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t,¡± he said, handing the booklet back to a disappointed Seris. ¡°I¡¯m not good at fire spells like Tavia is. And who is Elara? The person who dropped you off?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Elara,¡± Seris pointed behind him, ¡°And if it¡¯s not fire, I bet it¡¯s water, right? I''ll pick out a good one, Cal!¡± She wandered back into the larger-than-expected shop. Cal let her do as she wished. He had already turned to face the girl, who had an annoying smirk on her face. He didn¡¯t like being the oldest by far in the room. ¡°So, Elara. One day, I want to understand how you own this shop¡­ and the one in the Great Market, but today is not that day. I¡¯m in a rush, and I need to absorb an Earth Simulacrum before I leave.¡± She pointed with her thumb at the hallway to the side. ¡°Same as before. It comes free with the purchase of an earth spell. The cheapest one here is ninety silver.¡± Cal placed a gold coin on the counter. ¡°That should do it. And since you¡¯re the¡­ owner, make sure Seris stays inside.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t a toddler,¡± Elara scowled, taking offense in Seris¡¯s place. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes,¡± Cal chuckled as he walked into the hallway. ¡°Remember not to hurt yourself this time!¡± That lessened the smile on Cal¡¯s face. He preferred to forget about the time when he almost died to a simulacrum. The privacy area was similar to the shop in the tower, with the same number of rooms available. Once again, he picked one at random and entered, closing the door behind him and heading straight to the four wall cutouts. He placed his hand on the earth symbol and waited. He stared at the opaque barrier that appeared over a cutout. It didn¡¯t take long before he finally heard a change. It¡¯s almost like a rumble. I can feel it through my body. The barrier disappeared, and an earth simulacrum was revealed to him. Out of the three he had seen so far, this was the most ¡®plain,¡¯ though that was only relative. It still looked amazing to his eyes. It was a rugged, textured stone that looked heavy. It had an earthy brown color with veins of green running through it, resembling vines. Cal repeated the process for a safe absorption¡ªforming a clean path to his mana core, then steadily absorbing it. He hoped it would be similar to the process with the water simulacrum, but he had to prepare for the worst. He reached out carefully, his hand pulsing a soft white with mana. The plan was to sip at the simulacrum until his mana core could handle larger doses. That was the plan. And again, the plan failed. The earth simulacrum jumped into his hand¡ªjust like its water counterpart. Thankfully, the similarities continued. The earth element happily rushed to his mana core, eager to be absorbed. Earth Simulacrum absorbed. You can now access the earth element. Your affinity is¡­ ¡­ ¡­ High earth affinity detected. You are restricted to earth spells that require up to high affinity. Simulacrum absorption has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. Trait choices available. Choose one. [Stone Skin] - Temporarily harden your skin to the toughness of stone, drastically reducing physical damage taken. Duration of the trait is until mana is exhausted. Limited to 1 use per day. [Quicksand Mastery] - Gain the ability to create and manipulate quicksand. This trait has no limitation on use. [Harvest Guardian] - Summon a golem made of earth and stone to assist you. This golem can help with heavy lifting, protect your fields from intruders, and fight alongside you in battles. Duration of the trait is until destruction. Limited to 1 active golem. WARNING You have a previous unpicked option. Only one option can be furloughed. Select your reward or the earth element trait within the next minute. Failure to do so will cause one to be lost permanently. Chapter 55 - Leaving the City Cal frowned when he read that he needed to pick an option immediately. He had chosen not to wait for the Overseer to give him information based on the expectation that the day-long exception given to him on the rule would still apply. He had intended to take his time to consider the earth trait options. If he had known that wasn¡¯t possible, he would have studied the material the Overseer gave him and picked his reward before absorbing the earth simulacrum. Thankfully, the options for the earth trait weren¡¯t too difficult to choose from. [Stone Skin] was the least appealing, and [Quicksand Mastery] was slightly better. Still, neither could really compare to [Harvest Guardian]. After the last two traits Cal had picked, he realized that most options were relatively easy to strike out. Unlike his [Skills], [Traits] seemed to need his mana to activate. The only exception was [Second Chance], but that trait was the effect of a temporary reward. Plus, it was given to him by the ¡®laws of the world.'' Disregarding that one, the other traits were like spells he understood how to cast perfectly from the moment he picked them. Thinking of them in that context was helpful. [Stone Skin] and [Quicksand Mastery] were the ones he could see replicating the easiest with a spell. It wouldn¡¯t surprise him if he found something similar in a spell booklet. Even if the spells were inferior to the traits, his high affinity would make it possible to eventually improve them. As for [Harvest Guardian], that involved more than just high affinity with the earth element. Cal didn¡¯t know what was required to create Golems, but the Celestial Order wouldn¡¯t have to import them if they were so easy to make. There were plenty of Masters who specialized in the earth element, and they would have a high affinity due to their experience even if it didn¡¯t come naturally at the start. If the guild could save money by having these Masters make golems, that would have happened long ago. Cal tapped [Harvest Guardian] and the interface disappeared. I hope the golem can follow complex commands. He considered absorbing the fire simulacrum next, of course, this was after he chose his reward. While Seris might have chosen an unsuitable spell, it did remind him that he had no true offensive element. Water and earth were capable of it¡ªas was any element¡ªbut neither had the immediate destructive potential of the fire element. He had hopes of the lightning element playing that role, but after he was shown that he had zero affinity, he quickly gave up on it. Cal also had to consider that there was no longer much need to be secretive¡ªat least, not in situations out of the public eye. The incident with Tarn changed everything. He eventually shook his head and left the room. I have too many untested traits to add one more to my plate, especially since I don¡¯t need the fire element for my farming. I might not have a naturally offensive element, but [Lightning Aura] will have to do for now. I just need to figure out how it works when I¡¯m not in a rage-induced state¡­ I feel I¡¯m at my best when there¡¯s only one thing I can pour all my focus into. My attention is being pulled in too many directions. Cal resolved to become proficient with the traits he possessed before picking anything else. He walked out to see Elara in her ¡®I¡¯m way too bored¡¯ position. She glanced at him and gave him a thumbs-up¡ªmockingly¡ªbefore pointing at the section with the earth spells. Cal didn¡¯t react to the girl¡¯s sarcastic congratulations for absorbing the simulacrum without nearly killing himself. He couldn¡¯t verbally spar with a child, but it did make him more curious about who she was. Elara was clearly still a mortal, but her ¡®ownership¡¯ of the spell shops and her attitude towards him told of a familiarity with guild members. Cal suspected it went further than familiarity since she was so nonchalant. There was a high likelihood there was a Master in her family. He browsed through the earth spells and was disappointed with most of them. There were far too many defensive spells, but he hoped for something to help him farm. I need something that works as a starting point. Even if it has a negligible effect, that would be enough for me to work on improving it. He finished checking all the earth spells available and sighed in disappointment. He could only pick some that were for defense or offense. There was nothing for farming. Since he was required to choose something, he decided to select the best of each type. Earth Barrier Description: Create a barrier of earth around an area. Effect: Pulls the earth from the ground to make a temporary barrier. Warning: Requires continuous use of mana to sustain Fissure Description: Create a fault in the ground. Effect: Area-of-effect damage on anything that has fallen inside. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Warning: Requires high earth element affinity to use. Cal took the two booklets and walked to the water spell section. Since he was here, he might as well get the spells he needed to make his farming easier. Using [Rainfall] for everything wasn¡¯t feasible. He found Seris holding a booklet, looking like she was seconds away from drooling at what she was reading. She looked up when she heard footsteps and beamed. ¡°Cal, look at this one! It¡¯s perfect for you!¡± Cal raised an eyebrow when she shoved the booklet to his face. He humored her but didn¡¯t expect anything that he would like. Seris was too enamored with destructive fire for him to believe in her choices. Liquid Core Description: Create a ball of water. The size can range from a marble to the limit of what your mana can handle. Effect: Can be manipulated for various purposes. The most common being a blunt weapon. He glanced at Seris and ate his doubts about her. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Can I keep that after you¡¯re done with it?¡± Seris asked eagerly. Cal didn¡¯t even think about giving her a used spell booklet after he promised to get her one. For some reason, he had been thinking of buying one for her, which was beyond wasteful. He cleared his throat and nodded, hiding how he was mentally kicking himself. ¡°Sure, you can have it after. Talk with Elara while I check the other spells here. I won¡¯t be long.¡± Seris walked off happily as he started to see if anything else was worth buying. The spell she picked was perfect for his needs. Not only was it perfect for measuring precise amounts of water, but it also came with the unexpected benefit of being dense enough to be used as a weapon, which made him think of ice. I know that casting ice when someone has a water element is theoretically possible, but I¡¯ve never seen it in the Celestial Order. I don''t have high hopes for being successful there, but this spell could be a start. He went through the shop''s selection of water spells with a frown. Some were interesting, but the cost was prohibitive, coming close to a guildmark for a single booklet. He would have gritted his teeth and splurged the money if it wasn¡¯t for how similar they were to [Rainfall]. Cal could learn that by himself since he knew the fundamentals. It would just take some time. If I haven¡¯t made progress after a month of trying, I¡¯ll rethink this decision. After reading the last booklet, he shook his head and headed for the counter. ¡°¡ªbecause lightning and earth don¡¯t synergize well. What¡¯s the point of¡ª¡± Cal froze as Elara explained the elements to Seris. Her voice melded together as he recalled what happened when he tested [Lightning Aura]. And the fact he tested it on the ground. How did I forget lightning is weak against earth? Did losing my affinity make me an idiot? ... The high affinity I now possess with the earth element could explain why I lost all of my affinity with lightning. ¡°¡ªdone?¡± Cal blinked when he realized that Elara was speaking to him. He gave her a short nod before placing the three booklets on the counter. Elara glanced at them briefly. ¡°Let¡¯s round it down to three gold.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Cal handed over the coins like he feared she would change her mind. He saved over twenty silver on the unexpected discount. Of course, now that he knew it was negotiable, he would try his luck again in the future. He pocketed the booklets with a smile when the interface popped up. Your skill [Master Negotiator] has increased by 1 level. I didn¡¯t think I did anything to deserve that¡­ but I¡¯ll take it. I almost forgot about the skill, too. I should make it a habit to go shopping once in a while. Cal felt a tug on his shirt. ¡°That was three gold!?¡± Seris asked in a loud whisper. ¡°Yes? Didn¡¯t you look at the prices when you were browsing?¡± Cal got a shake of her head in reply. ¡°Well, you¡¯re about to own one of these soon. You¡¯re a rich girl, Seris.¡± He could immediately see the obvious thoughts enter her head. Ones about selling the booklet. I was hoping that¡¯s what she would do. I suspect she will give Orrin most of it to fund his smithing with how close they are. He cleared his throat and looked outside. He had hoped that the Overseer would have arrived by now. It was getting far too close to extending the maximum amount of time he planned on staying in the city. ¡°Do you know the name of the person who dropped you off here?¡± Cal asked without much hope. Just as Seris was shaking her head, Elara spoke up. ¡°It was Master Corvin.¡± This almost confirmed that she was someone deeply connected with the guild. No mortal would know of a Master¡¯s name without personally dealing with them. ¡°Did he say anything about returning?¡± ¡°Master Corvin was in a rush to leave. He usually chats with me a little, but he didn¡¯t say a word other than telling me Seris had to stay near the shop.¡± Cal wanted to ignore the humble brag of how a Master took time to speak to her, but he reminded himself that she was a kid. He had been worse at that age¡­ probably. His memories before entering the Celestial Order were faint. ¡°You should introduce me to him sometime,¡± Cal said solemnly, getting a smug look from Elara. ¡°Since you know him well, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°I can give no promises, but since you¡¯re Seris¡¯s friend, I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Elara replied in a tone meant to match his. It didn¡¯t work since, well, she was a kid. Cal hid his amusement. ¡°I¡¯m expecting someone, but I don¡¯t think I can wait any¡ª¡± ¡°No need for that,¡± the Overseer¡¯s voice interrupted Cal. Before he could react, the Overseer moved from the entrance and stepped close. The man handed him a booklet the same size as the spells he bought. It even looked similar to them. ¡°I¡¯m happy I got here in time to see you off,¡± the Overseer said with a tight smile. Considering how expressive he had been recently, seeing the man with his usual expression was a surprise for Cal. ¡°Thank you for¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± the Overseer shook his head while subtly pushing the hand holding the booklets to Cal¡¯s inner pockets. ¡°I¡¯m just happy to see my former Trainee content after the Selection.¡± He turned to Elara and said, ¡°Master Corvin said you will be free to shadow him for a week for your help.¡± Elara vibrated in excitement, but the Overseer had already moved on. He gave Seris a brisk nod before taking his leave. Cal had already hidden the booklets in his near-capacity inner pockets, and he was staring after the Overseer in confusion. Strange is not descriptive enough for what just happened. I¡¯ve never seen the Overseer in such a rush before. So the [Class] booklet is meant to be a secret¡­ and Elara is being groomed to be a pillar of the guild. I doubt any word from the Overseer was said without intent. It feels like I''m back in the core guild. He pressed his lips into a thin line before addressing Seris. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving immediately.¡± ¡°¡­ Carriage?¡± She asked hopefully. That hope was crushed when Cal shook his head without mercy. She sighed before looking at Elara. ¡°I¡¯ll visit again. Thank you for answering all my questions.¡± ¡°Anytime,¡± Elara smiled before it faltered. She braced herself before turning to Cal. ¡°Dreams are never-ending, and we are here to help you fulfill them. I hope you had a pleasant experience. Come back anytime you want to fulfill your dreams.¡± Cal suddenly remembered the canned farewell he first heard in the tower. His lips slowly formed a smile as he failed to hold back his amusement, but Elara had a dangerous look, just like the first time she said the farewell. He decided to spare her the embarrassment. ¡°It was good doing business with you, Elara.¡± Cal motioned for Seris to follow and left the shop. He was cutting it close for the watering time and would need to rush back. It wouldn¡¯t be fun for Seris, and with the long face she was showing him, she knew it. Chapter 56 - The Loot ¡°What happened to her?¡± The pity in Tavia¡¯s voice couldn¡¯t be mistaken. Seris was slumped against the house¡¯s wall, bemoaning her life and trying her best to keep the many, many cakes she had eaten inside her stomach. Cal felt a pang of regret at having to speed back to the Northern Wastes. However, the fear of damage to his crops made it necessary in his mind. He had managed to reduce the trip to less than thirty minutes, but looking at Seris, he wondered if it was worth it. ¡°Poor girl,¡± Tavia knelt beside Seris and gently patted her back. ¡°Do you need me to take you to a healer? My carriage will let us get to town quickly.¡± Seris heard the word ¡®quickly¡¯ and turned greener than she already was. It looked like she was going to fail to keep the food inside her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Cal was interrupted. ¡°No! No more talk about trips! I want to keep my delicious desserts inside!¡± Seris wriggled around like she was about to die, then froze as she looked at Cal. ¡°I left a slice of cake in the restaurant!¡± She proceeded to look even more miserable than she already was. Cal really had been feeling apologetic, but the mention of cake erased almost all of his sympathy. If she could cry about uneaten dessert, the issue clearly wasn¡¯t as severe as she made it. ¡°I have some work to do. Keep an eye on her, Tavia,¡± Cal left after his fellow guild member nodded without looking at him. Tavia was more concerned about consoling Seris. He walked to the planted patch and noticed the soil almost looked dry. If he hadn¡¯t returned at full speed, the disaster he feared might have actually happened. He cast [Rainfall] and watched it revitalize the soil. Tavia and Seris are much closer than I expected. Cal looked in their direction. And they¡¯ve only met a few times. He wasn¡¯t complaining about it. It was more of a fascination with how fast they clicked together. He didn¡¯t think it was possible to get along so quickly. It took Oleg and I nearly a year before we bothered to care about something as unimportant as the other¡¯s feelings. Cal glanced at them again with furrowed brows. This may be how they are. They became comfortable with me in no time at all. He finished watering the crops and studied the part of the field next to the patch. The slurry of water and powdered crystals he had spread across the patch had almost settled, but it still needed a few more hours before he could proceed to the last step and add the mulch. Cal noticed that Tavia and Seris had disappeared, likely moving inside the house. He had no desire to join them. At least, not when the replacement furnishings hadn¡¯t arrived yet. The Overseer mentioned an order that should arrive closer to the end of the day, and he assumed that it would be delivered together with the furnishings. I might as well study the spell booklets. He made a short hop to the makeshift flat top of the rocky rubble and took a seat. It was then he realized that the ¡¯short hop¡¯ was well over twenty feet high. ¡­ I really need to measure my physical limits at some point. With how weak most guild members are, I might be able to overpower them in a battle purely due to my strength while they are Initiates. Cal¡¯s fantasy of powering his way through battles with his fists would probably stay a fantasy. Still, the image it brought up amused him. He chuckled as he pulled out the booklet for [Liquid Core]. Liquid Core Description: Create a ball of water. The size can range from a marble to the limit of what your mana can handle. Effect: Can be manipulated for various purposes. The most common being a blunt weapon. Learning [Rainfall] took care of most of the basics of learning water spells. [Liquid Core] needed the knowledge of how water acted in different conditions. Temperature changes and pressure, to name a few. Cal¡¯s eyebrows kept going higher as he read through the booklet. He intended to reread it multiple times to ensure he didn¡¯t misunderstand anything. Especially since it contained the details of water in the form of steam to a state where it was nearly solid. It wouldn¡¯t be possible for him to conjure steam since he had no fire element, but it should be easy to do if he somehow possessed it in the future. As for true ice, the booklet hinted that it needed something more than just a high affinity with water, but he wouldn¡¯t know until he made an attempt. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The biggest thing that stood out from this was mist. The booklet contained information on making a water ball weak enough to resemble mist rather than a liquid ball. Cal¡¯s first thought was to create a new spell, combining [Rainfall] and [Liquid Core] to make a large cloud of mist on the ground. He would have to figure out how to stop gathering water vapor just before it formed rain clouds and well after it could be considered fog. It¡¯s something to think about later. It could be a waste of time since there¡¯s no guarantee I can replicate the conditions of [Mist Walker]¡­ plus, I¡¯ll have to activate the skill to know how it works. Even if I could only create a severely weakened version, it would be a breakthrough. He went through the booklet a few more times before the information it contained was imprinted in his mind. The majority contained details of water in different states, while the rest explained how to use mana to manipulate the ball of water. Cal didn¡¯t consider this to be much more difficult than [Rainfall], but once again, he suspected that this might be due to his high water affinity. He pocketed the booklet and pulled on his mana. The starting process was similar to [Rainfall]. Mana trickled out of Cal¡¯s palm, and water vapor was pulled from the surrounding environment. It quickly formed a ball of fog that was a few feet larger than him in width. It strongly resembled the stormy grey of a rain cloud, so this by itself was an accomplishment. Reading the booklet gave him a better idea of how to gain minute control over the water element. The ball of fog was what he failed to create with [Rainfall] since he had only been able to create clouds that covered around a hundred square feet at minimum. Cal couldn¡¯t sense any noticeable decline in his mana, so creating a fog of this size was effortless. The cost occurred when he started to compress the ball of fog. The mana drawn out of his mana core increased rapidly. The size of the conjured ball was reduced by half when it suddenly gained a consistency that resembled fine mist. He drew the ball closer, noticing that the action cost him some mana, and curiously reached out with his free hand. He could feel the tiny droplets of water cooling his skin, but nothing else happened. He had grand ideas of the interface giving him a surprise message about something related to [Mist Walker], but that was killed quickly. Cal sighed and drew his arm back before continuing with his experimentation. He continued to compress the ball and had spent a tenth of his mana capacity before succeeding in making it liquid water. It¡¯s less than a foot wide and already drew so much mana. I can feel how inefficient the process was. It will take some practice before I perfect the [Trait]. He continued compressing the ball of water, testing whether the booklet was correct when it implied it wasn¡¯t possible to turn it into ice. In addition to compression, he flooded the water ball with his mana, as the booklet instructed. Cal could feel his mana spend increase drastically. He could sense that the water ball had become more dense than before, but it had nothing to do with ice. The mana he injected forced it to be more compact than water naturally was without turning it into ice. The moment he took away his mana, it would immediately revert. And no matter how much more pressure he applied or the quantity of mana he injected, the water ball didn¡¯t change. All it accomplished was wasting his mana. Cal frowned when his mana capacity dipped below fifty percent, depleting at a rate that would consume everything in a few seconds. He cut off the excess spend of mana and stared at the ball of water hovering before him. It didn¡¯t make much sense to him, but he wasn¡¯t one to waste time by insisting on something that would fail no matter his effort. The cost to keep the ball active was negligible. Cal estimated that he could keep it as it was for days with the way it sipped on his mana. He moved to aim the ball of water out of the bounds of his field. The spell effect mentioned the most common use in battle was as a blunt weapon. He had a better idea. Cal aimed for a random stone in the distance before amassing his mana and releasing it in one shot. The ball of water shot toward the target, reaching it in less than a blink of an eye. He expected a deafening boom from the collision, but the result was just a soft splash with the ball of water deconstructing on contact. The stone was unfazed. He quickly realized what happened. The mana I infused into the ball dissipated before impact. The density was lost, and so was any chance of damage to the stone. My mana wasn¡¯t going to waste like I assumed. Cal waited patiently for several minutes for his mana to recover to max capacity before trying again. A few seconds later, he once again had a ball of water floating before him. He didn¡¯t spare more mana than was necessary and dumped it all into the ball. Cal picked the same stone as the target and launched the water ball with his remaining mana. BOOM! The stone no longer existed. A wide hole had taken its place. That worked. Cal already planned to make the whole process efficient, but now he was adding the next step: making it possible to conjure multiple balls of water at the same time. It could allow him to suppress any threats long before they came close to him. ¡°What was that!?¡± Cal turned to see Seris and Tavia staring at him. The hills of rubble blocked them from seeing the area where he launched the water ball. ¡°I¡¯m testing a new spell!¡± ¡°Oh! Can I see?¡± Seris might have posed that as a question, but she was already scrambling up the hill. It looks like she got over her nausea. Cal didn¡¯t deny her, but it wouldn¡¯t be impressive. Not after what she saw Tavia do. Speaking of¡­ ¡°Where are you going?¡± Cal asked as Tavia headed to the stables. ¡°Lumina!¡± Tavia yelled back. ¡°I want to make sure the things I¡¯ve ordered are correct. I¡¯ll be back in a few hours.¡± A wide smile appeared on Cal¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you for your hard work! I¡¯ll be waiting for you to return with furnishing in reasonable colors!¡± He chuckled when Tavia glared at him out of her carriage as she left the field. ¡°Cal,¡± Seris poked him as soon as she stood beside him at the peak. ¡°Show me the new spell.¡± Cal¡¯s lips twitched at her boldness. He was more convinced than even that she hadn¡¯t seen whatever he did to Tarn. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to go with Tavia? I remember you were reluctant to leave Lumina.¡± Seris turned a light shade of green. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about going anywhere, please.¡± Cal looked away to hide his smile when she uneasily put her hands on her stomach. Chapter 57 - Second [Class] Options ¡°Nibbles! Come back!¡± Cal watched Seris chase after Nibbles across his field. She had no hope of catching the little creature, but it would keep her occupied until Tavia returned. I hope Nibbles tires her out. She deserves that for looking so unimpressed with [Liquid Core]. He knew that his spell wasn¡¯t as flashy or impressive as Tavia¡¯s wall of fire, but the dull look on Seris¡¯s face was a bit too much, in his opinion. She gave him a flat ¡®wow,¡¯ before scurrying back down the rubble hill. Cal watched the two run around for a few more seconds before pulling his attention away. He took out the booklet the Overseer handed him and read through it. He had intended to delay reading the booklet for the end of the day when there would be no disturbance. With Tavia gone for a few hours, he might as well use the time to understand what types of [Class] existed other than the ones common in the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. Cal immediately noted that this was not mass-produced. Unlike the printed spell booklets, the one the Overseer gave him was handwritten and addressed to him. ¡®I will assume you do not wish to know about any common classes like Gardner, Sculptor, etcetera. Those are excluded, but if I assumed wrongly, contact me.¡¯ He stared at the first page. The offer the Overseer gave was unnecessary, but he did need to figure out how to contact him. At the moment, his only choice was to wait for the Overseer to do his monthly checkup. It could be possible to go through Tavia and reach him. Cal shook his head and flipped the page. These were the types of [Class] that complemented [Farmer]. Still, it didn¡¯t justify giving up the opportunity to have an unlimited pocket dimension. It couldn¡¯t be forgotten that he had access to skills only due to the [Special] designation of [Farmer]. However, picking a second [Class] would make it possible to acquire different [Traits] relating to [Mage]. That, along with the natural benefits that would come with having the second [Class] might be worth giving up [Pocket Dimension]. On the supplemental [Class] types, the only thing he could see having some sort of benefit was [Beastmaster]. It also had some interesting wording. ¡®Beastmaster is generally used to tame wild beasts for battle, but in your case, I see it useful in making domesticating animals a smoother experience. The Celestial Order does not have the capability to assign this Class to members, but if you feel this is the best option, it can be accomplished.¡¯ ¡®The activation for Beastmaster will be covered by a partner guild.¡¯ This was the first time Cal had seen anyone in the Celestial Order addressing the mediocrity of the guild¡­ or addressing the existence of another guild. The former had either been passed over without a word or layered with false praise to avoid any marring of the guild¡¯s image. The Overseer clearly didn¡¯t care for any of that. It directly contradicted how the man acted when he was in control of the Trainees. Cal flipped to the pages with non-supplemental [Class]. He was surprised to see the first being [Mage]. ¡®You already know of Mage, but do not underestimate its versatility. This Class gives you the highest boost in mana capacity, and there is a Class Advancement possibility to Archmage. There has only been one in the Celestial Order¡¯s history.¡¯ ¡®He is the reason the guild still exists. I can¡¯t speak on the increased capabilities of an Archmage since I''m unsure. Still, the single one that calls the Celestial Order home has deterred the neighboring guilds from invading.¡¯ He was tempted. Extremely so. The biggest issue was the time it took him to progress as a [Mage]. What he has accomplished as a [Farmer] in two weeks far outstripped the years he had spent as a [Mage] in his last life. It didn¡¯t need to be said that he was average at best as a [Mage]. ¡­ How would having a second [Class] work? Will my actions contribute to both at the same time? My desire to pick another [Class] will be near zero if it doesn''t. Drawing away growth from [Farmer] would be the stupidest thing I could do. Cal no longer paid attention to the booklet. He pulled up the reward option on the interface. Secondary Title - You have the privilege to choose another [Class] in addition to [Farmer]. There will be no special variants to the [Class]. It will be standard. There wasn¡¯t much to read, but even then, Cal checked to ensure he didn¡¯t misunderstand what was said. The problem was there was too little information for him to glean anything from it. All it said was that the [Class] would not have a [Special] designation. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. This is one of the times I wish I could ask the interface questions¡ª Your request has been sent. Please wait for a reply. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Cal tried to revert what the interface was doing as his heart beat frantically. It was just an idle thought without a true intent behind it. The last thing he wanted to do was regain the attention of the Laws of the World. He had been ecstatic that the boost ending meant he would no longer be watched, and reversing that for asking a question was not in his interests¡ªeven if the question was important. ¡­ ¡­ Request has been granted. You may send 1 query. The query must be about a reward that has been offered to you. Cal''s eyes flickered across the interface as the stray thought of asking something about the pocket dimension popped into his mind. But it was brief. He considered the best way to ask a question to cover all the bases before coming to a simple line¡ªone that takes in both the positive and the negative. ¡°If I choose ¡®Secondary Title¡¯ as my reward, how will it affect my current ¡®Farmer¡¯ class?¡± Query sent. Please wait for a reply. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ There will be no retroactive effects on [Farmer] (Special) for accepting a second [Class]. However, all future growth contributions will be balanced as close to 50% as possible. Some actions can only contribute to [Farmer] (Special). In the case of actions eligible to contribute to both, the [Class] with the least cumulative gain will be chosen. ¡­ ¡­ Cal thought that was it. This was enough to sour his excitement over the option. But it wasn¡¯t the end. ¡­ The contributions will be considered on a perpetual basis without any possibility of smaller time blocks. It will start the moment you choose your [Class]. The Laws of the World have ended their reply. Cal blinked as the interface disappeared. He was no longer sure what was going on. He had initially been attracted to [Pocket Dimension] but made the choice to learn more about the types of [Class] available before making a choice. Now, it looked like the Laws of the World were doing everything it could to warn him off. Maybe the only choice intended for me was [Pocket Dimension]. There were dissenters that are not happy with me. What if the dissenters insisted on pushing the second [Class] as an option? Cal shuddered as a chill ran through his body. The chance that was right was low, but it wasn¡¯t zero. He remembered the exact words the interface had shown. ¡®The majority have overruled the dissenters. You will be rewarded for your actions instead of being punished.¡¯ ¡®Overruled¡¯ did not mean compromised. That made it unlikely there was a purposely terrible reward for Cal to choose, but again, it wasn¡¯t zero. He was applying human logic to beings that were called the Laws of the World. There was nothing that suggested he should understand how they thought and reasoned. Cal sighed before resolving to make his choice based on what he knew and not on his hunches on what far greater powers might be thinking. Still, what he knew so far strongly pointed away from picking a second [Class]. There could be something in the booklet that pulled him away from that thought. He flipped through the pages and read what the Overseer compiled. They were surprisingly short, with only three of the many examples listed that were worth a look. ¡®A Warlock has all the same benefits as a Mage, but without the prestige. Where a Mage can call upon the forces of the world, a Warlock looks outside it. Warlocks are rare due to this. They are nearly powerless until you reach the equivalent of a Master rank. Most guilds do not bother to have the activation requirements of this Class on hand.¡¯ ¡®If this is your pick, we must travel to the Shadow Lands for activation. The trip will not be perilous. The name might be ominous, but it is just a territory of a guild that is similar to the Celestial Order.¡¯ Cal did not want to pick an obscure [Class] that looked more useless than [Mage]. If he was average as a [Mage], he would assume he had the same talent¡ªor worse¡ªwith [Warlock]. That meant he would have a useless second [Class] for decades before he would become slightly useful, and that was without considering how that would have affected [Farmer]. He read the following excerpt about [Mystic]. ¡®Mystic is one of the stranger Class assignments. It seems like it¡¯s the closest thing to divination, but the actual process is hidden from the public. And this includes me. Most guilds possess at least 1 Mystic among their members, but the Celestial Order is not one.¡¯ ¡®As you guessed, this is unavailable in the guild for activation. If you wish, I will find a guild that will allow you to enter an apprenticeship for Mystic. However, the move to the new guild will be permanent.¡¯ The narrowed eyes while reading the passage only grew into a severe frown when he was done. This went beyond just a change of attitude from the Overseer. The offer to leave the guild was so out of character that it threw away almost all of his assumptions. This came from the man that implied the Celestial Order wouldn''t allow Tavia to leave their territory alive. The only logical thing Cal could assume was that this was false generosity. An offer that little risk and could only get the Overseer goodwill. The description for [Mystic] was so vague that the Overseer must have assumed that it would never be chosen. And he was right. There was one other [Class] mentioned. [Rune Scribe]. ¡®If it isn¡¯t obvious with the large list below, Rune Scribe is what I feel would help you the most. And I¡¯m not saying this just because the guild desperately needs Runemasters. You will have an innate, basic understanding of runes. Unlike someone without this Class assignment who can still learn the basics, you will be able to upgrade your Class to Runemaster.¡¯ ¡®It is not an exaggeration to say that it is possible to alter reality itself at the highest levels of a Runemaster.¡¯ ¡®As for activation, this is the easiest of the ones I mentioned.¡¯ The sentence stopped abruptly there, and he skimmed the list the Overseer had written. It mostly expounded on the benefits of being a Rune Scribe and how it would help his farming. He didn¡¯t put much importance on being able to ¡®alter reality.¡¯ [Mage] could also do that. It was just a way for the Overseer to make [Rune Scribe] look better than it was. Cal closed the booklet and stored it in his inner pocket. He stared blankly at an exhausted Seris finally catching Nibbles and wondered if this was all that a second [Class] had to offer. I would have taken more time to question the information I received, but what¡¯s the point? I see few reasons I would ever choose to slow down my [Farmer] growth rate just to have a second [Class] that¡ªwait¡­ I think I severely misunderstood the wording. Chapter 58 - Cals Choice He had been about to disregard [Secondary Title] entirely when he felt the urge to recheck the wording of the answer given by the Laws of the World. It had been in the back his mind since he read it, always feeling like he was missing something obvious. He pulled it up on the interface. There will be no retroactive effects on [Farmer] (Special) for accepting a second [Class]. However, all future growth contributions will be balanced as close to 50% as possible. Some actions can only contribute to [Farmer] (Special). In the case of actions eligible to contribute to both, the [Class] with the least cumulative gain will be chosen. The contributions will be considered on a perpetual basis without any possibility of smaller time blocks. It will start the moment you choose your [Class]. On the first reread, Cal¡¯s initial reaction was to sneer at the disadvantages again. It was only by shutting out his bias that he understood how little of a disadvantage this truly was. The three new options the Overseer had listed did not appeal to him. They were an interesting thought experiment, but that was all they would be. Especially when he realized how much the contribution split would help if he picked [Mage]. It would require no extra effort from him like the other options. That was his biggest concern. He was not keen to split his attention, nor did he think that would work for him long term. He worked best where there was one thing to focus on, and the only [Class] that let him do so was [Mage]. Cal had been an average [Mage] at best in his past life. This was not something that could be debated. In the Celestial Order, he might have been one of the rare few assigned to [Mage], but he didn¡¯t care about that ¡®honor.¡¯ He would never match up to any [Mage] in a first-rate guild. Of course, this was in a normal circumstance. The answer the Laws of the World gave him clearly said that the contributions to a [Class] would only be possible if his actions were eligible. When he did routine farm work, there was no way it would apply to [Mage]. However, when he learned a new spell or used a spell to help his farming, it would definitely qualify. That was his most significant issue when he was a [Mage] in his last life. It took him over a year to learn a single spell, and that had severely restricted his growth. Now, it was possible to use the extreme benefits from [Farmer] (Special) and apply it as a booster shot for [Mage] growth. There was a real chance he could reach the near-mythical [Archmage] with this loophole. Cal knew he was still giving up some growth for [Farmer], but that was outweighed by the benefits that [Mage] would give him. The ones he knew for sure were the massively increased mana capacity and precise measurements of his mana use. And he suspected that he would gain additional elemental affinities, but that was not a sure thing. I just need to confirm one more thing before I can make a choice without regrets. I have never heard of something like a pocket dimension, but then again, I haven¡¯t heard of a lot of things. The Overseer should know if there is anything similar. He felt lighter when he had a concrete plan to follow. One that he didn¡¯t have to make with doubts about the intentions of beings far beyond him. He really had been overthinking the intentions of the Laws of the World. The choices they gave him were both great, but one reward was valued far more than the other with what it could give him in the future. The Overseer¡¯s answer doesn¡¯t really matter too much. Even if he says that pocket dimensions can¡¯t be replicated, I still see myself choosing [Secondary Title]. I¡¯ll need the Overseer¡¯s help in getting the second [Class], so I might as well wait to pick the reward. Cal stood from his seat on the peak of the rubble hill and stretched. It was nearing dusk, and he could see that the slurry-covered patch was ready for the mulch layer. He hopped down the rubble hill and walked to the storage room to get the rake. Seris was nearby, standing by the makeshift pond. She watched Nibbles lazily float on the water and looked on the verge of joining the little creature. Cal had no desire to deal with a soaked teenager. ¡°Seris! Isn¡¯t it time for you to go back to town? It¡¯s getting late!¡± Seris gave him a glance before looking at the sky, seeming to realize that the sun would be setting soon. She gave him a reluctant nod. ¡°I¡¯ll head back now.¡± Seris gave a longing look at Nibbles right after. I thought she had enough of Nibbles yesterday. I have no complaints if she wants to take her again. ¡°Nibbles!¡± Cal shouted. The little creature floating in the pond splashed around in surprise before shooting out of the water and landing next to Series. Nibbles gave him her full attention. ¡°Do you want to go back with Series today?¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He had barely got the words out before Nibbles nodded eagerly at the chance to escape. He might have bought Seris¡¯s forgiveness with cake, but it seemed he still had some ways to go with Nibbles. ¡°Seris?¡± She looked conflicted about whether to take Nibbles or not. But the love of the cute creature won out. ¡°Alright,¡± Seris nodded but faced Nibbles with a serious expression. ¡°You have to promise not to insist on smelling everyone. I won¡¯t take you with me if you don¡¯t promise.¡± She¡¯s comfortable treating Nibbles like a person. That is understandable since Nibbles has scarily human reactions. The aforementioned Nibbles was giving Seris a disdainful look. ¡°Then you can just stay behind. I want to get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Seris pursed her lips and stood her ground. It worked. Nibbles snuck a glance at Cal before nodding reluctantly. It¡¯s a shame that Nibbles is too wary to act herself around me. Maybe one more tub of powdered crystals would tip the scales in my favor¡­ no, that sets a bad precedent. I can¡¯t make it easy to get rewarded. ¡°Awesome! We¡¯re going to have such a good time!¡± Seris picked up a resigned Nibbles before turning to Cal. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Cal!¡± ¡°Before you go, take this,¡± Cal took the booklet for [Liquid Core] out of his inner pocket and handed it to her. When she stared at it blankly, he added, ¡°It¡¯s the spell I promised you.¡± Seris gave him a blinding smile as she accepted it and left his field with a skip in her step. Cal watched till she disappeared over the tree line before continuing to the storage room. [Liquid Core] will be easy to sell to the Initiates in town. They know Seris works for me, and even if they try something, Nibbles is there to protect her. I¡¯m curious if she will ask me before selling the spell booklet. I think she will, but giving Orrin the money might make her forget courtesy. I hope that isn¡¯t the case. He pulled the rake off the wall and returned to the patch of land ready for mulch. He needed to cover around a thousand square feet of soil with mulch, which, with his previous experience, would require around twelve sacks. It was a fraction of the sacks of mulch that were piled up. This reminds me to ensure Drex gets me the new supplies on time. Without loam, I can¡¯t repair any more land. Cal made quick work of the applying the mulch and raked it flat. Like he did with the previous patch, he kept the rake¡¯s tines within the mulch and no deeper. He stepped out of the patch and raised his arm to point his palm at the sky. The mana rushed out of his mana core, and stormy clouds stormed over the patch. Light rain fell on the mulch for half a minute before the mulch soaked it all up and darkened. He cut off the flow of mana and ignored the dissipating clouds. He was waiting for the glow that meant success. A few seconds later, the patch glittered like sparkling gemstones were scattered over the mulch. Next is planting. I just have to wait for the glow to reduce in intensity. Cal was about to study one of the earth spell booklets when he heard the familiar sound of far too many carts approaching the field. In his opinion, it had become far too common, and this would hopefully be the last time such a convoy was needed. Unless it involves Drex delivering supplies. He returned to the house and stashed the rake in the storage room before waiting for the convoy near the front door. Most of his field was still dug up, so the convoy of carts had to form a single line to navigate the small path cleared to the house. Thankfully, the area near the house had enough space for all of them to unload their goods. Tavia¡¯s carriage had been leading the pack and stopped near Cal. She gave him a distracted nod before quickly unclasping the horses from the carriage and went to the carts. She was eager to direct the order in which the goods had to be moved. Cal didn¡¯t care much about any of that. His focus was on the furnishings, specifically their color. Soft blue. Off-white¡­ almost all of them are off-white with some soft blue thrown in. Tavia doesn¡¯t look happy about this. It means I¡¯ll like it. He stood out of the way as the mortal workers removed the furnishings inside the house. He had noticed that the replacements Tavia had bought were the same pieces but in different colors. As she had intended. Cal frowned when the workers didn¡¯t move the new furnishings into the house. Instead, they surrounded the only cart that hadn¡¯t been unloaded. It had been hidden by the activity around it, but he recognized the people sitting on the cart. Tavia walked briskly to Cal. He asked, ¡°What are Miren¡¯s builders doing here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± Tavia said a little nervously. ¡°Before we continue, do you mind if the Starlit Marble was removed?¡± Cal blinked in surprise but found that he didn¡¯t really care. It was doing him no favors. Still, it could be helpful in the future... somehow. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do it without good reason.¡± ¡®Then this will definitely be to your liking!¡± Tavia waved the builders in along with whatever was on the cart. A simple sheet covered what they moved inside. ¡°Don¡¯t peek inside!¡± She returned to her directing. As the minutes passed, Cal began to think of all the other productive things he could be doing instead of waiting for the workers to finish the move. By the time he was nearly fed up, it was over. The convoy slowly started to exit his field with carts newly loaded with the old furnishing. ¡°Ready!?¡± He looked away from the retreating carts to see Tavia staring at him with sparkling eyes. She can¡¯t be this excited about the new colors. Now I¡¯m actually curious about this surprise. They entered the house, and Cal was hit with the soft tones that pleased his eyes. There was nothing he could complain about. A large rug covered most of the floor in front of the seating. Tavia unceremoniously pulled it up to reveal a black, perfectly spherical stone embedded under a transparent covering that blended into the floor. Cal couldn¡¯t feel it before since the draw was weak. Now that he knew this existed, he could feel the stone sipping mana from the environment. But it wasn¡¯t enough to negatively impact anything. ¡°This is a hearthstone,¡± Cal said with shock. ¡°I bet you can use this, can¡¯t you?¡± Tavia commented smugly. It started to click in his mind that the Overseer was talking about this. Tavia had somehow managed to trade in the useless starlit marble for this. A hearthstone that could be used to substitute a mana core in emergencies. Cal felt the urge to pull Tavia into a tight hug. She had done more than she could know. He wasn''t sure how she accessed a hearthstone, even with the Overseer''s help.
Complete stat sheet in author note (under spoiler tag)
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above. It''s free on Royal Road! Chapter 59 - Hearthstone Cal grimaced when his mana core was depleted. Again. This was the tenth time it had happened, and he could feel that the hearthstone was barely at capacity. He estimated that he could do this well over a hundred and fifty times before it was finally filled with mana. He took a few seconds to gather his strength before standing up. It was well past midnight, and Tavia had turned in hours ago for the night. Cal¡¯s original plan was to spend a few hours supplying the hearthstone with mana to supplement its natural absorption, but he didn¡¯t realize what Tavia had gotten her hands on. He had gotten enough private lessons in his past life to recognize hearthstones. He initially assumed it was the type of hearthstone he had seen in some of the Masters¡¯ personal residences, only a little worse. Those types of hearthstones were used for rapid mana recovery and were generally exhausted after several draws. Even though it didn¡¯t seem like much, it was still impressive Tavia could get her hands on something of that nature. However, the hearthstone embedded under his floor was far beyond that. It was used for large-scale events like a city-wide emergency. It was meant to sustain hundreds of draws from multiple people over several days. Cal knew that there was no chance that Tavia would ever have the hope to get a hearthstone of this nature. It didn¡¯t matter if she was the Initiate that the guild put all their hopes on. The Overseer is heavily involved here. But this time, I can¡¯t just accept it. This hearthstone is something a city like Lumina will spend months debating on the worth of acquiring it. Tavia is just a tool to deliver the hearthstone to me. He frowned as he thought about the Overseer¡¯s goal. He had assumed that he could rely on the man to support him in the guild, but that came with the expectation they were both benefitting. The cost to get this hearthstone¡ªmonetarily and spending goodwill in the guild¡ªsuggested that this was more than simple support. Unless the Overseer is above the Elders in the hierarchy. With the way the Masters ceded control, it¡¯s possible the Overseer does have more authority than them¡­ Due to practicality, Cal had given up on finding out more about the Overseer. He would need to restart the investigation into who the hell the man was. The best-case scenario was that the Overseer was some sort of super Elder who could unilaterally use the guild¡¯s resources. However, if that was the case, he couldn¡¯t find the reason for the secrecy. It would be more effective to reveal such a high status and install a greater appreciation of the Celestial Order. It was far more likely to be something worse. Cal feared that he had inadvertently fallen into some elaborate plot with the Overseer in the center. And he had done so gladly while accepting the gifts that came with no questions. It could be why he had never heard of the Overseer in his past life after he entered the core guild. Maybe the man had been silenced. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and realized the thought of relaxing was already dead. Even if his fears were unlikely, they still existed. The Overseer wasn¡¯t concerned about his rapid growth causing trouble. That meant he needed to speed it up even more. Without the boost in place, he would need to find the best way to extract the fastest growth of his [Tier] when he farms. Cal had defaulted to pickaxing his way to the next level whenever in doubt, but the higher his [Tier] was, the less that would help. I need to constantly plant crops or repair the soil. That increased my [Tier] significantly compared to breaking up the ground with a pickaxe. I have to instruct Drex to frequently deliver supplies to keep up with the use. He glanced out the window and took in the mess that was his field. Tomorrow would be a long day. *** The first thing Cal usually did after waking up the past week was work his field. Today, that changed. He sat next to the hearthstone and waited patiently for his mana core to fully replenish. It would be another task to add to his routine. Cal looked up when he heard the door to Tavia¡¯s room open. ¡°Good morning,¡± Tavia mumbled as she stretched with a silent yawn. He was accustomed to seeing her in attire that spoke of purpose. She often wore deep purple and black robes, layered over a matching tunic of the same hues. A wide waist belt with an array of small pouches furthered the practical attire, and dark leather boots completed the ensemble. All of that was missing. It was replaced with something that was meant for comfort. Tavia walked towards him, her bare feet making no sound on the floor. The usual robe was gone. She wore a lighter, more airy version of her usual tunic and pants, the fabric flowing gently around her with each step. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Compared to her tastes in interior design, her fashion sense was far better than it had any right to be. ¡°Why¡¯re you looking at me like that?¡± Tavia asked with a smirk. Cal blinked before looking away. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re planning for a relaxing day.¡± ¡°In a way,¡± Tavia sat on the couch close to where he was on the floor. ¡°I won¡¯t be going to Lumina, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have work to do. I¡¯ve neglected my practice since I¡¯ve been running around.¡± Cal¡¯s eyes were drawn to her again before he forced them away when she had the same smirk on her face. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re going to keep me company since I¡¯ll be working outside the whole day.¡± Tavia hummed in reply. She silently watched him feed the hearthstone his mana, speaking only when the process was finished. ¡°Why not wait for it to fill up naturally?¡± Cal took a deep breath to gather himself. Emptying his mana core was always accompanied by a moment of unease, which was especially noticeable if he didn¡¯t empty it to cast a spell. ¡°Supplementing it takes little effort from me. I can spare a few hours daily to speed up the process.¡± Tavia shifted on the couch and supported her chin on the palm of her hand. ¡°Do you need help? A Mage like me could have finished with the time you spent.¡± Cal glanced at her with a slight frown. He recognized that she was teasing him, but that wasn¡¯t the issue. A high-level Initiate [Mage] would have a mana capacity similar to the one he currently possessed. Tavia¡¯s boast would be correct if she referred to the weaker hearthstones. She doesn¡¯t even know what she gifted me. The Overseer hid this from her. He shook his head. ¡°You went through the trouble to get me this gift. I¡¯ll do the work necessary.¡± ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Tavia shrugged before standing up and sauntering back to her room. Cal¡¯s eyes trailed after her until the closed door blocked him. He knew what she was doing. The problem was he didn¡¯t know how to respond. Did her choosing to stay here have an ulterior motive? Or this could be the result of what Oleg kept telling me. Show disinterest in Tavia, and that will get her attention¡­ I always thought Oleg was an idiot for thinking that¡¯s true. He stared at the closed door for a few more seconds before smiling. Many things have already changed. Maybe this could be another. Cal sensed his mana core fill to capacity and started to feed the hearthstone again. *** A burst of heat slammed into Cal¡¯s back as he watched the rain hydrate the cultivated patch. He didn¡¯t react since this already happened multiple times. From the time she left the house, Tavia had been practicing her fire spell repeatedly on the other side of the field. He could feel that she was getting better with every attempt. This shocking rate of improvement demolished his efforts in his last life. She only took a few hours for what would have taken him weeks at a minimum when he was a [Mage]. There was a real chance that Tavia could match up to an Initiate [Mage] in a first-rate guild. Cal didn¡¯t know he could feel such jealousy until now. He cut off his mana when the patch was sufficiently watered. There were only about four days to go till harvest, but he couldn¡¯t see any significant change in the crop. The Sunfire Grains were peeking out of the soil, but they didn¡¯t look anywhere close to being halfway grown. It was something to ask Drex when he arrived since he knew nothing about the crop. He only knew to plant it. Cal had taken the barrel of seeds and rake out of the storage room before he started the day, so he went right to the next step. Planting the Sunfire Grain seeds in the newly repaired, one thousand square foot patch of soil. He would use the same spacing as before, planting a thousand seeds. Over the next hour, he dug a small hole in the soil before placing a single seed. The burst of heat from Tavia¡¯s casting was a constant during this time, but he quickly got used to the feeling. Cal raked the soil to fill the holes after he had placed the seeds. He stepped out of the patch and nodded to himself in satisfaction at his work. He could see the seeds already adsorbing the moisture in the soil. He raised his palm and cast [Rainfall]. He let the spell use all his mana since he knew how thirsty the seeds were. The soil looked muddy when the rain stopped. This amount of cultivated land is still manageable, but it will use too much of my mana if I scale up. An irrigation system will become mandatory soon enough. ¡°Cal! Are you expecting someone?¡± Cal snapped himself out of his thoughts and turned to see Tavia pointing at the tree line. He frowned in confusion since he couldn¡¯t hear anything, but that changed a few seconds later. His eyes widened in surprise as he glanced at Tavia. Her hearing shouldn¡¯t be better than his because he is at a higher [Tier] rank. Maybe being a talented [Mage] brings benefits I¡¯m not aware of. ¡°It¡¯s a single cart!¡± Tavia yelled from across the field when he didn¡¯t reply. Cal¡¯s eyes flashed in anticipation. ¡°It¡¯s my fertilizer supplier!¡± Tavia froze before glancing between the rake he held, the seeds he had just planted, and the satisfied expression of his face. She hid her face as her shoulders shook silently before waving him off and returning to her practice. Cal felt he should be offended, but he knew that Tavia was still imagining the overly-pompous Trainee wearing immaculate robes to what he looked like now. He would laugh too. He saw Drex¡¯s cart appear at the tree line just as Tavia chose to create another wall of fire. Drex released a startled yell as he fought to settle his terrified beasts of burden. Cal was about to yell for Tavia to stop when the wall of fire suddenly disappeared. ¡°Sorry! That was bad timing!¡± Tavia looked sheepish as she waved her hand. He raised an eyebrow, not believing that to be an accident when she had such good hearing, but let it go. Drex had regained control, so there was no harm in the end. Cal waited for the cart to be near before asking, ¡°No loam?¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Drex said with a grunt as he jumped down. ¡°Who¡¯s the Initiate?¡± ¡°Her name¡¯s Tavia,¡± Cal looked to see any recognition on Drex¡¯s face. There wasn¡¯t. ¡°Well, tell her to avoid spooking the animals. It would be a disaster if I brought the convoy with supplies.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Cal nodded as he glanced at Tavia curiously. She wasn¡¯t subtle in hiding that she was paying attention. ¡°So, these are the crops.¡± Drex finally paid attention to the Sunfire Grains Cal had planted several days ago. He rubbed his eyes as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he saw before confirming it with a second look. ¡°These look like they¡¯ve been planted for over a month!¡± Cal shrugged when he was stared at with a feverish gaze. ¡°They¡¯ll probably grow at the same pace. Maybe I should learn about how to harvest them.¡± Drex immediately nodded before looking greedily around the rest of the field. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want any help?¡± This look makes his connection with Nismus more believable. ¡°We can discuss that in the future, but let¡¯s focus on the crops for now.¡± Cal had previously refused to take any help with farming, but that was when clearing the field gave him significant [Tier] growth. It would be time to offload that task when it could be better spent on something else. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that promise,¡± Drex¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Chapter 60 - Progress on Multiple Fronts ¡°Wait, before that, how much of the powdered crystals have you used?¡± ¡°I used some tubs, but almost all are still in my storage room.¡± Cal wondered what Drex would say if he knew Nibbles ate more powdered crystals than was used for the soil. Drex winced at the answer. ¡°I forgot I already asked you that. I still don''t know how you¡¯re getting so lucky, but at least I won¡¯t need to order more. You¡¯ll need to reapply the powdered crystals after each harvest to maintain the soil.¡± Cal raised an eyebrow. He would need to understand how to harvest these things first. ¡°Right. Anyway. Harvesting,¡± Drex said with a clear of his throat. ¡°Sunfire Grains are a little annoying to harvest compared to other crops. You¡¯ll need to remove the entire plant, roots and all.¡± ¡°You mean I have to just pull it out?¡± Cal would love that to be the case. ¡°Pull? I doubt any normal human can pull these crops. The most common way is to loosen the soil around the plant. If you want to directly pull them out, you¡¯ll need to hire other Initiates¡ª¡± Drex cut himself off. ¡°By ¡®you,¡¯ do you mean that you plan to harvest this without help?¡± ¡°Well, yes. I¡¯m not sure why you thought otherwise. I did start all this by myself, and I did fine.¡± Drex looked amused for some reason.¡°Are you sure? What if I told you I could waive the cost of the seeds in return for a share of the profit? I¡¯ll throw in the labor needed for free.¡± I would have taken this if the Overseer hadn¡¯t made a deal with me for my tools. Now, I¡¯m curious about how Drex can afford to front this much money. Maybe it¡¯s the short harvest time that made it feasible. ¡°That¡¯s a generous offer, but again, no,¡± Cal refused with no room for negotiation. Disappointment was visible on Drex¡¯s face, and it looked like he was about to argue his case. Cal didn¡¯t let him. ¡°There might be a time in the future when I¡¯ll accept help, but that¡¯s not necessary for the tiny amount of land I cultivate right now.¡± It was obvious that Drex still wanted to try to change his mind. At this point, Cal was losing his patience. He could accept only so much persistence before his temper exploded. After what happened with Tarn, he was wary of that happening and wanted to head it off. Especially since he was ruthlessly sadistic in that blind rage. ¡°Drex, I don¡¯t want to deny you for the third time. We have a good repertoire. Let¡¯s not ruin it for something I¡¯m firm on.¡± That finally convinced the man. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re right. I was a little eager with the potential I saw. Remember, you promised to come to me if you needed help.¡± Cal pressed his lips into a thin line out of irritation. It seemed that being overly friendly had its downsides. It gave Drex the gall to try and pressure him into a deal, even if it was informal. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Cal replied flatly. ¡°Is that all I need to do to harvest the Sunfire Grains?¡± Drex looked like he had forgotten he was supposed to impart the harvesting knowledge. ¡°Uh, almost. The Sunfire Grains are terrible for the health of the soil due to their nature of trying to store all the nutrients possible for emergencies, but they are shockingly easy to harvest. After pulling them out, let them dry in the sun for a few days before shipping them to the port. We¡¯ll process them from there for sale.¡± Cal blinked. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Drex confirmed with a nod. ¡°I see. Thank you for taking the time to come here. Especially when the harvest is so simple.¡± Cal¡¯s sarcastic tone wasn¡¯t lost on Drex. ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself, but I thought there would be a need for far more planning than this with the workforce I assumed would be required.¡± Cal stayed silent. There was no benefit to be had in returning to that topic. Unfortunately, Drex had already overstayed his welcome. He pulled out his coin pouch and took out two precious guildmarks and five gold. ¡°This is the payment for the seeds. Do you want the money for the extra supplies now, or should I wait for delivery?¡± Drex instinctively took the offer coins before staring at them in surprise. He recognized that this was a polite way to tell him to leave. ¡°¡­ I can wait till it¡¯s delivered.¡± Cal didn¡¯t want to burn bridges, nor did he want to seem too friendly to Drex. However, this was definitely leaning more toward the former. He had to soften this a bit. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you in a few days when the crops are ready for harvest. And I¡¯ll need frequent deliveries of the fertilizers, but I need some time to figure out how much.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be glad to help!¡± Drex smiled, his dissatisfaction reduced. He still had the sense to not dawdle. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your visit, Initiate Cal.¡± Cal watched Drex leave his field with a blank gaze. When the cart disappeared past the tree line, he let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. ¡°That man is very¡­ business minded.¡± He didn¡¯t react dramatically to Tavia¡¯s voice beside him. He had heard her approach. ¡°That¡¯s a polite way of putting it.¡± The change in attitude I just experienced from Drex makes him fit well with Nismus. However, the latter still seems more sinister in his intentions. I mistakenly treated Drex as a friend because Seris introduced us. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Cal knew that had to change from now. He couldn¡¯t be too closely associated with someone he suspected to be working with Nismus. Especially since he made the equipment supply deal with the Overseer. ¡°Why not speak to someone else? He can¡¯t be the only one that can get you the things you need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there are others, but I don¡¯t think it reached that point yet. This was only his first misstep. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Cal left out that he was more concerned about Seris¡¯s reaction. She seemed to have disregarded what happened in Lumina. Either she was pretending everything was fine, or she had somehow missed what he did. It would be best if it was the latter as he assumed. In case it was the former, doing something like cutting off someone relatively close to her was too soon. ¡°Look at you, giving someone a second chance,¡± Tavia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure Tarn wished you were as generous.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cal was stunned. He thought that the whole incident was supposed to be covered up. ¡°No need to pretend, Cal. In fact, I¡¯m glad there¡¯s some of the old you left in there. You acted like a different person since the Selection.¡± That¡¯s what I wanted, but more importantly, how many people know about the incident if someone like Tavia is aware? I didn¡¯t even know she left the house while I was in Lumina. ¡°Who did you hear this from?¡± Cal wondered why this hadn¡¯t been mentioned before. ¡°Some Initiate in Mariner¡¯s Rest.¡± The look Tavia received made her defend herself. ¡°What? I was bored, and that¡¯s the only place which is sort of close.¡± Cal now wondered how it was possible for some random Initiate in a town so far from the city to know what happened. ¡°So¡­ your nonchalance tells me you don¡¯t think I went too far.¡± ¡°Tarn has had worse,¡± Tavia waved her hand to show how little she cared. ¡°At least this time, he deserved the embarrassment. I have to admit you went a little too far when we were Trainees.¡± Embarrassment? ¡°How¡¯s he doing now?¡± Cal was starting to suspect the story she heard wasn¡¯t correct. He had never tried to demolish someone¡¯s mana core as a Trainee. He literally wasn¡¯t capable of it. ¡°It¡¯s not like I talk to him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s trying his best to grovel extra hard to make the little clique he¡¯s with forget how easily you slapped him around.¡± Cal returned the smile Tavia directed at him wanly. The Overseer did as he promised. The rumors of the incident are on the edges of the territory before I even left Lumina. It makes the truth less believable if anyone tries to correct the rumors¡­ for a time. It will eventually get twisted, like all rumors. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot! We should go to the town in a few days. The Initiate I spoke to said there¡¯s a bazaar that¡¯ll last for a week or so.¡± So soon? I thought the bazaar wasn¡¯t a common event. ¡°The last one I went to was fun,¡± Cal said with a nod. ¡°There should be something interesting to browse through.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan!¡± Tavia smiled widely, her eyes narrowing in happiness. ¡°I think I bothered you enough. I¡¯ll let you go back to your¡­ uh, planting.¡± It clicked in his mind as Tavia practically skipped back to her practicing spot. Did she just ask me on a date? Cal¡¯s eyes sharpened as he replayed the conversation. It was an offhanded comment right at the end, and she looked strangely happy with his reply. It could be nothing, but I would be a fool to deny there is a real possibility that this is meant to be a date. He had decided this morning to let things happen as they may. Still, he didn¡¯t think it would be this fast, not that he was complaining. Like Tavia, Cal did the rest of his day¡¯s work with a smile. Unfortunately, the day¡¯s work involved moving a lot of dirt. Even with Cal¡¯s speed, finishing this job quickly was impossible. The combination of uneven terrain, shoveling, pushing the wheelbarrow to the designated pile-up area, and returning meant that this would be an all-day affair. He decided to start on the right side of the field to avoid Tavia¡¯s random flame walls. He made good progress and was nearly done with the side when the interface alerted him to some unfortunate news. [Advanced Shovel] has degraded to Average Quality. Cal frowned as he pulled up the status of his shovel. [Advanced Shovel: Average Quality] Upgrade: 3762/4250 Tasks - Geode Seeker He could easily keep pushing it into the Rare rank, but he felt that was unnecessary. As far as he knew, the rank upgrade of equipment only improves on the trait it already possesses. Of course, this was along with the regular durability increase, but that was a given. Cal didn¡¯t need ¡®Geode Seeker¡¯ to be improved right now. And taking it to the ''Rare'' rank would make it even more challenging to repair than it already was. He still had a slim hope that Orrin would increase his skills rapidly to make it possible. It was the longest of shots, but that still meant there was a chance. He stored the shovel and returned with a brand-new one. It was one of the spares made for him since his other upgraded shovel was with Orrin so he could study it. You have gained [Uncommon Shovel] as equipment. It will be designated as your second alternate. Cal continued to clear the field of all the dug-up ground, this time the back side of his field. It took significantly longer since the distance between the pile and the cleanup area was much further. Still, he didn¡¯t stop until he was required to choose the shovel¡¯s trait after it advanced. Your second alternate equipment [Uncommon Shovel] has been upgraded to [Advanced Shovel]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the [Advanced Shovel]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one Self-Repair - After 24 continuous hours without use, the shovel will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' Efficient Excavation - The shovel''s digging and resource collection speed are 50% faster. It also has a 0.01% chance of unearthing rare minerals or items. He swore that the trait choices seemed familiar but picked as usual. He tapped ¡®Self-Repair¡¯ before continuing his work. Tavia had stopped her practice long ago and had returned to her room. The absence of constant spells being cast and the heat that accompanied it allowed him to fall into a blissful trance. It was approaching darkness when Cal was snapped out of it. The first thing he saw was more messages. Second alternate [Advanced Shovel] has degraded to Good Quality. Your skill [Perfect Match] has increased by 1 level. The first message was expected, but the second was a pleasant surprise. Only the wheelbarrow could contribute since it wasn¡¯t an alternate. He checked the task requirement of one of the Advanced equipment to make sure it had decreased. [Advanced Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 2331/4000 Tasks - Enlarged Bucket It was reduced by two hundred and fifty tasks, just like with the past level increases. Excellent. Cal finished up and returned the equipment to the storage room. He cast [Rainfall] over the planted crops so it could last the night before glancing at the tree line. Seris didn¡¯t visit today¡­ she¡¯s fine. Nibbles is with her. Cal glanced at Tavia¡¯s closed door before heading to bed. He would love it if every day was as satisfying as today. Unfortunately, his dream didn¡¯t get the message. Cal didn¡¯t want to kill Tarn. Yet. He wanted to humiliate him, just like he had been before dying at the hands of that girl.
Complete stat sheet in author note (under spoiler tag) Chapter 61 - Uh-Oh His eyes snapped open. The intense emotions he could feel from the dream woke him up. His mind continued to replay the newly returned memories of what he had done to Tarn. Every action that he had taken against Tarn wasn¡¯t done under blind rage as he had assumed. It was calculated. He had been happier when the memories were lost and was blissfully unaware of his thoughts during the incident. I knew Tarn was no threat to me, so I didn¡¯t kill him instantly. I chose to do something far worse¡­ simply because I could. Cal frowned in distaste at the truth. He left his room and exited the house to get some air. It was still the middle of the night with the sun¡¯s rise hours away. The moonlight did just enough to not make him completely blind to his surroundings. He went directly to the peak of the rocky hill that he considered his sitting spot. It almost sounded silly when he thought of it internally, but he needed to think. And this spot might be the best place for it. Cal took several deep breaths to clear his mind of all other distractions. He needed to figure out the gargantuan issue that had been dropped on his head. He could feel himself sinking into a familiar state. A trance that he often fell under where he was too focused¡ª Cal stiffened and opened his eyes in realization. His mind became the opposite of clear. A trance! I didn¡¯t black out because of anger. Not directly. It led me into an ultra-focused tunnel vision where I acted on autopilot. I thought that only applied when I was farming, but apparently not. Knowing the likely issue didn¡¯t solve it. He had to break that habit as soon as possible. Cal remembered the words Tarn spoke to him. They were unpleasant to hear, and they definitely meant the man-child deserved a swift punch to the face, but nothing more than that. He couldn¡¯t snap into a murderous trance simply because he got too angry. It would potentially cause a disaster he couldn¡¯t return from. At least, I know I can still recognize friends and superiors in that state. I didn¡¯t resist when the Masters intervened. And I remember motioning for Seris to leave. That was just a small comfort. The problem now was figuring out how to break the habit. It wasn¡¯t like he could ask someone to work him up into a rage so he could practice. Cal frowned as he tried to think of a solution. He could do nothing to replicate the exact situation safely, but perhaps something could be done while farming. When he fell into a trance, his usual process was to allow his mind to work on autopilot with zero real thought. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say it was equivalent to meditation for him, but a more productive form of it. He would need to change that. Instead of allowing himself to think of nothing and relax, he needed to be somehow aware of his actions. ¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m not in a trance? What¡¯s the point of that? Cal pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a slow exhale to release his frustration. All he had were suspicions and guesses at the moment. He would need to actually try before he could draw conclusions. It would be ideal if he could somehow harness that rage-induced trance. I didn¡¯t miss that I was aware of the properties of the lightning element in that state. I knew it would work directly on Tarn instead of assuming it was useless after my test on the ground. It looks like shutting out my emotions makes me less of a fool. If I leave aside my murderous instinct, it¡¯s not all bad. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. If he thought that was a good trade-off, something must be wrong with him. Though, if I¡¯m in a fight, it¡¯s an excellent trade-off. Cal shook his head again before closing his eyes. His thoughts were a little messy today. Understandable because of his dream. He let himself relax as his mind started to empty itself of all thoughts. *** Cal felt his face get progressively warmer. It was easy to dismiss at the start, but now it was enough to ruin his peace. His empty-headed peace. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He opened his eyes and immediately narrowed them from the sun shining directly into them. He had somehow spent hours sitting there, but there were no regrets. Not only did the slight disturbance caused by the dream disappear, but it also made him strangely more eager to get to work. Not that he needed it, but any extra motivation was always helpful. ¡°Is that better than sleeping?¡± Cal looked down to see Tavia sitting at the edge of the cultivated plot. She was playing with a metallic ball, rolling it around her fingers while looking at him. He could see the area that touched her skin turn a molten red before quickly cooling the moment it lost contact. ¡°How long have you been there?¡± Cal asked with surprise as he stared intently at her hands. He had no idea how she was doing that. ¡°Not that long,¡± Tavia replied casually before pointing out, ¡°You didn¡¯t answer. Is that really better than sleeping?¡± Cal had to really think about it. Both had a similar result of refreshing him, but that was the only thing they shared. ¡°They can¡¯t be compared. Meditation can¡¯t replace sleep, but it does make me feel better.¡± Tavia tilted her head curiously, considering his words before saying, ¡°Maybe I should join you and see if I like it.¡± Cal nodded slowly. ¡°Maybe you should.¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Tavia promised with a smile before she stood up. ¡°I have some things to take care of at Silverpine so I¡¯ll be gone for the day.¡± Silverpine. A town in the Mystic Woods region on the east side of the territory. Cal just noticed that she wasn¡¯t dressed as comfortably as yesterday. She was back to wearing her usual robes. ¡°Oh! And there will be someone coming to remove the Starlit Marble sometime today.¡± ¡°I thought it was removed yesterday,¡± Cal frowned in confusion. ¡°Nope. You need specialized workers for that, and it wasn''t possible on short notice.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Cal eventually shrugged it off. He didn¡¯t intend to leave the field, so it wasn¡¯t an issue. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, Cal. And try not to make more mountains while I¡¯m gone.¡± Cal chuckled as he watched Tavia head to her carriage and leave the field. She had said that before. In all fairness, the new, hilly piles of rubble happened while she was there yesterday. He looked to his right and saw three new hills formed¡ªtwo that were at full size and one that was shorter. With his field cleared of all the mess, the shorter one wasn¡¯t likely to grow any time soon. I¡¯m already short of supplies to repair the soil. No need to open up more areas before I finish. Cal hopped off the peak and landed where Tavia was previously sitting. He froze on the spot as the thing he kept forgetting to do reappeared in his mind. I should test my physical limits. He turned to look at the hill he jumped from and estimated it was around five times his height, around thirty feet tall. He would have liked to make the hill taller, but it was already inefficient enough to try and make a hill of this size. Cal had to waste time rolling the wheelbarrow up the increasingly larger hill to empty the bucket. Without my self-admittedly strange obsession with making small hills, I would have finished the cleanup hours earlier. He pushed aside a matter he did not wish to change. He wondered what it meant when he didn¡¯t even think that danger was possible when hopping off the thirty-foot pile of rocks. Wait. If I push myself, I can run from Lumina to the Northern Wastes in half an hour. And that was with making sure Seris didn¡¯t fall off my back. That should mean I¡¯m capable of other physical feats. If he could safely land after jumping off a thirty-foot hill, he should be able to jump ten or so feet without issue. He wanted to test this. Cal didn¡¯t hold back. He bent his knees before jumping as hard as he could. ¡°AH!¡± A surprised yell left his lips when he shot off the ground. His eyes were wide as he zipped to a little over the height of the hill at the peak of his jump. Cal¡¯s mouth was open in shock as he descended. Thirty feet. I jumped over thirty feet in the air. He landed on the dirt with a soft grunt, right beside the spot where he jumped. The place had an imprint of his feet. The force of the jump compressed the soft soil under him. Cal didn¡¯t move for a good minute as he thought about why he had these over-the-top physical capabilities. He had taken it for granted since it felt natural to him. He didn¡¯t notice something was wrong until he made himself think about it. It couldn¡¯t be because of [Farmer]. It just wasn¡¯t how that [Class] worked. And the types of [Class] that contributed to physical enhancement were looked down upon. Even a third-rate guild like the Celestial Order wouldn¡¯t bother wasting resources on supporting someone with a class like [Warrior]. The name of the [Class] might sound impressive, but all they ended up being was cannon fodder. A single Master in the Celestial Order could take on a literal army of those without an issue. This physical enhancement doesn¡¯t take away from anything else. I seem to be getting it as a side benefit. So, should I even care about why I have it? The only thing it did so far was help. It did allow him to travel ridiculously fast between different regions of the territory. He calculated the speed he traveled between Lumina and his station since that was when he put in the effort. Lumina is around forty miles away from the field. I was able to cover the distance in half an hour¡­ I can run eighty miles an hour. Faster than a horse. Faster than most beasts. Cal scratched his chin in confusion. The only thing he could do now was set it aside. It didn¡¯t matter if the [Class] he possessed was ¡®Special.¡¯ It still had nothing to relate with [Farmer]¡­ or did it? I feel myself getting slightly stronger when my [Tier] level increases. Though, when I was an Initiate, it was mostly endurance instead of strength. Perhaps that changed when I became an Apprentice. He honestly couldn¡¯t remember since that was the last thing he was paying attention to. It was foolish in hindsight. ¡°Forget it,¡± Cal muttered as cast [Rainfall]. The soil was looking a little too dry for comfort. He already had a plan for the day. He hoped to find the sweet spot between a trance and self-awareness. All he wanted to accomplish today was the hint that it was possible. That would be enough for him to dedicate as long as it took to make it a reality. Chapter 62 - Interlude: The Traveling Protector ¡°You better take the blame! Cal told me to visit every day, and I missed yesterday because of you!¡± Nibbles kept her eyes closed and enjoyed the relaxing ride. The god¡¯s underling was noisy, but she had her uses. Specifically, the top of her head was a comfortable place to nap. ¡°Are you listening to me, Nibbles?!¡± Nibbles ignored the underling¡¯s yapping and let her exhaust herself. She wished she hadn¡¯t left the god¡¯s land a few days ago, but she was forced to go out of fear that the god was still angry. She made the mistake of trying to touch the area near the god¡¯s heart when trying to wake him. The way he glared at her insolence made her mentally pledge to rethink her actions twenty times before approaching the god. Nibbles knew she could blame the underling for telling her to wake the god, but that was just bullying the unfortunate. The underling was stupid. She ran around and entertained the god with her constant noise. Nibbles had to hold herself to a higher standard. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you insisted on staying at the port for so long!¡± Nibbles opened one eye for a moment before returning to her nap. This ¡®port¡¯ concerned her. There was something there that was strong¡ªstronger than anything she sensed besides the god himself. She had searched high and low in hopes of finding the thing that set off alarm bells in her mind, but unfortunately, she had no success. Whatever it was, it had left the port well after it became dark. ¡°Then you insisted on visiting again today! I won¡¯t take you back next time. Not unless you promise Cal that you¡¯ll listen to me.¡± Tsk. Too disrespectful. Nibbles didn¡¯t care for the threat. It wasn¡¯t like she wanted to accompany the underling. She was only doing it as a favor for the god. She could tell that¡ªfor some reason¡ªthe god would like it if she and the underling got along. It was a tough ask. Nibbles was already unhappy that the underling was so casual with the god. She knew the god¡¯s name was Cal, but it felt wrong for someone so weak to say it without care. If the god permitted her to think of him as Cal, that would also be fine. She would accept it graciously and respectfully, unlike this underling who treated it like nothing. Nibbles felt the underling grumble some more before finally quieting down. It finally made the trip back home peaceful. She had a lot of work to do, and this multiple-day trip didn¡¯t help. The tunnel network is almost done, but it will likely take me a day or so to connect all of it to the prime hole. I wonder if I¡¯ll get a reward. This time I¡¯ll ask for three boxes of¡ª Nibbles stiffened and stood upright on the underling¡¯s head. Her ears twitched as she strained them to catch the sound she heard again, her antenna swaying slightly to sense for change in the surroundings. Specifically if there was a beast with significant mana nearby. ¡°Nibbles! Sit down¡ª¡± Nibbles jumped off the underling¡¯s head and stopped her from following with a small push. She ignored the startled cry when the underling fell and rushed into the woods. I sense a beast hovering at the edge of my senses. She zipped around the trees as she swiftly approached the beast. The most surprising thing was that it wasn¡¯t moving. If she could sense the beast, the beast could sense her. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Nibbles felt her fur rising at the possibility of a fight awaiting her. It wasn¡¯t enough to slow her advance. If anything, she ran even faster. Thanks to her antenna, she had a clear image of the beast in her mind. Her opponent was a four-legged beast, and it had the gall to lay down when it knew she was on her way. Nibbles released a ferocious snarl as she jumped into the small clearing that the beast occupied. Take this! She knew she sounded like the most dangerous of apex beasts, so she was shocked when the beast didn¡¯t react like she thought it would. The beast¡ªa wolf¡ªmoved just enough to avoid her super, extremely fatal swipe of her paw. Then, it had the gall to laugh at her. ¡®What¡¯s so funny?!¡¯ Nibbles snarled at the wolf, but it only laughed harder. And it was an ugly laugh that sounded like stuttered growls. ¡®Was that loud squeak supposed to scare me?¡¯ The wolf looked her over lazily and seemed to find her wanting. That infuriated Nibbles. ¡®If I wanted you dead. You wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to talk to me. This is the thanks I get for taking it easy on you?¡¯ The wolf eyed the spot where her attack landed. A large scar on the ground extended several feet until it hit a tree. Even the tree wasn¡¯t enough to negate the force of the attack. The base of its trunk was shredded a quarter-way in. Any deeper, and the tree would have toppled over. ¡®I knew you could dodge it!¡¯ Nibbles denied the obvious without shame. ¡®Then why don¡¯t you try that again?¡¯ The wolf dared her with his teeth bared. When Nibbles did nothing, he said,¡®That¡¯s what I thought. I might be injured, but I don¡¯t allow whelps to disrespect me twice. Leave me be.¡¯ Nibbles faltered as she hesitated on what to do. She didn¡¯t think the beast she would find was severely injured. And even with that disadvantage, he had enough strength to only be slightly weaker than her. With his superior experience, she might win the fight, but it would most likely be a pyrrhic victory. She backed away slightly and wondered how he had gotten injured¡ªan internal injury, at that, since there was nothing showing outwardly. ¡®I can¡¯t leave before you tell me some information.¡¯ ¡®Information?¡¯ The wolf growled. ¡®You¡¯re testing my patience, whelp. I am not so attached to my life that I hesitate¡ª¡¯ ¡®I serve the god that¡¯s repairing the dead land!¡¯ Nibbles interrupted him before any drastic actions were taken. This should make the wolf treat her with more levity. The wolf let out his ugly laugh again. ¡®You mean the human with mana? That¡¯s no god. Is that what you were told?¡¯ Nibbles rolled her eyes. Once she went to the town with the underling, she understood what humans were. The god might be a human, but he was still a god. ¡®I live with him on his land. You don¡¯t see what he¡¯s doing. I do. Trust me when I say he¡¯s not just a human.¡¯ The wolf stared silently before huffing in frustration. ¡®Fine. If this gets you to leave me in peace. I¡¯ll answer your questions.¡¯ ¡®Are you part of that pack that tried to steal from the god¡¯s land?¡¯ This was her biggest concern. If a wolf like this was part of the pack, then it could spell trouble for the god. ¡®Do you see any other wolves around me?¡¯ The wolf was shifty as it answered the question with a question. When Nibbles didn¡¯t break her stare, he gave in. ¡®I don¡¯t want to see those weaklings unless I have to. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re still running around trying to scavenge for food.¡¯ ¡®So you¡¯re going to rejoin the pack when you get desperate?¡¯ Nibbles asked sharply with a glare. The glare got even stronger when the wolf did its ugly laugh. ¡®Don¡¯t try to act tough, whelp. You don¡¯t have the look for it. And no, I won¡¯t join. In fact, stop referring to it as a pack. That word is disgusting to my species.¡¯ ¡®Oh.¡¯ Nibbles was now certain this was a crazy wolf. Then again, this might be why the wolf wasn¡¯t part of the pack in the previous attempts at stealing from the god. ¡®Anything else? Or can I go back to my rest?¡¯ Nibbles stared at him and thought it over. She didn¡¯t think she could get much useful information from a crazy wolf. Other than one thing. ¡®How did you get injured?¡¯ The wolf¡¯s instant reaction was to snarl with rage. Nibbles wasn¡¯t impressed. Yes, it was true that she wouldn¡¯t be able to beat him easily, but that didn¡¯t mean she was in danger as long as her goal was to escape. It took well over a minute for the wolf to calm itself and reply, ¡®Humans.¡¯ Nibbles blinked in surprise before slowly nodding. It made a lot of sense. There shouldn¡¯t be many beasts that could injure the wolf, but she could believe there were plenty of humans that could. The god¡¯s mate was one of them. ¡®You¡¯re not going to bother the god, right?¡¯ The wolf huffed again before lying down. ¡®No. Now go away.¡¯ Nibbles thought it over before deciding that was the best choice. There was nothing she could do here without hurting herself. It would be better to be safe and report to the god. She nodded at the wolf before leaving. She took a last glance at the wolf before he was out of her sight. He shuddered in relief before closing his eyes. Nibbles smirked in satisfaction and rushed back to the underling. I knew he was scared! Chapter 63 - Small So much for not making a mess, at least I have two more pickaxes ready to hand over to the Overseer for next month. Cal tried using equipment other than the pickaxe, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as effective. His field had no necessary work left, so anything he tried there would be purely to experiment with his trance state. The simple fact that the work was unnecessary made it nearly impossible to enter the trance state. Every action he took was accompanied by a thought about how pointless it was. So, to solve that issue, he decided to expand the size of his field by digging up more of the surface around its boundaries. The right side of the field was blocked by small hills of rocks and debris, and the bottom bordered the path into the field, so the top was chosen as the side to expand. Cal let the pickaxe rest on his shoulder as he considered giving up for the day. He felt like he was making zero progress, and the building frustration was making it harder to fall into the trance state with every failed try. He looked around and took in his surroundings. He had dug up close to half an acre. If this can¡¯t help me today, another try will do nothing but annoy me further. Cal went to his storage room and glanced at his interface, noting the two additional pickaxes he had added to his alternates. [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 1125/4000 Tasks (Alternate) - Self-Repair [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 678/4000 Tasks (Second alternate) - Self-Repair He put them up on the racks and knew they wouldn¡¯t be touched again. At least he wouldn¡¯t touch them until he needed to hand them over to the Overseer. Cal left the storage room and stretched. Most of the day had been spent unsuccessfully trying to modify the trance state. He could even use the word ¡®wasted,¡¯ but that wouldn¡¯t be entirely correct. He still hadn¡¯t given up and would try again soon. He would keep trying until he genuinely felt like it had no hope. It was too important of a matter to give up after a minor setback. He was about to water the overly thirsty crops¡ªas had become his habit every six hours¡ªbut he froze when he was halfway to his cultivated land. He pulled up his interface. [Harvest Guardian] - Summon a golem made of earth and stone to assist you. This golem can help with heavy lifting, protect your fields from intruders, and fight alongside you in battles. Duration of the trait is until destruction. Limited to 1 active golem. This was a perfect time to test the [Trait]. If he could make a golem that could water the crops at an assigned interval, it would be one tedious task he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about. At least, it would be useful until he had a reliable irrigation system in place. Cal reached out with an open palm pointing to the ground and activated [Harvest Guardian]. Unable to activate [Harvest Guardian]. Insufficient material in the immediate surroundings. ¡­ Or tried to activate [Harvest Guardian]. He moved to stand next to one of the many piles of rock¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t his meditation pile of rock¡ªand tried again. [Harvest Guardian] activated. Cal sucked in a deep breath when his mana core was emptied out in one massive pull. His mana sank into the pile of rocks before the small area it covered rumbled. The rocks shifted slightly before a few were dislodged and rolled to the base. He took a large step back. He didn¡¯t want to be in the way of the golem that would soon make its appearance. Several more rocks shifted and rolled down the pile before it looked like a small sinkhole formed where his mana sank into the pile. The affected rocks melted together as they coalesced to form a small, misshapen blob that pulsed lightly. This golem is forming without an elemental affinity. Do you wish to use your essential mana reserves to apply one of your affinities to this golem? WARNING Dipping into your essential mana reserves will make you unable to use mana for a variable period of time. The length is determined by how much of the reserve you deplete. Cal instinctively denied the option. Proceeding without the use of essential mana reserves. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He didn¡¯t decide to reject it on purpose, but it wouldn¡¯t have changed even if he put some thought toward it. Essential mana reserves were only meant to be touched when no other options were left. It was what he used to detonate himself in his first life. Using it for something as trivial as casting a better spell was near-revolting to him. ¡­ Wait. This is the same penalty that [Mist Walker] carries. Cal stared blankly at the slowly forming golem as he slowly accepted that fact. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing. In fact, it might have made him an unintended genius. This means the penalty will disappear when my mana capacity is large enough to handle the casting without dipping into my essential reserves. A smile unknowingly formed on his lips, one that died quickly when his attention was back on the golem. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Cal asked out loud in shock as if someone would answer him. He didn¡¯t put much importance on the formation of the golem. It would be in the basic form with vaguely discernible limbs and extremities, which was no surprise. The true worth of the golem would come only when he tested the commands that it could be issued. Of course, this was Cal¡¯s assumption. As has become common recently, his assumption was hilariously wrong. The golem that stood before him wasn¡¯t the seven-foot-tall, dull-grey behemoth that he expected. It barely reached his hips, standing no taller than three feet in height. It looks like a toy. Cal stared at it awkwardly and wondered what use the golem could be, even if it was intelligent. The only plus he could see about this was the mana cost to maintain it, which was none. Somehow the golem was self-sustaining. ¡°Can you understand me?¡± To his surprise, the golem nodded its head slowly. That brought his hopes up. ¡°What type of commands can you recognize?¡± Cal knew that was a dumb question to ask the moment it left his lips. The golem staring at him with its roughly humanoid face without a reaction proved it. ¡°Let¡¯s try something vague. Water these crops.¡± He was pointing to the near-dry soil closely He had an idea of how it would do this in his mind. To Cal¡¯s surprise, the golem actually moved. It was horribly slow, but that didn¡¯t matter much with the task it was given. He was more curious to see it complete his command. The golem slowly made its way to the storage room and retrieved one of the tubs Cal had been using to make the powdered crystal slurry. He waited for it to scoop as much water as it could from the pond before carrying the partially filled tub of water to the cultivated soil. ¡°Empty the tub back into the pond and return it to the storage room.¡± Cal had seen enough to know its capabilities. It did exactly as he imagined while he gave the command. I hit the jackpot. All the work the golem does for me should still count toward my [Tier] growth, though I need to confirm it. I need to get Orrin to make correctly sized tools for it to be effective. ¡°Fascinating.¡± Cal¡¯s hand shot out, fingers curling into a claw, ready to subdue the unexpected person who spoke beside him. He barely stopped in time the he realized that he was looking into an amused Overseer¡¯s eyes. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not Tarn, Apprentice Cal,¡± the Overseer chuckled at the menacing look pointed towards him. Cal blinked before he backed away sheepishly. ¡°That was instinctive. I must still be on edge after what happened at the Great Market.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± the Overseer sounded like he couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°Since when were you able to create a golem?¡± ¡­ I intended to hide it from the Overseer for as long as I could. So much for that. ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but did you not absorb the earth simulacrum yesterday?¡± The Overseer added when Cal didn¡¯t respond for a few seconds. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s true,¡± Cal nodded slowly. The Overseer might seem like he knows all of his secrets, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to reveal everything¡ª ¡°This wouldn¡¯t happen to be something similar to your lightning attack, would it?¡± Cal gave up. ¡°You seem to know more about what I can do than I do myself.¡± ¡°Then you just aren¡¯t being observant enough,¡± the Overseer waved him off. ¡°You are an interesting puzzle, Apprentice Cal. One that I find myself enjoy solving.¡± That doesn¡¯t sound great. ¡°I¡¯m happy to be of service,¡± Cal said dryly before trying to move the subject to something else. Anything else. ¡°What brings the Overseer all the way here?¡± ¡°There might be an issue that you should be aware of. It just so happens that the grandson of an Elder was slightly ruffled during your incident with Tarn. So far, the Initiate is choosing to keep the story to himself as he was told to do so, but I find these types of guild members to be temperamental.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t prepared for that. It was the last thing he thought the Overseer would say to his attempt to redirect the topic. ¡°Since you felt the need to come all the way here, can I assume my anonymity could be broken at any time?¡± ¡°Traveling anywhere inside the guild¡¯s territory isn¡¯t as difficult as you make it seem, but you¡¯re not wrong.¡± Cal frowned as he tried to recall the Initiates who accompanied Tarn. Unfortunately, their faces were blank slates since he barely paid them any attention. The Overseer didn¡¯t let him think of them for long. ¡°The genuine reason I visited is to discuss the booklet I gave you. Did you have time to look through it?¡± He almost felt embarrassed that [Mage] was his choice after he asked the Overseer for all this information. ¡°Thank you for taking the time to personally write out the information in such¡ª¡± ¡°You want to choose Mage, don¡¯t you,¡± the Overseer interrupted with a laugh. ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not disappointed that you aren¡¯t interested in Rune Scribe, but that path definitely isn¡¯t for everyone. Would you like to get this done now?¡± The Overseer almost looked more eager than Cal himself. ¡°I thought I needed to wait a month after the Selection for a retry.¡± ¡°Usually, yes,¡± the Overseer confirmed, ¡°but since you¡¯re choosing to keep your presence quiet, using the main activation pillar is foolish. That would broadcast your assignment with how flashy that thing is.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He didn¡¯t expect to get his second [Class] until a few weeks later. ¡°I¡¯d love to get it done now, but I have a question before we leave.¡± The Overseer motioned for him to ask. ¡°Is there a storage pouch that¡¯s larger on the inside? I want to carry my tools everywhere, but it¡¯s unwieldily with the number I possess.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not sure why you felt the need to ask that before we left, but yes. The options are endless and come in multiple forms. The more expensive they are, the greater they usually hold in their space.¡± ¡­ I change my mind. Again. Out of the rewards the Laws of the World gave me, [Pocket Dimension] definitely was the trap. ¡°Apprentice Cal? Are you alright?¡± The Overseer stepped closer with a frown. Cal realized that he had turned pale. Paler than he usually was. He had almost made a massive mistake he would have regretted dearly. ¡°Sorry, I was thinking of the cost of the storage item,¡± Cal lied easily. ¡°Hm, that is indeed out of your reach at the moment. But you should be able to save the twenty guildmarks needed soon enough,¡± the Overseer was losing his patience. ¡°Shall we leave for your second Selection?¡± Cal nodded quickly and followed the Overseer out of the field. He discreetly selected the reward on the way out. You have chosen [Secondary Title]. You are now eligible for a secondary Selection. Chapter 64 - [Mage] ¡°Not that I¡¯m in a rush, but when will the carriage arrive?¡± Cal expected some sort of transportation to be waiting for them, but there was nothing of the sort. He couldn¡¯t see the Overseer running around to travel through the territory, hence the assumption about the carriage. ¡°Who said anything about a carriage?¡± The Overseer apparently enjoyed being unnecessarily cryptic. I should have learned by now that my assumptions are too often wrong. Cal shifted as they waited in silence. It hadn¡¯t been longer than a few seconds in total, but when the Overseer was his waiting companion, even a few seconds felt too long. ¡°So, are we going to the training grounds for this?¡± Cal honestly didn¡¯t care where they went. He just wanted to fill the silence. ¡°No. There is nothing usable there at the moment. We¡¯ll be going to the Central Sanctum.¡± ¡°The core guild?¡± He asked with surprise. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that defeat the purpose of me staying beneath the guild¡¯s notice?:¡± The Overseer glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t get confused about the extent of your secrecy. The ones that need to know in the Celestial Order are aware of your developments, so there¡¯s no reason to fear getting close to the Celestial Sanctum as long as you don¡¯t draw the attention of the Masters.¡± ¡­ Just when I thought I had a handle on the Overseer, it is proven wrong when he releases som new information. ¡°Since the Masters and the Elder Council are unaware, I¡¯m guessing the guildmaster knows of me?¡± Cal couldn¡¯t think of another possibility. After all, the incident in the Great Market was suppressed to avoid letting the council know. The only issue was that the guildmaster was a¡­ dumbass. There was no other way to put it politely. Cal had only seen him a couple times from a distance in his previous life, but he was almost certain the man was the main cause of the Celestial Order¡¯s downfall. The Overseer¡ªnow known for being cryptic¡ªhummed noncommittally. Cal didn¡¯t get the chance to probe the matter further. The ground started to glow softly before an unfamiliar runic circle appeared. It was large enough to comfortably fit up to three people within its borders. ¡°Let¡¯s not delay any further, Apprentice Cal,¡± the Overseer had already stepped inside the circle and motioned for him to do the same. Cal switched between eyeing the runic circle and the Overseer. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out what the runic circle was for, but he was having a difficult time accepting someone in the Celestial Order was capable of it. ¡°This is going to take us to the Central Sanctum?¡± Cal didn¡¯t try to hide the doubt he felt. ¡°As I mentioned, it¡¯s not an issue for me to travel inside the guild¡¯s territory. I commissioned this circle when I realized the Northern Wastes would become a place I must visit frequently. It¡¯s unfortunate that it is so weak, but we must accept what we can possess.¡± Is this a nudge for me to choose [Rune Scribe]? It won¡¯t work. Cal didn¡¯t respond to what the Overseer said, but he did step into the circle. It immediately lit up and flashed a bright white. It was almost shocking how seamless the whole process was. One moment, Cal was staring at a dirt path with trees on both sides; the next, he was staring at the sprawling city that was informally called the core guild. ¡°Follow.¡± Cal turned in surprise when the Overseer didn¡¯t go towards the core guild. He was walking in the opposite direction. ¡°Er, the core guild is that way,¡± Cal had to comment even though it felt redundant. ¡°Do you want to reveal yourself?¡± The Overseer¡¯s reply was rhetorical and directly contradicted what he said less than a minute ago. ¡­ The Overseer said I shouldn¡¯t fear getting close to the Central Sanctum. Not the core guild. So, the man is fond of misdirection in addition to being cryptic. Cal followed the Overseer silently before stopping where the land rapidly sloped down into a cliff. There was a deep pit where he could see several golems with massive proportions mining the land. The pit was filled with deposits of purple rock, which were clawed out of the ground by the golems. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°That color looks familiar,¡± Cal muttered as he pulled out a guildmark. The coin had the same shade of purple and the rock being mined below. ¡°Good eye, Apprentice Cal. This is the mine that contributes a large portion of the income of the Celestial Order.¡± He stared down at the mine with a bewildered expression. It was nice to know, but he wasn¡¯t sure why he was being shown this. ¡°In addition to that, this is the only place in the guild¡¯s territory that has enough ambient mana for a Class to be assigned. I think you can survive a jump of this height. It¡¯s a crude way to get down there, but the mines weren¡¯t made with human sensibilities in mind. Follow.¡± Cal flinched when the Overseer jumped off the edge and plummeted down to the pit. It had to be hundreds of feet deep, and while the Overseer might be casual with this type of jump, he certainly wasn¡¯t. But there is no other way down. He watched the Overseer land in the pit. A small amount of purple dust kicked up from the impact. ¡°Well, if he can do it, so can I¡­ probably,¡± Cal said to himself. He still wasn¡¯t going to jump straight down. It would be much safer if he used the ridged walls as pseudo-steps. He plotted the path down and jumped. Cal grunted when he landed on the first ¡®step¡¯ over fifty feet deep. It was a little uncomfortable, but nothing that could be dangerous to him, so he decided that was the depth he could jump at a time. A few more ¡®steps¡¯ and he was standing next to the Overseer. ¡°I suppose that is a smarter way to descend into the pit,¡± the Overseer¡¯s voice was barely heard over the deafening sound of the the golems mining. Cal had underestimated the massiveness of these hulking figures. Each were twenty feet in height and had a brownish-black tint instead of the neutral grey that his own tiny golem had. This tint might signify the earth element, which made sense in a mine. ¡°Golems! Halt your movement!¡± The Overseer commanded in a loud voice. The deafening noise instantly ceased to exist. ¡°Apprentice Cal, you have ten minutes before the work stoppage will be noticed. That should be plenty of time to get your Class.¡± Cal looked around the pit and wondered how to get started. ¡°Is there something like an activation pillar here?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t necessary. The activation pillar is fueled by what is mined here. You should be able to select your Class simply by standing here. However, this is just my guess since the guild isn¡¯t in the habit of letting members into the mines.¡± He frowned as he tried to devise a plan. The blocky purple rocks could stand in for the activation pillar, so that route could be chosen. ¡°Nine minutes left, Apprentice Cal.¡± Cal immediately took action. A minute had already been wasted, and it would have been better to try his ideas when they appeared in his mind instead of wondering which was the best way. He placed his palm on an exceptionally wide, misshapen, ten-foot-tall purple rock and released his mana from his mana core. The moment a wisp of mana left his body, it felt like he was connected to something far more significant than himself. You are attempting to activate a Selection. Your [Class] has a (Special) designation. It is not eligible to be overwritten. Secondary [Class] slot detected. You are eligible to select a [Class] that this area can assign. Name the [Class] you wish to have as your secondary. Cal stared at the last line in the interface. This was nothing that was worth hiding. ¡°It says that I can choose a Class that this ¡®area¡¯ can assign. What does it mean by that?¡± ¡°There are some requirements a guild needs to have to be able to assign some of the more obscure Classes. It¡¯s usually an unnecessary luxury, so the resources that would have been gone towards that are better spent elsewhere.¡± He nodded as he wondered what those requirements were. ¡°Before I choose, Mage is my best option here, right?¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s the best. Rune Scribe is far better, in my opinion.¡± The Overseer¡¯s overly genuine expression didn¡¯t convince Cal. ¡°I choose Mage.¡± He ignored how the Overseer let out a small sigh. [Mage] selected. WARNING [Mage] is a principal [Class]. This cannot be overwritten in the future and will be permanent once selected. Are you sure this is the secondary [Class] you want to select? Cal didn¡¯t dawdle and confirmed it. [Mage] has been applied as your secondary [Class]. He didn¡¯t feel much change within him. In fact, the little that he thought was ¡®change¡¯ could be an illusion since he was looking for it. It made sense when he saw his interface. Name: Cal Maddox Primary Class: Farmer (Special) Primary Tier: Apprentice 5 Secondary Class: Mage Secondary Tier: Initiate 1 Elemental Affinity: Lightning (None) Water (High) Earth (High) [Mage] had a separate advancement [Tier], and it was at the lowest rank and level possible. The natural benefits that [Farmer] provided far outstripped what [Mage] could currently offer. Cal¡¯s expectation of a larger capacity mana core was gone for now, but it was still something he looked forward to in the near future. Unfortunately, the other disappointment didn¡¯t look like it would change. He still had no affinity for lightning, and it seemed like it would stay that way unless he went to extreme lengths and spent far too much time in an attempt to raise the affinity. It wasn''t worth it. ¡°Finished?¡± Cal was brought out of his thoughts and saw the Overseer staring at him curiously. He nodded and said, ¡°It was far simpler than I assumed. Almost anticlimactic.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± the Overseer narrowed his eyes before tilting his head curiously. ¡°I find it interesting that Mage has been suppressed this intensely. I honestly thought the opposite would happen. If I didn¡¯t study you closely, I would assume you were just a Farmer. A strong one, no doubt, but still just a Farmer.¡± ¡°All I¡¯m hearing is that I can still hide effectively.¡± The Overseer rolled his eyes in exasperation. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s the first thing you think of. It isn¡¯t nearly¡ª¡± He snapped his head to look up. Cal tried to follow his gaze but saw nothing worth the intense worry the man had in his eyes. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ It seems that I miscalculated. Be prepared to meet the guildmaster, Apprentice Cal.¡± Chapter 65 - Changes They left the pit as soon as the Overseer commanded the golems to restart their mining. And that had been minutes ago. Cal found it hard not to notice how nervous the Overseer was. The man¡¯s personality had changed drastically from the time he was overlooking the Trainees only a few weeks ago, but that could easily be excused as a result of the change in position. But even with that drastic personality change, the Overseer had never looked nervous. If anything, overconfidence was a far better description. Are my memories so tainted that I mistakenly labeled the guildmaster a fool? It wouldn¡¯t be shocking for the destruction of the guild to completely tank my perception of him¡­ but I doubt it. ¡°Should I be here for this?¡± Cal asked when the Overseer looked increasingly nervous. ¡°The guildmaster already knows of your presence. There¡¯s no point in running.¡± Then why do you look like you¡¯re about to flee? Cal didn¡¯t speak further and waited patiently, trying his best to not let the Overseer¡¯s nerves spread to him. It wasn¡¯t even a minute later when a man seemingly dropped out of the sky with the softest landing he had ever seen. Even a mortal simply jumping up and down would have made more noise. But that was the last thing on Cal¡¯s mind. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the man the Overseer claimed was the guildmaster. The ¡®guildmaster¡¯ appeared a decade older than Cal, with weathered, suntanned skin and jet-black hair. His piercing blue eyes held a commanding gaze as he looked down at them, his towering frame standing well over six feet tall. In no world would Cal dare to call this man a dumbass. This really is the guildmaster¡­ but he looks thirty years younger from my memories. I first saw him a year after I joined the core guild in my past life. Something must have changed him in that time. Cal resisted the urge to reach for the rock in his inner pocket. It was the first thing he suspected, and the first thing he would do after getting back to the field was keep it away from him. ¡°You ignored my order, Marek. I didn¡¯t expect that from you, of all people.¡± The guildmaster¡¯s strong voice was another thing that Cal was surprised by. It certainly fits his image, but in his memories, the man had a wheezing, manic tone whenever he made a speech. ¡°It was for the correct reasons, guildmaster,¡± the Overseer¡ªMarek¡ª was on one knee with his head bent slightly. Cal stared at the subservience with wide eyes. All his suspicions about the Overseer were thrown into disarray once again. The guild never demanded such formalities. When the guildmaster looked at him, he almost buckled his knees to join the Overseer. Almost. At least I know the Overseer¡¯s name now. Marek. ¡°Yes, the Farmer. You have gone to great lengths to support him. I allowed it, but that was on the condition you didn¡¯t overreach and disturb other functions of the guild.¡± Cal felt like an unnecessary bystander in this situation, and he wished to keep it that way. Whatever happened to the guildmaster in the future was irrelevant. The man didn¡¯t seem to be one that was to be trifled with. ¡°Apprentice Cal was eligible to get a second Class¡ª¡± ¡°Marek,¡± the guildmaster interrupted with a growl, ¡°one guild member isn¡¯t enough¡ª¡± he took a deep breath and seemed to release his anger. With a steady tone, he continued, ¡°You halted the mining operation for this little jaunt. It¡¯ll cost the guild dearly until the golems recover their efficiency. Return and face your consequences with the council.¡± ¡°Yes, guildmaster. I¡¯ll return Apprentice Cal to his¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that.¡± The guildmaster seemed to be in a mood to cut off Overseer Marek. With a reassuring look at Cal, Marek took his leave. I have never seen anyone in the hierarchy berate someone like this. It diminishes the position far too much. So why would the guildmaster do this in front of me? ¡°None of that was meant as a slight to you, Apprentice Cal.¡± Cal shifted as he nodded slightly. He wasn¡¯t sure what his plan of action should be. For some reason, he felt that this whole trip was designed for him to see the guildmaster. But that was only his gut feeling and had nothing to do with logic. ¡°Overseer Marek tells me that you wish to stay out of the core guild at this time,¡± the guildmaster sharp gaze seemed to be trying to dig out his thoughts. Cal cleared his throat. ¡°I have been making good progress at my current station. I didn¡¯t want to change that for an unfamiliar environment.¡± The guildmaster studied him for a few seconds before shaking his head. ¡°A reasonable point of view, but we both know that isn¡¯t the case. You are trying to distance yourself from the Celestial Order.¡± There was nothing ambiguous about what the guildmaster was saying. Cal was being told that this wasn¡¯t acceptable. He would still try and deny it. ¡°That isn¡¯t my intention, guildmaster. I might be distancing myself from the core guild but not the guild itself. I find myself thriving away from regular contact with other guild members. I¡¯m not sure why, but I figured it¡¯s best not to question such a good thing.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The guildmaster didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Overseer Marek sees something in you, Apprentice Cal. Be mindful to not disappoint him. There are limits to what he can offer you since you still haven¡¯t shown loyalty to the guild.¡± Cal was about to refute that but didn¡¯t get the chance. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to join the core guild, that¡¯s understandable. However, you must reveal yourself to the Elder Council by the end of next month. I sincerely hope you¡¯ll tell me you¡¯re ready¡­ and soon.¡± Cal felt a chill take over his body when it felt like an invisible weight was pushing him down. It suddenly made sense why Overseer Marek was on one knee. Thankfully, the weight disappeared when the guildmaster looked away at something behind him. ¡°The Celestial Order can be your greatest ally, Apprentice Cal. Overseer Marek wants that to be the case, and so do I. We will revisit this next month.¡± The guildmaster waved his hand, and Cal flinched when the surroundings changed. The guildmaster was gone, and so was the mine behind him. He was back on the path that led into the Northern Wastes. Cal watched the runic circle disappear and thought about what had just happened. Unfortunately for the guildmaster, his little show didn¡¯t work in the direction he probably hoped. I have to be ready to leave the guild within a month. The guildmaster¡¯s ultimatum gives me no other option. *** Cal cast [Rainfall] over the dangerously dry crops¡ªwhich he had forgotten to water before leaving with the Overseer. He watched Miren¡¯s workers busy themselves in the house. They were waiting for him when he returned. The Starlit Marble was removed piece by piece before being replaced with ordinary stone. This time, Miren had come in person to oversee the process. This is a good time to ask about the test results, though their importance has diminished. It¡¯s not likely I¡¯ll stay here in the long term for it to matter. Cal turned his attention to the crops and sighed in resignation. The encounter with the guildmaster completely soured him on his desire to make this place his home. He had been happy to stay while keeping the guild at arms length, especially since there was a chance that the guild might not face a disastrous attack. Still, being part of the guild in a capacity the guildmaster was mandating would pull him back into a situation he despised. Cal didn¡¯t intended to spend his second chance under the heel of others. H narrowed his eyes in anger before he slowly exhaled to calm himself. The rain came to a stop as the crops were well-hydrated. Your [Secondary Tier] has increased by 2 levels. Secondary Class: Mage Secondary Tier: Initiate 3 Cal glanced at the interface as he felt his mana becoming more¡­ dense. His mana capacity hadn¡¯t changed, but every spell would require less mana to cast. I had forgotten how much denser my mana was as a [Mage]. He was satisfied with the unexpected surprise. Any advantage would be of help since he would need to supercharge his advancement in the next month. ¡°Initiate Cal! Madam Miren wants to ask you a question!¡± Torin called out from the carriage Miren occupied. Cal walked over after giving his crops a look. The first set would be ready for harvest soon. ¡°What is it?¡± Cal saw Miren poking at his golem curiously. ¡°Madam Miren would like to buy your golem,¡± Torin said with a respectful tone. ¡°Please name your price.¡± Cal¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. The golem wasn¡¯t anything special. In fact, it could be considered subpar for someone with the wealth he assumed Miren possessed. ¡°I¡¯m not shameless enough to sell you this golem, Miren.¡± Miren whispered into Torin¡¯s ear to relay her reply, which the man gave. ¡°Madam Miren likes the small size of your golem. She will be happy to offer you a pick of a golem you find in the markets.¡± Cal scratched his nonexistent beard as he thought about the offer. He couldn¡¯t sell the golem since he needed it for farming. Other golems wouldn¡¯t help contribute to his [Tier] growth since it wasn¡¯t formed by his mana, so that wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°I won¡¯t sell it, but how about I lend it to you for a day or two?¡± Cal didn¡¯t think he could get much for such a short ¡®rent,¡¯ but it was better than nothing. It would take Orrin a few days to be able to make the tools for the golem anyway. Miren looked visibly disappointed but still nodded in acceptance before whispering in Torin¡¯s ear again. ¡°Madam Miren would like to design replica models of your golem to sell. With your permission, of course.¡± Cal blinked in confusion before narrowing his eyes at the tiny golem. He couldn¡¯t see why it was worth trying to replicate. It looked like a bog-standard golem to him. He shrugged after a few seconds. ¡°Do as you will. But I do have a request in return.¡± Miren nodded, having expected one. ¡°I¡¯d like help in making stone paths on the field.¡± The request made both Miren and Torin frown. Cal assumed this was too much to ask, as he had thought. He was ready to pay for the service if needed. Anything to maintain the view that he wouldn¡¯t leave the Northern Wastes. Torin nodded as Miren whispered in his ear. ¡°Madam Miren wants to warn that there is a large chance that the odd nature of the Northern Wastes will destroy any stone paths. You must ensure the built paths are doused with your mana regularly to prevent it.¡± Cal hadn¡¯t thought of that issue, but it wasn¡¯t something that he was too concerned about. He naturally kept his field supplied with mana as he worked on it. As for what would happen if he had to leave, that wasn¡¯t his concern. ¡°Understood,¡± Cal nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t hold you responsible for any mishaps after the construction.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Torin smiled. ¡°We have a deal, Initiate Cal.¡± Miren immediately tried to lift the golem into the carriage and failed miserably. It was far too heavy. ¡°Follow Miren¡¯s commands,¡± Cal ordered when the girl looked at him for help. After a moment, he added, ¡°And Torin¡¯s commands.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if Miren would be able to talk to the golem without her spokesman. ¡°Enter the carriage,¡± Torin ordered the golem before turning to Cal. ¡°We will return the golem in two days. If you need it earlier, please come to our office in Lumina.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Cal nodded as he watched Miren enter the carriage after the golem. ¡°Did you get the chance to test the surface layer yet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still in progress, but I have to mention that initial results suggest that it¡¯s too volatile for use in construction.¡± Cal didn¡¯t expect that the testing still wasn¡¯t finished, but he could only accept Torin¡¯s reply with a disappointed frown. ¡°Let me know when it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Of course, Initiate Cal,¡± Torin agreed readily. The field was empty an hour later when Miren¡¯s crew had left after the removal of the starlit marble. Cal sat on the pile of rocks he had designated for mediation and read through the booklet for [Earth Barrier]. He would need to be a formidable [Mage] if he truly had to escape the guild. I¡¯ll hope for the best but expect the worst. I already had that mindset, but I can¡¯t deny that I was becoming more comfortable here. That needs to change. Cal didn¡¯t choose to try and cast [Earth Barrier] in the remaining daylight, only study it carefully and memorize the fundamentals of the earth element. There was more to be gained from the fundamentals than the actual spell. His [Primary Class] gave him the gift of having a high affinity for the water and earth elements. Modifying spells and creating his own would benefit his [Secondary Class] growth more than simply learning what others have already created. He stored the booklet and thought of how to use what he learned well into the night. It was only when he saw that the crops needed to be watered that he decided to stop. Cal cast [Rainfall] for the second time that day. The interface appeared after the rain stopped. Your [Secondary Tier] has increased by 1 level. He hopped off his meditation pile of rocks and made his way to the house. This is the second day Seris hasn¡¯t visited. I¡¯ll check in with her tomorrow if she still doesn¡¯t show. Chapter 66 - More Supplies Cal frowned when he felt his hand run over a small bump on the left side of his torso. He patted it in confusion before his eyes quickly snapped open. He sat up quickly from the bed and slipped out of his robes before taking a large step away. It was an instinctive yet unnecessary action. The rock had been in his inner pocket for weeks without issue and was unlikely to cause any sudden problems. I suppose it¡¯s a good thing I fell asleep with my robes on¡­ It reminded me that the rock was on my person. Cal picked up the robe and turned it over the dresser so the contents inside would fall out without him needing to touch it. The booklets stayed in the inner pockets due to their size, but the rock and stick that he had got from the merchant, Benin, at the bazaar tumbled out. Calling it a ¡®rock¡¯ and ¡®stick¡¯ wasn¡¯t ideal, but Cal couldn¡¯t bear to use what Benin claimed they were. ¡­ Hm. That¡¯s not entirely true. Benin called the rock thing a ¡®gem.¡¯ I can make myself believe that since it likely has an actual use, though I don¡¯t know what it does. As for the stick, there¡¯s no way I can make myself call it ¡®Dragon Bone¡¯ or whatever Benin claimed it was. Still, he couldn¡¯t make himself throw the stick away. Not only had he spent multiple gold on it, but there was also a small, tiny, minuscule chance that Benin had told the truth. Cal felt the urge to poke the ¡®gem¡¯ to see if it would do anything now that he was stronger, and that was the sign for him to leave the room. It had to be if he was tempted to do something so reckless. He glanced out the window and saw that the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, so he spent a few hours feeding his mana to the hearthstone until the sun was peeking over the horizon. I¡¯ll give Seris a few more hours to arrive before checking on her. Cal headed outside to water his crops. He noticed that his [Secondary Tier] didn¡¯t level up when [Rainfall] stopped. As was expected. The higher a [Tier] level, the more was required to upgrade it. He wanted to advance it to the next level to see if he could gain a [Skill] from it. Not that I really expect to get a [Skill] at this level. It¡¯s something I never had in my past life since a regular [Class] supposedly gets a [Skill] choice only on a [Tier] rank upgrade, never in the middle. Cal moved to the other side of the piles of rocks to move out of his field. He was fairly certain that casting [Earth Barrier} would severely damage the ground, and he had no wish to do that to his poor field with its already terrible soil. Casting [Earth Barrier] was more involved than he had assumed. In an ideal environment, he needed to know the general composition of the ground, the overall structure, and how well his mana would integrate with it. Cal pointed his palm to the ground and released a small amount of mana. He kept it connected to his mana core and directed the released mana to sink into the ground before smiling at the result. I freely admit that I know little about the composition or structure, but the booklet mentioned that my ignorance could be covered by earth element affinity. That, and I think the odd surface layer here likes mana too much to resist. He quickly calculated the mana required to create a barrier that would completely cover him and estimated it would take around five percent. He released the mana from his core and waited for it to sink into the ground before pulling his hand up. Cal''s brow furrowed as he sensed the ground''s stubborn resistance. But only for a heartbeat before it started to tremble. With a smooth motion, his hand sliced through the air, and the ground followed. A massive wall, ten foot wide wall burst from the soil with a deep rumble, surging upward in a perfect line before it arched overhead, bending to form a protective barrier that wrapped over Cal. Then it stopped. He could feel it sipping on mana as it drew from his core to sustain itself. An amount negligible enough that it wasn¡¯t worth considering. Your [Secondary Tier] has increased by 1 level. Cal glanced at the interface before dismissing it. He reaching the midway point as [Initiate 5]. He was right when he guessed that he wouldn¡¯t get to choose a [Skill]. It was unfortunate, but it wasn¡¯t something he was too disappointed with since it was expected. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. He slowly stepped out of the barrier¡¯s protection and stared at its surprising thickness. It seemed to be a foot at a minimum, and combined with its width of ten feet, it was telling that he used too much mana to cast [Earth Barrier]. I didn¡¯t consider the increased density of my mana from [Mage]. Cal was about to cut off the flow of mana to the barrier when he thought about testing it. He moved several dozen feet away before pointing his palm at the barrier. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to keep the connection to the barrier active while casting [Liquid Core]. It was a strange feeling to have both the water and earth elements active at the same time, but it was frighteningly easy. It must be because both elements complement each other. I wonder what will happen if I try to use them in one spell¡­ something to consider later. Cal repeated what was required to make [Liquid Core] a long-range attack and shot the water ball at the barrier. He flinched at the impact. It collided with the barrier in less than a blink of an eye. It was loud enough to send a slight tremor through the ground and left deep, spider-webbed cracks across the surface of the barrier. Chunks of the barrier fell to the ground, but it remained standing, showing that it was capable of taking the full force of [Liquid Core]. Cal felt the sharp rise in the mana draw from [Earth Barrier] at the moment of impact. It took well over fifty percent of his mana capacity to sustain the barrier during the attack. The barrier is functional, but against attacks from someone at the Apprentice rank, it would be better to just dodge instead of trying to block. The depletion of mana would make it nearly impossible to counterattack. He stared at the damaged barrier briefly before lifting his hand again. Another water ball was launched at the barrier. Cal grunted at the moment of impact. Not from the sound or tremors, but his mana dropping immediately to near zero capacity. A massive hole was blown out in the barrier. Though it was still standing, he would be severely injured if he was behind that. The barrier sipped on the last bit of his mana before he had nothing left. The barrier immediately crumbled to the ground in pieces, the loss of mana supply doing what the water ball attacks couldn¡¯t do. Your [Secondary Tier] has increased by 1 level. Cal dismissed the interface. He should be at the Apprentice level in a few days at this rate, but he was also aware that it wouldn¡¯t be so easy. The initial casting of a spell had a large contribution towards [Tier] growth, but there was a hefty penalty for every repeated recast. Still, it promoted learning or creating new spells, the latter of which he intended to take advantage of in the future. Cal left the crumbled barrier behind and hopped up to the peak of his meditation hill before looking toward the tree line. He could hear multiple carts heading towards his field. That must be Drex with the supplies. Good. I can start repairing the rest of the field. He hopped down to his field and leisurely went to his house to await delivery. He knew that he was trying to ignore how all of this might have to be given up if he really needed to leave the Celestial Order¡¯s territory, but that really was the best choice at the moment. Even if Cal had to leave, that didn¡¯t mean he could stop working on his field just to spite the guild. That would be more harmful to him than the guild. In fact, the guild wouldn¡¯t care since the Northern Wastes had never produced anything in the past anyway. The extra effort he intended to put into his field would not only help his [Tier] growth but also lull the guild¡ªor whoever was interested in him¡ªinto a belief that he intended to integrate fully. In the meantime, he would need to gather information about the territory''s surrounding area quickly and discreetly. Cal had intended to let Seris deal with it, but that wasn¡¯t the best idea now. It was a good thing she had avoided the topic entirely in an attempt to hope he had forgotten. He would let her believe that while getting the information elsewhere. I will have to think about what to do about Seris and Tavia. Maybe Orrin too. Nibbles will follow me, but the others¡­ He shook his head to rid himself of thoughts without an immediate solution and observed the carts appear at the tree line. Cal waved at the lead cart and motioned for the driver to head towards him. He wanted the supplies out of the way, as he intended to repair the whole field. The best place was near the house. ¡°Er, delivery for Initiate Cal?¡± The driver of the car spoke nervously. ¡°That¡¯s me. Unload all the supplies by that wall,¡± Cal pointed at the wall between the front door and the storage room. ¡°Where¡¯s Drex?¡± ¡°H-He told us to make the delivery,¡± the driver spat out with a terrified stutter. ¡°I-I can tell him you expected him when I return.¡± Cal frowned at the man''s fear, which did not help calm the man down. He forced a slight smile on his lips and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s not anything important.¡± He stepped away to let the men do their jobs and wondered what Drex had told that driver. They quickly finished their work before the carts left his field in an orderly fashion. Cal tallied the amount of loam and mulch delivered, of which the loam was the majority, and calculated that he could repair about five thousand square feet of soil. This was a good number, but still only about five percent of the field available. I expect another delivery soon. He debated picking up a tub of loam and starting on step one of the repair process but eventually decided not to. He likely wouldn¡¯t stop the work for hours, so it was better to find out what Seris was doing beforehand. Besides, I urgently need to commission more tools from Orrin. I might as well use this trip to do that. Cal was about to leave for the town when he remembered the ¡®gem¡¯ that was openly lying on his dresser. He had been carrying it around since he wanted to prevent the attack on the guild, but that was no longer an option after seeing the guildmaster. He wasn¡¯t certain that the ¡®gem¡¯ caused the drastic change he saw in the guildmaster in his first life, but since he wasn¡¯t sure it was safe, it would be better to keep it away from him. He wanted to save the Celestial Order if possible, but not at a detriment to himself. In fact, Cal wanted the ¡®gem¡¯ out of the Northern Wastes and as far from him as it could be. He was still thinking about how to make it happen when he heard a welcome voice. ¡°Cal! Did Initiate Tavia get more furniture again?!¡± Chapter 67 - A Wolf? Cal had a wide smile on his lips. He didn¡¯t think he had been so concerned about Seris¡¯s whereabouts until he felt this much relief. ¡°Woah! Boss, you look weird when you fake smile¡­ but why are you fake smiling?¡± The smile on Cal¡¯s face died a quick death. Seris brutally popped the little bubble of happiness, calling his concern ¡®fake.¡¯ I suppose it¡¯s good that she¡¯s fine¡­ at least I get to play the mean boss without guilt for skipping on her work. ¡°I was wondering if you decided to quit, Seris,¡± Cal drawled with a sarcastic smile. ¡°You took a two-day vacation without letting me know.¡± Seris¡¯s eyes grew wide as she shuddered for reasons he couldn¡¯t figure out. It was almost like she felt a little bit of fear at the moment. ¡°It was her!¡± Seris exclaimed dramatically, pointing at her head. Cal would never admit it, but he thought she was disassociating as she blamed herself until Nibbles poked her face out of the hood that covered Seris¡¯s head. ¡°Did she insist on sniffing people again?¡± Nibbles shook her head as if to say ¡®no.¡¯ Seris backed that up. ¡°No, but she insisted on staying at the port this time. Then I was coming to visit yesterday, but Nibbles ran off at the start before she forcefully pulled me back to town!¡± Cal had honestly assumed that Seris forgot to visit the field because she was having too much fun. At least, that was the thought at the start before worry set in. It looked like there was a reason he felt that worry. Nibbles might look harmless, but she was strong and had a surprisingly high sense of responsibility. ¡°Nibbles,¡± Cal hid the smile when she stood to attention on Seris¡¯s head, comically stretching the hood. ¡°Did you pull Seris back yesterday because you sensed danger?¡± Nibbles nodded immediately before hopping to the ground. She got on all fours and attempted to make a snarling expression. She failed, but he recognized what she was trying to communicate since she had done the exact same thing before. ¡°A Silvermane Wolf,¡± Cal stated in a dangerous tone. Nibbles nodded rapidly and looked like she was waiting for a treat for her actions. She did deserve it, but he had other things on his mind at the moment. ¡°A single wolf?¡± Again, Nibbles nodded. She was wary of the entire pack, but not to the point of fearing for her health, given that she was willing to defend my house when the pack attacked. A single wolf caused such an action? Curious. ¡°Did you escape to keep Seris out of danger, or was the wolf too strong?¡± Cal continued the questions under Seris¡¯s confused gaze. Nibble hesitated before awkwardly shrugging in reply. He took that to mean it was a bit of both, which was a problem. The wolf pack just became a much larger problem. ¡°Stay here and guard the house,¡± Cal ordered Nibbles before offering an incentive. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a few tubs when I return for your hard work.¡± Nibbles ran to his front door and puffed her body up, looking serious about her task. Cal turned to Seris. ¡°Take me to the place where Nibbles was separated from you.¡± Seris gained a wary look before asking, ¡°Are we walking?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be walking. You, not so much.¡± A familiar green tint started to appear on Seris¡¯s skin. Cal added, ¡°I won¡¯t be going nearly as fast as I did from Lumina.¡± Cal slowly jogged to Mariner¡¯s Rest a few seconds later with Seris on his back. Of course, in Seris¡¯s view, it was still faster than she could ever hope to run. Nibbles needs to hold back her curiosity and avoid searching for the gem. She had always been strangely attracted to it. ¡°So, did Nibbles really save me?¡± Seris asked with an odd tone when they were several minutes into the jog. Cal nodded. ¡°If she felt the need to make you turn back, she definitely did.¡± ¡°¡­ I think I owe her an apology. I was angry with her after she delayed me again.¡± ¡°It definitely wouldn¡¯t hurt,¡± Cal agreed, wanting the two to have a good relationship. He passed the midway mark to the town. ¡°Tell me when we get to the point Nibbles ran from you.¡± Seris nodded as she looked over his shoulder. A few more minutes passed when she said, ¡°Here!¡± Cal came to a slow stop and let Seris hop down from the piggyback. He couldn¡¯t see anything unique about this stretch of the dirt path besides a small mark on a nearby tree. It looked like something had glanced off the bark. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Nibbles ran off that way?¡± Cal pointed at the marked tree to the side. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Yeah¡­ Now that I think about it, she pushed me down when I tried to chase her. It must be to keep me away from the trouble.¡± Seris sounded even more regretful about being angry at Nibbles. ¡°Hm,¡± Cal nodded distractedly as he eyed the surroundings. ¡°Go back to Mariner¡¯s Rest. I¡¯ll meet you at Orrin¡¯s after I¡¯m done here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going after the wolf? Will you be safe? Well, never mind. That¡¯s a stupid question. Of course, you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Seris spat out the sentences in quick succession. Cal raised an eyebrow at her confidence in him. It could just be her belief of his status as an Initiate, but for some reason, he suspected that wasn¡¯t the reason. He set it aside for now. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Cal said as he started to walk into the woods. ¡°I wasn¡¯t!¡± Seris called out as she lost sight of him. Cal followed the slight depressions that Nibbles created as she ran toward the wolf. Without Seris slowing him down, it didn¡¯t take more than a few seconds for him to reach a clearing with some interesting markings. A small scar on the ground led to a surprising amount of damage to a tree in its path. He couldn¡¯t imagine the wolf being the cause of this scar, so it must have been Nibbles. There¡¯s no sign of a counterattack. The wolf wasn¡¯t aggressive. Cal could feel something off near the origin of the scar. He got down on one knee and placed his palm flat on the ground. This was as good of a time as any to experiment with the earth element. He released his mana in a steady flow into the ground and spread it thinly across the entire clearing. It was the basic step required for [Earth Barrier], but instead of just learning the composition and structure of the ground, he was trying to detect any abnormalities. Cal found it immediately. It was hard to miss the intense¡ªyet fading¡ªresidue of mana right where he was kneeling. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what could have caused it, but the most likely possibility was the wolf using some sort of defensive technique against the attack from Nibbles. He stood up and followed the mana residue trail to the edge of the clearing before stopping. It continued on, but it became hard to sense since the intensity quickly reduced to near nothing. I might be able to track it if I was more practiced in this new ¡®spell.¡¯ I can only sense the obvious at the moment. Cal followed the residue until the trail vanished but decided to continue on for some distance. Just in case the wolf had gotten sloppy enough to leave physical marks. Not that he had much hope for that. He stopped a few minutes later and knew there was little hope to find the wolf. There was no point in wasting more time and trying to find a beast that probably possessed intelligence close to Nibbles. It wouldn¡¯t have stayed long after it was discovered if it had any reasoning abilities at all. Cal looked around with a frown. The massacre by the wolf pack would happen sometime soon, and finding this wolf felt like it would be key to dealing with it. He might not be a fan of the Celestial Order, but that had nothing to do with the civilians just living their lives. Especially since Seris and Orrin would have been affected by the massacre. He wouldn¡¯t allow something so horrific to happen to people he was fond of. Cal turned back and made his way to Mariner¡¯s Rest. He had given up on the wolf now, but it was still a priority, just below his farming. He had a smarter way to find it instead of wasting his time chasing after it. Nibbles will be happy with all the treats she¡¯s going to get. *** ¡°¡ªdon¡¯t want you to do it. If Initiate Cal gave you the booklet, then keep it. What if he gets insulted when you tell him you want to sell it?¡± Cal stood at the entrance to the backyard, where Orrin had his smithy. Neither Seris nor Orrin had noticed his presence. They were far too busy arguing about the booklet Seris was waving around. ¡°You should have seen how little he cared about giving it to me. I bet Cal already forgot he gave me the spell booklet!¡± Seris was animated in defending her view, and with Orrin¡¯s blank expression, it was common for him to see. ¡°You know him better than I do, that¡¯s true,¡± Orrin ignored the smug look sent his way, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t change I don¡¯t need you to sell it. I have plenty of money right now, and with Initiate Cal¡¯s commissions, I bet that won¡¯t stop anytime soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point! If I sell¡ª¡± Cal ignored the conversation from that point since it was just going in circles. He wasn¡¯t giving Orrin nearly enough money for what was needed for his craft. It was likely Orrin claimed that he was simply to ward off Seris. He had a simple solution to this. And he wanted Seris to sell it in the first place so Orrin could take the extra money without it coming directly from him. ¡°What¡¯s there to argue about?¡± Cal¡¯s voice startled both the kids, making them stare at him wide-eyed. ¡°I gave Seris that booklet so she can do what she wants with it. If selling it is what she wants, I¡¯m not going to be angry.¡± ¡°Er, boss. I mean, Cal, I wasn¡¯t really being serious,¡± Seris laughed nervously. He realized that his little speech might have been taken as him being defensive. He pulled out the booklet for [Rainfall] and tossed it to Seris. ¡°You can have that as a replacement for the one you sell. It¡¯s not nearly as expensive, so it would be best to keep that one.¡± Seris looked even more unconvinced. ¡°I know you were serious, Seris,¡± Cal¡¯s lips twitched when he realized that was a paronym. ¡°I¡¯m also serious about not caring about what you do with them.¡± Seris eyed him carefully before nodding. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go try to sell this?¡± ¡°Are you asking me or telling me?¡± Cal laughed, putting her more at ease before waving her off, ¡°Go ahead.¡± A few seconds later, Orrin and Cal were left alone. ¡°¡­ Are you here for the shovel, Initiate Cal?¡± Cal rolled his eyes discreetly at these kids thinking the worst of him today. ¡°I did say I¡¯d leave them with you for a week, and that still stands.¡± Orrin¡¯s shoulders relaxed at those words. ¡°I¡¯m here to commission more tools.¡± ¡°Oh! Of course, Initiate Cal. How can I help?¡± ¡°I need pickaxes. A lot of them,¡± Cal said bluntly. ¡°And shovels. Plus some buckets would be of help. Also, give me a batch all the tools you made for me, but they have to be half the size.¡± Orrin stared at him in confusion at the last request but didn¡¯t ask questions to sate his curiosity. Seris would have abandoned everything while peppering him with questions. The two are far too different. ¡°I¡¯ll have them ready by tomorrow. Seris will deliver them,¡± Orrin said with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ll come by and pick it up myself. And tell Seris that she should stay in town for the next few days,¡± Cal immediately realized that this sounded like he was punishing her. ¡°There might be some danger on the way to my field. Until that¡¯s gone, it¡¯s better to avoid it altogether.¡± ¡°Yes, Initiate Cal,¡± Orrin said thankfully with a small nod of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Cal glanced at the failed tools that were mixed with voidiron before leaving the house. Those tools might be a failure, but they were exponentially better compared to what he had seen a short while before. Time to be proactive with the wolf issue. Chapter 68 - Delegating Cal should have returned to his field as quickly as possible, but he spent the trip back trying to turn his earth-sensing gimmick into an actual spell. What he had done to initially detect the mana residue was a very crude modification of an early, single step to cast [Earth Barrier]. He would need something more efficient and purposeful to consider it an entire spell. At least, for him to consider it a spell worthy enough to name. There were Initiates that modified small steps of established spells to get a slightly different result and then named it. While it technically wasn¡¯t wrong, it was mainly based on the level of affinity in an element and intuition that caused the change. Most never went past that to get repeatable results when ¡®casting.¡¯ If a ¡®spell¡¯ didn¡¯t have the same result when the creator cast it, how could it be possible for others to replicate it? The simple answer was they couldn¡¯t. Cal had a fairly complicated goal for the spell he was trying to create. Instead of being able to vaguely sense mana residue when it was concentrated, he wanted to be able to follow even the thinnest trace possible. If a being with mana walked on the ground days ago, he wanted to be able to sense that after casting the spell. He couldn¡¯t rely on his high-earth affinity for something so complex. He would need to know the intricate details of the ground or surface he targeted¡ªthe composition and much more¡ª so he could see even the slightest changes that weren¡¯t natural. Cal knew that was easier said than done. It might require weeks or months of research for something that was ultimately just a mediocre spell. However, he had bigger plans in the future. If he was able to become skilled enough to tell apart the most minute changes in the ground, the things he could do to help his farming gave him a pleasurable shudder by simply thinking of the possibility. Cal stepped onto his field and saw Nibbles standing in the exact same spot where she guarded the house. It looked like she had been diligent in her job, but he could see a faint outline on the ground below her. She was lying down most of the time. His lips twitched in amusement when Nibbles darted her eyes around. As he got closer, she tried to subtly shift her body to erase the evidence of the outline. She failed, but she did try. ¡°I tried to track the wolf into the woods, but I didn¡¯t get far,¡± Cal informed Nibbles, who was giving him her utmost attention. ¡°I have something I want you to do, but before that, if you get into a fight with this wolf, who will win?¡± He had just been asking as a formality and didn¡¯t think much of the question. Then Nibbles gave him a shrug of her tiny shoulders. He didn¡¯t expect that. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m guessing your retreat wasn¡¯t just because Seris was there,¡± Cal winced when Nibbles nodded. ¡°Fine, you might be evenly matched with the wolf. What¡¯s your chance of escaping?¡± Nibbles finally perked up at this. She gave him a confident nod. ¡°Great! Could you find where this wolf is? Or the wolf pack. Either one is fine with me.¡± Nibbles looked around the field and looked reluctant to agree. He was about to bribe her with treats when she finally nodded in agreement. ¡°Wait here,¡± Cal went to the storage room and brought out two tubs of powdered crystals. He could see her eyes locked onto the tubs. ¡°This is thanks for taking care of Seris.¡± Nibbles thanked him solemnly before practically diving into the tubs he held in his hands. She downed the powdered crystals within a few seconds before stumbling around slightly with a dopey smile. Cal was disappointed that he didn¡¯t get to see that ridiculously loud burp leave her tiny body, but that was made up for when her coat became more lustrous than before. Of course, it was barely noticeable, and he had only seen it since he was looking for a change. ¡°Can you communicate with the wolves?¡± Cal asked when Nibbles didn¡¯t seem as dazed. The response he received was encouraging. ¡°Good. Let them know that I want to speak to them. And they will be unharmed if they agree to meet me.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Nibbles blinked slowly before suddenly looking extremely unhappy at his request. He didn¡¯t have the chance to investigate before she gave him a curt nod and disappeared by drilling a hole into the ground. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen her so¡­ free with her negative emotions. My request shouldn¡¯t have drawn her ire. Cal could only assume that Nibbles hated the idea of speaking to the wolves. He thought that was an over-the-top reaction, but it could have something to do with her species. ¡°At least she agreed,¡± Cal muttered, returning to the storage room. He moved twenty tubs of powdered crystals out into the open, stacking them near the edge of the field. If Nibbles couldn¡¯t get it done, this would act as bait for the hungry beasts. He doubted they would attempt to get close to his field after what happened last time, but hungry animals didn¡¯t have limits on what they were willing to do to get sustenance. Cal wasn¡¯t sure what he was going to do with the wolves in the end. He would keep his word and let them leave unharmed if they accepted Nibbles¡¯s message, but what would happen after would depend on how the talks went. The simplest solution was to get rid of the pack and be done with it. He would have been more than willing to do exactly that a few weeks ago, but after experiencing the human-like intelligence Nibbles possessed, he didn¡¯t think he was capable of such action. At least not without cause. The vague memory of the massacre that might happen in the future was not enough. Cal left the tubs behind and prepared to start his work for the day. He took his rake out of the storage room, hung it on his back strap, and began to empty the tubs of loam over the soil. He could feel the pull of his trance state falling over his mind, but he purposefully kept it at bay. He wanted to use this as an opportunity to try to gain control over the odd state of mind. There were well over two acres of soil to repair over the next few days, and it would be the best way to test whether such a thing was even possible. Hours passed as he turned the tubs of loam onto the soil and then raked them into a roughly flat surface. The last of the loam was emptied, and around five thousand square feet of soil was covered. That was a success, but unfortunately, he had made zero progress in modifying his trance state. Cal sighed as he looked at his interface. His rake had degraded to a lower quality and had also upgraded to the next rank. However, he had set it aside since the option he would pick was too obvious. [Uncommon Rake] has degraded to Average Quality. Your equipment [Uncommon Rake] has been upgraded to [Advanced Rake]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the alternate [Advanced Rake]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one. He ignored the choices and tapped the ¡®self-repair¡¯ option for the rake. He pulled up tasks that he had completed for it. [Advanced Rake: Average Quality] Upgrade: 487/4000 Tasks - Self-Repair Completing tasks on the rake was excruciatingly slow compared to his other equipment. It was actually a relief when he saw that ¡®self-repair¡¯ was a trait option, so he wouldn¡¯t need to go through the headache of upgrading another rake. The process wasn¡¯t as simple as finding a rock to break up for the pickaxe. He would need to actually have a plot of land that needed the raking and then deal with the pain of completing the tasks. A task with an average of ten or so square feet. Cal hung the rake on his back strap and moved closer to his house. The area he covered with loam was at the back of his field. There was a small separation between the soil he had just covered with loam and the soil already growing crops. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but he liked the idea of having separate pieces of land growing crops at different stages. He thought it might make things a little easier when it came time for harvest¡­ or it might make it more difficult. I should speak to an Initiate, an actual farmer, instead of bumbling through it. At least, this is very early on in the process. Cal raised his palm to point above the loam-covered soil and cast [Rainfall]. He didn¡¯t spare any mana and pumped everything he could into the spell. He covered all of the five thousand square foot area with one large cloud¡ªwhich was the easy part. The rain started to fall on the loam, darkening it slightly with every drop, and he could feel his mana emptying with every raindrop. Cal had put his hopes on his mana¡¯s increased efficiency along with his experience with the spell to carry him towards success, and he was right to do so. His non-essential mana reserves dropped to near zero, but he successfully watered the entire area at once. The smile on his lips only grew when the interface appeared. Your [Secondary Tier] has increased by 1 level. He was at this level as a [Mage] in his first life. It felt surreal that he was breezing through the levels now, but knew it was all due to the effects of his [Primary Class]. There was no doubt that it would severely slow down the closer [Mage] got to [Farmer] in terms of the [Tier] level. Still, he was only three levels away from becoming an Apprentice [Mage]. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of skill options would be offered. Cal observed the loam-covered soil until he noticed the telltale sign of a slight glow. The first step was complete. There were still a few hours left until sunset, not that he intended to stop his work then. He just expected Tavia to return before that time, and he couldn¡¯t deny that he was curious about why she abruptly rushed off to Silverpine. While he waited, Cal decided to fill the hearthstone to pass the time. There was nothing else he could do that he considered more productive. Especially since he had early thoughts on using the hearthstone and its overkill mana storage capability as a possible backup to test [Mist Walker]. Chapter 69 - Angry Cuddle Toy Cal had been feeding the hearthstone his mana for nearly three hours, enough for his mana to recover to full capacity six times over before he emptied it. This still wasn¡¯t close to filling the hearthstone, but at least it was nearly a quarter full. At least it wouldn¡¯t be a struggle to sense the mana stored inside, unlike when he had first started. It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t accept Tavia¡¯s help. The hearthstone was meant to be used as a way to quickly refill any lost mana, and even then, it was only meant for emergencies. The transfer of mana was always inefficient, and that was when speaking about nonessential mana. Cal had never heard of a mention of a hearthstone being used to recover a drained essential mana reserve. Given the size of the hearthstones in the possession of the Masters¡ªat least the ones he had seen¡ªhe understood why such a use was never mentioned. It wouldn¡¯t have been possible with the massively increased inefficiency when trying to restore the essential mana reserves. As for the larger hearthstones like the one he possessed, they were never completely filled with mana naturally, nor did a single person contribute their mana. It was always done with multiple people to fill it quicker to capacity. That ruled out attempting to restore essential mana reserves. The combination of multiple people¡¯s mana would make it more dangerous than useful. The best-case scenario was a complete loss of control due to different properties introduced by the unfamiliar mana. It should take well over half the hearthstone¡¯s capacity to restore my essential reserves when it¡¯s completely depleted. I assume that will be the case with [Mist Walker]. I¡¯ll test it on something more minor first. Cal stood up after he felt his mana recover to its full capacity and left the house. His crops needed to be watered. He cast [Rainfall] as soon as he was in range. The sound of rain falling on the soil was the only thing heard in the dark surroundings. The sun had set an hour ago, and he had been hyperaware of that. Tavia had claimed she would return in the morning, but it was well past that at this point. It was likely she wouldn¡¯t be back until tomorrow at the earliest. Cal had been looking forward to visiting the bazaar with Tavia, not only because it might have been an interesting outing, but also to try and get rid of the gem he no longer wanted near him. Selling it back to a merchant wasn¡¯t the best idea he had, but it was preferable to keeping it near him. However, he was debating between that and going into the Northern Wastes and burying it deep underground in some rarely visited place. Neither were particularly good plans, but both were better than keeping the gem close. Seeing the guildmaster act so differently had truly pushed him to a point where he wanted to take zero risk. Cal put down his hand once the crops were watered. The first batch he planted was almost ready for harvest. It would only take a day or two more before it was time. He glanced at the soil he had covered with loam and estimated it needed nine hours before it was ready for the slurry of powdered crystals and water. It was a perfect length of time to get a good night¡¯s sleep, but he had a strong urge to keep practicing the spell he was trying to create. The mana residue in the field was a near-perfect spot for it. He could feel the most obvious, like the pond that practically glowed like a star to his senses or the area he had just watered. The more difficult ones would be the faint tracks from either him or Tavia. The tracks from walking days ago. The bright spots would make sensing the faint tracks even harder, which was perfect for training his sensitivity. Cal moved away from the watered crops to avoid being blinded by the strong mana residue nearby before lowering to one knee. He placed his palm on the ground and allowed his mana to seep out. He wanted to sense Nibbles working on the tunnel she was constructing below. She hadn¡¯t been working on that for days, so if he could sense her tracks now, he would call that progress. He could work on sensing days-old tracks near the pond after that. *** Cal could feel his mana running low. The new spell he was trying to create barely sipped on his mana, and for it to nearly draw all of it would take hours upon hours. He had spent well over six hours kneeling, and surprisingly, he didn¡¯t tire of doing so even for a second. He had spent far longer in his past life¡ªworking, not kneeling¡ªto improve his lightning spell, but he had needed to force himself to continue since he rarely experienced progress. That wasn¡¯t the case this time around. While the progress was slow, there was always something new he accomplished by the minute, even if it was a microscopic difference. It added up to the goal he wanted. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Cal smiled when he sensed the mana residue Nibbles left behind as she dug out the tunnel. He still couldn¡¯t sense her tracks, but that was something to try another day. He was suddenly interested in how the tunnel was made more than the mana residue. He had assumed Nibbles simply ate through the ground to make these tunnels, but that wasn¡¯t the case. The tunnel was reinforced to prevent a collapse, though it still seemed soft enough to allow roots to grow through the walls. It¡¯s designed to act as a well for plants to draw from. Cal idly wondered if Nibbles was part of a species that symbiotically lived among farmers. Though it was a stretch considering her appetite. Most farmers would die of a heart attack after seeing her eat once. His gaze sharpened as he quickly looked to his side and stood up. Once he realized it was just Nibbles rocketing toward him in her own unique way, he relaxed and waited in anticipation. He didn¡¯t think she would be this quick in finishing her mission. Nibbles sprang up from a little hole she made before him. He sensed that she avoided the old tunnels altogether to prevent an unneeded connection that led out of the field. Good Nibbles. Cal had a smile on his face when Nibbles immediately started chittering and making poses to communicate. ¡°You found both the lone wolf and the pack?¡± Cal tilted his head as he tried to figure out the game of charades that started abruptly. Nibbles nodded excitedly before making more poses. ¡°¡­ Neither are interested in meeting me, but you can lead me to them.¡± Nibbles nodded again before staring at him for a decision. Cal wasn¡¯t sure if this was the way to go. Inserting his presence where it clearly wasn¡¯t wanted would not be a good impression, but he wasn¡¯t really in the mood to take the soft approach. With that being the case, he would rather meet the lone wolf. The pack as a whole had caused the destruction that he remembered in his past life. However, given the way the wolf pack attacked under the direction of their strongest member, it would make more sense to go to the lone wolf. He understood why the wolf refused to travel with the pack¡ªthe odd Silvermane Wolf species preferred a solitary existence¡ªbut he questioned when it didn¡¯t join its brethren in their attack on his field. The lone wolf was far stronger if it made Nibbles wary. Cal thought it over for a few more seconds before saying, ¡°Lead me to the lone wolf.¡± Nibbles gave him a disgruntled look and dove back into the hole she had made. That reminded him she wasn''t happy about being sent on this mission. It was something to figure out when they returned. He could feel her rocketing away from the field as he followed her with a fast stride above the ground. Cal found himself impressed at the speed Nibbles traveled. He had to actually put in effort to keep up, though some of his energy was taken up keeping track of her with his half-finished spell. Still, it opened his eyes to why she had been so confident in escaping the wolf if need be. They traveled for nearly twenty minutes into the Northern Wastes. Cal estimated that it must be thirty miles. They hadn¡¯t met the border guards, which honestly surprised him since that meant this was still the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. He knew the Northern Wastes was the largest region of the territory, but he didn¡¯t think it was this big. Cal also assumed his stationed region was dull, but he didn¡¯t know it was this boring. Big and boring was not a great combination. The entire trip was a blur of flat land with the useless surface layer stretching as far as the eyes could see. It truly was a waste of a land. Nibbles turned abruptly, cutting her speed by twenty percent since she was no longer traveling in her premade tunnel. She needed to dig her way to the new destination. The wolf must have decided to change its location. Unfortunately, Nibbles is too good. Cal followed her path closely before sparse woods appeared ahead. Other than the border guards, this was a sign that they were reaching the edge of the Northern Wastes. Nibbles dug to the surface before pointing into the woods. ¡°Go warn it that I¡¯m here,¡± Cal didn¡¯t move further. He could sense the mana residue of a large beast walking into the woods, and it was still injured. He felt it would be better to give it a courtesy warning. Even if it tried to escape, there was nowhere it could run from him. After Nibbles entered the woods, he looked around curiously. He never thought he would be allowed to get so close to the border without someone trying to stop him. Maybe it was just my paranoia. I¡¯m not being watched. Cal only waited for a few seconds when Nibbles reappeared and motioned for him to follow. He held back his amusement at her serious expression and did as she requested. He could already see the wolf a short distance away, failing to hide behind the pathetic number of trees in the woods. Most of its body was successfully hidden, but its snout was occasionally revealed when it nervously shifted. Nibbles squeaked a few times when they were before the wolf as if introducing them to each other. It was twice as large as any of the wolves he had seen in the pack, but it was still unmistakably a Silvermane Wolf. Cal would be surprised a beast like this had been able to get past the Apprentice rank guards on the border. The wolf would likely be born inside the territory, which was even more impressive. Wild beasts were starved of resources in the territory. Primarily because any place that had an abundance of it was occupied by humans. By the time any beasts invaded human settlements, it would bring down an eradication from the guild. It meant most wild beasts were usually limited to the strength equivalent of a mid-level core guild Initiate. This wolf was clearly able to match a member in the Apprentice rank. It would be one of a lower level but still extremely impressive. If this wolf was free to gather all the resources it needed without worry, its innate talent would allow it to soar. ¡°Can you understand me?¡± Cal expected a reply, which he got when the wolf growled before nodding warily. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see me, and I would have preferred to leave you be, but it seems we must come to an agreement.¡± The wolf was clearly confused at why they ¡®must¡¯ do anything, but it continued to listen closely. ¡°It looks like you were injured by the guards at the border. You tried to leave the territory to the wild border, am I correct?¡± Cal recognized the injury that the wolf carried. It was a typical attack used by any guild member to deal with beasts. As for the wolf leaving the territory, that was an educated guess that was proven correct when the wolf growled angrily. ¡°You can¡¯t grow anymore.¡± The wolf growled again, raising its hackles in agreement. That made Nibbles squeak as she pointed at the wolf angrily. Cal chuckled when the wolf backed down. The sight of a cuddle toy commanding an angry wolf would be stuck in his mind for a while. ¡°That was not an insult or a threat. If you agree to take command of the wandering wolf pack and protect my land, I will make sure you have enough sustenance for further growth.¡± The wolf stared at him in shock before looking like it was seriously considering the offer. Cal was willing to wait. He wasn¡¯t in a rush since step two of the soil repair was still hours away. Chapter 70 - The First Harvest He was smiling as they approached his field. Nibbles was not. She had been in a foul mood ever since he had come to an agreement with the wolf. ¡°You know this is a good thing. That wolf taking control of the pack means we can focus on improving the field instead of worrying about any attacks.¡± Nibbles turned her nose up at the explanation, confusing Cal about her dislike. ¡°¡­ Do you feel the wolf is untrustworthy?¡± He hadn¡¯t considered it before since Nibbles had never indicated this might be the case. However, he was surprised to see her contemplating the answer before shaking her head negatively. She was thinking of lying. Interesting. ¡°You don¡¯t like the wolf,¡± Cal stated. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s because he is too close to you in strength.¡± Nibbles glanced at him and let out a sullen squeak¡ªwhich did nothing but increase Cal''s confusion. She didn¡¯t seem to be in the mood to play charades to explain what the problem was, which was very out of character for her. ¡­ Maybe Nibbles is angry that I¡¯m feeding a bunch of wolves. She might think that she will be getting less rewards. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot! I need to order more tubs of powdered crystals. I did say I would get some meant only for you. How much do you think you can eat in a month?¡± Cal pretended like he just remembered this matter while watching Nibbles closely. She seemed a little excited to have her own dedicated powdered crystal supply, but it didn¡¯t erase the surliness that existed since the wolf agreed to be a protector. Still, that didn¡¯t prevent Nibbles from signaling the number of tubs with her paws. ¡°Sixty,¡± Cal¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°So, you expect to eat two a day.¡± The eye twitched even more when Nibbles nodded solemnly. ¡°Sixty it is.¡± Nibbles was definitely happier with the offered bribe, but it was clear the food wasn¡¯t the issue. That put Cal back to his original assumption that she simply didn¡¯t like the wolf. If that was the case, then time would have to fix that issue. Unless I leave the territory. I plan to take Nibbles with me, so she won¡¯t have to care after that. Cal noted that everything seemed undisturbed as they stepped onto the field. The powdered crystals he used as bait would shortly be used for step two. ¡°If you have the energy, finish building the tunnels. I¡¯ll need to use them soon.¡± Nibbles seemed happier after that request¡ªeven more so than the sixty-tub bribe he had just offered. It made little sense to Cal, but it wasn¡¯t like he could magically read her mind. I remember the interface offering me a skill to better connect with beasts. It would have come in handy right now. Cal pushed his idle thoughts away and checked on the loam-covered soil. It was almost ready for the next step. Perhaps an hour or less before he could proceed. He checked his crops next and immediately frowned. It had been over six hours since he last watered them, and this was the second time he had been distracted. He cast [Rainfall] over the crops and allowed the rain to fall until it was sufficient. I need to set a reminder somehow. I have gotten away with it so far, but a severe lapse could cause me to lose everything. Cal was about to return to practicing his not-yet-a-spell when he saw something strange happening with the crops. The ones he had planted recently were normal. The soil there was muddy from the recent rain, and it was slowly being absorbed into the Sunfire Grains. It was the crops that were nearly ready for harvest that gave him cause for concern. The muddy soil was being dried at a rate that was shockingly fast. It was always the case for the Sunfire Grains to absorb the water in the muddy soil quickly at the start, but it slowed considerably after that. Otherwise, Cal would have needed to be watering the crops every few minutes instead of every six hours. He stared at the soil intently before raising his arm. He cast [Rainfall]. The rain only covered the thousand square feet which was causing him an issue. I will not let the Sunfire Grains die right before harvest. It will be a week¡¯s worth of work wasted! Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Cal didn¡¯t cut off the flow of mana to the rain cloud, but he did slow the rate at which the rain fell. He wanted to see if the insane absorption rate continued. This might be one of the first times the hearthstone would come to the rescue. He could maintain [Rainfall] with his own mana core for several minutes at this point, but there was no chance for any longer. With the hearthstone to draw on, he should be able to add five to ten minutes to the spell even with the inefficiently of the mana transfer. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t necessary. Cal cut off his mana and let the rain cloud evaporate as he watched the crops. The soil was slightly damp but didn¡¯t lose more moisture after that point. That, in itself, was strange. There should have been a slow but noticeable loss of moisture. He had never seen the crops just¡­ stop being thirsty. He didn¡¯t see any changes whatsoever for several seconds, long enough for him to start to think the worst about the status of the crops. However, that changed when small, ruby-red spots began to appear on some of the Sunfire Grains. Around half of his planted crops grew rapidly into strange, low, bunched-up greenish plants. Some of them were also covered with the ruby-red grains, but most weren¡¯t. Drex was nearly useless in describing what he should expect, so he didn¡¯t know which was better. I¡¯m concerned about why half my crops aren¡¯t growing like the others. The extended periods without water might have been a more significant issue than I assumed. Cal soon got his answer a few minutes later. The Sunfire Grains that hadn¡¯t experienced exponential growth soon started to whither. There was plenty of moisture in the soil, so that clearly wasn¡¯t the limitation. He sighed in resignation and waited a little while longer, hoping for a miraculous change. There was none. Cal took an accounting of what was left. Around two hundred and fifty Sunfire Grains hadn¡¯t died, and of those, around fifty had red grains covering their entire surface. If Sunfire Grains were only valuable if red grains were present on them, then he had a ten percent yield. If it wasn¡¯t necessary, then he had a fifty percent yield. In both cases, the yield of his first planted crop was absolutely terrible. That wasn¡¯t what [Green Thumb] suggested when he chose the [Skill]. [Green Thumb: Initiate 1] - Your crops grow 10% faster and are more resistant to diseases and pests. Your harvest will always yield more than expected. As your mastery increases, the faster your crops grow. Cal read the description with a harsh frown. This implied his yield would be worse if he didn¡¯t have this [Skill]. His frown grew more severe once he realized [Green Thumb] hadn¡¯t increased in level. ¡­ I think I planted these crops before I possessed [Green Thumb]. The new batch was planted when I had the [Skill]. I expect my yield to be better on that, even though it had the same watering issues. He also made the assumption that [Green Thumb] would increase in level after harvesting the new batch. As for the batch he was staring at in disappointment right now, he expected nothing from it. He expected that [Green Thumb] needed to exist while planting to reap any benefits at harvest. Cal let out another sigh before stepping onto the soil. He would try to harvest the crops that hadn¡¯t withered. Cal just hoped that Drex was right when his instruction was to just pull. Cal found purchase at the base of a Sunfire Grain with both hands and did precisely that. He pulled on it steadily, slowly lifting the Sunfire Grain out of the soil. The majority of the crop''s roots were in a tangled mess near the surface, with a few strands that ventured deep into the soil. He knew little about plants, but this was the little he was aware of. The Sunfire Grain searched for water below before switching focus on absorbing the rain. Cal shook the Sunfire Grain gently to get the loose soil to drop down before staring at it. Drex did say all he needed to do was dry it at this point. All parts of the crop must be usable. I wonder which part is used to make the tea Nismus served me. He looked around and decided the best place to sun dry the crops was outside his field, on the other side of the rocky hills. Cal put aside the Sunfire Grain for the moment and repeated the process of pulling up the other crops. He was careful not to pull with too much force to avoid damaging the Sunfire Grains, but that also meant it took more time. Your [Primary Tier] has increased by 1 level. The interface surprised Cal a bit. It had been a while since he last increased his [Primary Tier]. However, that was only in the context of the rapid increases in the past two weeks. It was still shockingly fast for anyone else. And as he expected, [Green Thumb] did not get any benefit from the harvest. His assumption this time wasn¡¯t incorrect. Around an hour later, a little over two hundred and fifty Sunfire Grains were laid out on the field. The soil was a mess, with deep holes where the crops were planted, but that was easily repaired after he received the next delivery of supplies. Cal started moving the harvested crops to the other side of the rocky hills to dry them on the moisture-less hard surface layer of the Northern Wastes instead of the soft soil of the field. His speed was a boon for this otherwise tedious task, and a few minutes later, he was done. He stared at the crops and felt a combination of satisfaction and disappointment. He was happy that he had finally harvested some crops but still couldn¡¯t get past the terrible yield it gave him. I¡¯ll be more careful with the watering next time. Cal returned to the field and prepared to cover five thousand square feet of soil with a slurry of powdered crystals and water.
Complete stat sheet in author note (under spoiler tag)
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above. It''s free on Royal Road! Chapter 71 - Tavias Return He stared at the waist-high water he was standing in. The pond had gained even more depth than the last time he tested it. Cal held one of the large tubs Orrin made for him over the water as he walked around in the pond to see if there was a deeper area. There wasn¡¯t. Wading into the pool wasn¡¯t in the plans, but it was hard not to do so when he noticed that the pond had contracted slightly. He would have thought some water had evaporated if not for the minutely greater depth at the edges of the pond. I can only assume the water doesn¡¯t evaporate, and it gets deeper the more water I add. Cal wished he could sense the ground underneath the pond, but the mana the water contained was like the sun, making him utterly blind from its intense concentration. I¡¯ll ask Nibbles what it¡¯s like under here when she¡¯s free. He scooped up enough water to fill the tub before heading to the five thousand square feet patch of loam-covered soil. He had already moved the necessary things nearby. Fifteen boxes of powdered crystal, the three water-tight tubs he had commissioned from Orrin, and an unused shovel for stirring. He intended to use the handle for the stirring once again since he didn¡¯t know how the metal would react to the powdered crystals. Since his equipment seemed to experience rapid deterioration when used in mana-intensive tasks, his guess was that the metal parts of the equipment would deteriorate on contact with the powered crystals. It was something to test with one of Orrin¡¯s failed creations later. Cal transferred the correct portions of water into the other two tubs before mixing the powdered crystals to make the slurry. Three tubs of slurry were enough to cover around a thousand square feet of soil. To finish the entire patch, he would need to repeat this five times. He picked up the first tub and poured it over the soil carefully, making sure not to overdo it in one spot. Speed wasn¡¯t the answer here. The viscosity of the slurry of powdered crystals and water made it impossible to finish faster, even if he wanted to. Less than thirty minutes later, all three tubs were empty, and he returned to the pond to get more water. He repeated the same steps four more times before he was finally done covering the patch. Cal had finally found a task that he disliked. It was too slow and required active monitoring to complete correctly, making it impossible to fall into a trance state. That, and it took a little over two hours to finish five thousand square feet. He dreaded the thought of doing the same thing over the rest of the field. I should see if the golem can do this. The small size of it should be due to my mana capacity. The hearthstone can supplement that. Cal was reminded that Miren was due to return the golem today. He considered just deactivating the golem so he could form a new one with the hearthstone¡¯s help, but he did promise to allow Miren to create replicas of the golem¡­ whatever her reason was for that. It wouldn¡¯t do to accidentally interrupt her work. He wanted her to come to the field anyway. They still needed to discuss the stone pathways that needed to be built. The golem could be reformed after that¡ª I need to tell Orrin not to make the baby-sized tools! ¡°Nibbles!¡± Cal yelled after he came to the realization. ¡°I¡¯m leaving for a few minutes. Watch over the field!¡± He saw Nibbles poke her head out of the soil in the distance before giving him an affirmative squeak. At least, that¡¯s what he took it as. Cal gave her a small wave as he sped to Mariner¡¯s Rest. *** ¡°I still don¡¯t believe you.¡± Cal could hear Seris¡¯s voice from outside Orrin¡¯s house. He could also hear Orrin''s uncharacteristically tense reply. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just wait here for Initiate Cal to pick you up and stop distracting me.¡± ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re ungrateful. I gave you so much silver, and you don¡¯t even care!¡± ¡°¡­ don¡¯t remind me. My heart starts to itch when I think of you getting scammed. Why would you sell something worth a gold coin for fifty silvers?¡± ¡°Tsk, what do you know about its used value, Orrin! You just hit your hammer on mental all day. I see the world with Cal!¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Cal felt a little guilty that he had forgotten he told Orrin to keep Seris in town. In fairness, the issue was fixed almost immediately, so Seris would never have to know. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Cal said as he walked into the backyard. Orrin was sweatier than usual, but he was more concerned about the new tools he could see hung on the edges of the smithy. Thankfully, they were all normal-sized. ¡°Initiate Cal!¡± ¡°Cal! You¡¯re back!¡± Their voices overlapped, and they were both excited for different yet similar reasons. Seris was happy she would get to visit the field, and Orrin was happy she would get to visit the field and stop distracting him. ¡°So Seris didn¡¯t get scammed?¡± Orrin asked suspiciously. Cal was about to defend Seris, then he saw the smug look on her face. He switched tactics a little. ¡°Well, not really. That really was the best price she could have gotten.¡± Seris was about to float from her ¡®I know everything¡¯ look. ¡°But if she asked me to sell it directly, it could have been possible to get forty silver more.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Seris yelped in shock. ¡°Initiate Vaela scammed me!¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± Cal corrected her instantly while feeling satisfied that Vaela was the one to buy the spell booklet. He felt slightly guilty that he did nothing to help her monetary struggles. ¡°Vaela was generous in her offer since you¡¯re not a guild member. She would be in her right to seize the booklet without much consequence.¡± That wasn¡¯t a lie, though there weren¡¯t many opportunities for a guild member to do so. Most mortals with things that could interest the guild members usually had backing in the guild, which would just cause trouble. ¡°¡­ Boss, could you tell me that before I throw away money next time?¡± Seris looked miserable at the thought of losing so much. I would have if I remembered it would be like this. I forgot since the silver wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference to me. Cal cleared his throat awkwardly and nodded. ¡°Next time. Orrin, I hope you didn¡¯t get started on making the half-sized tools.¡± ¡°Not yet. I was planning on it today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. My plans have changed. Instead, just make them normal-sized,¡± Cal instructed with a sense of relief. It wouldn¡¯t have been a significant issue even if they were made, but it would be a shame to make equipment that nobody could use. ¡°I¡¯ll have all of them ready by tomorrow, Initiate Cal,¡± Orrin said with a firm nod. ¡°Good! I¡¯ll have to cut this visit short, but send the tools with Seris tomorrow,¡± Cal was about to tell Seris to follow him back but remembered Nibbles was still cranky. It would be better not to introduce an irritant at the moment. ¡°Seris, take this.¡± Seris stared at the spell booklet that was shoved into her hands. ¡°It¡¯s a spell called ¡®Earth Barrier.¡¯ I have a mission for you. If you can sell this for sixty silver, I¡¯ll give you a reward.¡± Seris blinked before asking, ¡°But you can get more if you sell it yourself, right? Why would you give it to me?¡± ¡°Practice. Think of it as training for the future. I¡¯ll be able to hand off more things of value if you know how to sell them for me,¡± Cal was coming up with this on the spot, but the more words that spewed out of his mouth, the more he liked it. ¡°Do I get to keep the silver?¡± Seris asked with sparkling eyes. ¡°No,¡± Cal¡¯s denial was immediate, and it killed the sparkle. He couldn¡¯t be too generous, or Seris would lose the value of money. ¡°¡­ Alright, Boss Cal.¡± Cal raised an eyebrow at her sullen acceptance before giving Orrin a farewell nod. *** He stepped onto his field less than ten minutes later, and the whole trip took less than thirty minutes. Ha! I¡¯m faster than any train or carriage! Cal allowed himself to feel the smugness that came from an accomplishment, even if he had little idea how it happened. Not that it lasted long. He could see Tavia¡¯s carriage parked in front of the stables with her two horses relaxing under the shade. The smugness he felt changed into anticipation. It looks like I will be going back to town. It¡¯ll be interesting to see if anything in the bazaar would interest Tavia. Cal could see Tavia standing at the back of the house, looking out with her arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± he commented as he approached her. Tavia glanced at him but didn¡¯t do anything else in response. She continued staring into the back of the field when he stood beside her. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Cal saw Nibbles pop her head out of the ground before looking around for something. She then proceeded to dive back down and appear elsewhere. It looked to him like she was testing the tunnels'' connections, which gave him hope that they were almost finished. ¡­ Wait, I don¡¯t think Tavia had ever met Nibbles before. ¡°Er, this is your first time seeing her, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cal got a soft hum in reply. ¡°That¡¯s Nibbles, a¡­ friend that appeared weeks ago. A smart one too. Sometimes I think Seris might not be able to outthink her.¡± Tavia kept staring before a small smile appeared on her lips. ¡°She¡¯s cute. What is she?¡± ¡°I have no idea. I have never seen anything like her and haven¡¯t gone out of my way to find out.¡± She looked tempted to approach Nibbles but changed her mind at the last moment. ¡°She looks busy. I¡¯ll introduce myself later.¡± Cal finally caught on to the strange mood she had. While Tavia wasn¡¯t the endless stream of cheerfulness that was Seris, she was a generally happy person. Right now, it looked like she reverted to the time when they were Trainees. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest for the day,¡± Tavia finally faced him, letting him notice her weary look. ¡°We might have to miss the bazaar this time around.¡± ¡°The bazaar isn¡¯t a one-time event. It isn¡¯t that important. Recover quickly, Tavia.¡± She gave him a half-smile before heading into the house. Cal stood there with a peculiar look as he stared at the closed front door. I find it strange that I am not disappointed about the canceled trip. I¡¯m more worried about what caused this drastic change in Tavia. Something must have happened on the trip. There wasn¡¯t much that could threaten Tavia inside the territory other than the Celestial Order itself. And that was an issue in his view. He could help with most things, but his hands would most likely be tied if the guild was involved. Overseer Marek was the only one he would be willing to approach, but the man was probably restricted by the guildmaster at the moment. Cal could only hope that he was jumping to conclusions, and Tavia was just tired in a more general sense¡ªnot that he really believed that. He needed to take his mind off this matter. At least until Tavia was willing to talk about it. With his field having no work available for several hours, that meant he needed to work on his spells to pass the time. Offense-focused spells would be ideal to blow off some steam. Chapter 72 - Experimenting Cal wasn¡¯t sure what he was trying to achieve here, but the image of what he assumed it would be like was pretty ¡®awesome,¡¯ as Seris would probably say. He took one of the spare pickaxes from the storage room and stood outside the bounds of his field. He needed the specialty of the Northern Wastes¡ªthe hard surface layer¡ªto test this out. Cal held the pickaxes with a fully extended arm before activating the [Trait]. [Lightning Aura] activated. It was the first time he activated [Lightning Aura] since the incident with Tarn. And it was the first time he consciously did so since he tested [Lightning Aura] and wrote it off as a failure. A hazy pale glow surrounded his body, and it was eager to listen to his commands. It reminded him of what he had done to Tarn. If he could have the precision to target Tarn¡¯s mana core, what he intended now should be simple. Cal didn¡¯t dawdle and directed it into the pickaxe¡¯s handle. He flinched when the handle splintered in his hands before exploding dramatically. The bits of wood that were lucky to survive and somehow still had enough structural integrity to act as a handle burst into flames. ¡°Gah! Damn it!¡± Cal threw the ruined, flaming pickaxe away from him before rubbing the splintered wood off his body. It was nowhere near strong enough to injure him, but the sudden heat was enough to mark his robes. It looks like I¡¯m still an idiot about the lightning element''s effect on other materials. Channeling it into wood was even dumber than testing it on the ground. He had a mocking sneer¡ªat himself¡ªas he stomped on the charred handle to put out the fire. The poor handle couldn¡¯t hold its structure anymore and crumbled in the process, leaving the pickaxe¡¯s metal head behind. ¡°Good thing I¡¯m going to get more equipment delivered tomorrow,¡± Cal muttered, picking up the metal head. He still had [Lightning Aura] activated, and it was reacting to his irritated mood by sparking around randomly. It would make for an intimidating sight if he spared enough mana to turn the aura from the weak white to a furious yellow. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to waste his limited mana on theatrics right now. Cal directed [Lightning Aura] into the metal and finally got his expected result. The hazy white aura dimmed when the pickaxe head flashed a bright yellow before settling into a blazing hot red. The lightning he was channeling into the metal superheated it just below its melting point as yellow sparks occasionally arced around it. He had never seen anything quite as threatening. Cal''s first instinct had been to drop it, fearing the hot metal damaging his hands, but [Lightning Aura] protected his body from such issues. He was reminded of how Tavia had casually played with a nearly molten ball, and he now understood how it didn¡¯t hurt her. I have to tell Orrin to make me a few tools that are all metal. He stared at the molten-red metal in his hands before he decided to proceed with his original plan. The missing handle would make it a little awkward, but it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to just. Cal gripped the pickaxe¡¯s head where the handle used to be attached and swung it down to the ground with significant force. He knew that the ground would absorb most of the lightning, but he still expected the small point of the pickaxe¡¯s blade to cause visible damage. The molten-red tip sank into the ground like it was made out of butter. The usually harsh sound of metal impacting the surface layer was gone, and the molten-red pickaxe head continued to sink into the ground with ease until he was forced to let go. The ground obstructed him from keeping a grip. That was when it started to go wrong. He should have known it would go out of his control when his mana was no longer connected. Cal¡¯s eyes grew wide before he rushed to leap away from the half-buried pickaxe head. He didn¡¯t limit his jump, which meant he would have landed over thirty feet away from his launching spot without any other force acting on him. It just so happened there was such a force present. He instinctively shielded his face when he saw the bright flash of light accompanied by a deafening explosion. Small metal shards from the exploded pickaxe head and chunks of rock peppered his body before a shockwave pushed his body much further than his jump would have naturally taken him. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Cal landed with a soft grunt and slid on the flat ground before his feet found some purchase. He ignored his ruined robes and stared at the massive hole before him. Somehow, the pickaxe head had turned into a deadly, unreasonably powerful bomb. It created a hole in the ground over twenty feet wide and somehow even deeper, revealing the dead soil underneath. Cal absentmindedly brushed the debris off his torn robes as he walked closer to the hole he accidentally created in the ground. There was no doubt that he would have gotten injured if he hadn¡¯t escaped the hypocenter of the explosion. ¡­ I should also get Orrin to give me some of his failed tools if I can turn them into this. He felt a small draw on his mana core and realized that he was still surrounded by a hazy white aura. [Lightning Aura] deactivated. It hadn¡¯t been long since using [Lightning Aura] would have exhausted all of his available mana. Now, it had barely used over a quarter after everything he did. It spoke of how dense his mana was after gaining [Mage] as his secondary [Class]. I thought this would have increased my [Secondary Tier]. The requirements to level up must have drastically increased. Cal heard a squeak and turned toward his field to see Nibbles standing at the boundary. She stared at the hole with wide eyes¡ªmuch wider than they naturally were. ¡°This was an accident,¡± Cal defended himself. It felt like he was being judged for the senseless destruction. Nibbles eyed him warily as she started playing charades again. ¡°You¡¯re done with the tunnels?¡± Cal asked with excitement after watching for a moment. She nodded, the eagerness in his question making her more relaxed. ¡°Good job, Nibbles!¡± Cal rushed back to the house, patting her on the head on the way. ¡°Follow me.¡± He took his primary pickaxe out of the storage room and went to the pond. Although the surface layer had been removed in almost all areas of his field, he left it alone in certain places where it made sense. The land around the house and stable, the pond, and the very first hole Nibbles had dug on the field. The hole that he intended to use to fill the tunnels with water. Cal was all too eager to enact his specialty of swinging the pickaxe to destroy the surface layer when he saw Nibbles staring at him curiously. Damn it. I haven¡¯t told her what I intend to do with the tunnels¡­ what if she shows resistance? Hmm, I can always give her more bribes. Cal cleared his throat and brought the pickaxe to his shoulder. ¡°Nibbles, is the hole connected to the tunnels you dug?¡± She nodded in reply. ¡°I want to fill it with water to help the crops I plant. Would you be alright with¡ª¡± He didn¡¯t get the chance to finish since Nibbles started to vibrate excitedly while squeaking in agreement. ¡°¡­ I can safely guess that you want me to do this,¡± Cal muttered before lifting the pickaxe again. He wasn¡¯t sure why she was more excited than he was about this, but he wouldn¡¯t ask questions about something going his way. Heh. Nibbles wouldn¡¯t be so happy if she knew there was a bribe that she missed. He broke up the surface layer starting from the hole Nibbles made. He left enough of a barrier so the water wouldn''t flow directly into the hole until the pond side was dug open. It didn¡¯t take long before he realized that simply digging a shallow channel wasn¡¯t enough. For whatever reason, the pond increased in depth every time he added water, so it made sense to make a channel with a fairly significant depth. Cal hooked the pickaxe onto his back and took out the last spare shovel in the storage room. You have gained [Uncommon Shovel] as equipment. It will be designated as your third alternate. He shoveled aside the broken-up surface layer before making quick work on the digging. He only had to deal with soft dirt underneath, so it wasn¡¯t a hardship. Several minutes later, he was standing beside a six-foot-deep channel leading to the hole. The only thing blocking the water from rushing in was the thin barrier that still separated it from the pond. This brought up an issue he hadn¡¯t thought about. If I break it up, the water will push the debris into the hole. It might block the connection to the tunnels. Cal scratched his chin as he considered the best solution to this. Asking Nibbles to clear up any blockage was an option, but he would rather not ask for help wherever possible. She had already done more than enough with making the tunnels. He started at the area where the pond met the thin barrier before pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. There was an easy solution to this. Something that would have made his digging unnecessary. Cal pointed his palm at the thin barrier and let his mana sink into the spots that he intended to remove. It was slightly more challenging to grasp it since two distinctly different materials were involved¡ªthe surface layer and the soil underneath¡ªbut his attempts at creating a new spell to sense minute differences paid off handsomely. He clenched his hand and swiftly yanked his fist up in one motion. The thin barrier crumpled into a tight, several-foot-wide dirt ball as it was lifted from the channel. The water immediately rushed into the new space and poured into the hole. The pond''s water level dropped initially until the hole was filled, and then he couldn¡¯t see any significant change. The tunnels were too small for the water level to fall at the previous rate. However, he could sense it. As the water slowly filled up a tunnel, the area near it became a bright spot to his senses. The mana the water contained didn¡¯t allow him to sense anything clearly at the skill he possessed at the moment. Soon, the entire field would be in that state. Cal smiled as he let the dirt ball drop to the ground. Nibbles had dove into the ground the moment the hole was filled¡ªlikely to check the tunnels¡ªand he would be just as diligent by ensuring the pond had adequate water. He cast [Rainfall] over the pond. He supplied the spell with mana until the water level reached the top of the channel. It would spill over if he continued past that point. Surprisingly, it took nearly all of his remaining mana to fill the pond to capacity. This is another task to add to my daily checks. Hopefully, the crops will be able to draw from the water soon. I will be free to leave the field for long periods without that restriction holding me here. Cal changed his clothes before walking to his meditation hill and hopped onto the peak. He would continue after his mana core was refilled. Chapter 73 - The Note He spent the next few hours on the meditation hill, not that he actually did any meditation. It had been necessary to water the crops when they suddenly started showing signs of withering fast. So fast that it was visible. This happened precisely when the tunnels underneath them were filled with water. Cal had to nearly drown the soil before the crops started to recover. His only guess for the unexpected behaviors was that the roots of the Sunfire Grains switched focus from the rain at the surface to the water in the tunnels below. If there weren¡¯t enough roots absorbing the water soaked in the soil, it could explain the withering. Nearly drowning the crops seemed to have fixed it¡­ for now. The overabundance of water made it easier for the Sunfire Grains to use fewer roots to absorb what was required while it tried to connect to the tunnels. All of this might be too late. I hoped this would have a better yield, but I have never seen the Sunfire Grains wither quite like that. Even with the last batch, it was the soil that was dangerously dry, not the crops. Cal had a feeling that this batch would be another write-off. Not in the sense that it was a complete failure, but it was another batch in which he wouldn¡¯t be able to get the true effect of [Green Thumb] due to unrelated factors. He sighed before standing up and warned, ¡°Nibbles, I don¡¯t want to see any of them missing!¡± She had found the harvested Sunfire Grains drying in the sun and wouldn¡¯t take her eyes off them. Specifically, she wouldn¡¯t take her eyes off the crops that had the red grains covering them. Cal narrowed his eyes when she licked her lips instead of replying to him. He had a feeling that the bribe of sixty tubs of powdered crystals would no longer be sufficient. She won¡¯t eat any¡­ probably. He hopped back down to the field and headed to the pond. A significant part of it had been drained to fill the tunnels. Even more would be drawn when the crops¡¯ roots were connected to the tunnels. Cal cast [Rainfall] until the pond was filled to capacity. Right, I forgot. ¡°Nibbles!¡± He shouted in the direction of his meditation hill. Cal thought she would take a few seconds to respond since she was preoccupied with the harvested crops, but he was mistaken. Nibbles popped out of a newly made hole in the ground before it was quickly covered up. ¡°Could you dig under the pond and see if there are any changes to the soil?¡± Cal shared a long look with her. He added, ¡°I don¡¯t need any new tunnels. I¡¯m just curious about the increasing depth of the pond.¡± Nibbles shook her head firmly, clearly refusing his request. ¡°Is there something stopping you from digging under the pond?¡± Cal asked with a frown. She let her actions speak for her. Nibbles abruptly jumped into the pond¡ªbasking in the water for a moment¡ªand swam halfway to the bottom. She mimed an invisible wall before resurfacing and moved feet away from the edge of the pond. Cal stared at her forming an ¡®X¡¯ with her arms as she tapped the ground under her with her foot. ¡°You can¡¯t go below that point,¡± Cal said slowly, continuing when Nibbles nodded. ¡°And that restriction outside the bounds of the pool to where you stand.¡± The solemn look he received told him he had the correct answer. ¡°There has to be another way to communicate,¡± Cal muttered, scratching his chin. The pond was somehow dangerous to Nibbles. He could sense only one thing from the pond, but he didn¡¯t know that could cause issues. ¡°Is it the mana that stops you?¡± Nibbles shrugged, apparently just as clueless about the issue as he was. He let her go back to staring at the harvested crops, and he was alone by the pond. The mana density is getting higher with every cast of [Rainfall]. Cal couldn¡¯t really understand why. All he did was refill the pond when needed. It shouldn¡¯t affect the density of the mana it contained¡­ but reality proved otherwise. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He shook his head, turned away from the pond, and went straight to the sacks of mulch stacked by the wall. It was time to finish the last step of the soil repair process. Cal glanced at the window of Tavia¡¯s room as he passed by¡ªnot that he could see anything. They were one-way only by design. She hasn¡¯t made a peep since she returned. He wasn¡¯t sure what the issue was, but the longer she hid herself in her room, the more he felt an urge to insert himself in the situation. Tavia didn¡¯t know he was an Apprentice, and his increased rank and strength could be a solution to whatever she experienced at Silverpine. Cal set that aside for now and ripped open the first sack of mulch onto the slurry-covered soil. Once he finished the previous sack, he returned to the stack of mulch to get another. He repeated until the entire five-thousand-square-foot area was covered with mulch around an hour later. He took the rake out of the storage room and gently raked the mulch flat before stepping back. He could hear the distant sound of carts traveling toward the field. There was one last thing to do before they arrived. Cal raised his palm and cast [Rainfall]. Even though he had cast the spell plenty of times before, covering this much land at once brought him a sense of pride. He quickly cut off the mana after a light rainfall, which was the last thing required in the step. He nodded to himself as he double-checked his work. Everything seemed right. He should have the third batch of Sunfire Grains planted before the day ended. Cal checked the second batch of crops on his way back to the storage room. He needed to make sure they had adequate water. The water he had copiously added with [Rainfall] no longer pooled above the soil, but that didn¡¯t seem to affect the Sunfire Grains. In fact, the moisture in the soil seemed to be unchanging. That hinted at the roots having reached the tunnels below. He quickly hung the rake in the storage room before he stood by the pond. He stared intently at the water level to catch the expected decrease if the crops were drawing from it. There! It actually works! Cal beamed when he caught the pond¡¯s water level drop ever so slightly. Orrin will be happy to not have to make the irrigation system. He eyed the channel feeding the water to the tunnels and immediately knew it needed to be deeper and possibly wider. As more crops were planted and needed water, there would be a significantly greater requirement for water flow. Cal was getting ahead of himself when he suddenly remembered the guildmaster. The beaming smile fell off his lips since all of this could be a waste. That was how Miren and her entourage found him. ¡°Initiate Cal,¡± Torin greeted as he stepped out of the carriage. He turned and ordered, ¡°Walk slowly with light steps and carefully exit the carriage.¡± Cal stared in confusion until he saw his tiny golem gingerly climb down the steps from the carriage. He looked to Torin with a raised eyebrow. Torin had an exasperated expression as he explained. ¡°We learned early that being extremely specific with the commands was necessary. I only wish it didn¡¯t require so much damage before we learned.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Cal didn¡¯t think of that issue. Since he was the caster, only he could give the golem vague commands since it knew his intent. That wasn¡¯t the case with others. Miren followed the golem out of the carriage and waved down at the carts that followed. Three were loaded with different-sized stones, and one had four people in addition to the driver, who had been waiting for an order. Torin took over. ¡°Unload the carts and lay the stones near the house. Keep it out of the workspace.¡± Cal waited patiently for Torin to finish before he spoke to Miren. ¡°Looks like you were happy with the golem¡­ what did you use it for?¡± Torin was about to answer for her when Miren jabbed him in the ribs with a glare. He winced and said, ¡°I apologize. That¡¯s a trade secret, Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Cal glanced at the embarrassed look on Miren¡¯s face and let it go. It wasn¡¯t that important anyway. ¡°Anyway, I do appreciate the help with this.¡± ¡°It was an equal trade¡ª¡± Torin was interrupted by Miren¡¯s tug on his arm. He glanced at her before approaching Cal and handing him a note. ¡°The Overseer asked us to pass this to you.¡± Cal murmured a thanks before opening the note. The guildmaster informed me that you were given one month to present yourself to the council. This can be ignored. Continue as usual and wait for the reversal. He reread the note multiple times and asked, ¡°The Overseer handed this to you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Torin confirmed. ¡°Well, to Madam Miren.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°Just before we left Lumina.¡± Cal nodded slowly before putting the note in his inner pocket. ¡°You can tell the Overseer I received it.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Torin moved to help Miren back onto the carriage. ¡°If there is anything we can help with further, come to our office in Lumina. And the workers will finish on their own. They will build a stone path from the tree line to the house. If you need more paths, you only need to tell them.¡± Cal absentmindedly said a farewell before standing in the same spot for far too many minutes. He had a good reason. Overseer Marek had been sincerely subordinate to the guildmaster the last time he had seen him. That was stuck in Cal¡¯s mind. That did not match the intent of the words behind the note. Will this change anything, even if it¡¯s true? Cal wasn¡¯t sure. He had little idea of the many things at play to know the best option. I¡¯ll continue with my plan to escape. If that isn¡¯t necessary, then so be it. I will have benefitted from my urgency in that case. Cal saw the workers had everything handled by themselves and that it would take a few hours to finish the main path to the house. He would leave them be until then. In the meantime, it was time to deal with the golem. I wonder if I can modify it after it has been formed. Cal attempted to do so, but the interface appeared. Active golem detected. You must deactivate the active golem if you wish to use [Harvest Guardian]. Cal thought it was a bit of a shame that the tiny golem would need to be destroyed, but he didn¡¯t make the rules. [Harvest Guardian] deactivated. The tiny golem immediately crumbled into dust. He ignored the shocked looks of the workers who noticed and went into the house. Cal intended to form another golem as soon as the workers left. In the meantime, he would fill the hearthstone. The extra mana would give him a little more help when he drew from it during the formation. Chapter 74 - Reckless Cal exhaled slowly as he recovered from the fifth time he fed the hearthstone in around three hours. The crops were fine, Tavia hadn¡¯t left her room, and the workers were still making the stone path. Though, they were making surprisingly quick progress for mortals. They would be done soon. He looked out the window to see them getting ever so close to the house. A well-built stone path extended behind them to the tree line. I¡¯ll need to give them instructions for the next step but before that¡­ Cal stood up and covered the hearthstone with the rug before heading to Tavia¡¯s room. He could no longer let her be. He had never been in a habit of volunteering to help anyone, even Oleg. If Oleg wanted his help, his friend had always asked directly. For some reason, he felt that Tavia would not do the same. ¡­ Oleg would be ranting at me for doing this. He would say to wait and let Tavia approach first. He always had odd advice regarding her¡­ but he was the only one married in their last life, so maybe there is something to that. Cal knocked on the door a few times before stepping back when he heard some movement. Tavia opened the door slightly and stared at him with red eyes. That shocked him silent. He wasn¡¯t sure what could have happened to cause Tavia to let out tears. She had never fallen to this level of despair, even when trying desperately to leave the core guild. For someone who had shamelessly decided to move into his house before he had even agreed, this defeated expression wasn¡¯t something he could accept. ¡°I¡¯m still exhausted, Cal,¡± Tavia spoke first since Cal chose to remain mute. "I¡¯ll be fine by tomorrow.¡± She attempted to close the door, but Cal finally acted. He blocked her from doing so. ¡°What happened in Silverpine?¡± Tavia looked at him as if asking why he cared, but nonetheless, she replied. ¡°I found out my friends crossed the border into the Frostguard Dominion.¡± She paused before hissing, ¡°I have no idea why they thought going to that place was a good idea.¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s the Frostguard Dominion?¡± Cal could understand it was a place to avoid from her tone, but he had never heard of it before. ¡°They¡¯re the only neighboring guild that is fanatically aggressive,¡± Tavia shook her head in resignation. ¡°It¡¯s not likely I¡¯ll see them again.¡± Cal, who had been thinking that his Apprentice rank would be helpful, was caught flat-footed. He couldn¡¯t do much outside the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. ¡°¡­ There¡¯s a chance nothing happened to them. No guild would be foolish enough to bar people from just entering their territory.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the Frostguard Dominion is one such guild. They barely allow trade to pass through their borders. It¡¯s a miracle I even learned about this matter,¡± Tavia looked more tired than before after saying those words out loud. Cal could only accept what he was being told since he knew little of it, but there was something that didn¡¯t make much sense to him. ¡°How did you come across this information? The Celestial Order is not subtle about keeping external affairs a secret.¡± ¡°They try their best,¡± Tavia rolled her eyes. ¡°If you stay in the core guild, that¡¯ll work. It¡¯s nearly impossible to not learn when you travel to the border settlements. There¡¯s too much trade happening to keep anything quiet.¡± ¡­ I really wasn¡¯t trying my best to find this information, was I? In my defense, only a few weeks have passed since I returned to this life. ¡°What do you want to do about this?¡± Cal was prepared to hear something ridiculous like saving them. Tavia¡¯s face fell further. ¡°Nothing. There¡¯s nothing I can do. I¡¯m too weak, and the guild will never let me leave.¡± It took everything Cal had not to show his relief. He was concerned he would have to convince her to leave her friends to their fate. Any attempts to leave the territory would draw drastic, possibly lethal, action from the guild. Overseer Marek made that clear to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tavia,¡± Cal said with a low voice. He thought about the note he received from Overseer Marek and hesitated before offering, ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything, but I¡¯ll see if there¡¯s something I can do to help.¡± Cal had lost most of the trust that Overseer Marek had a high, largely autonomous position in the guild with how severely the guildmaster humbled him, but the note implied everything wasn¡¯t as it seemed. Even if Overseer Marek couldn¡¯t help, he might be able to do something in the future. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to let Tavia in on his plans to prepare for an exit. Not yet, anyway. ¡°The Overseer is strangely focused on you, but you¡¯re still just an Initiate,¡± Tavia didn¡¯t want to be given false promises. ¡°Oh,¡± There was no reason to hide it from her. ¡°I¡¯m an Apprentice now.¡± Tavia opened the door fully in her shock and leaned closer as if she could see the increased rank in his face. After a few seconds, she breathed out, ¡°Truly?¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Cal nodded and was immediately faced with a blinding smile and a relieved laugh. ¡°I thought I was progressing quickly, but this is unbelievable! So that¡¯s how you can cast those spells easily!¡± Tavia still had that smile when she looked at him eagerly. ¡°Cal, if you ask the guild to help, I bet they¡¯ll agree! My friends are just failed Trainees. Surely, it wouldn¡¯t be too much trouble.¡± He grimaced at her optimistic view. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say the Frostguard Dominion was overly aggressive? Why would they be willing to listen to anything the guild asks?¡± The speed at which the smile fell off Tavia¡¯s lips made him soften his tone. ¡°But I¡¯ll ask. Maybe I¡¯m wrong.¡± ¡°Good. Good,¡± Tavia stepped back before chuckling nervously. ¡°I was going to do something stupid if you didn¡¯t let me know this was an option.¡± Cal narrowed his eyes before declaring, ¡°You lied. You were going to try and leave the territory.¡± She shrugged with a wry smile. ¡°They¡¯re my friends.¡± ¡­ No wonder I never saw her in my last life. She¡¯s willing to dive into a hopeless situation. ¡°Why¡ª¡± Cal pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. ¡°Tell me before you try to throw your life away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do,¡± Tavia agreed. It was too sincere. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was a joke or not, but he was ready to set this whole mess aside as a problem for future Cal. That was until he thought about his friend. ¡°Since you were looking into your friends, did you also find Oleg?¡± Cal tried to seem casual, but he didn¡¯t think it worked. ¡°I thought you wanted me to keep it to myself?¡± ¡°That is true¡­¡± Cal trailed off. ¡°Is he in danger?¡± Tavia shook her head. ¡°Then I don¡¯t need to know,¡± Cal was trying to convince himself with his words. He heard one of the workers knock on the door and turned to see that they were done with their work. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re finally getting some work done on the land!¡± Tavia sounded more like herself. ¡°Go see what they want. I really do need to get some rest, and now I might actually get some sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to hearing more about this Frostguard Dominion when you wake. Sleep well, Tavia,¡± Cal nodded before turning to leave. The door closed softly behind him as he exited the house. ¡°Initiate Cal,¡± one of the workers greeted with a respectful tone. ¡°We¡¯re out of material. If you could tell us what you want built, we can return with the appropriate material later.¡± Cal saw that the carts were empty of the stones they hauled to the field. ¡°Very well. I don¡¯t need anything as large as what you just built. I need new stone paths that are wide enough for one person to walk on. Each path should run the entire length of the field, with fifty feet of space between them.¡± The workers spoke to each other in low voices. They occasionally took in the field, likely figuring out the material needed. ¡°Do you wish for us to do the same near the water?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cal had forgotten about that. Still, it could be dangerous. ¡°Stay ten feet away from the pond at all times. For your safety.¡± The workers exchanged looks before agreeing to his instructions and left the field. Cal didn¡¯t want to test their luck since even Nibbles was wary of the pond. He rechecked the crops before doing the same to the pond¡¯s water level. The depleted water wasn¡¯t severe enough for him to act immediately. Especially since he needed all the mana possible for the golem. He moved to the piled-up rocks and stood in front of the same one that helped him create the tiny golem. Cal would have to experiment from this point on. Though the concept of a hearthstone was fairly simple, he had never used one before. He needed to link up with the hearthstone to pull from it at the same or lower rate as his mana core was depleted. Linking to the hearthstone didn¡¯t need him to be near it, though that was ideal, but he just needed to be in range. However, the further he was, the lower the efficiency was. There was a reason he sat directly beside the hearthstone when feeding it mana. Cal reached out to the hearthstone with a tendril of mana. It was easy to find since all it contained was his own mana, with a minuscule amount gathered naturally. It wouldn''t take much more effort, even if this wasn¡¯t the case. There was a reason such hearthstones were guarded behind runic arrays. There was little point in having them if anyone could draw from it. Of course, it wasn''t needed at his modest station. Cal felt the mana in the hearthstone respond to him eagerly and turned his attention back to the rock hill in front of him. [Harvest Guardian] activated. He quickly opened the floodgates that blocked the hearthstone¡¯s mana from being used. And it was just in time. Just like before, his mana core was emptied out in one pull, but the hearthstone immediately refilled it. [Harvest Guardian] was ravenous and continued to take all the mana that it could. The pile of rocks rumbled dangerously as the [Trait] formed the golem''s foundations. Compared to the last time he tried it, the disturbance was so large that it was apparent something significant was forming. Cal sensed that the hearthstone was quickly losing its ability to help. His mana core had been refilled over fifteen times, and he was surprised that the hearthstone could help to this extent. There was mana lost when feeding the hearthstone, even though he did it at a close distance. And there was a significantly greater amount of mana lost right now as he pulled from it. The hearthstone finally emptied and cut off the connection. Cal¡¯s shoulder slumped slightly from exhaustion. The amount of mana that was channeled through his body was enough to make him feel like he needed to sleep for a week. But [Harvest Guardian] wasn¡¯t done yet. The pile of rocks he was using shimmered before coalescing into a single, large blob that hovered slightly in the air. The whole pile was gone when the interface made itself known again. This golem is forming without an elemental affinity. Do you wish to use your essential mana reserves to apply one of your affinities to this golem? WARNING Dipping into your essential mana reserves will make you unable to use mana for a variable period of time. The length is determined by how much of the reserve you deplete. Cal didn¡¯t choose this option with the tiny golem, and he definitely wouldn¡¯t with something this large. Proceeding without the use of essential mana reserves. The golem''s final formation was familiar, only larger this time. He took a few steps back when it started to grow limbs and gain a vaguely humanoid face. Cal nodded in satisfaction as he stared up at the seven-foot-tall golem. Though, he did expect it to be a bit larger. He was a little disappointed that nothing else changed other than the size, but this golem would be much more useful than the tiny one he got the first time. Hmm, I don¡¯t need it to water anything. I¡¯ll set it to do one of the more tedious tasks. ¡°Clean up the field. Then clean up the surface layer I broke outside the field.¡± The golem moved. Cal stared wide-eyed at the giant hunk of rock that was already close to the pond. It was gathering the debris he had dug up while making the channel for the pond. Fast. But also stupid. It isn¡¯t using tools this time. It¡¯ll take exponentially longer if it uses its hands¡ªoh. The golem compacted the dirt and rocks in its hands before lobbing it in his direction. Cal didn¡¯t move as he tracked the ball of dirt and rock sail above his head and crash exactly where a pile of rocks used to be. The same pile that the golem was created from. Cal laughed at the clever way it chose to speed up the work. The golem might have more to it than simply size. Chapter 75 - The Third Batch Cal wasn¡¯t ashamed to say that he spent more than a few minutes watching the golem lob dirt ball after dirt ball until the field was cleared. It did more of the same when it moved to clean up the acre of surface layer he dug up in an attempt to modify his trance state. Cal turned his attention away and hopped onto his meditation hill. There wasn¡¯t much he could do when it felt like his body yearned to sleep for years. I just need to recover my mana and avoid using it for an hour or two. He looked around his field with a small smile. As long as he ignored the future uncertainties, he felt proud that he was turning a barren wasteland into a true farm. Cal¡¯s eye twitched when the tremendous crash nearby shook his meditation hill. It broke his untroubled mood. The novelty of the golem lobbing rock is quickly wearing off. I wanted to get it to use tools anyway. It would be a dream come true if it could upgrade them. He slowly looked away from the golem and attempted to block out the sound. However, it was nearly impossible with how loud it was. If it wasn¡¯t for any unnecessary sounds blocked from entering the house, Tavia might have rushed out and tried to set the golem on fire. Cal smirked as he imagined a furious Tavia waving her fist at a flaming yet undamaged golem staring back with a dumb expression. He heard Nibbles climbing up the meditation hill from the back. She must have gotten tired of staring at the harvested Sunfire Grains. ¡°What do you think of that?¡± Cal asked after seeing that she was content to stare at the golem. Nibbles sat down and shrugged her tiny shoulders. He raised his eyebrow at her sitting position. Seeing a little rabbit/squirrel-looking creature sitting cross-legged was more amusing than it had any right to be. She¡¯s copying me. ¡°That golem is going to be my new helper¡ª¡± Cal paused when he was interrupted by another loud crash. That sounded different. He turned to see that the golem had started a new pile. The previous one it was lobbing balls to was already at the height of the old piles of rocks Cal had created. This is another sign that it thinks outside my instructions. I¡¯ll have to test how far it can go. Nibbles let out a skeptical squeak at his claim. He was coming to understand her with more ease the longer they communicated. At least, he thought he did. ¡°Let¡¯s not doubt it already,¡± Cal chided gently. ¡°I just created the golem and it¡¯s already helping me. Just think of the time¡ª¡± He sucked in a deep breath when he saw the golem miss a lob for the first time. Cal swiftly stood up and launched himself forward, repeating the jump when he landed on the ground to rocket above his house. He slammed his fist into the compacted ball of rock and shattered it into tiny pebbles before his momentum made him land just beyond the back of the house. ¡°Stop!¡± Cal yelled before he sucked in deep breaths like he had run around the Celestial Order¡¯s territory several times over. He bent over and rested his hands on his knees as he kept his eye on the golem. Thankfully, it had frozen in place at his command. Alright, the golem isn¡¯t perfect. It was about to make a hole in my house¡­ and I''m more exhausted than I thought. Cal would remember this the next time he chose to channel so much mana. It felt like his limbs were weighed down by boulders. Even moving his fingers was a chore. ¡°Forget it,¡± he muttered as he sat down with a heavy grunt. ¡°I¡¯ll rest here for a few minutes¡­ or hours.¡± Cal noticed a blur shooting toward the golem. Nibbles had a furious expression as she climbed up the golem, stood on its shoulder, and started to berate it in loud, rapid-fire squeaks. The golem slowly turned its face to her and simply stared. He chuckled and lay on his back before closing his eyes, just for a few minutes. Nibbles should be given the title of Overseer. *** ¡°Cal, wake up.¡± He snapped his eyes open when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Tavia¡¯s amused face was over him as she shook him gently. Cal quickly took in the dark sky, and his eyes widened in shock. He yelped, ¡°My crops!¡± He shot up from the ground and rushed to check on his crops, his fear dropping rapidly when he saw they were fine. He checked on his pond and saw the water level had gone lower, but it still wasn¡¯t at the point where it was dangerous. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Cal checked the state of his body and saw everything looked normal. He didn¡¯t feel fatigued, and his mana core was full. The unintended nap worked. He cast [Rainfall]. He stared as the heavy rain fell onto the pond and heard Tavia walk up to stand beside him. ¡°So you make golems now,¡± she commented after a few seconds. ¡°Apparently,¡± Cal nodded, though he allowed himself to feel amusement at her confused tone. ¡°If the guild doesn¡¯t help someone like you, they are full of idiots,¡± Tavia declared. He shrugged, knowing her confidence in the competency of the guild was misplaced. The more he learned about the guild, the less sense it made with how they operated. He still didn¡¯t understand why someone who was a [Farmer] was almost disregarded. Of course, Cal wasn¡¯t talking about himself, but the regular Initiates. He couldn''t understand why they would undermine themselves when so much fertile land was available in the territory. What was the point of suppressing farmers to the extent that they had to struggle just to survive? Even he could see the issue of sabotaging the food supply by only growing low-quality crops because there were no high-ranked farmers. ¡°Your expression isn¡¯t giving me confidence,¡± Tavia said dryly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t meant to,¡± Cal¡¯s response had the same tone. ¡°You¡¯ve been traveling around the guild¡¯s territory. Does it inspire confidence in you?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Tavia tilted her head but couldn¡¯t come up with any examples. She set it aside. ¡°You¡¯re overfilling it.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to drown most of the soil in this part of the field if you keep going,¡± she stated as the water slowly spread. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on going that far.¡± Cal felt his mana core depleting below the halfway mark. The additional water extended halfway over the channel that connected the pond to the hole that fed the tunnels. At that point, he cut off his mana and allowed the spell to disperse. He would have liked to cover the hole, too, but the pond was strange. He didn¡¯t want the water to depress the ground below the hole¡¯s connection to the tunnels. Nibbles refused to go too deep into the pond, so if the connection was blocked, opening it back up would require more unneeded work. ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll be working late today?¡± Tavia asked casually. Cal thought about what he had to do and could comfortably say he wouldn¡¯t sleep much tonight. ¡°I¡¯ll be up very late.¡± ¡°Perfect, I have just the spell to help with that,¡± Tavia said with an impish smile. Cal had been ready to go to work, but he couldn¡¯t let her say that without expanding. ¡°You¡ªa mage specializing in the fire element¡ªthink you can help me? You do know I¡¯m trying to farm, right?¡± Tavia gained a fiery glint in her eyes. ¡°So you think I don¡¯t have enough control to stop my spell from burning everything to the ground?¡± ¡°That was not a challenge!¡± Cal cut off any ideas she might be getting. ¡°Fine,¡± Tavia huffed slightly in disappointment. ¡°It won¡¯t be close to your crops, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He gave her a distrustful look before letting it be. The only reason he was wary was the memory of her showing Seris a fire spell. Specifically, the look she had when casting the spell. He had labeled Tavia as a nearly unhinged pyromaniac from that point. Cal took the plow out of the storage room and got to work on the new five-thousand-square-foot patch, which was almost ready for planting. The plow was a problematic tool to upgrade. The initial tests he made with it, combined with the last two patches he had planted, barely gave him any task completions. [Uncommon Plow: Good Quality] Upgrade: 166/800 Tasks Each task was equivalent to plowing around ten square feet of soil, so the plow was the slowest of the bunch compared to the other tools. Cal placed the blade of the plow in the mulch and pushed, slicing through the soil and tilling it in preparation for planting the Sunfire Grain seeds. He was near the end of the patch when the land flashed a bright yellow before quickly dimming to bearable levels. He quickly looked up to see a ball of fire floating high above the field. He couldn¡¯t feel any heat from it due to the distance, but it was burning brightly enough to act like a replacement sun in the night. ¡°What do you think, Cal!?¡± Tavia asked with a strained voice, though she had a smile from showing off her new spell. ¡°Impressive,¡± Cal praised with sincerity. The spell¡¯s current use as a light had to only scratch the surface of what it was capable of. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± Tavia was interrupted by Nibbles appearing before her, giving her several praising squeaks. ¡°¡­ What is she trying to say?¡± ¡°Obviously, she¡¯s praising you,¡± Cal shook his head. ¡°Right¡­ obviously,¡± Tavia gave him a strange look before smiling at Nibbles. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Nibbles.¡± Nibbles preened before unceremoniously choosing to take that as permission to hop onto Tavia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Cal, look! She likes me!¡± Tavia exclaimed as she gently patted Nibbles on the head. I think Nibbles likes every human. ¡°It looks like it,¡± Cal said, not sharing his suspicions but acting like it was an achievement. He continued his work and pushed the plow until he finished the entire patch. The fireball that Tavia conjured was slowly dimming, but it was already impressive that she was able to keep it active for the entire thirty minutes or so that he was plowing the field. It finally disappeared when after he returned the plow to the storage room. He was carrying the barrel of Sunfire Grain seeds and the rake when he saw Tavia sitting by herself as she recovered her mana. Nibbles had returned to the golem¡¯s shoulder to lay on her back. Cal chuckled at her new lazing spot as he started to plant the seeds. He used the same spacing as he did on the last two and raked the soil over the seeds to finish the job. It was a slow process since he had to plant five thousand. Tavia was able to recast her spell several times by the time he had planted over half the seeds. Just as the fireball disappeared again, his interface appeared, and his rake changed in appearance. As an Advanced-ranked tool, the rake had a faint, blue aura that pulsed occasionally. It was a subtle thing that didn¡¯t make it stand out too much, but that was no longer the case. The rake shimmered a bright gold every time he moved it slightly, making the tool''s rank unmistakable. Your equipment [Advanced Rake] has been upgraded to [Rare Rake]. Equipment upgrade has modified its trait. Self-Repair¡ª> Progressive Self-Repair. [Progressive Self-Repair] - After 24 continuous hours without use, the rake will start to recover its quality in stages. For every additional 48 hours of continuous non-use, the rake''s quality will improve by one stage.
Complete stat sheet in author note (under spoiler tag)
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above. It''s free on Royal Road! Chapter 76 - Rare-Ranked Equipment Cal was happy about the rake¡¯s trait upgrade. Extremely happy. While the upgraded trait meant that the tool would take longer to reach ¡®Excellent quality¡¯ if it was used the tool until it was nearly ruined, it was still only by two days. Not that he would use a tool until it was almost destroyed. If he set a limit for using a tool until it dropped to ¡®Average quality,¡¯ it would take five days to recover to its peak state. Three days if he let it recover after falling to ¡®Good quality.¡¯ ¡°Is that what I think it is!?¡± Tavia almost ran to him but stopped just outside the bounds of the patch. ¡°Cal! You have to hide it!¡± She immediately reconsidered her words. ¡°No, you should sell it! Though, how can you do that without revealing it.¡± She looked genuinely concerned about this issue. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about. I have a deal with the guild exactly for this reason,¡± Cal said to calm her panic. ¡°They know you can create Rare-ranked equipment out of thin air?¡± She asked incredulously. ¡°They would lock you up in a lavish prison and force you to make them continuously! It¡¯s what any guild with sense would do.¡± In all honesty, Cal had the same fears as Tavia did, except he was doing a far better job of hiding it. The reason went right back to Overseer Marek. His safety relied on the man¡¯s power, which is very much an unknown at this point because the guildmaster did not show him any preference. ¡°As I said, I have a deal,¡± Cal repeated calmly before switching the subject. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you don¡¯t have the thought of revealing this to get some leeway from the guild.¡± Tavia glared at him furiously as if he greatly offended her. ¡°I don¡¯t betray my friends.¡± Huh. I suppose I am her friend. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. It was just curiosity on my part,¡± Cal said with a little wince. When she didn¡¯t look mollified, he added, ¡°I¡¯d say the same to Oleg¡­ worse, really.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t look like Oleg, do I?¡± Tavia¡¯s tone was odd, almost like it was at the edge of something. ¡°Er, no?¡± He thought the answer was obvious. Tavia narrowed her eyes before storming back to the house in a huff. Cal had no idea what happened, but she was somehow more furious than before. ¡­ I don¡¯t get it. Maybe she doesn¡¯t like Oleg? She told him that she didn¡¯t want any distractions while she was a Trainee. It might have been a little lie to avoid putting the blame on Oleg¡¯s constant presence next to him. Cal nodded to himself in realization. That must be it. Heh. I can¡¯t wait to see Oleg¡¯s face after I tell him. He chuckled as he pulled up the rake on the interface. He wanted to see how many tasks were required to get to the rake to the next rank. [Rare Rake: Average Quality] Upgrade: 1. Tasks Required: - 0/20000 Tasks 2. Materials Required: - 0/5 Earth Crystals - 0/10 Dragonite Scales - 0/500 Voidiron Pellets Cal stared for a moment. He did not expect that. He glanced over the tasks needed for the upgrade. It was a large number, to be sure, but considering what it was for, he thought it was completely reasonable. It was the second requirement that threw him. Well, there are three additional requirements, to be specific. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. He had never heard of any tool or weapon needing to be reforged after they were made. Then again, he knew next to nothing about equipment above the Rare-rank. This could be the norm for all he knew. And he doubted he would get any information in the Celestial Order¡ªoutside the upper levels of the hierarchy¡ªsince the guildmaster himself only had a Rare-ranked sword. Plus, he had no idea how to find a blacksmith skilled enough to work on this, even if he somehow gathered the materials needed, two of which he had never heard of. He was only aware of Voidiron due to Orrin, and the kid might be the answer to his need for a blacksmith. However, that would be in the very distant future, if ever, considering how uncertain the future was at the moment. As for the other two materials, Cal had never heard of them. ¡®Earth Crystals¡¯ sounded like something similar to the simulacra, but other than that random guess, he had no clue what it could be. As for ¡®Dragonite Scales,¡¯ he had even less of a clue since he couldn¡¯t even guess what it could be. The name implied it was related to dragons, but he hoped with all his heart that was not the case. Dragons were creatures of legend. They existed in the past, but nobody had seen them for well over a thousand years. Anything related to dragons, even a cracked, near-useless scale off their body, could start wars. And that merchant, Benan, claims that the stick he sold me is a dragon bone. Cal let out a chuckle as his disappointment lightened for a moment. But it was only for a moment. He wouldn¡¯t be getting the rake to the next rank. It was fair, somewhat. It would be too cheap if he could have a tool that was above the Rare rank when he didn¡¯t even know what that rank was called. There were no books in the library that focused on anything above Rare equipment. Even then, Rare equipment were mentioned in a few words since it was a near impossibility for anyone in the Celestial Order to possess one. Why would the guild waste money having books that explain more? It¡¯s something I frequently fault the guild for. A tight control on what could be learned. He sighed and finished planting the seeds. He retreated a little distance from the patch and cast [Rainfall], but only for the shortest time possible. With the tunnels now able to give his crops the water needed, it was no longer necessary to be too excessive with the rain. Only a few more things left to do before I can sleep. ¡°Nibbles!¡± Cal waited for her to pay attention before continuing. ¡°Get off the golem. It can¡¯t work with you there.¡± She did so reluctantly and moved to his meditation hill to sleep. He thought about how to word his order to the golem before speaking. ¡°Clean up all that dug-up surface layer. You have to pick it up and walk to the pile area before throwing the debris onto a pile when you are five feet away.¡± Cal thought he did a relatively good job with that. The golem would understand the general idea he wanted, but he tried to restrict how it chose to do the cleanup so he didn¡¯t have an incident like last time. Seeing small boulders tossing across the field was amusing, but he would prefer not to wake up to a house with holes in the roof. He watched the golem to make sure it was doing as he expected before moving to the pond. Cal didn¡¯t see any changes, but he also didn¡¯t expect to. He had only added more water several hours ago. Now, he wanted to add more. While planting the seeds, he thought about what would be required to service all the crops from when he planted them to the harvest time. He wanted to be able to leave the crops to their own devices so he didn¡¯t need to keep a close eye on them. Cal could dig a much deeper channel to help in the future, but that was pointless at the moment. The channel was currently deeper than the pond, and the opposite would need to be true for him to dig deeper into it. He imagined the pond taking up most of the space in this part of the field and eventually extending outside the bounds of the field. ¡­ The note Overseer Marek sent me seems to have made me more comfortable than I thought. Cal stared at the pond for a second before raising his palm to point above the pond. It doesn¡¯t matter. This can be practice to replicate if I leave. A small, stormy cloud formed under the clear night sky before rain poured down. Unlike on the other side of the pond, he had no intention of controlling the downpour. Unfortunately, Cal underestimated how far the water would spread. He was standing in it since the ground outside the pond was flat. The more significant issue was that the additional water he was trying to add was connected with the pond, and that caused it to overfill¡ªprecisely what he wanted to avoid. I didn¡¯t think this through. He swiftly pulled up his free arm, hand facing up and in a claw. He used [Earth Barrier]. The ground at the pond''s edge, where the channel was located, rumbled slightly. The shaking quickly became stronger before three-foot-high walls blocked most of the pond from expanding in an undesirable. Cal finished the barrier by forcing the new wall to extend over the channel and fully got the expansion in control. Without much pressure pushing the water to the other side, the barrier would nudge it to go elsewhere. He kept [Rainfall] active as he observed the new barrier he created. It looked stable enough for what he needed. It wouldn¡¯t be a permanent solution since it was only necessary until the pond settled. Cal soon felt his mana core close to empty, so he let [Rainfall] disperse. He grimaced as he felt his soaked boots slosh through the water and returned all the things he had used to the storage room. Nibbles and Tavia were sleeping. The golem was doing the work he assigned it without any of its own innovative ideas. And he was finally done for the day. He was ready for a restful night''s sleep to recharge. *** Cal woke to the sound of distant rumbling. His eyes ran over the gem on his dresser before he got up and exited the house. Tavia hadn¡¯t left her room yet. Good. She needs the rest. He stretched as he faced the tree line until he felt a few pops and let out a relaxed sigh. It sounded like the convoy of all convoys was arriving. There was only one thing that could be. I¡¯m getting more supplies. A lot of them. Chapter 77 - Everythings Ready Cal noticed that the pond had changed overnight. It had visibly contracted¡ªthough still larger than before he dumped rain into it¡ªand the water level had barely decreased. He walked closer and saw that the floor of the pond¡¯s slightly expanded borders were recessed. It was no longer flat like the rest of the field. That should mean the center of the pond now had an even greater depth, but he had experienced enough of his assumptions being wrong to just accept it. The rumbling of the carts approaching his field was still quite a distance away. He had well over ten minutes before the first cart would pass the tree line. More than enough time to wade in and test the depth. I can add more water¡ª Cal flinched when he heard a ground-shaking crash. He swiftly appeared at the origin¡ªready to demolish whatever was attacking his land¡ªonly to see the golem buried in a pile of rocks. Nibbles was standing nearby and shook her head in disappointment. He frowned as he took the sight in. There were four new piles¡ªnot counting the one around the golem¡ªand the new area was thoroughly cleaned up. He now had a field that was four acres instead of two. Still, he had yet to learn how the golem ended up in this situation. ¡°What did you do?¡± Cal blinked when he realized he had asked the mindless golem, who stared blankly at him. He turned to Nibbles and repeated the question. ¡°What did it do?¡± Nibbles was eager to tattle on the golem and did her charades with great amusement. ¡°¡­ So it finished the clean-up, and then it proceeded to move the piled-up rock around the entire night,¡± Cal said as he stared at the golem. Nibbles continued her charades. ¡°¡­ And it started to throw rock balls from five feet away.¡± Nibbles made a sound that resembled a giggle as she nodded. It is my fault. I never gave an explicit end to its work. I had assumed my intent would have been enough. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything until I give you another order,¡± Cal was as clear as he could be. He would rather have the golem be useless for some time than have it do something dangerous while the workers unloaded the supplies. He was about to leave when a strange thought appeared in his mind. ¡°Golem, nod if you like to throw balls around.¡± The golem simply stared at him with its featureless, vaguely humanoid face that stuck out of the pile of rocks it was buried in. ¡°That was a stretch,¡± Cal muttered as he took his leave. He thought briefly of the golem being sapient, but that type of thing was just a myth. It was supposedly possible if the creator was skilled enough, but that¡¯s how myths worked. Supposedly possible, but never any evidence. Somehow, I have a golem that randomly throws things when left alone. Cal waited near his house for the coming visitors. He mentally tallied the things he needed to complete today and found there wasn¡¯t much he needed to do. He would be able to spend most of the time prepping the field with step one of the repair process. It¡¯s imperative to get the pond larger. It¡¯ll be sucked dry at this size if it has to feed the whole field. Cal saw the first cart pass the treelike and had to double-check that he wasn¡¯t mistaken. It seemed that most of the people he knew from Mariner¡¯s Rest chose to visit him. He didn¡¯t like that. Orrin sat beside Seris with a bored expression, and Cal didn¡¯t mind his presence, though he had no idea why the boy was there. It was Nismus seated behind them who made him raise his eyebrows. He would have questioned why Seris brought the suspicious man along if not for the heavy frown on her face. She usually smiled when visiting, so clearly, she didn¡¯t suddenly take a liking to Nismus. Cal took his eyes off them momentarily when the rest of the convoy started to file into the field behind them. It looked like an endless cart train loaded with loam, mulch, and occasional powdered crystals. Drex had sent over enough to fix the soil of his original two-acre field, with plenty more left over after he was done. ¡°Boss Cal!¡± Seris called out as soon as her cart was close to the house. ¡°I brought over all the stuff Orrin made for you. And I pulled Orrin along too!¡± Cal raised an eyebrow at the way she addressed him. She had never called him that before. ¡°And Nismus? Did you pull him along too?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Huh?¡± Seris looked at him strangely and jumped down from the cart. ¡°Drex told me you might be interested in seeing him. So here he is.¡± ¡°You have a marvelous farm, Initiate Cal,¡± Nismus said warmly, undeterred by the clear unwelcome. ¡°I hope you forgive my intrusion.¡± ¡°¡­ So I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t want to see Nismus?¡± Seris asked as she glanced between them. ¡°You guessed right,¡± Cal replied dryly before turning to Orrin. ¡°Welcome to my little farm. I need to sort all these people out so they can leave as quickly as possible, so excuse me until then. Seris can show you around in the meantime.¡± Orrin, being the sensible kid he was, didn¡¯t make a fuss and followed an excited Seris into the house. Cal ignored Nismus for the moment and directed the steady stream of incoming carts to unload the supplies by the stables. There was far too much to stack by the walls of his house, and with only two horses using the rather large stables, it was a perfect place to use for this. He watched the workers unload the carts for a few minutes to ensure the horses wouldn¡¯t harm them. He felt Nismus approaching from behind. ¡°What do you have over Drex for him to lie to Seris?¡± Cal asked without taking his eyes off the workers. ¡°Over him? You make it sound as if I threaten my friends.¡± Cal didn¡¯t believe the man¡¯s offended tone one bit. But he did believe the reply. ¡°Whatever you have to say better be worth it for Drex. He has lost all my business.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not entirely true. You will have to sell your harvest at the port¡­ if you choose to do so.¡± He gave Nismus a warning glance. ¡°I¡¯m sure that can be changed if necessary. What is it that you want?¡± ¡°I heard that you were close to harvest,¡± Nismus smiled when he received another warning look. ¡°Guessing by that soil over there, the Sunfire Grains were already pulled out. I was hoping you would let me have a look.¡± Cal turned to give Nismus his full attention. The workers knew what to do and no longer needed supervision. ¡°You are aware that I have no interest in selling any of the harvest to you.¡± ¡°And I respect that. I simply find pleasure in looking at different harvests. I have seen all that this territory has to offer, but Sunfire Grains are something new.¡± He didn¡¯t know what it was about Nismus''s voice that made him feel like he was dipped into oil every time. It was highly uncomfortable, and he wanted it to end. Cal eyed the stream of carts that were still rolling into his field. It would take some time before all of the carts left his field, but the first ones should leave relatively soon. ¡°Follow. You can take a look before you leave on the first cart out of here.¡± Nismus followed silently while Cal racked his brain to figure out what the man wanted. He knew he should probably kick Nismus out¡ªnothing was stopping him¡ªbut he felt there was no reason to not see where this went. If Nismus was shameless enough to invite himself to a guild member¡¯s station, the man was willing to go much further to get what he wanted. Cal would rather have some control over the interactions while making it clear there would always be a disconnect between them¡­ until he felt it was worth changing that. ¡°Red grains,¡± Nismus whispered as they approached the harvest on the other side of the piles of rock. ¡°There are some that have them,¡± Cal didn¡¯t reveal that he had no idea what the red grains meant. Though, he could guess by the reverence in Nismus¡¯s voice. ¡°You are a skilled farmer, Initiate Cal. One of the very best. The Celestial Order is blessed to have one such as you to be part of the guild.¡± I have never felt more disgusted by flattery. ¡°Thanks,¡± Cal said dryly. ¡°No, thank you for letting me take a look. I¡¯ll take my leave as you requested. I hope you come around to my house for some tea when you are in town.¡± Cal watched Nismus return to the house with a puzzled look. That¡¯s it? He glanced at the red grains and wondered if it was just a convenient reason to meet him. Nismus seemed willing to play the long game, and this could be something to make sure he kept the man in mind as an option for the future. The issue was Drex. Cal had already given him multiple chances to tone down the persistence, but doing this forced his hand. If he allowed Drex to continue without consequence, the overreaches would get worse. The only thing was that it made little sense for Drex to push Seris to bring Nismus along. There was little reason to do so. Nismus could have just shown up to his field and had the same result. He frowned before shaking his head. Cal glanced at harvested crops again and noticed they were dry enough. He would take them to the port today. Sell them and find out what Drex was thinking¡ªor wasn¡¯t thinking¡ªat the same time. He returned to his crowded field and saw Nismus on a departing cart before putting the sleazy man out of his mind. Supplies had already been stacked to fill the stables, and once the space inside was gone, the workers started stacking them out to the edge of the stone pathways that were built yesterday. Thankfully, the two horses were still satisfied with their much smaller space. In fact, they seemed interested in watching the workers. ¡°Put the rest on the side of the stables,¡± Cal said as they started stacking the supplies on the soil after running out of stone pavement. ¡°Yes, Initiate,¡± a superior among them confirmed before directing the others as Cal requested. He watched for a few seconds before moving to the cart Seris had been riding on. He then moved all the tools Orrin had made for him into the storage room. Cal didn¡¯t bother to suppress his speed and was done in less than ten minutes. As usual around mortals, they paused to stare at him at the beginning before returning to their work. He stood in the storage room and tallied the new tools. Six pickaxes, sledgehammers, and shovels, four plows, two wheelbarrows, and five hand buckets. Orrin went the extra mile. I can see how the golem deals with tools with so many to spare. Cal glanced over the spare tools again before going through the hallway that connected the storage room to the main house. The first thing he saw was Orrin blushing under Tavia¡¯s curious questioning. Seris was alternating between glee and frustrated, confused anger. That made Cal smile a little. ¡°Orrin,¡± he interrupted, to the kid¡¯s relief. ¡°Thank you for going the extra length with my requests. And you didn¡¯t need to come here to deliver them. I told you I would have been happy to pick them up.¡± ¡°Ah, well, it wasn¡¯t just for that, Initiate Cal,¡± Orrin fidgeted before giving him an awkward, unfamiliar bow. ¡°I came to ask you for a favor.¡± Finally! I was waiting for this. ¡°Oh?¡± Cal acted calm. ¡°How can I help?¡± ¡°I was hoping you could be my sponsor for the blacksmith test.¡± "... What?" Chapter 78 - Leaving the Farm ¡°I¡¯m not a blacksmith,¡± Cal pointed out. As far as he knew, only people in the trade could sponsor others for qualification tests. Orrin, for some reason, looked to Tavia for backup. Which he got. ¡°But you are an Apprentice. You have the authority to get Orrin into the blacksmith test if you wish.¡± Cal eyed the hand that was resting on Orrin¡¯s shoulder. It looked like Tavia got along with Orrin nearly as quickly as with Seris. ¡°Is Apprentice better than Initiate?¡± Seris asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s higher ranked in the guild, and that was something Tavia shouldn¡¯t have mentioned so casually,¡± Cal said dryly. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t know it was supposed to be a secret,¡± Tavia said sheepishly. ¡°I''m sure these two will keep it quiet. Right? Orrin? Seris?¡± The two nodded their head rapidly while staring at him with wide eyes. Cal cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, when is this test?¡± ¡°A week from now!¡± Seris was the one who answered, but Orrin nodded beside her. With my relationship with the guild in limbo, I can''t do much. One week will be more than enough time to consider my options. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it,¡± Cal tried to be noncommittal, but Orrin didn¡¯t take it that way. The kid¡¯s face lit up as if it was a done deal. He quickly tried to distract him. ¡°You were pretty firm on doing this yourself. What made you change your mind?¡± He hid a wince. That wasn¡¯t a distraction. It will make Orrin think of it even more. ¡°Well, it was her,¡± Orrin pointed at the girl near his age. ¡°Seris?¡± ¡°She tried to sell the booklet you gave her, and she practically gave it away. I didn¡¯t want her to keep giving you losses, so I decided it was time for me to pull my own weight.¡± The more Orrin spoke, the more Seris looked outraged. ¡°What do you mean I gave it away! I sold it for twenty silver!¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Cal held his hand up to stop any further words. ¡°How did you manage to sell the spell for so cheap?¡± ¡°None of the Initiates were interested in buying it, so I had to go to the bazaar to get someone to buy it.¡± Seris fidgeted under Cal¡¯s blank stare. He wasn¡¯t annoyed at her for selling the spell booklet so cheaply, but more so that she was in such a rush to get rid of it when there was no need. He hadn¡¯t given her a timeline to sell it, just a minimum price he wanted her to get. Instead of taking her time, she sold it for a third of the minimum. This did work out for me in the end. ¡°We¡¯ll need to discuss why you didn¡¯t want to wait for a better price¡­ later,¡± Cal felt like he was some sort of guardian to Seris at this point. ¡°So, who was the lucky person who bought the spell from you?¡± ¡°Benan,¡± Seris said moodily. Cal blinked before asking. ¡°The merchant we met at the bazaar? That Benan?¡± She nodded in reply. ¡°Is he still there?¡± ¡°¡­ Probably? The bazaar doesn¡¯t close for another day or so,¡± Seris hesitated before continuing. ¡°But boss, Benan won¡¯t return the spell booklet.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t sure what she was talking about for a second since he wasn¡¯t thinking about the booklet at all. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Why don¡¯t you go introduce Orrin to Nibbles?¡± Seris was pleased to get away and pulled Orrin out the door. ¡°I was wondering why you hired Seris. I was almost convinced that it was purely out of generosity until I saw Orrin. He¡¯s a good discovery, Cal.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cal denied it instantly, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. Seris was just helpful. I found Orrin later. And that¡¯s not important. You know how you wanted to go to the bazaar? What do you think about visiting today?¡± It was Tavia¡¯s turn to look thrown off. It looked like she had forgotten this was something she had initially suggested. Her eyes widened before a smile took over her lips. ¡°That sounds great! But we will take my carriage. Seris told me you like to run around. I do not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s acceptable.¡± If Tavia hadn¡¯t returned to her room immediately, she would have seen Cal laugh to himself. I can¡¯t imagine Tavia running to places. It¡¯s almost as absurd as imagining Overseer Marek doing so. Cal left the house and noticed that almost all of the carts were empty, and the field would soon be peaceful again. The last of them were unloaded before most of them filed out of the field in an organized manner. The worker who barked out instructions approached him. ¡°Sir, Drex informed me that the payment isn¡¯t an issue. He hopes you visit him at the port when you have time.¡± ¡°Hm, I¡¯ll be sure to do so,¡± Cal smiled thinly, looking forward to finding out what Drex was playing at. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Soon, the only cart left was the one that Seris and Orrin rode in on. He eyed the size of the cart and the beast of burden that was attached to it. I can use this to take the harvested crops to town. This ox looks strong enough to make the trip. Cal quickly moved to find Seris and Orrin, who were being entertained by Nibbles making fun of the golem¡­ again. ¡°Seris!¡± He saw her flinch as if he feared the following words out of his mouth. ¡°I need to borrow your cart. Why don¡¯t you stay here while I use it?¡± ¡°Oh, I was scared you wanted to talk about something¡ª¡± Seris shut herself up when Cal raised his brow. ¡°I mean, of course, Cal!¡± ¡°¡­ Good,¡± Cal kept himself from cracking his serious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything you know you shouldn¡¯t, and don¡¯t go near the pond. Nibbles will watch over you, but don¡¯t make her job harder.¡± ¡°Apprentice Cal¡ª¡± ¡°Just call me Cal, like Seris does,¡± Cal interrupted Orrin. It was tiresome hearing him be so formal all the time. He couldn¡¯t deny that he got a small thrill when reminded of his position, but the constant repetition was grating. ¡°Ah¡­ Cal,¡± Orrin looked pained as he got his name out, ¡°I wanted to test some ideas for the irrigation system you wanted. Do you mind if I get started now?¡± Cal¡¯s instinct was to deny it since it wasn¡¯t necessary, but on second thought, the new designs of this irrigation system might test Orrin¡¯s skills. Who was he to stop his progress? So much for not being a mentor. I made a mistake rejecting [Benevolent Mentor]. ¡°If you don¡¯t think it will take away from your other projects, then you are free to do as you wish,¡± Cal paused before reiterating, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t go near the pond. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t want us to go near the pond, Cal,¡± Seris looked like she was getting ideas. ¡°And that¡¯s why we will avoid it, right Seris?¡± Orrin stared at her like he was daring her to argue. ¡°Right, you two know what to do,¡± Cal quickly left and started to load the cart with the harvested crops. He put the plain Sunfire Grains on the bottom and the ones with the red grains on top. Nismus¡¯s reaction was enough for him to conclude that the red grains were unique and valuable, and he did not wish to have them accidentally damaged during the travel. ¡°I guess this means we¡¯re not taking my carriage.¡± Cal turned to see Tavia staring at him with her arms crossed. She didn¡¯t look upset, more¡­ exasperated. ¡°Since we¡¯re going to town, I figured I might as well take my harvest to the port.¡± He then noticed that she was dressed a little differently. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing your robes?¡± Tavia gave him a look that said he was clueless. ¡°I wanted to try something new. Take a closer look at the colors!¡± Cal tried, he really did, but it all looked like the same shade of purple and black to him. He had assumed that Tavia had a good sense of fashion, but it might be that it was also just as strange as her decorating tastes, just in a different way. ¡°It looks good,¡± Cal offered. It wasn¡¯t a lie, and he sidestepped the matter of not seeing the difference altogether. Tavia beamed before hopping onto the cart and immediately grimacing. ¡°I forgot how much I dislike open-air carriages.¡± ¡°I''m sure you¡¯ll be fine. This won¡¯t take long anyway,¡± Cal took a seat beside her with a chuckle. *** ¡°Won¡¯t take long, huh?¡±¡¯ Cal laughed nervously as he kept the ox on the path. The damned thing wanted to veer into the forest every few minutes. He didn¡¯t know if it was the ox¡¯s issue or his driving issue. ¡°I might have forgotten to factor the weight of the crops slowing the ox,¡± Cal said sheepishly. ¡°On the plus side, I have time to ask you things I¡¯ve been curious about.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Tavia turned to face him in interest. ¡°Why did you really leave the core guild? I believe you when you say that you need peace for success, but I still find it hard to accept that you ran to me. You have to admit I didn¡¯t give you the best impression when we were Trainees.¡± Tavia stared at him for a few seconds and said, ¡°I might have told you a half-truth. I could thrive in the core guild if I really threw myself into that situation, but it could also be a short-lived success. So I left.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain much,¡± Cal said dryly. Tavia shifted uneasily. ¡°It became clear that I would have to adapt to thinking about winning regardless of cost. It could help me greatly, or I might set someone on fire and force the guild''s hand after I''m out of control. I couldn¡¯t say which was more likely.¡± ¡­ I feel like this is another half-truth, though some things are making more sense. ¡°So you came to me in hopes that I could still push you,¡± Cal said confidently. She gave him a toothy smile. ¡°There was no need for hope. I knew. And you didn¡¯t disappoint, Apprentice Cal.¡± He was surprisingly happy with her reason for coming to his station. He would have found it disingenuous if she had said anything else. There were a few minutes of silence before Cal broke it. ¡°Were you really going to leave the territory to try and save your friends?¡± ¡°Yes, without a doubt.¡± Tavia was dead serious. Another few minutes of silence. ¡°I was told that leaving the territory, for either of us, could result in a fatal punishment.¡± ¡°Wait, why would you need to be told that?¡± Tavia moved closer as if that would help her read him. It wasn¡¯t said explicitly, but it was certainly implied. ¡°Some things about the guild are giving me second thoughts.¡± ¡°Seconds thoughts for what? As in, you¡¯re thinking of leaving??¡± Tavia¡¯s questions were more incredulous than the last. ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Cal denied quickly. ¡°Just some annoyance that I¡¯m sure will be sorted out.¡± Tavia narrowed her eyes to see if that was the truth before saying, ¡°You are soaring up the ranks here. Why leave and break a good deal only to get a manhunt as a reward?¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°If you really want to leave, wait until you¡¯re strong enough that they can¡¯t stop you.¡± Cal had intended to do so before the guildmaster¡¯s aggressive negotiations. The man¡¯s sudden change reminded him of how much was changed from his first life. I can¡¯t know if the guild that attacked the Celestial Order will keep the same timeline. The only sure thing is that the two beings that reversed time will keep the girl away from the battle. ¡°Cal?¡± He glanced at Tavia¡¯s concerned face and gave her a forced smile. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything stupid. Not after I told you of the consequences of trying to leave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably the least convincing thing you¡¯ve said so far,¡± Tavia rolled her eyes. Cal chuckled as she started to extoll the benefits of staying in the guild for the rest of the trip, none of which were wrong. It still wouldn¡¯t make him change his mind. He was waiting for Overseer Marek to get in contact with him before fully committing one way or another. Tavia had moved on to trying to instill the fear of losing his farm as they passed through the gates to the town. ¡°Tavia,¡± Cal interrupted after giving her more than enough time to vent. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a promise. If I think that I¡¯m going to leave everything behind, you¡¯ll be the first I tell.¡± She was finally mollified after that concession. ¡°That works, and it can¡¯t be at the last minute!¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Cal accepted as he hopped off the cart. They had reached the platform that was connected to the port. He led the ox onto it, and they descended slowly. ¡°So this is how they move large goods from the port¡­ This is highly inefficient, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tavia spoke over the clicking gears as the pulley lowered the platform. ¡°It is. My understanding is that most of the larger goods are sent to Gale¡¯s End. The port there isn¡¯t situated at the bottom of a cliff.¡± ¡°That just brings up more questions,¡± Tavia laughed lightly. Cal agreed, but he had little interest in finding out the answers to questions as unimportant as this. The platform hit the ground and stopped with a rumble. He could see Drex in the distance and led the ox there. Chapter 79 - Bazaar a Second Time ¡°Drex!¡± Cal¡¯s call made the man turn in surprise. Drex saw the cart filled with Sunfire Grains behind Cal, and his eyes widened with happiness. ¡°Initiate Cal! Initiate Tavia! I was wondering when the harvest would be ready!¡± Drex said joyfully as he swiftly approached to meet Cal in the middle. ¡°Your yield is lower than I had hoped, but given where you are growing them, it¡¯s acceptable that¡ª¡± Cal raised a brow at Drex¡¯s sudden stop and followed his eyes to the red grain-covered crop at the top. ¡°Is something wrong, Drex?¡± ¡°N-Not at all, Initiate Cal! I just didn¡¯t expect that you would be able to grow the red gem variant! It¡¯s amazing! Brilliant!¡± ¡°Then I expect a far greater price for it,¡± Cal laughed, temporarily letting go of the annoyance he felt toward Drex. ¡°Ah, well, that might be impossible,¡± Drex said nervously. ¡°Your field¡¯s first harvest has already been sold by the guild ¡­ and they anticipated poor results.¡± Cal was speechless. Literally. It felt like he had been swindled. No matter how well the harvest went, he would get poor results in terms of money. ¡°It¡¯s standard practice, Initiate Cal,¡± Drex assured, ¡°This is to ensure a stable and predictable sale and delivery for both the sellers and buyers. Once the first contract is complete, you will get a far better one if you show you can grow the red gem variety consistently.¡± ¡°By my field¡¯s first harvest, I assume you mean the entirety of it?¡± Cal asked with some resignation. It wasn¡¯t the end of the world, but he felt disappointed that he wasn¡¯t properly rewarded. As for a new contract, that was too far in the future to think about at the moment. ¡°Unfortunately, yes. The guild set the field size to eighty thousand square feet, and assumed a fifty percent yield for your first try.¡± ¡°So the guild pre-sold forty thousand Sunfire Grains,¡± Cal said flatly. ¡°Though the assumed yield is atrocious, they are highly confident I would succeed to make such a deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they knew you were reviving the field, Cal,¡± Tavia spoke for the first time since Drex arrived. ¡°If anything, they were being too cautious with the yield.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to think of it, Initiate Tavia,¡± Drex agreed with swift nods. ¡°I still get one silver per Sunfire Grain as you told me, right?¡± Cal felt slightly mollified when Drex nodded. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t ask, but how much could I have sold the red gem variants for if the contract didn¡¯t exist?¡± Drex winced. ¡°Somewhere between five and ten silver depending on the quality.¡± ¡°Ouch, Cal. You lost huge on this deal.¡± ¡°Thank you for pointing that out,¡± Cal said dryly as he glanced at a far-too-amused Tavia before addressing Drex. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this processed.¡± It¡¯s not worth trying to find ways to save the variants at this point, but maybe in the future if it becomes feasible. Drex immediately shifted into action. He called over multiple workers and had them tally the number of Sunfire Grains on the cart. When it came to the red gem variants, it was clear that even Drex felt some pain from having to sell them at such a low price. Cal watched all this carefully as he waited for Drex to finish moving the harvest into a nearby warehouse. He was thinking about the questioning he intended to do. It would be far less intensive than he planned. The efficiency he observed would make it foolish for him to cut off the relationship with Drex completely. He would be just as hurt by that action, if not more than Drex. There was no reason for him to spend time sourcing another resource that could provide everything that Drex could. ¡°I counted two hundred and fifty-nine Sunfire Grains. Would you like to double-check, Initiate Cal?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Cal shook his head. That was just about what he assumed he had. ¡°Very well. This is your payment,¡± Drex handed over coins in quick succession. Cal counted them before pocketing them in his pouch. One gold, twenty-nine silver, and fifty copper. ¡°You took the guild¡¯s tax out already?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the standard fifty percent,¡± Drex said with a short nod. ¡°Hm, thanks. Now, for the uncomfortable talk I need to have with you. Why did you send Nismus to my farm?¡± The sudden change in tone blindsided Drex. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean, Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°Seris brought Nismus to me because you told her I was interested in seeing him. Let¡¯s not play dumb, Drex.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right, I remembered that Nismus knew far more about Sunfire Grains than I did, so I planned to let you meet again. Young Seris must have taken that another way and took action herself.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Hm, I see,¡± Cal didn¡¯t believe that one bit. ¡°If you have something to tell me, don¡¯t mention it to Seris. There¡¯s no reason to get her involved.¡± He gave him a sharp look before changing the subject. "You don¡¯t mind if I leave the cart here, do you? Drex took the warning for what it was and quickly agreed with his request. ¡°Of course, Initiate Cal.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Cal motioned for Tavia to follow, leaving a flustered Drex behind. ¡°He was telling you a half-truth,¡± Tavia stated as they approached the bazaar. ¡°I¡¯m aware. But I understand why,¡± Cal shrugged. At her questioning look, he expanded. ¡°It¡¯s to tempt me to use a third party to sell the crops. Nismus is that third party. He made his presence known at the farm before Drex told me of the reduced sale price and large fee the guild took.¡± ¡°Not a bad plan,¡± Tavia chuckled. ¡°A little upfront about their intentions, but better than dealing with low-level scheming.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t do much other than warn them. Though, I was planning to cut off Drex before my anger cooled down.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not as bad as what you would have done in the past.¡± They were at the edge of the boardwalk, their presence noticed by the few shoppers and the overlooking Initiates. Cal turned to face Tavia, curiosity clear in his expression. ¡°What do you think I would have done before?¡± ¡°Take away his job,¡± Tavia replied without hesitation. ¡°Transfer him to the middle of nowhere. Reduce his pay to nothing. Take your pick. It wouldn¡¯t have crossed your red line, so there would be no physical harm, but you would have tried to ruin his life in other ways.¡± Cal could tell she was being completely serious. And it was almost a relief. I wasn¡¯t as heartless when I was a Trainee. It wouldn¡¯t have occurred to me to have restraint after I joined the core guild. I wouldn¡¯t have had the mind to make an effort to do anything other than swift harm. ¡°You¡¯re proud that you have more restraint,¡± Tavia laughed. Cal shrugged and said, ¡°Let¡¯s shop.¡± That got Tavia off the subject quickly. The bazaar had far fewer shoppers crowding the boardwalk. This could be due to it being the last few days it would be open. Some stalls were closed, and most of the ones that were open had sparse goods for sale. ¡°What were you interested in buying?¡± Cal asked as they moved to the third stall in under a minute. Tavia had said a few words to each owner before deciding there was nothing of interest to her. ¡°Something I can¡¯t get in Lumina. Or at least something I can get for much cheaper here before the shops mark them up.¡± ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t know you wanted to resell something.¡± ¡°Not necessarily. I''ll keep it if I find something that can channel the fire element well. If not, then yes. I¡¯ll sell it to buy something in Lumina.¡± Cal hummed in thought as he watched Tavia browse another stall, only for it to give her more disappointment. ¡°Give me a moment, Tavia. I might know where to find what you want.¡± He smiled at her bewildered look as he walked away. He had often caught Vaela glancing at him from her spot overlooking the bazaar. If she took something Tavia wanted off these stall owners, he might be able to get it. Cal¡¯s eyes flicked to the side when he noticed a familiar and saw Benan¡¯s stall with the man himself staring right at him. Benan did nothing other than give him a small smile before returning his attention to organizing his goods. He didn¡¯t change his destination, but he intended to speak with the man before he left. ¡°Vaela,¡± Cal greeted. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Far too long,¡± Vaela smiled. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your little assistant finding me recently, I would have thought you were in trouble after what you did.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Cal blinked in confusion. ¡°There were rumors saying you killed some important guild member in Lumina,¡± Vaela paused before laughing. ¡°I should have known that was ridiculous, but you were named, so I wasn¡¯t sure.¡± That was fast. The rumor is already twisted. Cal matched Vaela¡¯s mood with his dismissive scoff. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here if that was the case.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Vaela¡¯s smile lessened a bit. ¡°So, what made you leave your¡­ friend to talk to me?¡± ¡°You told me that you watch over the bazaar to have first rights over anything that comes through. Did you fid anything that relates to the fire element?¡± Vaela looked embarrassed. ¡°A few are claimed as such by the sellers. I don¡¯t have any affinity towards it so I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell if that¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than enough. Could you do me a favor¡ª¡± ¡°Cal!¡± Tavia interrupted him with a wide smile. ¡°Who¡¯s this? You never mentioned her to me before.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t startled by Tavia¡¯s presence beside him. It was what she did after that left him without words. He stared at his arm wrapped in a light hug as Tavia leaned her body against him. ¡°Cal?¡± Tavia¡¯s smile gained a wicked edge when she noticed his silence. Cal cleared his throat before motioning toward Vaela with his free arm. ¡°Tavia, this is Vaela. I was asking her if she found any objects that relate to the fire element.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Tavia blinked. ¡°Oh!¡± She released his arm, to his¡­ regret. ¡°Vaela, was it? Could you show them to me?¡± Vaela looked at Cal uneasily and said, ¡°The other Initiates will demand payment from me if I give anything away.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be paid for it,¡± Cal assured her. Vaela¡¯s expression lightened immediately. ¡°Then I would be glad to show you, Tavia.¡± ¡°Great! I thought I would enjoy looking through the stalls, but there¡¯s nothing to find,¡± Tavia complained as she followed Vaela. ¡°You should come at the start next time. All of the interesting things have long been sold. The remaining¡ª¡± Vaela''s voice trailed off as they walked away from Cal. He shook his head and chuckled. This works out. I can get my answers without her beside me. Cal turned and headed right to Benan¡¯s stall. The man was staring right at him as if he had been waiting. ¡°Apprentice Cal, I see your previous purchases have been treating you well.¡± Cal frowned as his eyes darted around. Nobody else was paying them any attention. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Is it not obvious?¡± Benan chuckled. ¡°You make no effort to hide yourself. It would be a miracle if I didn¡¯t know.¡± Cal subconsciously tapped his finger on the stall¡¯s counter as his thoughts raced through his mind. He had no idea it was possible to hide his strength. Then again, it wasn¡¯t necessary in his previous life. The real question was what Benan really was. He implies that my rapid increase in power is due to the objects he sold to me. ¡°Are you finished with your day, Benan?¡± Cal''s tone was much more respectful than before. ¡°I could be convinced to end it if something else interests me.¡± Cal hummed as he wondered if continuing this was the best choice. In the end, that didn¡¯t matter. He had to know more of the things left on his dresser. ¡°I¡¯d like to treat you to a meal if you¡¯re free.¡± Benan chuckled. ¡°That should be the least interesting thing I have ever heard, but you change that. I¡¯ll do so on one condition. You answer some of my questions, and I¡¯ll return the favor.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t keen on agreeing, but there was nothing binding here. ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes.¡± ¡°I suppose we will,¡± Benan laughed and started to put his things away. Chapter 80 - Benan ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is the only place that¡¯s open,¡± Cal said to himself as he stared up at the sign displaying the words ¡®Eatery.¡¯ It was straight to the point and couldn¡¯t be misconstrued as anything else, but he didn¡¯t think there was anything more bland to name a restaurant. ¡°Why do you think I wasn¡¯t interested,¡± Benan said with an amused tone. ¡°You eat once in this town and you experienced it all.¡± He took the lead. ¡°There is one good part about this place. The seating area. Let me get that for us. We will be here for some time.¡± It took Cal to hear that to realize he had forgotten the main reason for coming here. ¡­ I¡¯m sure Tavia won¡¯t mind. This quickly turned into a regular shopping trip. He followed Benan into the nearly empty restaurant. A few patrons scattered around, but most kept to their own bubbles and didn¡¯t bother with them. The few that did only glanced at them before returning to their food and conversation. ¡°Owner, we¡¯ll be talking the patio.¡± Benan didn¡¯t ask, but the ¡®owner¡¯ grunted in agreement anyway. Cal stepped out into the open air onto a patio that overlooked the water. The restaurant was at the edge of town, bordering the thin sliver of beach with the ocean beyond it. ¡°The view isn¡¯t the best, but it is adequate for the time we have to spend here,¡± Benan commented as he wiped a chair¡¯s seat before sitting down. He motioned to the chair across the table. ¡°Please, join me.¡± Cal took it as he considered how to extract the most information without revealing that he had never used the things he had bought from Benan. A deep purple coin was placed at the center of the table. ¡°There. We now have enough time to finish this conversation.¡± ¡°Why did you put that coin there?¡± Cal could feel mana emanating from the coin but didn¡¯t know what it did. ¡°It¡¯ll give us privacy. An overly careful thing to use considering where we are, but I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want anyone to know about the gem boosting you to this level,¡± Benan leaned forward. ¡°That brings me to my first question. How did you manage to stay in these outskirts with your rapid progression?¡± Cal tapped his fingers on the table as he considered his words. He wanted to keep Benan under the impression that he had used the gem. He felt that was the only way to get answers out of the man, but that was hard to achieve when he knew absolutely nothing about the gem. ¡°Was that ¡®dragon bone¡¯ you sold me real?¡± Cal ignored Benan¡¯s question completely. ¡°I feel like I should demand my money back for being tricked into buying a stick.¡± ¡°Ah, I think you misremembered something, Apprentice Cal,¡± Benan had a sly smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who insisted on you buying that stick. You were the one that wanted it. I assume to hide the fact that you bought the gem, but that doesn¡¯t change the responsibility.¡± ¡°You wanted one guildmark for that stick,¡± Cal muttered as he recalled the interaction. His eyes sharpened. ¡°But only two gold for the gem. You would have sold it for a few silver if necessary.¡± Benan simply smiled before raising his hand. He looked at the man approaching their table with two drinks and picked up the coin. ¡°Put it on my tab.¡± ¡°No need to say what I already know, merchant.¡± Cal stared after the retreating back of the ¡®owner.¡¯ ¡°Are you a regular here?¡± ¡°Somewhat,¡± Benan placed the coin on the table again. ¡°But do you really want to discuss my relationship with the proprietor? By my count, that¡¯s your second question.¡± Cal blinked. He didn¡¯t know they were keeping count. So be it. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. And that was your second question.¡± ¡°With my first still unanswered.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had some help from the higher-ups in the guild. They are¡­ eager to keep me content,¡± Cal tried to be as vague as possible, and his reply was accepted. Your skill [Master Negotiator] has increased by 1 level. Cal glanced at the interface before quickly dismissing it to avoid getting distracted. I thought that was only for the actual trade of goods. Looks like trading information also qualifies. ¡°Interesting,¡± Benan took a sip of his drink before grimacing. ¡°How revolting. You would think a trading port would have better options.¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°And you say you¡¯re a regular,¡± Cal chuckled as he decided to avoid the drink altogether. From the start, its dark, nearly opaque liquid with a harsh smell was already unappealing to him. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s good to remind yourself that some places are just unfortunate.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the man. ¡°You look down on Mariner¡¯s Rest.¡± He observed him for a moment and added, ¡°You feel the same with the Celestial Order.¡± He didn¡¯t make it a question on purpose. He wanted to see if he could tell anything by Benan¡¯s reaction. He learned nothing from his blank expression. ¡°What did you feel after you absorbed the gem?¡± Benan was clearly done skirting around the subject. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Benan stated with narrowed eyes. Cal denied feeling anything to avoid having to make up the answer. But that didn¡¯t leave him out of options. Whatever happened to the guildmaster was now nearly confirmed to be the result of using the gem. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. It was beyond obvious that Benan was no ordinary merchant. It was likely he visited Mariner¡¯s Rest for reasons other than making money, at least in terms of what could be made with a stall. The man was simply too strong to be lowered to such a level. ¡°I feel a little more impulsive¡­ angry than I think I used to be, but I consider it nothing since I can easily control it. Compared to what the gem gave me, I would gladly take it.¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± Benan chuckled as he leaned back in the chair. ¡°Very impressive, Apprentice Cal. It takes a special person to be able to handle the effects of the gem.¡± ¡°You say this but haven¡¯t told me what the gem is.¡± ¡°Oh, but I have. It comes from the mines in the Federation¡ª¡± ¡°Not the sales pitch you gave me before,¡± Cal interrupted, to Benan¡¯s amusement. ¡°Why does it boost my growth to this level?¡± ¡°What does your interface tell you?¡± Benan asked with genuine curiosity. He simply looked at the fake merchant with a raised brow. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is something I can¡¯t answer with any real confidence,¡± Benan gave in with a shrug. ¡°I can give you my guess if you like.¡± Cal motioned for him to continue. ¡°The area where the gem mine is located is oversaturated with mana. Other than that, I can¡¯t think of anything else.¡± ¡°¡­ That sounds highly unlikely,¡± Cal said dryly. ¡°If it was that simple, these would be freely available with how common that is.¡± ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t have any real confidence with it.¡± Cal sighed. ¡°Then you can guess that the interface doesn¡¯t tell me anything. I simply progress faster with no explanation given.¡± ¡°Well, this whole thing had been unproductive,¡± Benan laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have much more to discuss, Apprentice Cal.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Cal stopped him from getting up. He still had little idea of what to do with the gem sitting on his dresser. ¡°¡­ Do you have more? I might have someone I want to give a gem to.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Benan¡¯s eyes showed intense curiosity. ¡°This must be someone special. Is it the girl you were with?¡± For some reason, Cal felt this wouldn¡¯t be what Benan wanted to hear. The man practically gave away the gem, and he guessed it was to see its effects on a person. Tavia was close to him in strength in the grand scheme of things. What if Benan targeted the guildmaster on purpose in my past life? I can¡¯t see how the gem got in his hands otherwise. ¡°Maybe in the future, but I... this is for someone else,¡± Cal acted shifty. It was better to be vague than specify anyone in the guild. Benan smiled. ¡°It won¡¯t be cheap, but it could be done.¡± ¡°You sold it for two gold. What do you mean it won¡¯t be cheap?¡± ¡°That was before I knew how effective it was. Do you not think it¡¯s worth more than a measly two gold?¡± It started clicking in Cal¡¯s mind. What Benan was doing wasn¡¯t new, but the thing that was being sold certainly was. But his mind still couldn¡¯t accept it was such a simple matter that might have brought the downfall of the guildmaster. ¡°How much?¡± Cal asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°I like you, Apprentice Cal. In fact, I feel that you deserve some kind of reward for revealing the gem¡¯s effect to me. How about I give you two more for free?¡± Benan pulled two rock-like gems from his pocket and placed them on the table. ¡°As for anything more, we can discuss it if you think you need it.¡± Cal stared at the gems blankly. It felt like Benan gave these for him to use personally. It felt like the gem¡¯s effect would eventually run out. It¡¯s addictive. Maybe not in the physical sense, but the effects themselves. The guildmaster was completely different when I saw him in my first life, but the effects would make any guild member accept the cost if it is gradual. They would never realize what it was doing. He was almost disappointed this was what the gem was. Still, he continued the charade. ¡°I need somewhere to hide them before they are used. I heard of something larger on the inside than its physical size. How much would those cost me? It would be ideal if I could discreetly carry the gems around with me.¡± Cal was really selling the need to keep the gems near him at all times. Addictive substances weren¡¯t uncommon, even among guild members, but this gem was particularly nefarious. Still, he knew how to act based on what he observed with the people who dealt with such things. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know of them in this backwater,¡± Benan was no longer being subtle about his disdain. He thought it over before nodding. ¡°As I said, I do like you, Apprentice Cal. However, not to this extent. I can sell one to you for ten guildmarks. And this truly is a deal.¡± Cal had to stop his excitement from showing as his heartbeat increased. He couldn¡¯t buy one yet, but based on Overseer Marek¡¯s estimate of them costing twenty guildmarks, Benan wasn¡¯t lying about this being a deal. ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of money,¡± Cal sighed regretfully. ¡°Maybe I should hold off on taking the gems. I don¡¯t want to take the chance and leave it unguarded.¡± Benan stared at him for a few long seconds before coming to a decision. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that to you. I¡¯ll give you the storage pouch right now, but you will still owe me the ten guildmarks. As for how you¡¯ll pay it back, we can speak on it in the future.¡± It¡¯s decided. I severely dislike Benan. I will not be giving him a copper. ¡°You are a true friend, Benan,¡± Cal said gratefully as he reached over the table with his hand. Benan sealed the deal with a firm shake. Your skill [Master Negotiator] has increased by 5 levels. He ignored the interface and kept eye contact with Benan as he pulled his hand back. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have to be said, but I owe you a large favor.¡± ¡°Please, let¡¯s not speak of such crude matters,¡± Benan said gently as if he were a saint. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the port. I have a spare storage pouch on my ship.¡± Cal nodded and stood up without touching the gems, though he made sure to look at them longingly. Other than the sip Benan took, the drinks were untouched. It was a familiar routine with the way the owner took the drinks as they left. He made small talk with Benan as they walked to the port, mainly of the surrounding territories around the Celestial Order. Benan might be someone he would disassociate with in the future, but the man was highly useful at the moment. He would wring him dry until it was time to cut ties. Chapter 81 - Interlude: The Annoyed Shopper ¡°What are you doing with all this!?¡± Tavia didn¡¯t mean anything by it. It was out of pure shock that she blurted the question out. Vaela had led her to a nondescript building just off the boardwalk, but the interior was one large storage room. It was filled with rows of shelves, with neatly arranged items occupying almost all the space on them. It was a supermarket of artifacts at a level she hadn¡¯t seen before, even in Lumina. However, a closer look indicated that most of these artifacts were worth little. Tavia didn¡¯t have the best sense of detecting mana, but it was hard not to realize how little of it they emanated. Even then, of the few artifacts of her preferred element, the mana she sensed was so small that it could only help Trainees or Initiates at the very early stage. ¡°May I ask what your Class is?¡± Vaela asked with hesitation. ¡°You know Cal, so it doesn¡¯t really matter, but I¡¯m not supposed to say unless you are part of the external Initiates.¡± ¡°External Initiates?¡± ¡°Initiates that are outside the core guild.¡± Tavia made a sound that indicated her understanding. She said, ¡°Technically, I am part of the core guild, but for all intents and purposes, I have nothing to do with it.¡± Vaela looked confused at what Tavia meant but reluctantly accepted the explanation. ¡°The guild does not give external Initiates enough allowance to survive without scrounging for extra guildmarks.¡± Tavia nodded slowly. She hadn¡¯t thought much about the living conditions of these external initiates, nor did she understand why the guild did not give them enough allowance. However, it surprised her that they stayed in the territory. While there was an information lockdown, it was far less effective on the territory''s borders, like where Mariner¡¯s Rest was located. As bad as the guild supposedly treated them, it was still apparently better than attempting to risk leaving it. ¡°I am sorry to hear that,¡± Tavia did nothing but extend her pity. While she knew Cal might have the funds to alleviate this issue, she was nowhere near the position. Plus, she doubted even Cal would be free enough with his money to do such a thing. Tavia has some vague ideas about employing these external initiates for a more sustainable solution, but once again, this needed Cal¡¯s input. He was the one who had a farm, not her. However, she would bring this up to him. Tavia had felt intense annoyance toward Vaela when she saw her talking to Cal so freely, but the annoyance disappeared immediately after she realized just how disinterested Cal was. The annoyance was replaced with the shock that someone with an interface had been reduced to act like the simplest of merchants. If the guild didn¡¯t want to use them to their full potential, there is no reason that Cal and Tavia couldn¡¯t. Even the Frostguard Domain would put them to more use, though they would be brutal about it. Still, they would never let anyone with an interface starve. Her idiotic friends likely had this idea when they went to that hell on a fool¡¯s hope. Her mood fell as she was reminded of them. Tavia wished they could be more like Oleg. Cal¡¯s friend enjoyed his life as a mortal and lived it up, while her friends risked their lives to gain an interface. It infuriated her that they put her in an unwinnable position. Ever since she found out about their decision, she frequently thought of leaving them to their fates. They were adults and knew the risks, but she knew her anger and worry heavily influenced her thoughts. It wasn¡¯t that they were just her friends¡ªthough she would like to believe she would take the same action if that were the case. Tavia owed them a debt she could never repay. They had saved her from certain death and brought her to the Celestial Order. She wouldn¡¯t be able to live with herself if she didn¡¯t try her best to save them. ¡°It is nobody¡¯s fault but ours, Tavia,¡± Vaela brought her attention back to the present. ¡°We failed in getting into the core guild, so we must make do with what we have. Anyway, is there anything that interests you here? You¡¯re free to select what you need.¡± ¡°Let me take a closer look,¡± Tavia smiled in thanks before walking down the rows. She was looking for something specific. She had little trouble letting loose with the fire element, but the issue came when she tried to let her mana out in a trickle. Even her most controlled release resulted in a burst of destructive flame, no matter what spell she tried to cast. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Tavia knew she was asking for too much in a place like this. Artifacts like those did exist, but they quickly burnt out from having to suppress the fire element. The few that lasted for more than just a few months were priced so high that it was out of her reach. Still, she carefully studied every artifact placed on the shelves. There was a brooch that looked promising, but it was already near the end of its life. She estimated that she might have been able to get two or three more uses before it crumbled. Unfortunately, this was the case with almost every single one that was of any interest to her. Tavia had already given up and was just looking through the rest of the artifacts to avoid wounding Vaela¡¯s pride. It wouldn¡¯t be a good look to quickly dismiss what she and the other external initiates had painstakingly gathered over a long period. Tavia was on the last row when she noticed an artifact that looked like a combination of a glove and a bracer. She picked it up when she felt its compatibility with the fire element. Her hand fit surprisingly well in the artifact, and more importantly, she didn¡¯t feel it was on its last legs. The bracer didn¡¯t have the exact function she sought in an artifact, but it would help solve one of her deficiencies. She was looking to find a way to release her mana in small quantities to prevent self-damage when engaged in close combat. Tavia stepped away from the shelves to link to the artifact. She allowed her mana to connect to it and let it have a steady stream that it could draw from whenever she used it. ¡°Vaela, I''ll need to step outside for a second. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem for me to control it, but it¡¯s worth being overly careful whenever fire is involved.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Vaela agreed with a smile. They headed outside, getting some attention from the townsfolk. Tavia activated the artifact. She felt a sharp draw on her mana before it quickly tapered down. However, that was enough for the artifact to gain blades made out of fire that extended between the knuckles on the glove. It wasn¡¯t a fire that lazily flicked in the air. Instead, they were a short, condensed four-inch fire blade that almost looked solid. The only thing that hinted it wasn''t was the subtle shifts at the edges of the fire blades. The blades didn¡¯t lose their form even when she moved her hand around to test it. ¡°Pardon me,¡± Tavia muttered as she eyed the ground. It was the toughest material that she could test the fire blades on. Vaela didn¡¯t get the chance to respond when Tavia immediately punched the ground. A small plume of dust was kicked up from the impact. Only a few of the townsfolk had given them any attention when they left the building, but with Tavia¡¯s sudden violence against the innocent street, everyone who had a view of Tavia was now looking right at her. ¡°Tavia!¡± Vaela hissed before turning to the townsfolk. She had a strained smile as she said, ¡°My apologies. My fellow guild member was a little too excited to test our new artifact.¡± Tavia was vaguely aware that Vaela was trying to excuse her actions, but all her focus was on the glove. She had felt the fire blades sink into the street like butter. The street was only made of simple stone, but it could be used as a base to understand the intensity of the fire blades. She pulled her fist back and saw four clean holes in the street, created by the four fire blades on the glove. This was just a bonus on top. Tavia intended to study how the artifact sipped on her mana and try to replicate it so she could do it naturally. In the meantime, it would be all the better if the artifact had enough capability to be used effectively. ¡°How much?¡± Tavia asked. Vaela looked away from the townsfolk, who were slowly returning to their businesses. She stared at Tavia''s glove and said, ¡°Eight gold?¡± Tavia prevented herself from looking amused. This was the first time the seller had told her a price in the form of a question. The artifact would cost well over two guildmarks in Lumina. She was tempted to just agree, but then she realized she was no Cal. She was poor¡ªvery poor. ¡°That¡¯s a little out of my budget,¡± Tavia said regretfully. ¡°If I could get this for five gold, then I would be very grateful to you.¡± ¡°¡­ Please give me a moment,¡± Vaela said before reentering the building, leaving Tavia staring at her. She shrugged before looking back down to the glove. It still had the fire blades extending from between the knuckles. With the maintenance nearly negligible, it was a real contender to simply act as a deterrent. Maybe that¡¯s a stretch. I can¡¯t see any serious threat that would be held back by this. Still, it would keep the minor annoyances away so I wouldn¡¯t have to waste my time. She deactivated the artifact when Vaela returned soon after with an apologetic face. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Tavia. The lowest I can go is seven gold. I¡¯m not trying to make too much money off you, but I can¡¯t sell for breakeven or loss.¡± Tavia sighed before taking out the seven gold Vaela asked for and handed it over. ¡°It¡¯s a more than fair price. I was just hoping to save some money. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± Vaela nodded as she pocketed the money. ¡°Is there anything else that caught your interest?¡± ¡°No, this is all,¡± Tavia shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s return. Cal must be wondering why we¡¯re taking so long.¡± As Tavia made small talk on their way to the boardwalk, she found the girl somewhat... limited. Vaela only had a drive to survive, without any thought of looking for a way out. She was fine with her current situation, though not happy. Such an attitude was repulsive to someone like Cal. Tavia didn¡¯t know what it said about her since she felt much more at ease after that. She swiftly pushed that thought away and focused on her anticipation on returning to the bazaar. She hoped the hint she gave Cal by leaving him at the bazaar was enough. Shopping was only part of the reason she wanted to come here. The main reason was to get to know Cal better as they toured the town. The issue was that Cal simply watched as she went from stall to stall and then abandoned her to talk to somebody else. She did appreciate that it led to her finding the glove, but it would¡¯ve been nice if Cal had included her when he spoke with Vaela at the start. Then again, it hasn¡¯t escaped my attention that Cal is as dense as a rock. I might need to tell him things directly to give him a chance to understand. They reached the boardwalk, but Tavia didn¡¯t see Cal anywhere in the bazaar. Vaela saw Tavia¡¯s expression turn ugly. ¡°Maybe Cal went to search for us?¡± Tavia knew that Cal was an Apprentice. If he was searching for them, he would find them. No, that man went off on his merry way to do whatever caught his interest. ¡°Maybe,¡± Tavia said with a strained smile. ¡°I¡¯ll look through the bazaar to amuse myself while I wait.¡± Chapter 82 - A Very Sincere Friendship ¡°¨C Frostguard Dominion really is that insular,¡± Cal muttered. ¡°Indeed. I doubt there is anybody who could remember those barbaric isolationists having open borders. Though all things considered, they are still surprisingly stable in their power.¡± Benan seemed grudgingly impressed. ¡°If the most aggressive Guild closest to the Celestial Order has no interest in starting a conflict, which one do you think has the most incentive, regardless of distance?¡± Cal sounded like he was asking something out of idle curiosity. Benan chuckled. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any that I¡¯m aware of. The Celestial Order might be impressive to someone like you, but hundreds of guilds of similar size and strength exist. There is nothing that could attract the attention of the stronger powers.¡± He looked at Cal. ¡°This is not an insult to you. By ¡®someone like you,¡¯ I mean someone who has not seen any lands outside this territory.¡± Cal hummed in thought. He had been hoping that there would be some hint that would clue him to who attacked the guild and his past life. On the bright side, this could mean the attack was entirely preventable. As long as those higher beings do not intervene. But that is entirely out of my control, so I have little reason to even think of it. They approached the boardwalk, and there were even fewer people than when they left. Cal immediately picked out where Tavia was, and in turn, she was able to do the same to him. Tavia gave him a look that was peculiar as he approached. Cal felt a little uneasy, like she was unhappy for some reason. He put on a smile and asked, ¡°Did you find anything?¡± ¡°I did.¡± He waited a second for her to expand, but she was apparently finished speaking. He took the initiative, ¡°Oh! What is it?¡± ¡°Just some artifact,¡± Tavia glanced at Benan for a moment. ¡°Are you done? I was thinking we should get something to eat.¡± ¡°Eat? Here?¡± Cal thought about the restaurant he had just gone to. The only restaurant that was open in the town. ¡°There aren¡¯t many options here. How about we save that for Lumina?¡± Cal heard Benan chuckle next to him when Tavia¡¯s expression became blank. She shrugged without care and said, ¡°Sure. That sounds fine.¡± She immediately left to browse another stall. He could tell that she was uninterested in the items being offered at the stall, but she still insisted on looking at them intently. ¡°Let¡¯s finish our business, Apprentice Cal,¡± Benan was still chuckling. He led them to word a small dingy at the port. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen anyone quite this clueless.¡± Cal was still thinking about Tavia¡¯s attitude. He had a suspicion about the reason, but logically it made little sense to him. She had gone with Vaela to do her business, and he had done the same but Benan. There should be no conflict. ¡°No, I do understand why, but at the same time, I really don¡¯t.¡± Benan¡¯s chuckle turned into straight-out laughter. After it died down, he asked, ¡°So what will you do to fix this?¡± Cal knew that Benan was only asking to reinforce his friendliness, but it was a legitimate question that he needed a legitimate answer to. I wish she would just say what she was mad about so I don''t have to guess. I¡¯ll do the same as I did for Seris. He wouldn¡¯t buy desserts like he did for Seris, but he would take a similar route. The storage pouch he swindled out of Benan would come in highly useful. He imagined that Tavia would feel the same if she got her hands on one too. Cal felt confident in his plan to obtain another storage pouch. Benan didn¡¯t push for an answer, most likely because he didn¡¯t really care, but that worked out perfectly. It gave Cal and of time to think of scenarios to dodge when it came time to swindle another storage pouch out of him. They reached the small dingy at the port. Benan motioned for Cal to wait as he went up the plank and entered the dingy. A few minutes later, he returned with a small storage pouch in his hands. ¡°Here you are. All you have to do to use it is link it to your mana core.¡± Cal did as Benan instructed, and his interface immediately appeared. Storage connected. Basic Storage Pouch: Current capacity: 2/20 Inventory: 2 Unknown Gems ¡°I already added your gems to it. Using it is simple. Tap whatever you want to store onto the storage pouch. It will automatically appear in your inventory if it can store the item. Removing items is even simpler. You just need to think of what you want to remove from the storage pouch.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Thank you,¡± Cal said sincerely. ¡°As I said, apprentice Cal. There is no need for that. I consider you my friend, and this is just the start of what I hope is a long friendship.¡± You sleazy little snake. ¡°And I hope for the same, Benan,¡± Cal matched the exuberant warmness Benan gave off. ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t too presumptuous, but I have another favor to ask you.¡± Benan¡¯s expression broke for the slightest of seconds. The smile that showed after made it all seem like an illusion. He laughed lightly, ¡°I hope the favor isn¡¯t anything as big as a storage pouch.¡± Cal winced theatrically. ¡°It just so happens¡­¡± The smile on Benan¡¯s face slowly dimmed. ¡°I would like another storage pouch for my friend, Tavia.¡± Cal put on an earnest face. ¡°My friend, I wish I could afford to help you in your apology to your ¡®friend,¡¯ but I¡¯m not nearly as wealthy as you seem to think I am.¡± ¡°Apology?¡± Cal looked horrified. ¡°I would never involve personal matters in business. Tavia is a mage. She is highly regarded in the celestial order. If she helps me introduce the gems to people in the guild¡¯s hierarchy, I imagine it would be much more effective than when I try.¡± Benan looked suspicious of his explanation but didn¡¯t immediately shoot Cal down. He thought about it for several seconds before slowly shaking his head. ¡°This is too much of a cost to bear based on an ¡®if.¡¯ I would be more comfortable if we waited for her to use the gems before committing further.¡± Cal sighed as he nodded reluctantly. ¡°I understand your view. Unfortunately, Tavia is very good at holding grudges, so it will probably take months instead of days to get rid of her anger towards me.¡± Benan¡¯s expression flickered rapidly before it settled on a subtle amusement. ¡°And here I thought you wouldn¡¯t involve your personal matters in business.¡± ¡°¡­ Well, maybe I should modify that statement a little. I won¡¯t involve personal matters when it doesn¡¯t benefit both of us,¡± Cal said wryly. ¡°You win, my friend,¡± Benan chuckled. ¡°However, I¡¯ll need you to do something for me next week. You will still owe the ten guildmarks, but I¡¯ll need something extra to give you all of this upfront. This is a fair deal, is it not?¡± Cal hesitated to take it, even though he got precisely what he wanted from Benan. He didn¡¯t know how much personal power Benan held, but he was almost certain that it was far greater than his own. He was confident in dealing with that since the first storage pouch didn¡¯t involve calling in a favor anytime soon. That obviously changed with the second storage pouch. Benan raised an eyebrow when he saw Cal hesitating for longer than a few seconds. ¡°My friend, you should have been a merchant instead of a farmer. You drive a hard bargain, but I can¡¯t budge on the favor. How about this to sweeten the deal for you? I¡¯ll include five more gems for free.¡± Cal made sure to show a flash of greed before he made it seem like he forcibly stamped it down. ¡°This definitely is tempting. But I need to know what this favor would be.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing that will put you in danger. I would never do such a thing to my friends.¡± I know I won¡¯t be in danger, but not because of some silly reason like friendship. This snake needs me to spread the gems through the guild. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help you in any way I can, but I would be more comfortable if I could say no to this favor if I feel it is too much.¡± ¡°That is more than enough for me,¡± Benan beamed as he held out his hand for a shake. Cal took it, and they sealed the deal. Your skill [Master Negotiator] has increased by 1 level. Interesting. Benan is confident I won¡¯t reject doing the favor. Cal watched as the sleazy man returned to the dingy before quickly coming back out with an identical storage pouch in his hands. ¡°Here you are, my friend. Here¡¯s to a long and fruitful partnership.¡± They clasped hands and gave each other overly sincere smiles, both thinking of how much of a fool the other was. *** Unfortunately for Cal, Tavia was still in a terrible mood when he returned to her. She was a little mollified when he told her a white lie about Benan being an old friend, but it was not enough to matter. ¡°I wasn¡¯t just catching up with Benan. I saw that he had a ridiculously good deal on something even the Masters in the guild would drool over.¡± They were going back to the port where they left the cart. Tavia glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, silently asking him to expand. ¡°I got two of them,¡± Cal said slyly, pulling out his storage pouch. He wanted her to break her silence, so he shook the pouch before her. ¡°¡­ A coin bag?¡± Tavia didn¡¯t believe her own words. ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t be excited for something so simple, but I can¡¯t think of anything else that it could be.¡± He blinked, disappointed when he remembered that storage pouches were not common knowledge. He would have to show her how it worked to let her know that it wasn¡¯t a regular coin pouch, but the only thing currently inside were the gems that Benan had given him. And this wasn''t the best place to show off. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you on the way back to the farm.¡± Tavia simply raised her brow before shrugging casually. She clearly did not expect anything mind-blowing. Cal spoke to Drex and hired another part in addition to the one they rode on to town. The second batch was going to be ready for harvest very soon, and he would require both carts to bring the crops to town in one trip. Tavia looked equal parts of highly unimpressed and highly amused when he told her to drive the second cart back to the farm. ¡°So, what''s so important about the coin pouch,¡± Tavia said as she directed the second cart beside his own on the dirt path. Cal still didn¡¯t want to touch the gems with his bare skin. It didn¡¯t escape his notice that Benan avoided getting his fingers into direct contact with the gems. He took out a gold coin and tapped it on the side of the coin pouch. It disappeared, and the interface showed its addition to his inventory. Tavia¡¯s eyes grew wide when the goal coin appeared in Cal¡¯s hands without him opening the pouch and reaching into it. ¡°How did you do that?¡± She asked with awe. ¡°The storage pouch is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. Much larger,¡± Cal tossed the second storage pouch he got from Benan. Tavia caught it with wide eyes and played around for a few minutes before looking back at him. ¡°I can¡¯t take this for free. But I have no idea how I could pay you back. This had to be exorbitantly expensive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not selling this to you. It''s a gift,¡± Cal saw that Tavia was about to say something but he interrupted her. ¡°More importantly, are you still angry at me?¡± Tavia¡¯s expression became a little odd. ¡°You got this for me because I was angry at you?¡± ¡°Not entirely, no. I knew this would be useful to you, but if it happened to make your anger towards me disappear, it would be a happy side effect.¡± She almost looked disappointed at his response. ¡°Cal, all you needed to do was set a time to have dinner in Lumina. Buying me something probably cost several guildmarks was completely unnecessary.¡± This is probably not a good time to mention that it would usually cost twenty guildmarks. Not just several guildmarks. ¡°Let¡¯s go tomorrow.¡± Tavia looked surprised at the sudden statement before smiling. She nodded and said, ¡°I look forward to it.¡± ¡°¡­ But you do like the storage pouch, right?¡± Tavia rolled her eyes before she brought the storage pouch closer to her body with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about taking it back!¡± All things considered, Cal would call this trip to Mariner''s Rest a massive success on all fronts. Chapter 83: New Additions It¡¯s a smaller number than before. The wolf pack has been reduced to twenty members. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I should start another pond in the newly cleared-up portion of the farm. But only after I get word from Overseer Marek. I didn¡¯t think something made out of rock could move so smoothly. [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 1295/4000 Tasks [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 1295/4000 Tasks Chapter 84 - Savant Cal grumbled as he gently pulled the stubborn root from the soil. Finishing the harvest was taking much longer than he estimated. He had already cast [Rainfall] once over the pond in the middle of the harvest. His mana core took around thirty minutes to fill to capacity, and he pulled less than half of the crops. The problem was the new way the crops were being watered. It was definitely more convenient to have the crops draw water from the tunnels when needed, but the depths at which the roots were burrowed into the soil were a pain to extract. He continued to uproot the Sunfire Grains until he completed the harvest a little over thirty minutes later. He pulled a little under eight hundred Sunfire Grains from the soil, and of those, a little under four hundred were of the red gem variants. Your skill [Green Thumb] has increased by 5 levels. Your [Primary Tier] has increased by 1 level. He checked the rest of his stats and saw that the increased level of [Green Thumb] didn¡¯t show any secondary effects. Then again, [Perfect Match] only showed such an effect after it had risen in rank to Apprentice. Cal quickly shifted all of them onto the undisturbed surface layer on the other side of the rock hills. They would be ready for transport by tomorrow. He returned to the pond and once again cast [Rainfall]. Cal stepped back after his mana was depleted and returned to the house. He could hear the golem working on breaking the surface layer behind the house as he entered. ¡°¡ªtry to control the search, but that isn¡¯t always an option.¡± Cal saw Tavia¡­ teaching. Seris had a spell booklet that he didn¡¯t recognize open in her lap. It must have come from Tavia. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tavia and Seris looked up at Cal. Tavia replied, ¡°Seris was interested in the fire wall that I cast. It¡¯s a shame that she doesn¡¯t have an interface. She¡¯s absorbing this like a sponge.¡± Seris beamed at Tavia¡¯s praise. Cal saw that more as a general encouragement, but he saw no need to break the mood. ¡°I see. Well, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll be going in and out of the house to do some errands.¡± They took his words to heart and immediately proceeded to ignore him. Cal chuckled as he walked into his room. He went to his dresser and tapped the storage pouch on the gem and the stick. He checked the interface, curious about what it would say about the stick. Basic Storage Pouch: 9/20 Inventory: 8 Unknown Gems 1 Stick That confirmed the stick was indeed just a stick, so he took it out and tossed it back on the dresser. He couldn¡¯t say he was disappointed since he never expected it to be a dragon bone. He noticed that every item he stored inside the storage pouch took up a precious capacity allocation. He wondered if this also applied to a coin. Cal took out his coin pouch and emptied it onto his dresser. He then proceeded to try to store everything but the guildmarks in the storage pouch. Basic Storage Pouch: 9/20 Inventory: 8 Unknown Gems 127 Copper, 83 Silver, 12 Gold He put the guildmarks in the storage pouch after he saw that the capacity wasn¡¯t impacted by more than one. If the coins only take up one of the allocations, what about the barrel of seeds. Cal quickly made his way to the storage room, ignoring the glances Tavia and Seris gave him. He chose a barrel that hadn¡¯t been opened and tried to pull it into the storage pouch. The Basic Storage Pouch does not have enough capacity to store this object. Cal sighed but accepted it readily. There had to be close to ten thousand seeds inside the barrel, so it would be ridiculous if the storage pouch just took one allocation for all that. He needed to store a tool purely for secrecy. He pulled the Rare-ranked Rake into the storage pouch and glanced at the interface again. Basic Storage Pouch: 10/20 Inventory: 8 Unknown Gems 127 Copper, 83 Silver, 12 Gold, 2 Guildmarks 1 Rake (Rare) He looked around but didn¡¯t see the need to use up more of the precious capacity. Cal returned to the house and again ignored the looks he got when he moved the rug to uncover the hearthstone and sat beside it. ¡°What you doing?¡± Seris asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m filling this with mana,¡± Cal pointed at the hearthstone. When Seris still looked confused, he added, ¡°I have nothing else to do for the day. As I said before, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Tavia laughed lightly before she resumed explaining far too detailed theories about the fire element to an attentive Seris. *** The workers outside were nearly finished building the stone paths on the field. He had filled the Hearthstone ten times. The sun was setting in the sky. Tavia and Seris were still having the same discussion from over five hours ago. Cal had long lost his amusement at Seris trying to learn about the fire element. He accepted that Seris was some sort of savant at understanding it. Concepts that were hard for him to grasp were simple for Seris, and Tavia seemed to understand more about the subjects as she taught them. Seris asked questions that forced Tavia to expand on a topic, and Cal had been told in his past life that one of the best ways to learn was to have a student who asked relevant questions. Of course, that was told to him in an attempt to help other guild members, so he had never tried it. Cal had to agree with Tavia¡¯s lament that Seris didn''t have an interface. The girl would¡¯ve been a fantastic [Caster] or [Mage]. ¡°Seris, did you read the spell booklets I gave you?¡± Cal asked when there was a lull in their conversation. ¡°¡­ I did,¡± Seris looked guilty. ¡°Should I not have done that?¡± ¡°Those were your gifts. You could have done whatever you wanted,¡± Cal said impatiently. ¡°How much of it did you understand?¡± ¡°All of it. They were fairly easy. Especially ¡®Rainfall.¡¯ Reading that booklet first would¡¯ve made learning ¡®Liquid Core¡¯ much easier, now that I think about it.¡± Cal was doubting everything he knew at the moment, and looking at Tavia¡¯s expression, she felt the same. ¡°Run through the steps required to cast ¡®Liquid Core.¡¯ Then explain why the spell will let you draw water out of the air even when you¡¯re in the desert.¡± He should never been surprised since Seris claimed she understood everything, but when she recited the steps almost word for word, he couldn¡¯t help but stare at her in amazement. I always thought that Seris was a happy little fool. I¡¯ve wronged her. She¡¯s a happy little fool who is strangely proficient at learning how spells work. The strangest part was that Seris could easily understand the fundamentals and intricacies of both the fire and water elements. Cal hadn¡¯t just been sitting here and blocking out all of Tavia¡¯s lecture. He had been trying to understand what she was teaching along with Seris. It wasn¡¯t like he understood nothing, but he felt like a fool compared to Seris. His experience with the water and earth elements compared to the fire element made it evident that affinity played a significant role. That raised the question of why Seris¡ªa mortal with no affinity¡ªcould learn this so easily. ¡°I have another gift for you,¡± Cal said, taking out the booklet for ¡®Earth barrier¡¯ and handing it to Seris. ¡°Take a few minutes to look through it, then tell me what you understood.¡± Cal exchanged looks with Tavia as they stared at Seris flipping through the booklet at an alarming speed¡ªsimilar to how fast he had gone through the booklet himself. ¡°Done!¡± Seris hugged the spell booklet to her body as if to prevent Cal from asking for it back. He hadn''t intended to. ¡°All right, tell me about it,¡± Cal motioned for her to speak. Seris didn¡¯t disappoint. She was able to point out exactly how the spell would work best, and most surprisingly, she pointed out something that Cal had missed. ¡°Wait,¡± Cal raised his hand to stop Seris from continuing. ¡°Repeat that.¡± ¡°Uh, okay? The barrier should be able to take at least ten attacks from someone who has the same strength as the caster. The barrier just needs the right amount of stuff inside.¡± ¡°Lend me that for a moment,¡± Cal took the spell booklet back from a pouting Seris and quickly left the house. He flipped through the pages as he went to the other side of the rock hills and put a good distance between him and the harvested Sunfire grains that were drying on the ground. Cal closed the booklet after he confirmed nothing in it matched Seris''s claim. She had gotten that from understanding the rest of the steps in great detail¡ªand from what it looks like, in greater detail than him. ¡­ I should go back and get the spell booklets that Seris picked out in the shop. He shook his head, knowing he was jumping to conclusions. He had to test this out first. Cal thrust his arm out as his hand clenched into a claw. Unlike the previous time he cast the spell, he took the time to shift the material underneath the ground and gather as much of it as it could into the area that would be lifted up to form a barrier. In an emergency situation, this would been highly impractical since there would¡¯ve been too much time given for any attackers to strike his body. However, as with everything, Cal expected this could be cut down with practice. With a small grunt, Cal swept his arm up, and the ground followed his motion to form a similar barrier, at least in appearance. He stepped out of the barrier''s protection, and just like before, he moved a short distance away and pointed his palm at it. He cast [Liquid Core]. Cal didn¡¯t blink as the water ball slammed into the barrier. It felt even more powerful compared to the last time he did this, but there was a severe difference in how the barrier drew on his mana core. There was no change besides the minimum draw, which was purely for the connection to the spell. He took a deep breath as he prevented himself from getting too excited. He cast [Liquid Core] again. Cal¡¯s hair fluttered slightly from the shockwave of the second impact. The barrier stood strong, and his mana core experienced no extra draw. He repeated this again and again, the barrier only showing signs of deterioration by the sixth time he cast [Liquid Core]. By the eleventh cast, the barrier was on its last legs, and the impact finally drew on his mana core. Cal flinched when his mana core depleted as a barrier tried to keep itself active. He didn¡¯t have enough to sustain it, so the barrier crumbled immediately. He lowered his arm slowly as he slowly came to accept what just happened. Seris might be a genius. A silly genius, but a genius. Cal returned to his farm, still thinking about that realization. The workers building the stone paths were waiting for him. ¡°Initiate Cal, we have completed your request,¡± one of the workers said with a slight bow of the head. He glanced at the small walking stone paths and saw that they were satisfactory. ¡°Thank you for the help.¡± The workers looked lost on what to say to his thanks before they quickly decided to just give him a deeper bow and leave the farm quickly. Cal didn¡¯t have the mind to care about their odd actions and entered the house to see Seris waiting for him. ¡°Can I have my book back?¡± Seris asked, her eyes locked to where the inner pocket was on his coat. He didn¡¯t tease her and simply handed the spell booklet back. ¡°Let me give you the same challenge as before, but with a clear reward. If you can sell this for sixty silver, I¡¯ll give you another spell booklet.¡± ¡°You better have that ready, Cal!¡± Seris accepted the challenge confidently. ¡°Good,¡± Cal nodded. Not for the first time, he felt a deep regret that he rejected [Benevolent Mentor] in favor of [Master Negotiator]. He felt he had been doing far more mentoring than he had ever assumed. ¡°It¡¯s about time for you to head back to town. It¡¯s getting late, so I¡¯m going to send Nibbles back with you.¡± Tavia and Seris said their farewells as Cal stopped Nibbles with her current task of making tunnels. The little creature was reluctant, but she eventually accepted the task of babysitting Seris. As they watched the two leave the farm, Cal and Tavia were both clearly thinking of similar things. ¡°You need to get her into the core guild''s library,¡± Tavia stated after Seris¡¯s figure disappeared. He knew that was the best thing to expand Seris¡¯s knowledge, but he didn¡¯t want to put her in a place where a simple mistake by a mortal could be fatal. I would rather buy her any necessary material than send her to the core guild. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Cal said noncommittally as he reentered the house. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going to feed the hearthstone?¡± ¡°Yeah. I had to empty it to make that golem,¡± Cal gave an explanation of why he was doing so. ¡°I¡¯ll help. You might be an Apprentice, but your mana capacity shouldn¡¯t be much larger than mine. I should be able to double the speed.¡± He wondered if this was a good time to mention that he was also a [Mage]. ¡°I appreciate the offer. But I need the mana in the hearthstone to only come from me. I¡¯m planning to use a spell that requires purity.¡± Tavia accepted it since it made sense to her. She gave him company as she sat on the couch and reviewed her reading material. Chapter 85 - Note Cal frowned as he was woken up by a soft ping. He blinked as he read the interface with a blank expression. [Advanced Pickaxe] has degraded to Poor Quality. [Advanced Pickaxe] has degraded to Trash Quality. Further use of the tool could cause it to break completely. [Advanced Pickaxe] has been broken from overuse. 1 primary equipment has been removed. What? really thought his words over to see if there was any other way the golem could mess things up. His intent was obviously not enough to prevent mishaps. In the end, he decided to forgo the use of tools entirely. It had no benefit for him anyway. ¡°Clean up the land you just broke up, and do it without throwing anything. I want you to pick up the debris, walk to the area with the rock piles, and drop it off.¡± If the golem can somehow screw this up, I should use this thing in enemy territory. Your [Secondary Tier] has increased by 1 level. Initiate 7¡ª>8 Stolen novel; please report. What am I doing? Since when did I worry so much? Nothing will happen. What an insecure weakling. Your friend, Oleg, is in immediate danger. If you want more information, go to Silverpine and hand this to the bartender in Dragon¡¯s head.
Complete stat sheet in author note (under spoiler tag)
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above. It''s free on Royal Road! Chapter 86 - Overly Secret Exchange Mariner¡¯s Rest was located in Oracle Shores, the western region of the guild¡¯s territory. Silverpine was on the opposite side in the Mystic Woods. Cal had never been there before but could accurately estimate how long it would take him to get there if he didn¡¯t hold back on speed. Given that it was twice as far away as Lumina, it should take him just under forty minutes to reach the town. He had passed Tavia¡¯s carriage minutes ago since his speed was more than enough to make up for her head start. Cal didn¡¯t know if she had noticed him zooming past her like a maniac, but even if she did, it could be possible that she was left clueless about who he was. If he hadn¡¯t been in such a rush, he would¡¯ve said hello just to see the look on her face at his unexpected appearance. The surroundings changed slightly as he approached Silverpine. Even though the region was called Mystic Woods, there was nothing woody about the land. It had long been cleared of any forests to make way for vast farmland. Once again, he wondered why the guild was so idiotic about the way it treated its farmers. Cal slowed his speed when he saw the gates into Silverpine. The walls protecting the town were definitely bigger than Mariner¡¯s Rest. Still, they were vastly smaller than the heavy defenses surrounding Lumina. Silverpine was nowhere close to as large as Lumina, but it was significantly bigger than Mariner¡¯s Rest. He skipped the large line of traders waiting to be allowed into the town and swiftly entered alongside the others visiting for other purposes. He looked around briefly, taking in the cozy atmosphere, and noticed that it was more common to see guild members among the crowd than in Mariner¡¯s Rest. It made sense. Mariner¡¯s Rest was located too close to the wasteland, and its only attraction was being a short stopping point for merchant ships. Silverpine was more focused on trade on the bordering land and was known to have an abundance of ingredients gathered from the region for alchemists. Cal moved to the side to get out of the main street. ¡°Guard, where¡¯s the Dragon¡¯s Head?¡± The guard seemed to be accustomed to speaking to guild members and only looked at his attire once before he quickly replied, though it was with a confused expression. ¡°Take an immediate left before turning right onto a street called Old Path. It should be the third building on the left. It will have the name hanging off the roof.¡± Cal muttered a quick thanks before heading in that direction. He was a little surprised that the guard knew it off the top of his head. He didn¡¯t stop to take in any of the sights, but it was hard not to notice how it was littered with stalls, making it resemble Mariner¡¯s Rest bazaar. He ignored the calls from the plenty that had no customers and kept an eye on the right side for Old Path. Only a few seconds later did he see it. Old Path was more of an alley than a street. That wasn¡¯t to say that it was dirty. In fact, it looked as if all the shops on the street were meant to serve customers with far more spending power. Then again, he was comparing this to a street that was filled with stalls. Cal walked down Old Path and stopped before at the building he was searching for. He understood why the guard knew of it. The bar had a moving image of a red dragon¡¯s head ¡ª snarling and looking around with its gold eyes ¡ª and lettering around the image that said ¡®Dragon¡¯s Head.¡¯ This is excessive. He looked around at the other buildings and saw that they all fit the same aesthetic, looking as if they belonged in the most expensive districts of Lumina. All right, not so excessive. Cal shifted his body to avoid a couple exiting as he entered Dragon¡¯s Head. The bar was in the center of the floor, with seating of different types surrounding it. It looked to be a slow day since there were less than twenty people present. Most of them kept to themselves as they read a book while sipping a drink, and a few, who looked to be couples, were enjoying their date. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Thankfully, the bar itself was empty, with only the bartender manning it. Said bartender was the only one who bothered to pay attention to Cal entering. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before,¡± the bartender greeted Cal when he approached him. He could see the bartender¡¯s nametag on his shirt. ¡°Is my first time visiting the town. Holt, I apologize for being abrupt. I was told to hand this to you.¡± Cal didn¡¯t delay in getting to the point. He pushed the note given to him over the counter and stared at Holt intensely. He obviously couldn''t see whatever Holt was supposed to read on the note. Holt¡¯s eyes scanned the note a few times before he crumpled it up and threw it in a bin below the counter. That raised Cal¡¯s ire, but Holt¡¯s following action quickly calmed it. ¡°Got it, the house special.¡± Cal¡¯s eyes twitched when Holt filled a tall glass with a foamy liquid. He was about to ask why he was being given a beer when Holt slid the glass along with a piece of paper on the side. ¡°Give it a try! I created this a few months ago, so let me know how you would rate it.¡± He took a seat at the bar and practically ignored Holt¡¯s meaningless words. He didn¡¯t know why all the secrecy was needed, but he was getting more worried about Oleg by the moment. He took a sip from the glass and looked at the note. Some fringe Initiates have been seen in the Frostguard Dominion¡¯s territory. It looks like a voluntary desertion, but signs indicate it was a forced transfer. Some failed Trainees who left a year ago have turned up at the border but are entirely non-responsive. This has the potential to spiral out of control. Cal felt a weak connection in his memories that wanted to make itself known. The problem was that the connection was so faint that he couldn¡¯t grasp enough to know the details. All he felt was that this was familiar to him. The note contained a message that was concerning, but it didn¡¯t mention anything about Oleg by name. He put down the drink and glanced at Holt, who was waiting for him patiently for his opinion on the ¡®drink.¡¯ He said, ¡°That note I gave you. What did it say?¡± ¡°I should show you the new menu,¡± Holt shrugged casually. Cal finally realized that Holt wasn¡¯t a regular bartender. He could sense a faint presence about him. If he had to make a guess, Holt was no weaker than he was. For someone like that, being a bartender was nearly unbelievable to Cal. Whatever Holt¡¯s reason was to be in this position, he doubted it would be revealed to him easily. Cal had to reluctantly accept Holt¡¯s refusal to expand. ¡°What was I supposed to do with this? It means nothing to me.¡± ¡°Then do nothing,¡± Holt shrugged¡­ again. He tapped his fingers on the counter and took another sip of the beer to keep up appearances. He couldn¡¯t risk ignoring this if whoever was dragging people over to the Frostguard Dominion had targeted Oleg for some reason. ¡°I have nothing to go by. No lead. No clue where to start,¡± Cal sounded increasingly frustrated with every sentence. ¡°I need something more¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad,¡± Holt interrupted. ¡°Try this one instead.¡± Holt took the original drink he had given Cal and replaced it with another. The new glass also had a note beside it. He was getting tired of the notes. Cal gave Holt a look before taking a sip of the new drink and reviewing the note. Twenty miles east of Silverpine after dark. Abandoned quarry. A low-level meeting consisting of ten people. The presence of an Apprentice equivalent is likely. The rest will be Initiate equivalents. ¡°¡­ This is sufficient,¡± Cal nodded slowly. ¡°Good taste!¡± Holt motioned for him to finish the drink. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste the two silver you spent on this.¡± He chuckled at the charge and downed the drink before leaving the coins on the counter. Holt removed all of it¡ªthe glass, coins, and note¡ªand bid him a farewell. Cal swiftly left the bar and retraced his steps back to the gate. He had plenty of time to prepare for his trip out of the town. There were things that he needed to get. A map, a real weapon, some potions, and a change of clothes that was more appropriate for combat. He hoped it didn¡¯t come down to it, but he had no illusions of the type of people he might encounter. Of course, before all that, Cal wanted to speak to Tavia. If there were going to be ten presences at this vague meeting, it would be better to have backup. He was confident that even if he went alone, the situation would still be in his control, but he would have to rely on his superior physicality and quickness of casting to make that happen. Cal knew there was a chance that he was overestimating himself, so he intended to ask Tavia to follow, just in case. He saw the guard that had given directions to the Dragon¡¯s Head and walked to him. ¡°Did you find the bar?¡± The guard asked when he noticed Cal. ¡°I did,¡± Cal thought about the exaggerated secrecy he experienced at the bar and added, ¡°but the new drinks I traveled for were a little disappointing.¡± The guard winced, ¡°If you want some places that serve true drinks instead of expensive curiosities, I can recommend some places.¡± Cal pretended to think about it before shaking his head. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not in the mood for more.¡± The guard looked sorry for him. ¡°Did you happen to notice a carriage come through?¡± ¡°A carriage?¡± The guard eyed the long line of carriages that were waiting to enter the town. ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more specific.¡± Cal laughed lightly at his mistake. ¡°The only passenger should be a guild member, and she wouldn¡¯t be using the line for trade.¡± Unexpectedly, the guard¡¯s eyes lit up in recognition. ¡°Oh! She passed by a few minutes ago. It looks like she was headed to the center of town.¡± Cal thanked the guard for the second time in the last hour and headed deeper into the town. He was a little apprehensive about speaking to Tavia about this. He didn¡¯t forget that he was the one who recommended that she not risk her life trying to pursue the goal of saving her friends. And here he was, jumping into an unknown situation to possibly save Oleg. Cal also had a small hope that the note was just an error. Tavia had claimed that Oleg was safe. He would forget about the note if she could tell him Oleg¡¯s current location. New Story Announcement: Spearbound I scratched my eye earlier this week and have been burning my Patreon chapters to keep RR on track, but it looks like tomorrow''s chapters will be missed anyway :( I intended to announce this tomorrow, but I might as well do it now since there won''t be a chapter tomorrow. Anyway, Spearbound is the story I had been working on before [Farmer] Mage. Farmer would have never existed since I started it to have a chill story to write as a palate cleanser lol. I''ve been rewriting Spearbound''s chapters to polish them as I post, so check it out if this is your kinda thing. If not, I''ll see you Monday for the next Farmer chapter o7 Spearbound This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Kade thought his life was... fine. After the sky fell, he knew his life was perfect. One moment, Kade was driving his truck back home. The next, the world went to hell. The system decided that Earth was a perfect replacement for a planet that had just fallen, but humans were just a little too weak to help. That was fine since the system had a solution: Force the humans to get strong. Far too many would fall in the mad dash to get stronger, but Kade intended to be one of the few that thrived. Others might do this purely to survive, but he did it for fun... and humanity¡¯s survival, of course. Whatever it was, Kade was in heaven.
Chapter 87 - Gathering Items Trying the same thing won¡¯t help. I might as well gather the things I need as I search for her the regular way. I might as well buy this. I know little of the southern region of the territory. I¡¯d say the same about¡ª I can¡¯t ask Tavia to come with me. Maybe she¡¯s a fan of maps herself. This must be why Tavia said the guild can''t hide any information in the outskirts. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. very interested in the one with the trade routes. ¡°You do realize that I¡¯m not a merchant, right?¡± She¡¯s not a fan of maps. She¡¯s a fan of money. Your skill [Master Negotiator] has increased by 1 level. Your skill [Master Negotiator] has upgraded to the next rank. [Master Negotiator: Initiate 9]¡ª>[Master Negotiator: Apprentice 1] [Master Negotiator: Apprentice 1] - You have become a more experienced trader and negotiator. Your interface can now show you a discount a merchant will accept. At your current skill level, the interface will provide a number that is 0%-100% of a possible discount at random. You may use this 3 ability times per day. Chapter 88 - Discount It didn¡¯t take long for Cal to find what he was looking for. All the potions were behind lock and key, so he waited for an attendant to get to him. In the meantime, he observed the others around him. He found it curious that most of them were mortals, yet they were splurging on potions that cost several silver at the minimum. After eavesdropping, he discovered that many of them traveled to Silverpine. Apparently, it was cheaper to buy potions here than any other place, including Lumina. Most of these mortals were traders who bought low and sold higher wherever they did business. Even though it was guaranteed profit, it was low enough per potion that guild members didn¡¯t bother to take over. ¡°I apologize for the wait. What can I get for you?¡± Like all the others, the attendant who spoke to him was a guild member. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out that they were beginner alchemists. Cal was direct. He knew what he wanted. ¡°A healing potion. A mana restoration potion. And a calming potion,¡± he thought about another situation that might come up and added, ¡°give me a rage potion too. Make it a few of each.¡± The attendant gave him a short nod and quickly moved to gather what was requested. Cal decided to get the rage potion at the last second in an attempt to forcibly put himself in that state where he was hyper-focused. While it wasn¡¯t ideal, if he ever got himself into a situation where he had exhausted all his options, taking the rage potion would be the last resort. It likely wouldn¡¯t end well, but that was the least of his worries as long as he was alive. ¡°Here you are,¡± the attendant had the potions arranged neatly in a box. ¡°Two of each. It¡¯ll be eight gold and sixty silver.¡± Cal reached into his pocket and pulled the necessary coin from the storage pouch. He handed it over and took the box before leaving the shop without dawdling. He would return later when he had more time to look around. Some potions looked promising to use on the farm, but he would need to read more into them before making a decision. Cal had hoped to use [Master Negotiator] to try to get a discount, but when he observed the other customers, he noticed that they always paid the sticker price without fail. It wasn¡¯t odd for that to be the case in some shops, though rare. Since that was the case, he figured it would be better to save up his three tries on the weapon he needed to buy. Cal made his way towards the west side of the town, where Mel said plenty of shops sold weapons. When the foot traffic reduced drastically, and no eyes could catch his move, he quickly put the box in his storage pouch. He checked the interface to see how it was stored. Basic Storage Pouch: 15/20 Inventory: 8 Unknown Gems 127 Copper, 107 Silver, 4 Gold, 2 Guildmarks 1 Rake (Rare) 1 Map (Trade Routes of the Celestial Order) 2 Healing Potion (Minor) 2 Mana Restoration Potion (Minor) 2 Calming Potion 2 Rage Potion Cal had wondered if that was what would happen. While a different type of potion took up one of the limited allocations in the storage pouch, duplicates did not. He found it curious that this was the case when the unknown gems all took up a separate allocation, although they were the same type. I need to find out how the storage pouch decides the allocation use. He didn¡¯t have a search hard for the weapon stores. Most of the alleys and streets he passed were for residential buildings, and the single street containing shops had far too many weapon stores. Almost everyone on the street was either in a weapon store or about to head to one. Cal wasn¡¯t looking for any bladed weapon because he simply didn¡¯t have the skill for it, nor did he intend to try and learn. He needed a simple weapon that any fool could use with some effectiveness. He was looking for a hammer. He checked the weapon stores from outside to see if any of those were in stock. They were not a popular choice, so every shop he checked simply didn¡¯t have them. However, his window shopping came with the unexpected benefit of eavesdropping. The guild was subsidizing the purchase of weapons. It started a month ago, and apparently, there didn¡¯t seem to be an end in sight. Cal had been confused about why alchemists were so happy to spend their limited funds on weapons when they rarely fought, but this certainly explained it. The problem now was why. Nothing in his memories from his first life explained such an odd subsidization. For a guild that copper pinched enough to starve its farmers, there must have been a significant enough concern that pushed the guild to splurge. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I remember hearing about the massacre caused by the Silvermane Wolves. Whatever happened here must not have been as noteworthy since I have no recollection of it at all. He was about to give up on his wish to have a hammer as a weapon and revert to checking the tool shops for a sledgehammer like the ones he had on the farm. Those would come in handy even if they weren¡¯t technically a weapon. Cal had nearly given up when he moved from the shops with greater foot traffic to one with none at all. It was strange seeing the weapon shop utterly empty, with only the proprietor sitting inside with an unhappy face. Its name was appropriate with what he could see inside. ¡®Unique Weapons.¡¯ Even though the proprietor had seen him, all he did was make an ugly face before pretending Cal didn¡¯t exist. If it wasn¡¯t for the strange weapons that were in displays¡ªweapons that didn¡¯t exist in the other shops¡ªCal would¡¯ve purely on principle. ¡°Do not want my business?¡± The proprietor was a mortal, just like all the other merchants he saw except for the attendants in the Potion Emporium. It surprised him that the proprietor was willing to lose business when he had none. ¡°You want to buy here?¡± The proprietor asked with surprise. At this point, Cal was wondering what the deal here was. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be asking you if I didn¡¯t. What made you think I didn¡¯t want to buy anything?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the proprietor¡¯s fledgling hope died. ¡°Then you must not know. Well, I might as well tell you. Almost none of my weapons qualify for the subsidization from the guild. Just go back to the other shops.¡± Cal did the opposite. He entered and took a quick scan of the weapons hanging on the wall. Unfortunately, there was no hammer or anything similar, but there were small daggers that gave him an idea. ¡°You still want to buy something?¡± The proprietor¡¯s hope was back. When Cal nodded, he gained a burst of energy and stood with a beaming smile. ¡°Welcome! I¡¯m Vern! What were you looking for?¡± ¡°A hammer, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t think you have ¡ª¡° ¡°I have it!¡± Vern ran into the back of the shop, leaving Cal in the shop. He didn¡¯t mind. If he could get a hammer as planned, that would be ideal. He still planned on getting the daggers. Cal smiled slightly when he thought about using the explosive power of [Lightning Aura] on those daggers. It could get him out of the tight situation, especially since he would face ten people if the note were to be believed. There was nothing wrong if he prepared for more than ten. The back door was kicked open as Vern carried a large hammer into the shop with the red face. He huffed from the strain of carrying it and looked like he was about to topple over when Cal decided to help. Cal was a little taken aback by the weight of the hammer. The only thing he could compare it to was a sledgehammer, and this one was at least five times heavier. ¡°T¡ªThank you,¡± Vern stuttered as he recovered his breath. ¡°This is the only war hammer I have in my shop. I would have it displayed, but I could barely lift the thing, and I feared it would rip the display down from its weight.¡± He paid little attention to Vern as he studied the war hammer. It was made entirely of metal, with a two-foot-long handle wrapped in leather. The head was a large rectangular block that comprised most of the weight he could feel. Cal swung it around¡ªmuch to Vern¡¯s alarm¡ªand nodded in satisfaction at its sturdiness. It would do. ¡°How much?¡± Cal didn¡¯t expect it to be much since it was an Uncommon-ranked weapon. ¡°It¡¯s fantastic that this war hammer caught your eye! It was actually made by the blacksmith in Lumina, so you can imagine how well-made it must be. You felt the weight, so you must know it took a lot of material ¡ª¡° ¡°That¡¯s all fine, but what¡¯s the price?¡± Cal understood that he was about to hear a price he might not be happy about. ¡°¡­ One gold.¡± Vern looked like he was ready for Cal to storm out. Cal felt for a moment that storming out was the right thing to do since this was just an Uncommon-ranked weapon. He paid fifty copper to Orrin for similar ranked tools. He was aware that the war hammer would cost a little more due to the material cost and perhaps the labor cost, but not two hundred times more. I would¡¯ve asked Orrin to make one if I didn¡¯t need it immediately. He looked around the shop before resigning himself to buy the war hammer. He had more than enough brute strength, and this really was his ideal weapon. At least he could use his skill for the first time. [Master negotiator] activated. It can be discounted by five silver. Two uses left for the day. Cal frowned at the number the interface gave him. That was only five percent off the price, but that was only a random number that could be anywhere between zero and a hundred percent of what Vern would take off the price. ¡°I¡¯ll give you eighty silver,¡± Cal offered what he considered was a lowball and expected pushback. ¡°Done!¡± Vern accepted the offer immediately as if he were scared it would be withdrawn. Cal felt like he got swindled, and when the interface appeared, he felt even worse. Since you used [Master Negotiator]¡¯s ability, you will not receive a contribution to the skill on this trade. Cal swallowed his irritation and handed over the silver before asking, ¡°How much for four of those daggers?¡± He was pointing at the daggers that interested them at the start. ¡°Oh, these don¡¯t fit someone like you. They''re far too basic for any real use. Might I suggest these instead?¡± Vern was pointing at something that exuded money. Cal refused. ¡°I think those basic daggers are perfect for what I want to use them for.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Vern was visibly disappointed. ¡°They are twenty copper each. A silver in total for all four.¡± ¡°Forty copper,¡± Cal countered with a straight face. It was no longer about the money but to recover his pride. It looked like Vern understood, so he held himself back from haggling and reluctantly agreed. Cal left Vern¡¯s shop with his damaged pride slightly recovered and returned to the town center. He stored his newly bought weapons in his storage pouch when there wasn¡¯t anyone looking in the less traveled streets on the way back. He checked his inventory out of curiosity. Basic Storage Pouch: 17/20 Inventory: 8 Unknown Gems 137 Copper, 27 Silver, 4 Gold, 2 Guildmarks 1 Rake (Rare) 1 Map (Trade Routes of the Celestial Order) 2 Healing Potion (Minor) 2 Mana Restoration Potion (Minor) 2 Calming Potion 2 Rage Potion 4 Daggers (Common) 1 War Hammer (Uncommon) Cal had bought four daggers with the assumption that they would take up the rest of the storage pouch''s allocation. For some reason, all four only took up one allocation. I have to set aside the unknown gems as unique. There is a point where the storage pouch refuses to take up only one allocation for the same item. If it didn¡¯t, I would¡¯ve been able to store the barrel of Sunfire Grain seeds. He shelved the mystery of the storage bag for now and put all his effort into finding Tavia.
Complete stat sheet in author note (under spoiler tag)
Note: If you are reading this on a website that is not Royal Road or my Patreon, you are reading a pirated version and that website does not have the permission of the author to host the story. Please instead read the story on the sites mentioned above. It''s free on Royal Road! Chapter 89 - Border I¡¯m driving myself crazy with theories. Just because I wouldn¡¯t have thought about it before doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t change. It will just take some adjustment. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡­ That is an exaggeration. The guild told me it was highly effective. Which could be hilariously false. something to happen. This could be an unexpected boon if Overseer Marek didn¡¯t purposely make it easy for me. Even without considering my possible departure, I might be able to help out Tavia¡¯s friends. take care of everyone in the meeting. If necessary. Chapter 90 - Kaelor I should¡¯ve brought Nibbles with me. Cal had done his due diligence on the abandoned quarry. He found it wanting. There was no cover. The quarry had unstable walls and open views. That''s it. The only place that would¡¯ve worked wasn¡¯t an option. He noticed a space carved out at the bottom of the quarry with sound-absorbing material on the walls reinforced by runes. They were similar to what was engraved on the coin that Benan had used in the Eatery. It couldn¡¯t have been more obvious where this meeting would take place. Cal had chosen to take a safe route. He assumed that there would be at least two Apprentices at the meeting instead of one, and he also assumed that they were good at sensing mana use. He was well aware that his assumptions were usually wrong, and he hoped that was the case this time, too. He decided to position himself so far that he would only be noticed if they knew where to look. He just had to hope that nobody in the meeting could sense the mana residue he naturally left behind on the ground as he walked. Usually that wouldn¡¯t be a concern, but this place was rarely visited. Thankfully, it would probably be covered up by their own residue if there were multiple people entering. Cal knew he could not hope to eavesdrop from this distance, so he planned to move closer once he had a better idea of what he was dealing with. He looked and saw the moon close to the highest point in the sky. It was almost midnight. He went back to practicing on restricting his mana. The words Benan said stuck with them. Strength could be hidden, and once he put a little effort into what that could mean, it became rather obvious. The mana in his body was always in a free-flowing state. As it should be to cast spells. However, it also made obvious how much mana was available at any time to anyone who knew how to look. Cal did the opposite of what he did to have easily commandable mana. He drew all the mana he could into his core and locked it up. He found it hard to do so for long periods. Anything over thirty minutes was a stretch. However, in those thirty minutes, he was no different than a weak Initiate or mortal who had failed the Selection. Cal tensed when he saw a movement in the distance. It was a single silhouette that moved toward the quarry. He wasn¡¯t able to tell what they were wearing, nor could he tell what level they were at. I need to wait for all of them to arrive. Over the next fifteen minutes, others slowly joined the first one who arrived. He mentally thanked them for making it easier. It looked like they were waiting for everyone to arrive before heading down the quarry. Cal counted twelve. They still didn¡¯t head down. ¡­ Did they decide to commence with the meeting right there? A minute later, he got his answer. The thirteenth figure joined them, and then they filed down the quarry. Cal waited for a moment as he started to suppress his mana flow. He moved closer. He would¡¯ve liked to be careful, but his time limit on suppressing his mana forced him to take some risks. Thankfully, he went undetected. Using his sensing spell would have helped, but using his mana for any reason would have automatically negated his effort to suppress it. He was forced to quite literally stand outside the carved-out space at the bottom of the quarry. Cal stood just out of sight and listened. ¡°¡ªthis anymore. We¡¯re drawing too much attention with increased transfers.¡± ¡°Are you willing to take their place, Lorene? If you are, please, be my guest.¡± That shut down the scared protest. ¡°Astris and I understand your worries, but we are all in the same boat. There is nothing I can do to change their minds.¡± A feminine voice spoke next. ¡°Kaelor is right. What¡¯s most worrying is a new group that the Dominion recruited. I found out from a new core guild member, of all people.¡± ¡°They¡¯re the reason I called this meeting. I have been put in charge of the group, but I¡¯m not sure if there is anything to worry about. They don¡¯t seem to know what they signed up for.¡± Cal recognized that voice as a man named Kaelor. ¡°Astris, could you tell me anything more about this new group? I can¡¯t use my usual methods since the Dominion hopes that treating them well would cause others to join them willingly.¡± Cal was coming to a conclusion about who this new group was. And he did not like it. At all. He hoped that he was proven wrong. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there isn¡¯t much. The girl I spoke with isn¡¯t interested in talking about her personal matters. Give me a few more weeks, and I bet I could change that.¡± Astris sounded confident in her words. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You have it,¡± Kaelor granted, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll have something for me when we meet for the next transfer. Speaking of which, where are you keeping the goods this time?¡± ¡°Ah, they should be arriving at Silverpine tomorrow. They are ready to move.¡± Lorene, the timid-sounding girl, spoke. Cal frowned, sensing something off about those words. ¡°Lorene, your area is in the south¡­¡± It sounds like Astris was looking through a notebook. ¡°Do you have someone called Oleg with you?¡± He had to stop himself from bursting into this pathetic meeting and get rid of everyone except Astris and Lorene. But no. He had to wait and be patient. Too many mistakes could happen if he did something like that. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure¡­ sorry,¡± Lorene sounded like a kicked puppy. Cal had gained an affinity for cute animals in this life. But Lorene could sound like an innocent baby, and he would still be tempted to take her out. All this basically confirmed without a doubt that Tavia was the one that Astris spoke to and the group Kaelor was talking about were Tavia¡¯s friends. The only thing that wasn¡¯t confirmed, but was most likely true, was that Oleg had been captured by these people. And whatever they intended to do with him did not sound pleasant. Especially since they had the audacity to call him part of the ¡®goods.¡¯ ¡°Make sure to check. If you see his name there, take him out of the transfer. He might be more trouble than it¡¯s worth.¡± The last thing Cal heard was of any importance to him. The rest were about logistics and other administrative tasks in their trafficking ring. He still listened, but most of his energy was spent trying to calm his rage. He was on the verge of taking a calming potion. Falling into the hyper-focused, berserker state was the exact opposite of what was needed right now. He would regret it forever if he killed the person that would lead him to Oleg. Cal frowned when he felt his suppression failing. It had already been thirty minutes since he started eavesdropping. He quickly, and carefully, took his leave. He would need several minutes before he was able to suppress his mana again. If the meeting continued till then, he would return. Cal watched intently to see if there were any movements. It didn¡¯t take long after he left for the meeting to wrap up. He saw one figure leave in a different direction than all the others. It was going north toward the Frostguard Dominion. That was likely Kaelor. The tricky part was how to deal with the other twelve. Two of the thirteen people in the meeting seemed like leaders¡ªKaelor and Astris. With Kaelor out of his reach, it would be ideal to track Astris. She was likely an Apprentice. He needed to catch a glimpse of what she looked like so he could plan better for the future. As for the rest, it seemed like they would scatter in different directions within the Celestial Order¡¯s territory. It was better to let them be until they gathered all the people that they were going to traffic in one place. Cal allowed them to create some distance as he waited until he could suppress his mana again. The good thing about being ridiculously fast was that mana wasn''t necessary for physical traits. They could get as far as they want, but he would catch them. He tracked the three heading towards Silverpine and followed behind them at a distance. He grew confident enough to get closer until he could see the differences in their figures. Two were men, and one was not. Cal started to ignore the men completely and kept his eyes locked on Astris. He fell back again to make sure there was no chance he would be noticed. He was tempted to overtake them and try to create some sort of scenario to come face-to-face with Astris, but he knew that was just his need for action speaking. He repeated the mantra in his head. Patience was key. It would serve a better to wait¡ª Cal sucked in a deep breath in shock before twisting his body to face the other way. He let go of his suppression and kept his senses on Astris¡¯s group. They had not noticed yet. There¡¯s still a chance to save this. He let go of all the reservations and shot forward with incredible speed. Kaelor was waiting ahead, and he was aware of his presence. Cal didn¡¯t think the man would have the gall to lightly tap him, figuratively, to only get his attention without alerting his conspirators. His eyes sharpened as he quickly came within several feet of Kaelor. The man clearly did not expect the speed at which he closed the distance, and he had no intention of allowing him to take precautions. Cal didn¡¯t take out his war hammer from the storage pouch. That would be too loud and attract Astris''s attention. That was unacceptable. He clamped his hand around Kaelor¡¯s neck to choke off any sound before they could escape his mouth. He delivered a devastating blow to the ribs in an attempt to take away his ability to breathe and inject his mana into his pathways to disrupt the flow, even if it was for a moment. Cal carried Kaelor by the neck for what felt like miles at a speed that was greatly enhanced by mana. It took no more than a few seconds to cover the distance, and he could feel the burn in his legs from that effort. He dropped Kaelor to the ground and stepped back. ¡°You wanted my attention. You have it. Tell me something that will stop me from killing you right now.¡± Cal had never delivered a line quite so brutal before. He found it almost surprising that he meant every word of it. If the next few sentences out of Kaelor¡¯s mouth weren''t convincing, his life was forfeit. He couldn¡¯t take any risks. Kaelor struggled to form words. It could¡¯ve been from the shock of being manhandled like a mortal, but it was more likely from the damage Cal did to his body. ¡°T-The Dominion,¡± Kaelor¡¯s voice was harsh and raspy. It was nothing like the calm and collected baritone that was heard at the meeting. Cal pulled his war hammer from his storage pouch before taking a few steps toward Kaelor¡¯s fallen form. ¡°That means nothing. Against my best judgment, I¡¯ll give you one last chance. The next words out of your mouth are the most important of your life.¡± ¡°Guildmarks!¡± Kaelor looked frantic. Whatever the plan was for getting his attention, it was not going well. ¡°The Frostguard Dominion will give you hundreds of guildmarks if you join us.¡± Cal hummed in thought, giving Kaelor hope that he found the key to his salvation. ¡°I can assure you that even more is possible. Much more! If the Celestial Order could create someone of your strength, imagine how much more you will accomplish with the Dominion! There¡¯s even a chance you might join our guildmaster¡ª¡° A deep thump was heard as dirt kicked up, covering Cal and Kaelor. When it settled, Cal had already pulled back his war hammer and stored it in his storage pouch. He used his mana to pull up a clump of dirt to make a large hole. He went through Kaelor¡¯s clothes and was surprised to find that there was nothing of worth on his person. He had been looking for something that could remotely locate him, but there wasn¡¯t anything to be found, not even a coin pouch. Cal buried Kaelor¡¯s body before making sure the ground looked undisturbed. This would keep the body hidden long enough for him to wrap up matters with Astris and the others. He looked at the spot where Kaelor was last alive before shaking his head. He was thankful that the man was foolish enough to try to play with him instead of directly alerting the others that there had been an eavesdropper. It was a boon for Cal that Kaelor could barely be qualified to be called an Apprentice. If he was a little stronger, there would have been an actual fight. Thank the gods for arrogant guild members. Looks like they aren¡¯t unique to the Celestial Order. Chapter 91 - Astris too bland, as if it was by design. very important to him. ¡­ I¡¯ll deal with that tomorrow. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Spell booklets? Astris will be the last one I remove. Since I¡¯m already involved, I might as well look to eliminate the whole organization. It shouldn¡¯t take long. a lot of water to cover the two acres. Chapter 92 - Cal "The Detective" Maddox ¡­ Oh. Clever girl. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Better that than revealing something in anger. She''s sacrificing that girl. He¡¯s fine. Chapter 93 - Bye Felicia does matter.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Our roles are switched in this life. This isn¡¯t about me. He wants to find his way without my interference. I respect that. I probably was. Chapter 94 - Back to (Mostly) Normal If only that damned guild hadn¡¯t attacked¡­ You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. loved it. much larger. It might also make sense to start on the second pond he had planned. It would help significantly in watering the two acres he was about to plant, but more importantly, it would be necessary when he started repairing the extra two acres that were added to the field. It¡¯s still not enough. ¡­ I guess I should plant half an acre first. Chapter 95 - Interlude: The Fierce Hunter ¡°Hey, Orrin?¡± Orrin grunted, not taking his eyes off the strange plow he was making. It always felt to Seris that Cal wanted some weird stuff made. She had no idea what he intended to do with a seven-bladed plow. ¡°Do you think Cal and Tavia are together?¡± Orrin missed the anvil completely and yelped in shock as he barely kept the hammer from hitting his knee. He stared at his hammer as if it betrayed him before turning to glower at Seris. ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Seris shrugged innocently. ¡°I think they are. But I can never tell with how Cal acts.¡± Orrin¡¯s glare became harsher. ¡°That is none of your business. Don¡¯t forget that the person you call Cal is an Apprentice. Remember what we learned when we asked around. He¡¯s practically above the law.¡± Seris scrunched her nose at Orrin¡¯s cautiousness. ¡°Cal likes us. You act like he will do something bad if I talk too much.¡± Orrin rolled his eyes, not wanting to get into another argument that they had far too many times in the past. ¡°That I guess you don¡¯t want his approval for the blacksmith test,¡± Seris spat angrily. He sighed, knowing it was his own fault for assuming she would let it go. ¡°Apprentice Cal has been more than generous to us, but with one word, he can take everything away and even make us disappear if he wants to. I think he is a nice man, but he deserves to be shown the respect he commands because of his position.¡± Seris made a familiar face that indicated she was confused before raising her nose and sniffing in disgust. ¡°Well, I think you¡¯re stupid. And I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore.¡± She became angrier when Orrin looked amused instead of sorry after her words. She liked him, but it was in moments like these that she felt he needed a kick in the leg. Seris considered doing precisely that before huffing and leaving the smithy. The last time she kicked him in the leg, she had gotten hurt more than he did. She considered visiting the farm but remembered Cal¡¯s expression when he made a short visit to give Orrin the new order. Cal hadn¡¯t explicitly told her to stay away from the farm, but she had never seen him look so tense. He might be angry that she didn¡¯t make her daily visit, but she felt it would be better to be safe. Seris had learned that Cal leaned toward safety over any rules he might have given her. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Still, she was beyond bored. Seris had become accustomed to going to the farm and spending her day there. It was especially fun after Tavia started to spend her time at the farm. She had no shame in admitting that the spell booklets had a large part in her favoring Tavia. There were times that she regretted¡ªfor the briefest of seconds¡ªtaking the job Cal offered. Seris had been an avid hunter to sustain herself. It didn¡¯t pay well, but she enjoyed hunting with her bow and arrow. After working for Cal, she had no time even to pick up her bow and practice. She winced at the lie she tried to tell herself. The true reason was that her head was filled with fantasies of joining the guild, with Cal smiling at her proudly. When she could practice with her bow, she instead daydreamed about her fantasized future. That was beside the fact. After Tavia appeared, the spell booklets easily replaced the bow and arrow as her favorite activity. Seris pouted when she remembered that she had gone through all the spell booklets Tavia had given her. She was tempted to go to the farm again to show Tavia how much she knew. And to get quizzed. She found that it helped her understand the spell booklets better. Cal was definitely the stronger of the two, but Tavia was smarter¡­ in Seris¡¯s opinion. An opinion that would never be uttered out loud because Cal might find out. Seris entered her tiny house and stared at the unused bow haphazardly thrown on the rarely used dining table. Orrin¡¯s annoying. I have no new spell booklets. I can¡¯t go to the farm. She made up her mind and picked up the bow before sliding on the quiver¡¯s strap over her shoulder. Only nine arrows were left since she had never replenished them, but that should be more than enough for a light practice. The game that was close to the town was small anyway. *** Seris made her steps light as she eyed the rabbit in the distance. She was only a few minutes away from the town wall. She kept Cal¡¯s tense expression in mind whenever she thought of venturing too far. Seris only hunted rabbits when there was nothing else to do. It was no challenge, and more importantly, rabbits were far too cute for her to kill when other things were available to hunt. She apologized to the rabbit in her mind before quietly drawing back the string. There was a spell booklet that involved a bow and arrow. It was called ¡®Illusory Arrow.¡¯ Seris actually thought it was stupid. It created illusions of multiple arrows in the eyes of the target, but there was another spell that actually created multiple arrows. The only positive was that ¡®Illusory Arrow¡¯ barely took any mana to cast. Plus, the caster couldn¡¯t actually see the illusions themselves. That meant she could trick herself. Seris intended to go through the steps and pretend to be casting the spell. She might not be a guild member, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t pretend like she was. I should¡¯ve done this instead of just daydreaming. Seris kept the bowstring taut, imagined she connected the arrow to her mana pathways and released her fingers. The arrow sprang forward, cutting through the air and rocketing towards the rabbit. She thought briefly that it would miss, but surprisingly, the rabbit jumped right into the arrow. Seris blinked in shock before she suddenly collapsed to the ground. She was on all fours, breathing heavily, as she tried to figure out what was happening to her. She had heard of hunters dying mysteriously without a mark on their bodies, and she feared the same thing was happening to her. Tears welled in her eyes as she promised herself she would never leave town again without Cal¡¯s permission if she somehow lived through this. When she still breathed several minutes later, she realized that she wasn''t going to die. Seris finally stopped panicking and realized that she was regaining her strength. She slowly stood on shaky legs and stared at herself in suspicion. I must¡¯ve really liked the rabbit. I knew it was too cute to kill. She took a step toward the town before she knew no more. Chapter 96 - Surprise Discovery Your equipment [Uncommon Plow] has been upgraded to [Advanced Plow]. Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)]. You will have two options for the [Advanced Plow]¡¯s trait. Equipment trait choices available. Choose one Residue Reclamation ¨C The plow absorbs residual nutrients from previous crop remains and redistributes them evenly, enhancing soil fertility and resulting in a 10% better yield. Automated Tiller ¨C The plow can be set to perform plowing automatically at scheduled times. This will require the use of mana to sustain. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed] activated. One use left. [Rare Rake] has degraded to Poor Quality. [Rare Rake: Poor Quality] Upgrade: 1. Tasks Required: - 8452/20000 Tasks 2. Materials Required: - 0/5 Earth Crystals - 0/10 Dragonite Scales - 0/500 Voidiron Pellets That reminds me. I must tell her to take over hiring the carts to transport the crops. you?¡± The man snapped his fingers at the companion to his right. farmer?¡± Chapter 97 - Too Many Lors ¡°Oh, he looks like he¡¯s about to rip us apart,¡± the man kicked Kaelor¡¯s body. ¡°Will you use a hammer like you did on this idiot?¡± Cal didn¡¯t try to hide his confusion. He had been under the impression that Kaelor was related to this man. There was even a significant amount of regret he felt from them having to discover Kaelor like this, but now he found everything hard to believe. Especially considering how disrespectful the man was with the body. It gave him hope that this might still be resolved without resorting to violence. He would prefer to keep his slice of heaven conflict-free¡­ and grave free. ¡°I think we have gotten ahead of ourselves,¡± Cal said, reducing the level of hostility in his eyes. "Please introduce yourselves so we can have a civil conversation.¡± ¡°Baelor,¡± the younger man offered surprisingly. His two companions glared at him for speaking, making Baelor shut back down. ¡°Since the dunce already started, I¡¯m Faelor,¡± the lone girl continued, regardless of the daggers the man was shooting her. ¡°Idiots surround me,¡± the man pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m Maelor.¡± Cal stared at the people who trespassed his territory in disbelief. He didn¡¯t want to believe these people posed a danger to him. They belonged to a traveling show. ¡­ It might be a way to give me a sense of confidence. Still, their names were comical. And confusing. With how similar they were to Kaelor¡¯s, he returned to his assumption that they were all related. The regret returned. Still, he didn¡¯t intend to leave room for mercy if it came down to a fight. Cal put on a pleasant smile. ¡°As unexpected as this meeting is, I can¡¯t say it has been uninteresting. My name is Cal, and I farm this piece of land behind me. Again, I¡¯m not sure what all this is about, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line.¡± ¡°¡­ Uncle, can I please kick him around?¡± Faelor asked with a pleading face. Cal noticed that the wolf pack had retreated to a safe distance, leaving only the pack leader staying close. He was still concerned that none of the three were even the slightest bit worried that an apprentice-level beast was watching them with hungry eyes. At the very least, Cal would be able to have a distraction as he dispatched Maelor, who was likely the strongest of the three. Maelor put a hand to stop his niece from speaking further. ¡°Cal, I know what happened. You know what happened. We all know what happened. Let¡¯s cut to the heart of the matter. You smashed my nephew''s chest in, and now we have a problem.¡± Cal narrowed his eyes as he reached out to sense the strength of the three before him. The two younger ones, Baelor and Faelor, weren¡¯t a concern. They were at the peak of the initiate level. Maelor was the issue. The man felt like he was far stronger than Cal. He hadn¡¯t considered that a possibility, so he had assumed this could be handled by himself. Like he acknowledged many times before, an assumption of his turned out to be hilariously wrong. To be fair, Cal had a good reason to assume that Maelor couldn¡¯t be stronger than him. He couldn¡¯t fathom the Celestial Order allowing a high-level Apprentice outside the guild to enter their territory. If this didn¡¯t tell him there were plenty of holes that could be taken advantage of at the border, nothing else could. Cal quickly went through his chances of surviving through this if it got violent. He had [Lightning Aura], but it was only helpful with the four daggers in the storage pouch. Once those ran out, that ability would become useless with someone as strong as Maelor. Plus, he imagined only the first dagger would be useful since the rest would be expected. The golem would be utterly useless since it was too slow to do anything to someone stronger than him. And [Mist Walker] was the only wildcard that could help. It could also do nothing and sentence him to certain death. I¡¯m glad Kaelor was so pathetic that I didn¡¯t need to use any of the supplies I bought. Cal knew he might need a rage potion to get out of this. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°You¡¯re thinking hard,¡± Maelor commented with a smirk. ¡°Let me offer you a solution to the problem we now have between us.¡± He was running through the various scenarios in his mind, most of which ended badly and some of which he saw promise. All of them required the pack leader to occupy the younger two of the group. ¡°Kaelor was never my favorite, so maybe I can look past this if you do something for me. Replace his role in this territory, and I¡¯ll see to it that you won¡¯t be disturbed as long as you play along. And who knows, you might even get entrance into the Dominion in the future.¡± It was nice of Maelor to offer the information on his own. ¡°So, you¡¯re using the death of your¡­ nephew, which I had nothing to do with, to force me into working for you,¡± Cal said dryly. ¡°You want me to betray my guild, and likely make me lose my farm.¡± ¡°Who cares about your farm!? Why do you keep talking about it? Will it help if I burn the whole thing down so you can focus on what¡¯s important?¡± Faelor said heatedly. Cal¡¯s eyes flashed with rage as the surroundings started to darken, his vision almost entirely filled with Faelor¡¯s form. She wasn¡¯t as young as he initially assumed. If he had to guess, she was just a little younger than Tarn. It would be acceptable for him to teach her a lesson about respecting other people¡¯s property. His fingers twitched as he tried to stamp down his rapidly rising rage before something regrettable happened. It wasn¡¯t time to throw away all other options just yet. ¡°Several people from the Celestial Order entered Dominion¡¯s territory,¡± Cal¡¯s voice was dangerously blank. Maelor noticed it. ¡°If you can get them to return in the next several days, I will give your offer real thought.¡± Maelor narrowed his eyes as he studied him. The man was smart enough to know they were at a precipice. Unlike his niece. ¡°Who do you think you are trying to make demands? Especially after what you did!¡± Faelor finally made the mistake of storming towards Cal. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough¡ª¡° Cal controlled his rage and appeared before Faelor, war hammer in hand. He swung it down with full force, making Faelor¡¯s blonde hair fly around, and her robes flutter violently before he slammed it down on the ground within several inches of her feet. Her frightened yelp was lost in the thunderous boom that echoed from the impact of the war hammer on the ground. The crater that appeared below her feet caused her to fall into it on her face as she struggled to regain control over her flailing body. Cal kept a close eye on the other two and noticed that Baelor looked tense, but Maelor couldn¡¯t care less. He retreated to his previous spot and rested the war hammer on his shoulder as he studied them. He doubted that Maelor didn¡¯t care about his niece. It was more likely that he was well aware this was only a warning strike with no intention of true harm. This man is dangerous. Or dangerously overconfident. ¡°Girl, keep your mouth shut until your uncle and I are done talking.¡± Cal had plenty of patience and didn¡¯t mind others being informal to him, but there was only so much he could take of this much backtalk. The warning was more for her benefit than anything else. If he fell into that rage-induced state, he couldn¡¯t promise that she would be left alive. It would depend on her uncle. ¡°That¡¯s the hammer you killed my nephew with,¡± Maelor stated as he stared at him placidly. Cal didn¡¯t try to keep up the pretense. He shrugged and returned the stare. ¡°Faelor, Baelor, leave us,¡± Maelor ordered. Cal''s rage lessened considerably as he tried to stop a chuckle from leaving his lips. Their names were truly, genuinely ridiculous. The two gave their uncle a confused look but listened to the order. When they were a significant distance away, Maelor spoke again. ¡°What did my nephew do to deserve such a death?¡± ¡°He was involved with taking a close friend. I don¡¯t know the specifics, but I imagine my friend''s fate wouldn¡¯t have been kind in the Dominion,¡± Cal replied with half-truths. While that was technically true, he only killed Kaelor because he was discovered. But he couldn¡¯t say that. Maelor hummed as he considered his following words. ¡°Give me the names and descriptions of the people you want returned. I¡¯ll see if it can be done.¡± ¡°Tell me a place for us to meet tomorrow. I can get you what you need then.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know,¡± Maelor said flatly. ¡°Why would these people be worth bargaining for if you don¡¯t even know them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my business, and it¡¯s not necessary for you to know.¡± Maelor¡¯s eyes flashed with anger before it was quickly wiped away. If Cal hadn¡¯t been paying close attention, he would¡¯ve never seen it. ¡°I¡¯ll return here tomorrow at the same time. I will know if you alert any of your superiors in the guild. And I will make sure that every single person who entered the Dominion¡¯s territory from the Celestial Order is exterminated. Understood?¡± Cal didn¡¯t break eye contact as he nodded grimly. ¡°Happy cooperation, Farmer Cal.¡± He watched Maelor head towards his niece and nephew before leaving the vicinity. Cal wasn¡¯t fooled by the apparent kindness Maelor showed. He might have acted like he didn¡¯t give a damn about his nephew¡¯s death, but it was impossible to hide that much rage completely. He didn¡¯t know when, but after his use was diminished, he did not doubt that Maelor would try to get rid of him. That was one on the many reasons Cal had no intention of truly working with Maelor. He would do the minimum necessary until Tavia¡¯s friends were returned from the Dominion, then see if he could deal with Maelor permanently. More importantly, Cal didn¡¯t believe for one second that the Celestial Order had no eyes on his farm. He expected a visit from the administration soon. Hopefully, it would be Overseer Marek. Cal glanced at Kaelor¡¯s body. The man was really trying to sell that the death truly didn¡¯t matter to him. Leaving his nephew¡¯s body like it was yesterday¡¯s waste was a cold-blooded move. It only made him more wary of Maelor. He made a deep hole in the ground, reaching well into the soil underneath, and buried Kaelor for the second time. So much for keeping the farm grave free. Cal gave the pack leader an appreciative nod before returning to the pond. He took his previous position of lying beside it and closed his eyes. Just because an uppity Dominion member interrupted his work didn¡¯t mean he should stop. He would continue until Tavia returned. Chapter 98 - The Feels ¡­ Did I doze off and still cast [Rainfall] subconsciously? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I¡¯m just looking for excuses to avoid talking about¡­ feelings. I have no idea how she¡¯ll prove wrong, but Tavia isn¡¯t one for making false claims. I look forward to it. Seris will name the wolf ¡®Wolfie.¡¯ Chapter 99 - Scalper Later. Maelor is only returning to get the names. Nothing else. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Lunatic. Absolute, raging, psychotic lunatic. The gems. What if I introduce them to the Dominion through Maelor? Thank you for asking the perfect question. I hoped this lunatic was reckless. I never thought I would be dealing with addictive materials in the dead of the night. I have come a long way from being a respectable core guild member. Chapter 100 - Goodbye and Hello Amazing. Your skill [Green Thumb] has increased by 4 levels. Your skill [Green Thumb] has upgraded to the next rank. [Green Thumb: Apprentice 1] - Your crops grow 15% faster and are more resistant to diseases and pests. Your harvest will always yield 5% more than normal. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Your [Primary Tier] has increased by 1 level. not a part of his body. Overuse can and will cause severe side effects, with exhaustion being the least of the concerns. I have to keep that in mind when I supply the golem with the mana it needs. Even if it comes short, I must cut it off for safety. [Harvest Guardian] activated. This golem is forming without an elemental affinity. Do you wish to apply one of your affinities to this golem? Applying Water affinity to the golem. Your Water Golem requests access to your mana core to cast [Rainfall]. Do you accept? Chapter 101 - Unpleasant discovery Cal was amazed at the quietness of Orrin¡¯s place. Every other time he had been here, he heard the constant noise of hammer meeting metal. It almost felt wrong for it to be so quiet. He checked the smithy in the back of the house and saw it was empty, as expected. He glanced at the half-finished multi-bladed plow before leaving, heading into town. It wasn¡¯t often that Cal was at Mariner¡¯s Rest when the sun was about to set. It was busier than he was used to. He barely noticed the looks he was getting as he headed directly to his destination. Cal had never thought about asking Seris where she lived; without Orrin available, finding out was a bit of a headache. He doubted Drex would still be at the port, and he had no intention of meeting Nismus, so it left one person with whom he had interacted. Unfortunately, Cal didn¡¯t know the man''s name, though he did know where he worked and lived. He reached the town square in no time and saw that the leatherworker was still in his shop, thankfully. He remembered the man being extremely fond of Seris. Cal hoped he knew where her house was. ¡°Initiate Cal?¡± The leatherworker exclaimed with wide eyes. ¡°Did my leather strap fail?¡± He hadn¡¯t worn that since he got the storage pouch. It served him well early on, but the unwieldy nature of his equipment made it awkward to use it when he was fast enough to just travel back and forth from his storage room. ¡°Not at all. It holds up well with all the use I put it through. I¡¯m here for another reason. Could you point me to Seris¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Seris? Hm, I haven¡¯t seen her in a while myself,¡± the leatherworker quickly closed up shop. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you there.¡± Cal gave him a smile in thanks, still racking his brain on the man¡¯s name. He swore that it had been mentioned, but he couldn¡¯t remember it for the life of him. Thankfully, the leather worker was more than happy to talk Cal¡¯s ear off as he led them to the western side of the town. Knowing his name turned out to be unnecessary, and all Cal needed to do was nod and smile. The buildings on the side of town were smaller, but for a girl like Seris, it should be more than enough. Still, it brought up a thought he never really concerned himself about. I vaguely remember hearing Seris¡¯s parents were sailors. Surely, that means they are wealthy enough to afford a larger house. ¡°Here we are! I¡¯ll let little Seris know¡ª¡° ¡°Cal,¡± Tavia interrupted the leatherworker from continuing. ¡°I hoped you would visit. Come in. You have to see something.¡± Cal heard the leather worker excusing himself, but that was far from his mind. Tavia¡¯s tone concerned him greatly. When he entered the house, the first thing he saw was Orrin sitting next to a bed where Seris was bundled up in blankets as she slept uneasily. ¡°What happened?¡± Cal immediately moved to the bedside and placed a few fingers on her neck to sense her pulse. ¡°I found her unconscious near the outskirts of town when she didn¡¯t visit my house. I think she was there overnight.¡± Orrin¡¯s voice sounded bleak. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Cal frowned as he sensed something that was hard to believe. Seris was fine physically, but she was depleted of something that shouldn¡¯t have been possible. He met Tavia¡¯s eyes and understood that she had sensed the same thing. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Cal patted Orrin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Give her a week or two and shall be back to normal.¡± Orrin didn¡¯t look convinced but nodded in agreement all the same. He must have heard the same from Tavia. Tavia motioned for Cal to follow her outside the house, and he did. ¡°She used her essential mana reserves,¡± Tavia stated with heavy disbelief, even though proof was sleeping on the bed. ¡°The question is how? She has had no training, and even if she did, this isn¡¯t something that you can do by accident.¡± ¡°You know just as well as I on the how. It seems that Seris¡¯s talent goes beyond just memorizing and understanding how mana works.¡± Cal couldn¡¯t deny Tavia¡¯s words. Still, he didn¡¯t want to accept it. ¡°The guild won¡¯t allow an exemption for her.¡± ¡°Even if you ask?¡± Tavia raised her eyebrow. ¡°Even if I ask,¡± Cal confirmed. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure how to deal with this.¡± Tavia crossed her arms and fell silent. After several seconds, she said, ¡°There has to be something that would block her from using her reserves again.¡± Cal shrugged since he had never heard of anything that could do so. Now that Seris used her essential mana reserves, there was a significant chance that she could subconsciously pull on it. Doing so would be a disaster since the reserves were required to simply regulate a body¡¯s function. The only way he was aware of solving such an issue was to activate the interface. However, Seris was too young. There was no doubt the Celestial Order would greatly value someone like her, but they would still refuse to allow her to go through the Selection to let her develop to her full potential. The Celestial Order would rather risk letting Seris come to harm so there would be an assurance of a [Mage] joining the guild in the future. If they allowed the Selection to happen now, the Celestial Order could gain another [Farmer] or an equivalent [Class]. ¡°¡­ You need to try, Cal. If they deny you, at least we can focus on trying to find another solution.¡± Cal could only nod. He intended to do so anyway but had no real hopes for it. Unless Overseer Marek could convince the guildmaster that allowing Seris to get assigned a subpar [Class] was reasonable to satisfy Cal¡ªwho the guildmaster considered to have dubious loyalty to the guild. ¡°It¡¯s best to look for alternatives immediately.¡± Tavia hummed in agreement. There was a brief silence before she said, ¡°How did the meeting go?¡± ¡°Promising, but I¡¯ll need a few more days before I can say if the man¡¯s words are worth anything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself in a terrible position,¡± Tavia warned again as she looked around for any eavesdroppers. Unnecessary in this town, but it was always good to be cautious. ¡°I know where the limits are,¡± Cal assured her before changing the subject. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going to stay here until Seris wakes?¡± Tavia nodded. ¡°Someone has to be beside her so she doesn¡¯t relapse into a coma¡­ the boy can¡¯t do much since he doesn¡¯t know the issue.¡± Cal questioned that. With how skilled Orrin was in smithing, he had long suspected there was some unintentional usage of mana. There were no mishaps, so he never tested the boy for it since he feared Seris''s current situation would happen. It was hard to control once the knowledge was acquired. As Trainees, they had years of fundamentals beaten into them to prevent mishaps. ¡°Let me know if anything turns for the worse,¡± Cal finally replied. ¡°I would like to stay myself, but it¡¯s impossible at the moment.¡± ¡°I know, you don¡¯t have to defend yourself, Cal,¡± Tavia chuckled. ¡°Seris will be fine under my watch.¡± ¡°¡­ Thanks,¡± Cal said awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ll visit again tomorrow.¡± He gave her a smile and turned to leave. ¡°Cal!¡± Tavia¡¯s shout stopped him. As he turned, Tavia fell into his embrace. Her lips brushed softly against the corner of his mouth, leaving a tingling warmth before she drew back with a playful look. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Cal touched the spot where she had kissed him and realized he was grinning widely. Tavia giggled at his reaction before she turned to enter Seris''s house. The smile on her lips grew when she saw him staring after her. ¡°That¡¯s not a one-time event. Go do what you need to and come back tomorrow.¡± Cal finally moved when the door closed. As he regained his senses, he considered his reaction and wondered if it was something to be embarrassed about. No. It¡¯s not. I might have looked like a sap, but it earned points for me in Tavia¡¯s eyes. He finally left Seris¡¯s place and moved towards the port. Even if Drex wasn¡¯t there, he still needed to get the carts for his harvest. He had planned on getting Seris to do the job, but she was at least out of commission for a week. ¡­ And Cal needed to talk with Benan before leaving town. That was something he was not looking forward to. Chapter 102 - Automation ¡°Where are all the ships?¡± Cal asked the man he had seen working as Drex¡¯s assistant. Almost all of them were gone from the harbor. The one he was most curious about was Benan¡¯s. The small trading vessel was nowhere to be seen. That made little sense to Cal. He remembered the deal that Benan was highly insistent on. The man wanted Cal to do him a favor in the next several days, and leaving now seemed highly unusual. He should have been happy about the sudden departure, but it was the exact opposite. Cal would¡¯ve preferred Benan to be in a location that was known to him. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know. Maybe they went to Gale¡¯s End?¡± The poor assistant looked terrified at being unable to give him a concrete answer. Cal waved him off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Let Drex know I need ten carts with drivers to arrive at my farm tomorrow morning.¡± The assistant nodded rapidly. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know as soon as I see him in the morning.¡± ¡°Good man,¡± Cal smiled before walking back to town. He could sense the Apprentice, who had passed him the note, watching from a building at the edge of the port. He had no intention of initiating contact. That was Overseer Marek¡¯s man. It would be on him to take action. *** Cal left the lone restaurant in Mariner¡¯s Rest with a frown. The proprietor knew nothing about Benan¡¯s whereabouts, and that was where his ideas to ask around died. He ignored the looks he received again as he walked through town. There was a strong temptation to return to Seris¡¯s house and stay for the night. It felt wrong to leave his assistant as she was, but even though it looked callous, it was for her own good. Cal preferred not to be seen in anyone¡¯s presence for an extended period while in negotiations with Maelor. It couldn¡¯t be hidden that he had mortal employees, but it would be best to make it look as if he didn¡¯t care much about them for now. He left Mariner¡¯s Rest behind. *** ¡°Is it just me, or has the water level barely changed?¡± Cal asked his audience of a golem and the wolf pack leader. He obviously didn¡¯t get any replies. It had been over a day since he last cast [Rainfall] over the pond, and the amount of time the past did not match the water that the crops should have absorbed. He quickly checked the seeds and confirmed that everything was on track for an on-time harvest before returning to the pond. The mana in the pond became extremely concentrated without my actions. The same phenomenon may apply to water itself. Cal couldn¡¯t say he understood the reasons behind it. He doubted that Tavia would know either, though it was more likely that she would compared to him. This was something to ask Overseer Marek since the man would notice something so obvious when he visited. There was no reason to hide. ¡°Golem, cast Rainfall over the pond,¡± Cal ordered, intending to allow access this time. Your Water Golem requests access to your mana core to cast [Rainfall]. Do you accept? He accepted and immediately felt a draw from his mana core. The golem started to glow a light blue as it raised its palm to point over the pond. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Cal didn¡¯t look away from the formation of the rain clouds as he kept track of how much mana was being used. It was worse than the efficiency when he cast the spell himself, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as he assumed. Cal thought over his next plan of action before coming to a decision. ¡°Cast rainfall once every hour. Delay that instruction if you sense my mana core is not completely full.¡± The golem gave him a blank stare, which reminded him of its past iteration. It made him nervous enough to add another order. ¡°You are not to move from that spot or do anything other than cast rainfall under the parameters I gave you.¡± Cal was satisfied with that but still addressed the pack leader. ¡°Wake me if the golem starts doing anything outside my orders.¡± The pack leader replied with a slight grumble, which he took as acceptance. He turned in for the night, feeling strangely comfortable, although he gave the golem access to his mana core. *** When Cal woke, he felt more groggy than usual. He sensed the golem drawing out his mana, and he dug a little deeper and found that it had happened seven other times while he was asleep. As he had guessed when he gave the golem the order, it was well within his capabilities to handle. He planned on shortening the time between the casts every night. It would be an excellent way to train his mana core to get used to stress and long usage periods. Cal left the house and checked the pond. With only eight casts of [Rainfall], he didn¡¯t expect it to get larger. The most he expected was maintenance on the water level. Once again, he was surprised by the results. The pond is larger. Barely, but it¡¯s larger. Cal studied the golem and saw that it looked unchanged by the large amount of mana it channeled through the night. He made a mental note to tell Orrin to study the golem and see if anything could be applied to his smithing techniques. ¡°Did the golem do anything weird?¡± Cal asked the pack leader. The bored wolf grumbled, a standard reply of his. He took that as a no. He could hear the sound of wheels crunching the dirt and estimated the carts were a few minutes away at most. He checked on the crops and saw that they were ready to be transported. Cal quickly recounted and estimated that he would get around twenty gold from the sale. Not for the first time, he thought about holding back the red grain variants in storage to sell for a better price, and not for the first time, he decided against it. Cal would instead complete the contract as quickly as possible before renegotiating a far better price. If he was desperate for money, he might have tried harder to store the red grain variants, but he honestly couldn¡¯t care less about the loss of profit at the moment. ¡°Stay on the stone pavement,¡± Cal ordered the cart drivers as they approached the house. The stone paths that extended into the field were only large enough for a person, not a cart. It made loading the carts a bit of a headache, but with his speed, it didn¡¯t take more than thirty minutes. Soon, the carts were filled with freshly harvested and dried Sunfire Grains. ¡°Head to town. I¡¯ll follow you closely,¡± Cal instructed the drivers. He turned to the golem and said, ¡°Cease casting Rainfall, and stay in that spot. Do nothing and wait for my return.¡± Cal left the farm after a quick farewell to the pack leader. *** ¡°¡ªand nineteen gold,¡± Drex counted out the last gold coin he handed to Cal. ¡°I¡¯ll just round it up, so let¡¯s forget about the change. Another great harvest! I think you should think about the next contract right now at the rate you¡¯re going.¡± ¡°I thought the same thing, but it can wait for the next harvest. Speaking of which, I¡¯ll need over forty carts ready in six to seven days.¡± Drex stared at him in shock. ¡°You expect to have over twenty thousand ready in that time?¡± ¡°Around that,¡± Cal confirmed, thinking of what to do even further in the future. He still had no desire to deal with Nismus and break the sweetheart deal he had with Overseer Marek, but he was also coming to realize that Mariner¡¯s Rest simply couldn¡¯t handle the volumes he would soon be working with. Plus, Drex had got on his nerves. Cal remembered a naively out-of-touch contact in Lumina. Fintan. I need to speak to him soon. I¡¯ll take Tavia to the city and make a day out of it. ¡°¡ªCal?¡± He snapped out of his thoughts to see Drex looking at him nervously. He quickly understood why when he sensed a large mana signature approaching him. ¡°The port overseer, Brin, asked to meet with you,¡± Drex blurted out and continued to add details without letting Cal reply. ¡°If you want to delay the meeting, just let me know, and I¡¯ll take care of it. The port overseer did mention that it didn¡¯t need to be rushed. And I have nothing to do with it. In fact, I barely speak with¡ª¡± ¡°Drex, it¡¯s fine,¡± Cal interrupted him. He recalled how confident Drex was when interacting with him at the start. That bravado had been completely stripped away, leaving a mortal that wasn¡¯t too different from most others. What a shame. I enjoyed Drex¡¯s no-nonsense way of speaking. ¡°Apprentice Cal?¡± Cal ignored the choked gasp of surprise from Drex when he realized the rank used. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you again this soon. Is there something else you need to pass on?¡± ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Brin shook his head. ¡°But there is someone who would like to show appreciation for your help. If you could follow me?¡± Cal straightened in attention and gave Brin a firm nod. ¡°Drex, take care of the carts for me.¡± Chapter 103 - A Talk Brin wasn¡¯t much of a talker, and Cal preferred it that way. He spent the short walk trying to sense who wanted to speak to him. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out who it was, but he wanted to confirm it by measuring their strength. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he failed to sense a presence. He only met three people who qualified: The Guildmaster, Overseer Marek, and Benan. ¡°Overseer Marek¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Brin stopped at the entrance and motioned for Cal to go in. He didn¡¯t delay, eager to hear what Overseer Marek had to say. However, he questioned why it was necessary to go through an intermediary when meeting at the farm was easier. The building was multi-story, but the door to the room on the far end of the hallway was open, and Overseer Marek waited inside. ¡°Apprentice Cal,¡± the Overseer greeted as he closed the door to give them more privacy. Cal was on high alert. ¡°It¡¯s been some time, Overseer Marek.¡± ¡°It has,¡± Overseer Marek agreed. ¡°But you have progressed as well as I hoped. I have some regret that I won¡¯t be able to see your farm in person, but that can be fixed in the future.¡± He¡¯s in a chatty mood. I might as well take advantage of it. ¡°I would be more than happy to have you visit¡­ though, I do have a question about the current contract for the Sunfire Grains. The guild is losing heavily from the discounted price, is there¡ª¡± ¡°The red grain variants,¡± Overseer Marek interrupted. He didn¡¯t look happy. ¡°Unfortunately, that decision was out of my control from the start, and even if I had more say, I have to admit I would have signed the same deal. It was done as a favor to us, but who knew it would benefit the buyer.¡± Cal shrugged at the bad news. The attempt was to tell himself he tried to do something about it. He still wasn¡¯t too concerned about a small amount of money. ¡­ It¡¯s over fifty guildmarks I won¡¯t have in my pocket. He pushed on before the thought could sour his mood. ¡°I hope to have more input in the next contract.¡± Overseer Marek raised an eyebrow. ¡°That is not the norm, but I¡¯ll see to it that you do.¡± There was a brief lull, and silence took over. Cal wasn¡¯t sure what the Overseer was thinking about, but he was wondering when the matter with the smuggling ring would be brought up. It wasn¡¯t the events in Silverpine that concerned him, but Maelor and his band of similar-named relatives. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understood I was the one who sent you those notes. Thankfully, they will no longer be necessary. The guildmaster is very particular with his orders, and as long as I follow them to the letter, he looks the other way.¡± Cal tilted his head in thought. ¡°The guildmaster forbid you from speaking to me?¡± ¡°Those were one of the orders,¡± Overseer Marek chuckled. ¡°There were several others, but so many loopholes were available that it was obvious what he truly wanted me to do. The guildmaster needed to keep up appearances, and in turn, so did I.¡± The inner workings of the guild are as convoluted as ever. He considered asking who the guildmaster needed to keep appearances to, but it wasn¡¯t his business. Plus, he could guess it was the Elder Council. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it has changed since you speak to me.¡± Overseer Marek nodded. ¡°You did well to uncover the reason behind the disappearances. That was intended to be one of the first steps that would allow the guildmaster to lessen his scrutiny on you, but the involvement of the Frostguard Dominion changes everything.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard work to find out. It means the guild didn¡¯t care until I could be thrown at it. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Is the Dominion going to be a problem?¡± Cal asked with genuine interest. If they were encroaching like this, they could have been the aggressors in his first life. ¡°Nothing to worry about at the moment. The girl you left alive is being kept under close watch. We¡¯ll get what we need to know from her. More importantly, you are no longer required to present yourself to the council¡­ for now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s generous of the guildmaster. Please let him know I am thankful.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t dismayed by the addition of the two words at the end. He wouldn¡¯t be allowed to sequester himself in a corner forever, but it also wouldn¡¯t be an issue since his strength would have increased massively. Overseer Marek hummed in acknowledgment as he studied him curiously. The lull pushed Cal¡¯s mind to the guildmaster. The guildmaster still has his faculties. I wonder how that will change the Celestial Order¡¯s fate now that the man leading isn¡¯t addled. Overseer Marek came to a decision. All levity had disappeared. ¡°Apprentice Cal, the Frostguard Dominion is a line the guild cannot accept. Any contact with their members that isn¡¯t reported immediately forces the guildmaster to take action. Do you understand?¡± He knows. I knew Maelor was too much of a lunatic to cover his tracks. Cal clenched his jaw as he nodded, his mind flying through various scenarios. This was why the Overseer decided to meet him. The previous matters were too unimportant to require a meeting in the only administrative building in the port. It could have been delayed until the Overseer was allowed to visit the farm. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. If you feel I need to know anything, this is the time to tell me.¡± Overseer Marek looked at him expectantly. ¡°¡­ Hypothetically, let¡¯s say there is something to say, but nothing can happen in the next few days. Would that be possible?¡± Instead of showing anger, the Overseer looked relieved. ¡°Then you can wait to tell me in a few days.¡± Cal blinked at him stupidly. ¡°That simple?¡± ¡°Indeed, that simple,¡± Overseer Marek chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you said something. Otherwise, I would have been forced to take care of it¡­ hypothetically.¡± I don¡¯t want to know if he meant me or Maelor. It¡¯s too bad I won¡¯t be able to continue feeding the gems to the man. I need to find another worthy test subject. ¡°I have nothing to hide.¡± Cal was proud he didn¡¯t break. He added, ¡°In a few days, " at the amused expression directed at him.¡± ¡°Good! Now, here is your reward for saving the hostages. I see you have an attachment for the failed Trainee. If you wish, I can make sure he lives well as long¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Cal blurted before backtracking at the hint of displeasure on Overseer Marek¡¯s face. ¡°I mean, Oleg refused my help, and even if it was through the guild, he would view it as coming from me. The best option is to leave him be.¡± ¡°He said this?¡± Overseer Marek looked intrigued. ¡°It¡¯s a shame such an independent personality belongs to someone that failed to gain an interface. He would have gone far.¡± Cal didn¡¯t like how Oleg was spoken as if his life had no meaning, but he supposed that was exactly the case from Overseer Marek¡¯s point of view. ¡°Meet me here in a few days, Apprentice Cal. As promised, I will not disturb your hypothetical dealings now, but do not expect an extension on revealing what is required.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Cal gave Overseer Marek a slight nod in thanks. ¡°You are free to go about your day. Send in Apprentice Brin on your way out.¡± Cal did as the Overseer requested and immediately headed to Seris¡¯s house. The meeting had gone as he mostly expected. The knowledge of Maelor¡¯s presence was undesirable, but even that was looked upon with less suspicion than he would¡¯ve assumed. He didn¡¯t know how much of it was due to the guild''s information and how much was leeway given because he was Cal Maddox. Cal felt it would heavily depend on the guildmaster himself, and that was one man he knew very little of. From the little he didn¡¯t know, the guild master seemed highly competent with everything his job entailed. The power, the politics, and the scheming. However, if that was the case, the external Initiates wouldn¡¯t be so poorly managed. Cal shook his head as he approached Seris¡¯s house. For all he knew, the guild master could be trying to overhaul how the guild worked. Or, he was just giving the guild matter too much credit. Either way, there was little reason for him to think about it. The door to Seris¡¯s house opened to reveal Tavia, who welcomed him in with a smile. He noticed that Seris was still in bed, sleeping as she had been yesterday. ¡°Is Orrin back at his smithy?¡± Cal shrugged off his coat before approaching Seris. ¡°The boy was doing nothing but worrying the entire time. Better for him to take his mind off by using his hammer.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± Cal said. He felt Seris¡¯s pulse even though it was unnecessary. It was strong. Her essential mana reserves were slowly recovering, but still nowhere enough to wake her. ¡°Cal.¡± He instinctively turned at the closeness of Tavia¡¯s voice before he found himself in another tight hug that he reciprocated immediately. She pulled back after a few seconds with a wide smile. ¡°What was that for?¡± Cal asked though he wasn¡¯t complaining. ¡°I did say yesterday that it wasn¡¯t a one-time event¡­ And I wanted to do it. Why? Do you have a problem with it?¡± ¡°Only if you stop.¡± Cal blinked, wondering where that came from. ¡°Then I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Cal could feel his lips form a smile. Tavia returned it. ¡°Good.¡± It amused him that she was taking such baby steps in showing her affection, but he wouldn¡¯t interrupt her. Cal saw the pink on her cheeks when she looked away. He had intended to only stay for several minutes at most before going back to work, but he could spare a few hours. Chapter 104 - Using a New Section Cal was tempted to revisit Mariner¡¯s Rest¡ªspecifically, Seris¡¯s house. No. I need to prioritize my time. I spent far too much time yesterday chatting with Tavia and wasting the day away. He felt the golem pull mana from his mana core as it cast [Rainfall]. It hadn¡¯t stopped since he returned to the farm last night. His instruction was for it to cast the spell continuously in one-hour intervals. Cal figured that was enough to prevent him from feeling exhausted as he focused on other matters. He could have planted more seeds since the pond was steadily becoming larger despite the constant draw from the crops, but he focused on delving deeper into understanding his spells. Of course, he limited himself to reviewing the theoretical understanding with his elements¡ªwhich only lasted less than an hour¡ªand reserved the practical work for his mana residue sensing. It used such a small amount of mana that it didn¡¯t interfere with what was required for the golem to cast [Rainfall]. Cal had been sitting on his meditation rock pile since he woke. For over half the day, he had single-mindedly focused on discovering ways to sense the slightest of details. The distance from the pond helped immensely. He had started by separating Tavia¡¯s dull tracks, which were days old, from the mana-rich field. The water flowing in the tunnels beneath made everything exponentially harder than when he relied on casting [Rainfall] to water the crops. Cal made surprisingly quick progress, succeeding several hours into the attempt. He expected no significant breakthrough throughout the day, which was his mindset when he started. The success startled him; he knew it shouldn¡¯t have been that easy. He attributed his ease of learning spells to his high affinity with the elements. While that made sense with spells like [Rainfall] and [Earth Barrier], it did not hold up with raw mana used for sensing. The control he gained over his mana in his past life would be a slight help, but still not to this level. I can only guess this is another benefit of my [Class]. There was a draw on his mana core. He glanced at the pond to see the golem watering it again. Cal smirked at the pack leader¡¯s annoyed expression as the wolf pack stared at the falling rain with unblinking eyes. They had been at it since before he woke up. Their perseverance at something so simple was encouraging since it convinced him to put in the same focus. He had to repeat the same thing over and over, and if wolves could do it, so could he. He returned to exploring his nascent spell. Cal pushed the tendrils of mana closer to the pond. They weren¡¯t literal tendrils, but it was the best explanation for his actions. The brilliance of the mana concentration in the pond evaporated the tendrils when they got too close, but this was expected. He persevered, pushing closer millimeter by millimeter as he tried to pick up faint residue that was days old. That was when he considered the attempt a success, and only then would he go further. There was an easy way to solve the issue of the pond. Ever since Cal had connected to it to use the pond as a pseudo-hearthstone, he could use that connection to negate its ill effects on his nascent spell. However, the goal wasn¡¯t to just be able to use the spell at his farm. He wanted to be able to use it anywhere he pleased. Cal lost time as he put all his effort into it. He hadn¡¯t been able to get the tendrils within forty feet of the pond at the start, but the distance was becoming smaller with every attempt. He had just broken the thirty-foot mark, and with how quickly he had shortened the distance, he expected to get within ten by the end of¡ª Cal stiffened as his eyes snapped open. He hadn¡¯t even realized they were closed. The sun had somehow set, and only the moon illuminated his land. He had been immersed in his practice for several hours without even knowing. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. If the interface hadn¡¯t brought him out of his focus, he might have gone on until he reached his goal. Do you wish to use your essential mana reserves to supply your golem? Cal declined the option and dismissed the interface. He looked inward and tried to see why his mana core was suddenly empty. The most recent pulls from his mana core weren¡¯t for his golem but for his nascent sensing spell. The dominance of the mana in the pond required him to exert more to separate the residue successfully. He would need to test it again later, but he suspected that would only be required the first time he attempted it. The later tries would be much easier because he would know the most efficient way to go about it. Cal hopped off his meditation hill and knew that was it for the day. Overexerting would leave him exhausted, which was unwise. Maelor didn¡¯t say precisely when he would visit again, so he needed to be cautious for the next few days. Do you wish to use your essential mana reserves to supply your golem? He declined it again and dismissed the interface. ¡°Golem! You no longer need to cast [Rainfall]. Stay motionless in your spot, and do nothing until I give you the next order.¡± Cal was almost certain he commanded the golem to delay any casting if it sensed he was low on mana. This hinted that the golem couldn¡¯t sense his current capacity so it ignored that order altogether. The wolf pack ran away as he approached the pond. The pack leader himself gave him an appreciative glance before closing his eyes. He sat on the ground beside the pack leader and gave him company. He had nothing to do as he waited deep into the night to see if Maelor might arrive. ¡°Let me know if you sense someone close by.¡± The pack leader huffed in acknowledgment before silence fell over them. *** Maelor hadn¡¯t arrived last night. That was unfortunate. There were still a few more days before he would start to suspect something wasn¡¯t right. Cal stared at the golem as it filled the pond. It was getting larger with every cast. The crops that were drawing water from it could no longer pull more than what the single cast of [Rainfall] could replace. He wasn¡¯t sure why. However, it now made sense to plant another half-acre. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. The harvest wouldn¡¯t align perfectly, so he would have a sort of order that would keep him busy but not overwhelmed all at once. Cal didn¡¯t intend to test his nascent spell today so the golem could continue its work without disruption. By the time he planted the extra seeds, the pond would be even more capable of handling the extra draw. He entered the storage room and took out the plow and barrel of seeds. There was an issue. He no longer had a rake that could be used. The only one in his possession was the Rare Rake, and it was just a step away from being destroyed. It needed to be allowed to restore itself. ¡­ I¡¯ll just use my foot to cover the seeds. The section opposite to the previously planted half acre would be the new one seeded. Cal placed the barrel beside the section and sank the plow¡¯s blade into the soil. This would be the first batch with the plow¡¯s trait applied. [Advanced Plow: Good Quality] Upgrade: 117/4000 Tasks - Residue Reclamation: The plow absorbs residual nutrients from previous crop remains and redistributes them evenly, enhancing soil fertility and resulting in a 10% better yield. Cal expected to get a yield of around eighty-five percent on this batch. He got to work. Sometime later, the second was ready for the seeds. He returned the plow to the storage room and started the tedious work of placing a single Sunfire grains seed into perfectly spaced spots in the section. It was made worse by the need to use his foot to cover the planted seeds with soil. This took nearly the whole day. No matter how fast Cal was, he couldn¡¯t risk damaging the seeds and worsening his harvest just because he wanted to get it over with. Cal could think of a few ways to use the earth element to help expedite the planting process so it wouldn¡¯t take up so much of his time. But even if that was theoretically possible, creating such a spell would take far too long and halt his progress at a time when he couldn¡¯t afford to. Still, he considered the possibilities as he methodically dug a small hole, dropped a Sunfire Grain seed, and used his foot to push the soil over the hole. The sun was setting by the time he had finished with the section. More than half of the seeds in the barrel had been used up. Cal returned the barrel to the toward before heading to his usual spot for the past few days. His companion was already there. The wolf pack ran even though the golem was in the middle of casting [Rainfall]. Huh, the wolves don¡¯t like me. He sat and said, ¡°Let me know if you sense someone.¡± The pack leader rumbled as he closed his eyes. It was still hours away from the time Maelor might arrive, so he felt an urge to visit Mariner¡¯s Rest, but he knew staying at the farm would be more productive. It¡¯s only a day or two more. Tavia would understand. Cal closed his eyes and waited. He didn¡¯t move except when he ordered the golem to stop after midnight. He wanted to be at full capacity in case Maelor arrived. The pack leader''s guttural snarls a couple hours later let him know that he had been wise to be cautious. Maelor had arrived. Chapter 105 - Product Cal brushed off the nonexistent dirt from his clothes as he studied Maelor. The man came alone, as expected, but he was more interested in seeing if there were any visible changes on the man. ¡°They won¡¯t stop you,¡± Cal said loudly. Maelor stood far from the farm with the wolf pack standing between. It hadn¡¯t stopped him the previous two times, so he wasn¡¯t sure why that was the case now. Maelor approached and nodded at Cal when he was only a few feet away. ¡°Now that we''re partners, I felt it was only polite to wait until you permitted me to enter your land.¡± Cal gave him a quick once over and found himself disappointed. No changes were to be seen, and mannerisms hadn¡¯t been affected either. If anything, Maelor became much more composed, which was the opposite of what he suspected the gem to cause. It¡¯s only been a few days since I gave him the gem. It¡¯s too bad Overseer Marek will interfere with these meetings soon. ¡°Is this about the people I asked you to retrieve?¡± Cal asked. ¡°They are already on the way back. I directed them to be sent to Mariner¡¯s Rest, the town your woman resides in. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what you wanted, right?¡± That was indeed the best option, but it sounded like a subtle threat. Then again, everything Maelor did sound like a threat. Cal nodded. ¡°It is. Will they arrive tomorrow, or is it later?¡± ¡°I would say a couple of hours is more accurate. By the way, these people you considered important enough to bring back are complete idiots. My niece has been in a bit of a mood lately, and the delivery might arrive a little damaged. Not too much, but just a little. This can¡¯t be blamed on me. After all, there was no promise of them being returned in perfect condition.¡± The mood she¡¯s in is probably due to having a missing finger. Cal wished he could say that he cared, but Tavia¡¯s friends were faceless acquaintances to him. He only knew they existed because of Tavia and his obsession with her when he was a Trainee. ¡°I¡¯m sure my¡­ woman will look past the damage in her happiness of her friends being returned,¡± Cal said. Even though Maelor knew about Tavia, he didn¡¯t want to use her name. They stared at each other for several seconds before Maelor broke the silence. ¡°I did my part. Now, you do yours. I understand you are reluctant to go against the guild, so I¡¯ll give you a fairly simple task. I want you to kill Astris. In a way, it¡¯s helping the guild, you think so?¡± Cal had been ready to decline whatever Maelor asked him to do based on needing to wait for proof of Tavia¡¯s friends truly returning. He still intended to use the excuse, but the task itself wasn¡¯t something he could pass on. He assumed what would be asked to be far different. Passing on information that would lead to abduction, interfering with core guild business, or putting himself in a position that would lead to an immediate death sentence were all things that he could delay based on their seriousness. However, killing Astris would be easy to explain to the guild. Cal recognized that this was something that Maelor intended to use to get him accustomed to taking orders. Undoubtedly, it would escalate with every proceeding task until he found himself entirely on the Frostguard Dominion¡¯s side. ¡°It¡¯s disheartening to see you hesitating so much. This is such a simple ask that I thought you would be glad. After all, Astris is the woman who put your close friend in danger. What¡¯s to say that your friend won¡¯t be drawn back in? He did return to the same place where he had been abducted. It¡¯s for both our benefit to have Astris disappear.¡± Another subtle threat. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Cal shook his head. ¡°I would be more than happy to do so, but I just got the news that the guild is looking into Astris. I highly doubt I can get close to her without the guild looking into me. That¡¯s attention I do not want.¡± Maelor appeared ready to address the matter but surprisingly reconsidered and remained silent. He wasn¡¯t sure what was running through the man¡¯s head, but it caused him to remain silent for nearly a minute. ¡°I see your side on this,¡± Maelor said. ¡°Is it safe for me to assume you want to avoid drawing attention because of the gem you gave me last time?¡± No. ¡°Yes,¡± Cal said, nodding grimly. Maelor sighed as if he was disappointed. ¡°I suppose I can allow you to refuse the assignment. I am also invested in the gems, so it will be in my interest to do so. However, I will need some sort of return for the help I¡¯ve provided. Give me another gem, and we can call this even.¡± Cal was given the opportunity he had been waiting for. ¡°Do you mind if I check something? I want to see the changes from the absorption of the gem.¡± Maelor narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a sensor?¡± ¡°Barely. I only know the rudimentary techniques that will give me a vague sense of your strength. I do have to admit that I did this without your permission previously. But we weren¡¯t partners then, so you understand why I didn¡¯t ask.¡± Maelor still looked suspicious, but he agreed. ¡°I¡¯m curious to see what you think, but I do have to say that the gem is non-negotiable. You either give that to me or take care of Astris.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Cal said. He reached out with several mana tendrils, touching Maelor¡¯s skin and making their presence known to sell that his technique was amateur. He absorbed the information from the contact before pulling the mana tendrils back. Maelor was at the peak of the Apprentice rank, a small yet significant rise in strength from just a few days ago. Cal quickly calculated his chances of killing Maelor if that option ever needed to be taken. Surprisingly, he found it high. Maelor might be strong in mana capacity and control, but he was physically weak compared to Cal. Another surprising insight he gained was that Maelor¡¯s affinity was fire. It would be challenging if he couldn¡¯t gain a quick advantage initially. Cal had overestimated the effort he would need to make to defeat Maelor. It would be difficult, but it was well within his capabilities. He made sure to show concern instead of delight at his discovery. Permitting a sensor to gain insights was stupidity on the highest order. However, Maelor allowed it due to the gem. The greed of more was already affecting him, though it was in the most subtle of ways. ¡°Is anything on track?¡± Maelor asked. ¡°I think so. There should still be plenty of growth left from the gem you previously absorbed. Giving you another will likely hurt more than help.¡± ¡°I never said the additional gem was for myself. I have other uses for it, and that¡¯s all you need to know.¡± Cal clenched his teeth, pretending to be agonizing over the thought of giving him a gem. ¡°Fine. You can have one. But I might not be able to give you a gem for yourself if I don¡¯t get a replenishment. As long as you understand that, we have a deal.¡± ¡°Done,¡± Maelor agreed immediately. Cal pulled a gem from the storage pouch and handed it to him, once again using his robes to avoid any contact. Maelor had no such qualms. He grabbed it with his bare palms before studying it greedily. Do it. Absorb it now. Cal had to accept the disappointment when Maelor just stored the gem. He still hoped that the man would get greedy and absorb it later. He had already given a warning so he couldn¡¯t be blamed¡­ the wish to see accelerated symptoms of absorbing the gem was strong in him. ¡°I¡¯m glad you held up your end, even though it wasn¡¯t as I initially intended. It isn¡¯t a surprise that you are reluctant to commit to our partnership fully, but I will be more than happy to give you several weeks to think on it. In the meantime, you can consider our relationship primarily based on the trade of these gems. Is that acceptable, Farmer Cal?¡± Cal wasn¡¯t sure how to take this about-face. It seemed like Maelor had sidelined the death of his nephew and the Frostguard Dominion in favor of having a constant supply of gems. This would be an acceptable change in priority to someone normal. Maelor was not normal. Whatever plan the man had formed would not benefit Cal. Of course, that was only if he had the chance to complete it. Cal smiled. ¡°I appreciate that you thought of my difficulties. You will always have a source of the gems as long as I have the supply.¡± Maelor beamed before they shook hands to seal the deal. He didn¡¯t delay his departure and was quickly out of his line of sight several seconds after they shook hands. Cal looked around suspiciously at his surroundings. He had already tried to spread his mana tendrils to see if he could sense somebody lying in wait, but they were either hidden too well or simply did not exist. He thought there was a significant chance that Maelor would have been captured by whoever was watching him. He would have to see what Overseer Marek had to say when he went to Mariner¡¯s Rest in the morning. Cal ordered the golem to restart casting [Rainfall] before heading to bed. He couldn¡¯t help but feel he would not like what the Overseer had to say. Chapter 106 - Interlude: The Alpha He sniffed in irritation when he heard one of the members approach him. There was some hope that he would be left alone at least for one day, but no, something always required his attention. On the bright side, life had never been as easy as it was now. ¡°Lord leader protector alpha! There¡¯s another that¡¯s approaching the sacred land!¡± He growled as he opened his eyes. It was one of the younger members of the pack. They always had the most ridiculous titles to call him, not that the older ones were much better. It was one of the consequences of his actions when he convinced the pack to join him in taking Human Cal¡¯s offer. Killing off all the dissidents, who happened to be the pack''s oldest members, meant he was left with a bunch of whelps. ¡°Call me Leader. If I heard the rest of that nonsense, you can forget about your ration for a month.¡± He ignored how the whelp cowered at the thought of losing access to the powder. ¡°Yes, Leader! Do you want us to take care of it ourselves?¡± He huffed in exasperation and rolled his eyes. The pack might be a nuisance, but Human Cal wanted them for some reason, so they existed for now. ¡°No, I¡¯ll take care of it. The same rules apply while I¡¯m gone. Keep off the sacred land.¡± ¡°Yes, Leader!¡± He left only when the whelp vacated the sacred land. He still didn¡¯t agree with the tiny runt that found him when he was injured about Human Cal being a god, but he understood why she thought that was the case. Human Cal¡¯s land was¡­ miraculous. He felt himself changing by just standing on it, and that was just scratching the surface. Even though he couldn¡¯t tell everything about what the land was doing to him, it was more than enough to decide to protect it with his life. Human Cal''s creation of the body of water fascinated and terrified him. At the same time, he knew he was witnessing something unbelievable forming before his eyes¡ªnot that he knew what it was. He took his time as he slowly prowled to the target. The beast wouldn¡¯t leave by itself, just like all the others that tried in the past. Human Cal had offered the wolf pack an unbelievable deal when they were just required to guard the sacred land. He might not have been involved with the wolf pack back then, but they had inadvertently protected the land by picking off the beasts attracted by the sacred land¡¯s allure. The only thing that changed now was that they had Human Cal¡¯s blessings and additional rewards in the form of that shiny powder. Of course, this was for the wolf pack. He was allowed to stay on the sacred land and take a few drinks from the water. He could feel himself salivating at the thought of getting another taste, but not anytime soon. Human Cal didn¡¯t seem too happy when he drank from it, so he needed to space out the attempts. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. He caught sight of his target. He narrowed his eyes when he saw more movement and corrected himself. Targets, not target. The most infuriating thing was that these were the same type of beasts he had warned off a few days ago. He would need to be more convincing. They were smaller than him, weaker than him. Naturally. They reminded him of those house animals that caught rats for the weaker humans, who were abundant and lived in tightly packed groups. Of course, these beasts were much lower than those house animals and were black as the night. They called themselves lurkers and used shadows to blend into the night to make themselves almost invisible. They were cunning beasts that were a challenge to the wolf pack, but to him, they didn¡¯t amount to much. It surprised him that they dared to return, knowing he would be waiting for them. ¡°Perhaps you all assumed I wasn¡¯t serious enough,¡± he commented as he stopped before them. ¡°We brought help. You can¡¯t horde this place for yourself.¡± He didn¡¯t bother trying to differentiate between these lurkers. They all look the same to him. He tried to find out who this ¡®help¡¯ was, but none stood out to him in strength. ¡°I don¡¯t really care for your reasons, but it seems I must let your group know that this is unacceptable in another way.¡±Twenty lurkers were before him, and he looked at each one to see if any wanted to step up to be the representative voluntarily. None did, so he picked one at random. ¡°You. Return and tell the rest of your pack about what happened here. If this still isn¡¯t enough to warn you all off, bring every single lurker so I don¡¯t have to do this multiple times.¡± The lurkers tensed and looked more than ready to act since it was apparent they were about to be attacked, but it was too late. He let out a soft howl that resonated across the wasteland. He practiced it in his younger years when he wanted to be lazy. The haunting sound summoned shimmering specters that dove into each lurker, paralyzing them with fear but keeping them fully aware of what was going on in their surroundings. He leisurely walked towards the lurkers, rolling his eyes at the fear emanating from their bodies. ¡°What did you think was going to happen? I would give you another scolding and let you go? The owner of the sacred land dislikes any disturbance. There will be no second chances.¡± His fangs shimmered with a faint silver light as his jaws parted. In a blinding flash, the ¡®battle¡¯ ended, nineteen lurkers lying lifeless in an instant. Only one remained, trembling¡ªthe one he had spared to carry his message. ¡°Don¡¯t look so scared. You will live, but tell me you understood my message.¡± He was satisfied when the loan lurker looked at him with terrified eyes, silently signaling that it was received. ¡°Good. Leave.¡± He watched the lurker sprint away as quickly as it could. He hoped this was the end of it, but he understood the lure of the sacred land. This would be nonstop until most of these beasts were eradicated. At least, there was a use for these bodies. He looked back at the wolf pack, who stared with hunger. Even with the plentiful nourishment available in sacred land, the whelps were always looking for more and more. There were bottomless stomachs with hunger that could never be quenched. This thought would usually be tinted with derision, but he remembered being just as hungry when he was younger. Some things were just how nature intended to be until they became stronger and older. ¡°Have your feast and make sure there are no signs of them left!¡± He returned to the sacred land and lay beside the lake with the wolf pack¡¯s ravenous feasting in the background. He stared at them momentarily before glancing at the large rock lifeform Human Cal had created. It always felt like he was being watched, and he always took those feelings seriously. The rock lifeform was Human Cal''s most mundane creation, but that still meant it deserved respect. He gave the rock lifeform a slight nod before closing his eyes. Chapter 107 - Another Talk Maelor¡¯s words were true. Cal watched from a distance as Tavia hugged her friends in disbelief. As Maelor said, some were worse for wear, but there was nothing to be concerned about. It might take the injured some time to recover, but they were alive. He was more concerned about the other figure who watched the reunited group. Faelor, the niece who had her finger chopped off, stared with hatred at Tavia and her friends. He still doubted that the finger Maelor threw at him belonged to his niece, but the bandaged nub on her right hand revealed it to be true. Cal had to remind himself that he was dealing with a man who seemed willing to cross any line to achieve his goal. Or at least, that was Maelor¡¯s outward appearance. While it seemed Maelor was more than willing to sacrifice his own family for his own gain, Cal didn¡¯t quite believe it. Kaelor¡¯s death was set aside rather easily, but that didn¡¯t mean much. A hyper-pragmatic person could do the same in order to lull a target into complacency. It was Faelor¡¯s cutoff finger that truly threw a wrench in Cal¡¯s attempts to understand the man. There were ways to fix a sliced-off appendage, but it would never be as good as the original. The girl truly took a lot of the brunt, no matter how he looked at it. Cal locked eyes with Faelor when she turned away from the happy reunion. Her eyes widened with fear before she quickly left the area. He stayed still until Faelor was gone for sure. He glanced at the still emotional hugging and blabbering before leaving for the port. It would be best to give Tavia some time before he interrupted them. Cal watched the group enter Seris¡¯s house before leaving for the port. He had noticed before that he received strange stares from the townsfolk in his previous visit, and now, though stairs had become much more welcoming. If he had the time and patience to figure out what was going wrong with these people, he would pull someone aside and ask. Unfortunately, he had bigger things to worry about than this little mystery, so he couldn¡¯t care less. Cal saw Drex moving about on the port and nodded in acknowledgment before entering the building where Brin had led him before. ¡°Apprentice Cal,¡± Brin greeted. He tried to look busy, but he was obviously lazing around at his desk. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would arrive this early. Overseer Marek is set to visit in a few hours.¡± Cal didn¡¯t mind. ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± He made himself look at home as he sat on the chair on the other side of the desk. They were facing each other, but Brin seemed highly uncomfortable. Brin cleared his throat. ¡°I have some things to do. If you need me, let Drex know. He will find me.¡± Cal tilted his head and acknowledged before going back to staring at nothing. He kept track of Brin with his senses as he hurriedly left the room. His fellow Apprentice didn¡¯t leave the building; instead, he climbed a few stairs to settle himself in a room on the third floor. He chuckled at the way Brin treated him. It was like he was a dangerous, unpredictable beast. A far cry from how I was treated when Brin assumed I was an Initiate. Cal tapped his fingers on the chair armrest before closing his eyes. He could put the several hours he had to good. He spread his mana tendrils as wide as he could. He immediately received an accurate image of every movement on the port, but this wasn¡¯t a challenge since most people here were mortals. He would¡¯ve been proud of his accomplishment if this had been done in Lumina. Cal didn¡¯t intend to stop in Mariner''s Rest until the tendrils covered the entire town. Only then would he call it a minor achievement. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He felt that he had been on the edge of successfully creating his first spell. Succeeding as he waited for the Overseer would be an unexpected boon. *** Cal¡¯s mana core was at half capacity. His nascent spell started to draw enough mana to make it noticeable in the past hour. His mana tendrils touched a house with ten signatures, one of which he recognized. He had successfully reached Seris¡¯s house from the opposite side of the town. This would¡¯ve been more than enough for him to call it a success, but he could still push for more. Cal¡¯s fingers trembled as he sank deeper into his effort to cover the entire town with mana tendrils. He had gotten the exact number of Initiates that were in Mariner¡¯s Rest, a house that was filled with artifacts, the movement of every single mortal and their most minute actions, and the most difficult of them all, the change in the waves as ships approached and left the port. At this point, it wasn¡¯t the mana tendrils themselves that were difficult to upkeep; it was the information gathered from them. It put an unbelievable strain on his mind as he tried to process everything at once. Cal still tried to extend his mana tendrils, but at the same time, he tried to block out unnecessary information. It was easier said than done. ¡°Impressive as ever, Apprentice Cal.¡± He gasped as he snapped out of his single-minded focus and opened his eyes to see Overseer Marek sitting across from him. It didn¡¯t escape Cal that Overseer Marek had been invisible to his senses. His happiness at his advancement in his nascent spell quickly disappeared. ¡°Overseer Marek,¡± Cal said. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± ¡°Long enough to witness another point in your favor. Creating your own spell this early? Fantastic.¡± He would''ve thought the praise was sarcastic if he hadn¡¯t seen Overseer Marek¡¯s earnest expression. ¡°¡­ Thank you? There are far too many issues to call it a true spell, but I hope to get there soon.¡± Overseer Marek nodded as if he agreed with the assessment. There was a brief silence as they stared at each other before the Overseer broke it. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days, Apprentice Cal. Is there something you need to tell me?¡± Cal didn¡¯t try to deflect this time. ¡°I¡¯ve been in contact with an Apprentice from the Frostguard Dominion. During my investigation of the smuggling ring, I had to kill an Apprentice, and the one who arrived at my farm was a relative. I used the opportunity to get some of Tavia¡¯s friends returned from the Dominion.¡± Overseer Marek¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he took in what Cal said. There was an unbroken stare long after Cal stopped speaking. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Cal replied with a slight nod. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Overseer Marek leaned back in the chair and considered his following words. ¡°This is the point where I usually say the trespassing Apprentice will be taken care of. However, what I learned in the past few days makes this an awkward spot for the guild.¡± Cal felt uneasy. ¡°The Apprentice you are dealing with isn¡¯t one that can be disappeared without further issues. He is directly related to the Frostguard Dominion¡¯s guildmaster.¡± Cal no longer felt uneasy. He felt terrified that he would be made a sacrificial lamb. ¡°What about the one I killed? Is the guild thinking of turning me over?¡± Overseer Marek laughed. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t turn over a mortal to the Dominion, let alone an Apprentice. However, there are basic courtesies the administration has to follow. It makes dealing with Maelor a headache.¡± Cal hadn¡¯t revealed Maelor¡¯s name. The Overseer¡¯s knowledge of it meant the truly was nothing to hide. Still, the so-called courtesy made little sense to him. What was the point of turning a blind eye to the arrival of a rival guild¡¯s Apprentice who caused trouble in the territory? Overseer Marek understood his feelings. ¡°It seems ridiculous, but the alternative is to deal with the Dominion¡¯s maniac of a guildmaster going on a rampage.¡± Cal imagined a guildmaster who was even more insane than Maelor and highly willing to commit atrocities in the name of avenging a dead relative. Given what he knew about the people whose names ended in ¡®lor,¡¯ it wasn¡¯t a stretch to imagine that exact scenario. ¡°So, Maelor is to be left alone?¡± Cal strangely wasn¡¯t against that. It would mean he would get to test the gem''s effects on him as initially planned. ¡°Not at all. I want you to kill him outside the Celestial Order¡¯s territory.¡± It was Cal¡¯s turn to give the Overseer a long stare. That might be possible if he was on his farm with the help of the pond, but trying to take on Maelor, where he didn¡¯t have the advantage, was suicidal. Cal was many things, but suicidal was not one of them. Overseer Marek amended his statement after Cal stayed silent. ¡°I don¡¯t mean immediately. With your growth rate, I suspect you can deal with him in a few months. In return, the guildmaster will allow you one request as long as it¡¯s not outlandish.¡± That was much more reasonable. Cal had planned to do exactly that before Overseer Marek spoke to him a few days ago. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Overseer Marek said as he stood. ¡°Our next meeting will be at your farm. Look forward to seeing the changes in person, Apprentice Cal.¡± With that, the Overseer took his leave. Cal followed not long after and relinquished control over Brin¡¯s office. He wanted Tavia to spend more time with her friends, so he approached Drex. The Sunfire Grain seeds were still plentiful, but it was time to prepare another crop. Chapter 108 - Wow ¡°Apprentice Cal!¡± Drex tried to sound happy, but the waiver in his voice said otherwise. ¡°What can I do for you today? If it¡¯s about the carts, they are set to arrive in four days.¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve told Drex I¡¯m an Apprentice. It seems the information is public. This could explain the townsfolk¡¯s reaction to me. ¡°Who told you I¡¯m an Apprentice?¡± Cal asked. Drex looked more nervous. ¡°Apprentice Brin addressed you as such¡­ and it¡¯s the gossip of the town. I''m unsure where they heard from, but I ask if you think this is out of line.¡± I forgot about that. Ah, well. Cal remembered how quickly a rumor spread from Lumina, though that was done on purpose. Still, it showed the speed at which news can travel. ¡°It¡¯s the truth, so I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, I wanted to speak to you about crop seeds. I need to order some more.¡± Drex''s face lit up, erasing his previous nerves. ¡°Sunfire Grains, or something else?¡± ¡°Depends on the return. Let¡¯s factor in the profit of the red grain variants and see if there¡¯s anything better.¡± ¡°Better? Countless crops would be better, but also extremely hard to cultivate. However, with the skill you have shown, I don¡¯t see you dealing with any hardship with them. Give me a moment. I¡¯ll get the catalog!¡± Drex rushed off without waiting for a reply. Cal didn¡¯t mind since his excitement brought up his own. Nodding in a minute later, Drex returned with its thick binder filled with papers. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡ª¡° Drex flipped through the binder, ¡°¡ªelemental crops, utility¡­ no, not that. Ah! Exotics! Before I go through these, give me your best guess of how many red variants you can cultivate every harvest.¡± Cal considered the yield he had right now and the further improvements that were almost guaranteed for future harvests. He decided to go with a preservative number. ¡°Let¡¯s say around forty-five percent of the seeds I buy will grow into the red variants. Before you ask, the total yield should be over eighty-five percent.¡± Drex gave him a long look before muttering something under his breath and going back to the binder. ¡°Each Sunfire Grain seed costs two copper. The barrel is five gold. And with your ridiculous yields, you can expect to sell enough to make one hundred guildmarks from one barrel. After the split with the guild, you¡¯ll be left with fifty.¡± The more he spoke, the more Cal felt he should stick to Sunfire Grains. He was practically printing money. ¡°Sunfire Grains were never meant to be grown like this.¡± Drex looked up from the binder with thin lips. ¡°Then again, I¡¯m sure the thought of supplying so many resources to a desert crop never occurred to people. For so many red grain variants to be grown, you must be supplying them with miracle water.¡± Cal just shrugged, unsure how to answer. Drex technically wasn¡¯t wrong. He had been personally watering the crops since the beginning, and the pond seemed to have the same effects on the crops. He supposed that this was what a high-level [Farmer] was capable of, but they simply didn¡¯t exist in the Celestial Order. Drex started flipping through the binder again. ¡°Plenty of crops can individually be more profitable than Sunfire grains, but once you consider the sheer quantity, they fail to scratch your current profits.¡± Cal was starting to understand just how good he had it with Sunfire Grains. Still, he let Drex try to find a replacement. Who knows, there could be something even better. Unfortunately, he witnessed Drex¡¯s expression getting uglier by the second. The binder was snapped shut. ¡°There are some possibilities, but the initial cost and the risk involved make them unsuitable.¡± Cal kept in mind that Drex had an incentive to keep him on Sunfire Grains as his main crop. He hadn¡¯t forgotten that the man had a connection with Nismus, but it was still unlikely that he would try to lie to him purely due to his fear. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He was about to wave off the entire issue and had to Seris¡¯s house but stopped himself at the last moment. Switching his crops might not be the most economical thing to do, but it would undoubtedly be the best for the growth of his [Primary Tier]. [Farmer] had been extremely slow with its recent growth relative to the beginning, but planting new crops might just be the boost that it needed. ¡°Drex, give me samples of the crop seeds that are individually more profitable. I don¡¯t mind the risk.¡± Drex hesitated before reopening the binder. ¡°I can order four types for you if you want. The minimum order size makes getting more variety a headache unless you don¡¯t mind the cost.¡± ¡°Four is more than enough. What are their names?¡± ¡°Some of these technically can¡¯t be considered a crop, but they will grow on your farm all the same. Phoenix Blossom, Moondust Grape, Thunderfruit, and Dragonspine Grass.¡± Drex looked up after he read out his picks. Cal had never heard any of these, but he nodded all the same. ¡°Get them for me.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be here in a few weeks¡­ and unlike Sunfire Grains, I¡¯m not sure how you cultivate these. You¡¯ll need to find out how from someone else.¡± Cal narrowed his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t another way to send me to Nismus, is it?¡± ¡°No!¡± Drex shook his head rapidly. ¡°He might know something about them, but it would be best to ask someone in the guild.¡± He hummed in acknowledgment. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for them. Glad to do business with you again, Drex.¡± Cal left for Seris¡¯s house but was focused on the deal he just made. He wanted to see if Fintan had something different to say. Drex might not be trying to fool him into keeping the Sunfire Grains as his main crop, but it could be possible that the man simply didn¡¯t have access to everything available. With his family practically owning Lumina, Fintan should be able to give him a more concrete answer with the connections he possessed. *** Cal couldn¡¯t sense anyone else in the house besides Seris, which was strange since there was an entire group around an hour ago. He let himself in and approached the bed. He checked Seris¡¯s pulse and tried to estimate where her recovery was by scanning her essential reserves. Seris should wake soon. At this point, it was purely physical. Cal brought a chair close to the bed and took a seat. He observed Seris¡¯s face more closely and noticed she looked far more relaxed than the last time he saw her. Though, that could be explained by her having a bad dream. He looked away and closed his eyes before reaching out with his mana tendrils. It only took him a few seconds to notice Tavia near the town¡¯s exit with all her friends. Tavia¡¯s carriage was standing nearby, and he sensed a few of her friends were already inside. Cal opened his eyes with a frown. He didn¡¯t expect them to part so quickly. I wonder if it''s similar to what happened between me and Oleg. He considered snooping in to see if he could glimpse something from their movements but quickly ruled it out. If Tavia wanted him to know, she would tell him. Besides, she gave him privacy with Oleg; the least he could do was return the favor. Cal spread his mana tendrils again; this time, he focused on exceeding the coverage from his previous attempt. He ran into the same issue nearly an hour later. There was too much of an influx of information to make any sense of it. His progress was slow in blocking out everything unnecessary, but still, there was progress. Cal started to succeed in blocking out the movements of the mortals when he sensed that Tavia was close to Seris¡¯s house. He continued to work on the nascent spell until she entered the house. He opened his eyes to see surprise flash across her face. ¡°Cal!¡± Tavia beamed. ¡°My friends just left. You actually brought them back! Though, some of them were mistreated on the way back. Could you believe a few of them wanted to stay with the Dominion? They were actually angry at me before the others calmed them down.¡± ¡°The Dominion was promising them miracles. It seems there are still some believers. At least, now you don¡¯t have to think about rushing to the Dominion,¡± Cal tried to act casual, but he couldn¡¯t keep the smile off his lips. Tavia closed the door behind her and approached him slowly. ¡°So... does this mean it''s safe to return to the farm? Seris would probably recover faster there.¡± At Cal¡¯s confusion, she said, ¡°I noticed something over the past few days. My progress has been far slower when I practice my spells ever since I left the farm. I think there¡¯s something special there that helps.¡± The image of the pond flashed through Cal¡¯s mind. Tavia¡¯s suspicion could very well be true. If that was the case, Seris could be truly helped if she moved to the farm. ¡°It¡¯s safe to go back,¡± Cal confirmed. He paused before correcting himself. ¡°Well, as safe as it could be with a Frostguard Dominion Apprentice occasionally visiting.¡± Tavia had a look of distaste, but she accepted it. ¡°I won¡¯t be scared off because of some savage.¡± Cal stood and put the chair back before standing beside Tavia, staring down at Seris. ¡°Are you going to carry her back to the farm, or should I?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s decide when Nibbles gets back,¡± Tavia said. He shot her a confused look, not sure why the presence of Nibbles was needed in deciding who was going to carry Seris. It didn¡¯t really matter, in his opinion. The question was more of a courtesy since Tavia had stayed by Seris for the past few days. ¡°Hey, Cal?¡± ¡°Wh¡ª" Cal¡¯s eyes grew wide. Her lips caught his when he turned¡ªsoft, deliberate, and utterly disarming. He kissed her back. When Tavia pulled back, a mischievous smile played on her face. "I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. And you can carry her." Chapter 109 - An Oasis Cal could sense Tavia moving her fingers slightly within the house as her mana followed every motion. It was a new spell she was trying to learn, and she had progressed with frightening speed the past few days. Just like he had progressed tremendously with his nascent spell. It won¡¯t be long before she succeeds. Same for me. She had been right when she deduced that something about the farm accelerated her growth. Tavia¡¯s sudden shyness over the past few days had helped confirm that to be true. Cal wouldn¡¯t say she was avoiding him, but she magically found the desire to constantly train every time he glanced at her. She wasn¡¯t aware that he could sense even her minute movements without ever seeing her with his eyes. She often positioned herself in a spot that gave her a direct view of him sitting on the meditation hill. Tavia wasn¡¯t lying about her increased practice, but it definitely wasn¡¯t as prolonged as she made it seem. She spent hours every day staring at him, sometimes angrily. He wasn¡¯t the best at picking up unspoken signals, but his brain would have to be replaced with rocks to miss what she wanted. Tavia had made her move with the kiss, now it was Cal¡¯s turn to reciprocate. There is no doubt that he was going to, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to go about it. Oleg always claimed women liked grand gestures, but he was aware that his friend also liked to boast about things he knew little about. Still, Oleg spent far more time among mortals and might have seen such grand gestures as an outside observer. Cal had debated visiting Oleg and asking for advice, even if it meant dealing with his friend¡¯s laughter. Of course, that debate lasted for all of a few minutes. He wasn¡¯t about to take an ill-advised trip, leaving Tavia and the still-unconscious Seris alone at the farm. Maelor wasn''t likely to return anytime soon, but there was no reason to take any chances. Cal frowned before pulling his mind back on track. The farm helped boost growth. Specifically, the pond helped¡ªnot just with understanding spells but also with everything else. [Tier] growth included. There was one thing that made him angry. Tavia receives help. So does Seris¡­ somehow. It also applies to Nibbles and all the wolves. But not me. Cal discovered the phenomena yesterday when he had finally succeeded in preventing the pond¡¯s overpowering presence from blinding his senses. His gaze shifted from the house back to the pond. He closed his eyes and spread out the mana tendrils again. Cal hadn¡¯t known it then, but his attempts to absorb all the information when using the nascent spell in Mariner¡¯s Rest had been a trial by fire. It had made it much easier for him to deal with the pond¡¯s blinding mana density, which led to him solving the issue entirely. He observed the faintest links connecting the pond to every resident on his farm except himself, including the wolf pack outside the bounds of his field. More importantly, he observed the influx of mana the pond was drawing from the crops that were planted. It solved the mystery of why the pond had such a high mana density. However, it uncovered a new mystery of how the crops could grow to harvest without being starved of mana. It wouldn¡¯t have mattered to regular crops, but the Sunfire Grains required a small influx of mana to grow. Cal''s curiosity disappeared as he took in the happenings on his farm. It brought him a sense of peace. Nibbles was furiously working on finishing the tunnels. The pack leader pretended to sleep while it kept eyeing the golem. The golem followed his orders and prepared to cast [Rainfall] over the pond; Tavia continued her practice, and Seris¡­ Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. She¡¯s about to wake. Cal noticed the faint tether connecting the pond to Seris becoming stronger. The curiosity that had been disappearing returned with a vengeance, this time accompanied by a bit of worry. What if the pond provides this connection to all nearby? The thought of Maelor being helped did not bring him joy. Nor did the thought of Overseer Marek discovering the phenomena. If the Celestial Order discovered it, seizing it would be the first thought. A frown came over Cal¡¯s face as he prodded a tether connected to an unknown wolf in the pack. The tether reacted to him. Strongly. It recoiled in fear before snapping and retreating hastily into the pond. Surprised by the reaction, he checked on the only wolf that no longer had a tether to the pond. The wolf seemed none the wiser. Its packmates and leader weren¡¯t aware of the change either. Cal¡¯s spirits lifted when he found out the control he possessed over the tethers. He tried to do the opposite by studying how the tether originated from the pond. That was entirely unnecessary. The pond reacted to his desires and jumped to reconnect to the wolf, making it as if the breakage of the tether had never happened. He was brought out of the strange world constructed in his mind only by his mana tendrils. The interface demanded his attention. Your [Secondary Tier] has increased by 1 level. Initiate 8¡ª> Initiate 9 Cal wasn¡¯t sure how to take that. On the one hand, he had finally grown again as a [Mage], but he thought that creating his own spell would have been enough to take him to [Apprentice 1]. Well, I can take this as confirmation that I truly created a spell. The interface apparently felt the same way. You have created an unnamed spell! Name your spell. There was a reason he didn¡¯t want to name Nibbles or the pack leader, and that applied to the spell. However, he felt it wouldn¡¯t be right to take input from someone else for his creation. I might as well be straightforward. ¡°Mana Sense.¡± The interface disappeared after his decision. He chuckled at the anticlimactic way the name was accepted before standing up. Cal glanced at the crops and estimated they would be ready for harvest in a few days. This reminded him of the talk he wanted to have with Fintan about the future crops. ¡­ That gives me an idea. He hopped off the meditation hill and leisurely walked to the house. The farm had come a long way since he had first arrived in the Northern Wastes nearly a month ago. Instead of just a wasteland, a small oasis was forming under his careful guidance. Cal had a smile on his lips as he entered the house, getting Tavia¡¯s attention. Just because she had been ¡®shy¡¯ the past few days didn¡¯t mean they refused to speak to each other. There had been plenty of that, which was why Cal was amused to see Tavia flare her nose in anger before ignoring him. ¡°Seris is about to wake,¡± Cal commented as he approached Seris¡¯s sleeping body on the couch. ¡°I noticed.¡± He chuckled at the short answer. ¡°So, I was thinking. I promised we would go to Lumina for a meal. We never got to do that. How about we make a date out of it tomorrow?¡± Cal¡¯s eyes opened wide before he stumbled back when Tavia leaped into his arms. She surprised him by pulling back with a severe frown as if she was disappointed in her instinctual reaction. ¡°What took you so long? I thought you wanted to ignore what happened.¡± ¡­ I gave her that impression? I need to stop living in my own mind. ¡°Nothing of the sort,¡± Cal said, quick to reassure her. ¡°I thought you would like a grand gesture, so I was thinking about what to do.¡± At her look of disbelief, he added, ¡°Er, this wasn¡¯t the grand gesture.¡± Tavia smiled. It was small at first, but it couldn¡¯t be missed. ¡°I never wanted a grand¡ª" ¡°I-Initiate Tavia?¡± Seris¡¯s scratchy voice interrupted. Tavia immediately turned and exclaimed, ¡°Seris! You don¡¯t know how much we were worried! How could¡ª¡± Cal tuned out Tavia¡¯s worried ramble and noticed how Seris looked¡­ happy. As if it was rare for her to have someone fussing like a mother hen over her. That could certainly be the case if she was largely alone in Mariner¡¯s Rest. He heard Nibbles squeak behind him at the entrance before she joined Seris on the couch. It looked like his desire for Seris and Nibbles to get closer happened. Cal noticed the talking quiet down a few minutes later and saw Seris staring at him. She had sat up on the couch at some point. ¡°Ah¡­ Thanks for taking care of me, Boss Cal,¡± Seris said, giving him a salute. It had been a while since Seris had done that. Cal walked to her silently and simply stared at her. She returned his stare, filled with nerves at his silence. He had been ensuring everything was fine with her essential reserves, so the death glare hadn¡¯t been intentional. I see why the Overseer used it so much at the training grounds. It¡¯s effective. ¡°Welcome back, Seris. You¡¯re in for some rough training.¡± Seris couldn¡¯t be more confused as she switched her gaze between his smiling face and Tavia¡¯s sympathetic expression. Book 1 Epilogue Vaela stared blankly at the wall as the Initiates argued furiously around her. She heard Liora passionately saying her piece to get a better split of the profits from the artifacts found this month. It was an unnecessary shouting match that occurred like clockwork since the splits were decided months before, but nonetheless, everyone tried to get that extra copper. Vaela would usually be right there alongside her closest friend, shouting away like everyone else. But she couldn¡¯t be bothered this month. The memory of Tavia paying seven gold for an artifact was stuck in her mind. Vaela knew that the woman was considered a core guild member, someone far above her level, and that was enough to forget about the seven gold. Until the rumor of Cal being an Apprentice spread like wildfire. It didn¡¯t take much snooping to find out the money he makes from his crops. ¡°Vaela?¡± She blinked and saw Liora giving her a concerned look. The rest of the Initiates had left while she had been lost in her thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liora asked. Vaela considered keeping her thoughts to herself, but then she stared at the few coins in Liora¡¯s hands. Half of that was hers, and this was a good month. ¡°What do you think about asking Apprentice Cal for work?¡± *** Book 1 Stat sheet Name: Cal Maddox Primary Class: Farmer (Special) Primary Tier: Apprentice 8 Secondary Class: Mage Secondary Tier: Initiate 9 Elemental Affinity: 3 Lightning (None) Water (High) Earth (High) Skills: 3 [Perfect Match: Apprentice 5]: The tools you use are one with you. As you grow, so do they. The more your mastery increases, the faster your tools will grow in relation to your [Tier]. [Master Negotiator: Apprentice 1]: You have become a more experienced trader and negotiator. Your interface can now show you a discount a merchant will accept. At your current skill level, the interface will provide a number that is 0%-100% of a possible discount at random. You may use this ability 3 times per day. [Green Thumb: Apprentice 1]: Your crops grow 15% faster and are more resistant to diseases and pests. Your harvest will always yield 5% more than normal. Traits: 3 [Lightning Aura]: You are surrounded by an aura of lightning that matches the strength of your [Tier] level. It is possible to manipulate the aura within five feet of your body. Limit 1 use per day. Duration of the trait is 30 minutes. [Mist Walker]: You can create a mist around yourself, covering up to 10 acres depending on its intended purpose. The benefits of the trait range from cooling to complete control over the created mist domain. Limit 1 use per week. The duration of the trait is 1 hour, regardless of the mana used. Warning: Activation of this trait will bar access to mana for 1 week. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. [Harvest Guardian]: Summon a golem made of earth and stone to assist you. This golem can help with heavy lifting, protect your fields from intruders, and fight alongside you in battles. Duration of the trait is until destruction. Limited to 1 active golem. Rewards: 1 [Blessing of the Time-Warped Seed]: You may apply this reward to one type of crop seed (Limit 1 barrel). They will grow and mature at a 10x accelerated rate, allowing you to harvest crops in a fraction of the usual time. After 1 use, this reward will expire. Primary Equipment: 6 1. [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 1125/4000 Tasks - Self-Repair: After 24 continuous hours without use, the pickaxe will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' 2. [Advanced Sledgehammer: Good Quality] Upgrade: 2/4000 Tasks - Weight Adjustable: This sledgehammer has an adjustable weight mechanism, enabling you to customize the weight for different tasks, from light tapping to heavy-duty smashing. You are limited by the mana you can supply to the sledgehammer. 3. [Advanced Shovel: Average Quality] Upgrade: 3762/4000 Tasks - Geode Seeker: The shovel can sense hidden geodes or precious minerals under the surface being dug. The shovel¡¯s blade will glow softly on detection. The detection range depends on your [Tier], capping out at a maximum of five hundred feet. 4. [Advanced Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 2331/4000 Tasks - Enlarged Bucket: The bucket of the wheelbarrow can hold more than it appears, allowing it to carry larger quantities without increasing in size. The capacity depends on your [Tier], with the minimum being two times the capacity and the maximum being ten times. 5. [Advanced Plow: Good Quality] Upgrade: 421/4000 Tasks - Residue Reclamation: The plow absorbs residual nutrients from previous crop remains and redistributes them evenly, enhancing soil fertility and resulting in a 10% better yield. 6. [Rare Rake: Poor Quality] Upgrade: 2 Requirements 1. Tasks Required: 1 - 8452/20000 Tasks 2. Materials Required: 3 - 0/5 Earth Crystals - 0/10 Dragonite Scales - 0/500 Voidiron Pellets - Progressive Self-Repair: After 24 continuous hours without use, the rake will start to recover its quality in stages. For every additional 48 hours of continuous non-use, the rake''s quality will improve by one stage. Alternate Equipment: 5 1. [Advanced Sledgehammer: Good Quality] Upgrade: 0/4000 Tasks - Groundbreaker: The sledgehammer has the potential to penetrate and break through materials that would normally be impervious, such as reinforced stone, metal, and magical barriers. 2. [Advanced Shovel: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 2038/4000 Tasks (Repaired) (With Orrin) - Self-Repair: After 24 continuous hours without use, the shovel will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' 3. [Advanced Shovel: Good Quality] Upgrade: 1821/4000 Tasks (Second alternate) - Self-Repair: After 24 continuous hours without use, the shovel will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' 4. [Advanced Pickaxe: Average Quality] Upgrade: 678/4000 Tasks (Second alternate) - Self-Repair: After 24 continuous hours without use, the pickaxe will start to recover to its peak quality state. No matter what its state was at the start, it will take 7 days to regain its status as ¡®Excellent Quality. '' 5. [Uncommon Shovel: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 142/800 Tasks Basic Storage Pouch Inventory: 15/20 6 Unknown Gems 137 Copper, 27 Silver, 23 Gold, 2 Guildmarks 1 Rake (Rare) 1 Map (Trade Routes of the Celestial Order) 2 Healing Potion (Minor) 2 Mana Restoration Potion (Minor) 2 Calming Potion 2 Rage Potion 4 Daggers (Common) 1 War Hammer (Uncommon) Spells: 4 Rainfall Description: Summons a localized rain shower. Effect: Causes a gentle rain to fall in a small area, useful for watering a garden or creating a soothing ambiance. Warning: Requires a high water element affinity to use. Liquid Core Description: Create a ball of water. The size can range from a marble to the limit of what your mana can handle. Effect: Can be manipulated for various purposes. The most common being a blunt weapon. Earth Barrier Description: Create a barrier of earth around an area. Effect: Pulls the earth from the ground to make a temporary barrier. Warning: Requires continuous use of mana to sustain Mana Sense Description: Spread mana tendrils into your surroundings. Effect: Understand the world through tracing mana residue. Other applications are still being discovered. What¡¯s in the storage room: Spare equipment: 1 Pickaxes +6 1 Sledgehammer +6 2 Shovels +6 1 Plow +4 1 Wheelbarrow +2 5 Hand buckets B2 - Chapter 1 A carriage raced on the rough dirt road, wheel spinning with surprising smoothness despite the surface they dealt with. The horses pulling the carriage galloped with easy energy, their slick coats shimmering in the afternoon sun. Inside the carriage, Cal sat annoyed, with Tavia looking at the side of his face with amusement. ¡°I know someone who can get us good seats in a restaurant. I¡¯ll treat you, Tavia!¡± The line was said with such smooth confidence that Tavia could do nothing but accept gracefully. It would be ideal if Cal had been the one to say that line. Instead, it was Seris. ¡°That¡¯s funny. I didn¡¯t know you visited Lumina without me. Is this a restaurant I don¡¯t know of?¡± Cal asked, ignoring how Seris looked exaggeratedly surprised at his presence. She had been in a foul mood ever since he had put her through ¡®hellish training,¡¯ in her words, required to avoid using her essential mana reserves. And he had only done it for a few hours. If that was difficult for her, she was in for a rough time over the next few weeks. Tavia cleared her throat and gave him a look. ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts, right, Cal?¡± Cal let out a little sigh before nodding his head, allowing Seris the small win. He had been giving her a lot of small wins the past day since she woke from her long sleep, but that was more by necessity to prevent her heightened emotions from drawing from her essential reserves. However, there was an issue with that. One Tavia hadn¡¯t noticed¡­ or didn¡¯t care to address. Cal narrowed his eyes at Seris¡¯s overly pleased expression, something she noticed, given how her eyes darted away in guilt. She¡¯s abusing the leeway I¡¯m forced to give her¡­ I might tear up in pride. He looked away to avoid showing the approval he felt and smiled as he stared at the window. If everything went to plan, Seris would undoubtedly gain an interface, so she needed to be more shameless to survive what was in her future. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re getting close,¡± Tavia leaned over him to see Lumina¡¯s city walls fast approaching. ¡°I need to head out.¡± At Cal¡¯s raised eyebrow, she expanded, ¡°We¡¯ll be stuck in line with everyone else if I don¡¯t show myself.¡± Tavia opened the door and climbed up to sit on top of the carriage. It was usually a job reserved for a dedicated driver of the carriage, but her horses were freakishly intelligent and followed Tavia¡¯s commands without mistakes¡­ Cal had noticed that multiple times. ¡°Do I have enough money to pay for our meal?¡± Cal turned to Seris and saw that she looked genuinely concerned as she counted the silver in her money pouch. He recalled that he had hidden the true cost of the meal at the restaurant he had taken her to. Well, she put herself in this situation. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Maybe? I forgot what the cost was. If you¡¯re unsure, you should tell Tavia that you can¡¯t. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll understand,¡± Cal said, trying not to take pleasure in taking back her win. Unfortunately, he was still petty despite his best attempts to avoid being so with the people around him. At least he had been able to keep the pettiness aimed at harmless matters. ¡°No.¡± Seris stuck out her chin stubbornly. ¡°I have enough.¡± Cal shrugged, and she reverted to trying to make her presence small. It looked like she remembered she had been poking at him for nearly the entire trip. He hadn¡¯t really planned for Seris to accompany them to Lumina, but after she woke from her days-long sleep, leaving her alone when she was in danger of accessing her essential mana was... unwise. And here Seris was. The third wheel. Not that she was aware of it. Cal saw her sneaking looks out of the carriage window with wide eyes and his lips twitched. She acted like this was the first time she had seen Lumina. ¡­ I suppose the last time, she was too busy dry-heaving from how fast I ran. He waited patiently for the carriage to pass the gate before speaking to Seris. ¡°Be sure to tell Tavia if you feel tired for any reason. Understood?¡± She nodded, though she looked confused until he opened the door. ¡°I won¡¯t be gone for long.¡± Cal shut the door, stood on the side rails of the carriage, and met Tavia¡¯s gaze. She had an eyebrow raised, asking him an unspoken question. ¡°I¡¯m going to the registry office to meet a friend. It might take some time, and I¡¯m pretty sure Seris would prefer not to be there.¡± ¡°You do know that you¡¯re not required to register at your rank?¡± Cal waved her question off. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with that. The person who works there is from the Gain family. I need his help for some issues that popped up.¡± Tavia looked around sneakily, which meant it wasn¡¯t sneaky at all. ¡°Is it the farm?¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Or the¡­ people?¡± ¡°The farm,¡± Cal said, preventing a chuckle from leaving his lips. Maelor was still an issue, but one he had a good idea of how to deal with. He didn¡¯t need help with that. Her tense shoulders relaxed. ¡°Oh, good. Meet me at Miren¡¯s shop when you¡¯re done.¡± Cal agreed with a simple nod before hopping off the carriage. He waved at Tavia and a wide-eyed Seris staring out the window before turning. The registry office was less than a minute away, even for mortals, and unfortunately, he found a familiar sight. It was closed. Fintan better not be stuffing his face somewhere. ¡°Initiate Fintan has been sick for the past few days.¡± Cal¡¯s ears perked up. He knew this voice. He turned, expecting to see Zev under the shade of a tree. The guard wasn¡¯t there. Instead, Zev was relaxing on the thickest branch with envious comfort. He made it seem like the branch was made out of the softest feathers. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s an interesting spot to occupy.¡± Zev shrugged, still reclining on the branch. ¡°I have no choice. I have to stay hidden to protect Initiate Fintan.¡± Cal narrowed his eyes, wondering if it was worth satisfying his curiosity. If this was a few weeks ago, he would¡¯ve ignored it and pushed on to Fenton¡¯s location. However, he couldn¡¯t help himself now. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that hidden. Anyone who bothers to look in this direction would see you sleeping there. And why the up to stay hidden?¡± Zev blinked slowly before looking down at his body. Then he looked to his sides before blinking again. ¡°I¡¯m not hidden?¡± Cal met Zev¡¯s gaze and had an impromptu standoff for several seconds. He gave in first. ¡°Fine, you have the best hiding place possible. So, where can I find Fintan?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be at the theater for the next several hours.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t so absent-minded that he had forgotten Zev¡¯s claim of Fintan being sick. This time, he didn¡¯t need to ask about the discrepancy. Fintan thoroughly hated his posting here, and Cal had noticed it even though they only had a few exchanges. The sickness was just an excuse to leave the posting. ¡°I appreciate the information, Zev,¡± Cal said before leaving. He knew where the theater was and didn¡¯t need anything else from him. It was on Silverfall Street, among the city''s administrative buildings. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you again, Apprentice Cal!¡± Cal¡¯s steps faltered for a second before he regained his composure. He had forgotten to take into account that his rank was now known to everyone. That would work in his favor when he spoke to the Gains. B2 - Chapter 2 Cal resisted the urge to spread out mana tendrils and test [Mana Sense] in the large city. He lost count on the number of times he stopped himself, even though it was a great idea. There was too large of a chance to get lost in what he might discover, and if not that, time would fly by as he trained the spell. This trip wasn¡¯t time to lose track of¡­ well, time. He shifted slightly to avoid a harried mother running after her daughter before coming to a stop. The theater in Lumina didn¡¯t interest most guild members, and he certainly hadn¡¯t been an exception. Cal never bothered paying attention to it the few times he had been to Lumina in his past life, and even if he had, it wouldn¡¯t have stood out. It perfectly matched the city¡¯s administrative buildings around it, meaning it had a bland, forgettable design that was built for efficiency instead of flash. The only thing that separated it from the rest was the uniformed attendant beside a velvet rope that barred entry into the theater. The show inside must be in progress. Cal eyed the rope as he approached. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out with a mana tendril see what type of protections were hidden within such a simple looking object. His steps faltered. ¡­ It¡¯s just a rope. There¡¯s nothing special about it. There was nothing stopping people from rushing in other than the attendant, who was a mortal. It took him a moment to realize such security wasn¡¯t needed for a simple theater. ¡°The next show starts soon. If you want the exact timing, you can get them from the booths over there.¡± The attendant was polite, but it was of the practiced sort. The line must have been said numerous times in the past. Cal¡¯s eyes were attracted to the ticket booths on the side and shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t be needing that. Do you mind if I wait here for the show to end?¡± The attendant looked confused, but nodded all the same. ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all, Apprentice. This show should end in a couple minutes. Are you waiting for someone?¡± ¡°Yes, a friend of mine is inside.¡± Cal had nothing better to do than commit to the small talk. ¡°Your friend is lucky. I¡¯ve been trying to get tickets to the show for weeks, but the chance that I get my hands on some are close to zero.¡± Cal glanced at the attendant curiously. He had thought this was subtle way of asking for help, but the attendant only had an expression of regret no expectation whatsoever. ¡°You¡¯re selling me on the show and I don¡¯t even know what it is yet,¡± Cal said, chuckling at the unintended marketing. ¡°You have to see it! I heard the troupe came from a territory from the other side of the world. Their mages use illusions that make you feel like you are part of the play.¡± Cal listened to the attendant excited ranting and wondered if the man had a hidden desire to be a part of the troupe himself. However, he was curious about the illusions that were using the show. It was a branch of magic that he didn¡¯t have much of an interest in due to the complexity, but that didn¡¯t mean he had no interest in observing it. Still, voluntarily submitting himself to fall under a spell¡¯s effect was not something he would be rushing to do anytime soon. Perhaps Nibbles could act as a safety alert if I decide to watch the show. Cal heard the doors of the theater open and saw a crowd walking out with flushed faces. They were chattering excitedly about what they just seen, and more importantly, he saw Fintan in the middle waving his arms expressively as he spoke to the woman beside him. ¡°If I get my hands of extra tickets, I¡¯ll look for you,¡± Cal said, almost as an afterthought as he walked away from the attendant. He was already too far away when he realized that he had never learned the man¡¯s name. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I can find him from his unique mana signature. ¡°Fintan!¡± Cal called out, startling the oft-missing acquaintance. Fintan paused mid-word and looked around like a startled cat. If Cal thought Fintan had the ability to slack off whenever he liked without fear, this would have convinced him otherwise. ¡°Farming Apprentice Cal?¡± Fintan, for some reason, looked even more terrified. Cal chuckled at the unique way he was addressed. If it was from anyone else, it would be an insult with the prefix ¡®farming¡¯ added. However, it was too easy to see through Fintan¡¯s intentions and there was no malice behind it. ¡°I am here to oversee the suitability of a foreign show,¡± Fintan blurted out, almost sounding robotic. Cal glanced at the girl beside Fintan and saw her staring wide-eyed at him. He was curious about the reaction, but it was more important to act like Oleg would in this situation. ¡°Farming Apprentice? We¡¯ve known each for too long for you to be formal, Fintan.¡± Cal received a blank look. He smiled and glanced at the girl. ¡°So, who¡¯s the lucky lady you took out of a date?¡± That snapped Fintan out of his state of confusion. ¡°This is Sora! I¡¯ve known her since we were kids¡ª¡± Uh, oops. Did I read the situation wrong? ¡°¡ªWe¡¯re more childhood friends than anything else.¡± Cal stared at Fintan¡¯s earnest expression and then at the girl radiating displeasure. He suddenly felt that his passivity with Tavia was forgiven. He had never actively sabotaged himself like Fintan was currently doing. ¡°I see,¡± Cal said seriously. ¡°Sora, do you mind if I cut your¡­ not-date short? I need Fintan¡¯s help with something urgent.¡± Sora¡¯s eyes bounced between the two men curiously before she said, ¡°Of course.¡± Cal waited for Fintan to say his farewells, and spoke when Sora joined the slowly thinning crowd leaving the theater. ¡°You realize that Sora is interested in you. As in, more than just a friend.¡± Fintan blinked in reply and silently pointed at himself in shock. Why am I even bothering to do this? ¡°Yes, you,¡± Cal confirmed. He figured he was in a mood to matchmake after getting together with Tavia. Plus, Fintan being grateful wasn¡¯t a bad thing either. Sora was no Tavia when their appearances were compared, she was still an attractive woman. One that was used to wealth with the way she carried herself, similar to Fintan. He gave Fintan a closer look to see what could have made her choose him, but it was admittedly hard to understand. Maybe it¡¯s from their long friendship. Fintan is acceptable, in a na?ve, foolish way. ¡°I should go after her,¡± Fintan immediately turned to run in Sora¡¯s direction, but Cal kept him in place with a strong grip on his shirt. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. She looked surprised you knew me. Let¡¯s use that to help you. I needed your help anyway, so it won¡¯t even be an act.¡± ¡°You need my help? How?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for interesting crop seeds for my farm. And I need a place to sell my harvest, a place that can handle large batches without issue.¡± Fintan pointed at himself again. ¡°And you think I can help?¡± Cal¡¯s lips twitched at the response. A few negative thoughts about having Fintan as a partner started to creep into his mind, but it was quickly erased by how much easier his life would be if the Gane family could help him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have the right connections to at least point me in the right direction.¡± Fintan stopped reacting with dumbfounded expression and finally give his request some real thought. After several seconds of silence, it seemed like an idea appeared. ¡°I don¡¯t deal with farming directly, but I know some purchasing managers that work for my cousin. I¡¯ll get in touch with him and see if they¡¯ll be of any help. Is there anything specific you want me to ask?¡± Cal didn¡¯t hide his pleased smile. As for being specific, he didn¡¯t even know what type of crops existed to pick from other than the ones Drex mentioned. ¡°Just that I want someone to show me the correct way to plant any crop seed I buy. Other than that, no, I don¡¯t have exact requirements.¡± ¡°Meet me at the office in a month. I should have news for you by then.¡± Cal narrowed his eyes, smile dropping as fast as it appeared. ¡°Your cousin is that busy? How can I speed this up?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. It¡¯s not my cousin that would cause the delay, but the managers. They¡¯re never in the city, and when they are, it¡¯s for a couple days before they have to leave for other territories.¡± He almost felt guilty at how quickly his mind jumped to blaming Fintan being lazy as the main reason for the time needed. In his defense, constantly skipping work did not give a good impression on efficiency. ¡°Right,¡± Cal cleared his throat. ¡°That makes sense. And you say that you wouldn¡¯t be of much help. You must have been interested in farming in the past.¡± Fintan¡¯s face scrunched up in displeasure. ¡°Please, never say that again. I was forced to learn the basics of business, and a few months of that was spent in some backwater farm.¡± Cal looked Fintan up and down before reevaluating him. It seemed like under the perpetually work-averse surface, there was a person that could achieve things if forced. Maybe. ¡°You won¡¯t hear it again. So, do you need my help with Sora? I can praise you for the help you¡¯re giving me.¡± ¡°Why would that help? She doesn¡¯t really care about farming at all.¡± Cal was thrown off for a moment. It might work against him if I did that, I guess. Sora liked Fintan without him showing off about being close to a young Apprentice. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Cal agreed. ¡°Go after her, and if it doesn¡¯t work out, it won¡¯t hurt to try my idea.¡± Fintan barely gave him a nod before running away, as if Sora would be taken in the few minutes it took to speak to him. B2 - Chapter 3 No wonder Miren was sent to me, even if some of her workforce came from outside the territory. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. She won¡¯t be able to use mana anytime soon, but with Nibbles helping, it should be fine. I still want her to have some of her own ability though. B2 - Chapter 4 ¡°Would this really be of much help?¡± Tavia asked as they stared at Seris dreamily running her fingers over a bow on display. ¡°No, at least, not now. I noticed she had given up on her hunting entirely after she started working for me. This will give her a reason to keep her skills sharp until she has use of her mana.¡± Tavia hummed in agreement, letting the silence take over for several seconds. ¡°This trip doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cal raised an eyebrow. ¡°This isn¡¯t a date, not really. It¡¯s more of a Seris-sitting trip with some business added in.¡± ¡°Ah, that. I can¡¯t disagree. It¡¯s probably for the best. Going to a restaurant in the city and calling it our first date would be lazy. I¡¯ll think of something much better.¡± Tavia smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± ¡°Cal, this is the one!¡± Seris had moved onto another bow, looking even more pleased at it. Cal couldn¡¯t tell why this one was better than the last, but he didn¡¯t need to know. He motioned to the shopkeeper. ¡°I¡¯ll take that one, and the arrows she picked out.¡± ¡°Of course! Of course!¡± The shopkeeper practically ran to pack everything up as if he was afraid the sale was going to disappear. That was the first sign that something was wrong. ¡°The total comes out to one guildmark and two gold.¡± There was silence. And Cal¡¯s previously casual expression was stuck in a strained smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, repeat that.¡± ¡°Uh, of course. One guildmark and two gold.¡± So, it wasn¡¯t my delusion. What in the world is the bow made from? ¡°Seris, is it worth it after hearing the price?¡± Cal asked, preparing himself. Seris looked far less excited than before, but she still gave him a hesitant nod. ¡°I see.¡± Cal took a deep breath and shoved away his desire to take back his words. He might think the bow was overpriced, but he gave his word to Seris. He would take this as an investment into her future. I could use [Master Negotiator] to give me a guaranteed discount, but something this high-priced should get me a decent amount of experience. ¡°I didn¡¯t anticipate spending that much, but I am willing to pay seven gold.¡± The shopkeeper recoiled as he pulled away the bow and arrows that were just packaged up. ¡°Nearly half off? I¡¯m sorry, but that is impossible.¡± Cal knew he pushed it. ¡°Surely you can¡¯t expect me to pay over a guildmark for this.¡± The shopkeeper lost his professionalism. ¡°You think this is just any bow? Boy, you¡¯ve got no idea what you¡¯re looking at! This isn¡¯t some mass-produced, bent piece of yew from a street vendor. This is crafted from the heartwood of a Stormpine¡ªa tree that only grows on peaks where the winds howl strong enough to flay flesh from bone! You can¡¯t just chop it down whenever you feel like it, oh no. You have to wait for it to be struck by natural lightning at least three times! How long do you think that would take?¡± Cal listened to the rant with a wooden expression. All of that did indeed justify the price that was asked. ¡°I see. One guildmark.¡± He ignored Tavia¡¯s snicker. The shopkeeper was lost for words. Cal ignored that way he was being studied, likely due to the fact an Apprentice was haggling, but he didn¡¯t care. He would get those experience points. ¡°Fine, just to get rid of you. Your face infuriates me.¡± Cal immediately handed over the coin and motioned for Seris to take her things. Your skill [Master Negotiator] has increased by 2 levels. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. [Master Negotiator: Apprentice 1]¡ª>[Master Negotiator: Apprentice 3] The unexpected gift of his skill increasing by two levels soothed the pain of a guildmark disappearing. He pulled up his inventory. Basic Storage Pouch Inventory: 15/20 6 Unknown Gems 137 Copper, 27 Silver, 23 Gold, 1 Guildmark 1 Rake (Rare) 1 Map (Trade Routes of the Celestial Order) 2 Healing Potion (Minor) 2 Mana Restoration Potion (Minor) 2 Calming Potion 2 Rage Potion 4 Daggers (Common) 1 War Hammer (Uncommon) Cal focused on the money he possessed and comforted himself that he still had around three and a half guildmarks. That was plenty for someone who doesn¡¯t spend much. He purposely ignored the roads he had requested Miren to research. Besides, the only way that would proceed is if the guild subsidized them. He listened to Seris thanking him profusely as they wandered about the city aimlessly, taking in the sights with genuine interest since none of them knew most of Lumina. None of them, even Seris, were in a rush to eat. ¡°Seris?¡± A girlish voice call out from behind them. ¡°Elara!¡± Cal realized Tavia didn¡¯t know who the new girl was. ¡°She¡¯s a friend Seris made the last time I brought her to Lumina. Somehow, the kid owns multiple spell shops.¡± Tavia narrowed her eyes at Elara, who was sticking close to Seris, listening to her gushing over the bow. ¡°I would think it would have to do more with the Elder beside her.¡± Cal blinked in surprise. He hid his shock at how clueless he was of the Elder¡¯s presence. He had been relying on detecting mana subconsciously, to where he ignored someone he had assumed was a mortal. He recalled what Overseer Marek told Elara, about how she could shadow an Elder as a reward for keeping Seris in the shop. ¡°Elder Corvin?¡± ¡°Oh? I wasn¡¯t aware you knew me, Apprentice Cal.¡± Cal shook his head. ¡°I remembered the Overseer mentioning you.¡± He paused, realizing someone who could block his mana tendrils wouldn¡¯t be free enough to come across him in a large city. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Elder Corvin looked pleased at his initiative. ¡°I heard you visited Silverpine.¡± Cal nodded, wondering where this was going. ¡°The guild has encountered some issues in the area when a sinkhole opened close to the town. We are losing too many alchemists recently and need someone with sufficient combat ability to check on the situation. Are you interested?¡± Cal¡¯s instinctive reaction was to refuse. The only reason he went to Silverpine in the first place was to find Oleg. In all other matters, he considered it a waste of time, and would be more than happy to just stay on his farm and get stronger. He remembered something when he was buying his war hammer. ¡°Is this why the guild was subsidizing the weapons in town? I noticed far too many alchemists buying them.¡± Elder Corvin almost looked embarrassed. ¡°Unfortunately, we implemented that policy when we thought it was an easily solvable issue.¡± Cal was thinking of a way to decline politely. ¡°What could be in that sinkhole that alchemists would willingly rush into danger?¡± ¡°Precious materials,¡± Elder Corvin revealed bluntly. ¡°If it was possible for a Master to solve the problem, we would have sent several immediately. However, there is a real danger of the materials being damaged with the power a Master could use. You would be perfect for the job.¡± Cal ignored the flattery and focused on one thing. ¡°Precious materials?¡± He pulled up the upgrade requirement for his Rare Rake. [Rare Rake: Average Quality] Upgrade: 2 Requirements 1. Tasks Required: 1 - 8452/20000 Tasks 2. Materials Required: 3 - 0/5 Earth Crystals - 0/10 Dragonite Scales - 0/500 Voidiron Pellets ¡°Could I find Earth Crystals there? Dragonite Scales or Voidiron would work too.¡± Elder Corvin frowned. ¡°It is no secret that the sinkhole has plenty of Voidiron, but I have never heard of Earth Crystals or Dragonite Scales. What do you need these for?¡± Cal perked up with interest. ¡°There is a young blacksmith that I find quite talented. I figure the more unique materials I can give him, the faster he will grow.¡± Elder Corvin looked delighted. ¡°You are a credit to the guild. Not only are you talented yourself, but you are nurturing others. So, what do you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Cal accepted the task, pretending like it was his plan to do so all along. ¡°Take what you need from the sinkhole, Apprentice Cal. Treat it as your reward,¡± Elder Corvin said before leaving with Elara. Seris stared at him unblinkingly. ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re going to sponsor Orrin for the blacksmith test?¡± ¡°Soon,¡± Cal replied, still thinking of the Earth Crystals and Dragonite Scales. If an Elder never heard of them, then it could be a problem to find. ¡°I wonder if Orrin will drop a hammer on his foot when I tell him. I¡¯ve seen him do that before when something really surprised him.¡± Cal recalled how Orrin repeatedly told Seris to stay out of his workspace. ¡°Were you the one that surprised him?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Seris asked with a shocked expression. ¡°I had a feeling.¡± Cal¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°So, you said you wanted to treat us to a meal. Why don¡¯t you take us to the restaurant?¡± Seris beamed before leading the way to the enormous tower that was the Grand Market. Tavia remained suspiciously quiet and lost in her thoughts since Elder Corvin appeared. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cal asked in a low voice. ¡°Do you think Elder Corvin looked familiar?¡± He thought about it before shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing,¡± Tavia said, clearly not wanting to speak of it. It only made Cal more curious, but he let it go for now. B2 - Chapter 5 The guard at the entrance of the Grand Market was the same one as before, and he had a good enough memory to remember Seris and let her in without checking. It made the girl stand even straighter as she led them up the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the best cakes they have, Tavia. I have eaten most of them.¡± Tavia hummed in reply, still distracted by whatever she was thinking of. It was that Elder Corvin that had her absentminded, and the length the matter persisted forced Cal to rack his brain. However, no matter how much he searched his memories, Elder Corvin never came up. Cal stepped forward when they reached the ninth floor of the tower to prevent Seris from being run over by the guildmembers filling the floor. Of course, the girl didn¡¯t notice since she was still raving about cakes until they reached Starlit Joy. He had to hide his wince at being forced to see the garish decorations, but that was enough to bright Tavia out of her thoughts. ¡°I have to meet the owner of the restaurant,¡± Tavia declared. ¡°They have impeccable taste!¡± A familiar voice replied. ¡°He would be ecstatic to hear that you approve.¡± ¡°Karl!¡± Seris beamed. ¡°We¡¯re back for another round of cakes.¡± ¡°Cakes? Young lady, that¡¯s just dessert. Why don¡¯t you try our restaurant¡¯s specialty¡ª¡± ¡°No, just cakes are fine,¡± Seris interrupted. Cal had a feeling she didn¡¯t want to spend her limited money on anything else. He found it amusing that she wanted to take away the option from them, too. ¡°I¡¯m not much of a fan of cakes, Seris,¡± Cal said as they followed Karl inside. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay. I can eat whatever you can¡¯t finish.¡± Tavia¡¯s shoulder shook with laughter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Seris. I¡¯ll take Cal¡¯s share. I wouldn¡¯t want to make you eat too much sweets.¡± The look of betrayal Seris shot at Tavia would have been more fitting if something truly tragic transpired. ¡°Here we are. Let me know when you want to order,¡± Karl motioned to a table in a far better area than the first time they dined here. Servers constantly attended the spot. Seris immediately opened the menu and licked her lips as she read through the desserts, commenting about her favorites to Tavia. Cal stepped aside and moved close to a nervous Karl. ¡°I haven¡¯t thanked you yet for getting Seris out of the crowd safely.¡± ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t a hardship, Apprentice Cal!¡± Karl shook his head rapidly. ¡°It was only what I should do.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cal patted his shoulder. ¡°I was going to give you something for your trouble, but that would be an insult to you. How about this? I¡¯ll treat it as a small favor towards me, so I¡¯ll owe you one in return.¡± He had to hide his amusement at Karl¡¯s rapid changes of expression. From fear, to endless regret, to euphoria. He had always intended to offer something for the help given, wanting to keep his conscience, and relationship clear with anyone he considered his acquaintance. ¡°Thank you, Apprentice Cal!¡± Cal nodded as he turned to return to the table before he stopped. He took in Seris happily picking out everything she wanted, and it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out that the cost would be astronomical, at least for her. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He sighed and covered for her again. Seris still needed to be looked after carefully after her incident of pulling on her essential mana reserves. The shock of seeing the bill might be counterproductive. ¡°When Seris asks for the bill, making the total less than ten silver. I¡¯ll pay the rest.¡± ¡°Please, that won¡¯t be necessary. The owner would like to extend a complimentary meal this time, in appreciation for the business you have given him,¡± Karl said. Cal gave him a questioning look. ¡°Starlit Joy has become an attraction for people who hope to get a glimpse of your actions.¡± He looked around the restaurant and couldn¡¯t see any patrons giving him any more attention than they would to anyone else. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you, as in your physical presence. They don¡¯t know who did it. However, nothing stopped us from capturing a faint signature of your attack. The guildmembers come here hoping to learn something.¡± Cal wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that. Now that Karl mentioned it, he did noticed several people closing their eyes for several seconds with their palms flat on the table. ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ll let you get back to your work.¡± Cal took a seat. He curiously probed the table with his mana tendrils and felt an echo of [Lightning Aura]. It was weak, and nearly useless. But he understood why the Starlit Joy went through the trouble. Guildmembers were ravenous for any hint of advancing their power, no matter how unlikely it was. ¡°What are you getting, Cal?¡± Tavia asked. ¡°Despite what Seris thinks, she will not eat cakes the entire time. Let get this to share.¡± Cal flipped to the middle of the menu and pointed to a meal that was packed with mana-dense ingredients. Seris looked ready to fight, but he stopped that in its tracks. ¡°You can still have your desserts, but at the end.¡± Cal sat back as they talked about nothing particularly important and once again wondered if this was what having a family felt like. He didn¡¯t mind it at all. *** ¡°Really? Everything¡¯s free?¡± Seris asked in shock. ¡°Indeed,¡± Karl nodded. ¡°Forever? Can I come again tomorrow and still get free food?¡± Seris had no shame in pushing her luck. Karl¡¯s smile became strained and pretended he heard nothing. He turned to Tavia and Cal. ¡°Please, come back anytime. We at the Starlit Joy always welcome our customers.¡± Cal chuckled as stood and patted Karl¡¯s shoulder again. ¡°Seris didn¡¯t mean it.¡± The time he spent in Lumina was relaxing, but it was time to get back to work. Plus, he had let himself get pulled into guild matters. This will be the only time I get involved¡­ other than dealing with Orrin¡¯s blacksmith qualification. They were about to exit the restaurant when someone called out to him. ¡°Apprentice Cal!¡± Cal frowned when he saw someone unfamiliar rushing to him. The trip had been coming to a perfect close, too. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you to come back,¡± the man flinched when Cal glared, quickly correcting himself. ¡°I mean nothing bad by that! My grandfather wants to meet you.¡± He flinched again when the glare didn¡¯t subside. ¡°To thank you! I think.¡± Cal recalled Overseer Marek telling him there was a grandson of an Elder that was involved in his scuffle with Tarn. He couldn¡¯t see anything good coming from this. This issue was that he couldn¡¯t reject an Elder¡¯s invitation, no matter how dubious. ¡°Right now? Who is your grandfather?¡± ¡°He¡¯s Elder Marsh. I¡¯m not sure of the timing, but sooner is probably better, no?¡± Cal pressed his lips into a thin line. He had heard of Elder Marsh before. No wonder Overseer Marek was a little worried. How in the world did a cocky ass like Tarn connect with the grandson of an Elder Council member? He leaned close and whispered into Tavia¡¯s ear. ¡°Head back to the farm with Seris. If I¡¯m not back by tonight, go to the port in Mariner¡¯s Rest and ask for the Apprentice in charge. Tell the Overseer about this.¡± Tavia gave him a tight nod before pecking him on the lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Seris. Cal will catch up with us later.¡± Cal watched them leave, but noticed this famed grandson doing the same. Specifically, he noticed this guy staring after Tavia. He took a deep breath to push away his rising frustration and clamped his hand on the famed grandson¡¯s shoulder. Tightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your name.¡± As much as he didn¡¯t like the guy, calling him the famed grandson would get old quickly. ¡°R¡ªRedd.¡± ¡°Redd,¡± Cal released his vice-like grip. ¡°If you¡¯re done staring, I¡¯m ready to meet your grandfather.¡± Redd shook his arm to get the blood flowing as he nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll have to go to the Central Sanctum. Follow me.¡± Cal sighed and kept pace with Redd. He had been successful in avoiding that place for over a month. He knew he would eventually visit, but he never thought it would relate to Tarn¡¯s matter. B2 - Chapter 6 The area around my pond is for more mana-dense. Fascinating. I didn¡¯t realize how ostentatious the Central Sanctum was. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. That is¡­ generous. I absolutely won¡¯t ask, no matter the need. I have no desire to take sides at the highest levels of the guild. ¡­ Bringing me all the way here for a show of force that lasted a few minutes. Disappointing. B2 - Chapter 7 ¡°You weren¡¯t gone for long. I¡¯m guessing it was more of a casual chat?¡± Tavia commented as he entered the house. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about casual.¡± Cal hesitated about expanding, fighting his urge to keep everything to himself. Tavia asked him to share more with her. ¡°Do you know if there are any rumors about the Elder Council feuding with the guildmaster? I feel like they called me to test if I could be swayed.¡± ¡°You met with the Elder Council?¡± Tavia was wide-eyed. ¡°How did it go from meeting that guy¡¯s grandfather to this?¡± ¡°Turns out that it was an ambush.¡± Tavia frowned before shaking her head. ¡°I never heard of them being at odds, but I also spent little time in the Central Sanctum.¡± Cal nodded, replaying what happened for the umpteenth time. It didn¡¯t help. ¡°Do you need me to watch Seris?¡± Tavia shook her head. ¡°I can take care of it. Go do your farm stuff. You¡¯ll need to watch her when I travel, anyway.¡± ¡°Farm stuff,¡± Cal repeated, narrowing his eyes at the teasing smirk on her face. He rolled his eyes and left the house again. It was time to harvest half an acre of Sunfire Grains. Cal flexed his fingers, preparing it for the mild workout ahead, and got to work. He ignored the curious wolves watching from a distance and meticulously ripped the Sunfire Grains from the ground. He was so practiced in the act that he didn¡¯t have to think much about it. Instead, he planned out the area to lay out the crops in the sun. That sounded like a casual task, but Cal could see that his yield had gotten even better¡ªclose to ninety percentage. He had told Drex to bring enough carts for twenty thousand Sunfire Grains, but that had been a purposeful overestimation so he would have ample room for error. He didn¡¯t think he would come close to exceeding that number. I need to plan out a dedicated area to dry out the harvested crops. Cal decided to do that the first thing tomorrow, but for now, he would lay them right outside his farm¡¯s boundaries. Nibbles had been lured by the scent of the crops from her tunnel-making in the new part of the farm¡ªsomething he was excited to use as soon as it was available. She voluntarily took on the job of guarding the harvest crops from the drooling wolves eying them. The harvested Sunfire Grains quickly spread to cover the same area as their planting, making the tiny Nibbles insufficient as a deterrent. Cal still didn¡¯t pay them any attention since he knew what was coming next. A low, rumbling growl erupted from near the pond. The wolf pack leader was as lazy as ever, but that simple warning was enough for the wolves to bend their heads and whimper as they backed away. Cal continued the harvest and didn¡¯t stop until he finished an hour later. It wasn¡¯t long ago that this would have pushed his body to the limit of his physical capabilities, but he barely felt challenged. He mentally kept count of the Sunfire Grains he harvested, and it came out to just under twenty thousand, with half of that in the red grain variant. ¡°This was a good one,¡± Cal muttered. He heard Nibbles squeak in agreement as she admired the harvest beside him. ¡°How soon will you be ready to connect the tunnels?¡± Nibbles tilted her head before making three lines on the ground. ¡°Three days?¡± She nodded. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Cal planned to plant more seeds today, but he wasn¡¯t sure if the water supply could handle the connection of the tunnels under the new part of the farm. I¡¯ll have to delay planting for at least three days. ¡°Keep up the good work, Nibbles,¡± Cal said, smiling when she stood straighter before digging back under ground. He went to the pond and took a seat next to the pack leader. ¡°We¡¯re going to spend a lot of time together for the next few days.¡± The pack leader opened one eye before closing it without a reaction. It was an expected behavior. Cal raised his hand and cast [Rainfall]. Stormy clouds quickly formed over the pond before it poured rain. He remembered that recently, his mana reserves would have been depleted, and the spell would have only produced a light drizzle. The month since Cal returned had been highly productive. However, that same productivity made Tavia feel like she was severely lacking compared to him. She had mentioned that she would catch up, but he knew better than to believe that. He had only got to this point by literal divine intervention, and the chances of Tavia experiencing the same were slim to none. However, Cal could give her a push. He had been experimenting with the tethers that connected the inhabitants of the farm to the pond, using the wolves as unknowing test subjects. It didn¡¯t harm them and could only be a benefit if it succeeded, so he didn¡¯t feel any reservations about using them. Cal learned he had to choose between what he wanted to use the pond for. It automatically tethered with the inhabitants of the farm with the spare energy it possessed. He could redirect that flow anyway he wanted without reducing the supply to the crops, but that wasn¡¯t enough for what Tavia needed. Cal had a guess about how it would affect the crops¡ªone he was almost certain of. The crop yields were unlikely to change much, since abilities account for that. Specifically, [Green Thumb] and the ability of the Advanced Plow, [Residue Reclamation]. Those two stacked to give him a fifteen percent increased yield. Cal suspected that the pond¡¯s water gave him a massively increased production of the red grain variants. If that was the case, and he really hoped it was, he was more than happy to redirect as much of the pond¡¯s attention as needed onto Tavia. He would make the first large redirect today, and then slowly increasing it in the following days to make sure there were no unintended side effects. There were no crops planted at the moment, so it was a perfect time for a large-scale experimentation. The rain stopped as his mana reserve emptied, returning the pond¡¯s surface to a calm state. Cal didn¡¯t move and waited patiently for his reserve to refill. It gave him time to study the golem standing motionless on the other side of the pond. It reminded him of the smaller versions staffing Miren¡¯s building¡ªsomething he still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°What should I do with you?¡± Cal asked, not expecting an answer from the golem. He was hesitant to use it since there were always some downsides that he didn¡¯t foresee. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was because of his lack of foresight¡ªwhich could also mean a lack of intelligence, something he was reluctant to consider¡ªbut the mishaps were enough to make him wary. A low growl came from beside him. Cal turned to see the pack leader standing, staring at him intently. ¡°You have an idea?¡± The answer was another growl. This needed a translator. ¡°Nibbles!¡± A few seconds later, Nibbles dug out of the ground and looked less than pleased. Cal imagined feeling the same if someone interrupted his work. ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡± Nibbles listened to the growls, nodding her head, though she looked furious at the end. That didn¡¯t stop her from angrily performing charades to transmit the pack leader¡¯s words. Cal hid a smile at her anger and observed. As always, Nibbles was an excellent translator. ¡°The pack leader wants to borrow the golem to ward off some beasts?¡± Nibbles nodded, still clearly unhappy. ¡°Why are you angry about that?¡± Cal asked. Nibbles pointed at herself, and them at the pack leader. ¡°You want to go with them?¡± Nibbles nodded again. She was waiting for his agreement, but he had concerns that needed to be cleared up. ¡°No one can control the golem. I don¡¯t see how I can lend it out.¡± Nibbles pointed at herself imperiously. ¡°¡­ You can control it?¡± Cal didn¡¯t believe Nibbles when she confirmed. ¡°Golem, listen to any order that Nibbles gives you.¡± He then dared Nibbles to prove it. She did. Nibbles zoomed to stand on the golem¡¯s shoulder before squeaking loudly. The golem moved, avoiding the farm altogether by moving out of its bounds, and stood outside the border. Nibbles waited for the pack leader to reach them before wandering off. Cal couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. It was like a strange start of a story. The tiny Nibbles, a ferocious wolf, and a hilariously massive golem setting off on an adventure. ¡°Well, at least the golem is doing something,¡± Cal said to himself. He couldn¡¯t dismiss how Nibbles controlled the golem so easily, and he had plans to put that to use soon. By the time the motley crew disappeared from Cal¡¯s sight, his mana reserves had completely refilled. He closed his eyes and reached out to the pond with mana tendrils and located the tether that connected Tavia to it. Cal redirected the energy into Tavia¡¯s tether. It was a slow process that took nearly an hour just to double the quantity, and he intended to increase it by ten times the amount. He monitored Tavia¡¯s condition through a mana tendril to make sure nothing went wrong. He settled in, knowing it would take the rest of the day.