You have gained the skill [Yell] Apprentice 1
Apprentice - You can yell for longer
Str raised to 11
Feels like apprentice tier tend to improve one stamina usage. Never mind, back to giving my best stink eye at the guild receptionist. He is unphased by my yelling and my stare. To be fair, 10 year old stink eyes do not carry much weight.
“It was an open request, that it was closed before you had returned is the risk you run with open requests.”
My bundles of clover are hanging off my stick like some old timey hobo bindle. The state of my clothes completes the look. I mentally collect myself and search for options.
“Are there other apothecaries in this town I could sell these to?”
“Mister Lancas is the only one."
“No one else to sell the clover to?”
The question is in vain. The hall was fairly empty, I had entered after the morning rush. I can hear footsteps creaking down the stairs behind the reception counter. I leave before more possible adventurers can see me.
Outside, I head to the cause of my woe. Carefully laid plans and all to ruin. Well, spur of the moment plans that relied on nothing changing. I'm at the apothecary now but the old man isn't. No confrontation today, I leave the clover on the counter, I just don't care anymore.
-----
I'm sprawled out on the floor of the blacksmith. Belna hammering away.
“Can I tend to your fire for two days? I just need two silver to register as an adventurer.”
“Don't plan on eating?”
“I've gone longer without.”
“That silver I gave you before was more of an apology than expected pay, you also still owe me for the enchanted knife. Don't expect me to give you anything else till you pay me back for that”
Right, no leaving town again then. I can't pull off my barrier trick without a mana interface to blow up. Belna had loaned me her cheapest enchanted knife and now that I have broken it, I owe her ten gold. One thousand silver.
“How long.”
“Assuming I'll be feeding you, five years.”
I knew it was a possibility that I would end up in this situation. My assumption, hope, was that I at least would have the adventurer title. Instead it's five years of stagnation. Apparently skills don't go to their next tier level unless you are at the stat threshold. It's why [Status Screen] is stuck at apprentice nine. I would need either more skills, ha, or more levels. Can't leave town, well can't return to town after leaving, can't get a title, can't earn new skills, and can't level. Stagnation. A thought, I'll need to understand exactly my situation. Time to negotiate.
“So five years of firetending, will I be getting days off?”
The hammering stops. Belna squinting at me. “Not planning on earning more scars are you.”
I shudder. “I'm not even sure it will even work yet, I need to figure out how long it takes for the barrier to work on me after I dump my mana.” If it's a day, maybe I can hunt or gather on my time off.
“You want to go back out there with a broken knife and quickly diminishing tunic and pants?”
Okay not the best idea. I mean the knife part still works as a knife but the clothing is going to start to get scandalous if I keep making cloth shoes. Belna looked annoyed at me.
“Every sixth day you can have for yourself. You'll get a twenty copper pay on that sixth day. I am giving your silver coin back, go to the tailor and buy yourself 2 outfits, you're small enough that it should be enough. I'm tired of looking at that tent of a tunic you're wearing. Boots your size will cost another fifty copper. You are not to leave town before you get proper boots.”
Guess no negotiation after all, I nod my head. Belna flips the coin to me and starts hammering again. Then stops.
“The tailor is west of the fountain, and if that tailor won't sell you two outfits, tell her she'll have to source her metal studs elsewhere.” Back to hammering.
Stolen story; please report.
I picked up the silver coin from the ground, I had whiffed the catch. I head to the door. A notification box appears.
You have acquired the title [Tier 1 Adventurer]
Tier 1 Adventurer - You are the lowest rung of an international organization. Complete requests and hunts to grow in fame and glory. One additional presence level when leveling up.
What the fuck.
-----
I'm at the reception counter again. Still in rags, this became a priority over the tailor. The receptionist waves me over to a door. There is a bench against the wall, a table in front of it and two chairs on the opposite side of the table. I'm seated on the bench and made to wait. I'm bored, I start flipping the silver coin. The door opens, I miss the coin, I'm under the table looking for it.
“I thought you said Scratches is in here.” Scratches?
“She is under the table looking for something she dropped.”
I found the coin and look up, peering under the table is a yellow face with two tusks and a walrus mustache. It's a little too close for first appearances, I shuffle back up the bench breathing a little harder then I should. The owner of the tusk and mustache is rather tall, like Belna tall and has a barrel chest. I thought orcs were supposed to be green.
“Apologies for startling you Scratches, I'm Reginald the guild master for Hilgurd. It's not really all that impressive when it doesn't take more than ones hands and feet to count our stationed members but I still expect a certain level of respect from our newest approved applicant.”
“But I haven't filled out an application, nor paid the fee and why do you keep calling me scratches.”
Motioning to the receptionist, “Drake is here for the paper work and I have yet to learn your preference for an adventurer name so I chose the most descriptive one possible for you. Applicants always dither on that part, really you should thank me for finding one so apt.” he is looking at my arms as he says this, the bands of sap are still present.
“I still can't pay the fee.”
“The fee is waived, hearing your yelling today, I went and learned your story. It is clear to me that the alchemist canceled his open request when he had learned you had set off to complete it. I'll not have clients mistreating members, even prospective ones.”
“That's a reason to punish the alchemist, not help me.”
“Quite, no I'm waiving the fee because you demonstrate the qualities expected of an adventurer.” He is rolling the r's now, trying to sound impressive.
“Which are?”
Drake answers, “Desperation and a fool.”
“Ah, but a desperate fool who succeeded.” He places a status stone on the table.
“Um I depleted my mana recently, I don't want to faint again.”
Drake raises an eyebrow, “Have you slept since then?” I nod, “You'll be fine.”
So I touch the stone.
Tier 1 : Human lvl 5 [NOTIFICATIONS]
Title:[Voiceless]
Str - 11
Agl - 11
Per - 23
Con - 10
Cha - 10
Men - 31
Int - 40
Soul - 62
Skills: [English] Intermediate 9 [Math] Intermediate 8 [Yell] Apprentice 1 [Speak:Common] Apprentice 3 [Running] Apprentice 1 [Tough Skin] Basic 8 [Status Screen] Apprentice 9 [Tell Lie] Basic 9
Earned Titles: Voiceless, [Tier 1 Adventurer]
Reginald is impressed at seeing the status screen, Drake sighs and speaks, “You'll need to read off the stat sheet to me. I have maxed out [Detect Falsehood] so skip the embellishments.”
I impart what my stat sheet says. It's faster than last time, no explanations needed.
“A high soul value at so young of age and a title that improves it further. I can see why you are loath to part with it, I do suggest at least swapping it out between leveling though, you definitely need more skills.”
Of course I need more skills, why would he, nevermind, I came here for an explanation. “I'm unable to swap it, it's the first thing I tried to do when the title showed up. It's why I was so desperate to complete the request in the first place.”
Drake responds, “It's clearly a pariah title, guildmaster.”
“Pariah titles are not supposed to give benefits, they are meant as punishment, tell me Scratches what was your soul level when you acquired this title”
“I think it had just turned fifty.” Not sure where he's going with this.
“You think it was the soul boon?”
Reginald agrees, I'm left confused. I demand an explanation.
“When a stat hits fifty you get a boon, typically the stat will gain brackets in the status menu for viewing. The first stat to reach fifty tends to be an even greater boon than the others. All the known boons are in the adventurer guild hand book. This one is to be yours but let's see if there is a note for a major soul boon.” He had pulled out a rather thick hand sized booklet from his pocket, “Ah here it is, major soul boon will upgrade the next acquired title to both be unique to the individual and provide an additional soul per level.”
Drake is rubbing his forehead.
“I still don't understand why I can't change my title.”
Drake responds, “A pariah title can't be removed, a thief will always be a thief, a murderer is a murderer and you will always be voiceless.”
I'm looking at the table now and I start to tremble but the guild master admonishes me, “Now, now, none of that, your pariah title is unique.”
“Not helping” Drake interjects.
“And unattached."
I look up, eyes searching.
“Pariah titles don't work alone, you should have been [Voiceless Child] but instead perhaps because of your boon it's unattached. It's possible to combine regular titles after having two equipped for a long period of time. Mayhap the same method can apply here. Try touching your adventurer title and your voiceless title at the same time.”
My hands won't stop shaking, but I tap each title with my pointer fingers. A screen appears to confirm whether I wish to combine the titles. It doesn't show the end result, I'll be going in blind. But my current situation is untenable. I click accept.
You have acquired the title [Voiceless Tier 1 Adventurer]
Voiceless Tier 1 Adventurer - Gives off an aura of worthlessness. Title holder is unable to mentally direct changes to one soul. You are the lowest rung of an international organization. Complete requests and hunts to grow in fame and glory. One additional charisma and two additional soul when leveling up.
I start crying.
