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An Otherworldly Scholar - 10
🕑 Added 2023-06-02 22:00:05 +0000 UTC“I’d warn you, I'm not as much of a catch as you think I am. In practical terms, I have more kids than you can count on two hands.“ Elincia said with a mischievous smile.
It had been a mistake to ask Elincia if she had suitors lining at her door because she had been having a field day with me. I could tell she was enjoying it.
“A small army of kids and easily triggered, gotcha.” I replied.
The tight breeches and adjusted bodice combo was entrancing for a fantasy nerd like me, but I managed to maintain a defiant look.
Elincia smiled at me, knowing she had won our verbal exchange and walked to her dresser while humming a sweet melody. After seeing the bundles of herbs, her mood had improved dramatically, making her even more annoying than usual.
I watched her lean forward as she rummaged through the depths of the drawers. The light blue bodice fit her well, however, I was having trouble reconciling the image of the rowdy amazon with her caring governess persona.
Elincia uttered a muffled curse before pulling a small wooden box and a set of brass scales covered in strange engravings. I did my best to keep my eyes on the scales rather than her shoulders. Elincia seemed to be unfazed by the chilly autumn weather. I focused on the brass scales and instantly detected an almost invisible trace of mana.
Elincia noted I was staring because she quickly said. “A poor governess has the right to have nice toys, you know?”
“An enchanted item?” I asked, putting my empty bowl of soup by the side and glancing at the scale as Elincia lined the plates up on the table.
“You could say it’s an heirloom.” Elincia replied as she ceremoniously opened the wooden box and extracted a set of five small crystals the size of dice, wrapped in silk handkerchiefs.
As soon as Elincia uncovered the crystals I noticed they weren’t regular minerals. Swirls of white mana particles danced inside them like diminutive galaxies. Despite the crystals being the same size, they shone with different intensities. The first one barely emitted any mana while the last one was like a small white ember.
“I assume Mister Scholar already knows how this works?” Elincia grinned.
The better her mood was, the more annoying she got.
“You put one item on each plate, then the heavier item drops, the lighter rises. You can measure the weight of an item balancing it against known weights. Obviously.” I replied.
“Obviously.” Elincia parroted as she reached for the herb bundles.
Elkadia Root. [Identify] Alchemy ingredient. Brewing ingredient. Cooking ingredient. Edible. Magic concentration: High.
Fairy King’s Brooch. [Identify] Alchemy ingredient. Brewing ingredient. Edible Magic concentration: High.
Moon Laurel. [Identify] Alchemy ingredient. Brewing ingredient. Cooking ingredient. Edible. Magic concentration: High.
Barrel Root. [Identify] Alchemy ingredient. Brewing ingredient. Cooking ingredient. Edible. Magic concentration: High.
“Well, let’s figure out what we are working with.” Elincia said, putting the third crystal on the left plate of the scale and a single stem of Fairy King’s Brooch on the other.
Surprisingly enough, the ‘weight’ of the plant was enough to offset the crystal despite the difference in sizes. It wasn’t hard to understand how the scale worked. It weighted magic concentration, not mass.
“All the herbs have high magic concentration.” I pointed out. If Elincia was going to measure every single stem, flower, and leaf, we were going to be sitting there for hours.
“Obviously the Hero is lucky enough to just pick the high concentration ones.” Elincia mockingly said. Her smile faltered a bit when I laid back in my seat and watched her with my best goofball smile instead of taking the bait.
Elincia scowled at me before focusing on measuring the ingredients. The movements of her hands revealed the mastery she had over the process and I wondered how many times she had measured ingredients along the years. If kids were as sickly as they were in my world, then the amount of potions she had brewed must be astronomical.
I stretched my back and let my mind wander. Eating a warm bowl of food felt good after days of eating only a few Hermit’s Gold, and being inside four walls felt cozy and safe after sleeping in the Farlands. For the first time since my arrival I had a moment to think about my next steps.
The idea of traveling to the Imperial Library to cultivate my class, as Elincia told me back in the Farlands, popped into my mind.
“Do you have a skill to replicate the explosive powder inside my shotgun shells?” I mindlessly asked. You couldn’t spell ‘alchemist’ without ‘chemist’ after all. The perspective of having a continuous supply of ammo in a world controlled by high level combatant classes was reassuring.
“I’m an Alchemist, I brew potions, ointments, and essences.” Elincia replied without taking her eyes off her work. “What you are looking for is a Transmuter or a Tinkerer, maybe. A Runesmith could also help you with that, but those are Prestige Classes. You are not going to find them here in Farcrest.”
Prestige Classes. That was a new concept. Elinica had already mentioned Advanced Classes, Alchemist was one of them. I wondered about how I could inquire about them without revealing my complete ignorance about the matter of this world.
“What the hell?” Elincia suddenly muttered. Her face grew more and more surprised as the ingredients’ magical concentration offset every crystal except the brightest one. She stubbornly continued measuring the bundles until she finished with the Fairy King’s Brooch.
“What are these plants used for?” I asked instead of saying ‘I told you’.
[Identify] wasn’t enough to answer all my questions.
“Elkadia Root and Fairy King’s Brooch are popular bases for mana potions and a wide range of medicines against common diseases. The Moon Laurel and the Barrel Root are used as bases for wound regeneration potions. You usually add an essence later on in the brewing process but the base is useful on its own.” Elincia glanced at me as she put the Fairy King’s Brooch by the side.
“Why would anyone brew a potion without an essence?” I continued with the questionnaire. At least Elincia seemed happy to answer my questions regarding her class.
“Low level Alchemists don’t normally add essences into their potions due to the risk of corrupting the base.” Elincia replied with a teacher’s tone as she continued to weigh the ingredients. “You usually won’t see the really top shelf stuff until your alchemist is level forty or more, but don’t be fooled, low level brewing is useful too. Most people can’t really afford high level potions so low level Alchemists are the real saviors of the working class.”
Elincia’s passion for her class was starting to rub off on me, making me wish I had a crafting class like her. I wondered what I could create with my knowledge of the modern world and a class like Tinkerer or Runesmith. Even if Scholars couldn’t really craft anything useful, I could meet talented people that could.
Elincia’s voice brought me back to the present.
“The more mana involved, the harder the brewing process is. For that reason, low level Alchemists are limited to brewing low and mid grade base potions. You know, the basic recipes provided by the System.” Elincia continued explaining as she measured the ingredients. “Man, I wish I could brew a Named Potion some day.” She added with a wishful voice.
It seemed that Elincia did not just dream of forests and mountains.
“A Named Potion?” I asked.
“Yes, like a brand new recipe that the System acknowledges as my own creation. I’m talking about something neat like ‘Elincia’s Tracking Potion’ or ‘Elincia’s Monster Repel’.” Elincia explained with the same hopeful voice.
I was wrong. Elincia’s alchemy dreams weren’t far from her love for the wilderness.
“Anyway, I’ll take half the Fairy King’s Brooch as a reward for escorting you here. I don’t know what Scholar trick you used to pick only high concentration ones but it will be more than enough to brew medicine.”
I was hoping to see Elincia brewing a potion but instead, she tied half the bundle of Fairy King’s Brooch and put it inside a flask. Then she put the flask away in a drawer among many other Alchemy ingredients. Elincia seemed to ignore basic information about Scholars like the fact I could use [Identify] to detect ingredients with high mana concentration so I was inclined to think classes kept their skills to themselves.
As Elincia put the Fairy King’s Brooch away, I separated each bundle in two halves; one for me and one for her.
“For the soap, the shirt, and the food.” I said as Elincia gave me a questioning look.
I hoped Elincia realized she had helped me more than I could ever repay her.
“And for the Common classes.” I added, remembering my newest title.
Elincia shook her head. “It’s too much. These are high quality ingredients from the Farlands. They are a precious resource in the hands of a competent Alchemist.” Elincia said, refusing to accept them.
“Consider it a donation and a token of friendship. For the kids. To replenish the potions you used in the Farlands.” I dismissed Elincia’s further objections with a movement of my hand.
“You can’t be serious. This is a lot.” Elincia said. Then, she realized how serious I was and a parade of emotions flashed through her face before she grabbed the half-bundles and tucked them into ingredient flasks. Surprise, relief, shame.
“Thank you, Robert Clarke. For everything.” Elincia sheepishly said as she returned from her ingredient rack at the opposite side of the bedroom.
“My friends call me Rob.” I smiled back. It felt good to be of some use for the orphanage.
Elincia gave me a charming smile before speaking again.
“Go to the Great Hall to ask for a passage permit, Rob, then go to the southern gate and jump on a merchant caravan. I’m sure the Sages from the Library are going to be thrilled to have you.” Elincia said.
“Are you sure you don’t need help with the kids now that Holst is gone?” I asked as I stood up, following her cue. Taking care of a dozen small kids sounded like a hell of a task for a single person.
Elincia raised an eyebrow.
“I got the Governess title years ago, Rob. Even the System knows I have things under control.” The woman said, putting a hand on my shoulder and pushing me towards the door. “ZAON, COME HERE!”.
The elven boy peeked through the dormitory door in a blink of an eye, which made me think he was already in the corridor when Elincia called.
“Did you call me, Miss Elincia?” The boy asked.
“Go to the kitchen and pack some bread and cheese for Mister Clarke. He’s departing for a long trip. Quick!” Elincia said and Zaon instantly disappeared. Then, Elincia guided me back to the main entrance where we waited for the kid to return.
“It was good to meet you.” I said, extending my hand. “If I find Holst in the Imperial Library, I'll make sure to send him your regards.”
Elincia gave me one of her trademark wicked smiles and shook my hand. I couldn’t help but feel a bit sad, she was the first person I had met in this world and despite the initial difficulties, I had grown fond of her and her unapologetic style.
“If you ever visit Firecrest again you are more than welcome to stay with us.” Elincia said. Maybe it was my imagination but I detected a hint of sadness in her voice. Even if we had only known each other for a few days, we had hit it off considerably well. Surely Elincia had a temper but I recognized it was part of her charm.
“And if I manage to replicate a shotgun, I’ll send you one plus a box of ammo.” I said, imitating her wicked smile.
“Now you’re talking!” Elincia beamed as Zaon appeared from the corridor carrying a big satchel. Our time was over.
“Goodbye, Elicia.”
“Goodbye Robert Clarke, it was nice to know you.”
You have obtained Denial Lv.4. Temporary.
Zaon walked by my side through the deserted streets, silently humming the same sweet song Elincia sang as she used the magical scale. The elven boy was shy and stuttered a lot but his curiosity was stronger than his withdrawn personality. My [Teacher’s Sense] told me Zaon was the kind of kid that shined in small classrooms where he could speak freely.
[Awareness]: You don’t possess a skill called [Teacher’s Sense], stop fooling around.
Did I just detect a hint of jealousy?
Maybe [Teacher’s Sense] wasn’t a real skill but I liked to think I had developed something like that after years working as a teacher. Most of my colleagues loved to hear their own voices instead of listening to their students. Then, they acted surprised when something bad happened.
I tried not to think about my past and focused on the present.
My shoes clacked against the polished cobblestone of the streets. More than half of the stone bricks were missing and rainwater accumulated in the holes left behind. The putrid smell of stagnant water filled my nostrils but Zaon was unfazed. He must've already gotten used to it.
As we climbed the step road, the precarious buildings of the northern district turned into well preserved houses and clean streets. Mold and rust turned into fresh white paint and varnished planks. Rotten and splintered shutters were replaced by clear glass windows. The eerie and abandoned atmosphere was replaced by lively and wide streets full of stores and workshops.
“How old are you, Zaon?” I asked as we left behind the narrow alleys of the north district. For some reason, Zaon didn’t speak unless prompted to.
“Fourteen. I’ll be fifteen during the winter and I'll be able to get a Class before the year ends.” He said, dejected.
It didn’t take a genius to realize something bothered him.
“Is there a problem with that? Having a Class is great, look at Miss Rosebud, she can brew handy potions because she’s an Alchemist.” I pointed out. I knew a few people who would die to achieve a class, whatever it was.
Zaon gave a disheartened sigh before answering. “I want to become a Knight and then a Paladin but I’ll probably end up as a lowly Soldier.”
The pieces of the puzzle regarding Class acquisition were starting to fall in place.
“Miss Rosebud told me she chose to be an Alchemist. Why do you think you’ll end up as a Soldier?” I asked.
Zaon sighed again and dropped his shoulders.
“I am not as talented as Miss Elincia, and Mister Holst said I’m not Knight material, so I’ll probably end up as a Soldier because there is basically no requirement to become a Soldier.” Zaon kicked a pebble out of the road.
Requirements. It made sense the System had requirements for certain classes, otherwise everyone would be a Mega Black-knight of Death or something along those lines.
“What’s wrong with Soldiers?” I asked.
“Is this some sort of test? Everyone knows what’s wrong with Soldiers and Archers.” Zaon said.
“I want to know why you believe the Soldier Class isn’t good, not the popular opinion.” I deflected Zaon’s suspicions using my high level [Teacher’s Bullshido]. Truth was, I was completely ignorant as to why the Soldier Class was looked down on. If I had to guess, a level 5 Soldier had the prowess to kick my Scholar ass any day of the week.
Zaon tapped on his lips with his fingers just like Elincia did when she was deep in thought.
“Well… the Soldier Class has the worst growths of all combatant classes, their mana pool is shallow as a puddle, and their skills aren’t really powerful. Even Blacksmiths have better Strength and Mana!” Zaon said, raising a finger for each con of the class. “Mister Holst says that the System reserves powerful classes for the nobility and really talented individuals.”
I nodded in silence trying to hide my inner turmoil from Zaon. My hatred for Holst was growing by the second. As if endangering the kids wasn’t enough, Holst had also been feeding them world-class bullshit. There was no more vicious practice than a teacher telling a student they were dumb and incapable of improving.
“Do you know why some people can become Knights and others can’t?” I asked.
Zaon seemed to assume that I was testing his knowledge.
“No, nobody knows. The System just offers you a Class according to the contents of your soul.” The elven kid replied.
“Then you should trust yourself a bit more, Zaon.” I smiled. “You were brave and determined by taking care of the younger kids during Miss Elincia’s absence. Maybe you are not as far from your goals as you believe.”
Zaon guided me in silence through the meandering streets of Farcrest. As we walked towards the southern district, the city continued to change. From the abandoned streets of the northern district to the bustling with activity of the inner city.
Stores lined up on both sides of the streets, offering their alluring goods from behind their windows. Horse drawn wagons loaded with crates traveled up and down making deliveries to stores and workshops alike.
Along the sidewalks, fine ladies and gentlemen walked up and down the street, hopping from store to store. Most of the inhabitants of Farcrest were humans but I noticed a few half orcs, half elves, and small gnome-like people from time to time.
The Great Hall towered by the end of the street like a black sturdy stone golem overseeing the market. In the same fashion of the walls, the Great Hall had been built to last. I wondered if the black stone had magical properties.
“You don’t believe me.” I pointed out as we emerged into a wide street, a few blocks from the inner wall.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Zaon replied but his tone betrayed him.
I stopped before entering the traffic on the main avenue and dug into my backpack.
“Take these ingredients to Elincia and tell her to brew some potions to help your training, I’m sure she will assist you the best she could if you tell her you want to become a Knight.” I said. “I can see the Great Hall from here. You can go back to the orphanage.”
Zaon grabbed the bundles, nodded, and got lost in the maze of streets. I glanced at the alley from which he had disappeared for a moment and turned around to face the Great Hall, wishing good fortune to all the inhabitants of the orphanage.
