Jack stared at the System Message for over a minute in shock.

  [System Message-Internal View]

  [Apprentice Scribe Skill Levelled]

  [Draughtsmanship (7)]

  After the first couple of levels, it was rare for a skill to level from performing a basic activity like sketching a dozen faces. Of more importance, Jack had assumed his scribe skills would be frozen like what occurred when someone hit a levelling milestone—level 25, level 50, level 75—and chose a new novice class.

  At level 25, Jack had a choice when he placed his hand on a Choosing Stone. He could’ve continued his journey as a scribe and chosen Apprentice Scribe, or another novice class at level 0.

  Of course, in his past life, he chose Apprentice Scribe, but had he chosen Novice Explorer, for example, his Novice Scribe class and skills would’ve been frozen until he again reached level 25. At that point, he could’ve chosen another novice class, Apprentice Scribe or Apprentice Explorer.

  Elves, with their long lifespans, tended to take a convoluted route to power; they combined multiple novice and apprentice-level classes together for their synergistic skill combinations.

  Had Jack’s assumptions been correct, he’d have been able to use his scribe skills at their current levels, but only his new archery skills would level up.

  Jack couldn’t sit still due to excitement as he looked at his scribe skills list to confirm the new level.

  [Class Screen-Internal View]

  Class: Apprentice Scribe (49)

  Compatibility: 70%

  Novice Primary Skills

  - Copy Text (5)

  - Translate Text (5)

  - Draughtsmanship (7)

  - Bind Book (5)

  - Restoration (4)

  Novice Secondary Skills

  - Calligraphy (5)

  - Layout (4)

  - Emboss Text (4)

  - Cartography (4)

  - Cataloguing (5)

  - Wax Sealing (3)

  - Ink Preparation (3)

  - Parchment Preparation (3)

  - Watermarking (3)

  - Contracts (3)

  - Margin Notation (5)

  - Ink Weatherproofing (3)

  - Micro-Script (4)

  - Leather Working (3)

  - Illuminated Script (2)

  - Gold Leaf (2)

  Apprentice Primary Skills

  - Perfect Recall (5)

  - Create Cypher/Decipher (4)

  - Inscribe Spell (5)

  - Scribe’s Ear (3)

  - Glyph of Obfuscation (5)

  Apprentice Secondary Skills

  - Living Margins (2)

  - Lexomancy (3)

  - Seal of Silence (3)

  - Explosive Ink (2)

  - Echo Writing (2)

  - Dream Journaling (3)

  - Astral Notation (2)

  [Draughtsmanship] was now his highest-level skill.

  Jack stood in shock, “I-I must have been close to a level before I died.” He paced the room, still excited at what this meant. “I can still level my scribe skills; I can level all my skills.”

  Levelling two classes at the same time was unheard of. Realisation hit. “I can become a Journeyman Scribe.” He’d assumed his scribe skills would be forever locked at their current level for the rest of his life, and so he’d never have the choice of becoming a Journeyman Scribe at level 50.

  In his past life, at age forty-one, he should’ve been at least a level 63 Journeyman Scribe when he died. With his prodigious early levelling speed, perhaps above level 75 and into the realms of Expert Scribe. However, with the death of his family and severe burn scars, coupled with depression and alcohol abuse, his levelling speed plummeted to well below average. His scribe skills had all but stagnated.

  With wobbly legs, he sat down in even more shock than before. “Will I be able to choose journeyman now?”

  Normally, when reaching level 50, a person would go to a temple and use the Choosing Stone to select either the journeyman version of their class or a new class at the novice level. Jack was in a unique situation. It could be that when he reached level 50, he could use the Choosing Stone immediately, or perhaps he’d have to wait until his archery class reached level 25 before choosing a new class.

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  “It doesn’t matter; I can eventually choose Journeyman Scribe.” Jack smiled. “After dealing with Greaves, I can carry on my life as a scribe.” He pumped his fist in the air in celebration and shouted, “Yes!”

  A few moments later, he heard his mother call from the bottom of the stairs, “Are you alright, Jack?”

  He calmed down. “Erm, yes, fine.” He took a deep breath. “I got a little excited about using my new scribe skills.”

  His mom laughed and went back to whatever she was doing. Cooking.

  “I’m going to be a Journeyman Scribe and have a good life.” Jack couldn’t stop smiling. “I can’t waste any time.”

  Jack took a quick look at the sketches of the twelve nobles before hiding them in a book and placing it on the bookshelf. “Mom won’t check there.” His bookshelf was one of the few things his mother wouldn’t ‘dust’ while cleaning.

  After spending thirty minutes drawing the nobles’ likenesses, he’d recovered from his earlier exercise. Jack strapped the dagger under his top, so his mother wouldn’t see it and went for a jog through the city. Having realised he was unfit, his jog was on the slow side; it was more of a brisk walk.

  As Jack ‘jogged’ through the city, he considered ways to earn gold fast. If everything went like his first life, he’d be working with his father as a Novice Scribe in a couple of weeks.

  The pay for a novice wasn’t great, just 25 silvers a week, meaning it would take at least a few weeks to save enough to afford a bow. I need a bow. If only I could tell the Royal Library I’m already an Apprentice Scribe. Apprentice Scribes earned at least 1 gold a week, so with that pay, a bow would be within reach in no time compared to the meagre wages of a novice.

  As he neared home, Jack slowed his pace; he couldn’t let his mother see him out of breath. “What can I do to earn some coin?” he muttered to himself.

  Jack opened the door and had an epiphany. He almost slapped himself in the head for being so dumb. Why am I trying to reinvent the wheel? He shook his head. I’m already an Apprentice Scribe; I can make spell scrolls and sell them for good coin. He had spent over fifteen years surviving almost exclusively on the profits from selling spell scrolls.

  The welcoming aroma of his mother’s cooking pulled him inside. “Hey, Mom,” he called out, stepping into the warm embrace of his home.

  His mom looked him over as he entered the kitchen. “Why do you look so sweaty? Are you coming down with something?” she asked, reaching out to check his forehead. “Hmm. You do feel a little warm.” With that, she moved towards her herb supplies, leaving Jack both amused and reassured.

  “I’m fine. I walked a little fast and became hot, that’s all.” He needed to work on his lies.

  His mother ignored him while adding something to a bowl of soup. “Eat this. We need to keep you healthy and strong.” She handed him the bowl, which had a slight medicinal smell. “You know, your second uncle Elijah, twice removed, came down with a fever and died the following week.” She shook her head. “If only he hadn’t ignored the warning signs,” she muttered to herself. “If you start seeing colourful spots floating before your eyes, tell me immediately.” She pointed the wooden spoon at him.

  Struggling to control a smile, he took the soup and nodded before sitting at the table.

  “I mean it, Jack.” She leaned over the table to look into his eyes. “Any spots. Promise you’ll let me know.”

  Jack smiled. “I promise, Mom.” He changed the subject. “Where’s Polly?”

  “She’s gone to meet her friends,” his mom explained as she returned to stirring a bubbling stew. “She won’t be home for at least a few hours.” Turning back to face him with an exasperated look in her eye, she continued, “That reminds me. That annoying sister of yours will be doing the washing for a month as punishment. I can’t believe she thought drenching you would be funny. Well, I can tell you ‘Little Miss Laugh Out Loud’ ain’t laughing now. She’ll be elbow-deep, scrubbing stained gussets and your brother’s dirty nappies until the next full moon.”

  Jack laughed as one of his previous life events repeated itself. I’ll have to find some spider egg sacs over the weekend. Those tiny spiders resulted in so many good memories.

  His mom noticed the expression on his face as he remembered his sister running from her room, screaming because she’d found a few harmless spiders in her hair. She narrowed her eyes and ordered, “You’re the older brother. You will show some maturity and not respond.”

  “Of course, Mom,” he said. “I’m a responsible adult now; the punishment you gave her seems fair and appropriate.” He looked down at his soup and smirked. There was no way he wasn’t going to reciprocate. The game is on.

  “Hmm.” His mother went back to cooking.

  The Kindest Vampire and it has what appears to be an interesting starting point for how the MC becomes a vampire. Very amusing.

  Rising Stars section of Royal Road, which can make or break a new fiction. That brings with it the haters, so if you read and enjoy the story, drop a Follow and a rating. I'm reasonably confident doing that won't backfire in the afterlife. :~)