While I was able to gain the traits, I still wasn’t good at using them two days later. Worse, I didn’t even have a good grasp with what they did. I could manipulate the mana, but for all practical purposes that just let me swirl it around inside of me and, for extrinsic manipulation, waste a bunch and produce a little light.

  Not a lot of great use.

  For now, it was enough to have them and to get a quick boost to my magic stats. I could worry about the usage later, after I finished training my physical stats. I was still suspicious about how fast they were growing, so I asked Grimoire about it.

  “It is odd, but I have been attributing it to your… other oddities.” He’d said, while helping me practice swordsmanship. “Additionally, you are picking up skills at a rapid pace, which is also helping to boost your capabilities. Most get them done earlier, so their base is lower when they start trying to improve themselves.”

  “How long does it usually take to get someone to… what was it, 75?” I asked, trying to remember the number. 15 going into each stats. There are 5 stats…

  “Actually, the goal is usually closer to 80, but 75 takes around three months of training for the average individual. Then it slows down to several months to raise a single attribute.” He parried a slash I made at his torso and delivered a palm strike to my sternum, knocking the wind out of me. “It’s usually only used by those with more time than skill. I believe a total of 90 is possible, but from what you’ve said those who get there are likely more… lopsided.”

  I stumbled back, but didn’t drop my guard, lifting my blade up to protect from a diagonal slash that was far faster than his others. I’d done it on reflex more than anything, but Grimoire smiled in approval. “Good. I think that will be all for today.”

  Taking his blade as well, I put them both back and then toweled off as I thought about what he’d said. “Should I spend some of my free stats on Constitution? It’s pretty far behind and leveling a lot slower.”

  He considered the question, really thinking about it. “Yes, that should be fine. If you can, put it up to 20. I did hear you made outstanding growth with your magic stats, so it should be fine.”

  I didn’t wait and just dumped the 8 points into it to bring it all the way to 20. I turned off the shroud before hand and the effect was almost immediate. My insides felt like they’d just been forged with a soothing warmth that made breathing easier, my muscles relax, and just everything felt better.

  Then the smell hit and I watched as oily black stuff started to come out of my pores. I ran to the nearest bathroom and threw up into the toilet there. It just kept coming out from both ends, and didn’t feel like it’d stop.

  By the time it did, I had been forced to vacate that bathroom and go to mine and scrub myself clean. The tarlike substance had hardened and was difficult to remove, but when it was gone I was surprised by the changes.

  Looking in the mirror, my body had become more toned and any fat was gone. My skin had a smooth and almost glowing consistency and my hair was shiny, but that could have been from just washing it. I didn’t look too different, more like imperfections were tweaked to be more appealing.

  “Why the hell don’t more nobles look like this if they are getting their physical stats increased?” I asked myself. Then I thought about everyone I knew who had high physical stats. Or at least perceived to.

  Porter could be described as ruggedly handsome. Grimoire was distinguished and had an otherworldly charm with his strange skin color and pointed ears. Hell, even Grandpa Toren looked like he’d have been popular a few decades ago. Maybe he still is? It was hard to judge since all I knew were men and I didn’t really feel any attraction to them. Does Paige have a high constitution?

  Considering it was rude to ask someone’s stats, I’d probably never know. I could think about it and guess all day, but in the end I’d need some numbers. Numbers I wouldn’t be getting. The thought made me sigh.

  I got dressed and went to meet with Deacon outside. We’d planned the outing yesterday, and I was actually excited to do more than visit specific shops. We were going to tour the city, discovering it together since he’d only been here a short time himself. I was more excited than he was, though.

  “Alright, remember, we stick together and if separated you find somewhere public and open to wait for me. Preferably outside as well.” He reminded me one last time as we headed out the front gate. “And if I say run?” He asked.

  “I run back here as fast as I can.” I responded in a bored tone.

  “At least you remember so I can berate you for it later.” Deacon said with more amusement than I appreciated.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose and responded with, “I don’t win an argument about this, laugh it up. At least I don’t have to stay sober.”

  He snorted, “Yes you do. Drinking age is age of maturity. For humans, that’s considered eighteen.”

  I closed my eyes then motioned him forward, “Any plans on where we go first?”

  Deacon hadn’t moved, waiting patiently for me to go first. He didn’t say anything until I started walking. “Not really. My plan started and ended with leaving the house. Maybe with visiting the actual Cotton Rock this city is named after, but otherwise it’s your show.”

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  I paused in my walking and turned to look at him. “Wait… this city is named Cotton Rock?”

  The grin on his face at my outrage made me want to punch him.

  So, I did.

  “And what did we learn?” Deacon said, whistling a happy tune.

  I waved my fist in front of me as we walked, wondering if a knuckle dislocated or I’d just bruised it. “That you’re an ass?”

  The man let out a bark of a laugh, but waited for me to actually answer.

  I ran my other hand along my face in exasperation, “Fine. You can make shields and they’re very solid.”

  “I was going for don’t attack your bodyguard, but that’ll work.” He shrugged and seemed in a rather chipper mood.

  We walked through the crowds of people towards a nicer part of town than the one Paige had led me to. There were people dressed in clothes that were better quality than what either myself or Deacon were wearing. I was fine with that, until some man in a fur lined outfit that looked too warm for the day walked past and his guards shoved us out of the way. The one who’d done it had even tried to knock us into the mud.

  I started forward to deck him, but Deacon held my shoulder. They’d already gone past and I glared after them. A few seconds later, I’d calmed down enough, “Are all of them like that?”

  “You say that like you aren’t a noble yourself.” He said, before whistling a low tune. By some coincidence, the guard tripped and fell against the noble, knocking him down and into their own little mud puddle.

  “Not by choice.” I said, resisting a smile as I watched them try to untangle themselves. “And hopefully never like that.”

  “Ah, that’s where the problem lies, isn’t it?” We started in a different direction, deciding to go a little out of the way to take a different road while the noble and his guards made a scene. “There’s a lot of choices we don’t get to make. Our parents, where we grow up, how we’re raised and all that. Sometimes it’s worse, and you won’t get a choice about what class you want to be, or what jobs you want to take. It’s important that we recognizes the choices we do get, though.”

  I turned to look at him out of the corner of my eye, “And what choices brought you here?”

  Deacon looked away, “Debts I chose to acquire for strength and crystal. And I suppose a change in perspective.”

  We continued to walk in silence. Despite the heavy atmosphere now surrounding the man, the walk wasn’t awkward, just quiet amidst the noise of the city. People shouting and talking at each other. Merchants or people crying out about wares and services. Musicians playing somewhere close enough I could faintly hear them.

  “Hey, what’s that on her face?” I asked, nodding in the direction of a woman in a cream blouse and long navy skirt. She had some glass and wire object perched on her nose.

  “What?” He followed my gaze, “I believe those are spectacles. Or lenses. Or glasses. They’ve a few different names. They’re mostly to improve eyesight.”

  “Is there something wrong with her eyes?” I asked, turning to look at him.

  He took a closer look then looked at me, shrugging, “I don’t know. I know you see a lot of studious types wearing them because they can provide a buff.”

  “That’s interesting. Do they make any that allow a person to look through them, but others can’t see where they’re looking?” I asked, getting an idea.

  “Oh, absolutely. Had an associate who had a full helmet like that. It was expensive too, though I imagine something like spectacles wouldn’t be as bad.” His brow furrowed and he looked between me and the person I’d asked about, “Why?”

  “My eyes apparently glow when I’m using Scan and I’d like to use it more often.” I admitted.

  He smirked, “Oh, that’s actually kind of clever. Less complicated than learning to cut the visual element. Doing that wrong could actually cause damage.”

  I turned to face him fully, my face filled with a horrific realization, “Wait, I could hurt myself if I mess with the spell?”

  The look he gave me didn’t need the words he said. “Are you stupid? Of course you could. It’s not exactly safe even in the best of circumstances.”

  I… did not have a response to that. At least not one that didn’t make me sound petulant. Instead, I just kept walking, letting my feet guide us to wherever we’d wind up.

  We did eventually end up at the estate Cotton Rock was at. We actually arrived as a tour was starting, which was neat. It cost ten PEC each, but I covered the cost. Deacon didn’t seem surprised when I pulled crystals from my bank while my hand was in my pocket. Instead, he’d moved so that side wasn’t as visible under the guise of checking his own pockets for money and stepping in front of me.

  I didn’t know what I’d expected to find inside, but… it was just a rock. Not even a very big rock, just a rock a little shorter than me that was constantly being picked by three attendants. It just grew in great, fluffy bunches on every surface of it at a rate visible to the eye. It was interesting, but kind of boring.

  “I… expected more. Or at least… bigger.” I said, looking at it.

  “Kind of. It’s weird, and definitely a steady supply… but that’s pretty small.” Deacon responded.

  A nearby man laughed, “That’s because it goes underground as well. There’s a larger room beneath it where scaffolding goes all the way around a room the size of this courtyard to cover the rest of it. “

  I looked around. It was pretty big courtyard.

  “Mostly lower level people do the picking underground. The ones up here have actual classes around being a harvester of this particular ‘crop’.” He put air quotes around the word, “So to speak. Some of our best paid.”

  I watched them work, “It doesn’t look like it takes a lot of skill. Is there a lot of crystals in working here?”

  He shrugged, “There can be. The workers do eight hour shifts and get paid based on the kilogram. The best can make close to five hundred a month.” He leaned in closer, “Apparently, the owners tried to use slave labor for a while, but when it was found out their taxes shot up so high that they were losing crystals, so they stopped.”

  I looked at him, irritation on my face, “Good.” I said, with conviction. “The whole practice is horrible.”

  “Oh, I agree.” The jovial man said, laughing at the audacity of the idea that it would be good. “The taxes from the Duke make even an unclassed worker a better choice. And the chore of programming them properly takes forever.”

  My eyes narrowed in suspicion as Deacon slowly guided me away, patting my shoulder and whispering, “Easy… easy… you can’t fix everything with violence.”

  It was still a tempting option to try.

  feel like I've done that much until I look back at everything. The google doc is 153 pages, and according to RR the book is closer to 300. Which is just wild. I feel like I haven't even really gotten started, though I'd be comfortable with maaaybe Chapter 25 being the end of what I'd call "The First Act".