This is a
Ya, huh, I swipe again.
This is
Yep, tedious.
You gained a
Swipe, wait shit how do I go back.
This is a daily reminder: You have 2 unallocated stat points
God, this is like an android user trying to navigate an apple. Maybe swipe the other way?
This is a daily reminder: You have 2 unallocated stat points
Damn it, I swipe the screen a few different ways but I just get more of the same. There are going to be ten years of these messages. Swipe. How many days are in a year here? Swipe. I don't even know the names of the months. Swipe. Do they even do months?
“Sara, you seem to just be standing there moving your finger back and forth.” Jacob seems concerned. Swipe.
“Oh, I’m just going through my notifications.” Another swipe. “Didn't mean to cause concern. I'll get going.” Swipe.
I enter the first business and stop swiping. First impressions and all, I need to give this job interview my full attention. The stout man with grey hair is standing behind a counter, rows of shelves with dry goods behind him. He gives a cursory glance, shrugs to himself and addresses me.
“Good morning, little miss, are you here on an errand?”
“Uh no, I was hoping you might need more help with your store, that is to say I was hoping you were looking to hire?”
The man blinks at that, “You seem rather young to be looking for employment.”
“I'm ten, sir.”
An eyebrow raised, I keep talking. “I have [Math] at Intermediate 8.”
“That is impressive, what is your [Common] skill at?”
I murmur, “My [Speak:Common] is apprentice 1.”
“I didn't catch that child, speak up.”
“[Speak:Common] is apprentice 1.”
“I'm sorry, but while writing can come later, any one I hire will need to be able to read. Many of my customers come here with written lists that they themselves can't read.”
A customer comes in, steps in front of me without really looking at me. I stick my head around their waist to look at the shop keep, but he just waves me away, guess I was just a distraction between customers. He starts engaging the customer, and I'm out the door.
I check my [Status Screen] again.
Tier 1 : Human lvl 3 [NOTIFICATIONS]
Title:[Voiceless]
Str - 8
Agl - 10
Per - 16
Con - 7
Cha - 8
Men - 20
Int - 40
Soul - 57
Skills: [English] Intermediate 9 [Math] Intermediate 8 [Yell] Basic 3 [Speak:Common] Apprentice 1 [Running] Basic 5 [Tough Skin] Basic 2 [Status Screen] Apprentice 2 [Tell Lie] Basic 3
Earned Titles: Voiceless
Hey, [Status Screen] leveled. That's a boost to my self esteem at least. No need to get discouraged. Let's try the next shop. After a few notification swipes for luck.
-----
No level up yet, I enter the shop. It's the apothecary, its setup is similar to the grocers, a counter with all the goods behind it. The only difference is there are vials instead of dry goods. Behind the counter is the old man, I turn to leave.
“Sara?”
I stop my turn and face the old man, “Hello mister Lancas.”
He looks bemused. “How does the job hunt go?” I start swiping notifications again.
“The grocer was humoring me until a customer showed up, maybe I can gather herbs or something for you, can that get a title?” Swipe.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Not in that dress you won't, I have an open request for gatherables at the adventures guild. Why do you keep doing that” Swipe.
I guess it must look weird to those who can't see the screen. Swipe. “Trying to go through my notifications, apparently I leveled before I was even two and it's all daily reminders to spend two points. Is there any way to adjust the screen or something?” Swipe.
He sucks his teeth at my dilemma, “I'm afraid you can't change anything about the screen until you reach the competent level, how about I teach you a few of the herbs I use, it may increase your common skill.” Swipe.
“Sure.” Swipe.
He pulls out a blue plant with little rounded leaves on top, “This is clover, note the shape of its leaves, its hue, the stem, and its root system. They are generally found in the shade, a gentle tug at the base of the plant is all that is needed to gather. Its uses . . .”
He goes through 10 swipes before he finishes talking about clover. I don't have to stop him often, his lecture gives me plenty of context to figure out the words I don't know. 40 swipes later I now know of mandrake, a root which is edible, ptras, a different root which has a sap that can disinfect and seal wounds, rosemary, a spindle green leaf plant which can improve taste and trackle, an orange plant with thorns that cause drowsiness. No one comes in during the lectures, I remark on this.
“Most of my customers are adventurers, they usually pop in first thing in the morning or in the evening. My regulars were rather annoyed that I had left the shop last evening.”
Because of me, “Sorry about that.”
He waves me off, “It’s not an issue, just make sure it's the only mana interface you touch each day and you'll be fine.” Guess I can't not touch it, it's everyone's duty. “Did you gain a level in [Speak:Common]?”
I check, “2 actually, and another in [Status Screen], apparently it was enough to level.”
“Excellent, hold off on leveling until this evening. I'm assuming you'll be eating with Cecelia again, she can provide advice on what to choose. Come by tomorrow and I will teach you more words”
“Thank you, Mister Lancas, I'll be sure to do that.” I head out, continuing to swipe as I go.
-----
The next shop I arrive at is the blacksmith. After passing through the front door, I'm in a room that's open to the air with a furnace in the right corner. It is putting off tremendous heat. There is a door that leads further into the building on the opposite side of the furnace. Between the door and the furnace is a humanoid lizard sitting on stool pounding at some metal at an anvil. They are at least 7 King feet tall, red scales, and a broad chest but no tail. They are wearing a heavy apron to protect their front, but their arms are free of garment.
“You need something of me, hatchling? You may get an ember in your mouth if you keep staring with it open like.” The blacksmith says without looking away from their work.
Guess that answers the question of eggs or not. “Sorry Mister, my name is Sara, and I am inquiring if you're looking to hire um me.”
The blacksmith puts aside the metal and looks at me. “I don't generally do honorifics but if you're goin’ to use them then at least use miss” I am so mortified right now. “As for hiring, well how bout you tend to the fire and if you can handle that for a day we can talk about making you an apprentice. You'll need clothing that won't earn you a beating for getting dirty though.”
“I can get different clothes, I'll be back in 15 minutes, miss?”
“Belna, I look forward to your return” she returns to her work.
I hike up my skirt and run back to Lady Maxwell house.
-----
I knock on the door, mindful of the handle. Marie opens the door.
“You've returned.” Curt.
“I got a job at the blacksmith Belna place and she said I should change clothes and the only ones I have is here and so I came—”
“This way” she cuts me off and turns to let me in.
“Oh and can I use the bathroom?”
-----
I make it back to the blacksmith with yesterday's tunic and pants. The tunic neck hole has some quick stitching to make it so I won't fall through the neck hole. I'm wearing new boots that actually fit for once. Marie was horrified when I started to wrap my feet in the rags from yesterday, not sure how she got the boots so quickly. I even got some bread to eat.
Belna studies me, shrugs then hands me a heavy apron that's way too large. “You've gone from princess to urchin in 30 mins.” The stitching wasn't very quick afterall. “Come, you feel this heat, that's where I want you to keep it at. The fuel pile is over there” she pointed at a rather large pile of coal with a shovel sticking out. “And here is the bellows, its foot operated but given how small you are you'll likely need to throw your whole body into it. Here is a chair, sit about here to keep watch, tell me when you need to get water from the fountain, it will do neither of us any good if you pass out.”
It's hard work, the weight of the apron slows me down, but I keep the heat going. I have to visit the fountain every rotation. Then I watch from the chair. Belna makes no mention to my finger swiping while I wait for the fire to cool. The process repeats. I want to give up but getting this apprenticeship drives me on. It was before noon when I first arrived. It's the start of evening when Belna beckons me over.
“You've done well Sara, to be honest I was trying to scare you away but you are still here, so tell me, how many levels of [Fire Tending] did you gain?”
I froze, then in a small voice “I can't gain skills with my current title, I'm hoping to replace it with the apprenticeship you offered.”
Belna looks at me for a moment, I'm not able to read the expression on her face, she kneels down and meets me at eye level. This body language, I do know, my stomach knots.
“I'm sorry Sara, if I had known, I would not have given you this trial. To be an apprentice blacksmith requires a few skills I was going to teach you over a month, the first of which was [Fire Tending]. If you acquire a new title and still wish to learn I am more than willing to take you on. Here is your pay.” She places a silver coin into my palm. “I would have claimed it as my fee for skill training but you gained nothing, and so the debt is mine to pay.”
She heads back to her anvil, and I head to the guard house. The thoughts of debts weigh on my mind. The boots don't feel like they fit anymore.
-----
When I get to the guard house I see Johnston has returned. It took me two days to get here and he did it back and forth in one. Stupid stats. He stops me from entering.
“Captain meeting with your village head, wait here till they are done.”
My eyes widen at that, I sit against the wall. Johnston is already ignoring me. Their voices are easy to hear. They aren't keeping them down at all.
“You are to return Sara at once, she did not have permission to leave the village.” That is definitely the old fool who gave away the food.
“It's my understanding that she was abandoned” True but it still hurts.
“Her father did not have permission to do that, where is the girl?” Rather insistent.
There is a plopping sound, “These boots had to be cut through the side to remove them from her feet.” What?
“They are disgusting, clearly you do not need a crippled girl here, I will take her back tonight.”
“She is not crippled, we used a high quality potion to cure her, she is to stay in this town until her debt is repaid.” The silver in my hand feels heavy, debt. Those types of potions cost gold in the multiple.
“Why would you do such a thing, she is not worth such an expense.” That we can agree on old fool.
I leave while Johnston is looking away.
-----
I stand before the threshold. My feet are clad in cloth, my pants are now shorts that go to my knees. The new boots rest in front of Lady Maxwell's door. I have a new knife, with twine wrapped around the handle, it's under my tunic. I went through the door of the adventurer guild.
