After limping through the gate I made it to the Adventurer Guild Hall. I spotted the guild master.

  “Hi Thane.”

  The man turned to me and didn't recognize me. I suppose that's to be expected. I was taller… and had violet hair, green eyes, and lavender tinted skin. Definitely the taller part. I pulled out my guild card and letter of transfer and handed them to him. He quickly rushed me into a familiar back room.

  “You have one chance to convince me you’re Scratches.”

  O system, he is not going to have me locked up again, is he? I remember the first time here and decide on my best approach.

  “I dunno, do you still have my bloody footprints to compare to, I'm sure they still probably match.”

  Okay maybe not my best approach, but his narrowing eyes tells me he is more annoyed than disbelieving.

  “What happened to your title ‘Scratches’.”

  “I unfortunately had to sever it from my Voiceless title which made me lose it.”

  He dragged his right hand across his face while looking at the ceiling. I don't think he ever saw Voiceless but maybe it was explained to him. He did have to cosign my permanent membership that lasted the shortest amount of time.

  “So why are you here and not in Hilgurd?”

  To tell him or not. When faced with this issue before grandma Bianca forced a vow from Reginald. I don't have the clout to ask the same here.

  “I can't say anything other than I have left behind my name.”

  He raises an eyebrow to that.

  “Will they be looking for you?”

  “They know where I am.”

  He sighs, then puts on the air of a Guild Master.

  “Well then Scratches, I welcome you to Yetna Adventurer Guild Hall. Is there anything I can assist you with?”

  “I could use a recommendation for some lodging.”

  “That I can assist with.”

  -----

  This is a daily reminder: You have 20 unallocated stat points

  The first morning of Scratches the adventurer. It's met with a stomach growl. I opened the box I was allowed from Francis. It had a hair brush, some clothing that should fit me, my water wand, my throwing dagger, my busted enchanted dagger and Ratagin. I was lucky to have this. It was a start. After brushing my hair, I leave the guild hall rentable room and lock it.

  You have gained [Convert Arcane to Mental Mana] Competent 1

  Competent - you can cast mental magic without first converting your mana

  Mental Fortitude raised to 81

  That's good, one less step. I've attached my arcane core to my mental one. My personal reserves will have to stay that, personal. I make it outside the hall and see a kabob cart. I get one kabob and only finish half of it. I'm left with a conundrum. I walk back to my room and see my old attendant dress. It's too short to use for its purpose and gritting my teeth I tear it. I rest my kabob on the scrap of cloth I made and rest it on my room desk. I take Ratagin and start my focus on making him move back and forth.

  -----

  It takes two hours but I emptied my mental core. Which also emptied my arcane core. They both went up a level but annoyingly mental sits at apprentice nine. I eat the rest of my kabob, and head down into the main area of the hall. There are a few adventurers around but they seem to be ignoring me. That's for the best.

  I head up to the board with requests. It seems they are ordered by tier ranks. I go to the far right which have both open and T2 requests. Apparently there are no tier ones on the board, as tier ones can't read. Seems there is an open clover request. Seems simple enough. I go to the receptionist to confirm details.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey darlin’ here to open a request, hun?”

  She is older now, I recognize her but she has never met me. I try my best not to think too hard on that.

  “Could you tell me where it's best to gather clover?”

  “Thinking of taking an open commission, hun? The rate not great for non members.”

  “Guess it's a good thing I'm a member then.” I give her a smile, and pull out my card.

  “Scratches?” She looks at my uncovered forearms, and then shrugs, “Lucky to get a one word moniker these days. Sure, hun, the east gate where you want to head, plenty of forest there. Plenty of goblins too. You planning on going out there by your lonesome.”

  I just smile at her and she shrugs again. I head up to my room and decide a new piece of cloth would serve me better. My work dress gets more scandalous. After finding a sandwich cart I wrap my lunch in my scrap cloth and head to the forest. I got a good jog going and reach the fountain. I drink my fill and give my tithe. Then I continue my jog to the east gate. Waving at the guards, they seem concerned but don't stop me. Once past the gate I see the forest. I run straight to it.

  At the tree line I unleash my aura. I set the density to what I thought it was like the last time I was in a forest. That the range feels three times as large is actually kinda frightening. I think I can use this. I mentally anchor the aura where it is, as long as I don't move the aura I should be able to return to the tree line. I always seem to know where I am standing in my aura. I head in.

  The first few patches I find are disappointing, mostly picked over. It takes a good hour till I find a decent one. I bind my bundles with my scraps of cloth and find a new stick to hang them from. A notification pops up.

  You have gained the skill [Herbalism] Basic 1

  Herbalism - the ability to harvest useful plants

  Basic - your instinct on the way to harvest plants is a bit better

  Perception raised to 66

  Really perception? I shrug, it would have been nice to have the first time. I eat some of my sandwich and then go looking for another patch. It only takes me three more patches before I have six bundles. I eat the rest of my sandwich and throw my knife till I get a skill up. I shrug and go for another. Its soothing.

  I eat my last sandwich and head back. When I get to the tree line I pull my aura back in and start running to the east gate again. The guards are happy to see me and wave me back in. The afternoon is only half way through when I get to the guild.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  The same receptionist is at the counter. I wave at her and bring my bundles.

  “Well hun, glad to see your back and with six bundles. That's quite quick work. You didn't pick the closest patches dry did ya?”

  I shake my head and smile, “No, ma'am.”

  “Well hun, it's six large copper per bundle, the guild claims ten percent for a tier two. You get one contribution point for completing an open request.”

  She places three small silvers and three large coppers in front of me.

  “And the four small coppers?”

  She smiles at me, “Not many join who can do the math hun, nice to see.”

  She places the four small coppers. What would have happened if I didn't know the math. It's not like Sam could check the amounts he got back from her.

  “Is there a place where I can store my coins?”

  “You can open an account with the merchant guild but they will charge you fees for every use imaginable. The guild itself offers banking services but only to tier three an’ above. Local lords were getting suspicious of the guild offering to hold the money of new recruits you see. Thought we were sending them out to die to keep the money.”

  “It's twenty contributions right?”

  She smiles at me, “Good on ya for reading the book and not just using it for wipes. We also require a successful dive of the local dungeon. You can rent a key for a silver, and going as a porter don't count. If you make it pass the first floor, it's considered a success.”

  “Is there a suggested level I should be at before I go?”

  “It's more of a skill, stat question to be honest. At least fifty strength or fifty int if you're a mage type.”

  I nod, she is looking to see if I volunteer the answer. I don't, she shrugs and starts to take the clover away.

  “Ah could I have my pieces of cloth back before you take the bundles.”

  She looks at the bundles and sees my cloths binding them. She puts the bundle back on the counter and grabs a spindle of twine from below.

  “If you tie them with this you can have the remainder. Make sure to buy more yourself later.”

  I agree and do as she says.

  -----

  I return to my room and don't see anything out of place. Taking the time to check everything with [Attention to Detail] causes it to level. Who knew paranoia could be useful.

  It cost me a silver to live today, and dinner has yet to be paid for, profit made but not much room. I'll need a sword, Belna charged adventurers fifty silver for a basic short sword. That's at least twenty-five days at my going rate, and that's if I don't pay for anything else. Perhaps ten bundles next time. Not sure how long the clover will last though, or how long the request will. I'll need to check the board again tomorrow.

  Tonight though, I fill my mental mana core, dropping myself to fifty arcane of my personal reserves. My arcane core is empty. Do I try to ignite it by using the core or push my arcane into it? I decided to push it. It makes sense to me that ignition would come from more mana not spending it. I create a blob of mental magic from my reserves. Then I shove it into my core. It takes it with some pain. But it still hasn't ignited. My ten percent reserves becomes five. I place my cloth in my mouth, and scream as I push more into my core.

  You have gained [Mental Mana Core] Competent 1

  Competent - your core regens its own mental mana

  Gain 8 exp

  The pain was so much I hadn't even noticed the core igniting. It's back to sixty percent full. I sigh, better to have space to fill then needing to empty some before dinner. I put my coins into the bottom of my boot. Saving a few big coppers in my hand. The hall itself has a bar to order from. Order being a loose word for you get what they're serving. Today it was mystery meatloaf, the half I ate didn't taste like much.

  “Didn't agree with ya much?” A girl of fourteen asks. She jumps into the bench opposite of me. She got pink hair and blue skin. She was wearing a leather top, but cloth leggings.

  “My sandwich from before must not be done with me yet.”

  My illusion gives me a ratio of one point two. Mother had pointed out it was my most distinctive trait by far.

  “Ah don't give me that, everyone got [Bottomless Stomach]. It ain't my feelings you be hurting.”

  “[Bottomless Stomach]?”

  “What sort of tier two don't got [Bottomless Stomach]?”

  “The recently made tier two.” Adventurer, she means adventurer.

  “O well ‘gratz on learnin’ how to read doll, might want to take a gander at recommended skills all adventurers should have. But before you go run off and do that. Just keep eatin’, before you burst you'll get the skill.”

  I shrug and take another bite. It doesn't sit well but I continue.

  “You startin’ to look sick there.”

  “You did say right before I burst.”

  I almost get the next bite into my mouth when a notification pops.

  You have gained the skill [Bottomless Stomach] Basic 1

  Bottomless Stomach - allows the consumption of additional food

  Basic - please stop now

  Constitution raised to 84

  “Thanks, I *burp* got the skill.”

  “You don't look like your belly is ready to burst.”

  “Family … trait”

  Family ring more like it. That the pressure is behind my fused ribs is weird. Might solve needing to eat so often if I can pack more in. I wonder how many levels it will take before I can eat a whole skewer.

  “Got a name to go with the bizarre biology?”

  “Scratches.”

  She rolls her eyes at me, “Meant your real name, doll.”

  “Scratches.”

  She gives me an eyeful then shrugs “Then you can call me She Who Preys.”

  I smile at that. She asks a new question.

  “I haven't seen you around before, did you join today, doll?”

  “Transfer, why do you keep calling me doll?”

  “What else should I call an eight year old tier two?”

  I squint my eyes at Preys, “Scratches, and I have to at least look like I'm nine by this point.”

  “Are you insinuating you're not eight?”

  I squint at Preys harder. It was best I don't go saying my real age, the ring illusion hides what scant development I have. But damnit I don't want to be eight forever. Preys just laughs.

  “Do you want to try some porter work for my party, see if you be a good fit?”

  I wish, but with all my goals I can't be tied to a group just yet.

  “Maybe in a week, I'm still getting a feel for the city and the area around it.”

  She blinks at me, surprised I turned her down.

  “Are you sure, it's not the safest to be alone as an adventurer. You don't look like you have any gear yet.”

  I just smile, she shrugs.

  “Well I'm here every night, come drop by if you're looking for work.”

  “Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.”

  I wave her off. She joins up with a guy and girl who look to be of similar age. Probably her party members. To be honest, I'm not sure how good I would be as a porter. I burp again, moving is going to be a slog. I listen in to her group for a bit. Better than moving.

  “She didn't seem interested in joinin’” Preys starts with.

  “Ah, after she tries to do a request she'll be beggin’ to join." The boy brown skin, brown hair.

  “She already turned in clover before dinner.” A small voice for the other girl, purple hair, green skin.

  “Can't live off a bunch of clover a day, she be beggin’ when she starvin’.” The boy doubles down.

  “Six.”

  “Eh.”

  “She brought six bundles in.”

  “How she managed that without gettin' eatin’ by goblins.” Prey looking at me again as she asks that.

  Decide it best to go before they decide they need to ask me.

  -----

  I lay on my bed not wanting to move. I take out my hand book and look at the recommended list. [Strong Grip] got it, [Herbalism] ya huh, [Triage] huh don't got that one. I look it up in the skill section. Applying the sap of the ptra plant will grant the skill. Fucking voiceless.

  O there [Bottomless Stomach]. Caution do not attempt to gain the skill if you are utilizing a corset to improve [Resist Crush]. I groan at that. It's too late now and it will be useful if I can gain levels. Explains my system sass at least. Last one on the list is [Throw Rock], never underestimate how useful a thrown stone is. Fair enough.

  I flip through the handbook, maybe it has mental constructs. Marie said they would be useful to level my external. The thought makes me sad. Nevermind that, If I get good enough I could have my other attention utilizing them. Here it is, not a skill, just an application of mental magic. Push out mental mana and maintain it with your mana. The more dense the mana the more solid it is. Initial focus should be on creating a stable block that you can rest this guide book on. Continue to increase weight to train your magic skills.

  I pull some mental mana from my core and try to form a rectangle on my palm. It doesn't seem to want to do it though. I think back to how I made fire. I try again just with mental instead. It starts to form a blob. It's harder than fire to do this, fire was just push and ignite. Here I need to form a shape.

  You have gained [Mana Manipulation:External] Basic 5

  Intelligence raised to 116

  Still not a rectangle though. I keep at it. It feels like the core is not really being drained by this effort. Perhaps unlike fire the mana still connected to me. Time passes as I focus. The construct shatters the first time I attempt to place the handbook on it. That expended some mana. So as long as the construct is maintained it doesn't expend much more than what it took to make it. By the time I can hold the book my notification pops again.

  You have gained [Mana Manipulation:External] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - can maintain two external manipulation at once

  Intelligence raised to 122

  Seems I've missed a few. There are four more mental magic levels as well. I wonder though. Is it two over all or per mind? I form another construct in my other hand. Then I attempt the same further up my arm with my other attention. It forms, I smile. I make a fourth on my other arm. My other attention has been using my mental sight so I simply let it copy the density I push out. This level of effort apparently overcomes my core regen and I slowly tickle down. But not before snagging another two levels. And another four unallocated skill points.

  I try not to think about my family when I go to sleep. I start crying anyways.