I overlay my ring illusion with my own.

  “That looks so weird.”

  “Sorry, guild master, I'm still practicing.”

  He waves me off and I leave the room. There appears to be some grousing adventurers at the bar. Thane grimaces at this, then looks at me.

  “Don't suppose you want to use your cooking skill do ya?”

  “Will I get guild contribution points?”

  He narrows his eyes then sighs, “Two large coppers a day, one contribution point a day until we find a replacement. You can keep whatever tips you earn. I expect you to work until the dinner shift. You can eat for free, still have to pay for drinks though.”

  I smile and walk slowly to the bar. The guildmaster comes over and slaps down a list of prices for booze. My memories from Sencea help. I start managing the adventurers.

  “What happened to the elf?”

  “The guild had to part ways with Pletu, I'm filling in while the guild finds a replacement.” I keep a smile on.

  The Draknoid shrugs and sits at the table. I brought him some eggs and toast.

  “Anything to drink with that.”

  “Not at the guild prices.”

  He flips exact change to me for his meal. I fear tips will not be in the cards today. Adventurers are cheap by nature and their breakfast has been delayed. I have similar conversations with various waiting adventurers. None of them tip. It's exhausting work. But as my strength grows it gets easier.

  “Why are you doing the barkeep's job, doll?”

  Alicia seems to be starting the day late, “Guild master found I had an okay level of cooking and needed me to be a replacement, Preys.”

  “We would of paid you better.” The boy, I still haven't learned his name.

  “Ya but I still can't run yet, better to be safe then dead.” I give him a sunny smile.

  “When did you become a mage?” The soft spoken one asks.

  “This morning.”

  “By the system doll, how are you only eight?”

  I frown at that, “I got others who need my attention, I'm assuming all three of ya want some food.”

  They nod in unison and head to a table. They talk amongst themselves.

  “I don't think we can ask her to be our porter anymore.”

  I just smile.

  -----

  By the time I get through late breakfast I am exhausted. My stats have been climbing. I start washing the dishes. No magic water faucet, I use my water rod to dry the dishes.

  You have gained [Light Step] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - stepping lightly takes less stamina

  Agility raised to 73

  A nice capstone to my efforts. I managed to get both hundred boons of constitution and mental fortitude. They let me swap out my boosted skill now. Only doable once a day. I put [Lesser Stamina] in as my constitution boosted. I don't think I'll ever swap out [Resist Mental Attacks]. I think on that for a moment. The constitution boon only supposed to raise resists, and yet it took lesser stamina. Am I resisting stamina loss?

  A rather grizzled adventurer comes and sits at the bar. Scars cover a decent portion of his muscles. He has black skin and pink hair that's closely cropped. His soul greatly out weighs mine.

  ? ? Human Adventurer

  You have gained [Identify] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - doubles the distance you can use Identify

  Perception raised to 92

  “Ale.”

  I nod and fill his drink. My second attention has been running [Identify] nonstop. I put the mug down in front of him. He looks down at me, even sitting he towers over me.

  “A little small to be running the bar, you seem rather pleased with yourself, mage.”

  “My [Identify] tier up sir, I've been rather remiss in using it.”

  He grunts and drinks his ale. I go back to cleaning dishes.

  “Another.”

  I bring him another.

  “Your illusion work is crap.”

  “It is as you say, I can only hope to improve.”

  Wonder how much of it he is seeing through. He empties his latest mug.

  “Another.”

  This continues a dozen more times. It doesn't look to affect him at all, I fear for my own future imbibes. I hope his tab doesn't affect him either. When he is done, he gets up and flips a small gold to me. His tab was only a large silver.

  “I'll get your change, sir.”

  He waves me off and leaves. I'm left a tip that's way too absurd. I keep cleaning dishes, other patrons come in and I serve them, none of them leave anything but exact change. I make myself a modest lunch, not feeling right to push my stomach on someone else's food. The day flows forward and I pick up more skill levels as I work. It all blurs together by the time it's evening.

  -----

  “Hey Scratches, thanks for filling in, shift over.”

  I look at the guild master, then nod and head for a table. He puts my two large coppers next to me and waves at the evening barkeep. Hope that means food soon. It isn't long before a plate is put before me. Mystery meat and greens. Yum…

  I start the effort of over stuffing myself again, today was long. Preys group doesn't approach me tonight. It makes me slightly sad, they no longer see me as exploitable labor. When bottomless pings I head to my room.

  I use my mental core down to a quarter making more elaborate illusions. Then I start making arcane constructs until that also reaches a quarter reserves.

  You have gained [Mana Manipulation] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - can maintain three external manipulation at once

  Intelligence raised to 144

  I smile at that, a stat is finally higher than my soul. I keep working till I gain two more levels. Only two days remain.

  -----

  This is a daily reminder: You have 28 unallocated stat points

  The Guild master still hasn't found a replacement bartender. I nibble at my plate while I make breakfast for the hall.

  “Doll, if you keep working the bar the guild master is never going to find a replacement.”

  I look up at Preys, “I'm still getting contribution points, it's fine.”

  I'm up to six, just fourteen more and a dungeon run and I can snag a new title. I smile at the thought.

  “But this has to be so boring.”

  I shrug. Slow and steady is better than dead. I keep making more eggs. I decided to ask a question of Preys.

  “Where is a good cheap smithy? I was thinking of getting a short sword made.”

  It won't be short for me but that's besides the point.

  “You're a mage, what do you need a sword for?”

  “To put the pointy end into things of course.”

  She rolls her eyes.

  “There is a gnome that runs a smithy pass Ren's, he caters to us low tiers.”

  “Thanks, you think he will be open this evening.”

  She shrugs, guess I'll just have to find out.

  -----

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  The evening comes quick enough. No massive tippers this time…or any at all, adventurers really are cheap.

  Before I head out I cut my braid off and stuff it into my bag. It weighs a hundred pounds but I suspect it will entice a gnome. I set my illusion to show hair that isn't there. Not through my ring though. I smile at my progress.

  I got to a hundred strength. The minor boon is the same as the last one I earned. I can switch them out now. I keep strong lungs where it's at. I head to the smithy that's beyond Ren's shop.

  -----

  21 gnome Master Smith

  “Hello, I was hoping you would be available to work on a commission.”

  “Depends on the commission, what sort of iron does a [Basic Mage] need.”

  “The pointy kind used to skewer ones foes, I go by Scratches.”

  “A mage and an adventurer are ya, good twice as foolish. The name is Driknae, if you didn't read my sign. You want a sword, one small gold.”

  I wince at that, I wish I had my own forge.

  “Was hoping for a short sword actually anything longer would be unwieldy.”

  “Eight large silver.”

  “And if I provided the iron?”

  He squints at me.

  “What sort of iron?”

  It's a fair question, one I don't have the answer to. But perhaps presenting it will be answer enough. I toss the braid to the feet of the smith.

  “Fur for weavers lass, this is a smithy.”

  I roll my eyes, then crouched down next to the braid. I then flick it with my nail. It makes a pleasant ringing sound. It weirdly vibrates with me. The smith doesn't notice, they are looking at the braid.

  “I can not ‘ken this. It's like iron horned rabbit, if one managed to gain levels, though no rabbit would have hairs this long nor in these colors. Where did you get this?”

  I just smile at him, he gets annoyed but continues on.

  “I'll make ya a short sword, if ya let me keep the rest.”

  “As long as the sword is made from the braid.”

  He squints at me, “Fine, come back tomorrow.”

  -----

  I spy a bakery as I head back. I managed to snag some day olds for a large copper. It doesn't matter to me, bread is bread and I am in heaven. They are gone by the time I reach the guild. My hair is mostly restored. I wonder how hard it would be to break the iron market. It's an idle thought.

  I make it back to the guild before meal service ends. More mystery meat with a new vegetable. I don't quite know this one. It's fibrous and green and doesn't taste like much, slightly bitter. No visitors again. I head back up to my room after I push my stomach again. I may have to order more next time if I want to keep leveling the skill.

  By the time I reach the stairs I get a notification.

  You have gained [Light Step] Competent 1

  Competent - When light stepping, you feel as if you weigh half as much

  Agility raised to 95

  I smile, that's so much better, I will need to thank Thane for the guidance. Time to earn some more competent tiers. I enter my room.

  I start with illusions which is at apprentice eight currently. Focus increases, my perception of time slows and my mental core starts to drain. I finally manage it, my core is nearly empty.

  You have gained [Illusion Magic] Competent 1

  Competent - Illusion piercer's senses are blurred when looking through illusion

  Gain 8 exp

  I guess that's why it was important to get to competent. There is no illusion that can best everyone but at least they won't see the truth either. I unhook my arcane core from my mental core. The convert levels were great but I need to work on manipulation. It's at eight as well after my illusion work. I start making arcane constructs at the edge of my aura. There are six of them now. I move them around just to increase the difficulty. My arcane stores are running low when it pops.

  You have gained [Mana Manipulation] Competent 1

  Competent - constructs within your [Mana Aura] will maintain while unconscious

  Intelligence raised to 185

  -----

  An old gnome walked into the Maxwell store.

  “Apologies but we are closing up the shop for the evening.” The red head behind the counter beckons. She is slimmer now than she was before. There was a new small heart beat in the back of the shop.

  The gnome pays no attention to the words, they just dodder to the counter. The gnome asks for a spool of twine. The red-haired woman squints and turns her back to grab some twine from the back shelves. She hears something metallic being placed on the counter. She finds the twine and turns back to the front. The gnome is gone, a small girl with a purple braid down her back is leaving through the store front door.

  Genop looks at the counter and sees a familiar ring and a large silver coin. Enough to live in the city for a week.

  -----

  This is a daily reminder: You have 28 unallocated stat points

  A new day, I returned the ring and my allowance back at the Maxwell store. Best to be debt free, and that adventurer generosity is burning a hole in my boot. Also coins in one boots is a shitty way to store coins. It's just uncomfortable, I need that tier three if only for the banking. With that in mind I head to the bar. I see a new person behind it. They have a snake body instead of legs. It's very cool and I caution myself to avoid snakes.

  18 Lamia Barkeeper

  Seems my stint as a barmaid is over. I wave at the new barkeep and then head over to Alicia's group. They are surprised to see me.

  “Still looking for a porter? My schedule is finally freed up.”

  “Doll, you're a mage, what do you want porter work for?”

  “To learn of course, it's not like I've done more than gather clover. Does your group go to the dungeon?”

  It's the soft spoken girl who speaks, “We do, we hunt regular horn rabbits to sell for meat, there is an open request. Are you sure you want porter work? I have to assume your skill set would allow you more.”

  I just smile and nod, my food arrives and I dig in. I finish it before I am full. I decide to wave for more, I can just give away the portion I don't eat. The boy asks a question.

  “So, what's your name?”

  We're doing this again, “Scratches.”

  Alicia rolls her eyes, the boy tries again, “Not your moniker, your real name?”

  “Scratches.”

  The soft spoken girl laughs at that. “I best introduce myself then, I am ‘She who Titters’.”

  “He who Stomps.”

  “I'm sensing a theme here.”

  It's Alicia who answers, “Ya, we all signed up at the same time, doll. Well if you want to do porter work, I ain't stoppin’ ya.”

  “When do you plan to leave, I have an errand to run to pick up my commision.”

  “O whats Driknae makin’ ya?” Alicia asks.

  “Just a short sword, he said to come back in a day, figure a short sword is more than plenty for me.”

  My second helping arrives. I don't get further than a few bites before the struggle begins. When I get my skill up I push the rest to Stomps, he is more than happy to help.”

  “We'll meet ya by the south gate then, we will be bringing a cart which you get to pull. If we fill it, we'll pay ya a small silver. O an’ here a one percent ring.”

  She throws it to me, but I miss the catch. I find it quickly enough, Sam had one of these before, but its best act as if I don't know.

  “One percent ring?”

  “Never used one befor’, basically it transfers some exp from my ring to yours, it’s so backliners get a share. Since you're just lugging gear and not helping fighting, one percent of the exp all ya get.”

  “That's fair. I'm going to go head out to pick up my sword, see ya at the gate.”

  They wave me off as I head out.

  -----

  “What do you mean you couldn't make a sword?”

  “Exactly as I said, I couldn't get my fire hot enough to melt the iron. You'll need to bring it to someone higher level than I, as much as I hate to admit it.”

  He mutters the last part under his breath, but I hear him all the same. It can't be helped. I wonder if my heat resist is a factor in all this.

  “Do you have any short swords that are available, I expect a discount for not being able to complete my commission."

  He gives me a rather annoyed look, “Five large silver, that's as low as I can go.”

  I pay him, the short sword he gives me is subpar but it will do. He returns the braid as well. I leave him to his grousing. I have to hurry, I wasn't planning to go back to the guild but I can't be walking around with a hundred pounds of hair either. When I get to my room, I take a moment to cut some of the hair. I fashioned a crude loop to attach to my belt. It will have to do as a sheath for the sword. Later, maybe I could make a better one.

  I quicken my pace and reach the south gate. Preys party is waiting with a cart. It's a rather narrow thing and it already has the other team members' bags in it.

  “Sorry for the delay, there was an issue at the smith.”

  They wave me off and let me catch my breath. Then we head out the gate, Prey in front, then Titters, me pulling the cart followed by Stomps at the end.

  You have gained the [Pull] Basic 1

  Pull - the ability to pull things

  Basic - it's not a carriage, but a cart will do

  Strength raised to 108

  Maybe someday I'll be able to trade off with Velner. After walking around with three hundred extra pounds, this cart pulling not much of anything. We arrive at the dungeon entrance. Another dirt mound subway entrance. No stairs this time, just a gentle slope. The cart's narrowness makes more sense.

  “So what's the name of this dungeon?”

  Alicia tries to look scary, “Na's Crypt.”

  I shrug and Alicia is disappointed. We head on down. It doesn't take long before we run into some horned rabbits. More rhino horns and not forehead spikes, my disappointment continues.

  Alicia starts off a fight by throwing a rock. She always manages to hit one. Her skill must be well practiced. It's generally just her doing the fighting, she dances around with a sword. Stomps only enters the fray if there is more than one, he wields a warhammer. Titters is just keeping an eye out. When the rabbits die I collect it and put it in the cart. This continues for a while till Alicia takes a break. Then it's Titters who throws and fights while Alicia watches, she fights with a foil. Never does Stomp take the forward position.

  We break for lunch. They have field bars that don't look too great. I eat a sandwich.

  “So how are you doing exp wise there, doll?”

  I'm not wearing the ring, I fear more fur.

  “It's fine.”

  After we eat, it's more rabbit time. The cart creaking gets me concerned after I place the twentieth one.

  “I don't think the cart can take another.”

  “Not like we can do much more before crossing into the undead zone.”

  The undead zone was on the other side of a fence. There were gravestones and plinths dotting the area past it. I'm sure if we crossed through a gate there would be creepy fog to go with. I couldn't see any undead. Probably for the best. We head back to the entrance. When we emerge it's mid afternoon.

  “A moment please, that incline harder with a full cart.”

  They laugh but give me time to catch my breath. My [Pull] up to four now which is nice. I start pulling when I am ready which signals the rest to start heading toward Yetna.

  As we were going down the road my other attention focuses me to my left. Something entered my soul sense perimeter.

  17 Yetna Tiger

  My focus slows down my perception of time as I put my right arm up in the way of a bunch of fangs and claws that were aimed at my neck. The jaws clamp down on my forearm. The flesh is pierced, there is a crunch sound. The animal is bowling me over the cart's hand rails. My left hand has grabbed my dagger and as I fall I slam it into the tiger neck, it is not enough, and I keep stabbing. By the time I'm on the ground the tiger is trying to wrench my arm, it's slowing down but I am taking slashes. Stomps delivers a strong blow to the top of tiger head with his hammer. The tiger body is pushed into me.

  You gained 27 exp from Yetna Tiger

  “Scratches hang in there.”

  They shift the tiger off of me. Titters pulls out a potion.

  “We need to set her arm before we use the potion, we don't want it to heal wrong.”

  I snatch the potion from her hand and pour it on my arm before I bleed out. It's rude but their [Triage] would delay what I already know. The bleeding tiger broke its teeth against my bone.

  “Don't … but how?”

  “It wasn't broken, I got really strong bones.” Really heavy ones too.

  “I'll say, the teeth are shattered.” Stomp is inspecting the kill.

  I dab what's left of the potion on some of my other gashes. They stop bleeding at least, it will have to do. I really should learn some life magic.

  Preys points out an issue, “I don't think we can put the tiger on the cart.”

  I shrug and lift the tiger onto my shoulder and resume pulling the cart. I almost trip over the tail, I decide to wrap the tail around my neck like an avant-garde scarf. Identify called it a tiger, but the damn thing is the size of a puma. It's awkward but it will be fine.

  “You're going to be okay there, doll?”

  “It's my job, sorry about taking the exp, I had taken the ring off.” Never put it on.

  They all said not to worry about it and that I had more than earned it. They try to take the tiger from me but I brush them off. There are no more tiger attacks and the guards at the gate wave us in, looking concerned at me. When we get to the guild hall Alicia leads me to a side entrance.

  “This is where they process large hauls.”

  I get the cart into the offload area and help move the bodies to the weigh in. When it's done offloading, Stomps takes the cart out, he volunteers to take it back to the rental location. I head into the guild main entrance and to the bar. Seems it's a little early for dinner service. I turn around and head to my room. Finally in my room I sit on the floor and lean my back against the bed. I then release my aura that I held to a dot in my chest. I've been holding it that way ever since I saw the tiger. My emotions come back and I break down crying.