บท 24: Powerful Presence
As Kuka was reaching for some books on magic, I let out a sneeze that was succeeded by a fart. She turned to look at me with a mixture of surprise and offense, so I put my hands up. I honestly had no clue where that came from.
"Hey! Someone must be talking shit!" Was all I could muster, and that earned me an eye roll.
"Anyways, you were asking about magic, yes?" She asked, and I nodded with a grin. "Well, these books have most of the information we have about magic since you can only freely use it if it is part of your class. Since each one is so specific, there is not a lot of research into them. These are more just records of magic-based classes."
I knew that much, but I was curious if I could maybe learn it with my skills. Strangely enough, I had yet to run into anyone who had openly used magic. I thought that maybe if I saw it, there was a chance I could learn it with my skills.
"Hm, that is disappointing but I will check them out. What about the Divinity Crystals? Is there any recorded research on them and how they are used?" I asked, and it was as if Kuka was waiting for this question.
"Come with me," was all she said to me, and I was forced to get up and follow her to the biggest part of the library. "This is the common information and entry-level research that we have collected."
The sheer scale of it was what she called common and entry-level floored me. I should have expected this to be the focus of their research, but this section alone had to account for over a third of the entire royal library! But...
"If this is just the basics, then what else do you have in here?" I asked, but I just got a head shake, and then a wide sweeping gesture to the books around us.
"This is more than enough to help you learn and implement Divinatech. You must walk first before you can run, Gideon," Kuka intoned sagely. "A craftsman as skilled as you can surely understand that."
I gave the massive collection of books a long, considering look. "Fair point," I conceded, the prospect of delving into new knowledge both daunting and exhilarating. "Alright then, let's get started."
Kuka handed me a thick tome with a worn cover: "The Fundamentals of Divinity Crystals." Its pages were filled with diagrams, incantations, and exhaustive notes on the properties of various crystals.
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| Gain the skill Divinatech(Beginner) Lv.1 | +2 Int, +1 Wis per level
| Gain the skill Divinatech Theory(Beginner) Lv.1 | +2 Int per level
| Gain the skill Divinatech Crafting(Beginner) Lv.1 | +1 Int, +1 Con per level
| The skill Construction (Beginner) has become Divinatech Construction (Beginner) Lv.7 | gain an additional +2 Int, +1 Wis per level
| The skill Blacksmithing (Novice) has become Divinatech Blacksmithing (Novice): Lv.15 | gain an additional +2 Int, +1 Str per level
| The skill Metal Casting (Beginner) has become Divinatech Metal Casting (Beginner): Lv.5 | gain an additional +2 Int, +1 Dex per level
| Gain the skill Divinity Runes(Beginner) Lv.1 | +2 Wis per level
| Gain the skill Divinity Rune Carving(Beginner) Lv.1 | +1 Int, +1 Dex per level
| The skill Enchanting (Beginner) has become Divinity Rune Enchanting (Beginner): Lv.3 | Gain an additional +2 Int per level
| A Deity has blessed you because of your lack of magical ability and your interest in Divinatech. Gain the Title: "The Inspired Innovator" | +10 Int, +5 Wis, and grants accelerated learning in all Divinatech-related skills
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The influx of new information was intense, but I was pretty sure that I was the first person to get noticeably stronger from reading a book. This had to be it. This had to be the thing that I had been looking for all along, as much as it pained to know I was a muggle.
"So? Do you think this is something that you will-"
I didn't let her finish as I started to burn through the pages. "MOAR!" I had just opened my status screen for the first time in a long time, and for once, I was fine with seeing the page that filled my view.
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| Name: Gideon Von Alphonse Rose Vienerstien | HP: 570/570| MP: 930/930 |
| Class: Master Craftsman | Level: 9 | Exp: 200/900 |
| Title: The Inspired Innovator (+10 Int, +5 Wis, and grants accelerated learning in all Divinatech-related skills) |
| Additional Title: Returned Son, Juvenile Gambler (+3 Cha, +5 luck) |
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| Strength: 85 |
| Dexterity: 94 |
| Constitution: 57 |
| Intelligence: 93 |
| Wisdom: 66 |
| Charisma: 78 |
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| Class Abilities: |
| Craftsmen Knowledge: Learn any crafting skill from interacting with the Craft. |
| Tools Are My Trade: Gain skills and proficiency with skills that are connected to Skills you already have. |
| I Am Craftsman: Instead of receiving stats from leveling this class, all bonus stats come from leveling Skills. |
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| Skills: |
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Combat Skills:
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| Swordplay (Novice): Level 12 | +1 Dex, +1 Str per level
| Dagger Proficiency (Beginner): Level 3 | +1 Dex per level
| Sword Proficiency (Beginner): Level 6 | +1 Dex per 2 levels
| Axe Proficiency (Beginner): Level 1 | +1 Str per 3 levels
| Weapon Mastery (Beginner): Level 3 | +1 Dex, +1 Str per 3 levels
Crafting Skills:
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| Divinatech Blacksmithing (Novice): Level 15 | +3 Str, +1 Con, +2 Int per level
| Cooking (Beginner): Level 3 | +1 Wis, +2 Con per level
| Divinatech Construction (Beginner): Level 7 | +2 Str, +1 Con, +1 Dex, +1 Wis, +2 Int per level
| Masonry (Beginner): Level 5 | +2 Str, +1 Con per level
| Woodworking (Novice): Level 12 | +1 Wis, +1 Dex per level
| Divinatech Metal Casting (Beginner): Level 5 | +1 Con, +4 Int, +1 Dex per level
| Instrument Crafting (Beginner): Level 2 | +1 Dex, +2 Cha per level
| Divinity Rune Enchanting (Beginner): Level 3 | +3 Int per level
| Glass Making (Beginner): Level 2 | +2 Dex per level
| Clay Works (Beginner): Level 2 | +1 Con, +1 Dex per level
| Divinatech(Beginner) Lv.1 | +2 Int, +1 Wis per level
| Divinatech Theory(Beginner) Lv.1 | +2 Int per level
| Divinatech Crafting(Beginner) Lv.1 | +1 Int, +1 Con per level
Survival Skills:
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| Survival (Beginner): Level 2 | +2 Con, +1 Tenacity per level
| Fearless(Beginner) Lv. 5 | +3 Wis, +1 Dex per level
| Sailing (Beginner): Level 1 | +1 Dex, +1 Int per level
| Fishing (Beginner): Level 3 | +1 Luck per level
Knowledge Skills:
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| Appraisal (Beginner): Level 6 | +2 Int per level
| Cartography (Beginner): Level 4 | +2 Int, +1 Wis per level
| Scholar's Insight (Beginner): Level 5 | +3 Int, +1 Luck per level
Utility Skills:
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| Storage Magic (Beginner): Level 3 | +1 Int, +1 Wis per level
| Multi-Tasking (Beginner): Level 2 | +1 Int per level
| Mining (Beginner): Level 3 | +2 Str, +1 Con per level
Social Skills:
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| Smooth Talker (Beginner): Level 5 | +10 Cha per level
| Sense of Rhythm (Beginner): Level 2 | +2 Cha, +2 Dex per level
Stealth Skills:
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| Concealment (Novice): Level 12 | +3 Dex, +2 Cha per level
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As Kuka watched me voraciously consume knowledge on crystal divinatech, she finally let out an exhale and relaxed her posture. Whether this was from my newfound zeal or just relief at my eager acceptance of the materials, I couldn't be sure.
"This is good," Kuka said, a soft smile touching her otherwise stern features. "The more adept you become with Divinatech, the more your own world will expand. Your skills as a craftsman, combined with a deep understanding of Divinatech, may well make you one of the most influential individuals in Velum."
Influence was indeed what I needed—power too, but the subtler kind that would weave into the fabric of society and pull the strings where necessary. I continued leafing through the text, each page revealing complex diagrams, enchantment methods, and detailed attributes of various Divinity Crystals. The possibilities seemed endless, sparking my imagination and fueling my resolve to integrate this knowledge into my designs and infrastructure.
"Kuka," I said, looking up from the book for a moment. "Why are there not more innovations with Divinatech? Even from the text, I can see that there are many uses that we could apply to just the castle alone! Hell, give me a week, and I will make not just this castle, but the whole damn city safe from invaders!" I declared with a new fire burning in my eye.
Kuka actually just moaned at first, not even looking at me, but then seemed to snap back to reality, albeit embarrassed. What the hell was that?
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| Gain the skill Powerful Presence(Novice): Level 10 | +5 Cha per level |
| A Deity sees potential in you as a future leader and has gifted you a skill. |
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Wait, what the hell were those gods doing up there?! +45 to my already boosted Charisma? Hold the phone.
"Hey, Kuka, what do you say you and me go have some fun in a dark corner?" I suddenly asked Kuka in a husky voice that should've sounded silly coming from my mouth, but the Nocturn turned colors that I didn't even know were possible.
"I mean if that is what you want... but you are so young... but if you want..."
"NO! I was just testing something and I am sooooo sorry!" I stammered out quickly. Goddammit! I knew it!
This was the reason that Marcella had been slowly warming up to me, for fucks sake! It's because my Charisma has been slowly climbing! Gah! This was not how I wanted things to progress with Marcella, and certainly not with Kuka. I wanted genuine connections, not ones influenced by some unseen force or godly gift. I ran a hand through my wet hair, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment.
"Kuka, please forget I said that," I apologized earnestly. "It's just... these titles and stats, they're messing with things. I have to be careful."
Kuka seemed to regain her composure, the blush still evident on her cheeks but her bearing now more her own again. "Of course, Gideon. We all have our moments of... weakness. But let's try to keep our interactions professional, shall we?" She smiled weakly, attempting to smooth over the awkwardness of the situation while trying not to bite her lip while looking at me.
"Agreed," I replied, feeling equally eager to move past my blunder. "Back to the matter at hand. I suspect the reason Divinatech isn't widely utilized might be due to scarcity of materials, or perhaps the lack of people with suitable skills. What do you think?"
Kuka considered this for a moment. "It could be a combination of factors. The knowledge is there, but so are the dangers. Incorrectly handling Divinity Crystals could lead to disasters, which I assume would be quite a deterrent for most people. Then there's the scarcity issue, as you mentioned. And not to undermine your talents, Gideon, but not everyone has the skills to translate what's in these texts into practical applications."
This level of insight was precisely why I valued Kuka's presence. I nodded, taking her words into consideration. It was clear I had my work cut out for me. If I wanted to revolutionize Divinatech not only within the castle but also throughout the kingdom, I needed to tread carefully. One misstep could lead to catastrophe.
"I need to be the bridge between theory and practice," I said more to myself than to Kuka. "Find safe, practical uses for Divinatech that can be replicated without risking lives. That surely would encourage more widespread adoption."
"Exactly," Kuka agreed, her tone turning more encouraging. "Start small, demonstrate its efficacy and safety, and build from there. As your own skills improve, so too will the confidence of others in the technology."
With a newfound determination, I turned back to the texts, but then I heard Marcella call my name, making me break the pencil in my hand I was using for notes. Part of me considered just running away, or maybe jumping out the window. It was only a five-story drop. I was pretty tough.
"Gideon! Are you still here studying?!" Marcella called and then saw me. "Oh, there you are... Why are you screwing up your face like that?"
I was trying, for all I was worth, to make myself seem as unappealing as humanly possible without seeming too awkward. It was a complete failure, but I didn't want my stupid ballooned Charisma to suddenly make her fall head over heels for me!
"Sorry, just lost in thought about all this Divinatech stuff," I answered, trying to sound focused and aloof. "It's quite a lot to take in."
Marcella stepped further into the library, her gaze flitting between the books scattered across the table and me. "I can imagine," she said softly. "I actually came to see if you wanted to take a break. Maybe get some fresh air? I thought we could walk the castle grounds, talk about... well, anything other than magic and craftsmanship."
I blinked at her. "You don't feel a strange urge to do less than savory things to me?" I asked slowly and got a disgusted look as a reward.
"I am trying to be nice. Do you really have to be such a pervert all the time?" She asked, and I looked over at Kuka, but she was gone. What the hell had gotten into her if it wasn't for my Charisma?! Something was off here.
"Let me put it this way. My Charisma just reached 123 after being blessed with a skill from a deity, and a title from another..." I explained slowly, watching her every reaction, but she waited till the end to laugh at me. I was confused.
"I guess that it has never come up, but I also have a class. Let's go for a walk and I will share my status screen with you if you will let me see yours?" She asked with a smile that caught me off guard.
I felt like an idiot. Of course she would have a class, but how was she resistant to my +100 charm?! I wasn't complaining, I was just confused.
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