Or so it seemed anyway.
The first day, after my run, he went over what I knew and retained. My swordsmanship was laughable. My staff combat was better, but not to his satisfaction. He was quite impressed by how much I'd improved with the tonfas and throwing knives, though.
After that, he started started to make me practice by deflecting thing thrown at me. It was just rubber balls, but they were small, fast, and hurt a lot on impact. I was able to get it two out of ten times, at least, though they'd been luck more than skill according to Grimoire. I also tried with the tonfas, but with only a little more success.
The thing that I instantly regretted was mentioning a thought I’d had on the second day. “Grimoire, do you think my constitution isn’t raising because of my Heal spell?”
So he then forbade me from using it unless absolutely necessary. The thing I hated most was that it worked, by the end of the week I’d gained a point.
Other training activities included: dancing, juggling, and various exercises that he made up that required me to spot changes in the room when I walked in. Sometimes he’d even set up obstacles for when I ran, telling me to go over or through them instead of around.
All of my stats made improvements. Slow ones, but it did show I was improving.
+2 to Endurance
+1 to Dexterity
+1 to Constituion
+1 to Perception
+1 to Insight
+2 to Agility
Skill Gained: Dancing Tier 0, Rank 1
Skill Gained: Sprinting Tier 0, Rank 1
The increase to Insight was strange, but welcome. When Grimoire learned I got the Sprint skill, though, he immediately made me start improving it. While telling me to modify all my Physical stats down to 10. We tried to do it with Mental stats… but it came with migraines and nosebleeds. When I bled from my eyes when dropping Perception, he fed me a potion and told me to reset them.
Neither of us could guess as to why that happened, but we avoided dropping mental stats from then on.
The second week I was given a routine, and a couple of guards even joined me for running the estate, though they didn’t bother with the obstacles. Two even helped with weapons training, though I wound up on my ass more often than not. The actual opponents helped bring up my weapon skills, even causing Tonfas to break through to Tier 1.
Tonfas have gone up to Tier 1
Tonfas
A weapon often used defensively to deliver devastating blows to the unprepared. Can be wielded by either handle and often in pairs. If you have this and don’t have Two-Weapon Fighting, you are not using them to their full potential.
Tier 0: You can use them without bashing your own head in.
Tier 1: You can channel mana through a properly prepared weapon. Different mana types produce different effects.
+1 Dexterity
+1 Agility
The small bonus was appreciated, but it did make me change my modified Agility score to 11. At the rate I was going, it’d be my first Physical stat to hit 20. Grimoire agreed with my assessment, though did find some weights to improve my lacking Strength score. It turned out, when he learned what stats there actually were, he devised a number of training methods for them.
I didn’t know why he’d waited so long for Strength… until I saw the weights. It was a series of plates that went on a bar. I was shown how to do what he called a ‘dead lift’ with it, and immediately was upset at Grimoire for how easy he made it look. Apparently 25kg was enough to barely be able to lift it.
I did get a brief reprieve when Ember came by to deliver my outfit. It was beautiful and when I tried it on, after a shower, I was surprised by how good it looked on me. Ember wasn’t as happy and did a few modifications, forcing me to stand still for almost a half hour before he was satisfied.
The outfit was simple black pants with a black jacket and red shirt. There were traces of vines that crawled up the arms and towards interior of the jacket. The inner lining had roses embroidered amongst vines that went all the way around the inner lining of the jacket. The red shirt was smooth and felt nice against my skin. It didn’t have many embellishments except for the buttons.
They had little caps over the actual buttons that looked like Flareblooms. They even glowed faintly in the dark. He’d even had the foresight to provide boots that would go well in the outfit. Simple black, shin high boots with good tread. I asked him about them, and the elven tailor said I seemed like I’d prefer something ‘functional’ as well as stylish.
He hadn’t been wrong.
I examined it using Scan.
Rosethorn Jacket
A jacket made specifically for Danielle Rosecrest. Made from Flare Flax and Grave Silk, it is both stylish and practical.
+Heat Resistance
+Cold Resistance (Major)
+Increases Fire magic
+Increases Enhancement Magic
+2 Dexterity
+1 Charisma
Rosethorn Outfit
A shirt and pants combination designed by Ember to be worn with the Rosethorn Jacket to be worn by Danielle Rosecrest. Made from Flare Flax and Grave Silk, it is both stylish and practical.
+Heat Resistance
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+Cold Resistance
+Increases Necrotic Magic
+Increases Enhancement Magic
+2 Agility
+1 Charisma
The boots were just well made boots with no bonuses, despite being labeled as High Quality. I paid Ember 500 PEC for the outfit, which was almost double his asking price. I said it was for the foresight in the boots. He said there was no need, but appreciated the recognition.
It made me happy to have an outfit that actually felt more like the me I wanted to be. Not suave and noble, but confident and prepared to face my problems.
By the end of the second week, my stats had gone up again, and all of my weapon skills hit Tier 1. The pattern continued for them all, where they’d all gain the ability to channel mana. When I asked Grimoire about it, he said the mana could come from the user or an object. They just had to act as a conduit, not the actual source.
My improvements at the end of the second week were:
Strength +3
Dexterity +2
Agility +2
Endurance +2
Constitution +1
Skill: Staff Combat: Tier 1, Rank 0 to Tier 1, Rank 4
Skill: Throwing: Tier 0, Rank 4 to Tier 1, Rank 2
Skill: Tonfas: Tier 1, Rank 0 to Tier 1, Rank 6
Skill: Two-Weapon Fighting to Tier 1, Rank 0
Skill: Swords Tier 0, Rank 1 to Tier 1, Rank 1
Throwing has gone up to Tier 1
Throwing
You have unlocked the ability to throw an object at another object. The only impressive thing is not having it before you’re a teenager.
Tier 0: You are able to throw an object in the general direction you are aiming. Aim is better with Perception and Dexterity.
Tier 1: You can channel mana into an object before throwing it. Different types of mana apply different effects
+1 Strength
Two-Weapon Fighting has gone up to Tier 1
Two-Weapon Fighting
Dual wielding weapons is cool! The thrill of two daggers rapidly striking at your opponent. The joy of swinging two blades at a foe. Or, technically a shield counts as a weapon for the purposes of this skill if it’s used to attack. If you want to be boring. Mix and match your favorites!
Tier 0: You can use them both without hitting yourself. Usually. Improves directly with Dexterity
Tier 1: You become ambidextrous. Yes, that’s it.
+1 Dexterity
+1 Agility
Swords has gone up to Tier 1
Swords
The staple weapon of many warriors. Big, small, thin, or thick, if it’s considered a sword, you can wield it.
Tier 0: You know not to grab the pointy end, and (probably) won’t injure yourself.
Tier 1: You can channel mana into your blade to create various effects.
+1 Strength
I was starting to feel the effects of some of the stats, Agility being the most noticeable. I was tempted to take the Veil off and test myself, but Grimoire wanted me to wait until his associate arrived.
As we trained, I did learn more about the city of Cotton Rock. I’d been amused when he’d told me the city was named after the thing. I wanted to go see it someday, and Grimoire said to wait until his associate arrived.
Apparently, most of the nobles involved in the cities politics were also members of the Merchant Consortium. Despite best efforts, which I snorted at, it hadn’t stopped them from influencing the council with two seats. The two offices of Security, likewise, were also more interested in their offices than dealing with the council in general.
I’d asked, “Wouldn’t that make the Agriculture office the strongest at the moment? It had the majority vote.”
He’d responded, “Who owns most of the farms?”
“That… is an incredibly broken system.” I’d said, before Grimoire had hit me with a ball.
There were also the different people I’d need to know about before any kind of social gathering. This came on the heels of Geraldine’s party coming and going without attending. I could have, which had been Grimoire’s suggestion.
But I didn’t want to yet. Not until I was capable of at least defending myself. Maybe it was paranoia, but I wanted to be ready in case things went wrong. There hadn’t been any word of the Collector either, which I definitely wasn’t sure about meeting.
Not that I’d try to start a fight.
Something else was I’d needed to stop when I noticed Exp going into my Experience bank. I’d caught it early, but I spent enough to level twice. I’d finally started to notice what Intelligence was doing too after the level up. I found I could recall things more easily from my memories or books. It wasn’t impressive yet, but getting there.
The third week was more of the same. In the middle, though, a man appeared at the door wearing a dark shirt and brown slacks. He had a small triangular hat with a feather sticking out of it. On his back was a backpack and a strange black case.
And one of his arms was in a sling. Well, most of one.
Grimoire greeted him like a friend and made introductions.
“Lady Danielle, may I introduce: Deacon the bard. He’s willing to take on the role of bodyguard.” Grimoire stepped back holding out his hand as if to show the man off.
Deacon, for his part, just smiled politely and held out his uninjured hand, “A pleasure, miss. I’m also a capable magic user, and may be able to teach you some things.”
I nodded and took his hand, “I’ll look forward to it.”
Then I froze.
[I vouch for him, Alexei.]
[He will make a powerful ally.]
Are they… watching me? I thought as I let go of Deacon’s hand and looking around suspiciously. I didn’t know how I felt about Zeratus. My instincts told me we weren’t at odds, but not friends either. Just… professional.
We’ll see how this goes then.
Name: Danielle Rosecrest
Age: 17
Race: Human
Class: Noble 7
Class EXP: 135/2900
Experience Bank: 128/2000
Unspent Attribute Points: 9
Statistics
Physical
Strength: 15 (Modified 10)
Dexterity: 18 (Modified 13)
Agility: 19 (Modified 14)
Endurance: 16 (Modified 11)
Constitution: 12 (Modified 10)
Mental
Intelligence: 23
Insight: 17
Charisma: 16
Perception: 14
Magic
Mana: 4
Mana Control: 2
Mana Power: 3
Skills
Assessment: Tier 1, Rank 8
Unarmed Combat Tier 1, Rank 6
Cheap Shot Tier 1, Rank 0
Mana Sense: Tier 0, Rank 1
Speed Reading: Tier 1, Rank
Deception: Tier 0, Rank 1
Staff Combat: Tier 1, Rank 4
Mathematics: Tier 2, Rank 13
Throwing: Tier 1, Rank 2
Tonfas: Tier 1, Rank 6
Two-Weapon Fighting: Tier 0, Rank 1
Swords: Tier 1, Rank 1
Dancing: Tier 0, Rank 0
Sprinting: Tier 0, Rank 1
Traits
Noble Birth
Experience Conversion
Experience Absorption
Moderator’s Veil
Second Chance
Spatial Closet (Tier 1)
Spells
Healing: Tier 0 Rank 4
Scan: Tier 0 Rank 2