The Oracle Paths

Chapter 662: Poor Fools

[Level: 28 (Digitized)]

[Species:Human]

[Class: Rune Engraver]

[HP: 10000>52000 (Regen: 182.7>4940.2 HP/min)]

[MP: 0]

[Strength : 960]

[Agility: 505]

[Constitution: 1000>5200]

[Vitality: 775>4030]

[Intelligence: 273>2184]

[Perception: 571>4568]

[Extrasensory Perception: 252>2016]

[Luck: 34]

[Reference for an adult human jobless level 1: HP:10, stats: 1.]

These were his new stats after acquiring his Soul Class. Compared to ordinary natives, he was already a total outlier. One had to keep in mind that the young female receptionist in front of him had stats ranging from 1.1 to 7.3... And she was lvl 23.

” 5... 5200 ! ” She gasped, blinking with a dumbstruck look on her face as she checked out his Constitution. Thankfully, she had blurted out in a whisper or she wouldnʼt have been the only one to look so appalled. ”H-how is that possible?”

When she stared at the handsome man opposite her this time, she saw not a cute guy but a dragon in human skin. If Jeanie hadnʼt changed his basic information like his species, height and weight, she would have definitely suspected that he wasnʼt human.

5200 Constitution points? Even a giant bar of Orichalcum wasnʼt that strong. If a meteorite were to smite the Lodunvals Adventurersʼ Guild at this very moment, leveling the mansion and the warriors inside, this Jake would undoubtedly be the only survivor. And unharmed to boot!

Such a human in such a remote city and during wartime! It was more than a tad suspicious!

”Something wrong?” Jake snapped her out of her paranoid rant with the same sweet smile.

He could have pressured her, even mentally broken her with a single thought, but that wasnʼt his style. He much preferred to put the innocent at ease. Especially since this hapless lady already looked very close to burn-out.

The desk clerk sat up jerkily, drawing in a loud breath, then stammered hoarsely as she quivered,

”No-no, everything is fine!” She bit her lip to shake off her fear and negative thoughts and then decided to just do her job. Whatever the agenda of this... Jake Wilderth, it was none of her business.

Jake let her work for a few minutes, silently watching her manipulate a device similar to the Arcanitor Jeanie had used earlier. In this world, it must have been what they used as a computer, judging by the holographic interface flickering before him.

When the Minmin had performed these manipulations, he had been unable to even read the holographic markings hovering over the artifact, let alone interpret their meaning. It was somewhat different now.

Although he still couldnʼt understand what was written, his mind was analyzing, deciphering, and comparing these symbols almost instinctively, with an efficiency far beyond what his intelligence should have allowed. It was one of those passive Rune Engraver skills at work.

ʼA pity...ʼ Jake regretted inside.

Since he was familiar with his Digitized Status, knowing what those words and their respective symbols meant was easy. He had enough to deduce how this complex alphabet worked, which was based on combinations of strokes and circular patterns.

But even with the words he knew, it was not enough to deduce the meaning of the words displayed on this ʼscreenʼ. What the receptionist was typing speedily on that machine, he had only a vague idea. Still, in a few minutes, his photographic memory recorded a lot of information and his progress in this written language was faster than a student with a dedicated teacher to guide him personally.

When she handed him back his ID card a few moments later, his adventurer status had also been added to his information and he didnʼt require any help to understand it.

[Adventurer Rank: NC]

For now he had no rank, but that would soon change.

” How does His Highness wish to name his adventurer group?” She asked in the most polite tone her etiquette lessons enabled her to imitate.

Even though this human seemed nice and approachable, she now refused to call him by his first name. Their identities were too different. Jake, of course, wasnʼt so petty as to pick on her. Keeping a smile on his face, he pretended nothing had happened and kept answering kindly.

”Myrtharian Nerds.” He stated as a matter of course. He still wasnʼt a fan of this faction name, though he had chosen it himself, but it was the best way to rally and remind the other members scattered across Quanoth that they werenʼt alone.

The receptionist thought the name was odd, but after years in the business she had heard it all and didnʼt care much. She typed the name into the machine and a second card was produced, along with a huge administrative folder the likes of which Jake hoped never to see again.

”As for your adventurer rank, at the moment it is not filled in. By default, however, you will have the same rights as a G Rank.” The young woman explained with an embarrassed look.

”And what are those rights?” Jake inquired absentmindedly as he stowed away the folder and his new card.

Seeing these items magically disappear, the receptionist spaced out for a second, but his deep voice jolted her out of her daze.

”Not much to be honest, your highness. You only have access to the first floor of the guild and receive a 10% discount on equipment repairs and potion purchases as long as you do it through our company. These advantages remain valid for all our guilds operating on Quanoth. In return, you do not have to protect the guild in case of an attack and can even leave at any time to join another.”

Jake nodded pensively, then said,

”I want to add two members to the Myrtharian Nerds. How do I do that?”

The young woman was relieved to receive such a simple request and explained with a smile,

”Itʼs very easy. All you need to do is to bring the new members to the guild with their Identity Card. If you canʼt be present during their admission, weʼll need a written and signed affidavit from you.”

Jakeʼs face darkened as he discovered that the bureaucracy of this world was not much different from that of Earth. As a former procrastinator, he was a proud administration phobic and found these paperwork procedures thoroughly painful and anxiety-inducing.

Or at least he used to. Now he just found it annoying and a waste of his time.

Luckily, he and the two future members were already present, which made it a breeze.

”Trash and Jeanie, hand over your IDs.” Jake ordered serenely.

The receptionist wasnʼt surprised when the teenager gave her his card. She was even happy for him. At least he wouldnʼt starve to death with such an abnormality by his side.

However, when a small fairy wrapped in an electric blue halo flew in front of her with an ID card barely larger than a confetti in her hands, she could not contain her shock.

”A Minmin!”

This time, it wasnʼt just a few dozen stares that focused on Jake, but literally every adventurer in the room. Like a forest fire blowing in a hurricane, the news spread quickly from whisper to whisper to the other adventurers and mercenaries in the guild without Jake doing anything to stop it.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the building changed dramatically. From peaceful and lively to frigid and hostile. Jeanie was terrified and immediately hid in a flowerpot sitting on the desk, while Trash swallowed hard.

The receptionist covered her mouth with a horrified expression, aware that she had just made an unforgivable mistake, but Jake had never counted on her. After all, the value of a Minmin was far too tempting.

From the moment Jake had chosen to let them travel with him, he had decided to consider them part of his team. That didnʼt mean he would sacrifice his life for them, but inviting them into his gang was extremely simple and proved his good intentions.

”And you!” A bearded and muscular two-meter tall warrior vociferated as he stood up heavily from his table where he had just lost a large amount of money playing dice, ”Iʼll buy your Minmin for 100 Auraes.”

Many of the mercenaries present sported breathless faces when they heard the amount. On Quanoth, the accepted currencies were bronze, silver and gold coins stamped with the effigy of the king or emperor of their respective nation, but the ultimate currency accepted absolutely everywhere on the planet was the Auraes.

It looked like a tiny crystalline coin, pure and translucent as diamond, but a mysterious energy was contained inside. The Cathedrals dedicated to Aurae controlled the circulation of this currency and were the only ones who knew the secrets of its manufacturing process.

”Cut the crap, Holson! Everyone knows you donʼt have this money.” Another warrior as hairy as a bear and with an even larger build rose from his table in turn. ”Look kiddo, Iʼll buy her 90 Auraes from you right now. What do you say?”

Jake then watched bemusedly as the bidding escalated to buy the little fairy, these renowned warriors cussing, cursing and threatening each other to get the deal. At no time did any of them even think of asking him if he was willing.

Seeing that these brainless brutes were not about to reach any kind of agreement, he turned to the receptionist and calmly commanded,

”Finish the registration process.”

”Right away!” The stressed young woman bowed low then hurried to finish her task. Thank God he wasnʼt angry with her!

A moment later, she gave them back their ID cards, and Jake thanked her with a last smile that almost made her swoon. As she watched him disappear into the crowd, and as she saw the crowd follow him... she prayed for the souls of all those dimwits.

Those poor fools had no idea what they were getting into...