When the fellowship woke back up in the morning they were all feeling slow as sloths, but not bad per se. Their first night of true relaxation had done them good, but it was clear that it would take a couple more before they felt fully restored. Livia was the only one who was struggling, with so nearly being back in civilization, just not to the point she desperately felt she needed. But it was time to let go of such considerations, there was too much work to do. Brunner had some awkward questions at breakfast first however.
"So, where are you from Livia, unless all you've got left is that hammer then I take it you are not a trader from Dormata?" Livia's eyes darted left and right. "Uh, no I'm just from a village around Dormata, nowhere special, you know?" Brunner just rolled his eyes. "Then why are you talking so funny, like you're in such a rush?" This actually pushed a button for Livia. "I talk funny, like you don't all talk like the chef from the muppets, what's wrong with you that you'd call the way I talk funny, I MISS AMERICA!" The outburst made Brunner shy back, but it did not remove the smiling mustasch. "Is that some friend of yours?" When Livia just pretended to look around crazily he went on talking. "Fair enough, no need to worry, you may keep your secrets. But my advise would be to say that you are from one of the smaller continents, even if it is not confirmed, there have always been rumors of strange Human tribes around there."
The words returned the peace and the rest of breakfast was amicable, but it was time to return to Salcret.
Kalle had left home in great haste, and although he had talked about it often, and his adoptive grandparents were ready for it on some level, the suddenness of his departure of course had them worried. Now that they suddenly saw him coming up their hill, with a few friends in tow, it was both cause for a different kind of worry, that he had failed and given up for some reason, but also great relief that he was okay and that they would get a chance to say everything there had been no time for the past few weeks ago.
"Liam, Ella, would you guys believe I missed you?" The playful barb made the old couple laugh, and the cheer spread quickly to the three nervous spectators.
"Gosh, what happened to your hand?" Asked Ella worriedly. Despite all the healing the group had provided him the lower arm was still bright pink, although there was no question it would soon be restored and had long since become merely uncomfortable for the stoic Kalle. "Uh, who is your friend?" Liam didn't look worried, but he did indicate Harold's strange new get up with an amused air. The group had gotten used to it over the past week and Brunner forgot to even comment since he was so used to meeting strange [Druids] on his travels, but even here at the orchard reminding them of his Class was enough that further questions could wait.
There was no question that the group would be able to stay at the old orchard over the winter, there was plenty of space after all. Liam even told them all there was a possibility their stay might be free, depending on the amount of work they performed over the season. Everyone blanched at this but Harold. Most of them had other plans.
Kalle's reunion had been a happy one, and it was even better once he told them how the ambitious plan of theirs had grown and evolved, rather than fall to blight in the field.
The mosswolf meanwhile was busy making a new home in the nearby woods. As it turns out there was a wasp nest that was soon convinced to move out.
The following weeks Livia taught them all she knew about min-maxing. She wasn't really a gamer, but the turn fantasy literature had taken the last few years had her in the know regardless, or so she felt.
She set Harold on a brutal training regimen that had him sprinting to Brunner's farm and back at the start and end of each day, and he was not taking the road. Any wasp nest he ran into along the way had its most aggressive inhabitants collected and added to his growing army. The beasts were larger than any Livia had heard of back on Earth, but there was no question even a massive swarm would get destroyed by a competent mage, considering they lacked any sort of inherent magic power. Besides that he was developing his Domain Spell and working out the kinks in the fighting style he was imagining, and Brunner was happy to supply the occasional spar.
Kalle was busy developing his [Telekinetic Push] to an actually useful level, and even writing lines he figured might improve his [Words of Fortitude]. Oscar in the meantime was doing a bit of everything, he had a year left before having to decide on a Class, and despite considering a couple of options, nothing was set in stone. All he knew was that whatever choice he made he could stand to get in plenty better shape together with Harold, while adding on the occasional spar with Brunner to work on his sword skills. He was helping Kalle work out his magic against different types of physical resistances as well, and the progress they saw surprised them both.
Livia was the one who was really keeping busy though. She had visited the town and started getting to know some people, but mostly she was fishing for ways to prompt different Classes. The knowledge she had from the books was a great help, because she knew which ones had the potential to develop into real powerhouses, despite their seemingly mundane natures.
In the end she had to let the strange mission-statement she had gotten from the floating beard and magic hat dictate her choice.
Livia became a [Guild Master].
You are reading story Rise of the Business [Class] at novel35.com