Viviana couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as the NPC, Merlin, addressed her with a respectful tone and even apologized. In all the games she'd played, NPCs had been nothing more than automated figures, speaking preprogrammed lines with robotic precision. They weren't like this. The polite gestures, the way Merlin seemed genuinely engaged in the conversation it was becoming a bit unsettling. She scrutinized him, half-expecting a slip in his behavior that would reveal him as just another faceless character, but he remained composed.
Curious, Viviana decided to push this conversation further. "How will reading increase my Intelligence?" she asked, holding back a smirk as she anticipated a canned, generic response.
But Merlin's reply shattered her expectations once again. "This is a one-off situation," he said earnestly. "You should grasp it, as increasing your Intelligence will only become more challenging after this test." His words were firm but carried an underlying sense of urgency, like he genuinely cared for her progress. "Reading isn't the only way to increase Intelligence. You can also gain it through rare potions or jewelry artifacts, but those are extremely difficult to find, let alone obtain. Most of these can only be crafted by masters of rare professions."
"Rare professions?" Viviana echoed, intrigued. A flicker of excitement passed through her; the idea of Intelligence-boosting artifacts already had her envisioning gleaming jewelry pieces of unimaginable power.
"Yes, and in due time, you may come across these masters," Merlin added. "For now, however, I'd advise you to focus on clearing the test you're facing and completing the floor's main objective. Everything else will fall into place after."
Viviana's eyes sparkled at the thought of jewelry artifacts. She was suddenly hit by a vivid vision of herself adorned in shimmering bracelets, pendants, and rings of mysterious power, each piece crafted with care and precision. "Can I learn to make jewelry artifacts too?" she asked, almost breathlessly. She imagined herself fashioning delicate treasures, enjoying both the process and the luxury of adorning herself with her own creations.
Merlin's eyebrows lifted slightly as he observed her obvious enthusiasm, a hint of amusement on his face. "That… depends," he replied, clearly choosing his words with care. "Your class and secondary class will be determined by your Karma, which reflects your actions and choices. It's not something you can control outright."
Viviana blinked, taken aback. "Karma?" she repeated, her voice filled with a mixture of confusion and intrigue. "What does Karma have to do with any of this?"
"Karma is tied to everything you do in the Tower," Merlin explained, folding his hands thoughtfully. "From the people you choose to team up with, to the quests you complete, even the type of books you read it all adds to your Karma. Every action you take is recorded and evaluated in the Akashic Record Library."
He paused, giving her a moment to digest this. "In essence, your future here is a result of your past decisions. Your actions determine your fate, so consider them carefully."
Viviana felt a wave of overwhelm wash over her. She'd been treating the Tower like a game, thinking of her progress in terms of quests and challenges. But this talk of Karma made her realize that every step she took here had meaning. Her reputation, her choices, even the smallest decisions they all had repercussions.
"Maybe I'll… just think about it later," she murmured, almost to herself, shaking off the pressure of the revelation. Her gaze fell back on the book she held in her hands, and she held it up to Merlin. "I found this book on a shelf over there," she said, pointing toward the back of the room. "I was drawn to it, but no matter how much I try, I can't make headway with it. What's wrong?"
Merlin's eyes lingered on the cover for a moment, and then he nodded, a hint of admiration in his gaze. "That book is of Legendary rarity. It was written by a witch of immense power, and the fact that you haven't been knocked unconscious trying to read it is a feat in itself. Your mind is straining to comprehend it, which speaks to your high Spirit attribute."
Viviana blinked, taken aback at the mention of her high Spirit attribute. *How could I have something like that?* she wondered. Her mind drifted to memories of her grandmother, who had often said she was special, even as a child. Her grandmother had claimed Viviana could see things that others couldn't, a gift that set her apart. If it hadn't been for her grandmother's support, her parents might have taken her to see a psychiatrist for her strange behavior waking up in the middle of the night from vivid nightmares and talking about things no one else could understand.
Viviana's interest sparked anew. "Spirit attribute?" she interrupted, eyebrows raised. "I don't see anything like that on my status page."
Merlin nodded, his expression becoming more serious. "That's because it's a hidden attribute," he explained. "The Spirit attribute measures your connection to the magical world and your resilience against forces that aren't of this realm. It affects your mental fortitude, your ability to sense otherworldly presences, and your resistance to certain types of spiritual or mental attacks."
Viviana processed this, her mind racing. The idea of a hidden attribute she hadn't known about intrigued her, especially considering the unique advantages it seemed to grant. "Is that why I wasn't knocked out, while everyone else was?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of awe and excitement. "Does my Spirit attribute let me hear that mysterious voice, even if I can't understand what it's saying?"
Merlin gave a small nod, acknowledging her insight. "Yes," he said, "your Spirit attribute grants you resilience and perceptive abilities that most others lack. It's likely why you can hear the voice at all, even if the meaning remains unclear."
Merlin cleared his throat, breaking her from her thoughts. "It's also worth mentioning that the Jeweler profession requires a high Spirit attribute," he said. "Few are able to craft true artifacts due to the mental and spiritual demands involved."
He crossed the room to a nearby shelf, scanning its contents before pulling down a slim, well-worn book. He held it up to her, a faint smile touching his lips. "This is a beginner's guide to the Jeweler profession," he said. "Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't be allowed to read it at this stage. But on this floor, certain rules can be… bent. I suggest you read this first to increase your Intelligence. Once you're able, you may find that other book more accessible."
Viviana's eyes lit up as she reached for the book, her fingers brushing over its cover with an almost reverent touch. "Thank you," she said, a genuine warmth in her voice as she looked at Merlin. Without another word, she made her way over to a quiet corner of the room, sat down, and opened the book, her mind racing with excitement.
As she began to read, she felt a surprising joy bubble up inside her. The thought of creating something tangible, something beautiful, thrilled her. She read each word with growing enthusiasm, imagining herself crafting delicate rings and pendants, her creations shimmering with hidden power.
Merlin watched her from a distance, his expression unreadable. He stood there for a moment, quietly observing her with a look that mingled fascination with something deeper perhaps even nostalgia. "Is this fate?" he murmured under his breath, his voice barely a whisper. "Is she following the same path she did before?"
After a moment, he shook his head, as though dismissing the thought. His gaze shifted downward to the young man lying unconscious nearby, stirring and slowly returning to wakefulness. Merlin stepped forward, offering a steady hand to help him up.
"Are you okay?" Merlin asked, his voice now calm and professional, a stark contrast to the contemplative tone he'd used with Viviana.
Yusuf blinked, still dazed, but managed a nod. "Yeah… I think so," he replied, a slight frown creasing his brow as he tried to recall what had happened. Merlin offered him a reassuring smile, subtly guiding him back to reality as he prepared to resume his NPC duties, leaving Viviana to her newfound passion and hidden potential.