Lucas sat immobilized with fear, his eyes fixed on Harold as the kettle continued to whistle in the background. His mind raced, trying to comprehend how Harold had discovered the truth and what actions he should take now. The Hammered Glory may not have been the most prestigious establishment, but it was Lucas's home, and the thought of losing it filled him with uncertainty and dread.
Across from Lucas, Harold Vandrake remained seated, his expression relaxed as he seemed to give Lucas a moment to process his words. Growing impatient with the persistent whistling of the kettle, Harold rolled his eyes and gracefully rose from his chair. With an air of sophistication that was no longer hidden, he brought the kettle to the table and resumed his seat.
Pouring tea into his cup, Harold added two tablespoons of sugar and stirred it gently. Taking a small sip, he closed his eyes and a hint of pleasure spread across his face. After a brief pause, he placed his cup back on the table.
"It's been a long time since I've had maple leaf tea. No doubt Rabbie is to be thanked," Harold said with a small smile. "He is the only one with the knowledge to order tea worth drinking in these parts. I'll have to stop by later and see if he can order more."
A moment of silence passed before Harold looked down and took a deep breath. Then, as if a cloak of authority had descended upon him, he raised his head, his eyes gleaming with sharpness that took Lucas's breath away. Meeting Lucas's gaze directly, he began to speak.
"My name is Sir Harold Vandrake, a representative of His Majesty's court," Harold declared, his voice firm and authoritative. "As a courier, I have been entrusted with the honor of serving as His Majesty's representative in the city of Blackrock. My duty is to ensure that the King's Law is upheld and that all official proceedings are conducted according to His Majesty's instructions."
Harold maintained eye contact with Lucas for a moment longer after he finished speaking before respectfully bowing his head. As Lucas was released from Harold's gaze, he felt the tension in the room ease, and Harold's demeanor softened. Harold allowed Lucas a moment to gather himself while he refilled his tea. After taking a sip, Harold continued speaking in a much friendlier tone.
"What this means, Lucas, is that the King became aware that he was not receiving the full amount of taxes he believed he was due, nearly thirty years ago during the reign of the last Duke of Blackrock," Harold explained. "To rectify this, I was chosen to provide oversight and ensure that the King's authority was not disregarded."
"When I arrived in Blackrock, I realized that assuming the role of the tax collector myself would be the most effective way to fulfill the King's will. I am responsible for collecting taxes for the city and ensuring that the appropriate amount is allocated to the correct lord. It was in this capacity that I came to know and regard your master, Simon, as one of my friends. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing."
The kitchen fell silent as both men were lost in their thoughts. After taking another sip of his tea, Harold posed a question to Lucas.
"Could you tell me what happened to Simon, Lucas?"
Lucas nodded solemnly and began to recount the events. "I was overseeing the shop at the beginning of last week while Master Simon was away. As it was time to close, I proceeded to lock up and clean the counter. When I went to inquire about his dinner preferences, I found him lying on the floor. He had passed away earlier in the day while drinking."
Harold closed his eyes momentarily, a tinge of regret in his voice. "I had warned him that his drinking would be his downfall. One cannot escape their past without facing consequences." He took a deep breath and raised his head. "Thank you for sharing this with me, Lucas."
With a gentle smile on his face, Harold finished the last sip of his tea before continuing. "Now then, seeing as Simon is not here to provide you with advice, as his long-time friend, I feel compelled to correct his shortcomings. What are your future plans, Lucas?"
Lucas took a deep breath, realizing the significance of the opportunity before him. Since his master's passing, he had been burdened with hiding the truth and navigating his circumstances alone. Now, he had someone who possessed all the facts and could offer him the guidance he desperately needed.
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Lucas began. "When Master Simon passed away, my initial fear was that I would end up back on the streets, homeless. Everything I've done since then has been focused on survival rather than shaping my future."
He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts before continuing. "As for the future, I enjoy living here in Blackrock. I don't really want to leave Hammered Glory. It's home and I want to keep a roof over my head. Other than that, I haven't thought much farther."
Harold acknowledged this with a nod before speaking. "In that case, let's start your plan with you being able to keep the Hammered Glory as your home. Since Simon had no living heirs, the title to the shop should pass to you through the right of inheritance. However, owning this shop comes with certain legal obligations here in Blackrock," Harold explained, his voice taking on a more official tone.
"First and foremost, we need to address taxes. Fortunately, the Hammered Glory has a royal lease in place, which means you are currently only required to pay one gold and one silver per month as taxes."
"Royal lease?" Lucas interjected, seeking clarification.
Harold nodded and elaborated, "During the founding of the kingdom, many esteemed craftsmen were offered leases to establish their workshops here. The founder of the Hammered Glory was one of them. He agreed to set up the shop on this designated piece of land and pay taxes accordingly. The agreed-upon amount was one gold and one silver per month."
"Shops that open now are usually subject to a percentage-based tax on their sales, which often amounts to a greater sum than a single gold. You are fortunate to benefit from the foresight of the shop's founder. However, it is still necessary for you to maintain proper accounting records for official review," Harold explained, gesturing toward the old books on the table.
Lucas took a moment to absorb the information, realizing he would need to find a method to make money if he were going to keep the shop. However, Harold continued before he could think more of this.
"I have a basic guide to help you with keeping accurate account records, which I will leave with you," Harold said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a booklet. "As your tax collector, I will be visiting you on the last day of each month. If you encounter any difficulties with your records, I will review them next month and provide guidance on how to avoid any issues. Regarding this month's taxes, I will defer them to next month, meaning you will owe double the amount to make up for it."
Before Lucas could say thank you, Harold continued, "Now the only thing left to plan is your career. Are you planning to take up your master's trade, or are you considering deviating to a different path?"
Lucas blinked, "A different path? Deviate?"
Harold remained silent for a minute before taking another deep breath. "Of course, Simon didn't cover the basics." He paused again, then asked, "Did your master at least help you awaken your system status?"
Lucas nodded. "Yes, my system is working, and I have a status." He decided not to mention the fact his master didn't have anything to do with him receiving his system.
Harold released the breath he was holding. "Good, good. So, we are not starting from scratch." Sensing Lucas's confusion, Harold adopted his official tone once more and began to explain.
"To awaken a system, a person must reach a certain skill level after reaching maturity. This usually happens between sixteen and eighteen, depending on whether the person is a late bloomer. Once your system awakens, you are assigned a path based on your skills and stats. Does that make sense so far?"
Lucas nodded, deciding also to hide the fact that he didn't have a path for now.
"Okay, so your path determines the skills and abilities you will be learning in the future. If you pursue a job that aligns with all the skills assigned to your path, we call it following your path. However, sometimes a person's path is assigned, and they don't want to follow it. In such cases, they may choose to deviate and pursue a job or career where they only use some of their skills instead of all."
"For example, a cook who decides to run an inn instead. They would utilize some of their cooking skills to improve the inn, such as ensuring the freshness of ingredients from suppliers. However, they would also perform accounting and management tasks that are not covered by their assigned path. They wouldn't be able to have skills for accounting or management tasks since it's not in their assigned path. Does that still make sense?"
Lucas took a breath and tried to test his understanding. "So, following a path means adhering closely to the skills stated in your status, while deviating to a side path involves choosing a job or career where you only utilize a few of your skills?"
Harold nodded. "Correct!"
"So, do most people follow their assigned path, or do they deviate to something else?" Lucas questioned, genuinely curious.
Harold paused, contemplating the question. "It's difficult to say definitively. The decision to follow one's assigned path or deviate from it is a deeply personal one. The nature of one's path and the skills they can acquire are highly individualized. In addition, many people consider such information about themselves to be private, something they only share with a trusted few. Revealing one's strengths and weaknesses to an enemy could have unfortunate consequences. Luckily, the high number of different paths prevents others from easily finding out your specific path."
He continued, "In reality, the number of available paths is vast and diverse. For example, you might assume that most blacksmiths follow the 'Blacksmith' path, but that's not necessarily the case. There are armor smiths, tool smiths, and blade smiths, among others. Life presents us with a wide range of tasks and responsibilities, and not every job neatly fits within a single predefined path."
Lucas nodded, absorbing the information. "So, individuals have the freedom to explore different careers and find the one that resonates with them the most."
Harold smiled, acknowledging Lucas's understanding. "Exactly, Lucas. The choice of whether to follow the assigned path or explore other avenues is ultimately up to the individual. It's about finding fulfillment, using your skills effectively, and adapting to the opportunities and challenges that come your way."
Lucas gave another brief nod to show he understood. However, something nagged at the back of his mind, as if Harold's words weren't entirely truthful. Before he could unravel the mystery, Harold rose from the table.
"If you're uncertain about your future path," Harold began, "I recommend taking it slow and exploring the Hammered Glory for ideas. This place has witnessed the birth and growth of many masters. I have no doubt that you'll find inspiration if you thoroughly explore every nook and cranny. And if all else fails, there may be some valuable old items in storage that you could sell for coins to cover your next tax payment while you chart your course."
"As for me, it's time for me to bid farewell. I still have a few shops to visit before dinner. However, I'll be back to see you at the end of next month. If you extend an invitation, I'll gladly answer any questions you may have during my stay. By the way, I may need to request more of this delightful tea," Harold finished his sentence with a playful wink.
"Thanks for coming, Harold," Lucas said, rising to his feet and extending his hand for a handshake. "I truly appreciate the information and advice you've shared. I'm beginning to realize that there are numerous possibilities I hadn't even considered."
Together, they walked down the hall toward the front shop, and Lucas unlocked the door. As Harold prepared to leave, he suddenly paused and turned back towards Lucas.
"Remember, Lucas," Harold said with a touch of wisdom in his voice, "there is a wealth of knowledge waiting to be discovered from your elders. We often find it in books." He added a playful wink, then bid farewell and exited the shop.
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle as he closed the door behind Harold. Glancing at the clock, he reached for his purse. Although he had enjoyed their time together, his stomach growled in anticipation of his nightly visit to the Drunken Squirrel.
After enjoying an amazing meal at the tavern, Lucas found his mind still buzzing with the newfound information from earlier in the day. Not really in the mood to linger, he decided to head home early and prepare for bed. As he crawled under the covers, a sense of worry washed over him, fearing that he wouldn't be able to sleep with all the ideas swirling in his head. However, when he next opened his eyes, he realized that falling asleep hadn't been an issue at all, as the first rays of light greeted him through the windows. Lucas shook off the cozy blankets, pushing himself to rise and embrace the day.
Following his usual morning routine of refreshing himself in the bathroom and having a bowl of rice, Lucas made his way to the front of the shop to unlock the door and welcome potential customers. He estimated that he had a few hours before they would start trickling in, providing him with ample time to delve into the accounting book Harold had left behind. Perhaps today would bring more than just customers looking to cancel previous orders?
No such luck before lunch. Every customer that came in was there solely to cancel their orders. It seemed word had spread that there were no handouts anymore, which made things simpler. Only a few customers attempted to negotiate compensation, but Lucas stood his ground firmly. The customers had no choice but to accept and leave.
There was only one pending tool order and a couple of repairs left in the book by lunch time. Lucas anticipated they would come in either later that afternoon or the following morning. If he hadn't heard from them by Friday, he decided he would pay them a courtesy call.
During his lunch break, Lucas set up his accounting book. Based on the way Harold had spoken of it, Lucas expected it to be a complex task. However, he discovered that it simply involved tracking all the money received and paid for the shop's business. It dawned on Lucas that he still hadn't fully accepted the fact that this world was not as technologically advanced as his previous one.
After reopening the shop following lunch, Lucas experienced another wave of customers. All his repair orders were canceled, and the items were picked up. As the day dragged on after the last customer, time seemed to slow down. It was still too early to close the shop since he was expecting one last customer to arrive and cancel their pending tool order. With nothing to do but relax on a stool, Lucas began pondering his conversation with Harold from the previous day and how it applied to his own situation.
Lucas opened his status screen to check and was proven right. He still didn't have a listed path. As he understood it, the absence of a path explained why he had no listed skills. Fortunately, it was more common to have a job without possessing all the necessary skills than he had initially thought. Lucas began wondering if he could find a suitable job where he could excel while leading others to believe he was deviating from a path.
The more Lucas contemplated this, the more a sudden annoyance swept over him. He realized that he had felt the same way yesterday when Harold was wrapping up the conversation about skills. Lucas tried to recall Harold's exact words.
"... so your path determines the skills and abilities you will be learning..."
Lucas froze. It suddenly dawned on him why he had felt that Harold was mistaken.