Raphaello was walking towards the shipyard. His mind filled with thoughts about what he had learned from Roger. Roger was, in fact, a special figure in the village, someone who possessed knowledge and skills that seemed unusual in a poor and knowledgeless place dominated by Baron Jericho's monopoly.
Roger had shared valuable information about the functioning of the village, highlighting the complex dynamics of power and control that shaped the lives of local inhabitants. He had also mentioned the existence of other classes, such as swordsmen, who seemed to find their place among the village's hierarchy of talents. This revelation had intrigued Raphaello.
As he walked, he pondered Roger's swordsmanship skill. He wondered what the blacksmith's level of prowess was in this martial art. Raphaello knew that despite his developing magical abilities, his aptitude for hand-to-hand combat was limited. He felt curious about the possibility of learning from Roger, which could improve his skills in an aspect he had always considered a challenge.
Raphaello had a lot to learn, and his meeting with Roger had opened up new perspectives. He couldn't help but feel that his training would become increasingly diverse as he sought to hone his magical abilities and explore new avenues for personal improvement.
As he made his way through the shipyard towards his dormitory, his enthusiasm grew as he was eager to deepen his knowledge and skills in the village, and Roger was about to play a crucial role in that learning process.
Finally Raphaello arrives at the shipyard where he and Lancer had settled in to sleep the last few nights. It was still early, and Lancer wasn't there. Seeing the opportunity, Raphaello decided to take advantage of the time alone to cultivate his Qi.
He found a quiet spot near the shipyard and sat in a meditative position. He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing, allowing the Qi to flow through his body. As time passed, he deepened his concentration, feeling his Qi grow and strengthen.
Three hours passed in the blink of an eye, it was at that moment that Lancer finally arrived at the shipyard, noticing the expression of determination on Raphaello's face. He approached, curious about what his friend was doing.
Raphaello ended his cultivation and smiled at Lancer.
- Lancer, I need to tell you something important.
Lancer was clearly anxious but curious about Raphaello's expression.
- What happened, Rapha? Something happened?
Raphaello took a deep breath, eager to share the news with his friend.
- There is a way for you to become strong without the need to use magic.
Lancer was surprised and his eyes lit up with excitement.
- Really, Rapha? How is this possible?
Raphaello smiled and began to explain.
- Roger, the blacksmith, and he showed me a Qi-based swordsmanship technique. It is a way of shaping Qi into an aura of protective energy, which can increase your strength, speed and endurance. I talked to him and he agreed to teach us.
Lancer was ecstatic with the news, his anxiety increasing by the second.
- That's incredible, Rapha! How it works? When can we start?
He asked several questions about the technique, showing his physical and emotional anxiety. Raphaello responded patiently, clarifying some details and ensuring that Lancer understood how the technique worked. Although he knew little about the technique.
In the middle of the conversation, Lancer seemed so anxious that he wanted to leave immediately to start learning the technique, but Raphaello reassured him.
- Lancer, there's no need to worry for now. Things are going much better than I anticipated. Tomorrow afternoon, Roger will teach us. Until then, we can continue to train and improve our skills. You will see, soon, we will be stronger than we ever imagined.
With those words, they continued the rest of the day, training in hand-to-hand combat, exchanging blows, and honing their skills. When night fell, exhausted, they went to sleep, anxious about what the future held and the possibilities that were emerging on their journey in the village.
Raphaello woke up with the first ray of sunlight illuminating the shipyard where he and his friend Lancer lived.
They already cultivate their Qi for a few moments in the morning, preparing themselves spiritually for the day's tasks. Today, they had plans to visit the village before heading to training with Roger.
Before leaving for training, Raphaello had a pending issue to resolve. He owed 4 silver coins to Bugree, the owner of the local magic shop. The debt was weighing on his conscience, and he was determined to end it.
Together with Lancer, he headed to Bugree's shop in the center of the village.
When they arrived, Raphaello saw Bugree serving a customer, so they waited patiently.
When his turn finally came, Raphaello approached Bugree with a smile and said:
- Bugree, good morning. I came to pay the debt I owe you.
Raphaello disbursed the 4 silver coins and handed them to Bugree.
Bugree looked at the coins for a moment, examining them closely. Then he looked at Raphaello with an approving smile.
- You are a man of your word, Raphaello. I am pleased to see that you keep your promises. Your debt is paid.
Raphaello felt a weight being lifted from his shoulders and thanked Bugree sincerely.
- Thank you, Bugree. This means a lot to me.
Raphaello believed that a man should be as trustworthy as a mountain, his promises as solid as the roots of an ancient tree. He cultivated this ideal in his heart, as he believed that actions speak louder than empty words.
However, there was another issue that Raphaello needed to address. He mentioned to Bugree about the "Comprehensio" spell scroll he had purchased from the store earlier. The parchment turned out to be a fake, and Raphaello was determined to set the record straight.
Raphaello looked Bugree in the eyes seriously and asked:
- Bugree, about that 'Comprehensio' scroll I bought here... I discovered it was fake. Do you have any explanation for this?
Bugree looked surprised and a little uncomfortable. He scratched his head and sighed.
- Raphaello, I had no knowledge that the parchment was fake when I sold it to you. It was provided to me by a supplier I believed to be trustworthy. Can you show me?
Raphaello shows him the parchment and there is no writing inside it. Bugree couldn't understand why there was no writing on it the supplier who provided magic to him was very trustworthy.
Bugree watched Raphaello carefully as he expressed his gratitude and at the same time revealed the magic scroll. As he stared at the empty scroll, the shopkeeper felt a tightness in his chest. He couldn't give the impression of an imposter to someone as honorable as Raphaello, someone he recognized as a potentially loyal customer. After all, men like Raphaello were rare and valuable in a world where honor is often in short supply.
Bugree pondered what had happened. His supplier of scrolls and magic was a reliable source, and he himself had no reason to be suspicious. However, he couldn't understand why the scroll was empty. He knew he should have noticed the white seal when purchasing, but he had never seen a seal like that before, and he didn't know what it meant.
Bugree sighed deeply and looked at Raphaello sincerely.
- I'm sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. I do not know what happened. I should have been suspicious when they gave me a white stamp. I had never seen one before.
He handed the four silver coins to Raphaello as a gesture of good faith and respect for the honesty of the man before him. As much as he was a merchant, he also understood the value of honor and mutual trust in business.
With Bugree's four silver coins in his hands, Raphaello now had a total of seven silver coins in his possession. He briefly reflected on Bugree's gesture and realized that if the shopkeeper was really an imposter, he would hardly have given him his money back. However, Bugree also saw Raphaello as a valuable client, and this could be used to his advantage.
Raphaello decided to act intelligently. He smiled at Bugree and thanked him again for returning the coins.
- Thank you, Bugree. This means a lot to me. I'm glad we resolved this misunderstanding.
Taking advantage of the situation, Raphaello decided to explore the store in search of other scrolls that could help him learn new spells. He had seven silver coins at his disposal, and was determined to increase his magical knowledge.