I only need 20 experience points to get to 100, he thought. Maybe if I ignore what it is, and don't think about the smell. I mean, she can do this every day, and likes it, or if I watch it for four more hours, but no, I don't want to take four hours if I can do it in two. Von was trying to psych himself into getting into the vat and "puering" the hides. "Do you have a place where I can clean my legs and feet when we're done?"
"There's the well out back. We use it. We even have soap, a strigil and oils to get rid of the smell." Lisa looked at him strangely. This was the best part of working with the leather, but this new boy, Von, looked like he didn't want to do it. Was he looking ill at the thought? Is he a rich boy and so well off he never used dried dung for fire on those occasions when wood was scarce, or they could afford to let good brains go to waste? She started to wonder about how this boy was raised and if he ever had to do any chores. Being polite to the newcomer, she decided to keep these thoughts to herself. If he became apprenticed to Master Grimdon, then this would be his task until a new apprentice was added, which would be at least two years. He'll come to appreciate how easy this is really quick, she thought.
Finally, he overcame his repulsion and decided the twenty experience points for two hours of this grueling, unpleasant task would be worth it despite leaving his feet and legs smelly and foul. Von removed his socks and boots, and then, after seeing their condition having trudged through the bog, reminded himself to buy new socks and boots prior to leaving Sungrove.
Rolling up his pants legs and taking a deep breath, Von stepped over the edge of the vat plunged his feet into the mixture of water, brains, and dung. The initial contact sent shivers up his spine, but to his surprise, the sensation wasn't as terrible as he had imagined. The mixture felt strangely soothing, and as he continued to work the leather, he found a certain satisfaction in the tactile process.
The soft squishing sound beneath his toes echoed in the workshop, and he couldn't help but smile at the unexpected pleasure he derived from this unconventional task. The once-revolting chore began to transform into a strangely therapeutic experience for Von.
As he worked, Von contemplated the irony of his change in perspective. What was initially a dreaded endeavor had turned into an oddly enjoyable routine. Perhaps it was the meditative quality of the repetitive motions or the unexpected connection he felt with the materials, but Von couldn't deny the newfound appreciation he had for the art of leatherworking.
Von immersed himself in the process of puering the leather, while Lisa, acting as a teacher or perhaps mentor, since she was the more seasoned leatherworker, worked by his side. She continued her detailed explanations, sharing her wealth of knowledge about the various steps involved in tanning leather.
"With puering, you're breaking down the remaining protein structures," Lisa explained, her voice carrying over the rhythmic squelching sounds. "It's a crucial step in ensuring the leather becomes soft and supple. Think of it as coaxing the fibers to embrace their new form."
Von nodded, his hands working in tandem with Lisa's instructions. The mixture of brains and dung took on new meaning as he began to understand its role in the intricate alchemy of transforming raw hide into a usable material. By itself, this was its own type of magic created without using mana.
Lisa continued, her words painting a vivid picture of the craftsmanship involved. "You see, Von, leatherworking is not just about the final product. It's about understanding the nature of the material, respecting the traditions, and coaxing out its hidden potential. Each step, no matter how messy or unconventional it may seem, contributes to the overall quality of the leather."
As Lisa spoke, Von found himself not only absorbed in the tactile sensations of the task but also intrigued by the knowledge being shared. The squishing beneath his toes became a backdrop to a valuable lesson in the ancient art of tanning.
Once an hour had passed of Lisa's guidance and his dutiful work, he heard the strange but expected voice invade his mind.
With the added assistance of Lisa's explanation and direction, Von was earning fifteen experience points in an hour instead of ten. So, just watching a something being done, he could receive five experience points per hour, doing it without an instructor gave him ten, and with the instruction of an apprentice instructor which doing a task, he could earn fifteen experience points per hour. Thinking about this, he wondered how much he could learn if one of the journeymen or masters provided instruction while he did something? Would it be twenty, or even fifty? I will have to try to find out.
Another hour passed.
Hearing this, Von was both happy and unhappy with these words. He gained a level and was now a novice tanner and he received a point of intelligence which was good, but what did it really mean? Does this mean he can learn faster, or just make better decisions, or what? What is a novice tanner? How does that compare to an apprentice? Could he ask his system?
System, what does intelligence do for me?
Thank you, System. What does it mean to be a tier 1 novice tanner?
How many tiers are there between skill levels?
How many tiers are there between a novice tanner and an apprentice tanner?
System, you said intelligence affects mana. Does this mean if I gain intelligence, I also gain mana?
A gain of two points didn't seem like much mana, but anything was an improvement. As such, he was very happy with himself. So far, he had earned two total attribute points and was already a novice tanner and had touched upon tychomancy, smithing, and survival. System, how many skills is it possible for me to learn?
Hmm, maybe I asked the wrong question, Von thought. System, how many skills are there?
This was not the answer Von was hoping to receive, but he couldn't immediately determine a better way to ask what he wanted to know. Thinking about it longer, maybe he did need the extra points in intelligence, he just didn't want to admit it.
By the time Von had finished puering, the vat he was in, he not only had a newfound appreciation for the process but also a better understanding of the craft. Between Lisa's guidance and his system, they had transformed what initially seemed like a mundane if not sickening chore into a more meaningful learning experience, yet he still needed to learn more to master the art of tanning leather.
Knowing Monica was due to join him shortly, Von declined to move to another vat and chose instead to thoroughly clean his legs and feet with soap, a brush, and finally the curved dull knife Lisa referred to as a strigil to ensure nothing was left on him from his recent experience. Firstly, despite having spent days with him in the bog to get here, Mon would likely find it repulsive for him to have voluntarily stomped around in dung and brains. Second, the smell alone was absolutely horrid, and he was hoping to remove as much of the smell from his body before she arrived and cover himself with a pleasantly scented oil so their journey out of town would not be memorable to the residents as being offensive to one's sense of smell. Von's father told him many times, a good last impression is as important as a good first impression.