[User: Unnamed Monster]
After several hours of fiddling with status screens I finally completed the tutorial quests I was able to unlock several features and rooms I assumed are quite important if Overseer was giving them to me for free.
For instance, the force going by the name Overseer that was responsible for giving me these quests wasn't passive, but it was actively responding to my inquiries. Sometimes, if I had further questions about specific features it would respond by giving me additional sub-quests about how to use them. Completing them didn't give me any additional rewards though.
As for rewards. Completing the corresponding quests carved out. This included the [Library], which was just a single floor library with around 4 bookshelves packed full of books, it was honestly only as big as a medium sized storage room suitable for surplus office supplies.
On the other hand, I unlocked the [Boss Chamber] which was supposed to be personal bedroom according to the description. Though, calling it that seemed generous since there was nothing in there save for a flat rectangular chiseled piece of polished stone in the center of the room which made me think of it more as a sacrificial alter instead of a bed.
However, there was a benefit that the room's description made clear about the [Boss Chamber].
[Boss Chamber]>(A room in the dungeon where the respective lord may rest to recover faster.)
My eyes went towards my health bar which was noticeably going up 1 point approximately every 10 seconds.
{Stats: [HP: 142/500][MP: 150/150][ATK:50][DEF: 25][AGI: 30][INT: 110][CHA: 10][LCK:10]}
Seeing this made me assume my health would recover naturally on its own since the description said recover faster, but I wondered how much faster this was. On top of that I realized that whatever the dungeon did to me earlier actually did deal damage to me. The reason it must have stopped was probably because I would have died if it continued to inject me with knowledge.
As for the contents of what was stuffed into my head, it was slowly coming to me. The most important parts being several dozen languages and the instincts to know how to use the abilities granted to me.
Where at first I only had descriptions for them. It was like being given a sword with no idea on how to use it effectively, but the system made up for that by giving the know-how.
{Stats: [HP: 155/500][MP: 150/150]}
In the meantime I was given another quest to complete and that was...
[Quest: Enter the Library and read 1 book]
[Completion Time: 00:00:00:57:32]
Yeah, it was forcing me to read, it even gave me a completion timer this time which suspiciously lined up with the amount of time left I needed to recover making me wonder what would happen if I didn't complete this in time. It was implied that it was definitely going to conduct another session of injected instant speed learning once my health was at full.
"Yeah, no. Not going through that again. Fine, I'll learn the old fashioned way then."
"Though, how the hell am I expected to read a book in under an hour? Maybe I should pick out something small in that case?"
Heading for the [Library] was only just across the way from the [Boss Chamber]. I tried to avoid looking at the heart in the throne room as I passed by since after completing several tutorial quests earlier I began to have the feeling that I was being watched by it.
'Creepy.'
Anyway, I finally got a chance to look at the books on the shelves and after a few moments of browsing I realized that none of them were organized, not to mention most of books weren't even in the same language yet they were all just stacked together.
Though I could understand the words written on the covers thanks to the injected knowledge I received, it bothered me for some reason that this entire room was a mess compared to the other two rooms I've seen even though it was also the most furnished.
It had wooden tables complete with several chairs, sliding ladders to reach the higher shelves and lanterns that housed bright orange bioluminescent crystals of some kind. The room easily had the best atmosphere so far, yet it was in absolute ruins.
Cobwebs, thick layers of dust, deteriorating furniture and the books were in even worse shape. The covers of some books literally crumbled away after picking them up.
Something deep in my mind hated seeing a library like this, though I couldn't place why I had felt that way. Perhaps it was a lingering feeling from the way I felt in my previous life. After all, I did still retain some memories of me reading several times in libraries.
Either way, I couldn't let this stand. I'm going to make sure this place looks a little more presentable.
...
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[User: Manfred Belfast]
The Erebor Guildhall was rather quiet today.
Only a few parties of people occupied the tables that filled up most of the large lobby where a reception desk sat at the back where it was surrounded by two large sets of stairs wrapping around its frame like a wreath.
The material used to build such a place was deceptively modest. Engraved wood and polished stone would be all anyone without a sharp eye or mind for details would see, but this place was built over several decades. An entire town was built around it before its construction would finally be completed only a couple years ago. A project that was lead by several admired people in the town.
One of such people responsible for it had decided to grace the hall with his presence on this quiet morning when he suddenly bursts through the upstairs' double doors, the sound echoed across the hall forcing people to look up in response to see who it was.
Manfred tried to composed himself by sleeking back his hair and fixing his collar before he slowly crossed the gallery to descend to the main floor. He made it a few steps until he threw out all propriety so he could fast walk towards the reception desk with the same attitude of a man trying to smuggle in illegal contraband.
His appearance would of course draw a few people's attention, but other than that most people didn't pay him any mind. Those that did however couldn't tell something was wrong other than their conclusion that it was simply the result of Manfred's eccentric personality.
Several people from different groups whispered about him and gossiped to their party members while they sat around tables with pints in their hands from the conjoined pub and tavern.
Manfred practically runs into the reception desk before slamming his hands down on the hard wood where a young woman sits. She hardly looks up with her eyes at the man's sudden appearance and simply continues stamping papers as if this was nothing new to her.
She was an elf with the typical features a person of her race would have. Thin figure, tall, blonde hair and green eyes. She wore glasses, even though she didn't need to, however the glasses were enchanted with several things that assisted her with her work as the Head of Reception. She wore a long white and green dress which was the standard uniform for employees of the Erebor Guild.
Her prim and proper presence emanated an authoritative aura that was in severe contrast to Manfred's sloppy and and disheveled appearance leading many people in the guildhall who didn't know any better to think that Manfred was a sleazy noble flirting with the Receptionist.
"Hey, Faye! I need a fa-"
"You went out again last night without saying anything to me again. I told you to stop taking those requests."
"Yes, I know, but I-"
"Do you?"
Faye interrupts him again as she reads over a document, though Manfred knew she wasn't really reading it, she was most likely trying to appear mad as a front. Still, he couldn't rebuke here, he knew he had yet again caused her grief.
He had to address this first.
"Faye, c'mon. You know why I had to do it this time."
After several long moments of awkward staring the woman drops the paper and stamp in her hands with a melodramatic sigh before looking up with a sad expression.
"Fred, you can't continue doing this to me, I worry you know."
"...I know, it's just...I'm sorry. I won't do any more lone hunts without telling you, but I had to in order to turn in those reports on time. It is the only way this place is staying out of the red after all so when they call I must answer quickly."
Faye sighs again this time with noticeable relief at his response, but immediately gets angry as she remembers something.
"I swear if those breakers hadn't quit when they did you wouldn't have had to do this again, I hate dealing with the Empire's bottom feeders ordering you around."
"Can't blame them though, you know how it goes. People work here until they find somewhere better. No one wants to stay in Tithe longer than they need to."
"I can't believe you're actually defending them! We gave those assho-!"
Noticing her own rising voice she clears her throat before quieting down to finish her thought.
"We gave them jobs for years, even when we didn't have the coin to spare for additional jobs we still went out of our way to look out for them. The least they could've done was warn us before they decided to up and leave us in a lurch. Now we have to take another request from the Empire instead of getting our monthly donation from the Research Bureau because we couldn't fill the quota on time."
"Yeah, Everyone knows how pissy they get when their monster quotas aren't filled in time."
"Could you take this seriously?!"
Faye sighs deeply before she wordlessly hands Manfred a small stack of papers as she finished talking. He looks them over briefly before speaking once more.
"Monthly expenses? Let's see the damage then."
"I'll save you the time because I was curious too. It's worse than last month. Thanks to our efforts though we have managed to keep this place afloat, but we are ever so slowly bleeding our profits into debt."
Manfred's face lights up before he hunches over and whispers to Faye.
"Speaking of our finance issues I think I saw something in the forest that can assist with that. I broke one of my favorite pipes because of it, but I believe a new dungeon has appeared near the Rubicord Mountain Range."
Faye's eyes widen for a moment before she reminded herself not to overreact because this was big news. There were too many pairs of eyes and ears around here to let something like this leak and leaving to speak somewhere private would only draw more attention. She returned to a hushed tone
"What?! Are you sure? Hold one, why are you telling me this out in the open?! You couldn't have told me later? This is the sort of news that can cause an uproar."
"Don't be daft! This is a new dungeon, every second is of the essence. I'm telling you this because I wanted to leave right now to confirm if what I saw as legit. Sooooo~"
Faye rolled her eyes. She formed a deadpan expression on her face as she stated-
"You need a favor."
"Don't you mean I need a special Faye-ver?"
"Stop."
"C'mon, you used to say that all the time back then, it was the cutest thing ever. Ya know, lifting the leg up like this and making a peace sign with your fingers in front of your eye like this and you would wink while sticking out your tongue, but I can't seem to remember if you winked with your right eye or left eye. I need to test it to figure it out."
Manfred began mimicking a cutesy pose which caused Faye to blush a bright red as she looked around the guildhall to make sure no one was looking at them, unfortunately though, everyone was looking. She got up from her chair to push Manfred's arms down in a feeble attempt to get him to stop embarrassing them both any further.
Other people in the guild hall smirked and chuckled at the sight of Manfred's antics gawking for several moments before they turned back to their own business since this was nothing new for most.
"Just Manfred embarrassing his poor head receptionist again it seems," one man says before taking a drink from his pint of ale.
"Dammit, Fred! Stahhhppp! Everyone is looking at us. No man your age should be making that pose, it's a crime against the mortal races and gods themselves!"
Manfred chuckled as he puts his arms down with a satisfied smile. He knew he sucked at keeping a poker face, but he was great at being unapologetically himself. With this no one would assume they were trying to hide anything, meaning no one would eavesdrop on their conversation.
"There, now no one would suspect I was telling you a secret just now, right?"
"Oh, just shut up and tell me what you want dickhead."
Manfred laughed a final time before he leaned on the desk and began to speak in a more serious voice.
"Faye, I need you to call every one of our most trusted scouts to help me comb the forest by the end of the week. I plan on putting together an [Expedition]."