But for a Slime

<continued - 7/9>

"Well. There hasn't been a new job in… thousands of years… well… there were the new jobs just about five… six months ago. But… before, new jobs are very rare. Like I said, before this… it was thousands of years ago… so it is a large surprise. Many people would really like to get that job, if possible."

"Why?"

"The Great Library pays well for any who adequately explore and explain the skills of the new job to the Great Library. The Great Library even offers free job crystals to some so they can gain the job. But, those who get the free job crystals usually have connections and friends. So some hope that they already are capable of gaining the job and go try their hand at changing to it."

"So, they pay people to explore the job for them?"

"Yes."

Joe stopped, deep in thought for a bit as he thought about his next question, "Has it really been thousands of years?"

"As I know it."

"Then, what is the Great Library?"

Garnedell looked at him in surprise before he remembered Joe's background, "I forget how much you do not know. How much is new to you."

Joe laughed, "Hey. I'm new to here."

Garnedell smiled at Joe's comment and continued the conversation, "The Great Library is the source of all new jobs and the main library. All other libraries are tied to and fed by the Great Library."

"Fed?"

"Job crystals. All job crystals come from the Great Library and are distributed to other libraries."

Joe frowned, "Only one place for all job crystals?"

Garnedell nodded, confused by Joe's discomfort, "Yes?"

"That's a single failure point if I've ever heard of one."

"Single… failure point?"

Joe nodded then shook his head, "Yeah, no. Never mind. It doesn't matter. So that's all the Great Library does? Makes Job crystals?"

"That's the main thing it does. There are other things, too, but I do not work for the libraries and I'm no merchant, so do not know. But anything of jobs and job crystals, possibly other things if they are to do with jobs."

"Only jobs? Or also the system and status?"

Garnedell glanced at him before looked back at the goblin they were attacking, confused, "How do you mean? The system is the job. The jobs are the system."

Joe grimaced but nodded, allowing the conflation and didn't want to argue the differences, "Right. Anything else?"

"About the library or the Great Library?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Heh. Funny. Anyway, then do you know any more about mana or mana emission?"

Garnedell frowned at him but kept his eyes on the goblin, "I'm a fighter, not a mage, Joe. I have given you what I know."

Joe sighed, "Then I'll need to ask Gwenvair, I guess." Joe dropped the conversation and returned to fighting then remembered another question, "Oh, hey. Do remember the guest medallion I have from the clan?"

"Yeah."

"I give it to the guards to let me get in the inner city and they look at it somehow with their mana. Are they able to feel and recognize mana?"

"That, I believe so. They are called mana keys or mana passes. I only know the name and know that they are basically impossible to copy. So, maybe?"

Joe nodded, "So checking mana signatures, possibly, or maybe checking some kind of mana formation… a mana seal or mana image, maybe?" Joe ended up trailing off in thought, his mind whirling at the possibilities while no longer seeking answers from Garnedell as it was obvious he had nothing else to offer. They continued fighting for another ten minutes or so until Garnedell became exhausted and begged off, heading back to the corner. Joe smiled as he waved them off but continued fighting on his own. He glanced over to see how the siblings were doing, but they were gone and he found them sitting in the corner watching on, Garnedell joining them at their side.

The day continued, Kilniara and Zilnek both joining him for their turn before the cycle began again with Garnedell. By around midmorning, Joe had already gained nine levels for commoner, reaching level thirty, but the next several hours until lunch got him nothing at all. When he sat down for lunch, he did take a look at his status and noticed that he had a new skill for commoner, but not much else of interest. Everything else remained the same.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

He passed lunch around to everyone, the other three falling into easy conversation while Joe listened on, but didn't really join, simply happy to be in their presence. After a bit, he flipped open his status and took a look at what was new, first looking at his skills as he'd noticed it when he first sat down. Well… that royally sucks! A new skill but … not the sub job one… so… It was an interesting skill called blend in, which Joe thought might actually be useful for certain situations, but didn't seem like something too significant. He did, however, at least click on it to take a look at it as it might be unusual enough to have a decent description.