Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Myths

I quickly collect my thoughts before asking the librarian, "Yesterday, you said that [Carpenter] gains experience from what he does. The more complex the items he produces, the more complicated material he processes, the more experience he gets. Right?"

"Yes," the librarian nodded, stroking his beard. "Of course, it was just an example. It applies to all classes."

"I thought nothing else. My question is, couldn't he gain more experience by killing monsters in the labyrinth?" I asked.

Mr. Sandoval stopped stroking his beard. "Why do you think that?"

"Don't seekers gain experience like that? From killed monsters? I mean, they absorb the part of their…live energy that will remain after their death, as experience." I tried to explain the concept that worked in most games.

"I don't know why you would think that, but that's not how seekers gain experience," said the librarian.

"Oh," I breathed, unaware of what to say next. After a moment's thought, however, I asked, "Then, how?"

So how do seekers gain experience? How did the warrior gain experience when it wasn't an exp from dead monsters?

"To put it simply, they gain experience in the same way as [Carpenter]. [Mage] because he casts spells, of course, the stronger and more complex the spells are, the more experience he gains. [Warrior] because he wields a weapon, fights with it, and engages in battles with a stronger enemy than the previous one. [Archer] shoots his arrows more accurately at greater distances and a harder-to-hit enemy. [Guardian] because he protects his party from increasingly powerful opponents, and the better he protects them, the more the system rewards him.

"As I said, this is very simply put. Everyone has to find out for themselves what the system allows and what not. But the essence of gaining experience itself is straightforward. You have a class; you just have to think about its nature, its purpose.

"I don't know what energy you had in mind that the killed monsters should leave behind, but their magic is stored in the magic core in their bodies. People can use it but not absorb it as an experience. They gain them through hard work and overcoming their limits," the librarian explained to me.

I thought that would be the case, hence I was afraid to hear an answer to my next question. "So how does [Slave] gain experience?"

Looking at me strangely, Mr. Sandoval asked, "You truly don't know?"

I sighed, "I have an idea."

"Go on," the librarian urged me to tell him more.

"Is it because [Slave] obeys the master's orders?" I asked, waiting for the librarian to confirm my concerns.

Mr. Sandoval stroked his beard before nodding. "Yes. But it's not just about obeying orders, but also about how well you obey them. Or when you exceed your master's expectations, or when you do something in his favor without giving you an order."

"So it's about the master," I sighed, my ears lowered in disappointment.

Instead of crying over my fate, I smiled sorrowfully and looked at the librarian,

"So, as a seeker, I won't become stronger!"

"You don't have to be sad." Mr. Sandoval shook his head, then chuckled and said, "If you want to become a seeker, you can. No one will stop you, and you can gain experience as [Slave] in the labyrinth as well."

"But don't I have to have a master to serve?" I asked puzzled.

"Master?" Mr. Sandoval smiled at my question, then answered joyfully, "You must first ask who your master is. He's someone who assigns you tasks. He is someone whose orders you follow. Doesn't that sound like an employer?"

"You don't mean ...?" I asked, not finishing the question.

The librarian nodded. "The system is not so strict in this regard. It is not specified whose orders you must obey to gain another level by fulfilling them. You can also carry out orders given to you by your employer. If you become a seeker, it will be your company that will assign you tasks."

"So I don't need a master?" Realization dawned upon me.

"No, miss Grey." the librarian smiled. "You don't."

I wiped the tears from my eyes, "You don't even know how happy I am to hear it."

"But I can see it," said the librarian.

I never wanted to be in the hands of another master again. The thought of not getting anywhere in my life without one was frightening. That's why the tears.

"I'm sorry, miss Grey. I didn't mean to bring you to tears," said the librarian regretfully. "I thought you knew about it. That was a mistake on my part."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I can only blame myself for my ignorance," I said, adding. "No. If anyone is to blame for me knowing almost nothing about Eleaden, it is my former master."

"But I see you're trying to change that. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here," Mr. Sandoval said.

"Yes, I'm trying," I said sadly. "But it's hard when you don't know where to start, what to ask."

The librarian smiled warmly. "I think you started in the right place, miss."

"You're right," I nodded, thinking for a moment. "So you're saying it's enough to find an employer, and since they won't let me into the labyrinth without working for a company, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Exactly. People think their class limits them, but that's not entirely true." said the librarian, looking out the window before continuing. "You can become whatever you want. You can be a Soldier, a Fisherman, or a Merchant. You just have to find a way to gain experience for your class. You have to look at things from a different angle than just lamenting over your class, that you can be nothing but [Slave]."

"Won't people with class have an advantage? They'll have skills I'll never have," I said.

Mr. Sandoval nodded. "Unfortunately, that's true. So you have to make up for their absence with determination."

I chuckled. "That's enough?"

"You'd be surprised how many craftsmen are satisfied with what their skills allow them. They don't care how to further develop their craft beyond the limits of their class and skills. This applies to all classes," said the librarian.

"...and what about you?" I asked, curious.

Mr. Sandoval cleared his throat. "I'm a terrible example, miss. I'm happy with what I have. All I need is to have books around me, so I can read in peace."

"I'm not surprised, Mr. Sandoval. This library is a wonderful place," I told him the truth. I looked out the window at the flowering meadows and said honestly. "When I went to the library, I didn't expect much. I expected to spend hours reading books, looking for some information that would help me. Instead, I met you here. You've already helped me immensely. When I arrived in the city I've got the impression that a free [Slave] can be nothing but a slave or a companion. Still, I tried to be something else. Now thanks to you, I know it's not an empty dream."

The librarian also looked out the window, "In this respect, [Slave] is a unique class in my opinion. When you think about it, you can become anything. You just have to have the right employer."

I looked at the librarian, "Do I have to?"

"What do you mean, miss Grey?" Mr. Sandoval asked.

I smiled. "What if I took a request from someone myself? For example, to bring hide from the labyrinth. Would that count as an order I obeyed?"

"I don't know, I'm not [Slave]," the librarian shrugged, then raised a finger. "But now you are thinking in the right direction. If you do not want to be a [Slave], it must not limit you, instead think about how to use this class to achieve your dreams, just like now. I'm not trying to say it will be easy, not at all. In time, you will find out what the system will allow you and what will be impossible. You are young, you have a lot of time, and who knows, one day you can become a queen or even an empress."

When the librarian mentioned the empress, I looked at my tail, and grinned. In a way, I was already an empress. At least I had the same tail as her.

I looked back at Mr. Sandoval and noticed that he was also looking at my tail. With a slight movement of my tail, I woke the librarian from his thoughts.

He cleared his throat, "I have a question for you."

"Yes?" I asked cautiously.

"You know, yesterday, when you left, I couldn't stop thinking about what terran you were. I searched the library for answers, but I couldn't find any information about terrans or half-terrans like you in any of the books. Would you be willing to satisfy my curiosity?" The librarian asked.

Oh. So this is what the old man wanted to ask. What a race I was?! What a kind of terran?! I, too, would like to know the answer to that. What am I? I was born a human. I lived as one for twenty-nine years. The system said I was human, but I didn't feel like one.

After a moment's thought, I answered him with a smirk. "Did you find anything about Kirin?"

His eyes popped. His calm expression was gone. Instead, he was obviously shocked. He didn't move and just stared at me, which scared me. Did he have a heart attack?

I didn't want to kill this talkative old man with this innocent prank. When he finally took a breath, and his calm expression returned, I was relieved. So as not to torture the old man anymore, I smiled and added. "I was told by one kid that I looked like one. I wonder if that's true, but just like him, I have to disappoint you. I'm still human, according to the system. I can show you my ID card. Captain Rayden verified it"

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The librarian laughed heartily. "You got me there, miss. I have to admit, for a moment, I thought I was sitting here with a mythical creature."

"Do I really look like one?" I couldn't help but ask.

Still laughing, Mr. Sandoval looked at me. "According to legend, yes. I thought so too, even though I know it's not possible."

I tilted my head. "Why?"

"They are just terran legends. Their purpose is to appease the common people, to give them hope. Even humans have such legends. But they have one thing in common. They are not real," the librarian explained.

"But you thought the one about Kirin was real," I said.

"That was a temporary lapse of judgment. Who wouldn't want to meet such a creature? Or someone he has read about in legends and heard in stories since childhood, isn't it why adventurers go to the still unexplored places of Eleaden? Why do seekers dive deeper and deeper into labyrinths? To meet these myths and become legends themselves?" the librarian said, looking dreamily out the window. He then smiled lightly and continued, "Excuse this old man for losing his head for a moment."

"Is there a picture in any of those books that I can look at?" I asked, wondering what Kirin looked like.

The librarian shook his head. "No, there is not. It's a terran legend, this is not their library. There is only a description in one of the books."

"Can you tell me? Please." I asked the librarian, still feeling guilty about that little prank.

"Sure," the librarian nodded. "I'm not sure I remember the exact words, I would have to find the book, but Kirin is described as being of immense beauty and power. Their wings can obscure the sun, the glow of their horns can blind you, and the softness of their tail is unmatched. They are creatures full of life and compassion, whose fur shines like a lake at dawn, their feathers the color of fire burning in their hearts. That's what I remember."

"And that's what I look like?" I wondered. I looked awful. How can anyone confuse me with Kirin? "My wings can hardly overshadow the sun. As far as I know, my horns don't shine, but it would be useful at night. I only have fur in a few places on my body, but it never shines. The only thing I can agree with is the softness of my tail."

Mr. Sandoval laughed. "I will have to believe you in that. But their description is more for all terrans. Everyone will find something of their kind in Kirin, whether it's a wolfkin or a harpie. Even though it's clear to me now that you're not Kirin, people like to believe what they want. You should be careful in this regard, miss. Someone might want to use your appearance to their advantage or vent their anger on you. After all, Kirin are creatures that are said to help terrans in their distress."

"So you think someone might get angry at me if I don't help them?" I asked, making sure.

The librarian nodded, "It's possible. I'd be cautious about this, especially with terrans. Only a handful of humans know their legends. After what happened to their federation, a lot of them are desperate."

Yeah, the disintegration of their federation, that's what I wanted to ask. After all, that was why I couldn't find a decent job in the city, why there were so many terrans in the human empire.

But Mr. Sandoval asked first. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I wonder how can a human look like a half-terran?"

"It's difficult for me to talk about it, but ..." I hesitated. I didn't want to talk about it, but I knew that keeping it inside me was not the answer. That's why I did take a deep breath and continued. "As I said, I was born and raised as a human, that is until they kidnapped me and made me [Slave]. The madman who was my master was experimenting on slaves, and this is the result," I pointed at myself.

"Did he try to create a crossbreed between terrans and humans?" the librarian frowned. "Why, half-terrans are nothing rare."

"No," I shook my head, pointing to my mutations. "This did not belong to the terrans, but to the beasts."

"Oh, that's..." Realization dawned upon a librarian. "... that's why I couldn't find anything in the books."

What? I thought he would be disgusted with what I was, what had happened to me. Instead, he wondered why he couldn't find anything in his books. A typical librarian, I guess.

"What monsters were used in those experiments?" the librarian asked but stopped. "My apologies. Sometimes I'm too curious, especially when it's something new."

I shuddered. His zeal reminded me for a moment of my captor Dungreen.

"I understand, but I'd also like to know the answer to this question," I said and continued after a brief pause. "My ex-master never told me that. He hid the origin of the essences he injected into my body from the other slaves and me."

"If it's still no secret, I'll be happy to help you uncover it. I can search the books and find out more about these beasts," Mr. Sandoval offered.

"No one forbade me to talk about it," I shrugged. "I will be very happy if you help me find the origin of these mutations. Feel free to call them that."

"What can you tell me about those mutations?" the librarian asked, but at that moment, a bell rang above the library's front door. "Excuse me, I'll see who it is, and I'll be right back."

So I waited. I couldn't claim a librarian just for myself. However, when Mr. Solemdal returned, he was troubled.

He didn't sit back in his armchair; he looked at me instead. "Two guards are looking for you. They're waiting outside, miss."

At that moment, I broke out in a cold sweat. My heart began to race. I panicked. Were they here because I told the librarian about the mutations? Will they lock me up?

"Miss!" the librarian addressed me. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, but I wasn't okay. How could I, when the cops came for me, I mean the guardsmen. But the truth was, they were waiting for me outside. They didn't break into the library. They didn't yell at me to lie down and stuff.

I looked at the librarian and tried to smile. "It will be better if I don't keep them waiting long. I'll still be happy if you help me find out the origin of those mutations, Mr. Sandoval."

"With pleasure, miss Grey. When you resolve the matter with the girls outside, feel free to stop again." the librarian smiled.

I left the library with a heavy heart, anxious. Outside, as the librarian said, two guards were waiting for me. More precisely, the guardswomen. I looked at them.

[Guardswoman: lvl 127]

[Guardswoman: lvl 129]

According to my new knowledge, both women have evolved their class. It bothered me whether they had chosen exactly the same evolution, or what the system showed me was only limited information about the class.

The fact that each had a different weapon spoke out against the same evolution. One had a sword at her waist, the other a spear on her back. Nevertheless, it didn't matter what evolution they went through, nor that the system probably gave me distorted information. None of that changed the fact that these women were stronger than me, and there were two of them.

As I closed the door behind me, the women looked at me.

"Wow" whistled the one with a spear. "I thought they were kidding with the description, but ..."

She didn't finish the sentence because the swordswoman dug her elbow into her ribs and cleared her throat. "Korra Grey, I assume?!"

I nodded, "Yes?"

"Finally," the first spearswoman muttered. "We've been looking for you all over the damn city..."

The other sighed and said. "We have been ordered to take you to the barracks, I hope you will cooperate with us."

What else could I do? Run away? Where would I run? I wouldn't get out of the city. Not when I look the way I do.

"I will," I nodded and put my hands in front of me, waiting for the handcuffs.

"Ehh ... what are you doing?" The more sensible guardswoman asked.

"Maybe she's not right in her head, too," the spearwoman remarked.

I looked at them, confused. "Didn't you want to arrest me?"

"Maybe we should, what do you think?" spearswoman asked, grinning at the other spearwoman.

She smiled too and looked at me. "Should we arrest you? Do you want to confess to a crime?"

I was baffled now. Did they mean it, or were they kidding me? Because if so, it was a bad joke. Maybe they didn't see it on me, but I was scared.

"You probably misunderstood us," the swordswoman said, looking at the other woman and continuing. "We didn't come to arrest you, just to take you to the barracks. Nothing more."

"I would lock you in the dungeon at least for a day," spearwoman muttered, wiping her nose with her hand. "We've been running around Castiana all morning because of you."

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