- Chapter 3 - Prontera At Last

~ After a few days ~

~ Evelyn's POV ~

Evelyn found out that she seriously underestimated how far Prontera was from the first manhole cover that they've found; of which most likely had very extensive sewer tunnels that connected to the culvert, since it took them a few days of walking, fighting off monsters here and there, and discovering that there were in fact higher leveled Porings, Lunatics, and Willows that roamed this vast and expansive forest that resided on the very northwest region of the City of Prontera.

She kept herself away from the packs of Thief Bugs that patrolled several broken manhole covers, sewer openings, and cracks on the ground where broken pipes lead downwards to the sewer tunnels underground. It was as if the people of Prontera gave up on the culvert and the connecting sewer tunnels entirely within this forest.

One of the only good things about having traveled like this for a few days was the level that Evelyn was able to reach before she saw a glimpse of the walls of Prontera.

It also didn't hurt that she gained a couple more skills thanks to having leveled up a few times. Evelyn also accidentally gained an ability after having come across an odd object in the shape of a broken sphere that was placed on a marble plinth and hiding within greenery; inside a grove that had the oldest oak trees that she's seen so far in the forest, and the number of vines that grew around it and the aura of the place screamed ancient.

Evelyn didn't even touch the object, but the moment she got within 5 feet of it so that her System could accurately scan the Runic Hieroglyphics that covered the marble plinth was when she and her System felt a sort of Mana react with her presence; thus, awakening something within her. Her System is still trying to make heads and tails of what it changed within Evelyn, but so far, they've only seen the appearance of the [Nature's Shrine Maiden - Ability] and a tab of question marks underneath the [Rebirth] & [Evolution] sections of her System.

It raised a lot of questions for Evelyn and her System, but it looks like it awakened good things so far, since the ability would be a boon if given enough time to grow.

As Evelyn approached the City of Prontera, she marveled at the tall stone walls, the weathered yet sturdy towers, the hustle and bustle of people arriving and leaving the gatehouse in this side of Prontera's walls, and the discipline that the city guards have while they performed their duties. On several prominent places near the gatehouse and on the wall; as well as the towers, Evelyn was able to spot the banners and flags that represent the Rune-Midgard Kingdom and their affiliated vassals. Evelyn didn't really know how to tell which one was which, yet she was still in awe at the elaborate designs that were stitched into the emplaced banners and flags.

It barely took Evelyn half an hour to line up with the people that wanted to enter Prontera, show the guards her identification papers; which they swiftly verified were real with the look and actions of experienced guards that must've been doing this for a while, and to then be graced with the scene of a bustling medieval city that was clean; which shouldn't have been that much of a surprise since magic was a thing in this world. To Evelyn, this was all pretty awe-inspiring to her and she marveled at the sights.

The stone cobbled streets, the stone and brick buildings that were spaced out in a way that wasn't suffocating to the people that lived here, and the magic crystal powered lamps and lights would've clashed, but the colorful banners, signs, and the number of colorfully dressed individuals wandering the bustling streets gave the city life.

Evelyn and her System saw civilians, a bevy of street merchants, a plethora of vendors, lone or grouped up adventuring parties, patrolling guards, and the occasional adventurer riding a giant yellow ostrich-like bird with a birds' head that was a mixture of a toucan and an eagle; at least to Evelyn's eyes. From the scans made by her System, those were indeed Peco Peco, so those adventurers must be Knights... A Second Class Job and one of the Jobs that can come from those that chose the Swordsman or Swordswoman First Class Job. They are trained to ride and fight atop their mounts and are formidable warriors.

'That explains the well-made heavy armor...', thought Evelyn with admiring eyes.

Evelyn took note of the fact that there are regular horses; of course, but the Peco Pecos seem to be one of the most popular animals of burden in this Kingdom. She also took note of the gazes she was given by the more dangerous looking adventurers whenever she used her [Basic Monster Detection & Observation Ability], so she only used it sparingly.

'Let's not use this ability in a crowded city like Prontera... I could've sworn I saw one of those High Priests watching me earlier...'

[It wasn't your imagination... The High Priest, the Sage, and the Wizard next to him were all eyeing you when you passed, but as soon as the aura of the ability waned, then they stopped. Also... Update: Your Basic Monster Detection & Observation Ability information has been updated...]

[Reminder: A High Priest; just like a High Wizard, is the Transcendent Second Class of the Priest and the Wizard Jobs respectively. In the meantime, the Sage is the Second Class Job that originates from having chosen the Mage First Class Job. The Mage can either choose to be a Sage or a Wizard and once they picked their paths, then their Transcendent Second Class Jobs will reflect their choice.]

'Damn... I let my curiosity get the best of me. But at least now we know that others can indeed sense the passive aura that emanates when I use the ability... I've got to be more wary about these things...', she inwardly chastised herself while she appeared calm on the outside.

After an hour or so of taking in the city's sights, she asked around for directions to the nearest shop that sold women's clothes, potions, food, a seamstress that had experience in designing combat robes, and other essentials for a new adventurer like herself.

As she shopped and brought what she needed, she got herself fitted for three styles of combat robes that the more martial inclined Sages usually wore, but she made sure that the designs were in line with the kinds of garbs that the female Acolytes and Priestesses wore.

Evelyn also sold off most of the fruits and vegetables that she obtained from the Porings, Lunatics, and the Willows that she slew. She made sure to buy herself a few months' worth of food, a (Beginner's Sewing Kit), an (Herbalist's Starter Kit), and more things that she thought she'd need out in the wilderness.

In the end, she spent (37,890 Zeny); leaving her with (13,210 Zeny) in her inventory. She was lucky that one of the shops that she visited brought up all (7x Rainbow Carrots) that she picked up from the Lunatics she encountered yesterday since they sold for a decent amount of zeny. According to her System, these rainbow hued carrots are a favorite food of the fluffy white Lunatics.

As Evelyn interacted with people, vendors, and others, she was slowly gaining exp for her [Basic Human Midgardian Written & Spoken Language Comprehension - Skill].

By the time that she finished her shopping spree, it was a few hours past noon; indicated by the clocks around Prontera. Thanks to these clocks, Evelyn and her System were finally able to figure out the actual time zone and sync with it; both systematically and mentally. The date of the calendar was currently the 24th of April; on the year of 418 A.W..

Evelyn then went and booked herself a room at one of the many inns that dot the City of Prontera for two days, got herself a decent lunch at an eatery near the inn, and then she took a long-awaited bath in her booked room. Thanks to the wonders of magic, the indoor plumbing within Prontera was pretty impressive. Evelyn practically felt herself destress while she soaked in the hot and soapy bathwater. It felt like a lifetime ago since her bare flesh soaked in a tub like this.

"Finally... this feels so amazing...", she stated with a very relaxed grin. 'I'm so glad we've made it here. I was kind of getting sick of eating nothing but jerky for the past few days. Now we've got a lot of food, clothes, and so much more that'll help my future camping experiences become more bearable. I've slept on the ground with nothing but dirt or sand as a blanket in my last life; sometimes for weeks on end, while my unit and I were keeping watch and defending our frontlines from enemy insurgents, waiting in ambush, or what have you, so if I could afford to make my life just a little bit more bearable out there, then it's all the more worth it.'

[From what you mentioned to me a day ago, you plan to explore more of the forest that we came from, gain more exp, and to explore more of the wilderness around Prontera while trying to level up as many skills and abilities as you can. It makes sense for you to use the resources available to you to your advantage.]

As Evelyn talked some more with her System, she continued lathering herself up, washing her hair, and rinsing herself off with a relaxed and soothed air about her. Evelyn then dressed herself in a (New, Clean, and Tasteful Green & Silver Sundress), a pair of (New, Clean, and Comfortable Young Ladies' Underclothes), and a pair of (Clean, Comfortable, and New Black Sandals).

Once she was dressed, she admired herself a bit in the full body mirror in her room. 'It's going to take me awhile to get used to being this short...' *Sigh*

After she finished inspecting herself and comparing her new youthful look with her old one, she sat herself down on the surprisingly comfy bed; whose sheets, pillows, and blankets looked like they were freshly washed, and she then relaxed some more.

Evelyn then decided to open up her [Status] tab; as well as her [Skills] and [Abilities] tab, in order to get an overview of her progress.

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[Status]

[Name: Evelyn Snowbright]

[Race: Human Midgardian]

[Age: 17 Years Old (Formerly 29)]

[Title(s): None]

[Level: 7 (5,439/6,400 exp)]

[HP] [170/170] (3 HP/10Sec Regen when resting and/or out of combat)

[SP] [194/194] (8 SP/10Sec Regen when resting and/or out of combat)

[Job: Novice (No Other Classes Unlocked As Of Yet)]

[Job Level: (7/10) (5,439/6,400 exp)]

[Primary Stats:]

> [Unlocked Features - Primary Status Tier - Any Stat that have reached 50 allocated points now require 2 Stat Points to advance that respective Stat to 51 and onwards to 60. From 61 ~ 70 requires 3 Stat Points... etc.]

[STR] 10

[AGI] 20

[VIT] 15

[INT] 47

[DEX] 20

[LUK] 50

[Available Primary Stat Points Before Being Used: 0]

[Available Primary Stat Points Left After Usage: 0]

[Sub-Stats:]

[ATK] 10 (Total STR) + 17 (Total Weapon ATK) = 27 + (Total LUK 50 ÷ 3 = 16.6) = 43.6 ~ 58.6

[MATK] 47 (Total INT) × 1.5 = 70.5 (+1 MATK for every 5 points in DEX = [4]) + (Total LUK 50 ÷ 3 = 16.6) = 91.1 ~ 106.1

[DEF] (+1 DEF for every 5 points in AGI = [4]) + (+1 DEF for every 2 points in VIT = [7]) + 13 (Total Equipment DEF) = 24

[MDEF] 47 (Total INT) x 2 = 94 + (+1 MDEF for every 5 points in VIT = [3]) + (1 MDEF for every 5 points in DEX = [4]) = 101

[HIT] 2 + 20 (Total DEX) = 22 + (Total LUK 50 ÷ 3 = 16.6) = 38.6

[CRIT] 50 (Total LUK) × 0.3 = 15

[FLEE] 2 ((× 20) Total AGI)) = 40 + (Total LUK 50 ÷ 5 = 10) = 50 + 7 (Advanced Dodging Skill) = 57

[ASPD] (1 Physical ATK Action performed every 2.6 seconds) (Current calculated speed that the System has clocked Evelyn's actions at during combat...)

[MS] (+1 mph while walking every 4 or less points in AGI) = (5 mph walking) x 2 = (10mph jogging/run/sprint)

[Skills]

> [Unlocked Features - Skill Upgrade Slots - The Tiers for them are as follows: Basic, Advanced, Expert, Master, Legend, and Divine - The advancement of your skills to certain tiers gives them a lot more flexibility to grow, have more of an impact in later levels, and the later benefits for your skills are unknown, but it shows incredible promise.]

>> [Available Skill Points: 0]

[Advanced Dagger Mastery - Skill - (1/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 6/25 (835/3,200 exp)]

>> [Passive Skill]

>> [Damage with Daggers and Knife-like Weapons are increased by 18%. Weapons handling and techniques with these kinds of weapons are easier to perform.]

>> [More info...]

[Advanced Shield Mastery - Skill - (1/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 5/25 (1,130/1,600 exp)]

>> [Passive Skill]

>> [Physical damage that's blocked, deflected, reflected, and/or parried with Shields and similar like equipment are 15% likely to be easier to perform.]

>> [15% of Physical Damage received can be blocked, deflected, reflected, and/or parried with enough effort and timing.]

>> [More info...]

{[Advanced Shield Bash - Sub-Skill - (1/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]}

>> [Level: 2/25 (35/200 exp)]

>> [Active/Passive Sub-Skill]

>> [Costs: 10 SP for every activation; No Cast Time or Casting Delay]

>> [Deals (12 ATK) amount of damage via; (Total DEF) ÷ 2. Has a 4% chance to stun a target for 4 seconds.]

>> [When Evelyn's Shield Mastery - Skill reached Level 5, she Unlocked this Sub-Skill. After a decent amount of field time with using one's Shield in combat, it was only natural for one to learn how to deal damage and/or stun one's own opponents with the use of said Shield.]

[Basic Camping Survival Mastery - Skill - (0/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 1/? (50/100 exp)]

>> [Passive Skill]

>> [Setting up a camp, starting a fire, cooking food over a fire properly, boiling water properly, and other such necessary skills are made easier and more efficient by 5%.]

>> [After a successful setup and a good night's sleep, Evelyn receives an increase in exp gain by 5%; which will last for 4 hours.]

>> [More Info...]

[Basic First Aid - Skill - (0/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 2/? (50/200 exp)]

>> [Supportive Type, Self-Cast, and Single Target Type Cast Through Touch]

>> [Costs: 25 SP per Cast to regain 10 HP]

>> [More Info...]

[Advanced Dodging Skill - (1/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 7/25 (2,350/6,400 exp)]

>> [Supportive Type & Instinctive/Intuitive Survival Skill]

>> [Level 7 gives Evelyn a +7 Flee Rate]

>> [More Info...]

[Basic Human Midgardian Written & Spoken Language Comprehension - Skill - (0/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 1/5 (65/100 exp)]

>> [Passive]

>> [Any self-respecting Human Midgardian should know how to speak and read the written word of the most prevalent language of their people.]

[Advanced Unarmed Combat Mastery - Skill - (1/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 5/25 (920/1,600 exp)]

>> [Passive/Active]

>> [Attacks and actions performed via unarmed and/or with your body are 15% more effective, more accurate, and more damaging. (ATK and HIT Sub-Stat gains 15% increase when done with your physical body)]

>> [More Info...]

[Enhance Hearing - Advanced Skill - (1/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 4/10 (93/800 exp)]

>> [Supportive Type, Passive/Active Self-Cast]

>> [Costs: Uses 4 SP/every 60 seconds of usage]

>> [The art of enhancing one of your senses via SP can both be a blessing and a curse. Through the careful infusion of SP to your ears, you can now hear and detect sounds as far as 35 meters away while being able to accurately tell which direction you're hearing it from.]

[Enhance Sight - Basic Skill - (0/5 Upgrade Slots Used)]

>> [Level: 2/5 (30/200 exp)]

>> [Supportive Type, Passive/Active Self-Cast]

>> [Costs: 4 SP/ every 30 seconds of usage]

>> [The art of enhancing one of your senses via SP can both be a blessing and a curse. Through the careful infusion of SP to your eyes, you can now see things as far as 10 meters away and be able to discern them with decent accuracy. It's as if your 20/20 vision were magnified... Caution: Side effects might include minor headaches, dizziness, small migraines, slight pain behind the eyes, and blurry vision...]

[Abilities]

[Basic Monster Detection & Observation Ability]

>> [Level: 4/? (55/800 exp)]

>> [Supportive Type & Passive Self-Cast]

>> [Costs: Uses 1 SP/every 60 seconds of usage]

>> [You have gained a passive aura that can't reach past 20 feet in every direction from where you are located that detects, observes, and can give you the basic information on low level monsters. Your line of sight and your mental need for it will unlock the basic information that's been scanned on the monsters as necessary. When not needed, then it'll only show the name, level, HP, and SP of said monster.]

>> [Update: From what has been observed, Higher-leveled beings with highly attuned and/or trained senses can detect the usage of this ability. Use with caution...]

[Monster Encyclopedia Ability]

>> [Level: N/A]

>> [Supportive & Information Compendium]

>> [Costs: Takes Time, Effort, and Studiousness to slog through the pages and pages of the scanned, observed, and/or killed monsters' information.]

>> [So far, you've only got information on Porings, Lunatics, Willows, and Thief Bugs. You have observed & scanned a lot of each though. You also have a single Unknown initial scan of an Elder Poring.]

>> [Click this Tab in order to scroll through the information that we've gathered on the monsters that we've come across so far...]

*!DING!* >> [I'm still working on an Encyclopedia Ability for Non-Monsters... More Information Is Needed...]

[Fortune's Favored Blade - Ability]

>> [Level: 1/5 (720/1,000 exp)]

>> [Supportive Type & Passive Self-Cast]

>> [Costs: 25 SP per Cast]

>> [There's a 1 out 20 chance that any physical melee strike you perform will be doubled in damage. When successful, then it'll consume 25 SP; however, if there's no SP available, then it won't work.]

>> [This is a Random Ability that you've gained when your LUK reached 50.]

[Nature's Shrine Maiden - Ability]

>> [Level: 1/? (37/1,000 exp)]

>> [Supportive Type & Passive Improvement]

>> [Costs: Evelyn needs to have 1 SP constantly drained from her every hour...]

>> [After having come across an ancient and unknown relic from a different Age, Evelyn has been gifted with this ability... only time will tell how it'll change her...]

>> [Passive Effects - (5% HP Regen in & out of Combat), (5% SP Regen in & out of Combat), and a (5% Increase to Exp gain in forested environments)]

>> [System and Evelyn found out that this Passive Ability gains 1 exp an hour when they're in a forested environment. When not within the specified environment, 1 exp is gained every 4 hours. A sort of timer that only Evelyn's System can see helps keep track of the 1-hr forest timer until exp is gained; as well as the 2nd timer that tracks the 4-hr non-forested environment timer until exp is gained...]

>> [The Passive Effects are still active as long as 1 SP is drained from Evelyn every hour.]

>> [More Info... Not Available As Of Now... It's Effects on you will be observed over time...]

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It wasn't a bad amount of progress for her efforts. She decided to allocate 5 Stat Points each to her [AGI] and [DEX], so that she can be faster and more accurate than her opponents. The Level 3 Lunatics were easier to deal with, but their Level 5 & 6 counterparts were more agile and cunning. Those white and fluffy douchebags take a bit more time, effort, and proper timing in order to take down. Having gained a bit more speed and accuracy truly helped her when dealing with those monsters.

Evelyn, having Unlocked and/or having the right prerequisites, and then gaining the [Basic Shield Bash - Sub-Skill]; and then using one of her [Skill Points] to raise it to the Advanced Skill Tier is worth it since she decided two days ago that having a trusty Shield by her side is important. The new [Advanced Shield Bash - Sub-Skill] has helped her out in the last few days, but she still has to get the timing down since the opponents that she's been fighting so far are annoyingly fast. Even back then, she's always been fascinated with shields, knights, and the history behind how shields came to be used and how they evolved over time throughout the ages.

The [Enhance Sight - Basic Skill] that she gained is pretty helpful so far, but the side effects that she sometimes experiences with its usage are pretty annoying, so she uses it sparingly.

Evelyn chose to use one of her [Skill Points] to advance her [Basic Dagger Mastery - Skill] to the advanced tier since she's always been pretty good at wielding it in her last life and familiarizing herself with it again in this new life and seeing how far she can take it is worth striving towards.

Her other skills are coming along splendidly, as well as her other abilities. Her new [Nature's Shrine Maiden - Ability] will take a while to level up, but having an ability that grants these kinds of Passive Effects is truly a blessing. So far, Evelyn's noticed that this new world that she's in resembles the MMORPG that she used to love playing in the past, but the differences that's observed so far between this new life of hers and the game she used to play are huge.

The never before heard and/or seen skills and abilities... the different ways that her Stats and Sub-Stats are affecting her, and her [Job And Rebirth Evolution System] and how it's slowly yet surely growing and learning alongside her are all pretty interesting. She's curious as to how it'll grow in the future and it's making her wonder about a lot of things lately.

When she and her System stumbled upon an ancient grove and gained the [Nature's Shrine Maiden - Ability] made her wonder even more how truly different this world is to the games that she's played in front of a computer screen. The cautious side of her is making her think about what other kinds of unknown horrors lie at the deepest, darkest, and most remote corners of this world.

'This is Midgard... one of the Nine Realms in this world. That's what my System told me early on... Back in middle school, I was a huge nerd and loved reading about the different mythos of different religions, so I know that the Nine Realms pertains to the Norse mythos... The Nine Realms of the World Tree: Yggdrasil... The MMORPG: Ragnarok Online, has lore and the like that mentions Odin and other things pertaining to the Norse mythos...'

'Wait... that means Jotunheim and Ice Giants... Muspelheim and Fire Giants... Shit... I should stop thinking about this before I fall down the spiral of wondering about the even more possible dangerous beings in this world and within the Nine Realms...'; however, trying to not think of a topic can sometimes lead someone to think about it even more. Before her thoughts could spiral any further...

[Yeah, you should really stop now before you'll spend the rest of the afternoon and the rest of the night with possible existential dread looking over you. It's not healthy... And you have a System, you know the bare minimum of what you truly want out of this new life, so strive for that and build your goals along the way like you've always done...]

[Being in a new world and wondering about it is easy to be distracted with, but taking things one thing at a time is better than wondering about everything else. Plan for things when you've actually got the bare minimum strength and/or power to have the agency to choose your own path. As of now, you're barely stronger than the greenest of the Prontera City Guard, so worrying about the higher-leveled beings is warranted, but don't let it distract you...]

'I wouldn't call it being distracted... I'm in here resting on a comfy bed... Or trying to at least, after my relaxing soak in a tub for what feels like the first time in a long time. It's just that now that I've had the time to relax... my mind can't help but to wander towards the possibly and impossibly dangerous beings out there in this world. Thanks to you, I can recall long lost memories as well as remember things I've long since forgotten. However, I can also remember facts easier; of which I've always known but having this kind of memory recall is a double-edged blade...', she inwardly replied with a small frown marring her rosy lips.

'In the MMORPG: Ragnarok Online, there are monsters called MVP-Type monsters... which are most commonly referred to as raid bosses, party killers, or what have you. Back in the day, these things are almost always hunted by the best players in the game due to the loot that they drop... But this world isn't a game... Even if I have a System like you with numbers designating things and quantifying them as such, there are things that can't just be explained away like that. In this new world of ours, how are these MVP-Type monsters going to be like? Are they going to be wandering disasters that kill without remorse? Are there some that have a grudge against humanity and waiting for their chance to wipe us out?'

'I remember Amon Ra; the Chief Deity of the Egyptian pantheon in RO, but how is he going to be like in this world? Is he and his entire pantheon conducting a secret or open war against the Norse pantheon? What other pantheons are out there and what are their goals? I remember Atroce; the most powerful werewolf-type monster in the game. What's he going to be like in reality? Is he secretly building up a country of werewolves to take over the world? These are the kinds of thoughts that I can't help but wonder about... I can't help but worry because that's the kind of person I am. I've always been like this... Out in the field, I can do my job and perform under pressure, but when times are calm like this, then I can't help but worry about what's going to happen in the future...'

[That's not a healthy mindset. You know that right? I know that you know that too... This world is a different one. You can't let what happened back then affect you now. This is a new life and a new chance...]

*Sigh* With a heavy sigh, Evelyn closed her eyes while she massaged the bridge of her nose to alleviate a slight headache that appeared while this conversation continued. 'I know, okay... I know. But that's not...' *Sigh* "That's not how it works, damn it... Let's just... let's continue this conversation another time... okay?"

[Sure...]

~ A Few Hours Later ~

~ Evelyn's POV ~

After some rest, also known as a small cat nap, Evelyn found herself eating an early dinner while she listened to the hustle and bustle of the people in the tavern across from her chosen inn that she's picked to eat at. The chef's special; a rotisserie chicken that was baked and then placed on a bed of well-cooked and seasoned lettuce, with a side of mashed potatoes, was truly a delight to her taste buds. The ale of beer that she's drinking alongside her meal, which tasted a bit like an Irish brew, was also pretty heavenly.

After sipping some more of her beer, she thought, 'Damn, how I missed the taste of alcohol. If I ever find a place that sold wine or this world's equivalent of sake, then I'll be happy.' With a happy smile, she kept enjoying her meal while also listening to the rumor mills that were abound in the tavern.

The tavern; of which was strangely named 'Old McHenry's Boots', from what she learned, was a pretty old tavern that was built in this district a few years after the City of Prontera was established. The regular clientele are adventurers, a few City Guardsmen & Women, and the occasional merchant. There's also a spatter of regular civilians here and there.

The atmosphere was a welcoming one and the music that were being played by a trio of musicians at the corner; where a decent stage was built into one of the tavern's walls, was pretty upbeat. Evelyn would've enjoyed her meal some more, until her ears picked up a certain conversation.

Usually, a regular person wouldn't really be able to pick up a conversation being talked about at the other side of a rowdy and bustling tavern like this, but this is a world of magic, monsters, and wonders. Evelyn; having been an avid gamer when she had the time, chose to try leveling up and grinding her [Enhance Hearing - Advanced Skill] while she was consuming her meal.

It looks like her choice to earn some easy exp for the respective skill was working since it was slowly rising, but her System was holding off on those notifications at her request. She didn't really mean to eavesdrop, but it was bound to happen due to her training her skill as she ate.

While she ate, she was focusing in and out on several conversations as a passive training for herself, but she couldn't help but stop to hear a pair of adventurers talking to each other and what she heard had her eyebrows rising.

With a bit of focus she was still eating as if everything was normal, but most of her attention was on what were being said by a pair dressed in heavy armor; yet you wouldn't believe it since their movements were controlled, silent, and they were moving around and gesturing regularly as their conversation got intense. It looked as if their armor didn't weigh anything at all to them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...well, what're you going to do?", said the one with a female voice; her tone conveying that she wasn't going to take any bullshit from the person she was talking to.

"What about?", replied a gruff voice with a huff; his voice conveying, at least to Evelyn's ears, that he wanted the conversation to be over already.

"You ass... I'm talking about your damn retirement from this business. You're not getting any younger. And the sooner you retire, the better. I don't like the thought of an old ass like you being sent on a 'Quest' to bolster our Kingdom's northwestern front. You'll fucking keel over and die.", said the woman with a barely controlled tone and note of anger appearing when she mentioned the Q word.

*Sigh* "You know I can't do that, Cecilia. I'm a Knight of the Dawnblade; a proud and noble Guild. We adventure where we want. We fight our Kingdom's enemies. The Dawnblade don't shirk away from a quest.", he said proudly.

"It's fucking suicide!", she voiced out with a solid thump; that Evelyn could guess to be from a wooden table being smacked against by what was likely a metal gauntlet clad fist. "You can't convince me otherwise... I've got my own connections too. I've heard that our war against the Orcs have been picking up as of late and a lot of our Kingdom's soldiers and the adventurers that are being sent over there via 'Quests' are only holding the line... with no victory in sight."

"That's not even going into how many sailors, soldiers, and ships that we're losing against the Merpeople at our southeastern shores. It's a wonder and a miracle itself that Alberta still stands. That port town still functions; somehow, but we don't know for how long.", continued the woman, her voice picking up speed.

"That's another fine mess of a war we've got ourselves into. And the town of Payon are also being sieged by the undead almost constantly. If they didn't have their hands full, then their skilled Archers, experienced Hunters and elite Snipers could've helped turn the tide at Alberta by now.", said the woman with a tone of voice that was hard for Evelyn to identify from across the room.

"What the hell do you think is going to happen when you and the rest of the Dawnblade go northwest? Huh?! Your Guild is going to die. It's just going to be another Guild that have 'answered' the call, but end up not returning home...", she finished; her voice sounding like she's almost in tears while angry at the same time.

*Sigh* With a weary yet determined voice, the man replied with, "Cecilia, our Guild has been called... We must answer. I am a Knight of Prontera, it is my duty. The Dawnblade will return to Prontera after this quest has been completed. I promise you..."

"Damn it... you better, damned old man...", she replied quietly. "If you don't..."

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Evelyn stopped listening after that, and she cut off the SP drain to her ability while her mind ran through so many thoughts after having listened to a conversation that she really had no right to have heard. 'Well fuck...', was her initial thought as she finished up her meal.

After having finished up her food and drink, she paid for it, thanked the barmaid, and left; her mind spinning and reviewing the information that she heard through her eavesdropping. 'Hey System, it looks like besides taking a couple days to rest, relax, and explore more of Prontera, we'll also need to trawl for news, rumors, and find out the current situation that's occurring within and without the Kingdom of Rune-Midgard... well, as best as we can find out...'

'I don't want to take part in another war again anytime soon, but that doesn't mean the Kingdom that we are now civilians of; at least according to my documents... which does make it official, but anyways... We'll need to find out more. It sounds like the Kingdom is at war at three different fronts... What other threats are out there? If it affects this Kingdom, then it'll also affect us...', she thought inwardly with a slight grimace on her face.

As she walked back to her inn, her thoughts were at a whirl. 'This doesn't bode well for the future... I retired from the military, damn it!? If I wasn't in this younger body, then I would've been liable to say that I'm too old for this shit...'

[We can't always have what we want. And it can't hurt to gather more information about what's going on, at least from the people in Prontera. We might not be able to obtain every piece of information we could, but knowing is half the battle. Information is important, no matter how incomplete. We need to cross reference every bit we'll learn and sort out fact from fiction. What someone knows about of an event could be their own interpretation, an exaggeration of it, or information without all the facts, etc.]

[I know you wanted to be out and about gaining levels and strength out in the wilderness as months on end pass by, but I think it may be wiser to visit Prontera every now and again to get the scoop on recent news. Or as recent as we're able to learn about them. It could prove to be illuminating.]

[And your body may be young now, but your mind and soul aren't. And whatever path you choose to take... should be the right path that you want for yourself.]

Evelyn arrived back in her booked room at the inn, her door locked behind her and the key to the room in her inventory. After having sat down on her bed, her mind once again spun with plans, ideas, and things of that nature. 'I'll be able to pick up the combat robes I got fitted for tomorrow afternoon around 5pm or so at the latest, according to the seamstress. Before then, we could gather more information around different parts of Prontera, see more sights, visit the Prontera Church since I'm curious about it, and see if I can find myself a weapon store...'

As she got herself ready for bed; changing her clothes to a (New, Clean, & Decent Female's Sleepwear) and cleaning her teeth using the (Clean, New, and Regular Magic Brush for Teeth; made by the McFloride family), she was wondering if she needed to register with the Prontera Church or any Church once she becomes an Acolyte... 'I'll need to find out whether it's considered illegal or heretical by the Church if I become an Acolyte that's not beholden to their authority...'

[What'll you do, if that was the case?]

'I'd still choose to be an Acolyte but disguised as something else... That'd be my first backup plan. The second would be.... hmmm... I'll have to think up of some more...' With a yawn, she closed her eyes while she stretched herself out like a cat on the bed.

[I doubt you can truly disguise the First Class Job choice you'll pick with a different one unless you study the nuances of each and every single other First Class Job, have the right armor and clothes to mimic them, as well as having the right weapons for them. I think it'd be better if you plan things out after getting yourself some sleep. That first backup plan of yours was full of as many holes as Swiss cheese...]

'I would've said that that was harsh, but I didn't say anything about disguising myself as one of the First Class Jobs... I was thinking along the lines of disguising myself as a wandering healer, mystic, or something like that. There's bound to be others that can and have used Healing Magic besides the ones that are trained by the Church...', she noted with a shrug. 'It's just a stray idea, but who knows if we'll ever need it. However, it's better to have backup plans than not have them...'

After another yawn, with a sleepy voice, she said, "Goodnight, System...", and then promptly passed out.

[Hmm... was I too harsh... too blunt, maybe... I might have to observe my Blunt Honesty Protocols...]

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{Author's Note:}

Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you see any errors, mistakes, or what have you, then feel free to point it out. I'd rather not release any spoilers during my Author's Note and Author's Thoughts, so all I can say is that my lower back is feeling slightly better. The pain disappeared... Coincidentally enough, I went to Six Flags a few days ago and had a blast. It was so worth it. I think it the rides I went on fixed a few things... *Shrugs*

Peace out and have a great day/night.

- P.S. - (09/20/2023) - The number of embarrassing errors I've found on this chapter that I had to fix wasn't as much as the ones I found on the first chapter.