But for a Slime

“A job that reveals other jobs? Truly a strange request. Such a job would be worthless for it does nothing for the person. But such is your quest and I will help you in your seeking. There is such a job and you are lucky that I am in this temple of Mimir for few know the eccentricities of the strange jobs of our land other than I. The job you seek is theorist. For the sake of friendship, I will offer this. I have heard that beyond theorist are even further jobs that strengthen this ability even greater but for a narrow group of jobs.”

“Interesting. Theorist. I will seek this out next, then. Possibly even the greater theorist jobs as well, if it becomes available soon enough. My last question. You have told me of a job that explains or teaches of other jobs, even those unknown. Now tell me of the job that will guide me on the path to greatest growth and abilities.”

“Now I know you are truly not of our world. There are no such jobs. It is known that to ask such a question is to foolishly waste your money.”

“Or it is a question that the priests of Mimir don’t want to tell anyone.”

“Interesting possibility, but I have no knowledge of such a conspiracy. Now, for my question. What are the…”

“I’m sorry, but we have reached equal exchange. You have asked five, and I have just finished my fifth.”

“Ah, but you asked a sixth. You asked if the priests of Mimir were hiding the answer to your last question.”

“I did not ask. I stated it as fact.”

The cleric opened his mouth to rebuttal Joe but then stopped, remembering his statement. The cleric grimaced, “I was wrong. A scholar of Mimir; a money monger of Plutus, and as cunning as Saga and Loki. Fine. Is there a way to continue our exchange. There is much I wish to learn from you.”

“As I said, I am busy and wish to return to the dungeons immediately.”

The cleric grimaced and started to stand, a bit of panic evident in his movement, “Please… please…”

Joe interrupted him turned to him, “But, if you just want to exchange knowledge without needing to count question by question, you may join me and my friend at our inn in the evenings. We enjoy a decent supper and conversation before going to bed. If you want, you could come for a free and enjoyable conversation between friends.”

This brought the priest up short, but then he grinned in surprised joy, “That seems … wonderful. I would truly enjoy that!”

Joe smiled before turning to leave once more, “Well, we really have to go. Garnedell, could you tell him where we are staying.”

Joe was grateful he could ask Garnedell to explain their home as he hadn't learned the name and knew nothing of the inn besides its location. They'd chosen it before he'd gained his ability to speak the local language. In any case, he was simply glad to have Garnedell to help him. Garnedell, for his part, seemed eager as well, happy to be able to help.

“Yes, Joe,” Garnedell replied then turned to the cleric, but Joe had already opened the sacristy door and headed out into the main sanctum, missing the last part of the conversation. Joe enjoyed his time exploring the bland simple sanctum, and was soon growing frustrated by the time Garnedell came out. Man! They really don’t decorate their temples much, do they? Joe decided to head to the job change priest to change his job. He’d just about finished changing his job and Garnedell sidled up next to him. Joe checked his status to see that his job had changed to theorist successfully and he turned to Garnedell.

“Everything OK with the priest?”

“The priest? You mean the cleric.”

“Ah, sorry. Yes, the cleric.”

“It is well. He said he would join us this evening.”

“Cool. Let me check just a couple more things before we head out to the dungeon.”

“Yes, Joe. Uh… should we go to the blacksmith?”

Joe blinked a bit when realization came to him, “Oh! Right! The asterisk weapon. Sweet! Yeah. Let’s stop by the blacksmith on the way to the dungeons. Thanks for remembering it.”

“Certainly, Joe,” Garnedell fell silent and waited for Joe to finish what he was trying. Joe then turned to the job change priest and asked for another job change.

“Priest, please change my job to explorer,” Joe said while handing the necessary coinage.

“Did you fail in your job change, sir? It seemed you succeeded?”

“I need to change my job.”

“Ah… uh… Of course. I will change your job immediately,” the priest replied as he worked his magic. Joe waited and found the pop up appear before him as he was expecting, smiling as he saw the notice come up. Well, I learned something useful!

Your attempt to change your job to Explorer has ended in failure. You have not reached the necessary requirements.

· Unlock Adventurer Job

· Grow Adventurer Job to level 30.

Great! Adventurer job to get explorer, but level thirty! Ouch! That’ll take a long time! Almost… Joe ran the numbers through his head trying guesstimate leveling from twenty five to thirty. A month! A whole month! I can’t waste the time to do that! What about…

“Priest. I ask that you change my job to adventurer,” Joe asked once again, paying the cost.

The priest looked up at Joe with some shock and Joe said nothing, simply urging the priest on with his eyes, and the priest quickly turned to his duty of applying a new job to Joe. Joe smiled when he saw the new popup, but then grimaced with some frustration.

Your attempt to change your job to Adventurer has ended in failure. You have not reached the necessary requirements.

· Grow Commoner Job to level 30.

Two jobs to level thirty? Seriously? That’s… Joe grimaced with some fear and turned back to priest and asked one more time.

“Please change my job to scout,” Joe firmly spoke, still trying to be polite despite his worried frustration. He dug out the coins and handed it to the priest fervently.

“Sir, scout is even a higher job than the other two. If you are unable to …”

“I know, priest. Please just change my job.”

“Yes… yes, sir,” the priest fumbled a bit and reworked the job change magic. Once again, Joe felt it settle over him, a well-worn cloak long familiar to Joe. The next textbox opened and he was able to at least verify that the cleric’s words were true.

Your attempt to change your job to Scout has ended in failure. You have not reached the necessary requirements.

· Unlock Explorer Job

· Grow Explorer Job to level 30.

Joe read the line and felt nothing but grim despair and disgust. Three months for me just to open up the combat jobs. Probably closer to almost four months considering that I have to get a couple of them all the way from zero. Commoner to thirty, then adventurer to thirty, then explorer to thirty, then scout to thirty… Then, finally, I’ve gotta try to get the jobs I want up. Given how extreme these jobs seem to be, I can only assume that most of the other jobs also need level thirty!

But, hey! This would be a good idea, right? Camp out here and just swap jobs until I map out the job tree! That should work. Joe excitedly considered as he looked around, but he noticed that pretty much the whole room was stock still, staring at him in wonder and pity. Right. Except, if I did that, I would have way too much attention on me. Maybe I can do it with the priest back at the village? That would be nice. He seemed cool. But hunting slimes is… a lot more annoying that taking on sparks.

Joe didn’t hide his disgust and it showed pretty clearly on his face, and the priest responded, “I’m sorry, sir, for your failed job, but I tried to warn you of the failure.”

“What? Oh. It is fine, priest. I am not angry at you. I… it is OK.”

“Ah. Thank you, sir.”

“Ah well, it was worth a try,” Joe offered, changing his attitude while also trying to hide his anger, not wanting to let the priests know that he’d learned something from the exercise. Better that they think I’m angry at failing to get the job change! Joe turned to Garnedell and nodded his head towards the temple exit. “Alright, Garnedell. Let’s head out to the blacksmith.”

“Yes, Joe.”

“Well, I figured out how to open the combat jobs, Garnedell.”

Garnedell looked to him with some surprise, “How?”

“Well, you got the start of it, luckily, although I think we’re going to have to change your job to commoner soon.”

“What! No! I do not wish to be a commoner, Joe!” Garnedell shouted out with a bit of panic.

“Garnedell! Relax! I’m not going to take away anything from you. But remember what I told you about doing well here? If you wish to continue your growth and become a great adventurer… well not the job, but just… a great person who adventures… you cannot stay adventurer. It will take you,” Joe paused a moment as he ran some basic calculations, “Almost four years just to reach level thirty and twenty years to reach thirty five! You need to be thirty before you can change your job and to change to explorer, you will need level thirty in adventurer! If you truly wish to seek the combat jobs without doing it my way, you will take four years to finish adventurer, four years for explorer, four years for scout, and probably four years to open up any real combat job as well, especially if they’re like these jobs are. It will take an incredibly long time!”

“A long time! That is not a long time at all! I could gain a combat job in only sixteen years! I can pass that job on to my children! That’s incredible, Joe! Normally, it takes generations!”

“Garnedell. Calm down. I’m sure it seems amazing, but just with what I have right now, I could open up those same combat jobs that you are doing in only five months! And, I do not even have adventurer, yet. You are starting ahead of me with adventurer. I have to keep growing commoner. Do you want to change to commoner and wait six or seven months then gain combat jobs in four months after that? Or do you want to spend sixteen years? Are you sure you wish to refuse my way?”

Garnedell stared at Joe, shaking his head, “That’s impossible! I know you say this but…”

“Garnedell, if you do not believe me, wait another month or two to see. You will need almost a month to get your adventurer job to twenty anyway. I should be ready to show you after that! Can you wait a month?”

“I can wait.”

Joe smiled and brought the conversation to an end. They had been speaking in a bit of a hush as the two threaded through the streets, not wanting to speak such secrets too loudly in the middle of the streets. With the end of the conversation, they walked in companionable silence until they reached the blacksmith and Joe initiated the conversation this time.

“Hello, good blacksmith!”