Samantha lay on the bed and asked herself a question. What is wrong with this world?
When she appeared here, she was pleasantly surprised.
Life seemed clear and interesting. So, what"s the point of running through sewers and killing rats? You can walk around town and do small jobs for citizens. Samantha was getting a reputation and making new contacts. Pretty soon she decided that it was stupid to waste Glory Points to develop characteristics. You don"t need strength, dexterity and endurance to walk around the city in peace. These characteristics themselves grew out of her work. Samantha was slowly gaining levels and increasing her intellect. Samantha started taking cla.s.ses at City University. She was interested in world history, guild management and organization. Samantha took a specialty as a Student, but her development was slow and depended on attending lessons at the university.
Then, Michael came to town. Sweet, strong, stupid Michael, who really liked her. It was comfortable with him. Samantha listened carefully to the clan leader. Soon she realized the ultimate truth of the game. Her specialty is a miserable kind of real game specialty! She needed to get a game cla.s.s as a Scientist! Samantha had a hard time imagining the opportunities this cla.s.s offered. Just think about it! You can already become a Scientist on level 10. She remained a simple Student on level 15.
Michael didn"t understand the important moment that Samantha quickly understood and accepted. Life in this world is different from what it used to be. And it"s not that there are a Unique middle Ages in this world. It"s about local people who did business unusually and strangely. Samantha was trying to understand the logic of what the locals did. And she learned from her mistakes. Only a great reputation helped her keep her face.
Samantha already knew the structure of this kingdom. Four cities served as defense centers against evil forces in the north. Next to Dor was safe, but already in the day of the journey to the north began a real borderland, where crowds of monsters and predatory animals threatened a normal civilized life. The kingdom"s next line of defense was made up of three cities; one of the three days south of the Dor. Life in those places was much more expensive. To settle in the southern city one had to have a reputation of 1000 points of Glory and a large stock of gold. Then there were 2 big cities in the south and the demands on the player increased to 3000 points of Glory. There were no copper coins in circulation in those cities at all. The sun was shining brightly on the magnificent buildings and streets. Ancient magic kept those places from evil forces. Samantha could hardly imagine her partic.i.p.ation in the life of those far attractive places. She decided to save money and reputation to get her place in the sun.
Michael broke down and decided to go to a nearby town to join a new clan. Samantha was happy to accept the leadership position. This post was no longer of any material benefit. Players always performed individual quests and were unwilling to share their experience and reputation. Samantha proved to be useful to those players who decided to engage in peaceful activities. She had good contacts with many people in town.
Samantha quietly accepted the Hunters" rejection when she wasn"t allowed to have a game cla.s.s. She did not make a scandal when her clan was abandoned by several people. They had the right to play wherever they wanted. They had the right to play how they wanted and with whomever they wanted.
But the events of the last three days were of concern to her. The hunters returned to town and their actions caused a strong wave of rumors.
All the hunters were 40 levels! They took all the complex quests in the warrior"s guild and completed them in three days. These prudent players did not squeal quests to destroy the rats. They were the ones who stole her important records; she had no doubt about it. But what could she have done? The Guild of Killers paid back half the money Samantha paid to set traps on her safe. The Guild once again informed her that the Guild was not interfering in the affairs of the immortal. She was hinted that no one interferes with the affairs of immortal hunters. Samantha already studied this subject at university. The Order of Hunters was an ancient organization supported by the G.o.ds themselves! The return of real immortal hunters to the citizens was an act of higher power.
But Samantha was not a hunter! She was a strange immortal, which no one could understand, and no one was going to trust her. She did not hunt, she did not kill monsters! For most aristocrats, she was a strange madwoman who did not appreciate the gift of the G.o.ds at all.
She spent a lot of money to hire two excellent local warriors who decided to conduct scouting in the possessions of the Order of Hunters. She wasn"t happy with the results. This world has been changing. And the reason for the change was the players" actions.
Samantha found out that the hunters had paid 250,000 gold coins and bought a house in the city. A small modest two-story house on one of the small squares was bought to organize a clothing and jewelry store for Emma Hunter. The Tailor Guild obtained the right to sell the material from its warehouses to the shop. Emma had no right to make independent purchases of material. But the hunter calmed down the Guild by the fact that she would mainly work with special material. Monster hunting pleases different trophies. And the Guild agreed to this state of affairs. The Guild got its share of the profits and got a new buyer, who will pay a lot of money for ordinary material.
But that didn"t stop the hunters" activity. Emma offered three girls to make a contract with her and works with her in a new clothing store. The painter and two craftswomen went to her. It affected Samantha"s interests. In her clan, there were 34 people left. She realized that she could be left without people.
Samantha knew she had nothing to offer the players of her clan. The clan"s reputation went down when warriors couldn"t complete a difficult quest in Dor"s dungeon. Reputations were slow to recover.
Samantha saw no way out of this unpleasant situation. She sat on the bed in her room and watched the invitation from the clan of hunters. They wanted to meet and talk to her. She could have refused to meet, but it was the wrong thing to do.
Samantha got out of bed and started choosing clothes for the meeting. She has to look great. She"s still the clan leader.
The meeting was set up at a respectable tavern. When Samantha arrived at the tavern, she was escorted to a private room. She saw three hunter girls and realized it wouldn"t be easy for her. The hunters would exchange messages and comments during this conversation. Samantha hoped to meet Nick; it was easier for her to communicate with men.
She walked up to the table and saw that the girls were dressed in excellent suits of leather and rare material.
"You look great, girls. Your suits are gorgeous. Emma"s store is going to make a good profit. Your clan hasn"t wasted money."
"Would you like to join us?" asked Jane.
"To your company? Your clan? Or is you suggesting I work in a shop?"
Jane and Kate smiled, there was no emotion on Bella"s face. Samantha never trusted those girls. They were too independent, too calm, and they didn"t pay any attention to her.
"The clan has an offer for you. Game cla.s.s Scientist. Are you ready to discuss the details?"
Samantha looked at Jane and decided she could use some new information. She nodded her head and Jane went on to propose:
"A necessary condition for a cla.s.s is joining the hunter"s clan. An oath of loyalty to the clan. You will get help and be able to quickly get level 20, it will allow you to immediately enter the new level of cla.s.s development. We insist on your specialization in Economic Management. Managing and organizing a peaceful life."
Samantha realized she was being offered a lot, she was being offered what she was aiming for. But the words about the oath made her suspicious.
"Is taking an oath a necessary procedure?" she asked.
"Samantha, it"s hard for you to believe it, but staying loyal to the new clan will be a necessary procedure. The punishment for betrayal is too heavy," answered Bella.
Samantha realized that the hunters had found new opportunities in the game. And now the clan of hunters can exist as a normal organization. This clan has responsibilities. This clan has control measures to control the players. It was an unpleasant discovery for a woman.
"What are my perspectives? What can you offer me? I want to live in the city. I really want to live in a more respectable city."
Jane smiled and Samantha didn"t like that smile. A quiet and humble girl looked at her and Samantha saw that there was no shyness or fright in Jane"s eyes. The girl looked at Samantha as an interesting scientific exhibit, as a detail of a complex mechanism.
"Diplomacy. You"re thinking in the right direction, Samantha. You don"t have any opportunity to be the head of our store chain in town. You"ve learned the laws of this world. Future masters of the clan, like Emma, don"t need to be in charge. The system is simple and doesn"t need any intermediaries. What do you think of Galatea?" What do you think of Galatea?"
Samantha was not surprised by the question. She decided to be surprised by the answer.
"I"m not interested in Galatea right now. You"ve changed the living conditions in that area. Level 40 dead people are too much of a problem to run a business properly. In the future, Galatea is going to face problems with local government. The kingdom does not need new d.u.c.h.esses."
"You won"t have much of a cla.s.s development opportunity in the city. Especially valuable skills cannot be developed by simply investing skill points. You have to apply valuable skills to the game. The clan doesn"t need parasites, the clan doesn"t want to do charity. Unfortunately, the Order of Hunters is not in a hurry to change ancient traditions, and we don"t need a diplomat to work with the city," said Jane.
"You"re worried about military problems in Galatea for nothing," said Kate. "The Order does not interfere with the lives of the locals. But the people of Galatea under your leadership are the hunters" business. Guarding the city will be good practice for us. Keeping order in Galatea is your responsibility."
Samantha looked at the blonde and didn"t believe a word of that sly and cunning girl who smiled sweet and cute.
"Will the clan provide financial support? Hiring employees would be expensive."
"Betty is an accomplished financier. The clan understands its benefits. Of course, we"ll provide financial support," replied Jane.
Samantha didn"t want to leave Dor. She didn"t want to live in a dangerous area. She needed to think that this change in her life required a serious response.
"I need to think about your proposals. Everything is too serious and totally changing my plans. How much time do I have?"
"No one"s rushing you. Think and seek your advantage. The north isn"t the most enjoyable atmosphere for a woman who likes to have fun. But we do allow ourselves to visit Dor sometimes," said Bella.
"Samantha. The clan intends to make a very profitable offer to your people. We don"t want to lose resources. Either the players will stay in our area or they will be recruited by other clans," said Kate. "We have too many tasks that require specialists in different fields."
Samantha got up and left the room. She went back to the mansion and saw several players waiting for her in the large hall. They looked at her with interest.
These smart guys could have been smart enough to tell my players about the important meeting, thought Samantha.
"How was your meeting?"
"Fruitful. You"re all about being invited to join the "Shoulder to Shoulder" clan. You take an oath of loyalty to the new clan, and you get a game cla.s.s and great prospects for a successful game. It"s the peaceful development they"re interested in. In killing monsters, they don"t really need help. You know, in two weeks, they all got to level 40. They promise to help to raise the level. The "Sunrise" Clan is a military organization in a nearby town. I don"t mind, you can leave the clan at any time."
"What did they offer you?"
"It"s my business."
Samantha went up to her room and lay on the bed.
What"s wrong with this world? Merde! Why can"t any aristocrat take her as his wife? Diplomacy. It"s a brilliant offer, est une excellente offre. But Galatea is a too uncomfortable place to live. The ruins and the gray sky above. And the d.a.m.n rain every day! Mauvaise pluie, maudit Gibier. d.a.m.n game.
The woman was lying there trying to decide.
Suddenly her thoughts were broken by a quiet knock on the door. Samantha got out of bed and came to the door.
"Who"s there?"
"Open up."
She opened the door and an invisible guest walked past her. Samantha locked the door. And she turned to the visitor.
"Your wife will be upset."
"Anna"s not against our talk. She and Dan are picking up loot and shopping at the city"s alchemist shops."
"Nick, you keep me from thinking about your offer."
"You"re wasting your time. You"ve got two life choices. You can live in Dor in peace and quiet. 20 years of taking cla.s.ses at university and reaching many heights. You"ll remain independent and become a strong player. But other players use violence against a strong player. You will not be left alone when you become a valuable player. You"ll be a weak specialist compared to a clan diplomat, but you"ll be a compet.i.tor. You have an easy and pleasant life now, but you won"t have an easy life in the future. Our offer makes you take responsibility and make your life harder. Samantha, there are big problems and challenges ahead of us all. And death is the smallest of the problems."
"Death? Why should I be intimidated by this temporary inconvenience?"
"The administration has already killed several thousand players. A temporary inconvenience can be a permanent outcome of the game for any of us."
"I don"t break the rules. But your clan is playing a dangerous game. You"re making progress too quickly. You are dangerous allies and colleagues."
"One day, this game will end. And then a new game will begin. Do you think there"s any place for you to be so great and strong? Do you think they"ll give you a third chance for a new life?"
"Nick, this isn"t a very nice topic to talk about. It"s a dangerous topic. They read your mind, they can punish you for thinking that."
"I"m ready to die. So, I"m not afraid to play in a clan that allows you to play very successfully."
"Galatea will spoil my appet.i.te."
Nick laughed and sat down in the chair.
"You started trading! Why didn"t you start trading with girls?"
"Ce n"est pas intéressant. I"m more successful with men."
"I don"t understand French. Don"t distract me. Samantha, we"re not offering you a business together, and that"s the most disgusting thing, it annoys me. No one knows what quest will offer you the game. Jane and Nick have been thinking about economic strategies. Well, that makes sense. We"re playing a game that many people think his familiarity with. We"re playing Role-Playing Game. Emma already got economic quests. Her game is a secret of the clan. But we"re hoping that you"ll find yourself facing a similar scenario. The city is a big store!"
"And we are buyers and sellers in it," laughed Samantha. "You"re buying me, Nick."
"Don"t forget about the magic of fire! Anna is dangerous in her anger."
"You actually had a wedding. It"s a big achievement. You"re perfect for each other."
"Don"t get distracted. You"re a very unpleasant woman. n.o.body likes you. You"re a parasite and you only think about your own benefit. That"s the kind of diplomat the clan needs."
"You"re a very bad diplomat, you"re too honest. It"s rude and unpleasant to hear such words. You come into my bedroom and you act like a barbarian."
Nick started laughing. He was glad to see that woman supporting his laughter.
"Now it"s important for you to lead a group of players. In Galatea, you"re going to need the Builder and Master Carpenter and Smith first. Players will be able to improve their skills in a good way. You"ll have a lot of work to do, Samantha."
"Merde! Don"t scare me with work. I"ve worked hard for my levels."
"Then go and start working. Your players are sitting downstairs making plans for the future. Go and recruit a team for a great project. The unique quest "Galatea Renaissance" is waiting for you."
The ranger figure is gone. Samantha came to the door and left the room. She couldn"t hear the steps behind her, but she knew this devil"s hunters wouldn"t leave her alone.
Samantha suddenly realized that conditions had changed in the game. There were clans in the game who was willing to put pressure on the players. She wasn"t ready for it. Now she had to change her game, change her life.
One day, she"ll think about revenge. But now Samantha has entered the common room of the hunters" mansion and made a text message to all the players of the clan about the important meeting.
She wasn"t waiting for the absentees; there were people in the hall that could be useful to her. Samantha started talking about her decision to leave the clan.
"I was offered a unique quest. The rebirth of an ancient city. To the north of Dor. Two days" journey. I"m starting to play Scientist, Economist, and Diplomat cla.s.s. I need players who are ready to become the strongest masters of peaceful crafts in the shortest possible time. We don"t care about security. If someone wants to continue developing as a fighting cla.s.s, that"s great, the new city will need the Head of the Guard. But my new clan is taking over the main responsibility for guarding the city against monsters. There is a lot of work to do, so we will get into submission to local adventurers and urban craftsmen who want to improve their skills.
It"s a unique quest. It"s a unique opportunity for development. Sean, will you be the chief Architect of the ancient city? Dennis and Maria, you have great opportunities, but there"s a lot of work to be done. I explained the prospects to you. Let"s start a conversation about specific questions. Sean, aren"t you tired of carrying logs and rocks? We don"t just need a master builder, we need an architect. Are you with us?"
Sean didn"t get a chance to answer. The players" questions were heard from all sides. Samantha stopped the mess with a loud voice.
"Nick! Get them out of your Invisibility! I"m sure you"re standing by and controlling our meeting."
There appeared a figure of a player in the corner of the hall who took a step forward.
"Invisibility" is my craft. h.e.l.lo, Alan. Hi, Sofia. Samantha has the authority to answer all questions. Listen to future baroness. And I will tell you the main thing. Friends, don"t envy her choice. I"d rather meet a level 40 snake three times than talk to the Head of the Killer Guild once. These are nasty and dangerous people. They grew up in this world. Let our slyest snake deal with these snakes. Don"t be upset, Samantha, but you never seemed to please me. Good luck, folks. We"d love to see you in our clan."
And the figure of the s.h.a.ggy a.s.sa.s.sin has vanished into thin air.
"It"s impossible to deal with these combatants. Savages! To business, gentlemen, and ladies. Shawn, you have something to say."