"The Chosen Ones? What’s that?" Ray asked, taking a sip of his wine.
The three of them sat on a large, soft couch. A lit fireplace stood beside them, making the mood warmer. Necessary, given the cold outside.
Bram explained everything Arthur had told him. And, surprisingly, Ray believed it without much trouble.
"If you’re the one saying it, I believe it. So that’s why you picked him as your apprentice?" Ray asked, his gaze settling on Arthur.
Bram paused for a second, like he was choosing his words. Arthur paid close attention, eager to hear the answer.
"Yes and no. The fact that he’s one of these Chosen did make me want to take him on, but the kid genuinely has a gift for the craft. At least that’s what I feel."
Arthur’s eyes went wide.
’Did Bram somehow notice my special class?’
It wasn’t such an absurd thought. Bram was a mysterious NPC, incredibly powerful, so maybe he could see things most people couldn’t.
"What? You’re saying someone has talent? In your entire life, this is the second time you’ve complimented anyone. This kid must really be something. But tell me, Bram, what are your next steps?"
The moment he said that, the mood, which had felt light before, turned tense. Arthur was lost, not understanding the sudden shift.
"Well, I’ll help this young man become a great blacksmith, and strong in combat too. There’s only so much I can do for him, the rest is up to him. After that, I’ll figure out what comes next."
"And Ray, how are you planning to handle these Chosen coming into the city? I’d guess they’ll arrive in a day or two."
That matched Arthur’s own estimate. It was roughly the time it took last time he played the game, before he died in real life.
"Please, it’s not like they’re capable of hurting any of my citizens. The guards will keep the city safe, and I’ll be here. But you’re right, they could be quite useful. Tell me, Arthur, being one of them yourself, how do you think I should handle this?"
Arthur knew exactly how to answer.
"The Chosen Ones want to level up and earn rewards for their effort. So give them tasks, and they’ll get them done for you. But they’re also cunning, and might try to pull something shady, like teaming up with criminals. So be ready to tighten the city’s security if it comes to that."
Players couldn’t just slaughter every NPC in a city. To keep cities protected, most guards already sat at a base level of 50, meaning no player could do whatever they wanted inside city walls without ending up in prison, or dead.
Not to mention there were other, far more powerful NPCs stationed within the cities.
"So they’re easy to control with rewards and EXP? Good to know. I’ll talk to the council and get ready for their arrival."
Ray finally opened the box Bram had brought, examining the sword he’d forged. It was simply beautiful, pure obsidian black, etched with golden runes.
"My daughter is going to love this. You kept it at level 40, exactly where she’s at right now. How did you know that?"
Bram smiled. "Just a hunch."
The two of them kept drinking wine and catching up on other mundane matters. Old friends, so that was to be expected.
Arthur, with nothing much to do, wandered around Ray’s house, watching snowflakes fall past the window.
"I plan on leaving my apprentice here, in this kingdom," Bram said. "There’s no way he gets any stronger staying where I live. The creatures there are too strong for him."
Arthur stopped everything he was doing to listen in on that part of the conversation.
"Are you sure? I don’t know if I can get him to you, and I know you won’t be coming here often."
"Can I say something?" Arthur cut into the conversation.
Both of them looked at him.
"You know the teleportation portals in every city? They’re usually only linked to a handful of other cities, right? Well, the Chosen can teleport to any city. Basically, I could use this city’s portal and go straight to the Dragon Kingdom."
"What? Seriously?"
That was one of the many differences between NPCs and players. Players could pay a sum of money and teleport to any city they’d already explored.
Of course, some cities had restrictions, depending on whatever events might be happening in the world at the time.
NPCs, on the other hand, could only teleport between cities that were connected. Their options were far more limited.
"That changes a lot. With this, we could use the Chosen to move supplies to and from cities we’re not linked to by portal. Thank you for that, really," Ray said.
Bram looked pleased to hear it too.
"So you can make it back to the Dragon Kingdom? That’s great, we can stay in touch much more easily now. Does it cost anything to use that teleport?"
"Well, we need money, and the farther the distance, the more expensive it gets. Considering how ridiculously far the Dragon Kingdom is, it might cost a fortune."
Ray burst out laughing. "Then you’d better start crafting some items and making money, because I’m not about to keep handing you cash."
"Neither am I," Bram said. "My disciple needs to learn to stand on his own. Besides, I don’t exactly sell much these days, barely enough to cover my own drinks..."
Arthur had been hoping to squeeze some money out of the two of them, but it looked like that wasn’t happening.
"And Bram, or, I mean, master, there’s something I need to tell you. My class is a bit different. I’m able to produce any type of item. I don’t have any restrictions."
"What? Are you being serious right now, kid?"
Bram rose from the couch.
Every NPC, who operated under a system similar to the players’, knew it was only possible to hold one crafting profession. Bram had assumed Arthur would be a blacksmith, and nothing more.
"It’s true," Arthur said. "I just don’t know where to start. I don’t have materials, or a workbench."
Ray and Bram exchanged a look. Ray sighed.
"I can give you some starting materials and a place to work. But it’s not going to be free, I’ll charge you for it. I can’t just hand out materials and a workspace for nothing. You can pay me back next week once you’ve made some money selling your items."
Bram looked excited now.
"Let’s go, then. I want to see you forge something," Bram said.
Arthur felt the excitement building. The moment had finally come to craft his first items. And of course, he could barely wait to fight a few monsters too. His body was already burning, craving that adrenaline.