“So, that’s it? Am I an Enchanter’s Guild affiliate?” Nido asked as he handed the wooden ring to the clerk.

“There’s still some paperwork to be done, but you are now a sponsored enchanter.” She went back to the desk. “Any more questions?”

“Actually, yes.” Time to refer to the pyromancer at the barn. Nido looked at the most recent notification he got from the Records.

Crafting complete! You have leveled up!

You have reached level 10 on Enchanter! +2 Intelligence, +1 Dexterity!

First Profession Class milestone achieved! Select one perk:

-Profession Specialization

-Hybrid Specialization

-Combat Specialization

He doubted for an instant if he should really ask about this first milestone but considering her reaction towards him as a rookie enchanter, it seemed appropriated and non-suspicious.

“I have just reached level ten on Enchanter, and I was wondering which of the perks I should select.” Nido tried to recreate the tone an enchanter’s apprentice has from memory.

“Congratulations.” The enchantress said with sincerity, even if her voice was quite neutral. “It depends mostly on what you want to do in the future. Profession Specialization augments gained experience in profession classes but weakens combat classes bonuses, the inverse is also true with Combat Specialization.” She lectured from behind the desk. “Hybrid Specialization allows you to use both Combat and Profession classes at the same time but forces you to also pick the perk once you reach level ten on your Combat class.”

Huh, quite an interesting system. The Arcane Records are trying to keep crafters and combatants separated… I can understand why a superior entity would keep a leash on people, especially considering what heights some immortals on my time reached.

“Wasting two perks to have an extra class or focusing myself on a single class, is that basically what are you are saying.” Even when himself was a pure crafter, the decision proved quite difficult.

“I wouldn’t simplify it that much.” The clerk added. “You’ll still get ‘some’ bonuses from the other classes, but you’ll still be able to level up them. But people don’t pick Hybrid Specialization because the experience boost from the others is quite significant. And losing one out ten perks isn’t something is comfortable with. There’s also the thing about the Prestige cap, it has been pestering me for a time already.” She sighed in defeat.

“Yes, the Prestige cap. Such a bugger.” Nido cracked a false laugh. Fuck, there’s a million things I don’t know. At least I now know what these perks will do in the long run, and the fact that classes cap at level one hundred. Or that’s what she implied with the perk limit.

“Well, at least someone here is going to increase their Prestige level.” The woman shuffled a pile of papers. “Have you decided on your perk yet?”

“No, which one did you choose?” Nido asked the veteran for opinion.

“I went with Profession Specialization.” She said grabbing a pen. “I’m not much of a fighter, so it won’t really affect me the experience penalization.”

“Hmm…” The enchanter pondered audibly. Is there a real use to choosing Profession? Not to brag, but I’m the greatest enchanter of all time. I prefer having in a reinforcement on my weaknesses rather than my absolute strength. “I’ll think I’m going to go Hybrid. I have confidence on my enchanter’s skills, and I’ll be travelling a lot in the future, so having a better offense would be appreciated.”

“Whatever suits you, there’s no real good option.” She handed him a paper. “Anyways, sign here and you’ll be official recognized as an Enchanter’s Guild member by the Records.”

While Nido didn’t know what she meant about that, he took the paper.

“Can I read it first?” His eyes felt down onto the contract.

“Sure, that’s what you are supposed to do in the first place. Only the moronic adventurer’s do otherwise.” The enchantress scoffed, a weak smile crackling in his visage.

The contents of the paper where few and acceptable, nothing alike a devil’s pact. It stated the terms of the contract with ease and the consequences of breaking it. The contract is almost the same after so much time. That comforts me. The enchanter also smiled.

Nido grabbed the pen offered by the clerk and signed without a doubt.

“Alright sir… Nido Risea?” The enchanter could hear the gears in the woman’s brain spin at high speeds upon reading the Enchanter’s Guild founder name. Though she recomposed quickly. “…I, Matilda Damasco, certify the appliance of Nido Risea to the Enchanter’s Guild and nominate him an affiliate.”

The surrounding ether slowly stirred and Nido sensed the Arcane Records making on of their plays.

Do you wish to accept the [Enchanter’s Guild Affiliate] title?

It’s like when the Records tried to register me this morning… Sure, why not. He accepted the title and his Prestige Class consequently changed.

Prestige Class: [Enchanter’s Guild Affiliate] – Level 1

Oh, so that’s what she was talking about. It seems earning a job earns you prestige. Hmm… If an Affiliate is level one, what level was the one I was offered before? Nido refused to spell such accursed title. Maybe I shouldn’t have refused it… Nah! Fuck the gods.

Prestige Class: [Enchanter’s Guild Affiliate] – Level 1 – Perks

Level 1 Perk: [Enchanter’s Guild Affiliate]: Increases the level cap on Combat and Profession Classes to 30. Allows to gain Racial Class experience with Combat and Profession Classes. Increases experience gained with Enchanting by 20%.

“Oh, wow. The level cap raising reaches level thirty? I had no idea!” Nido tried to fake his reaction upon reading the perk. It was incredibly good, yes. But know he wanted to extract information from Matilda, by feigning his misunderstanding of the Prestige perk.

“Yeah, I was surprised too!” Matilda exclaimed in very real enthusiasm. “I was trapped under level ten all this time and I got an extension of twenty levels! I thought it only was to level twenty and I was really surprised when the guild master told me that some titles are better than others! But I’m now trapped in level thirty until I obtain another Prestige level, which is a shame.”

The moderately taciturn enchantress became a volley of arrows as conversation struck a topic she was very enthusiastic about.

“With all this contract thing I forgot to pick my Enchanter perk, give me a second.” Nido said in excuse to shut her mouth.

Profession Class: Enchanter [Rare] – Level 10 – Perks

Level 10 Perk: Hybrid Specialization: Unlocks the ability to level both Combat and Profession Classes without penalizations. This perk will be automatically picked when reaching level 10 in your Combat Class.

The description was exactly as Matilda had said. Nido didn’t doubt of her word, but he wanted to see it with his own eyes, nonetheless.

“A bit of a milestone overload, but I have the level ten Enchanter perk and the first Prestige perk.” Nido commented, but he didn’t fail to notice how some of his words gained extra unnecessary emphasis. The Records work in weird manners.

“I’m going to close soon, so if you want to take some of our most basic jobs, you can come back tomorrow morning.” Matilda said as she stored the contract. “I’m a bit overloaded with work because the guild master is currently in a business work, and I would appreciate a helping hand back there.”

“Sure, I’ll need the money most than anything right now. I guess I will sleep in a ditch or something and come back here tomorrow.” Nido told half joking, half serious.

“Wait, what? Don’t you have a place to sleep?” The enchantress stood up.

“For certain reasons, I’ve lost all of my belongings, except the ones I am currently carrying in my person. I thought doing some jobs for the Enchanter’s Guild would be the fastest way to recover from my financial situation, but I arrived a bit too late to work it seems.”

“So, you have nothing at all?” She sounded overly surprised.

“Besides my staff and clothes, no.” The youngster responded. “I guess I could sell my staff in a pawn house or something.”

“You can’t do that!” Matilda approached him. “I… I mean, that staff is too good to be sold.” She recomposed herself with a deep breath. “My sister owns an inn close to the city gates, if you tell her you are a newbie enchanter sent by me, she will lend you a room and a dinner.”

“I don’t really need the food, though I appreciate having a ceiling to sleep under.” Nido truthfully told. “Thank you for help, lady Damasco.”

“Oh, you don’t need to be that formal.” She dismissed with a smile. “I may be your boss starting tomorrow, but call me Matilda please.”

“Of course, lady Matilda.” Nido bowed as a devilish smile was plastered in his face. “Though I’ll only accept if you call me Nido.”

“Understood, sir Nido.” She added a lighthearted sigh at the end. “See you later, Nido.”

“Tomorrow awaits a better day, Matilda.” The enchanter left the guild building with a better humor than he entered. What a nice lady.