Chương 175: Gnome Of Culture

"It endangers us all!" Safan shouted.

"I agree! Why are we shouting?!" Baldeenk yelled back. They both became quiet and glared at Lanner Thunderdust.

"Gnome Lanner Thunderdust. We don't let gnomes just leave," Baldeenk declared.

"But cart gnomes go missing. Just mark me as missing," Lanner stated. All the gnomes either sighed or put their heads down into their hands at that statement.

"We would know. And in going with this human, you are likely to survive. We have a good understanding of Justin's strengths. While it isn't a surety, it is highly likely that he will return to the Eldarin Continent. Your very survival will endanger us all," Safan stated while giving a death glare to Lanner. I was almost surprised he didn't invent a spell skill on the spot to shoot some kind of death beams out of his eyes with how heavily he was glaring.

"I make that choice of my own free will. As a free gnome. Free. Gnome."

"This was what I was worried about by allowing an outsider in the village. A crisis that hasn't occurred in our three thousand years of seclusion," Safan said.

"Gnomish Silence would be a basic requirement, but the issue is that anyone looking upon him will ask questions," Baldeenk said.

"There might be an option. He could lie and say he is an injured human," I said. I explained the cases I had seen at the Five Star Institute of Healing.

"That would work. I will do that," Lanner said. Safan sent a death glare in my direction.

"Very well. But taking on this…free…gnome is not worth the cost of Mana Metal Creation even with 30, 000 orange cores."

"I can offer seven yellow cores as well," I said. While I didn't want to take Lanner with me. I wanted to get Mana Metal Creation. I wouldn't leave him to die, but he would have a rough time in the dungeon. Of that, I had no doubt.

"I would be willing to sign off on such a deal. We desperately need the yellow cores," Baldeenk said.

"I know. But this…free…gnome threatens us all. He is ungnomish!" Safan yelled. The rest of the gnomes gasped at Safan's statement and even Lanner took a step back in shock at the declaration.

"If you wish to go. Then fine. We will strike your name from our records. No one will speak of you again after your departure."

"I accept," Lanner said with a tremor in his voice. Safan looked at Baldeenk.

"Are we done for the day?" Baldeenk nodded.

"We will adjourn this meeting until tomorrow. Lanner must stay in this building until you leave, so his actions and words won't cause any trouble." I stood up as all the gnomes left without another word. I then sat back down, and Lanner sagged in his own seat. Gone was his confident demeanor from earlier.

"What does it mean to be ungnomish?" I asked.

"I will just be Lanner. No last name. My family will not pass down the records of my achievements on my nameplate. People will forget me in a generation, but that is okay. I knew this when I made my demand."

"Have you fought any monsters?"

"No. I have never left the settlement."

"How old are you? I have a hard time telling gnomish ages."

"I am sixteen. An adult now, according to gnomish law," That was like human customs. Probably because of the shared skills, but it also might have historical reasons related to being twice the age when humans got access to their status.

"You got your status at eight like a human?" If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Yes."

"If you had to fight in the dungeon, how would you fight?"

"I have crafted several wands. I would use them to take down monsters. One wand per monster."

"How many wands do you have?"

"Twenty. All with Tier 3 spell skills."

"You know those spell skills?"

"No, but I know their runic structure and how to carve them into wands. Ten unique wands and two copies of each spell skill. A full elemental range." I could tell he was weak. Incredibly weak. He had fewer skill levels than a basic human. It's probable that he also had a red class. He was looking at me hopefully.

"You are lucky your people will trade with me in order to help you out in the dungeon. It won't be easy." I now understood how people felt while looking at me when I was young. Without my mother's shadow pressuring people, there would have been a similar level of exasperation to what I was currently feeling. This gnome had high hopes, but he had absolutely zero potential. Unfortunately, determination didn't translate into success. That was a big reason so many idolized my mother, even after her death.

She was a farmer's child and clawed her way to greatness. That was what made her so impressive to others. While some said she had secret help, it didn't change her background. The Mathemancer and The Librarian had come from noble backgrounds in the Eldarin Empire. Blood Gore had been a disciple of Bastian. They had legacies or systems of support to draw upon. Looking at Lanner, I could see his intentions. He was as enthusiastic as I was which wasn't enough. There was something more that was needed.

I wasn't sure what it was. Tenacity, fighting spirit, it was hard to say exactly. But I knew that my mother had a burning desire to keep going no matter what. That was what she wanted me to have. Looking at Lanner the gnome, I could tell he had enthusiasm and would be a decent adventurer if he didn't die, but he would never become a supreme legend. I could be wrong, but the odds were heavily against him. It would be nice to have a companion to talk with in the dungeon, but he would also be a liability.

I wouldn't shield him, but I wouldn't lead him to his death either. I would probably have to spend three months training him up on the upper layers of the dungeon. Hopefully, his wands were good enough.

"How often can you use wands?"

"I need to recharge them after each fight. They take time to charge with my Mana."

"One use only?"

"Yes,""Any weapon or melee skills?"

"Gnomish Fencing," he replied and pulled out a narrow sword. It had no edge, just a point. I wanted to sigh in despair but held back. It wasn't a weapon, but a toothpick for a monster.

"Spell skills?"

"I am familiar with Fireball. I'm proud of how hard I worked on that spell."

"Any others?"

"No, but I have some levels in Mana Manipulation so I can learn quickly. Don't worry." I didn't know whether I should laugh or cry in despair. He hadn't even maximized Mana Manipulation. His control of his spell skill would be lacking. There was a reason Mana Manipulation was a prerequisite. It was more efficient to learn certain skills in a certain order. I didn't dare ask his levels, since they were probably less than 20 for Tier 3 skills.

Lanner was the perfect example of someone with enthusiasm who had made bad choices. Instead of focusing on his foundation, he had focused on flashy skills first. Only twenty wands would be a struggle for him.

"How long do you need to charge up your wands?"

"About ten minutes each." I wanted to weep at this.

"What level are they effective to?"

"Um, they should be able to take down any monster up to level 100 in one shot if targeted properly."

"So powerful." That was much better than I had thought. The problem with wands was that he wouldn't be improving his skills as much, but he wouldn't be useless. Unless there was a wand-weapon skill, which was highly unlikely.

"Do you have a wand weapon skill?"

"Focused Wand Combat. I improved it from Tier 1 to Tier 2," he declared proudly. One improved skill was nothing to celebrate. If he truly understood my status, he would probably give up in despair on the spot.

"Do you have a spatial pouch?"

"Um, no. We don't have any of those," he said.

"I guess I will share my food with you. Prepare one pack of everything you want to bring and use outside of combat. I will carry it in my spatial pouch for you to use when we stop. As for anything combat related, you will always carry it with you," I explained, and Lanner nodded.

"You will be responsible for your safety. I suggest you work on those stealth skills. That will be your strongest advantage in the dungeon. Especially since we will be fighting on the 11 th layer after a trial run through the upper layers," I declared.

"The 11 th layer?"

"Yes. It will be tough, but you won't die. Killing monsters that strong and with that much pressure, you will level up quickly. That will help you out quite a bit in improving your skills."

"Got it. I won't disappoint you." He was already a disappointment. I just didn't want to say it. That was when I realized I was becoming my mother.

"What is it?" Lanner asked since I must have let something show on my face.

"I just said similar words to my mother long ago. Write goodbye letters before we depart. Since you won't be coming back."

"I have said my goodbyes," he said resolutely.

"Then I won't say anything else on the matter. I am going to rest. Is there a bed here?"

"There is a side room for gnomes working on a project if it needs secrecy that I can use," he replied, and I nodded.

"When I check on you tomorrow, tell me if you ate or are having any problems. If we are going into the dungeon together, we are a team." I didn't want to belittle this gnome, who was only slightly younger than me, but I would be power leveling him. But there was no point in saying anything more. He would soon come to realize the gap that existed. The massive, overwhelming gap between us that would make it impossible for him to catch up with me. But that wasn't his goal. His goal was to become a legend.

That was possible and realistic. If he had said supreme legend as his goal, then he was clearly suffering delusions. He was no Elena.