Chương 33: Insightful Father

"Your Tutor, Damian, talked with me. I also know how you want to train your combat-oriented skills. Your mother is exceptional at many things, but planning for your training isn't one of them. She left abruptly, so I am making some changes," my father told me over breakfast one morning.

"What changes?" I asked with curiosity.

"Specialized weapons trainers. They are common, even in Burnstock City, if their level is only in the sixties. I will hire one of them weekly, and you can train heavily with them starting tomorrow. While they won't be as good as your mother's Squires or someone at the elite or legendary level, they will provide unique insights. Most lower-level trainers give a stronger boost during their initial training session, and then their impact tapers off after that."

"Thank you, Father," I said, and he nodded.

"I am also looking to hire a trap specialist as well. That will take a bit more time, since they aren't as common. I will probably have to pay a hefty fee through the Adventurer's Guild. Finally, I will take up your Speech and Social Resistance training myself."

"What? Really? Don't you have other duties? You said you had some major plans?"

"Since he will soon be named Duke, Dereck is taking over more and more. I am stepping back and need something to do. We have had a couple of heated discussions, and it is best that I do something else. As for my plans, things are in motion, and spending time with you isn't a waste of time. Helping with your training will be useful for your future. Also, Dancing and Eldarin Etiquette. You are barely working on them is my understanding?"

"Well…they don't seem that important."

"Dancing is a movement skill, don't underestimate its use in combat when combined with other movement skills. And while your mother would scoff at the etiquette-type skills, she understands the importance of not coming across as rude when she wants to."

"You are saying she chooses to act the way she does."

"Yes. You don't reach her level without being precisely who you want to be. She tramples over other people by choice. But she can also be polite when necessary. Don't just take what you have seen of her as the only aspect of her personality. She can be quite charming when she chooses to be." I doubted him a bit, but he would know better than I.

"What about your guards? Will they help with my training?"

"If they have the right skills, the trainers will offer them the chance, but most of them focus on protection and fighting with their builds. Trainers have specialized teaching skills, which help boost your level gain by spotting mistakes more easily." While his guard captain was alright, there was a big difference between his teacher and the other people teaching me.

"Aren't I supposed to focus on mental skills?"

"I discussed that with Healer Castelle. He had no issues with changing your training if you don't get any new skills, which shouldn't be a problem. He understands the value of mixing up training as well."

"It sounds like everyone is trying to rush to teach me things."

"You aren't entirely wrong. Your mother will likely take you away once she returns. While I will leave you with a sizable amount of money, I have little else to offer. Many social skills that nobles use aren't something you will focus on," my father explained. That was true. I had already determined the direction of my spellblade build.

"Any ideas of other skills that would be useful or skill chains?" He smiled and shook his head.

"Your mother has the right idea with what she has you learning, and I know you aren't supposed to get more skills. We can brainstorm, though. Many other niche weapon skills would contribute to Weapons Mastery, things like Whip Skills, Club Skills, for example. Then there is Throwing Skills. I am sure you know about the other runic systems out there." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"No other foundational skills? Like for magic?"

"Mana Sense is the cornerstone of magic-related skills, followed by Mana Manipulation. You are already working on Mana Sense, so that is fine. You are also developing your math skills. If you want to become a crafter of some kind or develop more social skills, such as those of a noble, then I would have other recommendations. But weapons and runes are excellent choices for a spellblade. The only thing left would be movement skills, but you are already working on some of them."

I didn't know how to put it into words. I wanted to follow my mother's path, but I also wanted to do my own thing. No one became a legend by completely copying someone else. It was hard to progress their skills beyond a certain point if they didn't invest in them. My mother was excellent, but if I ever wanted to surpass her, then I couldn't just copy her.

"What about getting a lot of resistances?"

"Hard and dangerous. People try, but it isn't easy unless there is an actual threat. I don't think I will level up your Social Resistance that easily. As tier 3 skills, they are hard to level in the first place, and with being resistances, that is another level of difficulty. Much of what you are thinking will come to you in time. Certain weapon skills use Mana, like Slice, for example. A favorite of your mother's.

A tier 3 skill, but once you get Mana Sense maxed out and then learn Mana Manipulation, you can investigate skills like these."

"Not more tier 1 skills?"

"You have enough with all the weapon skills and languages you will have to learn. They are foundational, but most people use tier 3 skills as their major skills. They use a bit of Mana strengthening them and aren't impossible to level. I suppose there are more tier 2 sensory skills, but again, that will come in time."

"Oh."

"It is nice to be young. All that energy and motivation. If I had half as much as you do at your age, I would be much further with my skills."

"Can't you still work on them?"

"I am, but it is difficult as you get older. You never stop working on skills, but now I will focus on teaching you. As for levels and more stats, that is much more difficult."

"Even if you can get stronger?"

"Some people do when they get older, hoping to extend their life. But what is life if you are in the dungeon all the time? I would like to see my grandchildren grow up. To see you grow up. While you inherited your drive to excel from your mother, I like to think of the future. I plan, and she lives in the moment." Everyone was laid back compared to my mother. That really wasn't a proper comparison. However, I didn't understand the lack of desire to improve one's strength or raise their stats higher.

It just seemed so weird to me.

"What you need to do is work on the skills you have, which is what I plan to help you with."

"What about training up stats specifically?"

"That comes when you work on skills that are most associated with a stat. It is not worthwhile to train a stat specifically. Especially when you get free stat points when you level, that you can apply to yourself."

"Well, I don't know how long my mother wants me to stay at level one," I replied and held up my wrist with my bracelet.

"Hmm, that is a good question. It really comes down to skills, I would say. Certain skills are associated with specific stats. A higher skill level improves the specific stat. It isn't worth overly focusing on just one's stats." I nodded at this explanation.

"What about social skills?"

"Speech is the most basic. After that is Rhetoric. Then you have others, such as Appearance Skills, Social Awareness, Insight, Social Sense, and so on. Letting you understand people better. It's how I am aware of your frustrations."

"What, really? That sounds useful."

"For a noble. Not for an adventurer in the dungeon. Since you have Speech, raising it is fine, but learning the rest of those skills won't make you a better fighter, at least against monsters."

"Is there anything that will go beyond what I am learning?"

"Not for a while. You need to build up your foundation. Weapons Mastery and Runes Mastery are incredibly powerful tier 4 skills if you have maxed out the previous skills. Not all skills are equal, and these two skills are among the best a person can obtain for fighting and magic." Since tiers were based on Mana use, I had to wait on magic skills until I got Mana Sense and then Mana Manipulation.

"Thanks for explaining. Damian doesn't like to talk about other skills after Healer Castelle has yelled at him."

"It is fine as long as you don't get them. I know you want to return to the dungeon and enjoy the fighting. Truly, you inherited from your mother, not me. I prefer dialogue over violence, even though each has its time and place. But for now, the best I can do is a rotating list of Tutors."

"Master Ertor Ten was superb," I said with a smile, hoping to convince my father to let him train me long term.

"That will never happen, even if I piled up gold chests three times his height. Higher-level people have a specific amount of pride. Training foundational skills is something they dislike doing."

"Even if it pays well?"

"They can make money easily enough. It is more about legacy or favor. I did him a great favor and got half a day's training for you."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"Then you can sell your services cheaply once you become famous and reach a high level. At that point, you will probably turn down most requests as well." His amusement at my naivety was obvious, but I wanted the best tutors to keep pushing myself. I saw how much progress I had made from that one session and wanted to go back.

"What about Alchemy?" My father smiled.

"Complicated and a long path requiring foundational skills like you are doing for Weapons Mastery and Runes Mastery. Complete those first, then we can talk about going after another skill like that." He was right; I was looking too far ahead. But I couldn't help myself.