Chapter 34
Arrested Developments
Pavatin was a builder and royal architect, with a gift for designing structures of breathtaking beauty from relatively mundane materials. He was an artist, a professional, kind to children, and a perfectionist who didn't accept anything less than the best from those he worked with. He was also the reason my masterwork farm manor had a sex dungeon for a basement, so he wasn't perfect.
However, working on my Experience Reactor was getting me nowhere, so I needed his assistance.
The way the Experience Reactor operated within the system was so different from how everything else operated that I couldn't get the system to recognise what I was trying to create or the exploits that should have been attached to it. The system had no structures that currently crossed between settlements or that took advantage of the monsters that lived in forests, and no matter how many details I added to my explanations or how many stick-figure schematics I drew, the system refused to hand over an exploit.
I was hoping that Pavatin could help me with that by filling in the details my drawings lacked, showing the system exactly how my Experience Reactor worked within the rules. So, two weeks after I began my project, I stepped out of a hired carriage, walked up to a plain-looking front door, and knocked.
Pavatin didn't live in the wealthier part of the Capitol, but neither was he in the slums. His three-store home was large, but it also pressed up against two other buildings which looked identical. It was boxy without flair or artistic style, a far cry from what he'd created for me in Blackwood.
I'd expected something outlandish, something which contained all of his genius, but maybe he needed the simplicity for creative thinking. When he was living in Blackwood, he'd stayed in the log cabin even after the was better lodgings.
It wouldn't surprise me if my guess was right.
His eye for detail was as helpful as it was troublesome, and a mundane environment might be exactly what he needed now that he was through his fourth threshold and had a second class. The king was grooming him, giving him everything he needed to become the greatest architect in the kingdom's history, so it the fact that this was where he lived was likely intentional.
Hopefully, it would give him what he needed to gain his level 100 promotion, because Blackwood needed it. It was a borderline exceptional village, so it could go either way when we tried to expand into a town. Even with everything I'd already invested and everything I would have to invest in the future, our resources were too mundane to easily create exceptional buildings. It took someone with vision and expertise to make that possible, so Pavatin's next promotion was essential, even if it meant knocking down buildings to implement the changes.
The front door opened slowly, and my gaze dropped to the one who had opened it. A little girl, no more than six years old, wearing a faded pink dress that looked like it had gone through several children before her, stood before me. She was holding a knitted rabbit under one arm and had an apple in her mouth. She looked up at me with big, curious eyes as she pulled the apple from her teeth and yelled at the top of her lungs. "Mommy, there's a pretty man at the door!"
It was like a banshee's shriek, displaying all the manners that children her age were known for.
"I'll be with you in a moment," her mother called back. "I'm just feeding the baby."
Pavatin wasn't married as far as I was aware, so the presence of the child and her mother made me think I had the wrong house.
"Sorry to disturb you, but I thought this was Pavatin's home!" I yelled over the girl's head.
Laughter came from inside the house. "He's the next door down on your right."
"My mistake. Sorry for disturbing your morning."
"It's not your fault. We recently traded homes, so this happens a few times each week. Have a good day."
"You too."
I stepped back and went to the next door down, knocking on the door, while the little girl watched me from the doorway like a curious fish.
The window directly above me slid upwards, and Pavatin stuck his head out. He gave me a confused smile. "What are you doing here, Landlord Arnold?"
"I need your expertise."
"Can it wait a few months? I've almost finished acquiring the special promotions I need."
"I'm afraid not."
"Fine. I'll be with you shortly."
I walked over to the carriage I'd hired, unloaded the chest of notes, and carried it back to his door. Another minute passed before Pavatin let me in.
"What's this about?" he asked as he closed the door behind me.
His entrance was surprisingly large, with hooks for coats, a bench for putting on your shoes, and a second door, which led into the house.
I placed the chest on the bench. "Did you hear about the Blueprint and Patent Office?"
Pavatin nodded. "It's a curious addition to the system. Several of my colleagues are going over the blueprints. Others are already in Blackwood. Do you want to be involved?"
"No."
"No? This sort of discovery has the potential to let you take advantage of your trap barns."
I stared at him for several seconds before realising he was out of the loop. "How long have you been shut away here?"
"I have friends who keep me aware of important matters."
"They need to do a better job. I sold my trap method months ago, and I'm the reason the new magical building exists."
Pavatin's gaze moved to the chest, and his interest seemed to perk for the first time. "You have other ideas for magical buildings."
"I do."
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. Explaining them to me will get you nowhere. You will have to try to petition the king. I'm sure he'll make time for you, considering your previous success."
"I'm aware of that, and I would agree with you under normal circumstances, but I believe this is different."
Pavatin folded his arms. "Different how?"
"The system doesn't recognise what I'm trying to create. I should have received new levels for my Wiseman title by now, but I haven't."
"These things are much more complicated than they appear, I'm sure you-"
"I have access to both Champion Farentine's library and Champion Farentine for this project. I'm not mistaken."
Pavatin frowned so heavily his brow creased. "That tweaks my curiosity, but I'm far too busy to help. What do you need?"
"I need someone capable of designing the structure I'm trying to create."
"Let me put you in touch with my colleagues."
He was trying to get rid of me. "Can they be trusted with information which will likely involve the discovery of several exploits?"
Pavatin hesitated. "Would this involve a builder exploit?"
"It might. It's a structure which has to span several settlements."
Pavatin began to smile and let his arms drop. "Can I get you a drink while we discuss this in the sitting room?"
***
Three days later, I was woken in the middle of the night by a notification.
Congratulations, you have uncovered a new method for gaining builder experience, your Wiseman title has leveled. Your Wiseman title is now level 2.
Wiseman
Level: 2
Effect: +20 wisdom
A satisfied smile spread across my face as I rolled over and went back to sleep.
***
The laws around exploits were, to put it bluntly, unique. Even if you created an exploit, there was no legal way to tax the experience that someone else received from it. There was a long history of legal reasons why this was the case, so I wasn't complaining, but it did mean I had to summon my retainers to take full advantage of the Experience Reactor's exploits.
I also needed their help.
The Experience Reactor was different from anything Pavatin had ever encountered. The designs he created for the reactor were only enough to unlock his exploit, rather than all of them, which was something he'd never seen or read about. Neither had Farentine. It was like the system was rewarding him for understanding a portion of the Experience Reactor, but wasn't willing to admit that he understood it all.
Pavatin outlined the other classes he believed would benefit from the Experience Reactor. How they could add to the designs, so by the time my retainers arrived from Blackwood, he was ready to slot them into place.
Quilly wasn't impressed with being summoned halfway across the kingdom.
She was even less impressed when I finished explaining how my Experience Reactor worked, and she didn't receive the exploit notification. She expressed her feelings by introducing me to several new words and phrases that were so vivid and anatomically impossible I'd rather not remember them.
However, two days later, I was eating noodles for breakfast at Farentine's restaurant when I received another notification.
Congratulations, you have uncovered a new method for gaining carpenter experience, your Wiseman title has leveled. Your Wiseman title is now level 3.
Wiseman
Level: 3
Effect: +30 wisdom
Farentine noticed my eyes darting across my interface while she slurped up her noodles. "You're looking quite smug."
I dismissed the notification, feeling quite smug. Another took its place.
Congratulations, you have uncovered a new method for gaining trapsmith experience, your Wiseman title has leveled. Your Wiseman title is now level 4.
Wiseman
Level: 4
Effect: +40 wisdom
I dismissed the next notification, and another appeared.
Congratulations, you have uncovered a new method for gaining farmer experience, your Wiseman title has leveled. Your Wiseman title is now level 5.
Wiseman
Level: 5
Effect: +50 wisdom
I dismissed the next notification, and the following notification changed.
Congratulations, you have simultaneously uncovered multiple new methods for gaining experience. Uncovering these new methods has caused your Wiseman title to reach its max level.
Wiseman
Level: Max
Effect: +100 wisdom
My smile grew until it felt like it took up my entire face. "I just maxed my Wiseman title."
Farentine laughed and slapped me on the back. "Congratulations!"
I dismissed the notification. This time, nothing took its place, which was expected. I release a happy chuckle, satisfied that my idea had paid off, and that my friends and colleagues would eventually benefit.
I turned and grinned at Farentine. "Radian is about to gain another magical building."
Farentine returned my grin. "Will you finally explain what you've been working on for the past month?"
"Can you take a look at my logs first? Something weird just happened with how I received the levels for the title."
Farentine raised her hands and made a strangling motion.
"I'm not trying to annoy you. It's honestly weird."
"Everything about this is weird, but I'll take a look, because it's faster than arguing."
I gave her access to my logs.
She opened them up and went over what had happened. It didn't take her more than a few seconds.
"By the looks of it, the system didn't recognise your understanding of the structure until you had fully established each of the core components. The order makes it look like you were required to design the building, furnish it, add the traps, and then operate it, before it could be optimised, which is where the other exploits became involved."
I'd given Farentine a very vague outline of what we were trying to achieve after Pavatin's success. And a slightly more detailed explanation after my retainers arrived. Emily, Ranic, Quilly, Fitz, Mara, Kiln, and several others who worked for me were all brought into the project to give their stamp of approval and add their two cents. The Experience Reactor could also theoretically benefit every combat class, so I'd brought in people like Brill, Redcliff, Orlana, and a few other guards from Blackwood, along with a couple of Torvac's friends who held more obscure combat classes.
I wanted Torvac involved, but he had too many classes, so giving him exploits risked him taking them from others. Giving them to his wife didn't cause the same issue. Orlana had both the swordswomen and the merchant class, and had promised to teach my ghost how to cook, as well as her children could, if the exploits worked out. I'd been hoping she would give me VIP treatment without the VIP price, but this was a much better arrangement.
I frowned at Farentine's answer. "Why wouldn't it recognise my understanding until after the core components were proven?"
Farentine shrugged. "I have no idea right now. I might understand once you tell me what you created, but I might not. Many of the hints you gave me don't make sense."
I pulled up my interface and checked my logs, making sure everyone had received their exploit. They had, which meant many of my friends were very happy right now.
I closed the interface, glanced around the empty noodle bar, before my eyes fell on her chef. "I suppose he can be trusted."
The old man chuckled as he chopped vegetables.
***
Explaining the Experience Reactor to Farentine turned out to be the wrong move. The moment she understood what I'd created, she arrested me. She wasn't angry or upset, so I thought she was joking until she wrapped my wrists in a spell and marched me out of her restaurant.
She dragged me across the city to collect everyone else involved in the project, coercing assistance from guards she passed and other professionals. She was using her champion authority freely, without giving any explanation for her actions, which was more than enough for me to be concerned.
I didn't know what was going on or why Farentine was doing this to us, but I got a hint of how important her actions were when she arrested Emily. Emily asked a single question about which law had been invoked, and Farentine answered. Emily's entire demeanour changed after that. She went from being upset at Farentine to helping her in any way she could, even suggesting Farentine arrest Sasha, because she knew too much.
It was Emily's change in attitude that told me to stop asking questions and just do what I was told, so when we arrived at the palace and were taken before the king to explain my creation, I did as I was told.
I wasn't ready to present my creation. I didn't even know everything the others had added, so my descriptions dragged on for hours. Pavatin, Quilly, and Kiln were each brought forward to add their explanations. Pavatin seemed to know what was going on and was as helpful as could be, but Quilly was indignant, only answering questions she was asked and in as short a manner as she could manage.
We all grew steadily more concerned as the presentation dragged on, but the king showed no concern or inclination to stop us. Asking clarifying questions whenever he didn't understand something with a sovereign sense of patience.
I'd moved on from explaining the structure and composition of the traps to discussing the nature of the system and how it was designed to create mana through death when the king suddenly launched himself from his throne.
He raised his voice, filling the throne room with his warm embrace and palpable excitement. "I am about to pass through my second threshold. Seal the throne room. Get everyone out."
I'd started reading my new notification the moment it appeared, but my back stiffened at his declaration.
Congratulations, you have somehow invented a semi-functional version of a level 5 farming structure, despite your kingdom's technological limitations. This structure is three technological levels beyond what your kingdom should be able to invent, but you have invented it anyway. Inventing this structure and the components involved has earned you a max level unique title: Great Inventor
Great Inventor
Level: max
Effect: +200 wisdom
Ranic was suddenly in front of me, ducking down with his arms open wide. The next thing I knew, I was over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, being carried away from the dais like he was running for a touchdown.
"This is not the time to be looking at your interface, Arnold," Ranic snapped.
From my upside-down position, I could see everyone in our group running for the throne room doors, being led by several guards as other guards rushed into the throne room through every entrance.
"The system gave me a unique title," I replied, still in shock from the notification and announcement.
"That's very nice for you, but the king is about to pass through his second threshold. We need to get out of his way and shut up."
Ranic's reply was the bucket of cold water I needed.
The royal guards were blurring all across the throne room, moving much too fast to follow, as they secured the perimeter. Mystical barriers appeared before every window, and servants rushed for the exit. The master of ceremonies was shouting orders to get out, and people in the hallway outside the throne room were moving away as fast as they could.
The whole palace had been in lockdown since we arrived, so that wasn't many. I saw Farentine ushering Sasha out of the hallway, an excited grin on her face. She didn't look surprised, but satisfied and happy that she was right.
I dismissed the notification, and another notification appeared.
Congratulations, for your services to the kingdom, your Crown's Champion mark has leveled. Your Crown's Champion mark is now max level.
Heavy is the head who wears the crown but blessed is the man who helps him. The king has marked you for your services to the kingdom. Now the kingdom offers its support in return, no matter how great the cost.
Crown's Champion Mark
Level: max
Effect:
Champion's Body:
+10 stamina regeneration per second.
+10 health regeneration per second.
+10 mana regeneration per second.
+50% to stamina.
+50% to health.
+50% to mana.
Champion's Might:
+50% to base armour.
+50% to base damage.
+50% to base speed.
+10% chance to do critical damage.
Crown's Favour
+50 to all attributes.
+10% to the quality of your farm's produce.
+50% to the quantity of your farm's produce.
+50% to experience gained on your farm.
-50% to the negative effects of disease and pests on your farm.
-50% to the fertiliser requirements on your farm.
If a field on your farm is below level 10, it will immediately level to this level.
I dismissed the notification without reading it. I automatically tried to dismiss the next notification, but the system wouldn't let me.
I scanned the first line to see what was going on, but I was forced to keep reading.
Well done, you have invented a new level 5 farming structure. Inventing a new farming structure qualifies you for your fourth threshold. Would you like to use this as your qualification for ascension? You have sixty seconds to make this decision or the opportunity will be lost.
Yes/No?
60...
"Ah, Ranic."
"Not now, Arnold."
Normally, I would have kept my mouth shut because of what was going on, but this was an opportunity to leave the farmer class behind. "I think I just created a new way for farmers to pass through their fourth threshold."
Ranic didn't reply, continuing to run, until he crossed the throne room threshold. He lifted me from his shoulder and put me on my feet as the throne room doors slammed closed behind us. His eyes were practically popping out of his head with how bug-eyed he appeared.
He turned his gaze to me and kept his voice low. "I'm not sure what's about to happen in there, but we can't interfere with the king's ascension. Only ascend after he has. It doesn't matter if the opportunity is lost."
Discovering a new way for farmers to pass through a threshold would allow Ranic to pass through his own, but when that was measured against interfering with the king passing through his second threshold, none of that mattered. Classes and technology were tied to the royal class. If the king successfully passed through his second threshold, Radian would have new classes and technology.
This meant opportunities for everyone.
The palace began to glow around us.
Ranic gave me a feral grin. "Accept."
I immediately selected, Yes.
A new notification appeared as my body erupted in light.
Congratulations, you have passed through your fourth threshold. Your speciality has grown stronger. Grandmaster Farm Manager
You are a man of big dreams. You prefer to give orders and facilitate others in their work than to do the work yourself.
-You can now act as the Farm Manager of 2 farms at once. Each farm receives the following benefits.
-You can now have 256 farmers under you who receive the same benefits of working on your farm as you do. These farmers can also be other Farm Managers, but they can only have the same number of farmers under them that a skilled farmer of the same level would have under them, and their promotions do not apply to your farm.
-Your promotions apply to everyone working under you, along with yourself, unless otherwise stated. (Identical promotions will default to the highest-level promotion.)
-Work performed by farmers under you applies to your future thresholds. (Work performed by farmers under you because of your farm manor does not apply to your future thresholds.)
-Your attribute allotment will remain as constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma.
I dismissed the notification, and another one appeared.
Well done, you have passed through your fourth threshold and improved your Farm Manager speciality. Since you have invented a level 5 farming structure, you have received a legendary threshold boon.
You and the farmers who work on your farm receive additional wisdom.
+50 wisdom.
My eyes widened as I read the effect of the boon, which was a mistake because the palace had already become bright it hurt to look anywhere.
I quickly dismissed the notification, and another appeared.
Well done, you have passed through your fourth threshold and gained access to your reserve of experience. Your reserve contained enough Farmer experience to increase your level multiple times. For passing through your threshold, you receive a 1 point increase to all of your base attributes instead of your regular attribute allotment.
Class: Farmer
Level: 124
Effects:
+186% to farming ability.
+186% to farming ability while on your farm.
Your Strength has increased by 1
Your Endurance has increased by 1
Your Dexterity has increased by 1
Your Agility has increased by 1
Your Constitution has increased by 13
Your Intelligence has increased by 13
Your Wisdom has increased by 13
Your Charisma has increased by 13
You have 24 unassigned attribute points.
Would you like to assign them?
Yes/No?
I didn't bother reading this prompt because I knew exactly what it would say, so I quickly selected No.
I could assign the attributes later.
As the prompt vanished, another notification appeared.
You now qualify for a second class.
I dismissed the notification, expecting it to be the last, but yet another one appeared.
Radian is now a level 3 kingdom.
A year of Abundance has come into effect:
+100% to the experience gained for your class and skills.
+10% to the quality of your farm's produce.
+100% to the quantity of your farm's produce.
I dismissed the notification because I could barely make out Ranic through all the light, but what I could see suggested he was sitting on the ground, with his back against the hallway wall. No new notifications appeared as I closed my eyes and made my way over to the wall. I felt the stone against my finger and lowered myself to sit beside him. I had a feeling I was about to black out again because of how bright the light was growing, so I wanted to be ready.
Ranic gave a small, quiet chuckle beside me. "My life has become so much more interesting since we met."
I covered my eyes, seeing the bones in my hands. "You make it sound like I do these things on purpose."