The [Dying] status usually means the end for someone.
It's a status that usually only shows up seconds before someone dies. With the exception of course when someone is gravely ill such as deadly diseases or through old age.
[Doctor]'s can heal disease, treat wounds, and perform surgeries. But they are helpless against the [Dying] status. Only the cleansing ritual of a [Cleric] has the power to break it. But healing rituals in general are incredibly expensive.
And the cost of a Cleansing Ritual is especially unmanageable for most common folk. Even some of the higher value commoner classes like [Merchant] can cost at least a Gold 5th for the ritual. And it isn't even a [Cleric]'s fault. Our value is set by the Holy system and is unchangeable.
The cost of cleansing lowers naturally as one increases in level and their life becomes more irreplaceable. But most common [Classes] never reach higher than level 6 as it becomes harder and harder to gain experience just through doing your job. And the Class Quests that become the only viable way to level up just become more unfeasible. Requiring risky, difficult, or even mortally dangerous tasks to complete, which most would rather just avoid.
All of this is none more apparent than the absurd disparity between a [Farmer] and the rest of society. Even despite how much we contribute to the world at large we are the most unfortunate and no one is quite sure why. The system disfavors us so greatly that to save us from dying it costs about the same as constructing several villages.
This and so much more is why I have come to resent being born as one. Disposable and not worth saving in the end.
And yet here I still am. Alive.
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[LEVEL-00]
//Name: Liore Perro
//Age: 9
//Class: [??????] [Unlocks in 3 Months 3 Days 15 Hours]
//Status: Sick [Minor] [Infection]
[PASSIVE]
[??????????]
[?????? ??????]
[Favored]
[SKILLS]
[??????-??????]
[CLASS QUESTS]
//null
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It's been two days since the Paladins group weighed my life and cleansed me. After the initial shock things moved rather quickly. The [Cleric] Dorian was eager to prove if my weightless value was true and performed the Rite of Cleansing. Which I thought would be a lot more elaborate but all he really did was drop a bit of water on my forehead and waved his hands over me while chanting some scripture.
At first I thought nothing was happening and was just really confused but then the moment he ended his chant I suddenly felt better than I had in days. Which apparently was visible enough on my body for them to tell that it worked. Which just led into more moments of shock between them while I just awkwardly watched from my bed. They were talking to each other for quite awhile but I fell asleep pretty quick afterwards. Mama said the Paladin thinks God must have took pity on me. Which I don't exactly know how to feel about.
But despite how weird all of that was, at least I am alive. Even more it finally made Mama more relaxed. She slept for almost an entire day after that night while Leo and Mr. Thorpe were taking care of me. Leo did come back out of his room when he heard that I was better now but I could tell that he is still beating himself up. But I've managed to get him back to at least smiling a bit.
I thought for awhile that Mama wouldn't let Mr. Thorpe around us anymore but it seems after a long talk she forgave him. Or at least let him off the hook. Which I am happy about. All of this has made me realize he has been kind of like our second dad since as long as I can remember. So it would be pretty disheartening if he wasn't allowed to see us anymore. Which just makes me miss Papa a lot as well. But he hasn't been able to make it back here since I was 7.
He was supposed to be back this year to be here for my Class Awakening but Mama says he as been asked to train some chefs for a new restaurant in some Port city out west. Apparently he is gonna get paid a lot to do it and couldn't pass it up. Which I don't blame him. Plus we need the money. But Mama wasn't too happy about it.
I am still feeling pretty sick but I've started moving around again. Walking around the house mostly as it's been storming almost non-stop since yesterday. Which I guess it's the storm that Paladin girl Syren had predicted. So Roy and his people having been staying in the village until it passes. All the farmers had to scramble around to make sure the crops don't get damaged but the early warning helped a lot.
That Paladin girl though, she seems pretty nice. She's asked me how I'm doing a couple times when she comes in to talk to Leo. And for some reason my chest sort of tightens when I see her. Something about her makes me nervous but I don't think it's bad. Leo seems to like her though and that's all I really care about. I just want him to be able to have some friends when he's up in the Capital. I worry he'll turn into some kind of loner.
Today I am trying to avoid my bed as much as I can. I've gotten so tired of laying around its made my body sore.
Walking out of my bedroom and down the hall while rubbing my shoulders. I push open the door into the kitchen and immediately catch the smell of some sort of stew in the air. My stomach growling in response. I spot one of our small metal pots on the stove, a weak flame keeping it warm. A note is laid on the dining table that I pick up. A short scrawl from Mama that she is out in the field for the next few hours with BOLD warning to stay inside.
I look up to the kitchen window to see rain still pattering loudly against the glass. But at least the thunder seems to have stopped. Maybe it'll clear up by tomorrow and I can finally go outside again.
But for now I am starving. Grabbing a bowl from one of the cupboards and a spoon from a drawer before I move over to the stove. Using the stepstool nearby it to get myself up a level and scooping some of the stew into my bowl. My eyes beaming as I see rice and chicken in the light brown broth. Mama must have gotten this today because this one is my favorite. One of the other [Farmer]s wives makes this on special occasions cause its hard to get chicken out here.
I step down from the stool before hearing a knock against the front door. Pursing my lips as I set my bowl on the dining table. Smoothing out my nightgown before walking into the entrance area, tip toeing around the muddy boot prints all over the tiles. I unlatch the door and peek it open. "Hello?"
Seeing a white robed man that I look at curiously as he adjusts his glasses and smiles. "Hello there Liore! I came over to check on you, would you mind if I came in for a moment?"
I narrowed my eyes at him. Taking a couple seconds to realize that this is Dorian the [Cleric]. My shoulders relax as I open the door a bit more to look up at him fully. "Oh! Your that Cleric guy who healed me."
Dorian chuckled awkwardly and nodded. "Ah yes yes I am. Although God did the healing. I am just his caring hand." He answered lightly. "But I would like to have a brief word with you if you are alright with that?"
I twiddle my fingers a bit and glance around behind him. The road outside of our house is muddy and somewhat flooded at this point. There are several figures in white armored robes outside as well next to the Holy Orders carriage that is settled across the dirt road. They had their hoods up and were quite dirty but didn't seem too bothered.
Looking back up at Dorian I slowly nodded. "O...okay. My Mama won't be back until a few more hours. She is checking the crops."
The [Cleric] nodded. "Yes! Paladin Roy and Syren went with her. Seems your crops have been having some trouble with bad soil. Looks like I might need to purify the fields once this rain stops."
My mouth opened a bit in surprise. "You can do that?"
He chuckles and waves his hand dismissively. "Oh yes oh yes. Although it isn't as potent as the actual [Priest] rituals. I can do it a little bit. Plus it is a fine payment for letting us stay here."
I nodded along and smiled. Feeling pretty grateful that they are helping us so much. Mama always told me Holy Order people are always stingy, stuck up, or just plain scary. But thankfully these ones have been nice so far.
I opened the door all the way to let Dorian in. He steps inside and shakes a bit of the rain off of himself before taking off his cloak and setting it on the hook near the door while I re-entered the kitchen. Taking a seat at the table where I set my stew. Dorian following in behind as his head raises to smell the air. I could almost swear he nearly drooled but he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and cleared his throat. "Um right...so...how are you feeling? What has your status been saying?"
I spoon some of the stew into my mouth after blowing on it a little bit. Savoring it for a second as I chew pieces of chicken and vegetables. After swallowing I sit up and turn my attention to the studious looking man as he pulls out a chair and takes a seat. Setting a rucksack onto the table with the Holy Orders emblem emblazoned on it. "It says the infection is minor and that I'm still sick."
The [Cleric] gives a sigh of relief. "Good good. Then it seems the infection is subsiding. Plenty of bedrest and some hearty food should get you right as rain in no time."
I frown somewhat, sinking into my chair. "I feel like I've gotten enough bedrest to last me a lifetime."
Dorian chuckles, folding his arms onto the table as he leans forward on them. "But is there anything else in your Window that is odd after the cleansing?"
I purse my lips again, brows knitting together as I speak the phrase to have my window pop up. Scanning it over again I am obviously still seeing the blocked out skills which are definitely weird but that was before I got really sick. Although there is one new Passive skill that showed up after that isn't blocked out. "Well...I got a Passive skill somehow."
Surprisingly Dorian didn't look all that shocked to hear that and even nodded as if it's what he expected. "That does make sense. There are some Passive skills that can be gained through traumatic events, high exposure, and even earned through trials." He would explain, giving me a smile. "What is the Passive if you don't mind me asking?"
"Um...it's called [Favored]. But I don't know what it does. It doesn't explain it." I answered a little nervously. But I am at least relieved to hear that me getting a passive skill isn't out of the ordinary. I'd rather not feel like some weird anomaly again.
Dorian furrowed his brows and looked pensive for a moment. "I have not heard of that one myself. But I am sure we have some record of it somewhere." The [Cleric] admits before shrugging. "But you can view the Passives description by either focusing on it and willing it to open...or you can simply just press on the skill title with your finger."
My eyes widened as he explained that. Returning my attention to my Window that is still floating out in front of me. Lifting up my hand timidly before poking the skills title. And for a split second it felt like a solid surface which made me jump a bit in my seat. "I...had noidea I could touch it..." I murmured as I noticed a little side bar had opened next to my Window.
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[Favored]: Someone has valued you enough to save you from certain death at great cost. This someone likely does not wish to see you befall this fate again. Your [Resilience] stat has been increased by +2 permanently and you now have a minor resistance to negative status effects.
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I blinked a few times as I read it. Rereading it again. And one more time after.
This seems...pretty good?
I am not even of-age yet and I already have a Passive like this. My brows knitting together and my lips thinning as I look over at Dorian and read it aloud for him.
The [Cleric] gives a low whistle. "WOW! That is a pretty damn good deal." He says with a chuckle before his expression scrunches back up. His hand raising to stroke his chin. "But the wording of that is odd. It says someone did so at great cost but it costed us nothing."
I suddenly started to feel a little nervous again as I shrugged and went back to eating my stew. Leaving the man to ponder what the wording could mean for a moment. But after about a minute I decided I wanted to break the awkward silence as I asked. "You said it's a good deal but I don't really know what [Resilience] does." I admit between spoonful's of food. "I mean I know what resilient means but not what it means for me...I guess."
Dorian looks up from his pondering and smirks. "Oh well let me explain then. Because you really lucked out there for a [Farmer]" Gritting his teeth and hisses at himself. "No offense meant there."
Clearing his throat before he continues. "[Resilience] is one of the hardest stats to increase. As it takes considerable exposure training that can often be crippling or even fatal." The [Cleric] explains. "The stat itself is usually highest in [Holy Knight]'s, [Cleric]'s, and [Rogue]'s as it correlates to resistance to poison, disease, and pain. But it also controls how quickly you heal naturally. The higher the [Resilience] stat, the easier it is for your body to overcome forms of trauma."
My stew had suddenly turned less interesting as my eyes were focused on Dorian as he explained. My head slowly nodding without my input. "So having +2 [Resilience] is really good?"
Dorian scoffed. "It's more than good. No matter what your class is everyone starts off with a [Resilience] of 1 upon their Class Awakening. But this Passive means you will be starting with 3. Which is the same as mine and Syren's and one below Paladin Roy."
My eyes widened at that. "That...is definitely good then..."
He chuckles at my expression. "You are a blessed girl. With this and the fact that your soul value is weightless, Roy would have been trying to take you with us already if you weren't a [Farmer]." He admits rather casually despite my heart doing a somersault at the mention of it. "In fact he was already considering it but unfortunately the rest of the Order would not take it very well." Shaking his head. "And to be honest...he didn't like the idea of putting your mother in that kind of situation."
My shoulders lower some as I leaned over my stew again. "Yeah...and I wouldn't really be worth it. I'm still just a [Farmer] so it's not like I can help at all." I said rather sourly, poking a few pieces of cabbage in my bowl with my spoon.
The [Cleric] gives a bit of an apologetic smile. "You can help plenty much from here. Being part of the Holy Order is not all that it's cracked up to be." He sighs. "It is...stressful."
I ate another spoonful as I just nodded. Not really knowing what to say to that. As he does seem pretty weighed down by his work.
Dorian pats himself on his cheeks before bringing himself up to a stand. "Well I think I have taken up enough of your resting time Miss Liore. I think I shall go find the Paladin and see how the fields are going." He gives a polite bow. "Thank you for your time." The man says kindly before he makes his way out of the kitchen and back outside.
Once he's gone my eyes shifted back to my Window still floating in front of me. Staring hard at the other Passive Skills and the one Active Skill that are still hidden.
Now that I have some kind of idea of what sort of Passives can come from surviving something serious. It just makes me painfully curious as to what I gained from that weird book.
Cause whatever they are...they are most certainly NOT normal...