Chapter 5: The Scholar with Seventeen Talents
After Lyle left Moonlight Bloom...
The first issue they faced was breakfast.
The three of them had their biological clocks trained by Lyle.
When the time came, they would wake up and habitually go downstairs to eat a delicious breakfast.
Now, in the empty villa, the three of them exchanged looks, but no one said anything.
At this moment, they realized that Lyle was no longer around.
The kitchen, which used to be filled with a rich aroma, was now silent.
Amelia volunteered to prepare breakfast.
Xiya sat with a cold expression.
She could clearly see that Frol and Amelia were looking at her with subtle glances.
So, why has it turned out like this?
I just said, if you try a bit harder, we can reach the 45th floor.
What did I do wrong?
We've been relying on each other in the dungeon for two years!
Can everything be invalidated just because you say you're quitting?
"Here, try what I made."
Amelia brought out two plates.
Xiya looked down at the breakfast placed in front of her.
It was indeed worlds apart from what Lyle used to make.
He knew exactly what she liked and didn't like to eat.
He also knew the perfect temperature for the milk and would hand it over just right.
"I'll try it."
The blunt-mouthed mage, Frol, took a bite.
She chewed a couple of times, then calmly pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth.
"How is it?" The priestess eagerly asked, her eyes sparkling.
Frol nodded. "It's delicious, you should try it."
"Really?"
Amelia quickly took a spoonful.
After a moment, she slowly put the spoon down. "I'll go find Lyle and apologize to Xiya. Lyle won't really be mad at you."
Xiya suddenly snapped to attention. "No!"
...
...
Adventurers' Association.
It was a magnificent place, grand and imposing.
In the front square, there was a fountain, and a vivid statue of a goddess stood tall.
When Lyle entered the hall, there were no guests inside, and it was quiet.
At the front desk was a blonde elf girl, who was sleeping with her head resting on the counter.
Upon sensing someone's presence, the elf's pointy ears twitched.
She was quite cute, Lyle thought about petting her.
She groggily covered half of her face with her hand, took a long while to wake up, and then finally noticed the figure in front of her.
"You're... the scholar from Moonlight Bloom?"
Lyle was stunned. "You know me?"
"The famous adventurer group, we have their records here."
Lyle nodded. "I'm here to cancel my membership."
The elf girl glanced at him.
It seemed like he had been kicked out...
Probably to save face, he was pretending to have voluntarily quit.
But it made sense, as Moonlight Bloom was getting more famous, and Xiya was still a beauty. How many people were eyeing this scholar position?
The higher-ranked adventurer groups had intense competition.
She lazily stretched her soft body. "You'll need the guild leader's document from Moonlight Bloom."
Lyle thought for a moment. "Then just cancel it directly."
"Are you sure? Once you cancel with the Adventurers' Association, all your dungeon progress will be erased. If you want to register again, your level will be reset to 1."
Lyle nodded. "Cancel it."
The elf girl yawned, sleepily flipping through the book in front of her.
"You have to update your stats first. It's been two years since you last came."
The elf girl chuckled. "Moonlight Bloom always updates their stats as soon as they return from the dungeon. You, on the other hand, haven't come after the first registration."
"It's meaningless," Lyle smiled bitterly. "I don't have any skills or talents as a scholar, I'd rather not make myself miserable."
And he didn't have time for that.
He usually went straight to the market to sell materials.
"Wait a moment."
She rummaged through the drawer for a while and then pulled out a piece of dark-colored parchment.
Lyle rolled up his sleeve, and the elf girl wrapped the parchment around his arm.
"What are you planning to do next?"
The elf girl noticed that Lyle was quite handsome and didn't carry the arrogance common among scholars. She couldn't help but chat with him for a bit longer.
Lyle thought for a moment. "I'll just travel around."
"Alright then."
The elf girl picked up the parchment and looked down, noticing it was covered with small, densely written text.
Huh?
Today, the writing seems much more than usual?
...
[LV-44]
[Moonlight Bloom]
[Lyle Greffenhart]
[Scholar]
[Strength: 7]
[Stamina: 7]
[Intelligence: 15]
[Talent: ???]
[Skills]: Level 6 Bread Making, Level 6 Cooking, Level 6 Mining, Level 6 Gardening, Level 6 Wood Carving, Level 6 Brewing, Level 6 Tailoring, Level 6 Alchemy, Level 6 Fishing, Level 6 Gold Sculpting, Level 6 Armor Crafting…
...
The elf girl blinked.
One, two, three...
Seventeen legendary skills?!
She rubbed her eyes and then suddenly ripped the parchment.
Lyle: "..."
That's my stat sheet.
"Have you really become so weak that even the receptionist at the Adventurer's Guild can't stand it?"
"I just woke up wrong, I made a mistake, let's try again."
"Oh."
The elven girl was completely dumbfounded.
"What's wrong?"
"You... you see for yourself."
Lyle took a look and said, "What's the problem?"
"Huh?!"
The elven girl widened her eyes cutely: "Seventeen legendary-level skills, do you really think there's no problem?"
"They're all life skills... Shiya always told me to work hard."
Lyle froze for a moment: "Life skills aren't that hard, though. I'd rather trade all these life skills for a scholar's talent or skills. Even the lowest-level ones would do."
Of course, Lyle had to thank Shiya for this.
In order to take care of the few ladies blooming under the moon, he spent two years maxing out all the life skills.
He was just afraid that one day they'd suddenly come up with some strange request.
Yet, Shiya would still complain about him not having a scholar's talent.
The elven girl's chest heaved as she pointed at the parchment.
"How long did it take for you to get Cooking to level 6?"
"Three months."
"Gardening?"
"About three months as well."
"Alchemy?"
"A bit longer, maybe a year or so."
"Bread making?"
Lyle thought for a moment: "Two days."
As a transmigrator, he had quickly understood the world's processes and could start improving and making things.
The elven girl was nearly crying.
What the hell?
As a part-time queen, she had none of these life skills over level 2!
Is this guy deliberately trying to flex?
"What a pity, still no scholar skills or talent."
Lyle sighed.
Many scholar skills required systematic training at the academy to learn through textbooks.
And he didn't even have talent.
Well, he couldn't say he had none.
He had three question marks.
Completely useless.
"How did you get so many life skills?!"
Lyle was silent for a moment before saying something completely offhand: "Every university has a few certification maniacs."
"Certifying madman, my university wasn't a waste"—this was Shiya's classic attitude.
The academy of Ioufer was that 985.
The elven girl was in shock.
He really didn't understand what legendary-level life skills meant.
Level 6 cooking, he could apply for a job at the top restaurants in Ioufer.
Level 6 brewing, he could brew barrels of wine every month for the Adventurer's Tavern and earn piles of gold coins.
Level 6 alchemy was the most terrifying; he could even give lectures on it.
And yet, he's still a simp. What's wrong with Lyle?
These things can't even get him anywhere. What's wrong with Shiya?