continued - 3/14

Joe smiled as well although was uncertain about what to say about breathing glass or crystal particles and almost decided to leave it before asking a question.

"Do many people die or become hurt from using job crystals?"

The librarian actually seemed a bit confused by Joe's question before he quickly shook his head, "No. Nothing I have ever heard."

Joe nodded but hesitantly before continuing, "OK. Then… well, maybe, if you cough up any blood or have problems breathing or … yeah, find a healer for your lungs, OK?"

The librarian seemed a bit confused and miffed but nodded, "OK? I do not know why you would think this, but thank you for your concern."

Joe saw the librarians repressed anger and quickly smiled, dropping the conversation, "Ah. OK. Then congratulations! You are now a novelist."

At this, the man's smile turned absolutely brilliant before he laughed excitedly, "Yes! I am!"

"Great! Then let's change your job!"

The man laughed, excitement turning him quickly and driving him deeper into the temple. They made a bee line for the temple priest and the librarian quickly asked for a job change to novelist. The priest seemed interested, and congratulated the librarian on his good luck.

"Congratulations. I saw," offered the priest in greeting.

"Yup! I'm now a novelist!"

"Excellent. I'm assuming you wish a job change to it now?"

"Yes!"

"Would you like me to do a check for the change?"

"No. I'm certain."

The priest chuckled at that before nodding, "I know but you know the rules. I have to ask. Would you like the contingency?"

The librarian smiled and nodded, "I understand. As for the contingency, merchant."

"The normal sign?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Are you ready then? Novelist, yes?"

The librarian didn't reply, but quickly nodded.

The priest smiled and disappeared into his skill, pulling up the new job for the librarian. The librarian took the job change rather quickly, accepting it verbally with whatever prompt appeared to him which made Joe begin to wonder how other's interacted with their prompts with the system as all of them were written language. Something to ask Garnedell later?!

With the job change, the priest then looked at the librarian and asked a question then raised his hand up with a strange gesture, raising up a fist then opening his thumb and pinky outwards before closing them again. He did this gesture immediately as he finished asking the question and the librarian replied quickly, rapidly shaking his head no before the priest could even finish the gesture.

"No. I understand perfectly. The crystal is a good one."

"Excellent. I'm glad you were able to do your job change successfully."

The librarian grinned hugely then bowed his head slightly before turning and leaving. Joe nodded to the priest as well before all three exited the temple. The librarian had stopped on the temple portico, walking to the side where few people were and Joe joined him there.

The man then excitedly pulled out his job memory crystal and preformed his ritual again, almost exactly in reverse. He placed the crystal to his head, shooting out the barest of mana streams at it again, before carefully and slowly dropping it to his chest. This time, he was able to do it the first try, the mana stream staying on the crystal with more ease until he pulled it hard into his chest just over his heart. Again, the pulse reacted with the crystal and it poofed out into a sphere of mana before rapidly piercing back into the man, this time his chest. It was subtly different however, as the mana seemed to boomerang, entering and remaining in the chest for a time until he pulled back out. It seemed to be pulling something with it, but Joe couldn't really see it. It only looked like the mana was straining against something until it pulled into the job memory crystal. The crystal glowed, then died down. The man grinned brightly at that, then turned to look up at Joe with excitement.

"Thank you so much! This… it's my dream. I never thought… thank you!"

Joe smiled and shook his head, "You're welcome. It was easy enough for me, and you have no need to thank me. It was a fair exchange."

"Ah… yes… true, but still. The exchange seemed heavily in my favor."

Joe laughed and shook his head, "No! Knowledge has a value all its own."

The man smiled and said nothing to that, but acted in some surprise, "Oh! Right. You wished to see my new stats."