dkrc Chapter 1 You've graduated
Chapter 1 You've graduated
Under the glittering Milky Way night sky, in the bustling city of Karenbel, in the courtyard of an exquisite Baroque-style mansion.
"Mr. Edmund, do you mean we've been unilaterally kicked out of the adventurer's group?"
The black-haired girl bit her lip and stared at the young man drinking beer on the other side of the square table, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
"Miss Alicia Enfield, you may have misunderstood what I just said. I did not kick you, or Miss Eyarn Holly beside you, out of the adventure party."
Upon hearing the young man's words, the girl relaxed her hands, which had been tightly gripping the hem of her skirt under the table, with a sense of relief.
A sliver of color returned to her pale cheeks.
"Sir... why do you always like to make jokes like this..." Alicia forced a smile, her voice trembling slightly.
Edmund slowly raised his eyes, his deep brown eyes resembling the desolate wilderness of the North, a landscape of sand and shrubs.
"From the very beginning, we were not an adventurer's group, and I was not the leader of either of your groups. So, what makes you claim that I unilaterally kicked you both out of the group?"
"Huh? Mr. Edmund... but..."
Edmund anticipated Alicia's questioning, and he turned to the side and took out two magic contracts wrapped in thick parchment from the leather bag lying flat on the chair.
"It is true that the contracts I signed with the two of you are certified by the Adventurers' Guild, but the contract clearly states that the 'contract' will immediately terminate when one party passes the Adventurers' Guild's qualification exam under the guidance and instruction of the other party."
"Such a contract can only be considered a 'cooperative contract' between private individuals, not a direct public-private employment contract between an adventurer's group and an adventurer." The young man slowly crossed his arms and leaned back lazily in his chair. "In other words..."
"Miss Alicia Enfield and Miss Eyarn Holly, you have graduated."
"I am no longer your 'leader,' and you are no longer my 'members.'"
The evening breeze, carrying snowflakes and dust blown up from the street, swept along the cobblestone path like a flowing river. The shimmering Milky Way in the sky and the lights inside the houses cast shadows on the young man's face, just like his gentle voice and cold words.
"Both of you have become qualified adventurers who can stand alone in the dungeon. I wish you a bright future."
The moment the young man stood up, the girl's warm, petite hand tugged at his sleeve.
Alicia bit her lip, her eyes glistening with starlight-like tears.
"We promised to always be in an adventure team, we promised to keep going together."
Edmund simply looked at Alicia and said indifferently, "But I have nothing more to teach you."
"Edmund, actually I..."
Before the girl could finish expressing her feelings, which sounded both resentful and sorrowful, he gently shook off Alicia's hand, pointed to the sky, and opened his eyes wide in surprise.
"Wow, what's that?"
Alicia and Eyar looked up together, but saw nothing but the twinkling Milky Way and stars. When they realized they had been tricked and looked down again, Edmund had disappeared, leaving only the open gate creaking in the wind.
The cold winter nights and the feeling of the wind carrying snowflakes hitting his face always reminded Edmund of his past on Earth.
As I walked, the empty little pouch in my pocket gradually became full, and I could hear the faint sound of coins rubbing together when I rubbed them between my fingers.
[Alicia and Eyarn have completed the "Beginner Adventurer Basics" course and have earned 15 course points. There are currently no content to unlock with these points, so they have been converted into corresponding funds.]
Edmund yawned as he listened to the cold voice echoing in his mind, wondering how long this money would last him.
You teach students, and they will receive course points upon graduation.
In a game, the system usually provides players with a shop where they can use tutorial points to directly exchange for powerful and domineering martial arts techniques or earth-shattering magical treasures. This allows players to strengthen their own power while expanding their team and training their companions, enabling them to rampage through levels with overwhelming force and ultimately crush the final boss under their feet.
but.
Edmund's system lacks even basic panels, techniques, and the ability to assess the growth potential of students.
The only effective measures are monitoring teaching progress and providing point rebates.
As for how to find students, what to use to teach them, and how long to teach them.
Edmund relied entirely on his self-study and research.
Through long-term exploration, he found two methods.
One approach is to select students with excellent abilities and a solid foundation, and use simple knowledge to quickly teach them to become proficient under your guidance. This approach relies on a shorter return cycle to offset the negative impact of low returns, which is known as the "cramming method."
Another approach is to select a student with terrible talent and a completely unorthodox approach, taking the high risk of losing all the effort and resources spent on training them, and then taking a risky path to achieve extremely high returns after successful training – the "underdog's comeback" style.
In the game, Edmund only needs to press the "Recruit" button to easily recruit NPC characters from taverns, streets, or anywhere else.
Even if the player is an idiot who doesn't understand anything, they still know to choose one of the three dialogue boxes that pop up above the character's head when the plot diverges.
When developing a character, you can use the NPC character's stats and talent attributes, along with a benefit calculation tool, to find the development plan that maximizes benefits with just a few taps.
But in another world, in a city called Karenbel.
Strangers are just as dangerous as the monsters in the dungeon. There are no dialogue boxes above people's heads, and you can't see someone's full stats in just a few words. Here, getting injured doesn't reduce HP, but rather causes disability and illness.
As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and in Kalenbel, the only thing that can inspire "trust" or "fear" at first glance is an outfit that is powerful enough to make one appear intimidated—such as the exquisite and elegant top hats and tailcoats and the pampered demeanor of the wealthy, or the dungeon souvenirs hanging from the waist of a seasoned adventurer or the full set of enchanted armor covering their entire body.
Edmund was naturally the latter.
As a newcomer to the world, Edmund did not follow the example of his contemporaries in other novels, venturing into the dungeon, daring to venture deep, escape from a desperate situation, and then make a swift escape with the super rare Fatty, earning his first pot of gold and rising to prominence from there.
He created a false impression, using "adventure experiences" to attract noble scions who yearned for grand epics but lacked the courage to take that step, and used huge sums of money to package his identity so that they would believe that "noble playboys can also become adventurers and hold their heads high one day."
In this way, noble children would become Edmund's students with admiration and curiosity, learning about the wonderful world full of novelty and adventure through his teachings.
But what will be the price?
To attract students, he packaged his debts; the expensive cost of purchasing study materials; the huge expenses of cultivating relationships at high-society gatherings…
Edmund crushed the snow beneath his feet and looked up, exhaling hot breath.
I have nothing left to teach them.
Time is tight and tasks are heavy.
Before this fragile balance collapses.
We should find a new student as soon as possible.