The next two days just fly by. I keep Maria out and about to have her look after the two kids. Everyone else may be fine with them performing duties, even unsupervised, but I disagree. They are young and should enjoy their childhood as much as the circumstances allow... which isn't much with the situation as it is. Well, we have to work on that.

Elly complains a lot that Maria gets 'preferential' treatment but whenever we offer her to look after the kids in Maria's stead she's suddenly fine with the arrangement.

In exchange, I asked Elly to find me an alternative class or god forbid a title to increase my exp gain. As it stands, scholar's requirements are too steep because of my bad CHA, and I'd like to make more out of this flood stage while it is this advantageous, for all we know the next stage could be completely magic resistant and kill any chance for me to increase my levels further.

With one of my spirits summoned full-time, I'm restricted to just one rain spell per trip to the front gate. With my currently Maria-reduced regeneration, I can go there about every eight hours and gain about 850 exp each. Thanks to the restriction on time I can spend in the sun, I couldn't really go more often if I wanted to, I simply need a bigger MP pool to make each visit more worthwhile.

The next big breakpoint would be reaching 3000 max MP, but that is still a long way off, so I prioritize raising my title level to improve the fortress situation. Should Elly find an alternative to the scholar class for an exp boost, I would take that to level 5 next even if the second skill isn't too hot. After that, I have to check how far away 3000 max MP is and make a decision based on that.

On the first of these two days, I check how much the sun hurts me through the 'sun guard ring' because it only absorbs 30 damage each second. With that and title level 2 [Day Walker] I take 9 damage per second. Gotta remember that and check again after a few title levels.

After that little bit of science, I wander towards the marketplace. I want to check out my options in regard to making some extra cash.

The overall mood is worse since it was revealed that I'm a vampire. A few people glare at me, clearly unhappy that their new lord is a vampire. I politely tell them, "If you have time to gawk, can I invite you to the gathering on Thursday as an example of what a merciful ruler I am?"

One of them runs away crying, the rest just avert their gaze, I... may need to work on my charisma in more ways than just stats...

In the marketplace, I try to find a buyer for materials I gained in the dungeon but I find no one. They have contracts with the military for all the materials they would need and can't afford any extras.

Well, what did I expect? If they depended on random people selling them the required materials for day-to-day business the whole system would've collapsed ages ago.

Though, is it even right to sell those materials? Shouldn't they just go to the vault? On one hand, I'm working with the military, so it kinda belongs to them. On the other, I was there on my own time and fought for my life with zero. Tough call...

So how else can I earn some extra money? I need gold to buy a 'Class Core' and my wage is next to nothing... I can't count on pure drop luck to get four or five alone for myself, depending on what the joker fragments result in, not to mention dozens of cores for my future party members. I just hoping that other groups will hand them over would be unwise...

That is yet another problem for later... anyway, I should go back before my sun protection expires.

When I get home, no one else is there, Justo tells me Maria and the kids are playing somewhere out in town. Fine by me, they should be safe with Maria. Elly is busy with her research as well. So I can prepare my speech in peace.

A few hours later, Maria and the kids return.

"What were you three up to?"

"I just showed them around town, my lord. They didn't learn much about the fortress under their previous owner, so I thought I should correct that."

"Well, I have no objections to that. But truth be told, I still don't know what I should do with them. Well, now's as good a time as any to do that. Let's start with Carl, are you fine with learning housekeeping stuff? I plan to hire some more experienced staff to take care of the day-to-day stuff and I think you could then just learn from them. Any objection to that?"

"N-no, I, I'm ok with that", he stutters, clearly still afraid of me.

"Good, Maria, take him and start preparing dinner. Teach him what you can while you're at it. I'll... have a longer talk with Anna."

"As you wish, my liege."

Anna trembles, "D-did I do something?"

"Don't worry, it wasn't you, but someone else. It is not your fault. Remember how we talked about your 'Hero Candidate' title?"

"Uh-huh."

"Let me first tell you, this is NOT an order but a choice. I don't want an answer today. I want that you think long and hard about it, this will affect your life for a long time to come."

"O-okay, I'm listening."

"So this world kind of needs a hero but there are multiple candidates, you don't have to be the one. But if you want you might become a real hero. Now, your choice is this. One, we just ignore that you are a candidate, you can aid Carl with housework and you can live a decent life here."

"Okay, and the other option?"

"Two, you decide you want to become a hero, or at least try your best to become one. Whether you succeed or fail then is up to you. We would train you and soon you would have to face scary monsters with us. You will get hurt, the trials will be tough but you may also make a big difference in the world."

"Would I be... special?"

"In a sense, yes. A 'hero' is not something everyone has the potential to become. You do."

"Okay, I want-"

"No, don't answer yet. Think it through thoroughly. Talk with Carl or Maria or anyone else you trust. This is a choice that cannot be taken back once made, do not take it lightly."

"B-but I wanna help people!"

"There are many ways to 'help'. Please think well if this is the right path for you. If you don't you might just come to regret it later. Any questions?"

"No?"

"Good, then go and help Maria with your food."

"Yes, I will."

Does she really understand what I'm asking of her? I can't even say I would have sufficient information to make that choice for myself, let alone if I lacked the little understanding of monsters I have.

Maybe I should've never brought it up and just have her work as a maid or something...

No, she should be allowed to make that choice herself. Maybe if she qualifies to be a true hero the damned slave seal gets repelled...

I get back to writing my speech and occasionally stretch my legs by nuking the flood monsters.

During the second day's second trip to the gate, I meet Therese by chance who tells me that all preparations on her side are taken care of.

After reaching title level 4, and again at 5, I repeat the painful sunlight experiment. With the former, I still take 3 damage through the ring, with the latter 0. Seems like the flat damage reduction and the additional resistance provided by [Daywalker] reduce the sunlight pain by about 2-3 points for each level. Honestly, better than expected but not enough to live up to the name of daywalker. At least it makes title levels less empty for me personally.

Near midnight, Elly has finally found something.

Lore Seeker Growth Rates

28 HP, 39 MP, 34 SP, 4 STR, 4 DEX, 4 VIT, 7 MAG, 7 FTH, 6 WIL, 7 CHA Keen Perception

Passive

15% bonus to combat exp gain. Magical Secret

Rank 0 spells are free to cast if you have the relevant affinity.

(5% less exp compared to scholar is ok. With 'title holder' and this class I'm already up to 75%. At least the second skill should have some use compared to scholar's zero extra languages because this world doesn't have enough languages.)

(Also, this one has more MP instead of SP. I thought that would help you more.)

(Ah, that's what took so long. Any other parameters you considered?)

(Several in fact. There were other options like 'Battle Researcher' that would have scholar's 20% skill but for which you lack the more physical oriented stats. The only other exp boosting skill I found would be [Curiosity] which is mostly found on cat-like races and our options for genetic engineering are non-existent. Not that it is a good skill in the first place...)

Curiosity

Passive

5% bonus to combat exp gain.

Given and taken weakness damage increases by 25%.

(Curiosity, for when you want to melt in the sun twice as fast. And titles?)

(Nada. 'Title holder' seems to be the only one that affects exp.)

(Hmm... Do we know anything about what rank 0 spells are, Elly?)

(Not really. At least not beyond that Chloe rank 0 water magic to clean you way back then. And before you ask, I doubt there are damage variants, at least of relevant strength, otherwise, proper mages wouldn't be that sought after.)

(Great, so we just have to experiment once I reach lore seeker level 5 and get the skill. It would have been too easy to just have access to a magic academy and be able to ask a professor...)

(Well, in this field of research you get to be the first researcher, at least for this fortress. Didn't you originally want to go into research before dropping out of university? Now is your chance for a do-over!)

(Sorry, I have no memory of that. Either way, we don't really have time for that, I think.)

(We don't? I thought you wanted something to do while you wait for MP regeneration in the dungeon.)

(True. I'd still rather have some external input as a starting point. Was there something in jerk's, err, I mean, Jeff's notes?)

(I've seen nothing yet, but I can check while I'm in here and have nothing else to do.)

(Then please start with that after we're done with the public announcement tomorrow.)

(Sure thing, J.)

(Well, I see no reason against it, so the 'Lore Seeker' class it is then.)

I use my last 'Class Core' to add the class. Well, I have the exp to pump it to level 2 right away, so I do that. Way too much exp went to the title level in the past few days, I need a little something for myself once in a while.

Name Jared Delacroix Status disguised Age 18 (frozen) Classes Wizard 15, Survivor 9, Blood Mage 9, Summoner 5, Lore Seeker 2 Race Silver Elf 10 Extra Vampire 10, Noble 2, Lord 3, Progenitor 2 Title G̷̜̉ő̵̺d̴̗̉’̶͈̅š̴̬ ̷̛͚L̵͓͒o̴̘͒s̸̗̀t̶̗̽ ̴͉͆Č̶͍ĥ̸ͅĭ̴̭l̴̲͗d̶̲̔, World Navigator, Noble, Vampire Progenitor, Daywalker, Demon Lord, Regenerator, Title Holder, Demon, Fortress Lord

Title Level 5 EXP 71 HP 1984/2028 [2536] MP 631/1600 [3251] SP 59/1613 [2017] STR 303+75 (staff) or +144 (claws) DEX 337+5 VIT 321+60 MAG 569+45 FTH 471 WIL 456+20 CHA 392 Equipment Topaz Staff, Book, Leather Cap, Robe, Sun Cloak, Defense Ring, Sun Guard Ring Skills - Weapon Spear Training 9, Unnatural Claws 2 Skills - Magic Blood Burst 9, Cure Magic 10 (Rank 1), Dark Magic 15 (Rank 1), Earth Magic 15 (Rank 1), Ice Magic 15 (Rank 1), Lightning Magic 15 (Rank 1), S̵̖̀ḁ̴̉ń̷̼g̴̽͜u̵͉̎i̸͈͆n̶̦͒e̷͚̍ ̵̔ͅW̸͙̍á̵̫v̸̺́e̴͔͒ 9, Summon Spirit 5 (Rank 1), Water Magic 15 (Rank 1) Skills - Status Charm Eye 2, Disguise 10, Intimidation 4, Stealth 10 Skills - Special Embrace 2, Familiar 3, Greater Vampiric Bite 3 Skills - Passive Affinity Magic 15 (Rank 1), Ageless 3, Beast Killer 2, Enhanced Regeneration 3, Extra Affinity 15, Keen Perception 2, Mana Boost 5, Mana Regeneration 15, Sleepless 10, Supernatural Toughness 2, Trap Lore 9, Undead 10, Vampire Hierarchy 10 Weakness Fire, Light, Holy