The First Legendary Beast Master novel Chapter 1880

Chapter 1880: The Great Sham

The two mages were seriously tempted by the offer of Golem Skill Books, Karl could tell. But they didn’t fully trust Cara not to tempt them with something super expensive that they would be paying on for ages.

"The basic Golem Skill book is a Common Grade skill, you could likely even borrow enough from your mom to buy it if it was a priority.

In my opinion, it’s one of the essentials for mages.

Other than your basic [Arcane Barrier] or equivalent personal defence skill, having some sort of constructs to back you up should be the basics for mages. Elementals are also an option, and you can tailor them to match your affinities," Karl suggested.

"Elementals? Aren’t they supposed to be super powerful?"

Karl nodded. "They are, most of the time. If you’d like to make a deal, I can customize you a skill, and I bet that Miss Veda here would subsidize some of the cost. New skills are sort of her thing, and she hates to miss out on the chance to learn new things."

"You know Elemental Magic?" Veda asked dubiously.

Karl laughed, then transformed using [Elemental’s Wrath] to turn himself into a being of Spirit Flames, then activated [Elemental Blade] and [Flaming Body].

In the end, he was a floating three-metre tall fire elemental with an Epic Grade flaming sword and a nearly impenetrable barrier. Then, he changed back and let the mages take a moment to decide whether his level of magic was worth going into debt for.

"How good of a skill are we talking?"

"How much debt do you want to take on? Because I can make a peerless grade custom skill for you, as long as it’s fire or lightning based. Well, I could do most elements, as well as nature, which you can’t use, but not as well as those two."

The druid looked hopeful for a second, then realized that she was already in what amounted to generational debt to the Darklight Host for the skill she already had.

Karl winked at her. "Don’t worry about it too much. The [Army of Nature’s Vengeance] is five thousand mana per summoned construct. At your level, it would barely be useable, much less overwhelming."

Even Veda looked impressed at that one. Five thousand mana per construct? That was overkill, so the summoned creature had to be exceptionally powerful.

Seeing her interest, Karl called one Dryad, who stared around the shop as she appeared, looking for the threat.

"The Seeker of the Blue Dragon wanted to know what you were," Karl explained.

The Dryad nodded. {Greetings Seeker. My presence here lasts but one hour, if you have questions.}

The druid frowned. "Isn’t that... no, I’m sure of it. That’s a Dryad Treelord. They’re healers so powerful that the one dungeon that has them never actually gets cleared. Even the Dark Elven Priestesses don’t have the healing output that those things do.

And the vines. I’ve heard horror stories."

The Dryad looked immensely pleased that her people were legendary among the locals.

Unlike Oathbreaker, they didn’t have the persistent memories of their summoning, but she was certain that the one who had called her was even more terrifying than she was.

"I want an elemental summoning skill, but I’m not allowed to spend money without asking my mom," one of the mages admitted.

"Oh, I thought you were all old enough to be graduated. Cara, we need to talk about who you pick for employment."

The Darklight Host also offers work placements for candidates so that their studies don’t affect their ability to support themselves.

We offer exceptional lodging options, should the candidates wish to remain in residence closer to their work and training. Miss Opal, if you would?"

Opal opened an illusionary view of the upper floor of the Guild House, and Cara continued.

"These are the resident rooms, each is a fully contained suite, and we have Mystic Cooks on staff, with meals included for all employed workers, as well as all other Guild Members. It is a productive and social setting, with nearly every member being either a dedicated resource harvesting specialist, or a skilled craftsperson.

If any of them should wish to join the Guild in the future to take up a professional crafting skill, that is also possible. Members of the Darklight Host are not charged for Crafting Skill Books, though there is a membership clause, to prevent recruits from taking the knowledge and immediately leaving.

Now, as for what comes first, the ladies have expressed an interest in Elementals. Conjuration, elemental combat skills, and defensive abilities.

We can and will offer all of them at a discounted price compared to the New Home Merchant Clan, as long as they are enrolled in our training program."

The level of sham that Cara was pulling was high enough that even Opal was impressed. If she didn’t know better, she would think that the badger was actually running a vocational college for mages and druids.

And not simply recruiting them for whatever scheme she had dreamed up after seeing a vision.

"Now, Miss Amie, as you have already accepted the first Skill Book, please show the group your new defensive skill. Ladies, this is the [Warbeast] transformation, an Artifact Grade skill book, that creates an Epic Grade transformation.

Isn’t she magnificent? And, it doesn’t interfere with her healing abilities at all."