Rhodium, the City of Artists, was filled to the brim with beggars. Masses of people asking for alms were found all the way from the gates to the plaza.
"Please, spare just one coin! Ah, have you chosen what paint color to use yet?"
"Well, I wanted to create a new shade of my own, but as you know, the price of paint isn't cheap."
"Right, it's hard to use as many colours of paint as you are right now."
"I may have to stick to using the basic primary colors."
Impoverished art critics! This is a common sight anywhere in Rhodium. But, right now, these panhandlers were extremely jealous. The reason being a user named Weed, a beggar who had recently appeared from a Teleport Gate. At first, they had crowded him so that they could beg him for money. Now, however, they were amazed by his skill in supplication.
"Haaaa..."
Weed gazed at the sky with an expression of utter devastation … He was still wearing Yeti fur clothes in this hot weather! Crowds of people passed by this part of the plaza.
"........"
Weed just stared at the sky with a gloomy expression. Despair, lamentation, pain, frustration, regret! Showing all these emotions on his face, just sitting there. Clink!
"Cheer up."
"Perhaps a better day will come."
"I don't know what happened to you... but life isn't as hopeless as you think."
"Please, buy some clothes with this... that fur looks so uncomfortable."
Weed didn't say a word. Passing adventurers simply used their own imagination.
"He must have suffered a terrible fate."
"How can he stare at the sky so mournfully?"
"My heart bleeds, just by seeing him..."
And so, they tossed their coins.
His skill was enough to attract donations through sympathy alone! However, if they knew what was actually on Weed's mind, they would have cried out in frustration instead.
"How could I be accepted into a college?! Now I’ll have to pay expensive tuition fees for classes! And, in addition, I’ll have to buy all those pricey textbooks. It can’t be true ... What must not have happened ..."
He was devastated about something that everyone else would be envious of: Getting into college. Even the other artists couldn't truly stay jealous of him, since he looked so miserable.
"Hey, a young one like you shouldn't be so dejected."
Weed only sighed.
Pavo clicked his tongue, saying, "Cheer up, it's a big world out there ... Were you dumped by a girl?"
Weed just shook his head. He couldn't bear to say that he had passed an entrance exam. To him, it was such a tragedy, just the simple mention of it would make him burst into tears.
Gaston and Pavo couldn’t have imagined that it was merely this that made him seem to be in such terrible despair.
"You shouldn't be so discouraged. No matter how dire the situation seems..." Pavo said, as he took a step towards him.
Pavo was now close enough to reach for the stack of coins in front of Weed.
Sweep!
Weed collected the coins in the blink of an eye as he maintained a pained expression. The movement was so fast that it would have been missed by anyone, even if they had watched him closely. No matter how sad he was, he wouldn’t forget his attachment to money.
"Lacking cash as I am, I had better grab all the change I can."
There was one gold coin, several silver ones, and many copper pennies. However, those totaled a whopping one gold and forty silvers... pretty nice for just being small change.
It wasn't that much to Weed, but it was a motherload to the artists in Rhodium. Pavo came closer and patted Weed's shoulder.
"Haha, were you that needy? But, say, are you planning to sit here without eating anything?"
Of course, Weed didn't want to do that. It was just that he was stuck in the midst of beggars. Then again, he was rather hungry.
"I know a good diner just around the corner. Wanna join me?"
"How much is a meal?" Weed asked, sharply.
"You can get a decent meal for around twenty coppers."
Twenty coppers would buy almost seven loaves of wheat bread, but a proper meal raised satiation more.
"I guess it would be okay."
As if he’d finished what he came here for, Weed rose to his feet.
"Then, let's go and have a look at that diner."
When he had first arrived through the Teleport Gate, loads of beggars had crowded him. Luckily he managed to ward them off at the time. Now those panhandlers didn’t bat an eye as Weed left the plaza. Actually, they were pretty happy to be rid of the competition, if only for a while.
"I didn't lose any money to those guys... I even earned a little more than a whole gold coin."
He had managed to protect his money, even though he could have just tossed a few coins in the first place to do so. But he was proud and satisfied! No artist should ever bother to beg from Weed!
"There is a good, cheap diner this way. Just follow me, and I'll show you where to get some nice food."
Gaston and Pavo dragged Weed through the convoluted alleys. They had gone quite far from the plaza.
"This place might actually be good..."
Normally, stores in deep alleys sell cheaper and tastier meals than ones near main roads. Only people in the know can find these places, hidden like treasure. In layman's terms: Exclusive native diners!
Weed sat down with Gaston and Pavo to have a meal. Cheap as it was, the menu only included a simple soup, some salad, and a loaf of bread. It was made with good quality grain though, so it was soft and savory.
"Delicious!"
Weed ate his food with satisfaction. He could bake his own bread, of course, but it would require a lot of materials and time. His money was well spent on bread this good. Pavo smiled brightly.
"Isn't it? Few places would sell this as cheaply."
It was a valid point; even Weed agreed. That would explain why the diner was so crowded, even though it was hidden this deep inside the alleys. The bowl was virtually clean once Weed was finished.
"Thanks for showing me this, it was a very nice meal."
"What are your plans?" Pavo asked, interested.
"I’m going to have a look around in the city."
"You don't exactly look like a tourist to me..."
Many tourists come to Rhodium, since it had become a trend to tour the castles and cities of the continent. Though, tourists usually didn’t start begging as soon as they arrived.
"I wished to inquire about skills relating to my job."
"Then your profession is...?"
"A sculptor."
"Ah, you chose a tough one."
Gaston and Pavo looked at Weed with sympathy. They also understood why he begged so fervently now. If he came here not as a traveller, but as a sculptor, he surely had a hard time wherever he went.
Gaston said, "Among art-based classes, the more basic types, like sculptors, tend to be the most difficult. You need a skillful hand, and can't even make art as you wish. Even in the city of Rhodium, few have chosen an artistic class; production classes are much more common. Though... I have heard rumours that there’s actually a world-renowned sculptor somewhere in Royal Road."
"World-renowned sculptor?"
"Someone who has, with passion and persistence, overcome a class that everyone else dismissed."
"Wow. It’s amazing that there’s such a person. Do you think I would be able to meet him here in Rhodium?"
"They say he's in Rosenheim Kingdom. He even made a pyramid and the Sphinx; something no ordinary sculptor would even have imagined! They even say that some of his other works are hidden around the continent. Some pieces thought to be his work are also found in the sky city, Lavias. The rumours say that his sculpting skill is at least Intermediate Level 7, and that you can get enormous buffs from looking at any of his works."
".........."
Weed was very surprised that stories about him were this widespread. He knew that he was well-known as the adventurer Weed, but he hadn’t thought that he was this famous as the sculptor Weed.
"Makes sense though, since it would be artists that like this side of me."
Weed stood from his seat.
"Are you going now?"
"Yes."
"Then, we'll see you around. Perhaps once you level up some more, you can buy some paintings... or I might help you with a house..."
Gaston and Pavo waved good-bye.
***
Rhodium, the City of Artists.
There was poverty everywhere, but the city itself was beautiful and romantic.
It was filled with wondrous architecture that complemented the surroundings, with streets that were littered with detailed art, and even the little things spread here and there were stupendous.
The whole place was filled with fancy lights and colors.
Each road had young aspiring artists, either painting or sculpting. Others were playing instruments, often performing on the spot.
Crowds of travellers visited, and even more artists strove for their dreams in this city.
Indeed, it was built majestically. However, due to lack of funds the city wasn’t properly maintained and therefore easily deteriorated. Understandably, Rhodium was also known as the city without a lord -- since no one was interested in taking it over!
While the continent had plenty of lords engaging in brutal struggles over castles and territories, Rhodium seemed almost too peaceful.
The lifeblood of any city is, of course, money. Funding is needed to populate, irrigate, research, and trade.
However, weapons and armor didn’t sell very well in Rhodium.
The place was nearly deserted of adventurers, because the nearby hunting grounds were just mediocre.
No person in their right mind would want to own such an unprofitable city.
"Well, art won’t bring in any profits..."
Weed's convictions were strengthened in this moment.
Blacksmiths, weavers, and enchanters usually complained about how tough their classes were, but to Weed they sounded a hundred times easier than any artisan class.
Weed continued his slow tour of Rhodium.
"O, you are my sunlight, my blessing, my lover!
To be with you forever!"
He could hear some young bards singing at a nearby theatre.
There were many bards in Rhodium.
They could improve both the strength and morale of their parties while hunting, and could also earn extra cash by giving performances.
In short, just the fact
Rhodium, the City of Artists, was filled to the brim with beggars. Masses of people asking for alms were found all the way from the gates to the plaza.
"Please, spare just one coin! Ah, have you chosen what paint color to use yet?"
"Well, I wanted to create a new shade of my own, but as you know, the price of paint isn't cheap."
"Right, it's hard to use as many colours of paint as you are right now."
"I may have to stick to using the basic primary colors."
Impoverished art critics! This is a common sight anywhere in Rhodium. But, right now, these panhandlers were extremely jealous. The reason being a user named Weed, a beggar who had recently appeared from a Teleport Gate. At first, they had crowded him so that they could beg him for money. Now, however, they were amazed by his skill in supplication.
"Haaaa..."
Weed gazed at the sky with an expression of utter devastation … He was still wearing Yeti fur clothes in this hot weather! Crowds of people passed by this part of the plaza.
"........"
Weed just stared at the sky with a gloomy expression. Despair, lamentation, pain, frustration, regret! Showing all these emotions on his face, just sitting there. Clink!
"Cheer up."
"Perhaps a better day will come."
"I don't know what happened to you... but life isn't as hopeless as you think."
"Please, buy some clothes with this... that fur looks so uncomfortable."
Weed didn't say a word. Passing adventurers simply used their own imagination.
"He must have suffered a terrible fate."
"How can he stare at the sky so mournfully?"
"My heart bleeds, just by seeing him..."
And so, they tossed their coins.
His skill was enough to attract donations through sympathy alone! However, if they knew what was actually on Weed's mind, they would have cried out in frustration instead.
"How could I be accepted into a college?! Now I’ll have to pay expensive tuition fees for classes! And, in addition, I’ll have to buy all those pricey textbooks. It can’t be true ... What must not have happened ..."
He was devastated about something that everyone else would be envious of: Getting into college. Even the other artists couldn't truly stay jealous of him, since he looked so miserable.
"Hey, a young one like you shouldn't be so dejected."
Weed only sighed.
Pavo clicked his tongue, saying, "Cheer up, it's a big world out there ... Were you dumped by a girl?"
Weed just shook his head. He couldn't bear to say that he had passed an entrance exam. To him, it was such a tragedy, just the simple mention of it would make him burst into tears.
Gaston and Pavo couldn’t have imagined that it was merely this that made him seem to be in such terrible despair.
"You shouldn't be so discouraged. No matter how dire the situation seems..." Pavo said, as he took a step towards him.
Pavo was now close enough to reach for the stack of coins in front of Weed.
Sweep!
Weed collected the coins in the blink of an eye as he maintained a pained expression. The movement was so fast that it would have been missed by anyone, even if they had watched him closely. No matter how sad he was, he wouldn’t forget his attachment to money.
"Lacking cash as I am, I had better grab all the change I can."
There was one gold coin, several silver ones, and many copper pennies. However, those totaled a whopping one gold and forty silvers... pretty nice for just being small change.
It wasn't that much to Weed, but it was a motherload to the artists in Rhodium. Pavo came closer and patted Weed's shoulder.
"Haha, were you that needy? But, say, are you planning to sit here without eating anything?"
Of course, Weed didn't want to do that. It was just that he was stuck in the midst of beggars. Then again, he was rather hungry.
"I know a good diner just around the corner. Wanna join me?"
"How much is a meal?" Weed asked, sharply.
"You can get a decent meal for around twenty coppers."
Twenty coppers would buy almost seven loaves of wheat bread, but a proper meal raised satiation more.
"I guess it would be okay."
As if he’d finished what he came here for, Weed rose to his feet.
"Then, let's go and have a look at that diner."
When he had first arrived through the Teleport Gate, loads of beggars had crowded him. Luckily he managed to ward them off at the time. Now those panhandlers didn’t bat an eye as Weed left the plaza. Actually, they were pretty happy to be rid of the competition, if only for a while.
"I didn't lose any money to those guys... I even earned a little more than a whole gold coin."
He had managed to protect his money, even though he could have just tossed a few coins in the first place to do so. But he was proud and satisfied! No artist should ever bother to beg from Weed!
"There is a good, cheap diner this way. Just follow me, and I'll show you where to get some nice food."
Gaston and Pavo dragged Weed through the convoluted alleys. They had gone quite far from the plaza.
"This place might actually be good..."
Normally, stores in deep alleys sell cheaper and tastier meals than ones near main roads. Only people in the know can find these places, hidden like treasure. In layman's terms: Exclusive native diners!
Weed sat down with Gaston and Pavo to have a meal. Cheap as it was, the menu only included a simple soup, some salad, and a loaf of bread. It was made with good quality grain though, so it was soft and savory.
"Delicious!"
Weed ate his food with satisfaction. He could bake his own bread, of course, but it would require a lot of materials and time. His money was well spent on bread this good. Pavo smiled brightly.
"Isn't it? Few places would sell this as cheaply."
It was a valid point; even Weed agreed. That would explain why the diner was so crowded, even though it was hidden this deep inside the alleys. The bowl was virtually clean once Weed was finished.
"Thanks for showing me this, it was a very nice meal."
"What are your plans?" Pavo asked, interested.
"I’m going to have a look around in the city."
"You don't exactly look like a tourist to me..."
Many tourists come to Rhodium, since it had become a trend to tour the castles and cities of the continent. Though, tourists usually didn’t start begging as soon as they arrived.
"I wished to inquire about skills relating to my job."
"Then your profession is...?"
"A sculptor."
"Ah, you chose a tough one."
Gaston and Pavo looked at Weed with sympathy. They also understood why he begged so fervently now. If he came here not as a traveller, but as a sculptor, he surely had a hard time wherever he went.
Gaston said, "Among art-based classes, the more basic types, like sculptors, tend to be the most difficult. You need a skillful hand, and can't even make art as you wish. Even in the city of Rhodium, few have chosen an artistic class; production classes are much more common. Though... I have heard rumours that there’s actually a world-renowned sculptor somewhere in Royal Road."
"World-renowned sculptor?"
"Someone who has, with passion and persistence, overcome a class that everyone else dismissed."
"Wow. It’s amazing that there’s such a person. Do you think I would be able to meet him here in Rhodium?"
"They say he's in Rosenheim Kingdom. He even made a pyramid and the Sphinx; something no ordinary sculptor would even have imagined! They even say that some of his other works are hidden around the continent. Some pieces thought to be his work are also found in the sky city, Lavias. The rumours say that his sculpting skill is at least Intermediate Level 7, and that you can get enormous buffs from looking at any of his works."
".........."
Weed was very surprised that stories about him were this widespread. He knew that he was well-known as the adventurer Weed, but he hadn’t thought that he was this famous as the sculptor Weed.
"Makes sense though, since it would be artists that like this side of me."
Weed stood from his seat.
"Are you going now?"
"Yes."
"Then, we'll see you around. Perhaps once you level up some more, you can buy some paintings... or I might help you with a house..."
Gaston and Pavo waved good-bye.
***
Rhodium, the City of Artists.
There was poverty everywhere, but the city itself was beautiful and romantic.
It was filled with wondrous architecture that complemented the surroundings, with streets that were littered with detailed art, and even the little things spread here and there were stupendous.
The whole place was filled with fancy lights and colors.
Each road had young aspiring artists, either painting or sculpting. Others were playing instruments, often performing on the spot.
Crowds of travellers visited, and even more artists strove for their dreams in this city.
Indeed, it was built majestically. However, due to lack of funds the city wasn’t properly maintained and therefore easily deteriorated. Understandably, Rhodium was also known as the city without a lord -- since no one was interested in taking it over!
While the continent had plenty of lords engaging in brutal struggles over castles and territories, Rhodium seemed almost too peaceful.
The lifeblood of any city is, of course, money. Funding is needed to populate, irrigate, research, and trade.
However, weapons and armor didn’t sell very well in Rhodium.
The place was nearly deserted of adventurers, because the nearby hunting grounds were just mediocre.
No person in their right mind would want to own such an unprofitable city.
"Well, art won’t bring in any profits..."
Weed's convictions were strengthened in this moment.
Blacksmiths, weavers, and enchanters usually complained about how tough their classes were, but to Weed they sounded a hundred times easier than any artisan class.
Weed continued his slow tour of Rhodium.
"O, you are my sunlight, my blessing, my lover!
To be with you forever!"
He could hear some young bards singing at a nearby theatre.
There were many bards in Rhodium.
They could improve both the strength and morale of their parties while hunting, and could also earn extra cash by giving performances.
In short, just the fact
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