Dawn's light slivered through the high windows of the Silver Loomers' Guild hall, dust motes dancing in golden beams. The air smelled of fresh silk and damp wool—
System: Environment Scan — humidity 68%,
scent profile: fresh linen + hay residue_.
I shifted the heavy crate in my arms, trying not to think about my aching forearms. Guildmaster Mirena had given me three copper bits and a fold of fine silk for my first "evaluation task." Now I had to sort thirty crates of patterned weaves before noon.
"Over here," called a young apprentice, Race: Human, freckles dancing across her nose. She pointed to a mountain of crates labeled by color: crimson, sapphire, jade. The guild's symbol—a golden shuttle passing through a needle's eye—gleamed on each stencil.
I set the first crate down. It felt suspiciously light.
Appraisal:
• Subject — Silk Crate (Construct: human-made)
• Contents — assorted bolts of silk (Patterned)
• Weight — deceptively empty (Warning: possible trick)
I pried the lid. Inside: three empty spools, each wrapped in fresh thread. Someone had unloaded the bolts elsewhere. A prank?
"Hey!" I called. "These crates are light."
The apprentice shrugged. "They dumped them in the back room. Don't ask."
Time to improvise.
"System," I whispered. "Help me sort faster."
System: Thread Affinity ready — but use it wisely (0/15 activations this stage)._
I pressed my palms against a dangling spool. It trembled like a trapped spider. Then, as if obeying my thoughts, the thread unspooled itself—gliding across the floor, coiling neatly around the bolts in the correct color order.
Eyes widened.
"Show me that again," said a burly guild handmaiden, Race: Human, arms thick as well-used belts.
I frowned. Could I repeat it? I tried on the next crate: spool to bolt A; spool to bolt B. The thread leapt with eager precision.
Thread Affinity use +2/15
The handmaiden's jaw hooked open. "You're some kind of weaver ghost."
I grinned, stacking the sorted bolts. "Special talent."
Crates cleared, I earned a nod from Mirena herself. She'd been overseeing a team repairing a torn pavilion canopy. Her sun-bronzed skin gleamed with sweat; strands of dark hair clung to her neck.
System: Tease Gauge +1 — first sensory imprint detected ("Guild hall warmth")._
She approached, wiping soot from her cheek. "Never seen thread move on its own. You said you were an apprentice?"
"Just started." I shrugged. "Thought I'd learn."
She studied me, eyes narrowing with approval. "Good. Next, help Marla with the dye vats. They need calibration for the summer festival."
The dye room smelled of fermenting berries and vinegar. Wooden vats bulged with fuchsia and amber liquid, each marked with rune-etched staves to track color precision. A half-dozen apprentices stirred and tested with cloth swatches.
Marla, Race: Human, auburn hair tied in a messy bun, held up a violet swatch. "This is off by two shades. We need exact match to the Summer Sun palette."
My turn. I plucked a shard of chalk from my pocket—souvenir from the barn earlier. "System, minor alchemy — try this."
System: Minor Alchemy ready — threshold 20 conversions for next tier._
I crushed the chalk between my fingers. Concentrating, I transformed the chalk into a tiny sliver of amber glass—no bigger than a fingernail. It glittered like a honey drop.
Marla blinked. "What…?"
Holding the glass shard up to the light, I dropped it into the violet vat. The swirling dye caught the warmth of the shard and shifted hue—instead of purple, it bloomed into perfect sunset gold.
Minor Alchemy use +1/20
Marla's grin was triumphant. "You're a lifesaver! The city guard will love this."
"Excellent work," Mirena said as she entered. "Did you mess with the dye yourself?"
I shrugged. "I, uh, have a knack."
She chuckled—rich and low. "Your knack is our gain."
System: Quest "Impress Mirena" — 2/3 flags achieved._
My heart thumped. I still owed her one more success.
Then—
A sudden clatter rang. One of the vats cracked—a spiderweb of fissures leaking fuchsia broth across the floor. Apprentice panic ensued.
"Step back!" Marla shouted. "Contain it!"
Without thinking, I leaped into action. A pallet of empty wooden slats lay nearby. I grabbed two and wedged them against the crack—temporary, but enough to stem most of the flow.
"Hold it!" I barked. Then, focusing again, I whispered, "System, telekinesis."
Thin shards of glass formed around my hands—no, that was alchemy residue. I shook my head. Telekinesis.
The wooden slats shuddered. They slid forward, pressing evenly into the crack. The dye slowed, gurgled, then stopped.
Negligible Telekinesis use +3/10
Marla stared. "How did you—"
Mirena gave me a rare full smile. "That's your third flag."
System: Quest "Impress Mirena" — complete.
Reward: Tease Level +1; Minor Alchemy +2 use points._
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
Guildmaster Mirena crossed her arms, inspecting the patched vat. "You've earned a break. Meet me in the courtyard at midday."
As I walked out, the sun felt sharper on my shoulders. The courtyard bustled with apprentices stretching bolts of cloth between stone pillars draped in greenery. A wooden fountain burbled in the center.
System: Blueprint Log — "Silk Leak Containment v0.1" added._
I found Mirena leaning against the fountain's edge, arms bare to the elbow. Her blouse rode up slightly as she adjusted her belt—just enough to glimpse the curve of her side.
System: Tease Gauge +1 — unlocked "Heightened Peripheral Awareness" for next stage._
She handed me a clay cup of spiced cider. "Not bad for your second day."
I took a sip. Cinnamon and apple unfolded on my tongue. "Couldn't have done it without… uh, help."
She nudged me. "And you'll need more help. Tomorrow, we face the bandits on the southern trade road. They've been raiding silk shipments. I want you there."
My pulse spiked. "A raid?"
She nodded. "Don't worry—you'll have backup. But I want you on point."
A thrill ran through me. First real assignment. First real danger.
That evening, I reviewed my stats by candlelight:
Skill Console:
• Appraisal: Slightly Misleading — LV 1 (3 / 30 uses)
• Minor Alchemy — LV 1 (3 / 20 uses)
• Negligible Telekinesis — LV 1 (4 / 10 uses)
Blueprint Log:
• Silk Sorting Automation v0.1
• Dye Hue Adjustment v0.1
• Silk Leak Containment v0.1
Divine Notification:
Next Audit in 364 days.
I closed the ledger. Tomorrow, bandits. Tomorrow, danger. Tomorrow, a chance to prove I wasn't as useless as the gods thought.
And—perhaps—a chance to show Guildmaster Mirena that her apprentice was worth more than three copper bits.