Kael sat at a long, sturdy table inside the adventurer’s guild, surrounded by his new companions—Lysander, Rhaize, Sera, and Thalindra. The noise of clinking mugs, boisterous laughter, and the occasional argument filled the air, a familiar chaos that somehow felt structured within the wooden walls of Vardhelm’s most reputable guild.

  Unfortunately, none of it was enough to drown out the exasperated sigh escaping Lysander’s lips.

  Across from him, the Guild Master, Sera—now somewhat more sober than when she had tried (and failed) to drape herself over Rhaize—was lazily swirling a mug of ale, staring into its depths as though it contained the answers to life itself.

  Lysander pinched the bridge of his nose. “A merchant was murdered today, Guild Master.”

  Sera barely glanced up. “Yeah, yeah, tragic. Happens more often than you’d think.”

  “In this city?!” Lysander snapped.

  “Not this city, specifically,” Sera admitted, finally setting her mug down and straightening in her seat. “Hence why the poor bastard was probably trying to get here before he got targeted for murder.”

  Kael raised an eyebrow. “Targeted?”

  Sera waved a hand as if brushing off his confusion. “Word is, he was dealing in some… weird stuff. The kind that makes people with knives very interested in your debt repayment schedule.”

  Rhaize, who had remained silent until now, tilted her head slightly. “Could it be the black market?”

  “Bingo,” Sera said, tapping her nose. “And he’s not the first. A few adventurers have heard of similar cases in other cities—someone gets involved with the wrong crowd, can’t pay up, and then…” She drew a finger across her throat. “This one was done cleanly, too. Real professional work. No way the carriage driver had the skills for it.”

  “Then why is he still being interrogated?” Rhaize asked.

  Sera shrugged. “Gotta make sure he wasn’t just really good at faking incompetence.”

  Thalindra leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “And this concerns me because…?”

  Lysander turned to her, his expression serious. “You should know better, Thalindra. You’re a princess. The more trusted people involved, the better. This city is considered the safest in the region, and if assassins are working nearby, it’s ourproblem. Also, all [A] Rank and above adventurers registered in Vardhelm are legally required to help protect it. That includes you.”

  Kael blinked. “You’re a princess?!”

  Thalindra sighed dramatically. “What gave it away? My regal posture? My refined manners?”

  “You tried to rob me like, today. And not even that long ago!”

  “It was a strategic income redistribution attempt.”

  Sera grinned. “Oh, that’s just part of her charm. That and the fact that she was banished from the Elven Royal Capital for being, and I quote, ‘too much of a bitch.’”

  Thalindra glared. “You could have at least let me explain.”

  “Why?” Sera smirked. “I like seeing you squirm.”

  Kael glanced between them. “Being banished for being prickly seems a bit much, doesn’t it?”

  “Not forever,” Sera said cheerfully. “Just until she finds a lover and proves she can be more… agreeable.”

  Thalindra scowled. “That was not the reason—”

  “Oh, please,” Sera cut in. “The real issue is that your brother—the heir to the throne—never expected you to rise to A-rank instead of crawling back for forgiveness. Now he’s practically begging for your return. Like I’d ever let one of my most valuable assets—uh, I mean, allies—walk away from the guild.”

  Thalindra’s fingers twitched. “I hate you.”

  “You say that, but we both know you’d miss me.”

  Kael furrowed his brow, still piecing it all together. “Wait…even as an A-rank, you still couldn’t rob me? How does that even make sense?”

  Thalindra scoffed. “Only because you had the nerve to use tentacle magic of all things to stop me. Honestly, I debated just beheading you on the spot, but killing you over a measly 1,000 gold didn’t seem worth it. Though, looking back, it’s pretty obvious you didn’t even have that much.”

  At the mention of tentacle magic, Sera’s eyes lit up with pure curiosity. She leaned in, elbows on the table, a mischievous grin creeping onto her face. “Wait, wait—Kael, what’s your class?”

  Before he could respond, Rhaize spoke up, her tone as steady as ever. “He is a Sage.”

  Silence fell over the table.

  Then—BANG!

  Sera slammed her hands against the wood so hard that the mugs rattled, a few nearly toppling over.

  “ARE YOU SERIOUSLY A SAGE?!”

  The entire guild hall froze. Conversations cut off mid-sentence. Every head swiveled toward them.

  Sera cleared her throat, forcing a casual cough into her fist. “Ahem. My bad, guys! Carry on!”

  The tension in the room slowly eased, though Kael could still feel the weight of dozens of lingering stares.

  Sera, now rubbing her chin in thought, murmured, “A real Sage, huh? That class is beyond rare. Scarcer than Necromancers or Arcanists. Maybe even on par with a Chronomancer…or a Plagueborn?”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Lysander exhaled sharply. “Can we stay on track?”

  Sera snapped her fingers, suddenly grinning. “Oh! I have an idea—Kael, join my guild.”

  Kael blinked. “What.”

  “You heard me. Join. My. Guild.”

  Before he could even begin to wrap his head around what just happened, Zaroth finally decided to be useful—by dumping an entire encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge directly into Kael’s brain, all within the span of a single heartbeat.

  ? Kael is a Sage and, as such, is supposed to gain a unique ability that provides him with knowledge, among other things. However, Goddess Ezirah modified his class, attaching Zaroth to replace the original ‘Sage’ system so that the Demon Lord could be used, despite his real body being in the hands of the Church. The abilities of the ‘Sage’ class remain intact, but all information now comes through Zaroth instead of the default system—like adding a mod to a base game.

  ? The Sage class is one of the rarest in existence and is often associated with destiny, prophecy, or world-shaping influence. Kael is not the only Sage in Vaelstrum, however. There are currently 7 other Sages scattered across the world, each with a distinct magical focus and Race.

  ? Zaroth was also a Sage—but a Dark Sage. Unlike Kael’s class, his version was based on demonic magic. When Ezirah captured his consciousness, she merged it with Kael’s Sage skill, creating a new, more powerful version called Ultimate Sage. This ability fuses both Dark and Light Sages, granting Kael access to an unparalleled depth of history, spells, and lost knowledge. This makes him (potentially) stronger than any other Sage in the world.

  ? When someone appraises Kael, they will only see Sage. However, if their Appraisal skill is [S] Rank, they will see the Ultimate tag beneath it, indicating the hidden potential of his class.

  ? Magic skills in Vaelstrum function differently from other abilities. Some people are born with them, while others can unlock them through trial and practice. For instance, someone might gain the Fire Magic skill by repeatedly casting fire spells, whereas another person might be born with an innate affinity for fire. This means all magic skills have the potential to be hidden until activated.

  ? Because Kael is a Sage, he has unlimited potential to acquire new skills. As long as he learns a spell and practices it enough times, he will permanently gain the corresponding magic skill.

  ? He also possesses an enhanced version of the Quick Learner skill called Supreme Learner, which allows him to grow exponentially faster than normal sages. This is why Sages become more dangerous over time—it’s safest to kill them before they become a problem.

  ? Skills don’t just unlock spells—they reduce mana costs and improve efficiency. For example, a person with an [S] Ranked Magic Defense skill can block attacks at a fraction of the mana cost compared to someone who merely knowsthe spell but lacks the skill. Without the proper skill, even the strongest magic can be draining to use.

  ? The usual mana reduction for an [S] rank skill is 80%. If it reaches [S+] rank, it reduces 90% of the mana cost. The highest Rank for a skill is [SS], but it can theoretically reach [SS+].

  ? Even mundane activities—farming, cooking, blacksmithing—are skills. Even sex is a skill. Though those who have it typically work at brothels.

  ? To keep track of their knowledge, most Sages use magical grimoires—books that phase in and out of existence on demand. These are stored using the Dimensional Storage skill, which every Sage possesses by default. However, a Sage’s Dimensional Storage starts small, only capable of holding a few books at first. Over time, it expands based on various factors.

  ? To store items, Kael simply needs to say Store. To retrieve them, he can think of the item or say its name aloud while saying Retrieve. When accessing his storage, a mental inventory screen appears—like something straight out of a game. This system isn’t unique to Kael; all Sages use it.

  “Ugh… my head,” Kael groaned, pressing his fingers against his temples as if that would stop the sudden flood of information from overwhelming him.

  Back in reality, Sera was practically buzzing with excitement, leaning forward like she was trying to physically drag the answer out of him. “Alright, spill it, Kael—what kind of skills do you have?”

  Kael let out a slow breath. This woman… “Zaroth, how do I check my status?”

  “Just say ‘Status’. It’ll appear. Only you can see it.”

  “Alright…Status.”

  The air shimmered before him, and a sleek, glowing interface materialized—clean, modern, and far more advanced than anything he had imagined. His eyes flicked over the list of skills.

  Status

  Name: Kael

  Race: [Restricted]

  Class: Sage (??? )

  Rank: [D+]

  Title: None

  Affiliation: [Restricted]

  Attributes:

  ? Health (HP): [C]

  ? Mana (MP): [B]

  ? Stamina (STA): [D]

  ? Luck (LCK): [C+]

  Skills:

  ? Ancient Tongue [SS+]

  ? Supreme Learner [S+]

  ? Dimensional Storage [C]

  ? Chaos Magic [???]

  ? Tentacle Magic [D]

  ? Dagger Skill [D]

  Kael frowned. “Where the hell are my other stats? Zaroth, where’s my Strength? Intelligence? Dexterity?”

  “What do you mean?” Zaroth’s voice sounded genuinely confused.

  “You know…core stats? Strength, Wisdom, Charisma?”

  “Vaelstrum operates on a skill-based system. Those stats you’re thinking of? They don’t exist the way you’re used to. Everything is a skill. Strength, Intelligence, Charisma—they’re all skills that must be developed. Some people can max out Strength at [SS] Rank, while others may never surpass [C+].”

  Kael’s eyebrow twitched. “So, you’re telling me Strength is just another skill I have to unlock? That makes no sense!”

  “Think of it like this: if someone starts lifting weights, they begin at [D] Rank Strength. As they build muscle, they move up to [C+]. Eventually, if they can throw boulders at dragons, that’s [S] Rank Strength.”

  Kael let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing his temples. “The fact that this is making sense is somehow making me even more frustrated.”

  Back in the present, Sera was still watching him closely, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Well? What does it say?”

  Kael hesitated. “Uh…I’ve got some skills. Nothing too crazy—stuff like [Tentacle Magic] and [Dagger Skill]. But then there’s [Ancient Tongue], [Supreme Learner], and [Dimensional Storage]. Oh, and this random one called [Chaos Magic], but I’m not sure what that’s about…”

  Sera stood up from the table, her face serious. “I’ve heard enough. If you decide to join my guild, we’ll get you appraised and issue your ID Card. If the Appraisal system recognizes you as a Sage, you’ll have direct access to me and my office. You won’t have to deal with Receptionists, Managers, or Officers. You’ll come to me if you need anything.”

  Zaroth let out a relieved sigh. “Finally! This is taking too long. I want to kill something already. All this peace and friendship nonsense is making me restless. We should pick up some combat and gathering quests while we’re here. Maybe even bring Rhaize along so we can check in with Ezirah. It’ll be safer for us to talk to her while we’re out doing a quest together.”

  Rhaize, hearing this, raised her hand. “Guild Master Sera, I’ll join Kael on his first few quests. It wouldn’t be fair to have Thalindra handle getting him settled.”

  Thalindra stood up and placed her arms around Rhaize in a hug, still sitting down. “I don’t know you well, but you’re already my favorite person here! I’m heading to the hot spring now, but good luck, Kael the Sage!”

  Before Lysander could respond, Thalindra activated her [Veil of Shadows] skill and disappeared. The skill made her completely invisible for a short time, allowing her to move undetected. She even gained a temporary speed boost, leaving behind a faint afterimage that tricked enemies into thinking she was still in place. Though in this case, it was meant to trick Captain Lysander.

  Lysander stood up from the table, clearly frustrated. “I’ll take no more of your time, Guild Master. Kael, Rhaize…good luck. Let’s hope you’ll be more agreeable than Thalindra once you hit [A] Rank.”

  Lysander walked off, leaving Sera, Rhaize, and Kael to rise from the table.

  Sera extended her hand toward Kael with a grin. “Well? Ready to join us? The Celestial Order? We’re the best adventurer’s guild in the city.”

  Rhaize sighed. “It’s also the only adventurer’s guild in the city.”

  Kael chuckled as he shook her hand. “Guess that makes it my only choice.”