Adventurer of Many Professions

When Raymond stepped outside the towering temple once again, he was struck by its grandeur. The building stood like a beacon, its countless white marble pillars rising up into the sky, glowing softly in the light of the afternoon sun. Each pillar seemed to whisper ancient tales of divine power, and the sheer size of the structure made him feel small and insignificant. It wasn't just a temple; it was a symbol of something much greater.

He paused for a moment, taking in the sight, before pushing open the large, ornately-carved doors. As soon as he entered, the cool, reverent air of the temple surrounded him, and the scent of incense filled his senses. In the center of the massive hall, the statue of the Sun Goddess loomed, her golden face gazing down with serene wisdom. Without thinking, Raymond lowered his head in respect, his hands clasped in front of him.

After a brief moment of quiet reflection, he straightened up and scanned the room for a nun or priest who could direct him to the library. Spotting one of the temple's attendants nearby, he approached her and asked politely, "Excuse me, could you tell me where the temple's library is located? And are there any special requirements to enter?"

The nun, a middle-aged woman with gentle eyes, nodded with a serene smile. "The library is in the eastern wing," she said, her voice soft yet clear. "It's open to anyone, as long as you respect the silence of the place. There are no formal requirements, just be mindful of others and keep your voice down."

Raymond thanked her and followed her directions. Soon, he found himself standing before a long corridor, its walls lined with rows of towering bookshelves. To call it a "library" felt almost like a misnomer, there were no cozy reading chairs, no desks for study. Instead, the bookshelves stretched high on either side, filled with volumes on countless topics, but mostly related to divine magic, the gods, and the Awakened.

There was a distinct lack of seating, which meant that those who came here to read had to stand. The books weren't available for loan either; they were meant to be read on the spot. It was a strange setup, but Raymond could understand it, the temple wasn't a place for comfort or ease, but for reverence and reflection.

As Raymond stepped into the corridor, he observed the people who were already there. They came from all walks of life: nuns in simple robes, priests with their ceremonial attire, nobles dressed in fine silks, local townspeople in humble garb, and even a few adventurers in full battle gear. There was also an elderly man hunched over, who looked like a beggar, yet he was reading intently, his fingers trembling as he flipped through pages. The diverse crowd all stood quietly, their focus on the books before them, and there was a sense of equality in the air; no matter who you were, you were treated the same within these walls.

Raymond felt a curious sense of calm as he walked deeper into the corridor. He didn't have to look very hard to find the section he was seeking. A large sign above a row of bookshelves marked the area "Awakeners," and Raymond's heart skipped a beat. He was drawn to the shelf, eager to find something that could shed more light on his new abilities, the mysterious powers granted by the strange panel he'd been given.

As he scanned the titles, one particular book caught his eye. It was titled '"A Detailed Explanation of the Awakener"', and it looked well-worn, its edges frayed and the cover faded from frequent use. Clearly, it was a popular choice. Raymond pulled it off the shelf and began to flip through the pages.

At first, the book seemed to confirm a lot of what he had already experienced. But then, as he read further, he began to uncover information that was new to him, things he'd never even considered.

The first thing that caught his attention was the explanation of how someone became an awakener. To even have the chance to awaken a profession, a person's magic affinity had to reach a minimum of 0.5 by the time they turned fifteen. Only then could divine power trigger the awakening, allowing the person to become a professional.

Raymond paused. 'Magic affinity?' That was a term he had heard before but hadn't fully understood. It seemed like the starting point for everything.

The book also clarified something that had always been a mystery: when a person awakens, the profession they gain is tied to divine influence. There were rumors, of course, but the fact remained that certain professions, like the "Priest" role, were exclusively granted to women. Some believed that only women chosen by the Sun Goddess could become Priests. However, the book made no claim as to whether this was fact or superstition, it was simply a widely accepted belief.

Raymond was particularly struck by something else: the concept of divine professions. Occasionally, the gods would issue oracles, divine messages that would bestow special titles upon individuals. For example, the Sun Goddess had granted the title of 'Paladin' to several people over the years. The thought that a god could directly influence someone's profession was mind-blowing.

"I never imagined that gods could give people professions..." Raymond murmured softly to himself. It was a revelation that made him pause. But then, as he thought about it more, he figured it made sense; after all, this was a world where divine magic was real, and the gods were more than just myth.

The more he read, the more he understood about the awakening process. The growth of an awakener's magical abilities was tied directly to their magic affinity. Magic affinity determined how quickly someone could grow their magic power. For example, Raymond's daily magic growth was 0.2, indicating that his magic affinity was also 0.2. This meant that his potential for magic growth was somewhat limited by his natural affinity.

He read on. In some areas with higher magical concentrations, people could experience faster magic growth, while in other places, the growth might slow down or even stagnate. Raymond found it fascinating that a person's magic affinity basically determined the speed at which they could grow stronger.

The book also noted something startling: more than 90% of awakened individuals only just met the minimum magic affinity of 0.5, which was the standard for awakening. However, fewer than 1% of awakened individuals had an affinity above 1. That statistic gave Raymond pause. If his magic affinity was as low as 0.2, that would make him part of a much smaller group, one where growth might be slower and harder to achieve.

Raymond stood there, lost in thought, as he processed the information he'd just read. The book on 'Awakeners' had answered a lot of his questions, but it had also raised some new ones, especially regarding the growth of magic power.

According to the book, an awakener's magical power could only grow naturally, based on their magic affinity, and that growth was slow. Raymond's natural magic affinity was only 0.2, meaning his daily magic growth was barely noticeable. The book didn't mention any other ways to increase one's magic power, except for natural growth.

'So, no shortcuts… no magic potions, no easy fixes,' Raymond mused. 'But wait, that doesn't mean there aren't other ways.'

The book was conspicuously silent on the matter of whether killing monsters could increase magical power. Raymond paused, frowning. He knew his own experience, whenever he defeated a monster, his magic points increased significantly. 'It seems that the ability to gain magic power from killing monsters must be something unique to me, granted by the panel,' he thought.

Still, the idea that there could be other ways to boost magic power intrigued him. The book mentioned "Alchemists" those who supposedly brewed potions to enhance magical abilities. Raymond wasn't sure if this was true, but the idea of creating a potion that could rapidly boost one's magic was tempting. He made a mental note to look into it later.

His thoughts shifted as he read on. The next part of the book discussed 'dual-professionals'—individuals who had awakened two professions—or even 'multi-professionals' who had unlocked multiple roles. While such people were rare, they did exist. In fact, there were records of powerful individuals who had awakened two professions, sometimes simultaneously, but more often sequentially.

Raymond's interest piqued. 'That's exactly what I want to know about!'

When a person awakened a second profession, their magic points would increase significantly; just like Raymond's own experience when he first awakened. His mind raced as he remembered his own awakening process. 'Wait, doesn't this mean I'm not that special after all?' he thought. 'When I awakened the "Fighter" profession, I got an immediate boost of 100 mana points, just like a dual-professional might get with their second profession.'

This realization made Raymond feel somewhat more at ease. He had been so concerned about his new abilities, about how they might make him stand out in ways he couldn't explain. But now he knew there were others like him, even if they were rare.

The idea of "multi-professionals" also gave him some comfort. 'If I ever reveal other aspects of my abilities, I can always explain it as the awakening of a second or even third profession,' Raymond reasoned.

With that thought, he put the '"Detailed Explanation of the Awakener"' back on the shelf and scanned the other books around him. His eyes landed on a tome titled '"Professions of the World"', and he pulled it off the shelf with interest. As he flipped through the pages, he found something unexpected, professions he hadn't even known existed. In addition to the well-known roles like 'Fighter', 'Mage', 'Paladin', and 'Priest', there were rarer classes such as 'Tamer', 'Summoner', 'Necromancer', and even 'Monk'.

Raymond couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself. "I never imagined there were so many professions," he muttered. The more he read, the more amazed he became at the variety of roles available to those who were awakened. It also made him realize just how much potential there was to learn and discover.

"'Tamer'," Raymond read aloud to himself. "I wonder what they do... Summoner, Necromancer, Monk... I haven't heard of some of these before. But if I meet someone with one of these professions, I could probably collect it in my panel." The thought of adding more professions to his collection intrigued him. With so many possibilities, he would have to be careful not to reveal too much at once.

As he dug deeper into the book, Raymond came across more information about professional promotions. The section described how various professions evolved once they reached a certain level of expertise. For example, a 'Fighter' could be promoted to 'Brawler', while a 'Swordsman' became a 'Knight'. A 'Magician' could evolve into a 'Mage', and a 'Pharmacist' or 'Craftsman' could be promoted to an 'Alchemist'.

Raymond's eyes lingered on the 'Warrior' section. Normally, when a profession was promoted, the individual was limited to a single career path, but warriors were different. A 'Warrior' could be promoted either to a 'Knight' or a 'Berserker'.

'Wait a second,' Raymond thought. 'Why can't Warriors only go down one path? Why two options?' It clicked as he thought more about it. 'I guess it's because Warriors are versatile, they can use multiple weapons, so the promotion depends on the type of weapon they specialize in. A Knight probably focuses more on defense and swordplay, while a Berserker would focus on raw power and damage.'

Raymond was deep in thought when he suddenly heard a soft voice interrupt his musings.

"Mr. Raymond?" It was Lorain, the same healer who had helped him with his arm injury a few days ago. Raymond turned around, surprised to see her standing there.

"The time is up," Lorain said gently. "The library is about to close."

Raymond blinked, looking around to realize that the corridor had cleared out. The setting sun cast a soft, golden glow through the temple's stained-glass windows. "Ah, I didn't realize it was getting so late," he said, looking down at the book in his hands. "Thank you for the reminder, Lorain. I'll head out now."

As he started to walk toward the exit, Lorain hesitated. "Um, Mr. Raymond," she said, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. "Does… does what you said before still count?"

Raymond paused, turning back to her, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

Lorain fidgeted a little, avoiding his gaze. "You know, about… helping me with the healing? I just wanted to check if… you meant it."

Raymond's brow furrowed as he processed her words. It took him a moment, but then a slow smile spread across his face as he realized what she was referring to. "Ah, that," he said, nodding. "Of course, I meant it. If you need anything, just let me know."

Lorain's blush deepened, and she nodded, a shy smile forming on her lips. "Thank you. I… I appreciate it."

With that, Raymond turned and headed for the door, but he couldn't help but feel a little warmth in his chest as he thought about Lorain's shy smile. The day's discoveries had been profound, but this simple interaction left him with a sense of curiosity and maybe something more.