There was still some food in the pack. Anser took out two loaves of bread and a small piece of hard cheese, handing them to Blatt. "Eat something before resting."
"Mhm." Blatt reached out, took the food, and began devouring it in large bites.
The two had walked in the dark for over an hour, frightened and exhausted, and neither was in the mood for conversation.
While eating, Anser focused on the dice in his mind, wanting to know how much more he needed to level up.
But as soon as the twenty-sided die appeared, he nearly bit his tongue.
The symbol on one of its faces had, at some unknown time, fully lit up, and another symbol was also emitting a faint glow.
'What did I do today? How did it light up already?' he wondered inwardly.
Tapping the die lightly, fragments of memory flashed before his eyes like slides: becoming a Sorcerer, fighting, escaping danger, rescuing someone, fleeing for his life... 'Is it related to my experiences?' Anser began to grasp a rough idea.
After a long while, the memory flashes faded, and the lit symbol had transformed into a cluster of rainbow-hued flames.
Ding—
[You have gained the Adventure Trait: Magic Control.]
"Magic Control": You possess extraordinary control over magical power, allowing for faster Spellcasting, greater Spellcasting stability, and immunity to magical backlash from Spellcasting failure.
Magic Points +5, Attack Roll +1, Spell Save Difficulty +1.
Current Level: 1st Circle.
Anser's heart skipped a beat, a mix of shock and delight.
'What kind of divine ability is this? It's simply too perfectly suited to my current situation.'
This meant he could almost ignore the effects of the Weave's disturbance and cast Spells normally, without worrying about meeting a tragic end like his mentor Fabian.
His control over Spells was enhanced, indirectly increasing his hit rate and damage. While 5 Magic Points might seem insignificant later on, they were incredibly useful in the early stages.
He felt much more confident about tomorrow's plans.
'The die has twenty faces, so that means twenty traits. With this, can I achieve legendary status, or even go beyond?' Anser couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.
This world had Professionals, Legends, and even Deities. It was rich, diverse, and brimming with infinite possibilities.
If the Natives could do it, why couldn't he, a Transmigrator with a cheat, dare to dream a little?
'Take it step by step. Don't aim too high too soon. At least survive first.' He warned himself silently. Faerûn was fraught with danger everywhere.
Snapping back to reality, he pulled up his Character Card. His Magic Points had reached 9, a fairly comfortable amount.
He glanced at his experience: 275/300, just shy of leveling up.
'Why is it only combat experience?' He was somewhat puzzled.
In the game's design, non-combat challenges (negotiations, trade, etc.) and adventure milestones also awarded experience, which was split evenly in a party.
'Analyzing the setting, all classes can level up through combat. Wizards through studying magic or alchemy. Sorcerers should be able to level up by honing their innate magic...'
Today, he had only been casting Cantrips, not daring to use a single 1st-circle Spell, so he couldn't verify this guess.
Furthermore, the equipment section of his Character Card now displayed a divine berry staff, likely referring to Fabian's backup staff.
He lightly touched it, and a detailed description of the staff immediately popped up, more useful than an Identify Spell.
[magic item: divine berry staff]
"Type": Staff
"Rarity": Uncommon (Requires Attunement)
A naturally magical long stick, possibly from an ancient oak tree, usable as a melee weapon. It has 6 charges.
"Divine Berry": While holding this staff, you can cast the 1st-circle Spell Divine Berry Spell, expending 1 charge per use.
"Charge Recovery": This staff naturally regains 3 expended charges daily.
'Not bad.' A smile touched the corner of Anser's eyes.
Divine Berry Spell is a 1st-circle Conjuration Spell for Druids and Rangers, summoning 10 magic berries. Eating one berry restores 1 hit point, and a single berry can satisfy a creature's nutritional needs for an entire day.
It might not be very useful normally, but during an escape, it's a god-tier skill.
However, to use its magical abilities, one must attune to it, establishing a mental connection with the staff.
This requires at least an hour, during which you must focus your mind on the magic item, maintain physical contact, and meditate without interruption.
A Professional cannot attune to more than three magic items simultaneously.
Attunement ends immediately if the attuned creature no longer meets the item's Attunement conditions, if the item has been more than 100 feet away from the attuned creature for at least 24 hours, if the attuned creature dies, or if another creature attunes to the item.
In other words, Attunement isn't a soul bond; it's not very restrictive.
'This is much better than my plain crystal focus.'
Anser decided to complete the Attunement before sleeping; it would be very useful tomorrow.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
Blatt had already finished his bread and was sipping water contentedly, looking as if he were drinking wine.
"Survived another day. Isn't that worth being happy about?" Anser smiled slightly, half-joking, half-referring to his experience of transmigration and rebirth.
"Haha, that's an interesting way to put it." Blatt didn't probe further, his smile carefree.
Anser looked at Blatt, about to speak, when he noticed words slowly appearing "above" his head:
[Blatt, Human, Level 2 Fighter]
'Huh? A new function of the die?'
He turned his head, closed his eyes, and realized the text was projected into his mind by the die. It automatically appeared whenever he focused his mind on a target, not limited to living beings; magic items and miscellaneous objects also displayed information.
This was probably an upgraded version of the combat log, though the information was too brief.
"What's wrong?" Blatt asked, puzzled.
"Nothing, just spaced out. Blatt, do you have family?" Anser deliberately changed the subject.
"Yes, but not here."
"That's good."
"The Mage Tower is gone. What are your plans? Going to Candlekeep?" Blatt inquired.
"With my aptitude, I'm afraid I can't get into Candlekeep." Anser shook his head slightly.
Candlekeep is arguably the greatest institute of knowledge and library in Faerûn, a neutral faction. The price of entry is donating a book or written work not already in Candlekeep's collection.
Scholars can visit but can stay for a maximum of ten days. Formally joining Candlekeep is extremely difficult; they don't accept just anyone.
"If you still want to continue studying magic, you could go to Silverymoon. Waterdeep and Neverwinter are also good options," Blatt suggested.
Anser laughed. "Isn't being a Sorcerer good enough? Why make things hard for myself?"
"You have a good mindset." Blatt praised. "I've seen many people with deep-seated obsessions, refusing to adapt even when other paths are available."
"..."
The two chatted for a while, simply to get to know each other better, but didn't delve into too many private matters.
No one mentioned plans after parting ways. At least before escaping Baldur's Gate, their goals were aligned.
However, during this chat, Anser noticed a few more words had appeared above Blatt's head.
[Blatt, Human, Level 2 Fighter, HP: 18]
'It seems the more close contact, the more information I get.' His understanding of the die was too limited; he could only explore it gradually through practice.
Night deepened, and the mountain hollow grew quiet.
Blatt used a candle to make a simple storm lantern and took the initiative to sort through the miscellaneous items in the pack, preparing for tomorrow.
Anser, meanwhile, pulled over his backpack and examined his loot.
The three coin purses were likely from the apprentices, totaling only 6 gold, 7 silver, and 31 copper pieces, with various coinage systems mixed in.
Two spellbooks, non-magical items, containing transcribed Cantrips and study notes, not of great value.
The most valuable items were a few gems found in the alchemy lab, mainly blue quartz and turquoise, worth a bit of money.
Then there were some miscellaneous items: a pocket watch, a telescope, paper and pen, a dagger, small loaves of bread, honey, dried meat, sausage, black pepper... 'Pity there's no diamond.'
Anser shook his head regretfully, spread out his blanket, leaned against a corner, placed the divine berry staff on his knees, and closed his eyes to meditate.
Blatt deliberately moved a bit farther away, seemingly planning to rest on the periphery. It was unclear if it was for easier vigilance or because he feared Anser didn't trust him.