"My father started learning runes when he was in his forties," Jenni said, sucking in a deep breath. "It took him over eighty years to beco a Master Runesmith. Granted, being a common-born, he didn't have resources… And the accomplishnts in runes were quite backwards back then…"
Like the number of Master Runesmiths could be counted with one arm. Of course, there were so ancient runesmiths among the elves and the legendary Celestial, who brought this art to this world, but that hardly proved anything to her point.
"It's still quite backward, even now, I think," Warden comnted offhandedly as he began frying the rice. "I have been instructing so adepts from the departnt and learned why they were so inefficient.
Honestly, only a couple of them will cut it as an Adept, and one of them is very old with over a hundred years of experience… Which brings to question that he probably took all that ti to beco efficient."
"What about the other person?"
"Well, the other person is Aki," Warden said. "His base is solid. Although he lacked talent, he clenched his jaw through his way into Adept ranks."
"Wait, hold on a second," Jenni said, sounding incredulous. "Did you just say Aki lacks talent?"
Warden just shrugged in response.
"My gods, if other adepts hear you, they will drown themselves in the tainted water."
"I said what is the truth? And I think Aki himself is aware of it. He has a good head, and his hard work never failed him. In often cases, it does not…"
"I can't believe you," Jenni was still incredulous, not accepting his words at all.
"You seem to have a wrong idea about talents; even though you're full of it," Warden said. "What do you think lets you excel in runes compared to your peers of the sa age?"
"My hard work, my father's teaching, and all those resources," Jenni didn't think to answer.
Warden nodded sagely. "I'm not denying all that, but do you think there's only you who has access to resources? Did your father only instruct one disciple? Or did none else but you work hard?"
Jenni was speechless. It was true her father had many disciples over his long life, even Aki had the fortune to be instructed by him for so ti... but how many of them made it to Master Runesmith? None... though there were many Adept runesmith...
But Warden said the adepts weren't up to his standard. Wait, was she up to his standard?
Jenni blew away the foolish notion of her head instantly. Even if she couldn't compare to his accomplishnt as a Master runesmith, he couldn't comnt on her skills as an adept. She'd bite his head off if he did.
"Just a mont ago, you acted as if becoming a Master Runesmith was no big deal; you only needed ti to achieve it," Warden continued. "Of course, you're right. Becoming a master at runes is no big deal to you, but do you know what it is to Aki?"
Jenni bit her lips; she had the answer on her lips, but she didn't want to say it.
"A lifelong dream," Warden said. "A dream he isn't certain if he can achieve."
"Talent, huh," she muttered at last. "I never thought about it. I just thought everyone didn't work as hard as . . . but now hearing you, I feel like my accomplishnt is far below what Aki achieved."
"Perhaps it is," Warden actually agreed.
Jenni gritted her teeth.
"But you wouldn't have achieved a single percent of it if you hadn't put countless hours of hard work into it," Warden said. "Don't get wrong, talent is important. But hard work and perseverance beat talent in most cases."
Jenni could only nod, even though she felt like she had underachieved under his intense gaze.
"Never leave everything to talent," Warden said as he finished his cooking. "Though I shouldn't need to say that to you. Keep an open mind and work hard. Anyway, I'm done. . .
mixed vegetable fried rice with egg fry."
Warden began serving the food, but Jenni still contemplated the comntary on the talent she just heard. It seed foolish that she never considered it, but knowing that it was natural for her to be good at runesmithing hit her wrong sowhat.
It felt like sothing predestined, like how her father arranged her marriage before she was even born. It rubbed her the wrong way.
But then she slled the delectable odour of the al, and the thoughts puffed off from her mind. Well, it did manage to take a deep root in her mind, but she didn't want to contemplate it at this mont.
*****
After finishing breakfast, Jenni and Warden made their way to the Emporium.
"So what do you want to buy?" Jenni asked.
"A lot of stuff," Warden replied. He checked his badge to see the number of contribution points he amassed working day and night for the last week.
27800 Points. It was still a little low, but Warden had the Fire Ability gem Agnes had given him, which would be worth sowhere between twenty and thirty thousand contribution points.
Jenni wrinkled her nose at the holographic number of points. It was totally criminal how much lower anyone below Master rank was paid. Well, her pay was still more than any common sergeant, and she didn't even have to work that hard. . . so she couldn't hold a grudge.
Not to ntion, this guy was unrelenting in his work.
"Are you planning on spending all your earnings?" she asked.
Warden nodded. "Other than the ingredients for cooking and your desserts, I need to prepare for the expedition. So I'll need a batch of healing potions, rejuvenation potions. . . And I have my eye set on an expensive item."
"I get all that, but what do you need my help with?"
"I'm not very familiar with many of the items on display," Warden said without any hesitation. "Your task is to inform of their uses and if they're worth it. Besides, with my new position in the Artificer Departnt, I can access more of the secret products. . . I thought it would be better not to stare at them cluelessly."
"Well, the attendants do answer truthfully," Jenni agreed, "though they never say an item is terrible even if it is."
"I thought of asking Agnes for this, but I couldn't get a hold of her for the last few days."
"I'm very delighted to know I'm your second choice," Jenni snorted.
"Of course, with Agnes, I do not have to bribe her with desserts," Warden said. "And she also does not throw a tantrum."
Jenni glared up at him. "And I almost thought you were warming up to ."
"I speak nothing but the truth," Warden laughed. "But yes, I do not hate your childish act. . . I find it endearing, to be honest. I wish everyone would be a part of it."
Jenni glared harder at him. It was as if he was treating her like a child. And if she argued, it would only prove his point.
But Jenni settled in her mind, that she would prove him wrong, in one way or another.
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