Marlon finished crossing the rocky passageway dotted with magic lamps leading inside Delia's walls, and what he saw took his breath away, once again.

All the buildings were made of the same material as the surrounding walls, and large glass windows encircled the facades of all these constructions. Some were barely two or three stories high, but others seemed to tickle the heavens and rise much higher. The rock seemed to be polished to perfection, with no rough edges visible to the naked eye, surely the work of magic.

The avenue in front of him was crowded with people, and he stood to the side so as not to interfere with the traffic of carioles barely slowing down to avoid him and cursing him copiously.

The smells had become even more intense now that he had crossed the city walls, and he could smell the mishmash of scents dancing in the air. Fragrances of perfume mingling with food, sweat, and even the smell of manure, which must have been unavoidable given the number of carts and mounts pulling them.

It was only after a while that he noticed that these carts took distinct lines on the avenue and that the pedestrians took others, which seemed to avoid the majority of the accidents. This gave a strange feeling of déjà-vu to the young man who remembered the well-defined roads of the Earth and its sidewalks which allowed the passers-by to stroll in relative safety.

The passers-by. The young man's eyes grew round as he saw for the first time humanoids different from any he had met before.

Many had human faces, but had certain animal attributes, such as silky tails sticking out of their socks or cat ears pointing to the top of their skulls instead of the normal side.

Others had faces whose features were much more feline or canine. Some even looked like rodents!

Marlon's eyes were wide with amazement, and he couldn't help but stare at the different humanoids that were parading before him. Of course, on Earth, he had already seen human similes, such as androids or mechanized bodies serving as receptacles for Virtus consciousnesses. Or even clones. But humans mixed with animals? Never. Human science, although crazy, had not been in that field.

There were also what looked like dwarves! Small and stocky, some had heavy axes hanging from their backs while others seemed to be talking amongst themselves, holding pieces of metal in their hands.

He didn't find it disturbing. Rather, he was intrigued ,by the way a child is curious about something he has never seen. Suspicious, but not disdainful. Just as he thought he had reached the end of his surprises, he also saw what appeared to be reptile men!

They walked around with hoods over their heads and guided what appeared to be a huge black bull down the crowded avenue. Soldiers were ahead of them, pushing aside passersby in their path, glancing curiously at the jet-colored beast. The bull was more than two meters tall and had a nervous musculature that trembled under its dark leather. It had four horns resembling those of a goat on its head, but much more tapered.

If Marlon was hit by the horns, he would immediately be cut in half, without being able to do anything about it. Each step of the beast made the ground shake under Marlon's feet and he couldn't hold back, asking a passer-by next to him:

"Excuse me, sir, but what is this beast? And how come there are so many animal men here?"

The young man froze as his interlocutor pulled down his hood and revealed what looked like two horns on the top of his forehead. Pointed and woolly ears also protruded from the thick hair of the passer-by who frowned at Marlon's very insensitive question.

"Ho, excuse me! I just got into town and I'm just curious, don't read anything into it!"

Marlon felt himself blushing slightly as he didn't really know where to stand. He even heard a mocking chuckle coming from inside his skull and almost put a cap on himself to shut Loki up.

He could kill other players without blinking, but this kind of social situation had always embarrassed him to no end.

Fortunately, the one he had been talking to laughed out loud and nodded good-naturedly as he answered the young blunderer.

"Don't worry, young man! I'm not the kind of person who gets offended by so little! But you must be from the South if this is the first time you've seen beings like us, right?"

As he nodded in response, the sheep-man had a flash of understanding cross his eyes and he simply continued his explanation.

"The southern regions do not welcome the Nessos, so it is not surprising that you have never seen any. Nessos is the name of our species, the 'animal-men', as you call them. Just don't use this term in front of anyone. In general, we hate it. We are humanoid, but we really don't have much in common with humans in terms of origins...and our behaviors are...different, shall we say. There are also Avians, which you might want to call birdmen, but they are rather secretive and don't wander around human cities much."

He caught his breath and pointed to the bull that was now moving away to the north of the city, still flanked by the reptilian Nessos.

"This is a Demon Beast. They are extremely powerful and intelligent, and they are hunted for the incredible resources they can offer."

Seeing the gleam of interest that shone in the young man's eyes, the Nessos hastened to add.

"However, they are not easy to capture, let alone kill. More than five hundred people have died to capture this one, and it remains dangerous, despite numerous restraining spells. And it is among the weakest Demon Beasts on the continent."

"Thank you very much, and I'm sorry if I seemed rude."

"Don't worry, I don't blame ignorance, only stupidity, and you haven't shown any! And if you have never seen a Nessos, many other surprises await you! We are not the only exotic species you will see around here. Have a nice day, young man," he concluded, laughing and walking away on the crowded road.

The Nessos walked away, pulling his hood down over his head, and Marlon thought inwardly that he should read up on human-Nesso relations if only to stop looking like an idiot.

"You know I can help you in this kind of situation, right?"

"If you really could, why didn't you tell me before I looked like a fat slob?" asked Marlon, slightly annoyed.

"Hmm, yes, well, I'm sorry. I thought it was very funny at the time. Are you still interested in knowing what I know?"

Marlon nodded inwardly and Loki launched into a little history lesson. It was still quite handy to have him around, if not for his mischievous side.

"As far as we know, the Nessos come from different continents from Erengar, which is the continent we are on, by the way. Many conflicts have driven the Nessos away over the millennia, and they have gradually mixed with the human population. But many ended badly, human nature being what it is. That was a few hundred years ago, and according to the records we have, the Nessos community then closed in on itself and forbade any relationship other than commercial with humans. But it's gotten better, since then."

The AI paused for a moment and then resumed.

"We are in the middle part of Erengar, which could be considered rural except for the capital. South of Delia, the humans are very...basic, shall we say. They don't appreciate much that is not like them, let alone different species. Earth was like that too, a good couple of centuries ago. The Net has erased differences, but before that, people were fighting each other for reasons as silly as skin color. Don't try to understand, there is no logic behind it.

Marlon shook his head, having trouble understanding conflicts of this kind. On Earth, only conflicts over wealth and comfort remained. Nothing else mattered. Never cared for the games they played. And since you could change your body like you could change your shirt if you had the means, conflicts based on appearance had no place on Earth. Only it seemed to be different here. So Marlon would have to be careful about what he said.

"For now, we should focus on our goals. You can always learn more later. And no, I'm not going to give you a lecture now about dwarves, elves, or even the Avians. Where do we start?"

Marlon put aside the dozens of questions related to Loki's last remark and thought about it. He'd asked himself this question before, of course, and while heading for the arena seemed the most logical, he wanted to check out the latest indications on his status screen first, namely fishing and survival. If these skills could be upgraded and would then bring advantages that others wouldn't have, he definitely shouldn't pass them up.

He saw a wooden sign in front of him that seemed to indicate directions. Marlon was able to decipher the writing on the sign without any trouble and was rather surprised.

"Don't be. By sending you here, you have all been taught the most common language in this continent. It would have been far too complicated if you didn't speak or understand the language in a world already full of new things. We wanted you to survive a little! However, this only concerns the common language. For all the others, you will have to learn them."

The young man nodded, understanding the logic behind this decision, and saw that the arena was located in the eastern part of the city, as well as the craftsmen's district. Lucky for him, he wouldn't be too far from the arena by satisfying his curiosity.

So he headed for the eastern quarter, taking his time to observe what was going on around him.

He even stopped at a stall selling what appeared to be sweets and bought a few, happily spending a copper coin on a treat. At the same time, he learned that these coins had a name. The inhabitants of the city called them Amecareth. Copper, silver, or gold seemed to be the three different versions of these coins, Marlon only having the copper version of the coin.

He arrived at the eastern district, and the landscape of the street changed subtly. The stalls of merchants luring passersby and the various dwellings had now given way to large buildings, all with a sign that specified their specialty. There were no stalls on the street, and people looked more...scowling?

"They're exhausted, mostly. The craftsmen's district never stops living, night and day, and those who work there are passionate and rarely take the time to rest. So they are a little less exuberant than those you have met so far. At least, that's the analysis we made on Earth.

The young man saw that this was not enough to explain the sullenness of the people, and he thought that the analysis that the AIs had made of the data received on Earth was surely flawed, because he saw a friendliness underneath this rough appearance, friendly and respectful exchanges for the most part.

The facades were all well maintained, and the smells were much more distinct in this area than at the entrance to the city. He could smell freshly tanned hides, mixed with the softer smell of fresh fish. There were also notes of hot metal, probably from a blacksmith shop, and grassy scents from who knows what building.

Small alleys seemed to lead to the back of the buildings and that's where the carioles were heading, seeming to load or unload their goods in dedicated areas so as not to block the traffic on the main avenue.

Marlon stood still for a few seconds, taking in the incredible aromas of this part of the city. The traffic of carts and merchants was no less intense than towards the entrance, but there were clearly many more passers-by. However, everyone was heading further into the neighborhood.

"The arena is over there. Can we still go there and come back here after?"

Marlon wanted to check out the shops first. And the first one he went to had a blue-painted front, with a gigantic fish as a sign. Without being clairvoyant, it was surely the fishermen's building, so he pushed the solid wooden door that seemed to be the main entrance.

He was surprised by what he found inside. There were many fish, all huge, but dead and stuffed, serving as wall decorations in what looked like a large gray stone hall. Parts of this hall were covered with wooden planks and what looked like a reception counter stood before him, with a woman who looked to be in her thirties and with a keen eye standing behind.

Her skin was brown as if baked by the sun, and she bore a false resemblance to the fisherman who had helped Marlon on the lake.

"Hi, boy. Welcome to the fishermen's guild! You don't look like a local, am I right?"

"No...no, I don't. I'm new in town and I...I don't know much about it, to tell you the truth. I didn't even know there were guilds..."

The woman let out a loud crystalline laugh that seemed to echo through the hall, and the few people present all turned to see where the sound came from. But they soon went back to their business.

"Don't worry, young man. You're not the only one in this situation, I've run into plenty of people like you in the last few weeks, almost to the point of believing there was a tourist ship landing on the mainland, haha!"

Marlon knew she was talking about the other players. He simply nodded to encourage her to explain what the young man did not know.

"Well then, first of all, you should know that every profession has a guild similar to this one. Here in Delia, in this neighborhood, you can even find guilds for every profession that exists. Unlike the military or magical arts, our classification is simple. It goes from Beginner to Grand Master. Each level will give you access to higher-quality equipment in the corresponding guild. But more importantly, and this is the most interesting part, access to restricted knowledge."

"Restricted knowledge? Like benefits?"

The woman clapped her hands together like a child, which clashed deeply with the impression she was getting.

"That's exactly right! For fishing, for example, some creatures can only be found and caught by fishermen of Advanced rank, or Master, because only the knowledge inherent in this level will allow them to get the most out of the creatures and especially to know where to find them and how to bait them."

Marlon understood the principle of it all, but he saw a gaping hole.

"But couldn't someone powerful just override that knowledge? Or cheat and ask someone else for that knowledge?"

The woman turned her head in denial and continued to explain to the young man like a child.

"It's not that simple. Some may have cheated, but the short-term benefit will never equal the knowledge of a real fisherman. Besides, the equipment for catching high-level creatures is extremely complex and can only be handled by a certified fisherman. What's more, the knowledge inherent in passing the class is something valuable. It can help to better understand many things in this world. And the same goes for all professions. To know fish as a Grandmaster is to know all living things a little better. It means understanding the mana that governs them, their soul, if you like. It works for plants, metal, fish, absolutely everything!"

"Pay close attention to what she's telling you, Marlon. Mana is just the name the people here give to the ether. So the professions would help you to better understand the ether related to their field of knowledge? That's amazing...we never understood that in the data!"

Even Loki was flabbergasted by what he had just heard, so the young man didn't miss a beat.

"I think I understand...and how do we do that if we want to advance in level?"

"First of all, you need to be recognized as a fisherman. It's a simple magic seal that allows you to access our guild store, and it will be like your fisherman identification card. It is the same system for all professions. When this seal starts to glow, it means that you are ready to go to the next level with an instructor or a quest. It depends on the people and the level. And some basic knowledge will be offered to you with each level passed."

In a few minutes, Marlon had just learned a lot of precious information about the functioning of this world. And everything seemed to be related, in one way or another, to magic.

"Can we move forward with a quest?!?" he asked with wide eyes

"Haha, don't think it's simple. This is especially true for high rows. When you have to successfully fish a Leviathan on your own, requiring a perfect understanding of the creature and its abilities, and then weeks or even months of preparation, you'll understand why it's complicated!"

Marlon thought for a few moments and then decided to officially register as a fisherman.

"Can I become an official fisherman, please?"

"Sure, it's open to everyone, come on in!"

As he approached the woman, she grabbed his wrist in a vital gesture and muttered some incomprehensible words before an intense pain radiated from Marlon's forearm. This lasted only a second or two, fortunately, and she disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.

At the place where the woman had put her finger now appeared a tattoo in the shape of a fish, rather pretty, he had to recognize it, and this fish was surmounted by a symbol that he could not decipher.

"Voila! You are officially a novice fisherman! Do you feel a difference?"

Marlon closed his eyes and concentrated, opening them again instantly. He and Loki had the same reaction.

"What the..."

"What the..."

It was as if he had literally been grafted with knowledge that he didn't have a few seconds before. He knew about fishing techniques such as netting and trolling that he had never practiced before. Some species of fish were clearly part of his memories now when he had never seen them before.

"Do you understand better now what I was telling you a few minutes ago? You will never be able to match the knowledge of whole generations, even with a very high power. This is what we are passing on with these magic seals, and your experiences will also add to the next fishermen. One of my former mentors was very fond of saying that it saved us from reinventing the wheel every time we wanted to travel. And that's exactly right!"

"This is...this is amazing! And all professions pass on their knowledge in this way?"

The woman nodded, delighted to have to see the amazement and joy on Marlon's face as he admired his brand new tattoo.

"After that, it still takes a lot of work to get to the next stage. Don't think that this tattoo will make your work easier. It just serves as a support for the basic knowledge. It's up to you to make your own experiences to move forward. You should go to the guild store on the right and buy some materials. It will help you a little bit."

Just before Marlon left, she called out to him one last time.

"If you ever catch any rare species, we are always interested in buying them at a good price, don't forget that!"

She had a big smile on her face as she told him all this, and Marlon thanked her warmly before slipping away politely and going indeed to visit the guild store. He took the opportunity to say a few internal words to Loki.

"Loki, I'm going to take all the professions in the city. This is amazing! It's as good as information transfer on Earth!"

Marlon's tone was feverish and an uncontained excitement permeated his tone of voice.

"It's almost the same, indeed. But much more complex. After all, magic is involved. But I must admit that no one had any information about the professions and I'm stunned, if you can believe it! But don't get a big head either, kid! Take professions that will be useful for the time being, there's no point in overloading yourself. A day only contains a certain number of hours, and you already have a lot to do."

Marlon had arrived at the counter of the store and asked the bearded and stocky man who held it what he proposed to sell. The latter gave him a kind of catalog, only after having checked his tattoo, and the young man hastened to check its contents.

Nets, fishing rods, reels, bait...

Multiple items were available that would indeed facilitate Marlon's progress to the next stage of his profession. He asked the old man for the telescopic fishing rod that was on the first page of the booklet. It was marked at ten copper Amecareth, all he had left, so he handed it to the salesman with a big smile, causing the salesman to laugh.

"Kid, all the prices on the catalog are in silver Amecareth, not copper! Haha, that's a good one!"

Marlon's smile froze and his blood ran cold as he realized something vital to his adventure: he was actually broke!

"Kid, I think you're going to have to work really hard if you want to buy supplies for every profession in town."

Loki's laughter was still ringing in his ears as he walked through the door of the fishermen's guild.