Welcome to Hero of Rome, a litRPG historical fantasy set in Ancient Rome. If you’re new here, start the story in Chapter 1.
Enjoy the chapter!
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Viking longships decide to throw a surprise party along the shores of Britannia, bringing their own version of fireworks and party favors as they give King Arthur's authority a run for its money, all in the pursuit of some serious loot and glory.
Businesses (+1): Aelia's Libraria
System Message: “Congratulations on your pitiful acquisition of Aelia's Libraria from The Shadow. You've managed to secure yourself a quaint establishment in the ever-expanding cesspool of Rome's commerce. Enjoy your fleeting sense of accomplishment while it lasts, for in the grand scheme of things, you still remain insignificant.”
Glory (+50): 450
Level (+1): 9 (10/100)
Skill Points (+1): 2
Wealth (-5,500 denarii): 10,000
Title: Roman Bandit, Runaway Eunuch, Cyclops Slayer, Mercator
Thanks, System, I thought to myself. It didn’t respond for which I was grateful.
Camilla purchased Octavia's Domus for herself given the benefit of a luxury and private place of refuge in the city. Given her hidden nature as a woman, it made sense that she would enjoy a place to herself away from fifty morally ambiguous men.
I could have purchased two more stores but I figured it would only slow my goal of obtaining thirty thousand denarii. If business did well, I would gain close to two thousand denarii a month, so at the very least if I didn’t score big on the upcoming raids I would have enough by a year. But if the dead spy and the Emperor’s recent scouting in the area were any indication, I would have less time than that. Better to play it safe and have money building up on the side and for the future.
Plus, owning a library meant I would have greater access to more books to increase my prophetic gift. It also acted as a fail-safe in case anything ever happened to Marcus.
“I’ll see to your business needs,” The Shadow said, giving a curt bow of his head, indicating our time was up.
“Thank you,” I said while we rose from our stone bench.
“Did you have any other matters to inquire about before the rest of today’s training?” Marcus said as we exited the densely packed trees into the main opening of the hideout.
“I do,” I said, stopping our tracks. “I’ve noticed you read several books a day, large ones at that. I’m currently reading about one a day on average, but to get to see a whole year into the future, it’s going to take me a couple hundred years to reach. I noticed there’s an enchanting skill that I can acquire, and I wanted to know your wisdom on the matter and what all of that entails.”
Before he answered, Marcus motioned for us to ascend the nearest mount to reach a higher view. Once we reached the top, which granted an amazing view of the mountainous region around us, he withdrew a scroll from his back pocket and placed it in my hand.
“To enchant you are going to need more books and scrolls, dear Max. Do you like to sing?”
I blushed. Only in the showers, but of course, I was not going to admit that. “Not really, no.”
“Well, you’ll need to if you’re going to please the goddess Fors Fortuna. She requires songs dedicated to her if you are going to create a magical item. Go ahead and purchase the first level of enchanting before we begin.”
I obeyed, spending one of my two skill points on the first level of enchanting.
Enchanting (lvl 1).
Effect: Can perform basic enchantments on low-tier items.
Success Rate: 70%
Potency of Enchantments: Adds 10% effectiveness to items.
Glory Cost Reduction: 5% less glory needed for enchanting.
Songcraft: Can create one unique enchanting song after reading 10 ancient scrolls.
“Good,” Marcus said, pointing to the scroll for me to read it. “You’ll need to find more of these scrolls to learn songs you can sing. It’s a similar process to learning new fighting techniques from Skill Books. They will all be different of course, but as you grow in power you can sing those songs again to increase their potency. Once you’ve read enough, you’ll be able to craft your own song with whatever effect you want. Here, read this scroll and we will begin.”
Gently, I unfurled the scroll. I took one glance at it and a red text appeared before me.
Item: Enchantment Scroll of Reading (Rare)
Description: By invoking this enchantment, the reader's pace shall quicken twofold, as if borne on the wings of Mercury himself. With each page turned, the words shall flow like a gentle stream, granting swiftness to the seeker of knowledge.
Enchantment Effect: Your reading speed doubles.
Weight: 0.01 kg
Worth: 1,000 Denarii
“How long did it take you to read Plato’s book?” Marcus said while I read the brief Latin song beneath it.
I had to pause, thinking back to that long night. “About three and a half hours. Almost four.”
Marcus scratched his beard for a moment while thinking. “So around two hundred and fifty words per minute. An average reading speed. With this enchantment, you could have read two books of that length. The more you increase your enchanting skill, the more books you can read.”
“Is there a limit?” Camilla said.
Marcus shrugged. “Not to my knowledge. I am able to read at five times the normal rate with where I’m at. I’ve heard some rumored to have been able to read a sixty-thousand-word book every five minutes.”
“Wouldn’t that be impossible if the increments in power stop at ten?” I said.
“It seems you are unaware of the power of alchemy,” he said. “But that is for a later time, you can combine the two powers for a serious effect. Let us be on with your first enchantment. Do you have something you would like to pass this on to?”
I checked my person but came up empty. I had my pendant from Titus but I doubted that could be impacted with such a low level of enchantment.
“Here,” Camilla said, slipping off a signet ring from her hand and placing it in mind. “It’s from the Cicero family. I found it in the cyclops cave. I think it will serve you better.”
Her hand lingered there for a moment in mind before slipping away. It took me a second to recalibrate my focus on the golden ring which bore a wise owl perched atop an open scroll.
Item: Cicero's Signet Ring (Legendary)
Description: Fashioned from gleaming gold, Cicero's signet ring features an intricately carved owl perched atop an open scroll, symbolizing wisdom, knowledge, and intellect. The band is adorned with delicate patterns, reminiscent of ancient Roman craftsmanship, adding an air of elegance and prestige.
Weight: 0.05 kg
Worth: 5,000 Denarii
“Thank you,” I said, warmth flooding my cheeks. “I’ll use this.”
“Excellent,” Marcus said. “Hold it to the sky, dedicate it to Fors Fortuna, and sing the song.”
They both stepped out of the way giving me plenty of space. Before I did so, I decided to spend my last skill point on the second level of enchanting due to the unique perk that came along with it.
Enchanting lvl 2.
Effect: Can enchant a wider range of items with moderate effects. Enchanted items now take on unique effects.
Success Rate: 75%
Potency of Enchantments: Adds 20% effectiveness to items.
Glory Cost Reduction: 10% less glory needed for enchanting.
Songcraft: Can create one unique enchanting song after reading 9 ancient scrolls. Currently read: 1.
Taking a deep breath, I recanted the enchanting song over the signet after dedicating it to the goddess. I felt like an utter fool the whole time until the moment I finished. A blinding flash erupted over the signet, forcing me to shield my eyes. It was gone in a moment. Once it subsided, I opened my eyes to see the ring now pulsed with gold.
Glory (-90, +10): 370
Level: 8 (20/100)
Health (+20): lvl 2: (20/30)
Item (update): Cicero's Signet Ring of Reading (Legendary)
Description: Fashioned from gleaming gold, Cicero's signet ring features an intricately carved owl perched atop an open scroll, symbolizing wisdom, knowledge, and intellect. The band is adorned with delicate patterns, reminiscent of ancient Roman craftsmanship, adding an air of elegance and prestige. When worn, the ring emanates a soft golden pulse, casting a warm glow around its wearer. As one delves into the written word while wearing this ring, time distorts, slowing down to allow for deeper immersion in the text.
Enchantment: 2.4x Reading Speed Increase
Worth: 7,000 Denarii
“Awesome,” I whispered to myself as I placed it on my forefinger.
“Why don’t you do two things at once,” Marcus said as he handed me another book. “This is a skill book for your pilum. You should learn it. Once you finish reading it, the technique should be unlocked.”
The book was titled, On How To Throw A Pilum, A Beginner’s Guide. I smiled, cracking it open to get started. My ring began to glow as the world around me slowed.