Loo rubbed her eyes and yawned as she sat up on the Shack's pointy hard floor. Pale morning light filtered through the cracks in the rough wooden walls. She shivered; the fire in the rock chimney had burned low.

What day is it, again?

The days had all blurred together since the Dungeon. Loo did the math; three days left until the Headless Dungeon would respawn.

With nothing much to do the last few days—except for the long exploration walks—Loo had been pouring over her Qigong for Dummies knowledge. When she needed a break from that, she pestered everyone about their absorbed 'Dummies' guides, soaking up all the fascinating information.

Loo stepped out of the Shack and squinted into the low sunlight. She called to her mother, who was speaking with some other adults. "Mom, I'm going to go stretch my legs."

"Don't go far!"

The smell of smoke and charcoal hit her, along with the sound of Bo's loud laughter. She followed it, and came across the [Smelters] already hard at work smelting Copper in their time-dilated makeshift forge. 'Forge' was a generous term for the hollow pile of rocks and mud, but it seemed to work.

Outside the Zone, Bo and Chloe examined bars of Copper. Loo laughed as Bo did a little jig and high-fived some of the people around them.

"Looks like the smelting is going well?"

"Morning, Loo!" Bo said. "Yep, they're getting better and better at processing every hunk of metal. Once all the Ingots are turned into Coins, we're going to be able to build a lot of stuff."

He was grinning, but there were dark circles under his stressed, overworked eyes.

"Anyway, we need to start writing our totals down and do some calculations on what we should build, and in what order." Bo seemed faraway again. "Chloe, you should be in there for this!"

Chloe's head snapped round, her face startled.

"This money came from your lands, and you'll be responsible for keeping track of what's going on with your resources. Plus, I could use the help."

Bo and Chloe turned toward a large stump, which was almost the size of a table. Chloe's body sagged as she gave Loo a halfhearted wave.

Instead of roaming around, Loo studied the [Smelters] and the mana flowing and dancing around them. She had never really sat and watched the different professions using their mana. The men and women stoked the fires and their mana rippled into the tools, the flames, and the molten Copper itself.

The [Smelters'] mana trickled away, but the effect seemed light. None of them showed any signs of mana sickness or deficiency, even after laboring for so long.

A few days before, Bridget had organized regular water-runs to the nearby stream to keep the campsite hydrated. One of these groups approached the Smelters with a metal canister of water, and the [Smelters] took a break.

Loo got to her feet. She waved goodbye to Bo and Chloe, and ambled back up the muddy path between the [Crappy Shacks] to find other professions to observe. She snickered again at the change from [Simple] to [Crappy].

The rhythmic whacking of Hammers caught Loo's attention. She paused to watch a group of [Carpenters] and [Builders] constructing a new Shack. Mana streamed through their straining muscles as they hoisted logs into place, and it flared as it was absorbed into the wood's grain. However, a lot of excess mana seemed to drip and slough off the planks. Were they doing something wrong?

Can we improve the efficiency of the mana usage?

Her mind sorted and listed ideas. However, she hadn't yet seen enough to form any decent theories.

As she roamed between work sites, Loo peppered the different professionals with curious questions whenever one of them stepped outside their time-dilation Zone. The movement of mana, the types of exertion . . . it was all so intriguing. She wished she had a notepad.

Loo's head swam with ideas that needed further research. Discovery was an addiction that she couldn't get enough of.

Loo's nose twitched as savory scents wafted past, drawing her attention to the cooking area. Smoke billowed from the fire pits as the [Cooks] hustled to prepare meals for the growing line of hungry people. She drifted closer, almost floating on the scent of the food.

Now that she knew what to look for, Loo was captivated by the mana swirling from the [Cooks'] hands into the bubbling clay pots. It suffused the food with a faint aura.

Loo's eyes widened. "What if . . . hey, Heather!"

The head [Cook] looked up, and brushed a stray piece of hair from her warm face. "Loo? Good morning, young Lady Damascus. Need something? We're a little busy here for the morning rush."

"I know, but listen!" Loo bounced on her toes. "What if we try pumping way more mana into the food as it cooks? I can make a [Mana Spring] so there's plenty to use. Maybe it'll make the buffs stronger, or make them last longer! Or the food will cook faster!"

Heather frowned, glancing at the impatient line. "I don't know, Loo. We have a lot of mouths to feed, and we don't really have the extra food to test with."

"Pleeease? I really do think it will help!" Loo clasped her hands together, and gave Heather her best puppy-dog eyes.

Heather sighed. "Fine. But if this goes wrong, it's on you to explain it to your parents."

"Yes!" Loo pumped her fist, and quickly explained the plan to the rest of the [Cooks]. She closed her eyes, and moved through the complex and unfamiliar Qigong forms.

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A shimmering [Mana Spring] blossomed in the center of the cooking area and splashed over the [Cooks]. "Okay, pour everything you've got into the food! Don't hold back!"

The [Cooks] exchanged uncertain looks, but did as she asked.

Loo watched as they channeled torrents of mana into their dishes, their faces creased from the strain. The food shone with blinding golden light.

"It's working!" Loo cheered. She transitioned into the next form, and used [Summon Phytoplankton]..

In her excitement, Loo's movements for [Summon Phytoplankton] failed, and she face-planted into the dirt. The [Mana Spring] sputtered and died. [Phytoplankton] withered and fell like ash. And the [Cooks]—

"My mana!" Tushar hunched over, clutching his head.

"I'm empty!" Megan gasped, and slumped onto the ground.

Loo stared in horror at the blackened, smoking lumps that had once been food. Hungry workers gaped at her, but their shock quickly turned into anger.

"C'mon, kid!"

"We wanna eat before work!"

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! That's never happened before!" Loo babbled. "Just a second, I can . . . I can fix this!"

She mentally paged through her absorbed Qigong book, painfully aware of the glares boring into her.

After a few tries, Loo managed to summon a [Mana Brook], and she refilled everyone's reserves.

Heather pinched the bridge of her nose. "Loo, I think we'll have to continue this experiment another day."

Loo's shoulders slumped. "Right. Sorry."

She slunk away, her cheeks burning. However, as she replayed the memory, a spark of exhilaration rekindled in her chest.

For a moment there, it had been working. Additional mana was pumped into the food, and it began interacting with it and transforming it into something else; into something she'd never seen before.

Loo refused to let one setback deter her. That wasn't how science worked.

She made her way to the edge of the woods, where a group of [Gatherers] and [Herbalists] searched for tubers, edible roots, and other useful plants. Their mana expanded out in wide, overlapping circles.

"Excuse me," Loo called as she approached. "Hi, uh, I'm Loo. My class lets me see mana, and I was wondering if I could maybe help you be more efficient?"

The [Gatherers] and [Herbalists] paused, eyeing her curiously. Loo guessed they had only paused because of her 'Lady' title.

Derek was among them, and he wore a kind smile. "What's the matter, Loo?"

Loo launched into her explanation; that they were casting double or even triple layers of mana on certain areas as they moved around, and therefore used more mana to cover a smaller area. Loo spaced them out to cover more ground without wasting mana on overlap.

As they ventured out in their new formation, Derek gave Loo a grateful smile. Their time-dilation Zone was already larger than before, and he had immediately found a fresh patch of wild onions at its new border.

Loo practically skipped as she walked away.

This was it; this was what she wanted to do. She would use her mana-sight to help people optimize, innovate, learn, question, experiment, discover . . .

Loo burst into her family's Shack, already talking a mile a minute. "Mom, Dad, I figured it out! I know what I want my profession to be—"

She pulled up short. Her Dad was trembling and sweating as her Mom guided him through some stretches.

The post-Dungeon days had been rough on Tom.

Not just rough; real bad.

It seemed like the expedition walks—although painful—had helped to loosen his muscles.

"I'm all right Loo." He tried to smile, but didn't quite manage it. "Looks worse than it is. What profession are you thinking?"

"R&D, you know, Research and Development!" Loo bounced on her toes. "I can use my ability to see mana to help people optimize their skills and discover new things. I already helped the [Cooks], well almost, that didn't go quite right, kind of ruined a bunch of food actually, but then I helped the [Gatherers] who had overlapping mana fields, so I showed them how to space out and be way more efficient, and—"

"Slow down." Her Dad held up a shaky hand.

"You messed up the food?" her Mom said. "What happened?"

Loo's shoulders slumped. "I . . . may have accidentally drained all the mana from the [Cooks] and ruined the meal."

Her Dad slapped a palm to his forehead.

"But it was so close to working! I mean, that food was going to become something way better than what we're currently doing, I just messed up my—"

"Loo, honey," Tom groaned. "We don't have the spare resources to be testing or experimenting without considering the consequences."

Kate raised an eyebrow at him. "Hypocrite."

Tom plowed on. "And since when do you drain everyone's mana? Can that happen if we're in a fight?"

Loo hadn't thought of that.

"Tom." Kate's voice was forceful. "Stop worrying, and do your exercises."

She turned to Loo, and laid a hand on her arm. "Maybe go talk to Job in the [Profession Booth]? I think it might help."

"Are you sure that—" Tom began.

"It will!" Loo nodded vigorously. "This is what I'm meant to do, I just know it. There are a million things to figure out and discover!"

Her parents exchanged a long look.

Loo held her breath.

Finally, her Mom sighed. "Loo, you only get one profession. But, if this does feel right for you, and if you can help make us stronger, then I can't think of a good reason why not."

Her Dad met her eyes, his gaze solid. "All right. But this is important. When you talk to Caretaker Job, don't make the same mistake I did. If he has a strong profession in mind for you, then seriously consider his guidance. Understand?"

Loo frowned at him.

"You don't have to choose when you go in," said Tom. "If he thinks you should be something else besides R&D, then come out, and we'll talk about it."

Loo nodded solemnly. "I will. I promise."

Loo hurried over to the [Profession Booth]. It was stable now that they owned the territory—although still slightly crooked.

Caretaker Job was scribbling on some papers at a giant wooden desk.

"Caretaker Job!" Loo burst across the large room. "Hi, I'm Loo!"

The Caretaker flinched as Loo's voice rang through the space.

"I want to choose my profession. Can you help me?"

He huffed, and impatiently waved her forward.

Loo was about to speak, when Job motioned for her to sit down. A blue stream of papers flew from her chest to his hand.

"Wow! What is that? Can I see them? Is that information about me? Does it have my school grades on there? What about my extracurricular—"

Job held up his hand to silence her. "First of all, Loren—"

"It's Loo."

Job's long-suffering sigh almost rattled the log walls, as though the Booth was about to start sinking again. "First of all, as you are below the age of eighteen, I must ask whether you have your parents' permission to be here."

"Yes."

Job's eyes seemed to scan her, as though confirming whether that was true. "Okay. What can I help you with . . . Loo?"

Loo sat up straighter. "I've been inspired to help the community progress their professions with the aid of my mana-sight. I was hoping there was a profession like Research and Development."

Job regarded her impassively. "I do not currently have any R&D professions available."

Loo's face fell for a split second, before she squared her shoulders. "That's okay. Can't we just make our own, then? Hana told me that you did something similar with her? I think this would be a good path for me, and I have so many ideas already. Like, what if we tried combining professions in the same Zone, and somehow mixing their mana together? What happens if we have two different specializations collaborating on something? Has anyone researched or thought about that yet? Or maybe—"

"Miss Damascus, I cannot simply create an entire new profession on demand."

"But this is important! It's a real job, and it should exist." Loo planted her hands on the desk's edge, and looked into Job's golden eyes. "Raintree needs all the help it can get! Just think of the possibilities if—"

"Loo, take a breath." Job's voice brooked no argument. "I see why Balance has been . . . perturbed by your eccentricities."

Loo blanched. "Who? What do you mean?"

Job ignored her question. His golden irises flashed as he stared at something she couldn't see. "One moment, please."

Without warning, Job leaned forward and stuck his head through some kind of invisible panel on his desk. Loo couldn't see his face or hear his words, but his gestures indicated he was conferring with someone on the other side. It was like the strangest remote video call she'd ever witnessed.

Loo fidgeted as time ticked by.

Finally, Job emerged again with another put-upon sigh.

"Very well. The profession is [Research and Development], and your specialization is [Mana Interactions]. You may set up your own [Research Zones] to work with others and pursue your . . . discoveries. But you are restricted to one [Research Zone] at a time, and you may only move the Zone once per day. I'm afraid I have no blueprints or official job description to offer you, as this is brand new and is, frankly, your idea. The profession will evolve with you as you grow, and I'll closely monitor it. For the most part, though, you'll be on your own."

Loo practically vibrated with excitement. "Yay! Thank you, thank you! That's more than enough, and I'll figure the rest out. I can't wait to get started!"

Job gave a sarcastic 'yay!' and waved his hand at the exit. "Go, then. Learn. Discover. Get out of my office."

Loo was already jumping out of the Booth.

She took off at a run. So much to try! So much to learn!

The world won't know what hit it!

The Sun had long since set by the time Loo finished testing her new [Research Zone]. She had spent several time-dilated hours grilling her Dad about cooking and mana. She had him test out loading a [Hearty Boar Kabob] with mana, and tried to mine any information she could about its new golden glow, and about how the mana affected the food. Each Kabob had eventually exploded or spoiled, but she could feel they were close to a discovery.

Loo suppressed a yawn, and gazed around the darkened camp. Maybe she should turn in . . .

Bo and several others were still hard at work. She couldn't slack off now.

Rubbing her eyes, Loo accessed her 'Qigong for Dummies' book, and stretched out in the flickering campfire light. The point her Dad made about messing up during a fight and taking away everyone's mana was still prominent in her mind, even with all the profession-related excitement of the day.

Slowly, carefully, Loo sat up and started going through the movements. She slowed her breathing, and reached for the now-familiar flow of mana rippling within her.

She would keep practicing, and keep learning, and keep excelling; no matter how long it took.

Sleep could wait. Discovery waited for no one.

Is that a saying?

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