Chapter 1
Chapter 1 – The day their fates parted waysTranslator/Editor: Mana
Special Thanks: Rinkage
“You’re kidding…”
It took quite some time for me to register the fact that those words were mumbled by my own mouth. That’s how shocked I was.
Me, Note Athlon. By the words floating on the slate before me.
‘Mapping’
Rarity: SR (Super Rare)
Slot cost: 3
Effect:
The ability to map up to a 1000 metre radius around a previously traversed point within the brain and store it as knowledge.”
The words that tumbled out were not out of happiness. Rather, the opposite. They came from despair.
‘Mapping’. I have known about the existence of this skill for a while now. Almost everyone knew about it. That was how famous this ‘Mapping’ skill was in this world.
…As a trash skill.
The presentation ceremony.
It is a ceremony in which those over the age of 15 are bestowed with unique abilities—called ‘skills’—from G.o.d, by praying to the slates scattered throughout each region.
What is a skill? The answer to that is simple.
If you acquire the skill ‘Swordcraft’, you’ll develop an apt.i.tude for swords, and if you acquire the skill ‘Clairvoyance’, you’ll obtain the ability to see faraway lands. That’s how it’s explained, anyway.
Even if you don’t obtain the ‘Swordcraft’ skill, you can still swing a sword. However, those who have the ‘Swordcraft’ skill are guaranteed to have talent with a sword. But the rate of gaining sword experience is different, and the maximum level of swordcraft that you can reach is also different.
You might think that if that’s the case, then those without ‘Swordcraft’ should just work twice as hard as those with the skill. But without talent, those efforts will be wasted. Even with just a little bit of talent, those with the skill will be able to direct their resources to other areas in the time those without the skill focus on the sword. They can focus on areas such as training their bodies, raising their physical stats, and learning simple support magic instead.
In the first place, there is no guarantee that a person with talent will work any less hard than those without. For these reasons, the skills you have are extremely important in this world.
Incidentally, there are abilities like ‘Clairvoyance’ which humans cannot obtain outside of the skill, no matter how hard they try. ‘Mapping’ is in the same category of skills like that.
Then why is ‘Mapping’ such a trash skill?
Looking at the effect of the skill might make you think, “What? It’s useful, isn’t it?”
If you look at the rarity you might think, “SR (Super Rare) is a jackpot, isn’t it?”
And yet, ‘Mapping’ is a trash skill.
Rarity refers to the chance of being bestowed with that skill during a presentation ceremony. In other words, it represents how many people have it. The higher the rarity, the less often you see the skill.
No matter what the skill’s strength is, the higher the appearance frequency, the lower the rarity becomes. Although generally speaking, the better skills are usually a higher rarity anyway…
Slot cost is an indication of how much of the owner’s skill capacity the skill occupies. There was a problem with the slot cost of the ‘Mapping’ skill.
Human can only have three slots. No more, no less. There is no exception. In short, those who obtain ‘Mapping’ cannot receive any other skills.
Usually, skills acquired in the presentation ceremony cost one slot. Meaning a normal
person would have three skills. Occasionally, a strong skill with a high rarity may end up using two or three slots.
Skills that people can not learn through their own efforts such as ‘Clairvoyance’ tend to use multiple slots. Because of that, ‘Mapping’ also takes up three slots.
However, ‘Mapping’ has an exceptional effect. To be able to automatically map a radius of 1000 metres around yourself is quite convenient. But that’s where the problem lies.
In this world, there are three known types of mapping skills. ‘Mapping’, ‘World Map’, and ‘Area Map’. The effects of ‘World Map’, and ‘Area Map’ are as follow:
‘World Map’
Rarity: UR (Ultra Rare)
Slot cost: 3
Effect:
The ability to map up all areas of this world within the brain and store it as knowledge.
‘Area Map’
Rarity: R (Rare)
Slot cost: 2
Effect:
The ability to map a fixed range of this world from your current position within the brain and understand it as knowledge.
‘World Map’ is already a complete upgrade to ‘Mapping’, and while ‘Area Map’ can’t be stored as knowledge, it only takes up two slots. This skill is enough for those who don’t want to get lost on the road.
Even so, you may think that the wide-ranged ‘Mapping’ which can be stored as knowledge may be useful. That thought would be mistaken.
Because in this world, world maps are an item in circulation. Created by those who have the ‘World Map’ skill and draw up precise maps. That is why everyone calls ‘Mapping’ a trash skill.
Several generations ago, there was a helpful story about a capable but problematic prince of this country who was bestowed with ‘Mapping’ in the presentation ceremony. He was immediately deemed incompetent, publicly ridiculed, stripped of his right to the throne, and fell into ruin, eventually dying a quiet in the countryside, making the skill even more well-known for being useless.
Because of this story, even commoners like me knew the details of the skill.
“How did it go, Note?”
A girl’s voice could be heard from the other side of the only one door in this room. It was a familiar voice. Despite the raised tone, the voice was beautiful like a bell.
I opened the door without responding to that voice.
The sight of a half-elf girl, my childhood friend, greeted me.
Her figure was illuminated by the morning sun, making her look even more beautiful than usual. The golden hair weaved into a braid hanging over her shoulder was glossy and shimmering. Fine, delicate eyelashes. Deep, emerald-green eyes. Skin so white it could represent the concept of the colour itself. Facial features that emphasised the purity of that white. Thin lips.
I was in love with her. With Miya Line, my childhood friend from the same hometown.
Miya seemed to get the hint by looking at my depressed figure.
“Did it go badly?”
Miya came closer and peered up at me, looking into my eyes. To be honest, I found this habit of Miya’s difficult to deal with. The distance that could close suddenly. The gaze right in front of my eyes. That deep emerald. My reflection in those eyes.
The continuous staring that made me feel like I was being sucked in—
“Y-Yeah…”
I took a step back in a panic, breaking eye contact with her.
I’ve been together with Miya for years, but I never got used to this habit. Rather, the opposite happened. I gradually found it harder and harder to deal with, as I became more aware of Miya as a girl.
“Take a look at my skill…”
I pointed at the slate in the middle of the narrow room to shake off my inner turmoil. The details of the skill I received from G.o.d were still displayed there.
Miya took one look at the words there and seemed to understand. That I had just rolled a trash skill…
“D-Don’t be so sad… I think ‘Mapping’ is a useful skill, you know! At least you won’t get lost anymore! It might come in handy when we’re adventuring together…?” Miya falteringly tries to reason.
Wasn’t that just a little unrealistic? But it made me feel happy.
It was hard to be an adventurer with the ‘Mapping’ skill. Of course I knew that. Miya probably did too.
Which was why Miya’s words were the words of our dreams. We’ll become adventurers together, hit it big somewhere and make our name known!She was telling me that she’d keep our promise. Despite the fact I rolled a trash skill.
I’ve always loved Miya’s kindness and consideration for others.
“It’s my turn next… Watch me! I’ll roll good skills for adventuring and protect Note!”
Miya does an enthusiastic fist pump with both hands, then starts praying to the slate of G.o.d.
Normally, this room should be entered alone. This was because you should avoid revealing the skills in your possession to others.
There were famous teachings in this world of how people obtained skills that grant great wealth, or peculiar skills like ‘Mind Reading’, and were treated completely differently by those around them.
No matter how close you are with someone, you should always think twice about showing your skills. That’s why this room was closed off by walls on four sides, as if to conceal the skill displayed on the slate of G.o.d.
But Miya began praying regardless of the fact I was still in the room. It was a sign of her trust in me. I felt somewhat happy, somewhat embarra.s.sed, and somewhat wary of her lack of precaution. Shouldn’t she be more careful? Worried feelings ran through me. But ultimate, I felt happy.
I still do not know if Miya felt anything romantic towards me. I haven’t checked. It’s true that I want to try ask her. What do you think of me, Miya? Do you love me?
But at the same time, is there really a need to ask? I questioned myself.
The relationship between us was fine like this.
I wanted to hold hands and go out with her, and I wanted to kiss her. But Miya was too wonderful a girl to be wasted on me.
Miya and I were born in a small village called Changs. A small village with nothing but fields. Miya and I were the only kids of our age. It was only natural that we would get along.
That is why I believe that once we get to the big towns and meet all kinds of people, Miya will probably find someone more worthy than me. When Miya finds a suitable person better than me, I want to wish her happiness with a smile. I want to tell her “Congratulations”. As just a childhood friend.
That’s why the relationship between me and Miya was fine like this. Even if we couldn’t become lovers. As long as I could stay beside her.
I directed my gaze to Miya’s face. Her perfect doll-like face was suddenly illuminated by blue light.
Words appeared on the slate.
‘Protection of the Forest King’
Rarity: SR (Super Rare)
Slot cost: 1
Effect:
Grants the ability to wield spirit magic of the Earth, Wind, and Water elements. Increases physical stats by 20% within forest areas. An elf exclusive skill.
‘Bowcraft – Master’
Rarity: UR (Ultra Rare)
Slot cost: 1
Effect:
Apt.i.tude for bows reaches maximum level.
‘Physical Boost – Large’
Rarity: SR (Super Rare)
Slot cost: 1
Effect:
Increases physical stats by a large amount.
Seeing the words on the slate made me gulp reflexively.
—Impossible.
All the skills were SR or higher.
On top of that, all the abilities worked in harmony with each other, making not one skill useless. A skill combination as compatible as Miya’s was unheard of. There are probably less than ten people in the world who’ve been this lucky.
That’s how abnormal the words reflected on the slate were.
Miya opened her eyes and seemed to realise the irregularity of her skills too.
“Yay! Strong-looking skills!”
She gripped my hand and jumped up and down.
They not just strong-looking skills, you know… I felt just a bit of irritation at Miya for expressing it in such simple words.
Even as I felt the warmth of the hand grasped in mine, mixed emotions swirled in my chest. If only I had gotten better skills… then I would have been able to feel happier from the bottom of my heart…
Miya was so absorbed in her joy, she didn’t seem to notice the state of my mind.
She turned her bright smile my way. “Yay! Now I can adventure together with Note! Let’s become first-cla.s.s adventurers together!”
I averted my eyes from both Miya’s honest and straightforward words and smile.
Why can I only think of myself…
Being inferior to Miya made me feel bitter. I was jealous. What an empty and egotistical pride. But it was fine. As long as I could be with Miya. That’s what we promised, after all. Even after rolling such a trash skill, Miya said we would still go on adventures together. Isn’t that the best?
That alone is enough.
—Yes, that alone was enough. Surely.
Perhaps I was a little arrogant.
With Miya’s good will. With her kindness. I was spoiled.
That’s why I was betrayed half a year later. By her. By that arrogance.
“Note. We should go our separate ways.”
It wasn’t Miya’s usual tone. She left her parting words in a voice as calm and cold as a bell.