25 - The Birth of a Skill
(This person... I wonder what kind of person Aria really is.)
I am facing Aria, who stands with her spear ready, tears streaming down her face.
What I know is that she is the daughter of the head of the Lockword family. She lived alone with her father in Darion, and she sought out Zelfie-san, a relative of a former vassal, believing that the family heirloom, the red orb, had been stolen.
I knew far too little about Aria.
I hadn't actively spoken with her.
Because Novem was here, I think I naturally kept my distance from her within the house.
Perhaps I was even avoiding her.
"Making fun of me... I... I too!"
There must be things she wants to say.
She surely harbors many different feelings.
And yet, I—.
As I readied my saber, I took one deep breath.
Looking at the girl before me, I took a sword stance.
Perhaps because she was exhausted, she left many openings. She was sweating profusely. It seemed that both her physical strength and magical power were reaching their limits due to the continuous use of skills.
(Why did I... do to Aria the very things that were done to me?)
I had wanted someone to look at me.
I had wanted someone to listen to me.
And yet, thinking it was something being forced upon me, I had avoided Aria. She must have had things she wanted to say as well.
(Is that why the ancestors were trying to make me realize?)
I hadn't understood why they protected Aria.
But now, I feel like I understand just a little.
That I—I myself, was trying to become Celes for the current Aria.
"...I'm going all out next time."
When I said that, Aria looked surprised. However, with tears falling and a serious expression, she gave a slight nod.
Novem and Zelfie-san, who were watching us from the sidelines, seemed a little relieved as they looked at the two of us.
(Even knowing they can't win, they still challenge it. Because they desperately want to be acknowledged... because they can't forgive it, because they're frustrated.)
Waiting for Aria's breathing to steady, I stepped forward.
As I closed the distance, Aria swung her spear horizontally to prevent me from grabbing it.
Kicking off the ground to leap upward, Aria, who had swung her spear through, looked up at me in the air. As I swung the saber down, Aria held her spear horizontally to block it.
However, because of the difference in strength, she was forced down onto her knees on the ground.
A creaking sound could be heard, and I increased my strength further, as if pressing Aria down into the ground.
"Despite the difference in strength, why don't you use a skill to compensate for it?"
At my question, Aria's expression distorted with frustration.
That was likely the answer.
"Can't you use one? The big man from the bandit group used it better than this."
Pulling back the saber and kicking the spear away, Aria rolled across the ground. Aria stood up immediately, but she was stained with mud.
Once released and having regained her posture, she thrust her spear toward me. Her movements were slower than before... slower than when the fight began.
While dodging the thrusting spear and stepping in, I lightly struck Aria's stomach with the hilt of the saber.
Because if I did it seriously, it would be dangerous for Aria.
Struck and forced to exhale, Aria staggered back to create distance.
"...Aren't you going to use magic? I'm not using any."
I tried to provoke her, but Aria seemed to be beyond that. Her face was pale, and she was sweating.
Only her eyes, glaring at me, had not lost their light.
(Has she made up her mind?)
The difference in ability was obvious. Yet, Aria held her spear without letting go.
Seeing this, the ancestors inside the Jewel Orb, who had been silent until now, gave me advice.
No, perhaps it wasn't advice.
The First Generation spoke.
'Watch closely, Riel. That is the moment a skill is born. A weapon granted to humans, born from strong will, innate talent, and emotion.'
Skills, naturally, have their own origins.
They are one of the blessings granted by God to humans who were weak and lacked the means to fight monsters.
The skills that manifest differ from person to person.
The possibilities granted by God to fight monsters.
That is what a skill is—.
The red orb near Aria's chest began to glow.
"...The moment a skill is born, huh."
The red orb Aria possesses makes it easier to manifest skills directly related to combat.
Just as the successive heads of House Walt, who possessed the blue orb, manifested skills called support-types, Aria's clan had manifested vanguard-type skills.
"Take this!!!"
As Aria stepped forward strongly, she moved with greater speed than ever before.
I dodged the spear closing in before me, but the spear swinging horizontally immediately approached.
The voice of the Fourth Generation reached me.
'It's similar to my skill. However, it seems to be an acceleration-type skill that triggers during combat.'
I was told it was similar, but a different thing. Indeed, she was accelerating instantaneously and unleashing more strikes than before.
Unable to dodge in time, I drew my spare saber to block the attack.
Sparks flew from the clash of metal.
But Aria's fierce assault was not yet over.
"Not yet!"
Thrusting, sweeping, and then slashing.
Dodging those attacks and blocking with the saber, I was forced entirely onto the defensive.
In an instant, it became so that if I let my guard down, I would truly be the one to lose.
The Second Generation spoke.
'Vanguard-type skills often have this kind of explosive increase in strength. They're truly troublesome.'
As a spear approached from the right, I dodged, only for another attack to approach from the left. Against such continuous attacks, I turned to defense with my dual blades.
Sparks flew, and the blade of the saber I had just replaced was being chipped away.
However, at the same time, I was certain that this match was decided.
"It's over now."
Releasing my saber stance, I looked down at Aria, who was out of breath before me.
She had collapsed onto the ground. She had thrust her spear into the earth, clinging to it like a staff to somehow keep from falling over.
All of the previous attacks lacked weight in their strikes.
Temporarily increasing speed to unleash continuous attacks. That must be the kind of skill it is. Aria's skill.
Perhaps because her legs lacked strength, Aria's body was trembling. Having her skill born, she must have forced herself to continue using it.
Lifting the saber to look, the blade was ragged.
(Repair or replacement again, huh.)
Thinking that, I thrust it into the ground and walked toward Aria. The surrounding ground, which had been level, was now uneven.
Thinking I had gone too far, I decided I would bring tools later to fix it.
But for now—.
"That was an amazing skill. I was surprised."
When I spoke to her, Aria looked up at me.
"...I couldn't have won anyway. I knew it. That I'm inferior to you! But it's frustrating. Even though I finally became free, I'm still useless... I never wanted to go back to that kind of life again. I wanted to be able to live on my own!"
As Aria began to cry, I didn't know what words to say to her.
It made me realize just how little I knew about Aria.
Novem rushed over and cast healing magic on Aria. Wrapped in light, Aria gradually stopped crying and then, perhaps having lost consciousness, she almost collapsed onto the ground.
Zelfie-san, who had approached, supported her body.
"...I don't think this is a very commendable method?"
Since she directed a gaze as if blaming me, I scratched my cheek with my finger and thought about how to answer... in the end, I stopped answering.
"Riel-sama, could you help me carry Aria-san? Her physical and magical exhaustion is more severe than it looks, so I want her to rest quickly."
Told by Novem, who was her usual self, I nodded and approached Aria.
Should I carry her on my back, or lift her up—.
Right here, starting from the First Generation as usual—.
'I think a Princess Carry would be good.'
'Just carry her on your back normally.'
'How about daring to shoulder her! You know, like carrying her on your shoulder!'
'Gently lift her up and carry her straight to the bed.'
'If she's unconscious, it's all the same, right?'
'Why not have Zelfie help? Just lending a shoulder would be fine.'
'Since you can place her directly on the bed, wouldn't it be best to cradle her?'
Their opinions were not coordinated at all.
Thinking that they were truly free to the end, I cradled Aria.
Seeing that, Zelfie-san whistled teasingly.
Novem smiled.
"I'm a little envious."
Saying that, she walked ahead of me and began preparing to receive Aria at the house.
Night.
While moving my body in the garden, the voice of the Third Generation reached me.
'It's a common story, isn't it? That you end up doing the same things as, or becoming similar to, the person you hate or despise.'
Since Aria had fallen ill, I didn't go out today, and it ended up being treated as a holiday.
While swinging a wooden sword in the garden, I listened to the Third Generation's talk.
"You want to say I'm the same as Celes. I only realized it after fighting Aria."
Saying that, I swung two weighted wooden swords.
'You realized it? But the thing I most wanted you to realize was the feeling.'
Feeling—.
I understand what he wants to say. I lack desperation right now.
I'm not saying it's good to be impatient and spin one's wheels like Aria. However, I think it's also a problem that I have no feeling put into it.
"It's not like making a living as an adventurer is the only way to live life, anyway!"
Swinging the two wooden swords, I added attacks to an imagined enemy. I pictured an opponent who, no matter how sharply I attacked, dodged and blocked everything.
Suddenly, I became short of breath.
I remembered the fear of pointing a sword at an opponent who could never be reached, no matter how much I polished my technique.
Dropping the wooden swords on the spot, I pressed my chest to steady my labored breathing.
'Who were you imagining while swinging your sword? Shall I guess?'
"...No thank you. More importantly, about what you said earlier."
When I said that, the Third Generation said he remembered and continued the story.
'Right, right! It was about the feeling. Yes! ...Riel, a skill has manifested for you too. Since you were near the blue orb where we were sealed, it's surely a support-type skill. However, the reason it hasn't been identified yet is likely a matter of feeling.'
"My skill?"
There was no doubt it had manifested. The ancestors also said it was certain that the Jewel Orb was reacting.
However, it wasn't known what kind of skill it was.
'Skills are greatly influenced by an individual's emotions. With the current Riel, it might be natural that the skill doesn't activate.'
Told by the usually easygoing Third Generation, I held a similar opinion.
I understood after seeing Aria today.
Strong feelings shape a skill.
However, perhaps I just don't have that much feeling right now. From the moment I learned that the thing I pursued could not be obtained, I felt as if a hole had opened somewhere in my chest.
I tried to force that hole to close, but I still cannot.
'I understand why you can't find the motivation. But for the current Riel, Novem-chan's... and though it's against your will, Aria-chan's lives are at stake.'
It was certainly against my will.
I never said I would take her in, yet the conversation proceeded on its own and Aria suddenly came to be by my side.
It's selfish. It's a very selfish story.
And yet, Novem agreed to it.
"Am I wrong? Is the goal of living peacefully with just Novem wrong?"
To my question, the Third Generation answered in his usual light tone.
'Riel is the one who decides that. We have no decision-making power. The situation is against your will, and if everything were decided by our instructions from there... I wonder if Riel would be satisfied?'
Satisfied... maybe I would.
For a moment, I thought that would be easy and good.
As if seeing through me, the Third Generation spoke.
'Going with the flow is easy and good, isn't it? I was like that too. Even when I was called a righteous general or a loyal vassal without knowing it... it's actually troublesome. I had no such intention at all.'
Indeed, the image of the person I had heard about and the actual Third Generation were too far apart.
Since my breathing had steadied, I picked up the wooden sword and sat on a nearby rock.
'...Still can't decide on a goal? Or will you really live quietly with just Novem somewhere far away?'
I stopped knowing.
Is it okay to cast aside Aria, who is that desperate?
I took Aria in as a reward, but if I cast her aside now, will Aria be able to live successfully?
The things to worry about continued to increase.
While I was worrying, the Sixth Generation appeared.
'You're worrying quite a bit. Worry as much as you like. Later on, you'll find it ridiculous that you were worrying about such things.'
Thinking it's someone else's problem...
And so, looking up at the sky, the stars were shining beautifully.
The next day.
Aria woke up, but she was in a state where her body would not move.
She had forced herself to use her skill, and as a result, a load was placed on her body. Thanks to that, Novem ended up taking care of Aria.
As a result, naturally, I was the only one who could go out to work.
I went to the guild reception and chose a request to take on together with Zelfie-san.
They were all physical labor requests, and requests that were quite tough, perhaps including Zelfie-san's revenge, were lined up on the counter.
"You can choose whichever request you like. Since you'll be working alone for a while, Riel."
Indeed, it was I who acted selfishly and created a state where Aria could not participate in the party for several days.
I had no words to say back to Zelfie-san, who was grinning while lining up only the tough requests.
Seeing the exchange between me and Zelfie-san, Hawkins-san offered a helping hand.
"Zelfie-san, you are an instructor. I think it's questionable to choose requests based on personal emotions."
Then, Zelfie-san shot back.
"That's cruel, boss. That makes it sound as if I chose only harsh requests for the sake of revenge. When in fact, I chose the tough requests for Riel's own sake."
At the theatrical lines, Hawkins-san looked exasperated.
However, among those lined-up requests, I chose the one that looked the harshest.
Seeing that, Zelfie-san's eyebrows moved slightly.
"...You're not complaining today."
Zelfie-san probably remembered that I had complained when taking on chore-type requests before.
I signed the document matter-of-factly and handed it to Hawkins-san.
"I'm supporting the lives of two people, after all. I can't afford not to work."
"Look at you. You should still have a large sum of money left from the Lord."
When Zelfie-san said that, I simply waved my hand and left the guild reception.
The reception after Riel left—.
"He's become quite sturdy. When he first came here, he seemed not to know left from right."
Hawkins remembered how Riel looked when he first visited the guild.
Zelfie, the instructor, had her elbows on the counter and her face resting on her hands.
"I approached him for monitoring purposes, thinking he was some noble brat, but I panicked because there was an unbelievable background. Well, becoming sturdy is a good thing. He's not a noble anymore, after all."
Hawkins processed the received document and smiled, remembering the past.
"He reminds me of someone. Zelfie-san, you used to complain every time you took a request too."
When Hawkins brought up the past, Zelfie sulked.
"I was still naive back then! At home, with housework and etiquette and such, the world was different."
A fallen noble suffers various hardships when becoming an adventurer.
That was because the values and common sense up until then did not apply.
"I understand it's difficult. Sometimes, adventurers are hired into households. I hear those people struggle with etiquette and such."
Indeed, the worlds they lived in were different.
"...I hope Aria-ojousama can manage well too."
To Zelfie's true feelings, Hawkins answered while organizing the documents.
"Even ordinary people struggle when they become adventurers, and some lose their lives. I can't say for sure that it'll be okay, but if it's Riel-kun, he might manage somehow."
At Hawkins' high evaluation, Zelfie directed a gaze full of doubt.
"Riel? His reputation in Darion is the lowest."
When Riel subjugated the bandit group, he had repeated various useless actions. Partly because of that, Riel's reputation in Darion was low.
For an adventurer based in Darion, that was also fatal.
"It is a fact that he made the Lord provide funds and gathered over a hundred people to subjugate the bandit group. Though, I don't know what he's thinking."
It was no wonder Hawkins was perplexed.
Riel, who lacked motivation and relied on his party member Novem.
However, when the bandits appeared, he moved on his own and resolved it.
While the two were talking, an acquaintance of Zelfie's appeared in the line of the middle-aged female staff member handling the reception next to them.
Once the procedures were quickly finished, he called out to Hawkins and the others.
"Yo, isn't that Zelfie!"
At the adventurer with a scar on his middle-aged face, Zelfie made a disgusted face.
"Are you still alive? Why don't you retire?"
The opponent laughed at Zelfie's way of speaking, and the young adventurers waiting behind him had troubled expressions.
"Are you an instructor too?"
When Zelfie said that, the man nodded.
"Yeah. These guys are promising youths even in Darion. I thought I'd take them on a bit of a long trip to let them build their strength."
As an adventurer, he was more experienced than Zelfie.
Zelfie, who had worked with him several times, looked envious upon hearing that.
"I'm glad to hear things are going well."
Then, the man looked at Zelfie and grinned.
"More importantly, I heard. You're babysitting some noble idiot son. You're out of luck, Zelfie-chan."
Being called '-chan', a vein popped on Zelfie's forehead, and Hawkins cleared his throat.
The man raised both hands to his shoulders, and Zelfie clicked her tongue.
"Private fighting in the guild is prohibited. Furthermore, as adventurers, please ensure you do not cause trouble for others. More importantly, since you are instructors, you must act as models."
As Hawkins sighed, the man gave a strained smile.
"Don't be so stiff, boss. I was in the wrong, but this is just the kind of vibe between adventurers, right?"
Zelfie glared at the man and then left the counter. She was likely going to check on Riel.
"Good grief. However, a long trip? I feel it's a bit early."
Hawkins looked at the youths who had been asked for guidance by the veteran adventurer.
A group of five, appearing to be a balanced party at first glance.
Three in the vanguard, and a hunter with a bow in the rear.
Finally, a magic-user held a staff.
"Doing things bit by bit doesn't suit my nature. I want to make it so they can earn money quickly."
He was a different type of adventurer than Zelfie, but he seemed to care for the youths in his own way. From the start, adventurers who were caring were chosen as instructors.
Similarly, Zelfie said various things with her mouth, but she had a serious side that didn't abandon her work.
"I see. Please be sufficiently careful. The important thing is to return alive."
As Hawkins gave advice, the group led by the veteran adventurer left the reception.
In the now-empty reception, Hawkins looked at the neighboring counter.
In the back, a long line had formed for a young and beautiful staff member.
Most were young male adventurers.
Next to her, a middle-aged woman was quickly finishing her work.
Mid-tier adventurers were forming a line because their reports ended quickly. Both had lines, but the flow was completely different.
The flow of the beautiful receptionist's line was slow, and complaints could be heard.
The other side was fast because the work was done quietly and matter-of-factly.
And yet.
"Still, no one comes to me today..."
—Hawkins sighed.