New skills?

The air outside the city walls feel different. Even though there are some refugee camps even out here, it feels so much less cramped. The streets, parks and mansion grounds inside Atol were packed. While the atmosphere isn’t hostile, it is definitely more tense than out here. For now, everyone seems to accept that they have to live like this to avoid the demon threat, but it’s only a matter of time before resources run out and tensions run high.

Safrim and Karina get their fair share of cheers as we pass through the city gate and beyond. While I am supposed to be the hero, they are well known throughout Atol. Karina is in a better mood than before, having talked things out with her father properly. Safrim is saying his farewells to the guards we pass as if he’s setting out on a year-long journey. Only Nono and Poru walk next to me, completely silent. They’re not getting swept up in the commotion as the others are.

“It’s a little over a day to walk to my homestead from here,” Nono explains as we turn onto an eastward road. “With the cart, we usually make the trip in two days, as the animals need breaks.”

“I suggest we take two days as well and rest early today. Yuki isn’t used to this way of travelling,” Safrim says.

“You’re right. I appreciate it.”

“It feels wrong to be taking it leisurely when so much is at stake,” Karina says from the front.

“We can’t be anxious and stressed all the time. If we wear ourselves out unreasonably this early in the trip, we’re making a big mistake, trust me. I’ve led my share of expeditions against the demon army. We need to be alert, but we also need to take care of ourselves.”

Karina nods thoughtfully at Safrim. “I’m nothing if not reasonable when confronted with an expert, but even if I’m tired, I will always achieve what I set out to do.”

“You’re very sure of that, aren’t you?”

“It’s never been wrong.”

“So far.”

“I wanted to join this group and so it worked out. The rest will fall into place, I know it.”

Just how powerful is her luck skill? Considering she has a literal cat god walking at her feet, I have high hopes. I wonder if there can be anything that negates the skill. There has to be, right? I hope we never encounter it. I also hope Karina won’t walk into trouble because she relies on her powers too much.

“Just don’t run into danger unreasonably,” I say and Karina smiles at me.

“I won’t,” she says quickly, but I don’t know if I can trust her.

“Where did the demons even come from?” I ask, trying to change the topic as I kick a pebble off the road.

“The Demon King appeared one day and claimed the central lands,” Safrim says.

“Appeared one day? From where? Do you have like… demon lands, where they usually live?”

“No.”

“Was he summoned then, like me?”

“No one knows,” Karina says.

I glance at Nono, who walks in front of us so I can’t see her expression. Does she know? Too bad I can’t ask her.

“I should’ve asked Erya. She was around back then, wasn’t she? A goddess is immortal, no?”

Safrim shakes his head. “I should be used to it since my sister is the high priestess, but you talking about the Lady Erya line you’re catching up with a friend is still somewhat startling to me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. We can’t speak with our gods in my world, so I don’t have a concept of this.”

“What is she like?” Poru asks.

He’s always extra interested when Erya is concerned, which is logical considering his status as her acolyte, but sad when thinking about his background.

“Like a… very busy, but still concerned leader? A boss of a company working under extreme stress, but still making time for her employees. I don’t know what the equivalent would be here.”

“I think I get it,” Poru answers. “Thank you.”

“Maybe she’ll take a moment to talk to all of us if I ask her.”

“That… you think she would do that?”

I can't help but laugh, as the version of Erya I have in my head is still the one flailing as her throne collapses. “It’s the least she can do if we’re already fighting the fight for her.”

“My sister would lock you up for blasphemy,” Safrim says, grinning. “Alright, let’s get moving a bit faster. I know we shouldn’t stress ourselves, but at this rate we’ll still be in Atol at sunset.”

I’m so glad that Safrim is here. He’s naturally taken over the leadership role. I’m just not made for that. I’m made for…Oh. Well. Did I effectively do my job as an HR manager again and hired a CEO for our party? I think I might have. Too bad I can’t put that on my CV.

——

I fall quiet as we walk, taking in the surrounding area and the people passing by. Many are working the fields, getting whatever they can out of the earth before the air turns colder. It’s still summer, but that won’t last forever. I marvel at the way they use water and wind magic to tend to the plants, how the ground is shifted with earth powers. In my world, large machines would do the work. I’ve often wondered if living in a world with magic would hinder scientific progress the way I know it. Why build sprinklers when you can conjure up water? Why build cars when you could fly by yourself? I suppose not everyone can use magic, but the ones that do would easily get jobs.

I am listening to Karina and Nono talking about the state of the countryside, when I feel a hand on my shoulder. It’s Safrim.

“Yuki, can you try something for me?” he asks and when I nod, he addresses Poru. “What is the simplest light spell you know?”

“Mhm… probably Starlight. It’s so basic, children could do it if they have the aptitude.”

“Oh, the one that creates sparkles?”

“Yes. It’s usually used for light, but it’s very faint, so people don’t often choose it—except the ones that can’t cast anything else, but light alignment is usually strong when it’s present. Oh, and some alchemical processes need starlight, and for that it’s useful.”

Safrim nods. “Sounds perfect. Can you teach it to Yuki?”

Poru stops in his tracks. “Me? Teach?”

“Yuki is blessed by the light, surely he can learn light aligned spells?”

I think about my skill tree and I’m not so sure. Then again, it couldn’t hurt to try. Maybe there aren’t any other skills because I haven’t learned any yet. Or because I haven’t… I haven appraised myself yet, have I? What an egregious oversight. I look at my hands and concentrate. I half expect nothing to happen or the system telling me I need a mirror to see my face, but a text does pop up, just not what I expected.

[Appraisal skill is too low to appraise this individual.]

Too low?? I barely manage myself from shouting. What do you mean too low? Shouldn’t I be able to know myself? 

What kind of stupid system is this???