Chapter 22: How to use your skills
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Translator: Denryuu
Editor: Ryunakama
A few days had passed without Meiri. I continued working at the guild as per normal, while Lyla remained at home. If she got bored, she would turn into her feline form and come to work with me.
「Roland-san… you’ve been looking a little down recently.」, observed Milia as I was arranging books.
「Me… looking a little down?」
「Yes. It’s because of Meiri, isn’t it?」
Could that be the case? I personally hadn’t noticed it myself.
Explaining to my colleagues that Meiri had been returned to her parents, I realised that I hadn’t felt any ‘warmth’ at all since her departure.
「My heart feels… inexplicably sad.」
「Roland-san, that’s called ‘loneliness’, you know?」
Oh, so that’s what ‘loneliness’ is? That has to be the case, then. I felt a little relieved, as if I had just found a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Both Lyla and I had been ‘lonely’ for the past few days.
Iris had asked for an explanation regarding the whole affair with Lord Bardell. When we were alone in her office, I told her everything, not sparing the little details. Back then, everyone had been angry at me for causing a commotion, but after hearing the full story, they praised me instead.
「You’re more of a knight in shining armor than an assassin, aren’t you?」
A ‘knight in shining armor’ doesn’t kill people for a living, I thought, but I decided not to say anything.
「Excuse me –! Please give me another chance! I’ll study harder and improve at magic!!」
「Even if you say that…」
A teenage boy was at the counter, lowering his head to the receptionist.
「I really want to become an adventurer!」
「I’m sorry, but a fail is a fail. Please try again next time.」
The exchange had piqued my interest.
「That child failed the entry test a while ago, but he refuses to accept reality. He came yesterday as well.」
Anyone who isn’t a felon is allowed to take the entry test. In order to pass, you have to meet a certain standard and have your abilities validated by the examiner. According to the employee manual, re-tests are only allowed after six months, presumably to allow the examinee sufficient time to improve.
Flipping through the test archives, I noticed that out of all the hopefuls who had taken the test after Meiri, only one had failed. He was a fourteen year old boy by the name of Zepetto.
「…」
Heh. I see.
Test records include, but are not limited to, name, age, weapons mastered, skills (if applicable), magic level and the examiner’s name.
「We are closing soon. Please kindly take your leave.」
「…fine.」
Zepetto drooped his shoulders and quietly headed outside. As it was near closing, I quickly completed my duties and headed after him. I could hear Milia’s voice in the back.
「Wait… have you seen Roland-san?」
「Argan-kun? He left a short while ago.」
「Ehhh… so early!? But I wanted to have dinner with him…」
Zepetto was seated on the stone steps at the entrance to the guild.
「Is half a year too long for you?」, I said.
He looked up.
「Employee-san… indeed, it is. I wanted to quickly become an adventurer and make my mother happy…」
Becoming an adventurer would be a dream come true for many — so great were the benefits. However, it was akin to gambling, with only a handful of applicants eventually being successful.
「I’m not strong at all… because of that, I stumbled during the test…」
Although the examiner had been a fellow male employee, there was nothing strange about the test records. Zepetto was born and raised in this city, leading a humble life with his mother.
「I’ve seen heroes clash with the Demon King’s army from afar. I aspired to be like them one day. They mowed down hordes of monsters and demons with their swords — it was simply amazing.」
So that’s why he focused on swords. When I joined forces with Almeria, her sword skills had also been sorely lacking as she was relying entirely on raw talent.
「I’ve seen your test results… your skill is ‘Impale’, right?」
「Yes. Having seen it before, I wanted to be just like those heroes — that’s why I chose the sword. However, this skill hasn’t been useful at all. How I wish someone would teach me a better one.」
Anybody can pick up any skill, although there are a few exceptions. Just like how mine was ‘Thin Shadow’, his was ‘Impale’.
「Can you demonstrate your skill for me?」
「Eh? I can, but…」
Even a trash skill depends on the user’s execution; a little creativity is required. In addition, his skill wasn’t as depressingly lame as mine. Zepetto, looking incredulous, brought me to an empty plot of land.
「Okay, here I go.」
He unsheathed his sword and assumed a fighting stance. His stance, leaving numerous openings, was almost laughably bad.
「Haa!!」
Gripping the sword with both hands, he activated his skill. The tip of the sword glinted slightly, and Zepetto carried out a few slashes, stabs and swipes accompanied by other fancy movements.
「As implied by its name, ‘Impale’ is a specialised type of piercing skill. I see that you’re carefully timing your moves.」
「Yes, I am!」, replied the youth happily.
Looking around, I found a suitable-looking object.
「Try using this instead.」
「Eh, this isn’t a weapon, though…?」
「Do you know how to use it?」
「Yes, I do. Please don’t take me for a fool.」
Slightly annoyed, he gripped the shovel and stabbed downwards into the ground.
Za-kun!!
「Wow, it went all the way in…!」
Having stabbed with all his strength, the shovel had buried itself with only half the handle sticking out.
「Holy…」
「See what I mean?」
「Hold up… that means that my weapon is a shovel? That is super duper uncool…」
Zepetto fell onto his knees and hung his head low.
「It’s extremely important to be able to dig holes. In a cave or in a forest with no safety zone, you can mark out a rest area for passers-by. The by-products, dirt, granite, et cetera, can be used for construction purposes as well.」
「You’re… you’re right!」
Like digging into pudding with a spoon, he had dug a hole without so much as breaking a sweat.
「I can’t fight with this, but it is convenient.」
「Becoming an adventurer isn’t all about fighting, you know?」
Zepetto agreed, smiling.
「If the examiner has any adventuring experience, he’ll recognise the practical aspect of your skill when used with a shovel.」
「Oooh… I can’t retake the test until half a year later, though.」
「You don’t have to take it here. Just try your luck at a neighbouring town.」
There’s no rule dictating that an adventurer can only take up quests issued at the village of his birth — you can do it anywhere as long as you’re willing to go that far.
「Really? I can do that?」
「It’s a little far from here, but it’s possible. I believe that the receptionist you spoke to earlier meant to say that you can only re-test here in six months.」
「So that’s what she meant… I see. Thank you for spending your precious time to teach me!」
With a little bop of his head, Zepetto scampered away jauntily. To be honest, I had wanted to teach him how to use a proper weapon — not just a shovel. However, the shovel alone should be more than enough to help him pass the test.
Shovel-wielding adventurers are almost non-existent. He would certainly be a curiosity to many.
A week later, Zepetto returned to the guild.
「Employee-san!」
With an adventurer’s license in hand, he had come to tell me the good news.
「The examiner had a lot of praise for me! He said that the way I apply my skill and my ingenuity can be of great use in the future! It was your idea, employee-san, so I wanted to say a word of thanks to you!」
「Ah, that’s great to hear.」
「He also mentioned special quests where you detect and excavate ores or dig tunnels which have handsome rewards!」
In the end, he hadn’t disappointed his mother. I decided that there would be no need to teach him how to use weapons after all.
「I’m looking forward to your future escapades.」
「Oh, you speak too highly of me!」
「I didn’t want to say this the last time as it felt kind of like a stop-gap, but would you like to learn how to wield a spear?」
Pausing to think for a while, Zepetto finally shook his head.
「I’ll stick with this style for now after all, it’s what makes me unique. If the need arises, I’ll learn it then.」
I smiled back at the grinning young lad. Although ‘Impale’ can’t make him a hero, the world could do with more adventurers like him, I thought to myself.
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