Arriving at a canteen looking area, I fairly safely assume that this is where we would be eating for the next while. My thoughts supported by the fact there were already several summoned having breakfast.
Looking around, I see a line of summoned leading to a long counter where several cooks were serving out food. Surprisingly similar to what modern canteens looked like, just with more wood.
Joining the line, I grab a tray. Slowly making my way along, I eventually come to the part of the counter where chefs were handing out bowls of soup, with a few pieces of bread on the side.
“Do you want sourdough or seeded bread?” One of the chefs asks.
“Sourdough if you don’t mind.” I respond. The chef quickly handing me the food which I place on the tray I grabbed.
Noticing that I had received an extra piece of bread. I look towards the cook who handed me the food, who simply gave me a smile while shaking his head.
Curious, I walk slowly to the seating area, hoping to notice something that might tell me why the chef was being so kind.
“Sourdough or seeded?”I hear a cook ask, “Seeded.” the next summoned whos turn had arrived answered bluntly. Realising it must have just simply been because I was polite, I yet again brush the matter to the side.
Looking for a table without many people, I notice that a lot of the summoned looked at me with distasteful eyes.
Some with jealousy, some with fear. Using their reactions to my advantage, I move to a table with very few people.
Sitting down, I breath a sigh of relief seeing that my idea had worked. Watching the people who had been sitting there before me get up and leave, I start to eat my soup in peace. Though slightly disheartened by the blatant avoidance.
Whatever gods ruled over this place seemed to want otherwise, because the guy who had spoken up the other day at the physical evaluation came over and sat down with me. Praying that he had come to just eat and didn’t want to talk, my hopes are shattered into millions of pieces as he strikes up a conversation.
“Erja, right? Nice to meet you.” He says with a sickening smile, like he was trying too hard to be perfect.
“A pleasure. Can I help you at all?” I respond, calling on every ounce of my years of lying to not be snarky and rude to the kid.
“You can actually. My name is Finn, I wanted to apologise for the other day and how people are treating you.” Accepting that I had no way out of this situation, I take the moment to look at his stats and skills.
[Scan confirmed, scanned targets information:
Name: Finn
Race: Human
Class: Hero
Vit:13
Agi:10
Str:12
Mag:9
Def:12
Status: Fine, Nervous, Scared,
Innate Ability:
Skills:
Lower self empower: lvl 1, Lower shortsword handling: lvl 2,]
Running over his stats, they aren't much to worry about. Same with his skills, he has potential, but as he is he’s only above average.
The thing that caught my eye was his status. He’s physically fine, but scared of me. ‘I can use this to my advantage.’ Keeping my thoughts to myself, I start to play a fiddle named Finn.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“No worries, I do feel a sense of shame for scaring the rest of the heroes. But the way they treat me is too much!” I say with faked sadness, playing the role of a strong but introverted person.
“No No! I feel responsible, I’m truly sorry. If there is anything I can do to make up for it.” Realising the game he's playing by becoming a martyr, I almost feel impressed that he was doing so well.
Of course, he falls flat when trying to pull it off against someone that had been doing it their entire life. Feeling a sense of excitement that I get to play a game of deception, I keep my act going.
“There’s no need to go that far. If anything, I should be the one who does something for you and the rest of the heroes to make up for what i've done.” I say, backing him into a corner he doesn't know he's falling into.
He smirks, trying and failing to hide it too late. Seemingly realising that he has got me where he wants from his point of view, he springs his plan to get me to do something out of guilt.
“Well, I doubt you have to do anything. After all, you haven't done anything wrong. But if you truly feel that you need to make amends, I know something you could do.” He says.
Wondering what it could be that he wants, I continue to play along. “Yes! Please! I want to apologise to everyone.” Really leaning into the desperate introvert role, I give the final nudge to get him to fall into place.
“Well, I heard from Lady Arwin that in a few days we will be going on a field mission to gather practical experience. If you can help me with that, I will try to make it so everyone sees your strength and reliability so that they will forgive you.”
Hearing his request, I am surprised by the amount of ways he made with his words to get out of doing anything if he wants. ‘If you weren't trying to pawn me, I might have made great use of you before I leave. A shame.’
“Of course! I’ll use all of my strength to help you if you can get them to forgive me.” I respond.
“Good. When the field exam starts, come find me.” He then gets up and walks to another table, easily slipping into the group sitting there as if he had always been there.
‘I think I've found a mental punching bag I can use. I’d call him names if I meant I wasn’t being a hypocrite.’ Finishing my soup in peace, I end up messing around with the voice while eating.
‘I wonder how I level my skills and abilities.’
[Command confirmed, bringing up all information available on levelling. Please hold.]
‘I really need to find a way to increase the speed of this thing.’
[Information will now be displayed. The following information has been split into parts as per the previous command: ‘Less information at once.’
Magic Affinities:
Basic Magic Skills:
Basic Physical skills:
Basic Passive Skills:
Innate Ability Levelling (Unique):]
Looking over the skills, I decided to look at the innate ability levelling first as I didn’t have a reason to look at the others yet. And I had a hunch that we would learn about them very soon considering the field exam is supposed to happen in the next few days.
[Command confirmed, information on: Innate Ability Levelling (Unique), will now be shown.
Innate Abilities:
Nearly all innate abilities are unique in the way that they are very rarely the same skill between people or creatures.
People or creatures of the same bloodline may have the same innate ability. Depending on the ability the levelling will change. If it is a magic skill, comprehension will most commonly be the way of levelling.
Physical abilities will be through skill and repetition. Though some skills will have ways of increasing their level through harvesting an item or attribute, the most common variation of this is life essence.]
‘... That doesn't tell me how to level the voice though.’ Confused on what to do, I try to be more specific.
[Command confirmed, gathering information on how to level :Voice of nothing: innate ability…
Information unavailable. Re-registering command, please hold…
Information unavailable. Re-registering command, please hold…
Information unavailable. Re-registering command, please hold…]
‘What the fuck? Why can’t it gather information on itself?’
[Information unavailable. Re-registering command, please hold…
Information unavaila-
Information has been confirmed, displaying information on how to level :Voice of nothing:]
‘There we go, what kind of information is it that it failed to bring it up?’
[To level :Voice of nothing: the user must: Die, or, accept.]