Chapter 12: Abilities Come in Different Forms (4)
"So tell me, could I become just like you?" the blond asked after taking a sip of sobering coffee.
"No!" There was steel in my friend's voice.
Taken aback by his sharp response, the girl jumped in fear and confusion.
"Sorry," the guy began to apologize. "I didn't mean to scare you or hurt your feelings. It's just... " Natal trailed off. "You're a good, kind girl. You don't need to become like us."
"Hey, hey!" Kei Li chimed in. "We're awesome!"
"Exactly!" I gave my friend a pat on the shoulder. "By the way," I turned to the girl, "trying to be like us is not as fun as it may seem. Real 'adventures' are quite different from what they write about in novels. The sight of corpses and the stench of someone else's entrails are far from, heh, aesthetically pleasing, and not everyone appreciates it."
"No-no," Eris waved her hands. "I don't want to fight anyone! I just wanted to know if I could become strong enough to protect myself from scoundrels. And cut it out, Kurome! You're scaring me," she said with a smile. "I've been to the Arena, you know!"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her last remark, choosing not to comment. There was a "tiny" difference between sitting in a comfortable lounge and actually participating in battle. If I was right and we were indeed going to be attacked by the bandits hired by the caravan leader, Eris would soon realize it. Words, no matter how often you repeat them, remain words. So, instead of arguing, I chose to answer her question.
"Theoretically, anyone can become a mighty warrior of the spirit," I said, seeing the pleasantly surprised look on the young woman's face. "In theory. Just like anyone can become a millionaire. Who's stopping yesterday's peasant from getting involved in commerce and accumulating wealth?" I remembered how much "despicable metal" was contained in one aureus, and made simple calculations “twelve and a half tons of gold?”
"Not even my father could probably amass a heap like that," the girl chuckled. "Is it really that difficult?"
"If everything were easy and straightforward, then everyone could crush rocks and compete in speed with bullets," I snorted with a teasing tone. "That's if we're talking about the upper limit. Becoming a warrior or even an Adept is easier, but still not simple. There aren't many people with even the strength of a Novice in this world. It also depends on talent, but you see, talent is rare. Well, the example of wealth is quite fitting. Some peasants indeed have to start from scratch with nothing but a hole in their trousers, while a lucky few might just not squander their inheritance."
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"You're talking about Bloodline Heritage, aren't you?" the girl asked excitedly.
Could it be that Eris was a proponent of that absurd theory of hereditary superiority? I was somewhat surprised; the girl was clearly not so foolish or arrogant as to believe in it.
For centuries, a widely discredited yet remarkably resilient myth of social superiority had been circulating in the Empire. You see, by right of birth, noble blood carriers surpassed the "dirty rabble" in intellect, health, and beauty, and the aristocracy was the next stage of human development. Because a beautiful, clean, and educated noble was truly remarkable compared to a dirty, downtrodden, often illiterate commoner. What more evidence did one need? Sure, it would be interesting to see how those beautiful, educated, and healthy "superhumans" fared if they worked from dawn to dusk and barely had enough to eat. In short, it was utter nonsense, but it was popular among the nobility, and it even made its way into many textbooks, if only to be debunked.
However, there was a grain of truth in there. Gifted children were more common in the families of hereditary spirit warriors, like the military aristocracy, which included my sentient minion. Nevertheless, this made me voice the point that even a child with extraordinary talent might not outperform a less gifted individual with more resources and knowledge.
Where the former may have to survive mortal danger from the very beginning, ideally somewhere in regions rich in natural power, such as the Wildlands, the latter could simply pay the Temple of War. The most expensive and prestigious temples had their own training grounds where newcomers were tested. That's where they actually trained Neophytes. For Adepts and beyond, the actual development took place in similarly prepared locations. Despite the seeming inborn nature of these abilities, learning to consciously control them and optimize the expenditure of energy could be quite dangerous. For any form of advancement beyond the Novice level, one typically had to either be a monster or at least Altered.
Self-improvement through the trial-and-error method was also possible, but needless to say, nearly any significant oversight was fraught with injury, at best. It meant that for self-improvement, one usually had to be a Warrior or at least a very experienced Adept.
Or a genius with highly developed inner energy perception.
In general, it's much like the situation with education. Formally, it's like a working social elevator: study, work hard, and you'll become successful. In reality, though, for urban or peasant children, climbing up that elevator is nearly impossible. No money and no connections mean no education and no good job.
Of course, many temples did buy talented orphans and turned them into warriors, but that was hardly different from our Unit's conditions. It still meant a lifelong service, albeit without drugs and the disposal of the weak. I didn't know if there were funds for gifted science children, but I wouldn't be surprised if such an organization existed and worked on principles similar to the temples' lifelong contracts.
If we move to more fantastical possibilities, a Teygu can initiate the host with a high degree of internal energy compatibility and can make a person grow rapidly, following its own pattern. Yet the chances of success are quite slim, and the likelihood of suffering rejection and painfully dying from a lack of resistance is higher.
"Tell me, Kurome, do I have a talent?" Eris asked, having listened to my improvised lecture.
"How would I know? Although…" I paused, thinking about my recently acquired sensory abilities. After all, a desire for strength and a quest for independence were close to me. If that was the case, why not try to help a girl I sympathized with? Curiosity had also stirred within me. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"To my room."
"W-why?" At another moment, I wouldn't have missed the opportunity to tease the flustered girl. But now, captivated by an idea, I didn't pay attention to her or to Kei Li's cheeky comments.
"I need a quiet environment for the test. Although if you've changed your mind, that's your choice," I headed back to my chair.
"No, we'll go. I'm ready." Eris rose from her seat, confidently taking my hand, and led me to the stairs.