Extra 4: Worthless Talent of a Flimsy Bard

At times I felt, this world was unfair. There were talents that could elevate yourself to live a wonderful, easy-going life; some talents was simply more valuable than others.

For example, if you're simply strong at combat or proficient in magic; among them were combat and magic forms that were rated better than most.

The ability to forge weapons, armor, and accessories were one people seek so much of.

The talent as a Merchant was a godsend. Even if it's not appreciated much, at least you could eat three times a day with it and still have the opportunity to hone your hobbies.

The ability to attract support from others was especially valuable; every profession needs it. The extent was different but having someone to rely on was generally useful.

When you know someone's got your back and people were rooting for your success, the feeling was very pleasant. Compared to walking on your own, being with dependable allies felt much better.

Of course, I never felt any such accomplishment. In this world of Swords and Magic, I was just a flimsy Bard. One who didn't sing heroic tales and epics that people love. I told tales of my suffering and various trials I went through, which wasn't all that appreciated.

Why didn't I tell the same epics or follow the tale of heroes? I found most of them rather boring. There were no heroes of present time worth following.

At this point, I had lost most of the time in my underpaid work; it's so hard to focus on being a Bard who couldn't gather money and appreciation.

I kept praying to the Goddess, day by day. I knew, even if no one would listen to me, she would.

"Why is my talent so worthless, I couldn't even become someone significant? I'm not good at fighting or magic, but it's a given since I'm just a Bard. Is my fate to be doomed because I prioritize myself over others? Goddess, I beseech you, please answer me, I'm on the last straw of my life.

There are countless times I think, I am a worthless person. I'm not fit to live in this world anymore. Goddess, please offer me salvation and end my life, I couldn't bear this life of humiliation any further."

At the end of the day, I kept piling up my sorrow and playing the victim. Until one moment, the Goddess replied:

[How much longer you wish to keep whining? Do you really believe you are born with a wrong build? Do you think your destiny in life is to suffer and make others feel good from looking down on you? Is that what you think of me?]

"No! Goddess, I won't dare! I'm just a worthless person and it's too insolent for me to.."

[Everyone has a talent and passion of their own. Believe me, if you find your trials harder, it's due to your great potential to unlock it. Do not blame your talent, for its already perfect. You just need to become a better person to make it count. Like in video games, a harder difficulty just need a better player.]

I don't know what video games the Goddess was talking about, but it might be something heavenly, far from the reaches of a mere mortal like me.

"...but I don't know how. I'm scared, Goddess. I need to eat and live under a roof, I don't wanna suffer in a life of torture and slavery, just to pursue a goal that may not be fulfilled."

[I know. Most of the mortals here feared Failure and Pain. Just remember, everything happened for a reason. Isn't it common sense to mind the consequences when you did something? If you didn't do anything which causes you to be tortured and enslaved, why should you be afraid?]

Different from the stories, this Kingdom had a unified law. Nobles could not abuse their authority just to get rid of a commoner they didn't like and many other things which infringe on a person's liberty, just because they're the Feudal Lord.

Yet, it's the wrath of my fellow commoners I am most afraid of.

"Umm...I never considered it when I'm singing a song about my life. I just want people who bleed similarly to mine to feel, like they're not alone. For a lot of things, I don't understand the consequences of it. I'm not that intelligent at all. So, I'm afraid if I did things differently, people would hate me that much. Yet, I couldn't help but keep pursuing my passion—at least in the past.

As far as I knew, I never had people throwing me out of their bars or shooed me from the water fountains, although the money I received wasn't that much either."

[That is another one of your talents. While telling a tale which may not be favored by many, you did not incite their displease.]

"Ah..."

[Your pure soul that was tortured also made me heed your call, right? Although it might be too arrogant of me, even if I was the Goddess, I hope you're happy with it.]

"No! Goddess, you're even more modest and caring compared to any other deities out there. I don't really believe in religion before I've heard of yours."

[Thank you. You sure have a way with kind words.]

"Most of them were from trying to make myself feel better though.."

[You see? You had many precious talents, not just one. I don't believe any of them are worthless. No matter what is people find valuable, it should not change what your passion is. When one cultivated their talent to its fullest, every single mortal had the chance to walk in the realm of Gods. Not having to do with our approval but through their efforts alone.

Don't you know the tales of a hero named Luciano?]

"He's the one who defeated the Demon King, a member of hero Claudius' party! From the tales: he's a genius Sorcerer who possesses so much eloquence, even more than the Elves."

[Actually, the epic I witnessed myself was completely different. Not to be rude, but Luciano was actually very ugly, not even a single woman wants to be in the same party with him. You can see how the Hero's party were all men.

In addition, Claudius all picked the ones who're uglier than him. It might surprise you that even Luciano wasn't the ugliest.]

Now that I think about it. Even if all the heroes were depicted as eloquent and handsome, they're all men—something wasn't right. I began to understand the saying 'history is written by the winners'.

"...ehh...was the handsome level based on your opinion, Goddess? I figure your standards must be extremely high, us mortals pale in comparison."

[Of course not. That's what the other people think. I only like women after all—how would I know? Though I'm not so biased that I would ignore the pleas of help from a pure soul, even if they are men.]

So it's true after all; why the women who prayed to the Goddess earnestly would get pregnant soon after. The more beautiful they are, the most likely it'd be.

[Claudius wasn't a pure and gallant hero like in the tales. He picked up his friends that way and rejected everyone who's more handsome. That way he'd always be the one girls look at.

...as his karma, which I have nothing to do with—he was the only one who couldn't get a wife.]

"Based on the tales, he decides to live a secular life to devote himself to you, Goddess?"

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[Yes and no. All of the heroes weren't exactly religious. After so many fruitless years of trying to romance women, he realizes, it wasn't his talent.]

"I thought love was based upon a mutual attraction?"

[In that case, there weren't any women—or men—who fit his tastes, vice versa. He's also against arranged marriage. From the start of his search for love, he abandoned his noble tasks to his younger brother, Belletti, who later on become one of the most prominent Duke family in this Kingdom.

Claudius' secular life without any women or love had made him attain enlightenment on his own—that it's fine to be alone. After passing away in peace, he was reborn as one of the Angels—she's now a loli though.]

Ah, I remembered the tale of the Hero who ascended as an Angel! Even if the Hero's name was kept anonymous, when I think of it again, it couldn't be someone other than Claudius!

What's a loli though? The terminology used by the Goddess is so profound.

"It was a pleasant tale, Goddess—but I thought you want to tell Luciano's story at first."

[Whoops, I got side-tracked. Ahem, so—in truth, Luciano wasn't actually a Sorcerer.

He was a Bard, just like you. Unlike you, his talents as a Bard, in general, was way worse. His singing was so bad and the tune of his instruments was so off-key people would lose their apetite. The folks would throw him off the bar and beat him up afterward. Fortunately, Luciano was very tough and could take a lot of beating.

Unfortunately, it caused the townspeople to be angry due to his stubborn nature; they plead to the local Feudal Lord to set him off and sell him to slavery.]

"I only know, from the point, Luciano began as a slave when he first met Claudius. When Claudius finally realized his worth, he could only view him as an equal, so he abolished the slave contract."

[It's a kind of plot hole how they only vaguely elaborate about the Heroes' past.

Based on the tales, Luciano was recognized for his worth since Claudius was so impressed with his singing.]

"I thought the Hero Luciano was a legendary Sorcerer and also a Bard so marvelous, I couldn't even think about becoming like him at all."

[I told you, he's no Sorcerer. Nor you could become like him since, well, he's unique.

Claudius was also unique, Luciano's singing was so horrible but it didn't affect him. Rather, he was touched since he was bored of hearing so many beautiful but empty songs, yet this was the first one a song had tugged at his heartstrings.

...but his strongest impression—Luciano's songs were extremely effective on exterminating monsters.]

"Wasn't it because Luciano had an innate gift of Heavenly Voice? Monsters were known as the spawn of the Demon King."

[Yes, putting it that way, it might be one of the Author's sarcastic remark. Of course, Luciano only thought of his voice as a gift from Heaven, and such belief succeeds in saving the world—there's nothing wrong with that.

Do you remember how the Demon King was defeated?]

"Ah, it's my favorite part of the story—how couldn't I forget the details. The four heroes, upon reaching their peril, since the Demon King's might was so great, huddled up together. With the Demonic Tyrant seemingly over-content with his overwhelming strength; he didn't even realize, the bits of time he gave for the Heroes to prepare their last moments— was actually the moment his own doom was sealed!

With Luciano's sign, the heroes began to sing together, O Heavenly Song, Dedicate to Fair Goddess. The melody so beautifully pristine, it would make even cruelest demons cry--"

[Ahahahaha! That's right, the song was so horribly wonderful when they all sang it together, I even rolled over from laughing. I still had the video from that time if you wanna watch it together.]

A video? Hmm...was it similar to the magic crystal recording, hmm...

"Goddess, you could actually stand the song? I...just can't believe it...to think...my aspiration was like..."

[I have proof you know. I have all the records of their adventures since it's so epic and entertaining. I think I could even listen to their singing on repeat, it's so bad it becomes good and you'd get used to it.]

"As expected from the Goddess."

[You know the actual details, since you know, Luciano trained the other three heroes in singing, not because he was prepared for it at all. He simply made a song which requires four of them to sing together and they're all, not coincidentally, were almost as wonderfully bad as Luciano. Well, his singing was so iconic, the other heroes couldn't seem to listen to any other songs.

I somehow felt sorry for the Demon King though.]

"True, somewhat. I could feel his pain. I couldn't even imagine what song would be so horrible even he would..."

[Wanna listen?]

"Please, no, Goddess—I'm so sorry."

[Hee...you're no fun. Well alright, enough of the jokes. You understand what I'm getting at, when I'm telling you my version of Luciano's story?]

"When I think again, there are no things like a Worthless Talent. You just need to hone it and drive it to the direction where it could be something valuable."

[Quite close, but it still doesn't match the point.]

"Hmm...let me think. Maybe the idea of talent itself was worthless since it's probably just something people use for their own self-satisfaction?"

[Keep going.]

"If you love something and obsessed with it so much, you can keep pursuing it your way. No matter how worthless you think your passion might be, there's always a way you could use it to reach the pinnacle."

[Almost there!]

"It's just like a tool. It's not about being born with the sharpest tool in the shed, but becoming the sharpest person to use that tool most effectively. Unlike actual tools, I believe in their limitless potential, to the point it could even reach the realm of Gods."

[Well done!]

"Ahaha...phew...I don't know if I really got it, but many thanks, Goddess."

[Don't mention it. By the way, it wouldn't be finished before you finally know how to use your gifts appropriately, you see?]

"Ah."

....

Months later.

"Your parents are a bunch of unecessary sewage!"

The slimes died.

"Your mother is a worthless cur of a bitch!"

The killer wolves died.

"Your father smell so bad, he had to wear a human's rump to get rid of it!"

The goblin groups died.

"Your ancestors were a filthy waste of space and their manure had worst quality!"

The grey buffalo died.

Ah, so refreshing.

Insulting the monster's parents and ancestors until they died while freely collecting the monster cores and materials, I made another killing—no pun intended!

Takes me back when I first tried to pass the Adventurer Guild's entrance examination.

Although the instructor already gave me a go right away, after I made the wooden scarecrow crumble by insulting its ancestors.

"I rest my butt in your grandparents' every single day!"

I guess it was true.

I don't really mind if people hate me. After all, I learned how to curse from the Goddess herself.