“Without the assistance of Skills and the allure of Advancement, many jobs necessary for society to run would be truly dreadful. With that in mind, it is an interesting thought experiment, I think, to imagine what life would be like without The System.”

~Unknown

After briefly excusing myself to go and fetch Fudge, who had become vocally dissatisfied with their relative exclusion in proceedings, I was given insight into the apparent drama surrounding my Core Skill. Obviously, I never doubted that there were layers to my life obfuscated from me due to my age. That was simply the way of things when raising a child.

It ultimately boiled down to the fueha incident.

As if it hadn’t been damaging enough. I gathered that Hwan was unable to continue hiding my Core Skill due to the obligations of his role. When the relevant report passed beneath the ambitious eyes of an accomplished Capital kiss-ass, interested parties would be informed of my existence. Then, through some obscure technicality, I would be conveniently conscripted and whisked away.

Naturally, I had questions.

First and foremost, I asked why such extensive details were included in incident reports. I wish I hadn’t. Increasingly exhausting webs of bureaucracy became necessary for those Skilled in the subject to adequately challenge themselves, hence, more paperwork.

It was worse in The Capital proper. One of Tina’s brothers once had to apply for a temporary trading license. The sheer, mind-numbing pedantry involved was truly daunting. I lost track of the anecdote around the time she mentioned how one of the sections required specific, ambient humidity conditions in a designated room during the signing process to be considered valid. Don’t want to wait for nature and instead artificially adjust the humidity of a room for signing purposes? That requires its own application.

A new fear was unlocked that day. The terrifying prospect of having to endure that kind of torture rooted itself deep into my psyche.

Scribes, lawyers, and all manner of professionals Skilled in navigating the ink-stained depths of bureaucracy offered their services to those who required guidance. Naturally, they charged a fee for their trouble but it was one I would happily pay in the future if I had the need and the means.

“That sounds awful,” I eventually commented, earning a laugh from Lionel.

“With every fiber of my being, Will, let me assure you that it is.” True to his earlier bribe, Lionel spent some time boiling water while Tina explained the horrors of bureaucracy. Coffee grounds were stuffed into what looked like a baby-sized sock before the hot water was filtered through it. It wasn’t barista quality technology, but it got the job done, and soon the inviting aroma of coffee infused the air.

Oh sweet System how I have missed you, I thought as I got my first good whiff of that sweet ambrosia.

“It seems we have gotten sidetracked,” Tulos interjected. He’d taken the time to haul his favorite stump over to sit on while everyone talked.

“True enough,” Lionel admitted. “Tina, would you-”

“Yes. Definitely. Please,” she cut him off, not taking her eyes off of the brew. The fire of her frustration had been all but smothered once Lionel’s peace offering transitioned from hypothetical to tangible. Her initial objections were washed away beneath the fragrant tide of-

Fuck, I miss coffee, I realized when my thoughts on the matter grew increasingly poetic. Not good poetic, either, more like ‘teenager-experimenting-with-love-sonnets’ poetic.

“Can I have some?” I asked innocently, hoping I didn’t look too desperate.

“No, young Will, you may not,” Lionel shot me down quickly. “The coffee beans I procured were Skill-grown for my personal consumption. Should you consume the resulting brew, I suspect you may never sleep soundly again.”

I frowned.

“Mom, is that-”

“Sorry, my Will, but Lionel is right.” Tina seized a metallic mug from Lionel and took a slow sip from the steaming coffee within. Her sigh of pleasure at the experience was like a slap to the face.

“This also means your mother may be similarly energized,” the mischievous Slayer added in a stage whisper. “Alas, she is an adult and thus spared the practical guidance of her elders in this instance.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Tina just mumbled happily into her drink.

“Like I was saying,” Tulos repeated. “Sidetracked.”

Vigil was busy distracting Fudge who had decided that he wanted to play with the older dog. After a tumble, Fudge’s left ear flopped over his head and got stuck that way, an amusing phenomenon that had been happening increasingly often. I took a moment to call up his Skill summary and noted that he’d already gained a few proficiency points in Dog from their play-wrestling.

Guidance from a teacher definitely makes a difference, I noted.

“I think I understand so far,” I said to appease Tulos. I could tell the conversation had him on edge. After so many years, I’d grown more adept at reading his often subtle body language. Given Tina’s initial attitude, I could empathize.

“I am just not sure how Uncle Lionel fits into all of this,” I continued. Tina almost choked on her drink when I repeated the familial moniker offered the previous night, much to Lionel’s amusement. For all his eccentricities, I wanted Lionel in my corner. “Is he going to be the one to take me to The Crown, or…” I trailed off.

“Over my dead-”

“Love, now is not the time to argue this point,” Tulos interrupted abruptly. It was a noteworthy occurrence only because of how rare it was, like spotting a unicorn playing chess with a dodo. Tina scowled but, after a tense moment, relented. I’d once reflected on the weight of Tulos’ words given their scarcity and suspected I was witnessing another microcosm of that phenomenon. Tulos gathered his thoughts and continued.

“You can consider Lionel-”

“Ahem!” The man in question loudly cleared his throat.

“You can consider Uncle Lionel to be our backup plan.” Tulos pinched the bridge of his nose as if reconsidering the wisdom of requesting Lionel’s involvement.

“I shall not bore you with the technicalities, but The Slayers and The Crown have an understanding,” Lionel picked up the dangling explanation. “Part of that understanding involves some special rules for recruitment.” Just like that, I had enough pieces of the puzzle.

“So I could become a Slayer, like you, if I do not want to be taken by The Crown?” Just because I had a solid idea of the situation didn’t mean that I shouldn’t verify. Lionel nodded in the affirmative, and I frowned. “So the plan to save me from being conscripted by one group is to have me recruited by another?”

A look of pure vindication spread over Tina’s face as I expressed my doubts, meanwhile Lionel just laughed.

“Honestly, should young Will decide to try his luck with The Crown they might end up sending him back.” He tapped the side of his temple. “Their preference is for the dull so that they may be deliberately sharpened.”

“Can we all take a moment to appreciate that even a child can see how flimsy your scheme is?” Tina goaded before hoisting me off the ground. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and kept me up there.

I am getting a bit too big for this, I noted, but Tina didn’t seem bothered. I suspected it was a strategic play on her part to make us look like a unified front.

“Again, if you have a better plan, I am open to suggestions,” Tulos said flatly. When Tina didn’t immediately respond I realized what the crux of the matter was.

Rock, meet hard-place.

“There are no better plans, are there?” I asked, and again it was Lionel who spoke up first.

“Unfortunately, no. Your Core Skill comes with certain advantages, but those advantages also have a cost.” He shrugged. “Such is the way of the world, young Will. Unfortunate that you have to be exposed to it at such a tender age, but again, life is not always fair and just.”

“System, Lionel, have some tact. He is still a boy,” Tina snapped.

“He is also a potential Slayer candidate,” LIonel rebutted. “To deny him the truth would be to do him a disservice. So that we may stop dancing around the issue, I will endeavor to make it clear. Will, there exists a possibility, however slim, that your Skills go unnoticed by The Crown. In this instance, you may live out the rest of your childhood without interruption.

“The far more likely outcome is that, sometime within the next several years, you will be forced to choose between accepting Crown conscription or - potentially - Slayer recruitment. I cannot speak for the former but, should you choose the latter, you will be trained to seek out and eliminate the myriad Beasts that roam The Inner Rings.” Lionel let out a small huff and took a steadying breath. “That is, of course, an oversimplification, but for the sake of brevity it will suffice.”

Well, fuck, I thought. Neither option seemed particularly attractive, if only because I wasn’t interested in getting tied down for the rest of my life. Still… I could see the merits in the situation. A professional education and access to knowledge would go a long way towards my investigation of the Unnamed Skill.

All advantages have a cost, I suppose, I repeated Lionel’s wisdom to myself.

“You seem stunned,” Lionel observed. “Take solace in the knowledge that you still have time. Even workers Skilled in bureaucracy have a backlog. It would not be bureaucracy, otherwise.”

I felt Perseverance stir within my core space, offering me a helpful reminder. The second I chose the Skill, knowingly or not, I committed to a life of seeking challenging situations. I drew from the Skill to settle my nerves, mindful not to take more than I needed. Slayers, The Crown, or something else entirely. Either way, they would inevitably contribute to the growth of my Skills. Much of the future was uncertain, but my progression was not. I had to believe that much.