Sensing the approach of morning, I slowly crawled out of bed. I moved carefully and slowly, so as not to wake up my family members who are still sleeping nearby.
When I put my feet on the cold floor, the chill immediately rushes up my back. I shivered. Even the breath I exhaled was white. In the dark, I groped my way down to the first floor.
I placed my hand over the hearth.
“Fire”
A fire lit up. During my years as an adventurer—my official occupation at the age of fourteen—the only visible growth I had seen was this magic. At first, I was overjoyed when I learned it. But then I realized it is a 『lifestyle magic』 that could be used by nobles even as babies….
The light of the stove faintly illuminated the room. It’s a simple house with only a chair and a table, but there is a bright red scarf hanging on the wall.
—It was my father’s memento.
I stared at it. I wonder why I didn’t inherit my father’s talent as an adventurer….
“It’s warm—”
I let out a sigh of relief. Ever since I learned this magic, it has become my job to be the first in my family to wake up and light the hearth. My mom is always tired, and my sister is too sick to wake up early. If my father is still alive, things might have been different.
Putting my melancholy aside, I warmed up the leftover soup and then I head back upstairs.
“I’m off.”
In the darkness, I could faintly see my mother raise her hand.
“Lu, see you later.”
Finally, I softly called out to my younger sister, Luisia.
“With what I earn today, I can buy new medicines.”
Guhon. I couldn’t tell if it was a cough or a reply, but I brushed it aside and rushed to work.
Woosh. It’s piercing cold.
Even so, my legs gradually became faster. I know that on such a crisp cold morning, there’s just a little bit of a reward after all. It was a harsh, cold night—But now, the eastern sky is gradually turning white with the morning sun shining in.
Purple, orange, white, and blue. The sun rises from behind the walls of the Royal Capital, slowly changing the color of the sky. Along with the cobblestones washed by the light, my heart also seems to shine.
My mornings are earlier than most people and my life is probably worse off than most. Still, I know that the morning sun can be so beautiful.
“Oh, it’s a sunny day today!”
That’s today’s good news.
It may be the last one of the day though.
Chuckling at my own way of thinking, I walk along the cobblestones for a while until I reach my workplace. It is in an area with a high concentration of tall buildings. The Royal Capital is surrounded by walls so commoners like us, usually live in a building of four stories or higher which is shared by several families.
I took a deep breath. Then as cold air filled my chest, I activated my skill, 『Alarm』.
“It’s mor~ning!”
God’s voice echoed in my head.
| Skill『Alarm』was used. Usage: (9953 times) |
Between the ages of 10 and 15, people will receive special powers from God.
―That is called a skill.
I also dreamed of gaining a useful skill and play an active role. But―
“It’s mor~ning!”
As I repeated, my heart ached.
“Useless!”
“Failure!”
“Outcast!”
―Such insults crossed my mind.
The surrounding started getting noisy.
“Oh, it’s morning!”
“Damn it, it’s cold again today.”
“Ye~ah, but I feel refreshed after waking up.”
Adventurers are generally loud. So when I listened closely, I can hear such a conversation. Eventually, the doors opened one after another, and the adventurers and artisans who live in the area pass by like a gust of wind.
The landlord then tapped me on the shoulder.
“Here you go. That’s your tip for today, Alarm-san.”
The skill I got from God is 『Alarm』. In other words, it was the ability to wake someone up refreshed.
…….Un.
….…That’s right. That’s what it feels like.
If you aspire to be an adventurer, you should have a practical skill such as 『Swordsman』, 『Spearman』, or 『Magician』.
Why is my skill, 『Alarm』?
I always questioned that. I had serious doubts about whether I could continue to call myself an adventurer, or whether I would ever be able to take up another job. In a world where skills are everything, outlier skills are lifelong misfortunes.
I retreated to the shadows and checked my payment.
“……Ten copper coins huh….”
It’s my first earning for the day. If I save up for today, I can buy lung medicine for my sister. She is getting sicker and sicker, so I need to buy something better.
Alright, time to wake up a few more block. There’s no time to rest.
It’s easier when I use my skill to wake up an entire section like a while ago, but sometimes, I have to climb the stairs and knock on the door of each room. After this, I still have to earn money by diving into the dungeon by myself.
Thinking of my goal today, I moved my legs and hurried up.
“Thank you for today.”
The person who thanked me was the old man at the second-hand antique store.
“Your alarm is accurate, it’s always a big help.”
He smiled at me brightly, showing his plump cheeks. He narrowed his eyes even more as he checked his beautifully crafted pocket watch.
“Not a single delay in a year, may it be rainy or windy. It should have been hard to run around and use your skills, right?”
“……The Royal Capital is like my back garden.”
My father had me take on various jobs in exchange for training as an adventurer. The Royal Capital may not have any fields or mountains, but there are people and stairs instead. My experience and knowledge of the area were also useful in doing my job as a wake-up caller.
I scratched my head and continued,
“But that’s a given. My job needs it after all.”
“Your “that’s a given” is hard to do you know. You’ve gotten to know more people, isn’t it? Well, as an acquaintance, I’d like to give you a gift.”
The old man gave me a gold coin.
“It could help your family……maybe?”
I was so overwhelmed that I nearly dropped the gold coin. I juggled it around in a hurry.
The sunlight streaming in the coin made it sparkle.
“T-this is too much!”
It’s two weeks’ worth of food. The old man closed one eye as he looked at me.
“No, it’s a thank you for your hard work every day. Besides, when you wake me up with your skill, I somehow end up in my best form all day. It’s a fair reward for you boy.”
“Hoho”, the old man laughed as he left.
Stunned, I held up the gold coin that I had received towards the sun. It’s a coin I had never seen before. There is a girl with her eyes closed carved in it, and it was so intricately made that it looked as if she might start speaking at any moment.
“It’s so beautiful, but it’s a design I’ve never seen before..…”
“Yo, Rion.”
A voice come from behind me. My back involuntarily stiffened, and then I looked back sharply.
“Gideon—san”
“Are you still doing such a part-time job?”
The moment I turned around, I couldn’t speak.
It’s magic.
I felt a chill on my buttocks and realized my pants had been pulled down. I looked up and saw a handsome man looking down at me with a faint smile.
“Come on, it’s time for money collection.”
He grabbed me by the neck and dragged me into a back alley. His companions followed behind us with a grin.
Gideon repeated.
“Rion, the money.”
“M-money?”
Gideon glanced around, making sure no one was watching. I could sense that he had had his attendants use soundproofing magic so that I couldn’t call for help.
“It’s the interest.”
I got up and let out a trembling voice.
“B-but, I’ve already paid back all the money I owed.”
Gideon was the leader of the party I used to belong to. He came from an aristocratic family, and I once begged him to sell me a rare item that could cure my younger sister’s illness. I had just paid off the exorbitant price of 10 large gold coins last month.
“I said, it is the interest.”
“T-that…… then, could you wait for a bit?”
“Give it back now.”
I gripped my fist tightly.
“No, not now. I can’t do it right now, but I’ll definitely pay it back. I need to get a new medicine for my sister today.”
“Your sister? Hmmm, if she dies because of this, I think that is her fate.”
I felt a different kind of chill. A chill not from cold. But still, whenever I’m in front of this man, I always shrink back.
“W-why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
“Hehe. Well, if we—!”
His companion opened his mouth to speak but Gideon stopped him with his hand.
“You gave me no other choice then. I guess I’ll just have to take it like an adventurer, even if I have to use force.”
In an instant, Gideon closed our distance and punched me hard in the forehead. It was a merciless and powerful blow using his skill. U-ugh.
My opponent is a nobleman. Moreover, he has excellent combat skills.
“It was an eyesore to see a commoner, especially an outlier with a useless skill, trying to become an adventurer……”
Gideon lowered his head and whispers,
“I heard that your father was an excellent adventurer, so I decided to let you join my party even though you are a commoner. It was just a trial, but… your skill was even worse than I expected, and it was very, very ridiculous.”
That skill was tormenting my body. My bones and flesh are screaming. My tears also spilled out.
It is so frustrating!
It hurts. It hurts so much!
Still, I have to protect today’s earnings.
I need to buy medicine for my family, for my sister……!
“S-stop……!”
The gold coin I received from the old man is about to be taken away. I desperately activated my skill.
But then again, what good will 『Alarm』 do?
I want strength!
Not just kindness, but also the strength to follow through it.
“No, I have to protect it!”
Alarm, wake me up from this nightmare!
At that moment, a voice echoed in my head.
| Skill『Alarm』was used. Usage: (10,000 times) ————————————————– 『Unseal』can now be used. |
The gold coin that was about to be stolen shone brightly. The closed eyes of the girl carved in it snapped open.
I was stunned.
Because, it was impossible!
—It was impossible for a carved figure to start laughing!
“Was it you?”
The girl starts talking from inside the coin.
“The one who woke me up?”
The gold coin flew into the air.
Then, a long, white “leg” shot out from it and kicked Gideon’s jaw.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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