Category: Hazure Skill “Alarm”, jitsuwa fūin kaijo no nōryoku deshita. Ochikobore no shōnen wa, nemuri kara sameta megami-tachi to yasashī saikyō o mezasu

“Gaah!”

The kobold pounced on me. For some reason, its movement is terribly slow. It’s like it is swimming underwater. I could count each of its tainted fangs and even the nicks on the blade of its knife.

The shaking of the air, the vibration of the ground, the musty smell. I felt everything acutely, and I belatedly realized that my senses were sharpened.

“My speed increased. I’m faster…..”

I counterattacked.

I dive into the enemy’s bosom. Faster and stronger than the enemy, I pressed my weapon against it. In short, it was a brute force approach, but to me, a person who got a useless skill, this was unbelievable. The blue crystal short sword I had just picked up caught the enemy’s throat. I twisted and slashed it sideways.

Like water, there was no resistance whatsoever.

“Gua, Gu….…”

The kobold struggled on the ground for a bit and then it quickly crumbled into ash. A few fingernail-sized stones were scattered in its place in a glittering manner.

This is a magic stone. They are what we call dropped items.

When you defeat a monster, you gain magical power. Some of the magical power was absorbed by the person who killed it, while those that were not absorbed appear as magic stones in this way. The magical power that you absorbed increases your power. In other words, a Level up.

On the other hand, the magic power scattered as a magic stone can be stored and exchanged in the guild. From making potions and strengthening weapons, to lighting and leveling up, magic stones are used all over the world.

For the sake of leveling up and getting magic stones, defeating monsters was the highlight of adventurers’ lives.

“I …… I won.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking around, I saw one of the adventurers quickly hide behind a wall. Still, I saw the look of surprise in his face. Maybe because he can’t believe that the guy with useless skill defeated a kobold. Maybe that person was the one being chased by the kobold which led it wandering here at the first floor.

I think it was an accident, but I can’t rule out the possibility of excessive harassment.

Before moving on, I collected the magic stones.

Obtained 5 Tiny Magic Stones. (Good job!)

“…… Eh?”

I heard God’s voice announcing the acquisition of an item. Unless you consciously turn off the voice, it will tell you the type of item you’ve obtained.

But just now…… God’s voice seemed to be mixed with a strange voice.

“Hmmm, maybe it was just my imagination……?”

Un. I think so.

I turned my legs and left the place. Just in case, I told the guard near the entrance about the appearance of a kobold and then I resumed collecting medicinal material.

I pulled out one of the medicinal herbs.

Obtained Mana grass. (I hope you wake me up again soon!)

…..??

……That voice again.

Something is really weird with God’s voice. It’s usually neutral, but right now, it was mixed with a voice that sounded like an impatient child.

I mean, the voice is just like that girl—Solana.

I pulled out the medicinal herb next to me.

Obtained physical strengthening grass. (Can’t you hear me?)

I told myself that it’s just my imagination.

I continued what I am doing.

Obtained Mana grass. (E-eeh? Hello? Hello?） Obtained physical strengthening grass. (…… Can’t you hear me……? ） Obtained detoxification grass. (I-, I thought you were a believer……) Obtained physical strengthening grass. (U-uu….. This makes me…… lonely…… It’s pitch black in here too…… Sob, sob, sob……)

“I-, I get it!”

I jumped up.

The other adventurers doing collection around me were startled by my actions.

But I couldn’t help but got a heartache as the voice grew weaker and sadder.

“I undestand……! I got it okay. I’m going let you out….. I’m letting you out so please…..”

I’m not even sure who I’m whispering to.

Then I decided to end my exploration for the day.

—Because I was able to pinpoint the cause of that anomaly. It’s the gold coin in my pocket.

I decided to head back to the house first. My skill, the gold coin, there are too many things I need to settle out.

I quickly returned to the Adventurer’s Guild and with a thud, I put the backpack full of herbs on the counter.

“R-Rion-san……? You are quite early today.”

The woman in charged looked at me with wide eyes.

“I met a kobold and got a magic stone, so I came back quickly.”

“Eeeh!? T-then, are you okay? The top three floors should have been managed so that nothing but slimes can roam there……!”

“Yes, I’m okay. I was able to defeat it you see.”

When I said that I had defeated it, for some reason, I felt more confident than usual.

“I think the adventurer has returned to the top floor after being chased by that kobold. Technically it’s very dangerous. But given the current state of the eastern dungeon.…. I guess it can’t be helped. But just in case, can you please call out to them not to bring stronger monsters to the top floor?”

“Of course!”

I stopped her from apologizing profusely and then I left the guild.

Incidentally, for the first time in six months, I leveled up.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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When I rushed into the Adventurer’s Guild, for some reason there are no other adventurer there except me. It was as if I arrived first, like usual.

“Eh……?”

Did I get the date wrong?

No. That can’t be. Based from the calendar hanging on the wall, it is indeed the second day of the third month. It’s clearly a guild working day. But what is puzzling is that there was no line at the counter, and no one is in front of the bulletin board where requests were posted. It was so quiet that only the sound of papers shuffling through the cold air could be heard.

“Good morning! You’re early as always.”

The receptionist was impressed.

Even when I accepted the request and went to the counter, the sense of unease did not go away.

It’s kind of weird. It was as if I had never run, and strangely, I wasn’t even out of breath. When I put the adventurer request form on the counter, the lady asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“But what’s the matter with you today? You came in so fast, I was surprised.”

“F-fast? I thought I was going to be late….…”

“Fufu, Rion-san is doing well. You are not late at all, you’re the first here as usual.”

Apparently, I really arrived at my usual time.

“I’m grateful to you too. Because Rion-san is the only one who enters the dungeon early in the morning.”

“…… It’s all for a living.”

I’m just doing it desperately for the money.

The Adventurer’s Guild is an organization that manages dungeons and adventurers. They distribute rewards, buy materials, and even provide meals.

Well, I’m grateful for the acknowledgment, but it’s a little awkward.

“Your persistence is commendable—here, go ahead! As always, I’d like you to defeat monsters on the first and second floors and gather medicinal herbs! …..This is an important role, too.”

I knew she just added that last line to encourage me.

Let’s talk about the dungeons. There is one dungeon in each side of the Royal Capital, the north dungeon, south dungeon, east dungeon, and west dungeon. It’s like four big labyrinths surrounding the city. Each of them is an ancient underground ruin, and there are monsters inside. However, ancient relics are also sealed away there, some of which still retained their power. The dungeon I always dive into is the eastern dungeon, the most suitable dungeon for beginners.

Went I arrived at the dungeon, I said hello to the guard I am familiar with before heading down the stairs. It’s underground, but it doesn’t feel like a cave. It has the feel of a stone building with smooth walls. The only difference from the ground is that there are no windows here and the ceiling is faintly glowing.

First one in the morning.

The dungeon is very quiet. Only the sound of water splashing and the rolling of stones echoed softly. The breath I exhaled is white. It’s cold.

“Alright.”

Let’s start the collection.

I have a short sword that my father gave me, but there’s hardly any fighting force in it. Thus, all I do here is put down the backpack that the guild lent me and fill it with medicinal herbs.

After a while of collecting materials, adventurers come down the stairs in droves.

“Oh, Failure is still at it.”

“Why are so surprised? That’s the only thing lowlives can do.”

“Most of the requests for the bottom level of this Eastern Dungeon is exclusive to this guy, right?”

Sneering laughter came from my side.

It’s frustrating, but I’m going to hold it in and focus on collecting materials.

“Hey Failure! Don’t you think today’s herbs tastes good?”

“Stop it, you’ll get the odor of the lowlives.”

Patience. Patience.

In fact, there’s nothing I can do about it. My skill is weak and useless, so I make a living by defeating monsters in the lowest level of the dungeon and in gathering materials there. My father was very skilled, so people around me made fun of me a lot.

Adventurers have an image of being free and lively, but that’s not the case for us. The dungeons on the east side of the royal capital belonged to the nobility. As a result, it is a closed-off place where many adventurers try to please the nobles. And once you’ve been targeted, it’s a workplace that makes life difficult for you no matter what.

However, the East Dungeon is the least difficult one. With my “useless skill”, diving in this dungeon is the only way for me to make money.

“It was different when Father was around……”

I simply changed location to escape their taunting and start collecting medicinal materials again.

Father was a good adventurer who could lead a large-scale subjugation. When my father and his comrades were alive, the East Dungeon had the kindness to raise beginners. But then, also because of that, my father and his friends caught the eye of a nobles.

They said they are being insolent.

So, when my father died two years ago, the power of the nobles in the East Dungeon suddenly became stronger. My father and his friends are gone so all decent adventurers moved on to the other dungeons. The only ones left here were the nobles, the adventurers sucking up to them, and the weak ones like me who had nowhere else to go.

Dungeons for beginners have been transformed into dungeons that exploit beginners.

“…… But I have to live.”

I immersed myself in my work. I told myself that this was the reality. I feel like the mysterious event in the back alley was really just a dream.

When my backpack was half full, I heard the sound of water splashing.

“…… A slime?”

It looks like a green jelly but it’s an impressive monster. It is about the size of a tub after all. It is said to be the weakest monster. But I don’t have any combat skills, so I can’t let my guard down.

If I want to finish it off, I need to do it in one shot.

“Fu!”

Slash. The slime was cut in half. The bright red nucleus, which is considered to be relatively hard, was shattered by the blade.

“Ah? I’m more powerful than usual……?”

The slime disappeared as if it had soaked into the ground. In fact, slimes drop an item called a magic stone, but since I crushed the core, the profit will be zero. Still, it’s the first time I’ve ever broken its hard core.

I patted my right arm.

“Something’s strange with me after all……”

My strength is kind of odd. Or rather, my power itself is strange.

The entrance becomes noisy again. A large number of adventurers are probably descending into the dungeon. Let’s change location. I want to avoid trouble as much as possible.

Then as I tried to move, I stumbled over something.

“Uwaa—”

I almost fell over.

I picked it up and found that it was a stone rod that had tripped my foot. It was a rough, long, flat rod, about the size of a log. My toe that hit it hurts a little.

“Ouch….. Eh? A relic….…?”

It was common for ancient items to be found rusted and lying around in dungeons. Such things are called relics.

“Maybe the slime from earlier swallowed it.”

This one can’t even be called a dropped item though. It’s complete junk. It must have weathered away while being sealed in the dungeon.

Normally, I would have ignored it. But now—a thought suddenly came to me.

If it’s something that’s been “sealed” in a dungeon, maybe….

“Alarm”

Just to test it out, I used my skill, Alarm.

The stone rod was enveloped in a dazzling light.

Skill 『Alarm』 was used. Executing 【Unseal】

The rusty rod glowed gold as the dirt was slowly removed. A blue crystal appeared first, then the blade emerged. The exquisitely carved handle fits in my hand as if it is coming to life.

It was a short sword.

【Blue Crystal Short Sword】 has been unsealed.

I shuddered.

It was an ancient item I had never heard of or seen before. The diamond-shaped crystal embedded in the hilt sparkled just like the blue of the sky. The double-edged blade was black and had a glistening look.

“I-incredible……!”

What a sharp sword! N-no, it’s more than that!

There are crystals embedded in it, so this might be a magical item…!

I wanted to be able to look at it forever, but I couldn’t do that because I heard footsteps behind me. When I turned around, a humanoid with a dog head is slowly approaching me.

Another monster. It’s alone. But it is about the same height as me and its red eyes glares at me.

“K-kobold ……?”

The enemy roared briefly and swings the dagger in its hand.

My voice trembles with fear.

“……W-why is there one here?”

This specie is relatively strong. It only appears at full-fledged combat layers, the floors below the third level, so I only met one about half a year ago.

I almost screamed out, “Someone!”. But I felt that the gold coin I had in my pocket is heating up and I felt like it is encouraging me.

“Don’t give up”, I felt that it was telling me that.

Feeling the sun in my chest, I stopped in my tracks and faced it.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Her golden hair was dancing. The girl who jumped out of the coin stood up between me and Gideon. A beat later, the gold coin fell to ground, making a clinking sound.

“Nice to meet you.”

The girl looked back at me. Her sparkling eyes are like the morning sun.

“I’m Solana.”

Clad in white dress, she smiled brightly at me with her exceptionally beautiful face. She placed her hand on the chest as she told me her name. On her right arm is a golden bracelet with the same color as her hair.

“I’m the goddess of the sun!”

I was taken aback. The only things moving right now is her long blonde hair and her white dress that is swaying with the wind. Like the sun, the girl who appeared in the back alley had undoubtedly put an end to the ruthless violence just now.

But that didn’t mean the crisis had passed for me or anything.

“……Hey Rion, who is she? A magician?”

Gideon gets up after being kicked. There is a clear mark on his jaw. His well-groomed face is now seething with anger. That is to be expected I guess. After all, there is no way a noble will remain silent after being confronted like that.

“I don’t know what kind of magician you are, but I’m a noble. The noble who lent money to that guy! Don’t interfere with my collection!”

However, the girl in front of me, Solana, did not flinch at all. 

She looks like she’s only about 14 years old, the same age as me, but she’s surprisingly very calm.

“…… Is this a duel?”

“Haa? Between a noble and a commoner? A duel with him is revolting.”

Solana gave a small nod.

“I’ve been watching.”

In an instant, the atmosphere changed. Her golden eyes blazed.

“With these number! Surrounding him! Harassing him!”

“-uh”

Solana’s voice rang out, and it was clear that the soundproofing magic had been destroyed.

“No matter what the reasoning is, it’s not a respectable act!”

She was explaining the truth that I was too scared to say. 

Gideon’s companions came forward, but just one glare from Solana was enough to make them lose consciousness.

“With what you’ve done, do you really think you are worthy of facing the sun?!”

I’ve never seen a nobleman so defeated.

In fact, Gideon’s face is red with humiliation and his cheeks are twitching. Gideon already had his hand on the hilt of his sword but he suddenly turned around. Solana’s voice started to attract people’s attention after all. He also know that they had made too much racket.

“…… Damn it! Rion, I’ll step back for now.”

Gideon’s face was filled with anger and forced smile.

“But remember, your family owe me money.”

Finally, the back alley become quiet. 

I was lucky. 

The people who had been peeking also dispersed when Gideon left. It would be wiser not to get involved in disputes between the nobles after all.

“Thank goodness……!”

I hurriedly picked up the gold coin that had fallen to the ground.

“I’m glad it wasn’t stolen……”

Now I can buy medicine for my sister. However, the figure of the girl engraved on the coin is no longer there. There is only a flat gold surface.

Could this be a different gold coin?

No, it can’t be. The size is exactly the same.

I feel relieved but I also turned pale. I looked up and my eyes met Solana’s.

“Are you the one who woke me up?”

“……W-woke you up?”

Come to think of it, I think a skill was activated while Gideon was punching me. I picked up the now blank gold coin and looked at it closely.

“Was it, unseal……?”

This person jumped out of the gold coin. At least, that’s how it looked.

Something that had been sealed inside—

—don’t tell me, my skill had freed her?

“N-no, that’s impossible.”

I denied my own thoughts. Such a great thing can never happen to me. 

But it seems like a good enough answer for this person.

“Yes, that’s what it is.”

Solana folded her hands together as if praying and brought them to her cheeks.

“I knew it! Uwaaa, a believer, finally! I’m so happy! I’m sure it’s been hundreds of years since I last saw one.”

She is grinning and looks overexcited. Her long blonde hair swayed as she moves. It was only at this time that I realized how much this person had helped me just now. And how I pitted her against a noble.

I stand up and brushed the dust off my body. My clothes were only reinforced with leather at the knees and elbows, but if I stuck my chest out, perhaps I would look a little more like an adventurer.

“Thank you!”

Making this girl defy a noble was a huge risk. I should straighten up and thank her properly.

Then I ask,

“I know that I got things in the wrong order…… but, who are you again?”

“Oh, right. My apologies. I’m Solana, the goddess of the sun.”

Solana put her hand to her chin and looked at my face and arms with furrowed brows.

“You’re injured.”

Then she took my hand and gently wrapped it with both of her hands. The pain in my cheeks disappeared in an instant, and my face heats up instead.

“Uhm……!”

I felt embarrassed and bewildered. I want to slap myself for the mixture of emotions I’m having. It’s like my heart stopped beating too.

Solana looks at me and smiles.

“You’re cured.”

The cold morning air caressed my hot cheeks. I no longer felt the pain I had after I was beaten  up. My swollen arm and the cut at the back of my hand were healed. 

This is not the first time I’ve had a magical treatment. My mother works at a clinic, so I’ve been cured by her many times. But Solana’s recovery magic is different. It feels like a warm feeling fills my whole body and the wound heals from the inside. It’s like being injected with life itself. 

It’s a super advanced magic that I have never received before.

To have someone do something like that for me was like…..

“Goddess-sama……?”

“Yes. I am.”

Then Solana suddenly looked serious.

“I want to hear about it. What happened to the other gods? Is the war over?”

I blinked my eyes.

“Uhm. Anything is fine. I just want to know if Thor, Frey and the other famous gods are safe—”

Question marks filled my head, and my mind cool down quickly.

I asked in turn,

“When you say God, do you mean the main god, Odis-sama?”

“Huh?”

This time, Solana was the one who froze.

“O-Odis?”

“Yes. Don’t you know Odis-sama?”

He is the source of the 『God’s voice』 that we adventurers hear most of the time. He is also the giver of our skills. Here, in the Kingdom of Asgard, he is enshrined as the main god.

“What are you talking about? Wait, you mean—”

Solana trembled.

“I see….. The seal on the gods has spread to the whole world—so that’s why the war is over……”

Right after saying those words, Solana’s body burst into light. When my eyes get used to the glaring brightness, I can no longer see the beautiful girl in the back alley.

Don’t tell me….

I thought so and confirmed it by looking at the gold coin.

As if nothing had happened, the “girl” carved into the coin is there again. I’m sure that it was just a flat surface until a while ago.

“W-what is going on……?”

My voice trembled.

Something happened to my useless outlier skill “Alarm”. That is the only conclusion I can think of.

I chanted, trying to confirm what had happened to me.

“Status.”

Status:

Rion (14 years old, Male) Level: 3 Skill『Alarm』: ➥ 【Wake Up】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ Wakes up a sleeping person refreshed. ➥ 【Unseal】 ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ Cancel any type of sleep. Skill『■■■■■』

The main god, Odis-sama, not only bestows skills, he can also show you your status.

Bigwigs said that “God teaches us talents known as skill so we can go on the right path”. But I don’t really like those lines because it reminds me of the despair I felt when my bestowed skill was 『Alarm』.

Sure, in God’s eyes, it’s a waste of talent if someone with the 『Swordsman』 skill aspires to be a chef, or vice versa…

For someone like me who had a useless skill, it’s pretty cruel to be able to see my aptitude.

“But, my skills can grow after all……!”

The useless skill,『Alarm』 now had a second ability, 【Unseal】. 

Skills are like “trees”, and as they grow, they bear “fruits”. Those fruits are in the form of our abilities. By leveling up and using the skill more, the tree will grow and produce more fruit. Until now, I only had the ability【Wake Up】, which can only be used to wake people up.

“Come to think of it, it’s a skill and the ability to ‘wake up’…….”

I never thought I would have a chance to grow…..

If I didn’t care about what others might think, I might have jumped up and down now because of excitement.

Then I realized that there is another skill that I can’t read.

“Eh? Hmm, there’s one more skill……?”

You’re only supposed to have one skill in your lifetime, so maybe I’m reading it wrong. But, there was definitely a mysterious area in my status displayed as 『■■■■■』.

I racked my brains, but I did not get an answer.

Anyway, right now, let’s focus on 【Unseal】.

“With this, does it mean that a God really came out of  the gold coin….?”

I look at the gold coin intently. My heart was racing. I felt that my skills, which had been jammed, now had a tremendous potential.

Doong! Doong!

I heard the bell ringing from a distance. My next appointment came to my mind, and I turned pale.

“I-, I’m late!”

I should be going to the Adventurer’s Guild at this time. To make matters worse, I have been asked to collect medicinal herbs first thing in the morning today. The trouble with Gideon completely threw me off my schedule.

“The last person to wake up will hear this early morning bell, and the next bell will be…..!”

I have no choice but to run.

No, not just run, I should run fast!

Then as I sprint up, the familiar neighborhood passed by behind me.

—It was like I’m flying.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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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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