Suppressing the thrill bubbling in his chest, Minori kept his composure and opened the translucent blue window hovering just in front of his vision.
[Ability Table]
Innate Ability: Player
Overall Level: 1Lv
Experience: 0 / 100
Profession:
General Job: Genius Lv1
Skill Points: 3
Passive Skills: Item Box
Active Skills: None
Just one general-level job... and yet, the implications were anything but simple.
The moment he accepted the Genius job, Minori's level rose from 0 to 1. That alone was already a massive step forward. It wasn't just symbolic—it was structural.
And along with that came three unallocated skill points.
"…So it really does work differently."
He exhaled slowly.
In YGGDRASIL, every time a player leveled up, they could select three skills from a list provided by their current job. That meant a max-level character typically had 300 learned abilities at level 100—give or take.
Of course, that was assuming a conventional player. Monsters like Ainz Ooal Gown, for example, had well over 700 because of things like Dark Wisdom, which let him memorize extra magic. A theoretical limit-breaker.
But Minori had no such luxury.
No skill list had appeared. Just three raw points.
"You only get skill points, but no skill list? That's... bad news."
His expression didn't shift, but inside, tension gathered again. He'd hoped to be able to select at least a few basic tricks. Maybe something to test the waters.
"So if there's no default skill menu, then I have to earn them some other way..."
Which meant...
Skill acquisition was triggered by contact or observation.
That aligned with how he'd obtained Genius—through interaction with Nfirea, who had the double Genius-class traits of Alchemist and Pharmacist.
So that was the rule.
In order to earn more skills, Minori needed to see them used—feel them, or be affected by them.
Experience wasn't handed out. It had to be fought for.
He clenched the dense, slightly sour hunk of rye bread in his hand and took a huge bite.
Crunch.
His teeth tore into the crust like gravel—dry, bland, and stubborn to chew. It didn't matter.
He devoured the rest of it in less than half a minute.
"Cough!"
He almost choked. The rough texture was like chewing bark.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the black leather waterskin that Nfirea had handed him earlier and tilted it back.
Cold water hit his throat.
It helped.
He exhaled deeply, savoring the sharp contrast of wet and dry.
If it had come from anyone else, he wouldn't have trusted it. But Nfirea... his nature was too sincere to be dangerous. The kind of person who wouldn't know how to lie properly even if his life depended on it.
Strapping the waterskin to his belt, Minori stood up and pushed into the street crowd flowing toward the heart of the capital.
Too many people around to make using the Item Box practical.
And besides...
"Since we've come this far, we may as well enjoy the spectacle."
The royal capital was buzzing with anticipation.
The duel between Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff and Brain Unglaus was a national event.
A memory from four years into the future... That duel would be talked about by warriors, strategists, and nobles alike. One of the defining moments in martial history before the Great Tomb of Nazarick cast its shadow across the continent.
Even now, the two were likely over level 20—far above most human soldiers. Perhaps not at their prime yet, but still elite.
And that meant—
"If I'm lucky, I might witness some skill usage directly."
He needed that. Observation was currently the only path forward.
This match, between two genius-level swordsmen, could be the catalyst to unlocking his next job or at least a combat skill.
In the surging tide of the crowd, voices rang out:
"—My money's still on Brain!"
"Are you mad? The Warrior Captain's protected by the king himself!"
"Strength doesn't care about politics! Brain's technique is sharper!"
All around him, excitement crackled in the air like sparks before a blaze.
And Minori suddenly blinked.
"Wait."
If the whole kingdom was watching this fight...
Then surely someone was taking bets?
"This kind of hype is perfect for gambling. If I bet on Gazef, I might make a little extra. I need coin—for food, for lodging, for... everything."
He had no money.
And no job. Not a real one, anyway.
With a spark of resolve, Minori turned to a young man walking by in light leather armor. Judging by his gear, he was probably a silver or iron-ranked adventurer.
"Excuse me. Where's the nearest gambling house?"
Direct questions worked best in crowds. Polite, meandering phrases just got you ignored.
The adventurer turned with a surprised expression and studied Minori briefly.
Then, a flicker of disdain touched his eyes.
"Foreigner?"
Minori suppressed a sigh. He knew how he must look—plain, gray-black clothes, dagger at the hip, waterskin on the other side. But his short black hair and facial features definitely stood out from the average Re-Estize citizen.
"Yes. Just arrived yesterday."
He kept his tone light and even.
"Oh. That explains it."
The young man waved dismissively, as though addressing someone with a disability.
"There's no betting."
"...What?"
Minori blinked.
"You're serious? A match this big, and no one's taking coin?"
The adventurer smirked, chest puffing out like a peacock.
"That's thanks to Princess Renner—the Jewel of the Kingdom."
The moment he said that name, Minori's expression froze. Just slightly.
"She petitioned the king personally. Said betting during a contest of national pride is disgraceful. Dishonors the warriors, the kingdom, everything."
Minori stared at him blankly.
"And His Majesty agreed. Some nobles didn't like it, but her words... they carry weight."
The man folded his arms, voice growing more animated with every word.
"Princess Renner is brilliant. Kind. Strategic. Her beauty is matched only by her wisdom..."
Minori took one step back. Then another.
And then slipped away into the crowd without another word.
"Princess Renner, huh..."
He shook his head as he walked.
The Golden Princess had apparently built a golden reputation among the people. And yet, Minori knew better.
He knew the truth.
Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself—a woman so dangerous even Albedo had called her a "spiritual alien species."
To the public, she was noble and kind, the radiant mind behind kingdom reform.
But behind that mask was something else.
Something that made even the Bloody Emperor—the most cunning ruler of the Baharuth Empire—hate her with a passion.
Only the ancient queen of the Dragon Kingdom ranked higher on his hate list—and that loli-faced relic had at least lived for centuries.
"So… no gambling."
Minori sighed.
His plan to make a little coin had been crushed under the dainty heel of Renner's public virtue.