Chapter 3: Abilities
“First, there’s physical ability, magic, charm, and wealth. You can wish for anything, but the effects depend on the strength and personality of the one who grants them. If I give strength, the effect is immediate, but if I grant magic power, it won’t be very useful.”
“Yeah, even with charm, if I grant it, it leads to love. With Pal, it’s more about familiarity, and with Haralfa, it might come with an obsession for affection.”
Van and Mishto explain things clearly, but I’m still struggling to keep up with the situation. I’m trying hard to understand, but my thoughts keep slipping away.
“First, try listing the powers or conditions you want.”
“What I want…”
Suddenly being asked what I want leaves me at a loss, so I start asking about this world. As I expected, it’s a world of swords and magic, filled with spirits and demon beasts, and there are labyrinths.
It seems that a basic enhancement of physical abilities is automatically decided when I choose protection. If I want to pick an outstanding ability, that’s different, but if I’m just stronger than average, maybe it’s better to receive other abilities?
My conditions are likely to avoid any connection with my sister, who was probably summoned alongside me, and to live comfortably.
“You don’t want to be involved with the Hero?”
The one mainly speaking is Kadal, who mentioned something about governing order, so he’s probably the one coordinating things. The Ball of Light is saying something, but I ignore it.
And as expected, my sister and the others have been chosen as Heroes. I absolutely want to stay away from them!
“I want to avoid them at all costs. She’s bright and sociable, but she’s the type to instill guilt in others to get what she wants.”
It seems the Hero is helping the Ball of Light and has set up a grand nation.
It’s a double standard; while she blames others, she doesn’t protect or act herself.
If I spend a long time with her, I’ll understand that being in a position where “you don’t have to act yourself” is terrifying.
The first time I realized this was when my aunt gave me some not-so-tasty sweets. In front of those sweets, she said, “It’s cruel not to eat them when your aunt went out of her way to give them to you.”
Naturally, I was blamed for not eating them, making my aunt sad, but she didn’t give them to me alone. In short, my sister didn’t want to eat them herself and was trying to make me eat them.
At that time, I successfully silenced her with, “If you feel that way, why don’t you eat them yourself?” — but my sister’s manipulation has become more sophisticated as the years have passed.
“Hey, Haruka is doing her best! She has a strong sense of justice! I chose her!”
“No matter what kind of person you are, a lifespan is only about a hundred years; it’s not a big deal for us.”
The Ball of Light is rambling on, but the others mostly ignore it.
She’s the type to use her sense of justice as a tool to blame others. For the Ball of Light, if my sister doesn’t perform, the power won’t flow in, and for the others here, since they “brought” her from that world, her role is probably over.
In the country that protected my sister, it seems they’re benefiting from the Hero’s power and fame, so it’s probably fine to leave it alone, no matter the outcome.
Surprisingly, even if my sister’s surroundings are exhausted, the citizens who don’t meet her directly might be satisfied with a just rule in the name of justice.
And while I was asked for recommendations, I listed various powers I wanted.
【Magic Talent】【Martial Talent】【Production Talent】
【Healing】【All Cooking】【Storage】【Teleportation】
【Exploration】【Appraisal】【Mental Resistance】【Language】
【Liberation】【Severance】【Hero Slayer】.
Honestly, the last three are related to my sister. When I said I didn’t want to be involved with her, the extreme option of 【Hero Slayer】 was added. It seems the abilities my sister received here are 【All Magic】 and 【Domination】. I absolutely want to avoid any connection.
It’s said that 【Language】 and 【Mental Resistance】 are almost always included. It would be troublesome if I couldn’t speak, and it’s a measure against the loneliness of being alone here.
If they’re things that are always included, I wish they had been automatically granted when I arrived, along with physical abilities.
Well, since this world involves killing animals for food and humans fighting each other, I’m sure 【Mental Resistance】 will come in handy.
After receiving healing, I asked for more details about this world.
I had Van teach me sword practice, while Kadal and Rudil supervised my magic training. I asked Ish for healing power — I had them help me make use of the abilities I received to survive.
Having them and being able to use them are different. I suddenly tried to do things I had never possessed or thought of doing before, and I didn’t expect to be able to do them well.
I also wished for items. The 『Zanzenken』 that can cut through almost anything, and the 『Growth Powder』 that helps plants grow. The 『Safe and Comfortable Home』, and an endless supply of various foods.
Since the food is mostly in its raw form, I had them add 【All Cooking】. I can cook dishes I’ve seen before, and make them even tastier.
The location of the house is in a peaceful countryside far from the country where my sister is, with stable weather and four distinct seasons. I’ve manipulated a few of the country’s higher-ups to ensure my land is considered inviolable and not belonging to any nation. Moreover, unless I desire it, I won’t be noticed — I won’t attract attention, and no one can enter.
“Thank you.”
My wonderful home!
“I thank you as well.”
Kadal, who governs order, looks relieved. There might be some abilities that could cancel each other out, but it seems choosing everyone was the right decision.
From the gods’ perspective, even a fraction of a lifespan can greatly enhance power, but if I poured my entire lifespan into one person, the gap between us would widen. That kind of world is a bit frightening.
“Still, it’s surprising that there are no complaints about bringing you here…”
Someone murmurs.
That’s because I originally intended to escape. After turning eighteen and getting my driver’s license, I gained more freedom.
Since my sister would absolutely interfere without reason if I expressed a desire to get a license or a car, I guided her to want me to drive by leaving travel magazines for places that were easier to reach by car. A license also serves as identification.
I got accepted into a university outside the prefecture, at a tourist spot my sister would like, which is ranked lower than her university. In reality, I was accepted into a university in a different prefecture as well. My parents decide based on my sister’s mood whether to support me financially, but since they would dump the tedious paperwork on me, I was fully prepared to hide away and sever ties once I received the enrollment fee.
“I can guarantee the abilities attached to the house, but the abilities you attach to yourself depend on your compatibility with them, as well as our compatibility, so I can’t guarantee those. Be careful.”
Van warns me at the end.
I’m about to be transferred to my 『Safe and Comfortable Home』. I’ve already informed them that I want my appearance to change to something that fits this world after the transfer.
I want to live peacefully! Comfortably!
Kadal does something, and my vision is engulfed in white light. As I blink against the brightness, I find myself in front of a stone house. Looking around, I see a beautiful meadow that transitions from light green to yellow, with gentle hills stretching below, dotted with small forests.
—It seems I’ve safely arrived at my “home.”
There are a few scattered houses, and beyond them, a cluster of buildings that looks like a village or small town. The neighbors are far away; they might be close from the edges of my property, though.
The house is built on a small mountain overlooking the hilly area. The view is magnificent, stretching far into the distance. The mountain is rich with broadleaf trees, and small streams flow in multiple directions around the buildings, turning the waterwheel.
Well, it looks more like a small mansion or estate, though more than half of it is a barn.
My status here is that of a Free Knight, without a master or servants. Moreover, I own land, but of course, there are no subjects on this land.
There’s a second floor in the barn where servants could live, but I have no plans to hire anyone. The first floor has divided rooms, with an oil press on one side.
In the basement, there’s a large jar half-buried in the ground — or so I thought, but it turned out to be an olive oil storage facility. The other side is a storage area for cheese, also underground. Thanks to the small streams flowing around, the temperature is significantly lower than outside.
Still, 【Appraisal】 is convenient. The watermill is different from what I know in Japan, and I’m not sure how it works.
There’s also a livestock shed attached to the barn, but it’s empty and has no livestock.
There’s a small building with a forge for blacksmithing. If I gathered people and built residences, it seems I could establish a village? Though I have no intention of doing so.
The waterwheel is used for grinding wheat, right? I never thought about a house with a watermill, but it’s nice since bringing ingredients from the food storage would stand out. Even the same wheat would have different varieties and qualities. The stream flowing with splashes looks refreshing just to watch.
This place seems warmer than the island, almost hot, as if summer is still here. Is it even hotter below? It’s a dry heat. During summer, it doesn’t rain, and while it gets a bit gloomy from winter to spring, it’s not enough rain for the grasslands to spread. However, since there’s a river flowing through this area, there are small forests, and the wheat grows well.
I should have changed to something that fits in this world, both in appearance and clothing. Looking at my hands, they’re pale, dirty, and a bit blackened. But I’m relieved to be free from those tattered clothes.
I had some attachment to the saw that had been so useful, but since bringing things from that world isn’t really a good idea, I left its disposal to someone else. It seems that this too is tied to my newfound power.
“Alright, let’s go,” I said, addressing Rishu cradled in my arms as I stepped inside.
I had asked for a dog, and this little one was what I got. A tired, frail puppy that couldn’t see, yet it was the one that alerted me to the strange behavior of the Ball of Light.
Rishu had essentially given himself to me. To give is to protect, and with the power flowing from me, I figured he would probably recover.