S9 Skill Points

Lazing about with Katia.

Just moments ago, the two of them had been moving their bodies in the castle's training grounds to raise their skill levels.

Now that it's over, they're resting like this.

“Ah… tiring. My magic-related stats have improved noticeably, but my physical ability isn’t that high.”

Since Suu is unusually absent today, Katia speaks in Japanese.

When they're alone, speaking in Japanese has become routine.

"Yeah. But even so, my coordination is definitely better than in my previous life, and it’s good that we actually grow stronger the more we train."

"Right, right. I used to wonder why school marathons even existed, but here, running just increases your Endurance."

Skills are like that too. In this world, your stats increase precisely in proportion to how much you train.

Without the ability to level up, the only way to increase stats is through steady training.

But steady training guarantees improvement.

Training is difficult. Yet if one considers that all effort accumulates as strength, motivation naturally follows.

"Then? How does it feel?"

"Explosive Speed, Endurance, Strength, Sturdiness, Sprint—each has reached level eight."

I check my stats using the鉴定 stone in hand.

This鉴定 stone is a level-nine鉴定 stone owned by Count Cathia's family.

A treasure so rare it might be designated a national relic in some nations. Yet Cathia retrieves it casually from the family vault.

One wonders if the family is safe. Still, it's convenient. I accept it gratefully.

"You really are fast at raising skill levels. Is this just a difference in talent?"

Cathia mutters, voice edged with regret.

The same actions, yet my skill level advancement differs from Cathia’s.

In this world, effort grants strength to anyone, but the rate varies.

That difference is talent.

"I’m supposed to be a prodigy unseen since the duchy’s founding. And yet I’m being outpaced like this? What kind of cheat is this?"

I avoid Cathia’s resentful gaze.

What do you expect me to do about it?

"By the way, have you used your skill points?"

"No... I just forgot. They’re still untouched."

Skill points are currency used to unlock new skills or increase proficiency.

Neither Cathia nor I were supposed to possess them at birth, yet we both received them—possibly as a reincarnation bonus.

"Ten thousand points saved. Another cheat bourgeois bastard."

"Is it worse than before!?"

No, I had been vaguely letting opportunities pass.

At first, I considered acquiring a magic skill, but Anah had told me not to use magic, so I refrained.

Anah likely never imagined I’d have skill points either, but taking them silently felt like betrayal, so I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Since then, I’d lost the inclination to use skill points altogether.

"Did you use any, Katia?"

"...Only 1,000 points."

Katia had, as far as I knew, 50,000 points.

I assumed she’d spent a significant amount, given how she brought it up, but she’d barely used any.

"What did you take?"

"...I’m not saying."

"What? No, just tell me."

"...You promise not to laugh?"

"I said I won’t laugh, so speak."

"...Identification."

She didn’t laugh, but I’m sure her expression was utterly bewildered.

Identification—it's practically synonymous with skills one shouldn't acquire.

That makes me wonder all the more why he ended up obtaining it.

"Why did you take that one?"

"Look, when you reincarnate, Identification’s a staple. You know, in novels, gathering intel in another world’s a pain. So in stories, they go Identification Overlord. I figured I’d piggyback on that trend..."

"Wait—Identification’s one of the most useless skills out there. How’d you even think to take it?"

"Because I took it back when I was a newborn, clueless about anything. Right after rebirth, I didn’t know left from right. Naturally, I was starved for information. And when I thought of Identification, the divine words just… appeared. So I picked it up by accident. What else could I do?"

I listened. Accepted it, for now.

Indeed, I recall being quite unsettled as a child—unable to distinguish one thing from another.

The conversations of those around me were incomprehensible. The inability to understand the language only deepened the unease.

In such a state, hearing divine words spoken in Japanese… one could understand the urge to cling to them.

"Then, the鉴定 was a complete miss?"

"Yeah. A total failure. Until you reach a higher level, it’s useless. Every use causes a headache. And once you’ve assessed something, you can’t increase proficiency unless enough time passes. Leveling up becomes difficult. I’ve spent countless idle moments grinding proficiency, yet I’m still only level four. It breaks the spirit."

Just listening made me feel drained.

Holding the鉴定 stone, I rechecked the skill point column.

The list of obtainable skills appeared, along with the required points.

Among them, the鉴定 skill appeared.

"Ah, I can acquire鉴定 with 100 points."

"Wait, really?"

One hundred points was the minimum required to obtain any skill.

A skill obtainable at 100 points was either inherently weak, or exceptionally suited to the user.

鉴定 was not a weak skill—Kathia had spent 1,000 points on it, proving its value.

At lower levels, its effect was minimal. But at higher levels, it became highly effective.

That meant I had strong compatibility with the skill.

After considerable hesitation, I selected鉴定.

My point total dropped to 99,900.

"Acquired鉴定."

"Wait, really?"

Kathia repeated the exact same words as before.

"Regret it later, don’t blame me."

"Whatever. I’ll deal with it when the time comes. I still have plenty of points left."

For now, I would conserve the remaining points for emergencies.