Teach me, Master D! The fourth

D "Today, we're back with another session of Teach Me, Master D!"

Ming "Another day... It's already the fourth time for this segment. A segment like this..."

D "My precious moment to shine. More episodes mean better outcomes."

Ming "Ah yes. Yes, yes."

D "Now then, let's gradually reveal some information."

Q: n%I = W

D "A support skill exclusive to reincarnated individuals. Its true nature is a supplementary device designed to grant benefits to reincarnated souls—entities normally outside the system's scope."

Ming "What happens if this isn't available?"

D "You're cast into that world as a mere human—no stats, no skills, nothing."

Ming "Just a human?"

D "Without status or skill support, strength, stamina, and intelligence are all THE human. To locals who benefit from the system, you'd be pathetically weak. You might not even stand a chance against a child."

Ming "So there are monsters then? You'd die easily in that case."

D "Additionally, there's a function to translate system-related languages into Japanese. That's why鉴定 results and the Heavenly Voice (hypothetical) were displayed and audible in Japanese."

Ming "Otherwise, you wouldn't understand anything at all before learning the local language."

D "Incidentally, there is a minor bonus applied to skill acquisition and stat increase values. Though, it's within negligible margins."

Ming "Is that so? I thought reincarnated individuals were naturally superior because of those skills."

D "It's not that reincarnated individuals are inherently superior. It's that locals are inferior. On one side, locals whose souls have degraded from constant system exploitation. On the other, reincarnated souls untouched by such systems—nurtured steadily from childhood. The superiority is self-evident."

Ming "Ah. That is true."

D "Long ago, shortly after the system activated, there were plenty of locals who could rival reincarnated individuals. Now, with their souls degraded, reincarnated individuals appear stronger by comparison. Recall the stats of the ancient Demon King Ariel, who has lived since those times. That alone reveals how merciless the world once was. Still, her power stems from decades of refinement—such extreme cases weren't common. At most, a few with four-digit stats were scattered about."

Ming: "Even so, there were countless with four-digit stats? What is that, terrifying?"

D: "A slight deviation, but n%I=W is a device designed to assist reincarnated beings. Upon death, it returns the reincarnated soul to the standard cycle of reincarnation and completes its function. Well, before that, I... I fiddle with it..."

Ming: "Huh? What was that?"

D: "Nothing at all."

Ming: "Suspicious..."

Q, Mr. D, would you accept a reincarnated being arriving on Earth?

D: "Of course. Perfectly fine!"

Ming: "You're probably thinking it's interesting already. Honestly..."

D: "Well, more accurately, I accept those who come, and I do not let go of those who leave. I do not reject those who come."

Ming: "Shouldn't it be 'I do not pursue those who leave'?"

D: "No way. I wouldn't let go of a promising story, now would I?"

Ming: "It might be better for reincarnated ones if they did not go to Earth."

Q, discussing gods and such.

D: "I believe I mentioned before—briefly—that even gods have factions and various disputes, including territorial conflicts. So why do they engage in such struggles? One might wonder, 'Isn't it odd for gods to concern themselves with such trivial matters?'"

Ming: "After all, they are fighting over stars. It's not exactly trivial."

D: "Even so, the scale of actions seems small for beings considered so powerful. You might think that. But stars play a crucial role for us gods. The reason is simple: stars emit the energy necessary for gods to sustain existence."

冥「Conceptually, it resembles the relationship between animals and plants. Animals exhale carbon dioxide, which plants absorb and convert into oxygen. Animals then inhale that oxygen, exhaling carbon dioxide in return. Similarly, gods absorb energy emitted by stars, and stars absorb the energy gods have expended. In truth, stars and gods exist in such a symbiotic relationship.」

Ｄ「Yet, even when speaking of energy, there are various types. Stars emit different kinds of energy, and gods must correspond to specific types. Generally, biological-type gods are more suited to stars with environments conducive to life, like Earth. Not every star is suitable. Therefore, conflicts arise over the acquisition of stars compatible with each god’s energy requirements.」

冥「Simply residing on a compatible star ensures the god’s safety. The reason the Dragon remained seated despite fear toward Seriel in the past was precisely due to that.」

Ｄ「Additionally, stars constantly emit energy. Unwanted by the stars themselves, this energy is vital for gods. Even if the energy is incompatible, it can be processed. Thus, few gods attempt to destroy stars emitting such energy. The Dragon’s complete extraction of a star’s energy in the past was an exceptionally rare exception. While it provided massive energy in the short term, the star’s disappearance means no further energy production. Long-term, it is a net loss.」

冥「Well, someone somewhere seems to be breaking them quite frequently.」

Ｄ「Indeed. Someone somewhere just cuts through them without concern.」

冥「……」

D「……」

Ming「Let us leave this matter here.」

D「Indeed.」

Q, aren't the reincarnated ones' mental ages far too low?

D「Regarding this, I must admit I am uncertain. Several factors may be at play, though they remain within the realm of hypothesis.」

Ming「Unusual. Your response is hesitant.」

D「I am no oracle. In fact, I make a point of not knowing certain things. Knowledge, if excessive, becomes dull.」

Ming「Is that how it is?」

D「It is. Now, the perception that reincarnated individuals have low mental ages—likely stems from physical constraints and environmental influences.」

Ming「The body, I grasp. The environment?」

D「Yes. Reincarnated individuals—particularly those confined within the elven village—lived like birds in a cage. Their lives remained unchanging. Change is a crucial factor in human development. Without novelty, people stagnate. Stagnation inhibits growth. In Japan, one attends kindergarten, then elementary school, middle school, high school, university, and eventually enters society—positions shift in tandem with physical maturation. I consider this progression a fundamental driver of growth. The presence of change compels individuals to adapt, to learn. But sustained existence without change prevents growth entirely. Especially for those reincarnated individuals confined in the elven village, their relationships were limited to acquaintances from previous lives—lacking stimulation. It is not surprising, then, that they remained stagnant, merely extending the state of a high school student from their prior life. This is my argument.」

冥「Whether it's correct or not, it carries weight.」

Ｄ「It comes down to whether they genuinely strive to grow. People remain children unless they consciously make the effort to grow. Time alone does not make a child into an adult. Without an environment that enables growth, or without the will to grow, one remains a child indefinitely. Saying 'retaining a child's heart' sounds noble, but many adults remain inwardly childish—unwilling to grow, unaware even that they haven't grown. Perhaps reincarnates failed to grow due to their environment. Or perhaps their awareness of wanting to grow was suppressed by it.」

冥「Unusual. You're actually giving a serious, educational speech!?」

Ｄ「Rude. I'm always serious.」

冥「Huh?」

Ｄ「Huh?」

D "Therefore, I conclude today's segment of Professor D's Lessons. Until next time."

Ming "Is it certain there will be a next time...?"