Ryu turned six years old.
Today was the day of his Baptismal Ceremony ¹.
Children from across the territory who had reached the age of six gathered at the church one after another. As the children and their parents sat quietly in their pews, the appointed time arrived. The Priest began his explanation of the ceremony.
According to the Priest, the ritual was designed to confirm one's "Talents" - the Skills ² they possessed. These served as a compass for their future growth. For instance, if a child possessed the [Axe User] and [Sewing] Skills, focusing their efforts on those specific crafts would allow them to unlock associated abilities.
Basic attributes would also improve accordingly. An [Axe User] would see significant growth in Strength and Stamina, while [Sewing] would grant a bonus to Dexterity.
"The 'Voice of the World' ³ will notify you when an ability is acquired," the Priest explained. "Some call it the voice of the Gods. It speaks directly into your mind the moment you satisfy the requirements through your hard work."
Once the explanation concluded, the children were led into a back room one by one to verify their Skills. To prevent future conflict or disadvantage, the results were kept private. Whether a child shared their Skills afterward was their own responsibility, and the Priest was bound by a strict duty of confidentiality.
Soon, it was Ryu's turn. His father and mother gave him a light pat on the back.
"Go on, Ryu," Faza said. "There's nothing to worry about. It'll be over before you know it."
"Right!"
After replying to the two, Ryu was guided by the Priest to enter the room.
Inside the room was a statue modeled after a God, and in front of it was a tool shaped like a glass sphere fitted into a square box.
This seems to be what's called a Magic Tool for seeing Skills.
"Now, offer a prayer of thanks to the Gods and place your hands upon the sphere," the Priest instructed.
Ryu did as he was told. Suddenly, a dazzling light filled the room. Startled, Ryu started to pull away.
"Do not let go,"
At the Priest's voice, he returned the hands he was about to let go.
"The Lord's son's Skill is... Gokudo ⁴? And... [Jack of All Trades ⁵]... huh, hmm..., this is unfortunate. Ah, but you have [Appraisal ⁶] as a separate Skill; this will be highly prized."
"Is [Jack of All Trades] a bad thing?"
Ryu voiced his worry at the Priest's words.
"[Jack of All Trades] is a special thing where one becomes able to use almost any Skill, but on the other hand, no matter how much effort one piles up, none of them will ever reach greatness. It is said that Skills have Talent Evaluations from S+ to G-, but for [Jack of All Trades], all those evaluations stop at G+; no matter how much effort you make, they will not rise higher than that. However, there are useful things like [Magic Storage (Small)] among them, so please do not be pessimistic. Besides, the fact that the special skill [Appraisal] exists separately means that, while there are individual talent limits, it signifies the possibility of growth if you work hard. Please rest easy."
"And what about this... 'Gokudo'?"
He had held a job with a familiar sound in his previous life, but no way, Ryu thought while asking the Priest.
"I have been in this office for forty years, and I have never seen such a Skill. I recommend you visit the scholar Saiten-sensei; he is a master of character analysis. Perhaps he can shed some light on it. That is all."
"I understand. Thank you very much."
He bowed and left the room.
Faza and Cecil rushed toward Ryu as he came out of the room. Ryu had been inside much longer than the other children.
"Are you alright, Ryu? What happened?"
"Did the Priest-sama say something to you?"
At their alarming words, the Priest,
"This is a church, Lord-sama, please be quiet,"
gave a warning.
"My apologies..."
The parents bowed their heads and went outside accompanied by Ryu.
Outside, parents who had finished the Baptismal Ceremony were alternating between joy and sorrow along with their children over the Skills they obtained. Among them, there were parents depressed by Skills that didn't seem likely to inherit the family business, but since it was the day of the children's departure, most were being celebrated.
As a Lord and as a parent, Faza had watched this scene many times. Every year, whenever he saw this sight, he thought the future of the territory was bright, but this year was the departure of his son Ryu; his happiness was exceptional.
Seeing his parents so happy, Ryu's heart was heavy. He wondered if his family would be disappointed if he told them about the [Jack of All Trades] that even the Priest was let down by.
Trivia:
- Skill rankings go from S+ to G-.
- Jack of All Trades caps all talent at G+.
- Gokudo is a Skill even the experienced Priest hasn't seen in 40 years.
- The 'Voice of the World' is a direct-to-brain auditory notification system.
- Privacy regarding Skills is strictly maintained by the church
Character Insight:
Ryu shows significant anxiety over social expectations, reflecting his mature internal consciousness as a reincarnated individual. His immediate recognition of 'Gokudo' (Yakuza) hints at a dark past he's trying to reconcile with his new life as a noble son.
Behind the Scenes:
The term 'Kiyou Binbou' (Jack of all trades, master of none) is a common Japanese idiom used here as a literal game-mechanic handicap.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ 洗礼の儀 (Senrei no Gi): A rite of passage in this world where children's innate abilities are revealed.
2 ↩ スキル (Sukiru): Innate magical talents that define a person's vocational aptitude.
3 ↩ 世界の声 (Sekai no Koe): A metaphysical announcement system that alerts individuals to stat increases or skill gains.
4 ↩ ゴクドー (Gokudo): A Japanese term for Yakuza or 'the ultimate path'; here it appears as a mysterious character Skill.
5 ↩ 器用貧乏 (Kiyou Binbou): Literally 'skilled poverty'; the curse of being able to do everything poorly but nothing well.
6 ↩ 鑑定 (Kantei): A rare information-gathering skill used to identify objects or people.
Notes:
• Ryu - Formerly Yokohama Ryusei, a yakuza. Reincarnated as the third son of the Landmark family. Has red hair and blue eyes. Possesses memories of his previous life and the ability to see names of objects.
• Faza - The Lord of the Landmark Domain. A slender but sturdily built man with red hair and brown eyes.
• Cecil - Wife of the Landmark Lord. A blonde woman with deep blue eyes.