The baptism was over. As soon as my carriage pulled up to the estate, I found my entire world waiting for me. My grandparents, my older brothers Tauro and Jiro, my little sister Hanna, and our butler, Sebastian, were all there. Even Captain Sugo and the rest of the household staff had lined up, ready to celebrate.
"Ryu, congratulations on your baptism!" they cheered.
"Congratulations, Master Ryu!" the servants added, their voices echoing through the hall.
The moment I stepped inside, the wave of affection hit me. It was a first for me - something I'd never experienced in my previous life. I felt a lump form in my throat, the sting of happy tears threatening to break through.
"Thanks, everyone..."
I managed to say. I had to stop there. If I said another word, I'd start sobbing. I was happy, sure, but the priest's pitying look kept flashing in my mind. If my family found out my skill was useless, would this warmth vanish? Would they look at me with disappointment instead? The anxiety cast a shadow over my heart, even as the party began.
After the initial excitement died down and we sat for dinner, the atmosphere turned toward the results of the ceremony. With a heavy heart, I finally confessed the truth about my skill.
"Jack of All Trades ¹?" my father asked.
To my surprise, no one looked shocked or disappointed. My father, the head of the house, simply laughed and shook his head.
"What's with that look, son? Did you think we'd be upset? You're still Ryu. At your age, you can already read and write better than most adults. Besides, you have 'Appraisal' ² and that strange 'Gokudo (Yakuza)' ³ skill. There's no reason to be down. And don't forget - a Jack of All Trades should be able to use Magic Storage ⁴, even if it's only a small space."
I blinked, remembering the priest mentioning something similar. But the term was still foreign to me.
"Magic Storage?"
Seeing my confusion, Father picked up a Rigo ⁵ - a fruit that looked remarkably like an apple from Earth - and held it out to me. "You haven't tried it yet? Here, try to 'store' this."
"Store it?"
As the word left my lips, the Rigo vanished from my palm as if it had never existed.
"That's Magic Storage. It's sitting in your own personal pocket dimension now. Time stands still in there, so nothing ever spoils. Your capacity might be limited because of your skill, but it's an incredibly useful ability to have."
My heart soared. Suddenly, the world felt a little brighter. Seeing my expression lift, the rest of the family broke into smiles as well.
"Besides, the 'Appraisal' skill is also precious. Depending on your talent, we don't know how much the content you can appraise will increase in the future, but unlike the 'Jack of All Trades' one, as long as it's a bestowed skill, your talent should grow to some extent."
"Yes."
I replied honestly to the advice from my father.
"'Gokudo (Yakuza)' as a skill is a first for me though... Sebastian, do you know anything?"
Father tried asking the knowledgeable, white-haired butler who had served this house since his grandfather's generation.
"It is a skill I am hearing of for the first time. It might be one of the so-called special skills in the world."
"Ah, the priest also said he didn't know."
I remembered and answered.
"In that case, let's try asking someone who might know next time. Is Saiten-sensei still in the territory?"
Father asked the butler Sebastian.
"Yes, Saiten-sensei is said to be departing for the Royal Capital next month, but I believe he will be at his home until then."
Come to think of it, the priest said that too, I remembered while listening to the conversation between the two.
"Alright, in that case, make an appointment with Saiten-sensei."
Father instructed Sebastian.
"Understood."
Sebas nodded.
"Well then, Ryu. From tomorrow, along with Tauro and Jiro, your mother will teach you studies, and Sugo and I will oversee your martial arts training. You might be a 'Jack of All Trades,' but that just means we're going to push you to your absolute limit."
"Yes!"
Until now, I had only been watching my two older brothers' training, so the idea that I was finally going to join them - that I was truly part of this world - filled me with a genuine, burning excitement.
Trivia:
- Ryu already knows how to read and write at an exceptionally young age.
- Magic Storage effectively freezes time for objects kept inside.
- The 'Jack of All Trades' skill is considered a 'bestowed' skill, meaning it has a growth limit compared to unique skills.
- Sebastian has been with the family for three generations (since the grandfather's time).
- The 'Yakuza' skill is so rare that even a veteran priest didn't recognize it
Character Insight:
Ryu's internal conflict stems from a 'mobster' mindset where being 'useless' usually means being discarded. His father's unconditional acceptance and practical advice shift Ryu's perspective from pessimism to motivation.
Behind the Scenes:
The term 'Kiyou Binbou' (Jack of All Trades) is a common trope in Isekai where it initially seems like a debuff but usually offers extreme versatility.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Jack of All Trades (器用貧乏, Kiyou Binbou): A Japanese idiom referring to someone who is handy at many things but master of none; in this context, it is a literal RPG-style Skill.
2 ↩ Appraisal (鑑定, Kantei): A standard fantasy trope skill that allows the user to see the stats, names, or properties of objects and people.
3 ↩ Yakuza (ゴクドー, Gokudou): A term for members of Japanese transnational organized crime syndicates; here it appears as a mysterious, unique character skill.
4 ↩ Magic Storage (収納, Shuunou): A sub-dimensional space for storing items, common in Isekai literature; often features time-stasis.
5 ↩ Rigo (リゴー): A fictional fruit in this world that bears a strong resemblance to an apple.
Notes:
• Sebastian - The family's elderly, white-haired butler who has served since the grandfather's generation. Highly knowledgeable.
• Hanna - Ryu's younger sister.
• Tauro - Ryu's older brother. The eldest son of the Landmark family. He has the 'Knight' skill and is proficient in various melee weapons. Described as kind and supportive of his younger brother.
• Jiro - Ryu's second older brother. He has the 'Priest-Warrior' skill, combining martial arts with healing magic.
• Sugo - Captain of the territorial guards. Responsible for teaching martial arts.
• 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.