While Landmark Knight family head Faza, Ryu, and Sebastian began reviewing the estate's finances, a visitor arrived.
He was a tall, slender man with black hair and dark eyes, wearing a pair of glasses - a rare sight in this world.
This was Professor Saiten ¹, the scholar they had scheduled an appointment with. He was a brilliant man, reputed to possess the "Appraisal" ² skill for analyzing people.
"I appreciate you coming, Professor Saiten," Faza said.
"No, I am indebted to everyone in the Landmark Knight Family, after all," Saiten replied.
The professor offered a gentle, soft-mannered smile to Faza.
"Today, I'd like you to perform a Skill Appraisal on my third son, Ryu," Faza said, drawing the boy forward from where he stood with his older brothers.
"The other day was the Baptismal Ceremony ³, wasn't it?" Saiten asked.
"Yes," Faza replied. "The Priest-sama ⁴ also saw a skill he didn't recognize. To be honest, the people of the house are also perplexed by a skill they are hearing of for the first time."
"Even the Priest-sama? That is rare indeed. Well, let's have a look. Ryu-kun ⁵, would you mind if I Appraised you?"
It seems there is etiquette even in Appraisal. It was the first time hearing this for Ryu, who had been keeping it activated since the moment he was born - though, having said that, he cannot do character Appraisal...
"Yes," Ryu said.
With Ryu's permission, Saiten began the process.
"Ah, this... Gokudo (Yakuza) ⁶? I see. Certainly, this is something I have never seen or heard of. There are no reports of such a skill even in the Royal Capital. This is fascinating," Saiten muttered.
Ryu remained perfectly still. However, certainly, when being Appraised, it feels like being peeped at while stark naked.
"I'm going to run a deeper 'Analysis' through my Appraisal now," Saiten said.
Is it an ability accompanying Appraisal? Ryu was also interested as a holder of "Appraisal."
"...This is staggering. This skill, with my A+ Appraisal, almost no analysis can be done. In other words, that means this 'Gokudo (Yakuza)' is a special skill equivalent to S-rank. The only thing I understood is the abstract fact that 'Gokudo (Yakuza)' is a skill for 'Mastering the Way'," Saiten said, sounding stunned.
"...Mastering the Way? What does that even mean?" Faza asked.
"It seems to be the type of thing that influences other skills, but... 'Jack of All Trades' ⁷ aside, there might be some kind of influence on 'Appraisal'... Since this is likely the first time this skill has been confirmed in the Kingdom, we have no choice but to continue follow-up observations in the future," Saiten explained.
"...I see. Well, if even Saiten-sensei doesn't know, then it can't be helped. Ryu, continue to keep working hard at various things from now on. If you do that, the truth will come out naturally," Faza said.
Faza patted Ryu on the head with a 'pon'.
"Yes!"
As expected, 'Gokudo (Yakuza)' probably means yakuza; it's written as 'mastering the path' and read as yakuza, but even as a former yakuza himself, he can't imagine what kind of power it actually granted. As his father said, he would just have to wait and see.
Faza invited Saiten to stay for a meal, but the professor politely declined. He was eager to head home and compile a report on this matter.
"By the way, Ryu-kun. When did you first realize you had 'Appraisal' and start using it? Your 'Appraisal' will probably level up very soon, because the usage conditions should be achieved shortly."
"Is that so!? I started using it as far back as I can remember," Ryu admitted.
"I see, as I thought. Usually, the first level-up for Appraisal takes many years, but for it to level up at that age is rare. Normally, people start using it after being taught at the age of 6, so I thought it was strange since it takes many years to satisfy the conditions. Faza-san, your child is an amazing kid."
As he looked away from Ryu, he praised Ryu's Father.
"This child is a prodigy!" Faza boasted.
"Stop saying that to people, Dad!" Ryu snapped, his face turning red.
"Because he became able to read and write at 4 years old. Ryu is smart, you know," Faza said, stroking Ryu's head again.
"That is incredible! Even among the prodigies I hear about, there are stories of them using skills and learning in a short time only after passing the Baptismal Ceremony at age 6, so the point that he has learned it regardless of skills is wonderful; that is truly a prodigy!" Saiten said, genuinely surprised.
"Isn't he! We've even been talking as a family about sending this child to school regardless of skills..." Faza continued, unable to stop bragging about his son.
Summary:
Professor Saiten visits the Landmark Knight Family to appraise Ryu's mysterious skills. He discovers that Ryu's 'Gokudo' skill is an S-rank equivalent related to 'Mastering the Way.' The chapter ends with Faza bragging about Ryu's natural genius in reading and writing.
Trivia:
- Ryu has been using Appraisal since birth, which is rare as most wait until age 6.
- Ryu's Appraisal is about to level up due to high usage.
- Glasses are considered a rare item in this world.
- Saiten's Appraisal is A-Rank, yet it failed to fully analyze Ryu's S-Rank 'Gokudo' skill
Character Insight:
Ryu's internal monologue reveals his self-consciousness about his past as a yakuza, while Faza's pride shows a deeply loving, if slightly embarrassing, parental bond.
Behind the Scenes:
The term 'Gokudo' is a more formal or poetic term for Yakuza, often translated as 'The Ultimate Path,' explaining why the Appraisal identifies it as 'Mastering the Way.'
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Saiten: A name likely derived from 'Saitan' (shortest/fastest) or 'Saiten' (scoring/marking), fitting for a scholar.
2 ↩ Appraisal (Kantei): A staple isekai skill used to see stats or hidden information.
3 ↩ Baptismal Ceremony: A world-building event occurring at age 6 where children receive their official skills.
4 ↩ -sama: A high-level Japanese honorific denoting great respect, used here for the Priest.
5 ↩ -kun: An honorific usually used for young males or subordinates.
6 ↩ Gokudo: Literally "The Ultimate Path," the formal term for the Yakuza organization/lifestyle.
7 ↩ Jack of All Trades (Kiyou Binbou): A skill typically implying being good at many things but master of none.
Notes:
• Sebastian - The family's elderly, white-haired butler who has served since the grandfather's generation. Highly knowledgeable.
• Faza - The Lord of the Landmark Domain. A slender but sturdily built man with red hair and brown eyes.
• 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.
• Saiten - A professor and scholar known for his A-Rank 'Appraisal' skill. Tall and slender with black hair, black eyes, and rare glasses.
• Ryu's Father - The Lord of the Landmark Domain. A slender but sturdily built man with red hair and brown eyes.