alwaysunqualified
Chapter 10 - Change
Shortly after the New Year, the devastated area was mostly reconstructed. Everything had to be rebuilt from the ground up with new materials. Everything the void creature had touched disintegrated, including people who weren't healed in time. Angelica managed to help many hold on, but I witnessed a girl gradually succumb as her body was consumed. Despite my attempts to use goddess points, the cost was far outside of what I had left.
Following the assault, the queen delivered a heartfelt speech on the grievous loss of lives, invoking the guidance of the 24 to grant them peace. Subsequently, a grand festival was orchestrated in their memory. Alongside numerous individuals, I was escorted to the stage, celebrated as heroes of the hour, and bestowed with a bounty of Cores for our role in saving numerous lives. The specifics of our actions were lightly touched upon, a sentiment that extended to all present. The underlying message was clear: bravery in the face of adversity is met with reward. Notably, I was not alone in my youth on that stage; among us was a contingent of kids, including my twin.
I also had a conversation with my family, sharing my circumstances with them. I had built it up in my mind as a significant event, fearing it might change how my new family perceived me. However, when I finally shared, it felt as mundane as telling them what tomorrow's weather would be like.
The key takeaways included Amelia asserting that having an additional mother was no reason to refrain from calling them mom. An acquired talk with Miki about my past sexual experiences. Sakura's eyes lit up at the mention of adventure, and Angelica made pns to purchase the rgest house in the city to accommodate all the future girls who would join us.
In a world where goddesses will literally smite you for going against their rules, I should have realized that coming from another world was not really that big of a deal.
They also dragged me around, emphasizing the importance of maximizing our Affection and Love Points, not only with them but with Cire and Selen as well. I found myself visiting them more frequently—primarily Cire, since Selen was often preoccupied with her duties.
Though I grumble about it, I'm genuinely enjoying myself. Previously, my smiles were few and far between, a fact I hadn't acknowledged until the heavy, sapping feeling I had normalized disappeared. It was only after this feeling was gone, that I recognized how perpetually tired and drained I had been.
The best way I can describe it is simir to when you're in a foul mood, and then after eating something and taking a nap, you find yourself unable to recall why you were being such a dick earlier.
There's still a surreal sensation, like this is all fake, particurly when I gnce at my pale hands and momentarily forget they're mine. Though this feeling has significantly diminished over time.
This swift recovery prompts the question of whether such a rapid bounce-back is typical, or if there's an underlying factor at py. Changes of this nature are typically arduous, yet the rules here might be different. I'm not even sure if my brain operates the same way in this world.
However, one aspect remains unwavering: my determination to punch that stupid goddess in the face the first opportunity I get. I have no intention of compromise on this. My father always mentioned the importance of having a goal to navigate through life, and it appears he was correct.
The st new thing was Love Land, which I briefly explored, finding myself in a seemingly endless white void. For the moment, it resembled an empty canvas, though numerous construction options were avaible, albeit most were inaccessible at the time. It appears that this was my base, for ck of a better term.
The primary structures avaible for construction included a House for 10k, a Bar for 50k, a Training Area for 25k, a Ranch for 100k, a Grove for 20k, an Alchemy Lab for 22k, and a Church for 250k. Areas beyond my current reach, like a Castle priced at 2.75 billion, dispyed prerequisites such as "1 more queen required." With just a thought, I could position any building within this void, assuming I had sufficient points. Additionally, each building was subject to a construction timer, ranging from a few days to several weeks.
In this space, I had the ability to invite any of the girls with at least 500 Affection, where time would stand still outside. The duration of my stay could st for the total seconds equivalent to the combined Affection points of all the girls with cards per year, which amounted to just under an hour and a half at present.
My visit concluded upon noticing the option for a loan based on my annual income, with a staggering interest rate of 25% per year. The page read, "Loans are a scam - please sign here to get pre-approved today."
After leaving, I contempted the feasibility of taking a loan, ultimately deciding to adopt a wait-and-see approach. ‘Also fuck you!’ I flicked off the sky, a gesture no one around me understood. ‘Yep, that seems right.’
Right now, my family and I are on our way to the training field, where I will test out the roulette skill for the first time. Given the training ground's wide range of levels, from tier 0 to tier 8, and the high density of people present, it seemed like a good location for a test run.
After discussing it with my family, we agreed that the most strategic move would be to advance to tier 1 as quickly as possible. They seem to think I'm what's known as an apostle—a person who enacts the will of a goddess. Amelia has shared a few tales about such individuals with me, highlighting that reaching adulthood typically cements their abilities. Basically, they get a seventh Blessing.
"So, it's time for a test run," I said to myself. Activating a skill was as simple as intending to use it, and with that thought, time came to a halt.
[Would you like to start a date?]
“Yes, use 3 Date points,” I instructed my system.
Suddenly, a rge spinning wheel materialized in the air. Three beams of light emanated from me, infusing the wheel, as names began to popute its outer edge. A heart-shaped arrow served as the pointer, while at its center, was a naked anime girl, suggestively posed, blowing a kiss.
The arrow whirled around the wheel, gradually decelerating before settling on a name I recognized: Olive. An instructor here, but more importantly an adult.
“So it really was my fault that I kept getting kids. Wait no, there were still some of the names of my cssmates I recognized up there, so the possibility isn't out, but it seems like the more luck I use the more options I have.” This insight significantly alleviated my concerns, dispelling the notion that I would have to endure this situation until reaching tier 1.
“Date Starto!”
[A date in the training grounds]
[Target: Olive]
Unfortunately, my Affection with Miss Olive remained negative; I did not see myself leveling today. Since I began putting in more effort, I've noticed a slight improvement in people's attitudes toward me. The change was modest, mainly because many doubted someone of my perceived weakness could py a significant role in defeating a void monster. In some instances, this skepticism even intensified their disdain for me.
But, there's no point dwelling on that now. I could easily impress with my cards, yet I'm reserving that for the upcoming tournament. Occurring once every decade, it attracts the city's youth, including the nobles, presenting the best opportunity for achievements and powerful cards.
I decided to conduct my initial trial here to explore several aspects. Firstly, whether individuals with negative Affection levels could be potential date targets. Secondly, the possibility of engaging higher-tier individuals in dates.
Although I've also experienced dates with multiple girls simultaneously, the mechanics behind such interactions remain unclear to me. It's pusible that Affection levels py a role, especially considering the target's high Affection prior to the initiation of the date.
There's so much to learn, and that's assuming everything is set in stone. Who knows if the whims of the stupid goddess are reshaping the rules as we speak?
Upon entering the training grounds, we were greeted by a vast expanse bustling with children of varying ages, all engrossed in their training. The area was dotted with several buildings, each designated for different stages of training. Trainees were assigned to a specific building based on their current level and would remain there until they successfully completed the requisite evaluations to advance.
Females are required to remain here until they successfully complete all their courses, whereas males are obliged to conclude their education following their service in the military if they have not passed.
These buildings resembled grand theaters, equipped with magical technology to project images and amplify sound, ensuring that every attendee could see and hear clearly. Parents were allowed, and often encouraged, to stay and observe from the sidelines. It was common for every family to have someone in charge of the kids' safety.
The exterior space was segmented into extensive drill areas, organized by the type of weapon being taught. Training sessions were comprehensive, starting with weapon drills, followed by a variety of csses that covered essential survival skills ranging from camping to medical, and concluding with sparring sessions.
In this world, combat was not just a skill but a fundamental aspect of life. The most efficient way to gain experience and level up was through defeating monsters. This principle was evident in the comparison between my mother and Miki. Despite my mother being over three full year cycles, or 72 years, older, she remained a full tier below Miki, who had dedicated her youth to adventuring.
"Looks like it's my lucky day," Olive quipped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The instructors were less than thrilled about my habit of switching weapons for each training session. After discussing it with my family, we concluded that gaining a fundamental understanding of each weapon was crucial. There was no point to getting knowledge of how to use a skill with a certain weapon, but having no basis for even wielding it.
At home, my training was relentless. Miki had invested heavily to equip me with an extensive arsenal, while Sakura took a more hands-on approach in my education—quite literally. I had naively thought she might hold back or hesitate, but that notion was quickly dispelled when her leg connected with my face, breaking my nose. It seemed Angelica spent more time healing my injuries than I did in actual combat, but it paid off. I had improved, now able to dodge attacks from peers my own level. The toll was evident on Angelica, often falling asleep from exhaustion while embracing me, but it was comfortable so I didn't really care.
Without a word, I joined the formation, today's choice being dual swords—a style that demands a unique Blessing, either a mastery or abilities enhanced by wielding additional bdes. One girl had an ability that doubled her bde strikes; facing her meant contending with four swords instead of two, a number that would only increase as her Blessing tier grew.
Another girl had a Blessing that emitted what appeared to be ser beams, extending its reach and leaving a hazardous trail in its wake.
The complexity of the drills was designed more to familiarize you with using both weapons than for any other purpose.
"Oh, maybe if you'd just stuck with your spear, you'd be more than half-assed with a weapon by now," she remarked, her comment clearly intended for my mothers' ears rather than mine, judging by her gnce towards them. However, only my mother seemed concerned; Miki was too engrossed in her drinking, while ughing with other parents to pay much heed.
Following the training, my group and I headed to a designated area for today's lesson, which focused on managing poison cases in the absence of antidotes. The css covered familiar ground initially, such as identifying symptoms to deduce the type of poison and stabilizing the victim until professional help could be sought. However, the discussion quickly escated to more drastic measures, like the timeframe for amputating a limb to prevent the spread of poison or methods for inducing deep freeze on a victim without causing death.
‘You really think differently when you can heal from just about anything given enough time,’ I couldn’t help but think, seeing some of the brutal methods.
After css, I resumed my daily date with the dirt—though not quite daily, it certainly felt like it.
A buffer cast a protective shield on both Sakura and me as we proceeded to the sparring zone. Most of my practice sessions involve sparring with Sakura, though I occasionally switch opponents to gain experience against various weapons. There's a lingering guilt in facing off against opponents who are essentially children, aged around 10 to 12 years. However, each time one of them kicks my ass, it becomes slightly easier.
Without a word, Sakura charged at me. As I aimed a strike at her legs with one of my swords, she executed a swift maneuver, using her shield to perform a quarter cartwheel off the ground. I dodged, twisting my body and raising my second sword overhead, only for it to csh against her swiftly positioned shield. In a fluid motion, I brought my first sword back into py, managing to engage her sword in a deadlock, just as it was inches away from reaching me.
Unforeseen, her foot surged down, connecting with my nose before I could fully react. The impact sent me tumbling to the ground, a scenario I anticipated repying multiple times today. Thankfully, unlike at home, this time my nose remained intact.
Though I've progressed to withstand more than a single move from her, Sakura's versatility in combat remains daunting. Each weapon lock feels like a new lesson in her repertoire of unexpected counterattacks.
I look over when I hear the twins giggle. They have stopped giving me Affection points, now they just seem to find entertainment in my misfortunes, appuding every time I hit the ground. Despite the slight to my pride, I couldn't suppress a smile at their gleeful cpping.
They remained cute even on their cards, which is distinguished by its unique border. Anna's features a fiery stream, complementing her petite frame cd in a red kimono. In contrast, Emma's card is framed by falling snow, matching her blue kimono.
Spoiler
[colpse]
[Name: Anna Ekker
Level: 3
Affection: 203
Trait: Family, Twin, Loli
Goddess: The Goddess of Magic.
Primary Blessing: Ancient Inferno 1
Lesser Blessings: ]
[Ancient Inferno - Draw the fires that ravaged during the times of creation.]
Spoiler
[colpse]
[Name: Emma Ekker
Level: 3
Affection: 203
Trait: Family, Twin, Loli
Goddess: The Goddess of Magic.
Primary Blessing: Ancient Gcel 1
Lesser Blessings: ]
[Ancient Inferno - Draw the cold that ravaged during the times of creation]
As I gnced at the smiling Sakura, a brief vision of her with a hole through her stomach fshed before my eyes. Quickly, I snapped back to reality, leaping to my feet and assuming my ready stance once again. "No pain, no gain," I reminded myself.
[Date end]
[Liev Ekker - Level 11
Goddess points: 1,265
Love points: 15,825
Stat points: 1
Luck: 11 Charm: 2 Social: 1 Observe: 1
Skills - Date a lottery 7/10, A date to remember [o]
Achievements - 17
Achievements_Alice - 1
Cards: 1_Yuno - 1801, 2_Sakura - 452, 3_Angelica - 461, 4_Alice 488, 5_Cire - 223, 6_Selen - 247, 7_Miki - 345, 8_Amelia - 347, 9_Anna - 203 10_Emma - 203 11_Sk?gul - 500 ]
