Yesterday, I spent time floating along in the flowing lake with Laudette-san.
After that, we had dinner in the lake area and then went to the church, where the appraisal revealed――that I had acquired a new skill art.
After returning home, I couldn’t eat much of mother’s dinner because I had already been snacking, which led to a small incident where she got a bit sulky… but putting that aside.
The next day, I went to the village training grounds and summoned Mikoto-san, the goddess, and Trawistia-san, the giant rat.
「Now then, Mikoto-san. Actually, this time I obtained a new skill art――or rather, did you happen to see it as well?」
「Yes」
「Ah, I see」
It seems Mikoto-san had been watching from the heavens.
Since Trawistia-san was there at the time, and Mikoto-san also saw it, there’s probably no need to explain it again to them.
「A while ago――」
「Yes?」
「I think Deis once said that Alec-kun treats the church like a cabaret club」
「Um……」
「At the time, I didn’t understand what she meant… but recently, I feel like I’ve started to understand」
「…………」
It seems I’ve been found out…
Not just yesterday, but the way I’ve been using the church in a slightly unusual way has apparently been noticed by Mikoto-san as well…
「I don’t think that’s appropriate. Treating a sacred church like a cabaret club is not appropriate」
Mikoto-san, who is like the embodiment of purity, gave me a stern remark.
「No, well, it’s not like I’ve been going to the church with any improper thoughts…」
「Is that really so…?」
「W-well, putting that aside――」
「Hmm…」
Mikoto-san looked slightly dissatisfied as I forcibly changed the subject.
Come to think of it, she’s strict about this kind of thing. She’s generally very serious and proper…
「Kii」
「Ah, right. Like I said yesterday, today we’re going to test the new skill art」
Trawistia-san also helped steer the conversation, so I responded with gratitude.
「…Well, fine. So you’re going to test this 『Rental Skill』, right?」
「Yes. I’d like both you and Trawistia-san to help with it」
『Rental Skill』――that is the new skill art I have acquired.
It was already late yesterday, so I couldn’t test it, but today I’ll have the two of them help me figure out what kind of art this is and what it can do.
「As Laudette-san mentioned, judging from the name――」
After the appraisal, and hearing what Laudette-san said, the conclusion I reached was――
「A skill that lets you rent skills」
「A skill that lets you rent skills?」
「…That’s right」
My line sounded a bit like a tongue twister. Mikoto-san repeated it and seemed to stumble slightly, but I chose not to point it out.
「I think I’ll probably be able to borrow the skills that the two of you possess」
For a moment, I wondered if it might be some kind of stealing-type ability, but since it’s an art of the 『Summoning』 skill, that’s probably not the case.
Most likely, it’s a skill art that allows the summoner to use the skills of their summons.
「By the way, you don’t understand it yourself yet, Alec-kun?」
「Ah, it seems I still don’t fully understand it」
This time, I didn’t realize I had 『Rental Skill』 until the appraisal, but there’s quite a bit of variation when it comes to gaining skill arts and understanding their abilities.
Sometimes you understand them instantly as if it just clicks, and other times you only figure them out gradually over time.
「I think I’ll understand it eventually as time passes, but right now I don’t really know how it works」
「I see」
So if I wait, I’ll probably understand it eventually, but I still want to know what it does as soon as possible.
「Now then, I’d like to try borrowing your skills――Mikoto-san, you have the 『God』 skill and the 『Hammer』 skill」
「Yes」
「And Trawistia-san, you have the 『Giant Rat』 skill and the 『Sword』 skill」
「Kii」
「Since I already have 『Hammer』 and 『Sword』, it might be hard to tell even if I borrow those」
Maybe I’d be able to use them at something like level 2 proficiency if I borrowed them, but for now I’ll set those aside.
「By the way… what kind of skill is the 『God』 skill?」
Actually, I’ve never seen Mikoto-san use the 『God』 skill.
Even in battle, she mostly just swings her hammer around. I have no idea what kind of skill 『God』 is.
「Hmm… It seems to be a skill that lets you perform god-like miracles」
「God-like…?」
Hearing that from Mikoto-san, who is undeniably a god, makes it sound a bit strange.
「Can I see it for a moment?」
「Eh…」
「Areh? Well, I won’t force you if you don’t want to…」
「No, it’s nothing. I’ll try using it」
She looked a bit reluctant, so I was about to withdraw my request, but it seems she’ll use it.
Or rather… is it really a skill she doesn’t like using that much?
「Alright then, Alec-kun, and Trawistia too, look up at the sky」
「Eh? Ah, okay」
「Kii」
Following Mikoto-san’s instruction, we looked up at the sky, and above us stretched a clear blue sky without a single cloud.
「With the 『God』 skill, I can make it rain or snow right now. I can control the weather――cause natural phenomena」
「Wow!」
Wait, that’s amazing. Even with such nice weather, she can make it rain――or even make it snow in summer… That really does sound like something a god would do…
「Alright, let’s begin」
「Please go ahead」
「Kii」
Mikoto-san nodded to us, then looked up at the sky and raised her palm toward it.
And then, she began controlling the weather――
「…Guh」
「…Eh?」
Just two seconds after starting, Mikoto-san dropped to her knees. She let out a pained groan.
「Um……?」
「Sorry, Alec-kun… I’m feeling a bit sick…」
「…………」
From the looks of it, could it be that she ran out of magic power…?
Now that I think about it, Mikoto-san’s 『Magic Power』 is currently 1.
I see. That’s why she was hesitant to use the 『God』 skill…
「Ugh… Hm? Ah, thank you, Trawistia…」
「Kii」
Trawistia-san handed something to Mikoto-san, who was slumped on all fours.
That looks like a pill for restoring magic power.
Then Trawistia-san took out a water magic tool and a cup from his magic bag, preparing for Mikoto-san to take the medicine.
As expected of Trawistia-san. He reads the situation well and is very attentive.
「So, it seems this skill consumes a lot of magic power. …Ah, but Alec-kun, look over there」
「Eh? I don’t see anything different…?」
After recovering her magic power, Mikoto-san told me to look at the sky, but it still looked the same clear blue. There was no rain or snow.
「Look, over there」
「Huh? Let me see…? Ah…」
When I looked in the direction Mikoto-san pointed――I could just barely make out a very small cloud… or maybe I couldn’t.
「See?」
「Uh…」
No, even if you say 「See?」…
「Anyway, that’s the 『God』 skill. Go ahead and borrow it as much as you like」
「Uh, thank you」
At the moment, I still don’t really grasp the full picture of the 『God』 skill…
But since she’s offering, I’ll gratefully accept it.
「Alright then, I’ll try borrowing Mikoto-san’s 『God』 skill」
「Yes. With your 『Magic Power』, Alec-kun, you should be able to gather more clouds. You might even manage rain」
My current 『Magic Power』 is 15. It’s not especially high, but it should last longer than Mikoto-san’s.
Alright. Let’s begin. That was quite a long introduction, but now it’s finally time to test 『Rental Skill』.
「Here I go! ――『Rental Skill』!」
I spread my hands toward the sky, imagining clouds gathering and heavy rain pouring down――and shouted the command with conviction.
「H-how is it…? Oh, wow, amazing, Alec-kun. You’re maintaining the 『God』 skill for quite a while… Are you okay? Does it hurt?」
「…………」
「Alec-kun…?」
「Ah, sorry. My magic power isn’t decreasing at all. It looks like it failed」
「Huh?」
I don’t feel any magic leaving my body, and there’s no sign that the skill art activated. Of course, there’s no rain or snow either.
「Hmm… Nothing at all. What went wrong…」
「Kii?」
「Ah, I see. Maybe the command is different?」
Like Trawistia-san suggested, maybe just saying 『Rental Skill』 isn’t enough.
For example, summoning Mikoto-san requires 『Summon: Mikoto』. Maybe it’s something similar where you have to specify the target.
「Let’s see… then――『Rental Skill God Skill』」
I tried a slightly different command, but――
「How is it?」
「Doesn’t seem to work」
There’s no response at all. That’s not the right command.
Hmm… maybe I should try a few variations.
「『God Skill Rental Skill』『Rental Skill Mikoto God Skill』『Mikoto God Skill Rental』『Mikoto Rental』『Rental Mikoto』」
So, while looking up at the sky, I tried firing off a bunch of random commands… but none of them worked. My magic power didn’t decrease, and there was no change in the sky.
「…It doesn’t seem to work」
「Hmm. If none of these worked… maybe it’s the opposite?」
「The opposite?」
「What if it’s a pattern where we borrow your skills, Alec-kun?」
「Eh? …Ah, I see. That’s also possible」
Instead of me borrowing from them, it could be that they borrow from me. That does seem plausible.
「I see. Alright, let’s consider that possibility and test it. Can you help me for a bit?」
「Yeah, ff course」
「Kii」
After that, I handed woodworking tools and materials to Mikoto-san and Trawistia-san――
「『Rental Skill』『Woodworking』 skill」
「『Rental Skill』Mikoto『Woodworking』 skill」
「Rental『Woodworking』Giant Rat」
「Lend 『Woodworking』 skill to Mikoto」
「I will lend the 『Woodworking』 skill to the Giant Rat」
We tried various commands like these together――but every single one failed.
We spent the entire day testing, but in the end, 『Rental Skill』 never activated even once…
What is this thing, seriously…
next chapter: World Journey 2
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