From the day of their first session, training with Roy became the fixed routine for Ren’s afternoons.
His days began with his usual studies in the morning, followed by physical exertion in the afternoon until he literally hit the ground.
"Let’s call it a day," Roy said, watching Ren collapse spread-eagled yet again.
"Th-thank you... very much..."
"Yeah. You gave it your all today."
To an outsider, Ren’s post-training state looked just as pathetic as it had on the very first day. In reality, however, he was now capable of moving for nearly twice as long. Both his stamina and physical strength were progressing steadily.
"...Today’s results are..."
Once he was sure Roy had left, Ren took a secret look at his bracelet.
Magic Sword Summoning Arts (Level 1: 88/100)
His skill level was finally on the verge of rising.
"I’ve been at this for over a month now."
Pushing himself to the point of collapse in a single session only yielded two points of proficiency. By halving his total accumulated points, he could easily calculate exactly how many days he had spent training.
"Just a little more... six more days of hard work and Magic Sword Summoning Arts will level up."
He felt a sense of pride in his own persistence. At this point, it wasn't just a gamer's drive to level up that kept him going.
(I suppose it’s that.)
Ren knew there was another reason: the influence of Roy and Mireille.
Unlike his parents in his previous life, these two praised him with everything they had whenever he worked hard. Seeing their smiles made him want to push himself even further.
"Come to think of it, I never got praised back when I was Hasu..."
His parents in his previous life had split up when he was young, and he had been taken in by his mother. However, as he grew older, his mother grew to resent him because he resembled his father. Eventually, she stopped speaking to him altogether. By the time he was a university student, she was rarely ever home, and they only spoke a few times a year.
Compared to those days, his current life was incredibly fulfilling. Even with the occasional inconvenience of living without modern appliances, he could say with absolute certainty that he was happier now.
"I’ll work hard again tomorrow."
He could endure the struggle for the sake of these happy moments. The value of making his parents proud was irreplaceable.
The training from that day forward felt more intense than ever. Day after day, he faced Roy and swung his sword until he dropped. Knowing the level-up was within reach, he almost began to look forward to the moment he collapsed.
Six days into this final push, an abnormality occurred during the session.
"Huh...?"
About an hour into the training, his body suddenly felt incredibly light. It was even lighter than before he had started the day's exercise—so light that he felt he might take flight if he put enough power into his step.
"What’s wrong? Are you hurt?" Roy asked, his voice sharp with concern as Ren suddenly came to a halt.
"I-I’m fine! It’s nothing!"
"If you say so... but don’t overdo it!"
"I won't! I understand!"
As he replied, Ren realized the lightness wasn't the only change. A new, unprecedented strength had settled into the hand gripping his Wooden Magic Sword. He didn't understand the source, but not wanting to worry his father, he dropped into a low stance.
"Here I come!"
He lunged forward with a spirited shout. The moment he took that first step, Roy realized something was different.
"So fast...!"
Even for Roy, who hunted monsters in the forest daily, Ren’s sudden burst of speed was startling. Ren had already possessed physical abilities beyond those of a normal seven-year-old, but this was something else. He was moving faster than the monsters of the forest.
"Guh...!"
Roy held his wooden sword horizontally to parry the strike. The ground beneath his feet gouged as he braced himself, and his wooden sword let out a shrill creak under the pressure.
"Haaaaah!"
Ren’s swordplay continued to assault him. Their blades clashed repeatedly, producing heavy, dull thuds.
(My body feels so light...!)
The usual numbness in his hands was gone, allowing him to swing the Wooden Magic Sword exactly as he envisioned. Ren was so focused on the sensation that he didn't even notice the look on Roy's face.
"You wouldn't just get stronger this suddenly— Wait! Ren, could it be—!"
Roy’s eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Appearing to have reached a conclusion, he shifted his stance. For the first time, he decided to take the initiative and attack.
"Ren! I’m coming at you now!"
The atmosphere around Roy shifted. A sharp intensity entered his gaze, sending a jolt of tension through Ren. But just as Roy was about to strike, he pulled back.
Ren, who had been overflowing with power just seconds ago, suddenly wobbled. His knees gave out, and he hit the dirt.
"Wh-what...?"
"...Ran out of fuel, did you?"
"No way... I still feel like I have energy..."
Roy approached the confused Ren with a joyful grin. He reached down and scooped the boy up into his arms.
"Well done! To think my son was a Skill User after all!"
"Wait... Dad...?"
"The only reason you’d get that much stronger that quickly is a skill level up! I don’t have a skill myself, so I don't know the feeling, but nothing else makes sense!"
Held in those powerful arms, Ren finally understood.
(I see. Magic Sword Summoning Arts leveled up mid-fight.)
The bonus for the next level was Physical Ability Boost (Small). That explained why his body had felt so light and his strength had increased. Because the change was so sudden, his mind and body probably hadn't synchronized correctly, leading to an unexpected depletion of his reserves.
"I’d love to say we should head to a Church for a Skill Appraisal... but..." Roy looked down at Ren, his excitement momentarily fading. "I’m sorry. We don’t have the money to spare for a trip to the Church."
"Um... is an appraisal that expensive?"
"No, the fee itself is only worth about two monsters' worth of materials. For kids in a town with a Church, they get appraised the moment they're born."
Then why was it an issue? Ren looked at the remote landscape around them and ventured a guess.
"Is it because we’re so far away that the travel costs are too much?"
Roy nodded immediately. "The nearest Church is in the city where the Baron lives."
It was a ten-day journey by horse.
"I could cover the travel expenses for the three of us. However, while I’m away, I’d have to hire a mercenary to protect the village and hunt monsters. That’s the part we can't afford."
This was actually perfect for Ren, who wanted to keep his abilities hidden. He intended to live a quiet life in this village, so this resolved one of his major concerns.
"I don't think we need an appraisal anyway," Ren said.
"Ren..."
"It's not like I'll die just because I don't know the exact name of my skill."
"Kid... aren't you a bit too philosophical? Most children would be dying to know their skill name..."
"Other families are other families, and ours is ours."
Roy stared at him in stunned silence for a moment before letting out a boisterous laugh that seemed to echo to the horizon.
Hearing the commotion, Mireille rushed out of the house. When she heard that Ren was a Skill User, she was so overcome with joy that she pulled him into a crushing embrace.