"Oh? You want to update your Falna? That's all?"
Zanis looked at Charles with mild curiosity.
While Falna updates were somewhat restricted within the Familia, the cost—both in time and valis—was nothing compared to the price of leaving. After all, only when the "crops" grew stronger could they earn more money for him.
Zanis hadn't expected this to be Charles' request.
"Yes."
"Why?" Zanis asked.
Charles straightened his back and answered without hesitation:
"I passed the god's trial. I must have gained a good amount of experience from it. Only by becoming stronger can I lighten Captain Zanis' burdens!"
In truth, Charles understood Falna well enough. Maybe the old me had no talent, but now that I've awakened from the haze and cleared the fog, I'm certain I can manifest some unknown power.
"Pfft… hahahaha! You're far too early for that."
Zanis recalled Charles' file.
His parents had joined the Familia seven years ago and died in the Dungeon just one year later. In all that time, Charles' average stats had never even broken past the H-rank mark. He'd always worked as a supporter—a total deadweight who couldn't stir up a ripple.
If Zanis hadn't "charitably" taken him in as an orphan, he wouldn't even have had that job.
He vaguely remembered that the couple had another child, but after their deaths only Charles had been found… maybe the other had been taken by someone else? Not important.
What mattered was how much profit this new crop could bring him. The better the talent, the faster the returns. As for surpassing him?
Don't make him laugh. Unless you were that monster puppet who'd leveled up in just one year, a normal person would need seven or eight years of effort before even dreaming of it—and Zanis had the means to snuff him out long before then.
"Since you want it, I'll indulge you." Zanis turned toward the inner courtyard. "Follow me."
"Yes, sir."
Charles trailed behind him, past the screen in the main hall, across the rear courtyard, and into the mansion's workshop.
Zanis knocked once, then pushed the door open.
"Lord Soma, I'm coming in."
Charles followed, and the first thing he saw was a massive, tall iron vat. In front of it stood a man with long, unkempt hair that fell over his eyes, stirring the liquid inside with a wooden rod.
Charles realized instantly—this wasn't just some eccentric craftsman. This was a true god.
Sublime. Majestic. Beyond mortal blasphemy.
Even if he looked like a beggar.
The god didn't lift his head, as if the two visitors were no more than drifting motes, unworthy of attention.
For the first time, Charles truly felt his own smallness.
So this is a god? A being whose words alone can shape the fate of mortals?
"Lord Soma, the usual trial is over. This boy is the one who stood out."
Zanis took a step forward, speaking with respect.
Soma's stirring paused. His lifeless eyes rose briefly, peeking through his curtain of hair to glance at Charles.
There had been similar cases before, but one this fast… that was a first.
Charles' heart leapt.
I was right! This so-called ritual is both tradition and Soma's last shred of goodwill. As long as Soma is here, Zanis won't dare harm me.
Soma set down the rod and slowly approached. His deep, weary voice rumbled:
"You… what is it you want from me?"
Charles wasn't stupid enough to blurt out "I want to leave the Familia."
Without a patron like Bell, leaving now—even if he succeeded—would mean his corpse on the street the next day.
After a quick calculation, he replied smoothly:
"Lord Soma, I'd like to update my Falna."
"…Follow me."
Soma's tone softened slightly.
Divine wine had originally been meant as a reward to encourage Familia members to grow stronger. Although the meaning had been twisted over time, Charles' request aligned with Soma's original intent, leaving a good impression.
Zanis didn't follow as Charles went with Soma into the adjoining divine chamber.
"Turn around. Take it off."
"Huh? Oh!"
Charles froze for a second, reflexively clapping a hand over his rear before realizing Soma meant his shirt.
Soma pricked his finger, the cool touch of divinity sliding down Charles' spine.
A soft glow lit his back, forming the chalice crest. Rows of divine script floated above it, shifting as his ability scores refreshed.
The haze in his mind seemed to clear completely—Charles went still.
Soma studied the divine script on his back for a long time before finally taking up parchment to record it.
"What's wrong?" Charles asked when the silence stretched.
Soma blinked as if waking from a trance, shook his head, and pressed the parchment to Charles' back. Then, using translation magic, he altered the text into its readable form.
"Take it."
Charles scanned the paper. Eleven years of memories made the words easy to understand.
Charles – Level 1
Strength: I40 → I50
Endurance: I50 → I60
Dexterity: I70 → I80
Agility: I33 → I50
Magic: I0 → I0
Magic: [ ]
Skills:
[Burdened Stride]
- Reduces the weight of equipped gear, slightly increases Endurance.
- The heavier the load, the greater the effect.
[???]
---
Yikes… tragic stats.
All I-rank, the very bottom. One magic slot—empty. Exceptional adventurers had up to three magic slots.
In other games, this would barely qualify as an R-rank card—good for slapping a name on and sending on long expeditions, nothing more.
But… those question marks…
"Lord Soma… this skill?" Charles asked.
"… …"
They stared at each other for two full minutes before Soma averted his eyes like someone with social anxiety.
"I don't know."
"…Huh?"
"It's… undecipherable," Soma clarified.
Undecipherable?
Charles froze, then his eyes widened.
"You're sure it's undecipherable, not just that you don't recognize it?"
Soma shifted uncomfortably, then without answering, packed up his things and walked to the door.
"Eh?"
Bang!
The door shut, leaving Charles alone.
"Undecipherable? Really?"
In the history of Orario, there had been only one such case—[Five Dimension Troia], a skill that cannot be decoded, and its name doesn't appear in hieroglyphs. And now… he had something on that caliber?
Could this be… my cheat?
Charles clenched his fist, grinning like a certain card-game duelist:
"Future Vision!"
"Reality Manipulation!"
"Clairvoyance!"
...
…
Bruh.
Nothing. Not even a speck of dust stirred.
He exhaled slowly. A skill you don't know how to use… is no skill at all.
"…Damn."
---
Outside the room
"Lord Soma, did that kid's Falna change?" Zanis asked when Soma emerged.
Soma paused, hair falling over his eyes.
"A new skill appeared."
So the brat does have talent?
"Oh? What does it do?" Zanis asked in surprise.
Soma turned away, almost irritated.
"I don't know."
"…Huh?" Zanis blinked, then hurried after him. "Wait—what do you mean, you don't know? You can't tell me?"
"Enough," Soma said flatly.
Zanis frowned. So… you value that brat more than me, is that it?
Soma, for his part, was equally frustrated. Was he supposed to tell Zanis that the kid's skill changed every moment? That even if he wrote down one effect, it would morph into another the next second?
Yes—because Charles' skill shifted too quickly for it to be meaningfully recorded.
This wasn't "undecipherable" in the true sense of the unknown. It was undecipherable because Soma himself couldn't pin it down.
And no—he didn't want the boy to start mocking him too.
For someone who normally had no interest in anything but his wine, Soma found himself unsure how to explain.
"Can you at least tell me the name?" Zanis pressed.
Irritated, Soma decided it wasn't worth a prolonged argument—especially if it delayed his brewing.
"…Call it [Second-Dimensional Pandora]."