Roland looked at the parchment and fell into silence.
A stray lock of hair brushed against his neck, and a delicate fragrance surrounded him.
"What is it? Is there something you don't understand?" The goddess leaned over, her voice whispering close to Roland's pointed ear.
'Is it because I've joined the Familia that she's lost her sense of distance, or does she just not see me as a threat because I'm a child?' Roland thought as he felt her presence.
"Lady Astraea, may I ask a favor?"
"Of course. What is it?" she replied, stroking his ear.
"Could you explain what is written on this parchment? And... could you teach me the Common Tongue in the future? I can't read it yet," Roland said helplessly. Despite his embarrassment, he managed to explain his situation calmly.
Astraea looked at Roland's reddened ears and smiled warmly. "Hehe, I see. Let me explain your magic and skills first. I'll arrange for someone to teach you the Common Tongue later."
The goddess led Roland to a sofa and began to explain.
RolandLV1 Strength: I0 Endurance: I0 Dexterity: I0 Agility: I0 Magic: I0
"Magic"[Element Master]
Mastery over all elemental magic.
Magic Power Fortification: Consumes mana to enhance the power of elements.
"Skills"[Eye of Darkness] Infinite transformation, infinite development, nearly limitless mana. [Immortal Body] Increases slow regeneration; grants immediate resurrection upon death with an accelerated recovery state. If killed again during the recovery state, resurrection is impossible. Limited to once per day. [Awakening] Clarifies one's path, grants self-awakening, and accelerates growth.
'Element Master, Eye of Darkness, and Immortal Body... those sound like the starting skills for the Male Mage in DNF. But what's with "Awakening"?' Roland wondered as he listened.
"Truly a powerful set of abilities. One magic and three skills... although I've never heard of these specific skills, having even one of them would be shocking. I can hardly imagine how strong you will become in the future."
"Also, I must warn you: generally, you should never reveal your status to anyone except your most trusted Familia members and your primary god. This prevents ill-intentioned people from targeting you, especially since Orario is currently in a state of chaos."
Astraea advised him tirelessly.
"I understand. I will do as you say, Lady Astraea."
Seeing Roland's obedient demeanor, the goddess smiled with satisfaction.
"But don't worry too much. I will use my divine blood to 'lock' your status, hiding the grace from the prying eyes of others."
"You are my child now. I will protect you."
After the ceremony, Astraea gathered the core four of the Familia and informed them of Roland's extraordinary talent.
"Is he even more talented than Lyu?" Alise asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Indeed," Astraea replied, gently stroking Roland's head. "Roland has awakened one magic and three skills, all of which are incredibly powerful."
"Alise, you've really picked up a treasure this time! To just walk out the door and bring back a genius... and one just like Lyu. Do you have some kind of hidden skill for finding geniuses?" Lyra teased loudly.
"Ahahaha! That's right! This is the legendary power of the Astraea Familia's captain!"
"You're just a lucky hot-headed idiot."
"...Why does everyone keep saying I was 'picked up' by the Captain?" Lyu muttered.
"Now, now... Roland is bound to become the ace of our Familia. Whether it's monster hunting or guarding Orario, his strength will be indispensable. I'm counting on you all to look after him."
"Yes, Lady Astraea!" the four replied in unison.
Astraea did not disclose the specifics of his abilities, only mentioning his magic, [Element Master]. His other skills were best kept confidential.
"Everyone has worked hard all day, so get some rest. I'll prepare a room for Roland," Astraea said with a graceful smile. "Oh, and Kaguya, could I trouble you to teach Roland the Common Tongue when you have time?"
"Hehe, leave it to me. I'll make sure our 'ace' learns the language in no time," Kaguya said, looking at Roland with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Um... I might be a slow learner, so please don't expect too much," Roland said helplessly. Though he could instinctively speak and understand the language upon transmigrating, learning to read and write it was a different challenge altogether. He could only hope that his mysterious 'modification' had improved his brain capacity as well.
"Then, let's go choose your room," Astraea said, taking Roland's hand.
"Goddess... do you have to hold my hand?" Roland whispered.
"I just want to be close to you. Do you dislike me, Roland?" she asked in a pitiful, almost coquettish tone.
"N-no! I like you very much, Lady Astraea!" Roland stammered. The sudden intimacy was almost too much for him to handle.
"My, my~ was that a confession of love, Roland?" Her pitiful expression instantly vanished, replaced by a triumphant smile. Roland remained silent, deciding that closing his mouth was his best defense.
The other girls watched the scene with amused, envious looks.
"Lady Astraea really took a liking to him."
"Well, he's talented, a long-awaited new member, and a good kid."
"Hmph, you make it sound like Lady Astraea is a fickle goddess! But Lyu, it looks like your position in her heart might be in jeopardy."
"You... keep your unnecessary comments to yourself."
Roland chose a quiet, secluded room. The female members lived in a separate building, and the goddess resided with them.
"Rest well. Tomorrow, you'll head out with Alise and the others to buy equipment and register at the Guild," Astraea instructed.
"I understand."
Finally alone, Roland collapsed onto his bed and exhaled a long breath. "Status."
A translucent screen appeared before him with five modules: [Personal Info], [Equipment], [Skill Tree], [Inventory], and [Quests].
"Is this my 'Gold Finger'? It's so minimalist," Roland muttered. He tried tapping the screen, but his finger passed right through. He realized he had to interact with it mentally.
Open Personal Info.
[Personal Info]
Name: Roland
Age: 13
Level: LV1
Status: Healthy
Class: Mage (Male)
Identity: Transmigrator / Astraea Familia Member
Achievements: None
"A bit sparse, but at least it's easy to read," he comforted himself.
The [Skill Tree] was much more substantial. It contained all the skills from the five classes of his previous game (DNF), though most were currently locked. Only 'Magic Hurricane' and 'Magic Ice Ball' were available. He surmised that skills would unlock as he leveled up.
In his [Inventory], he found a 'Level 1 Gift Pack'. Opening it yielded a basic wand, five health potions, five mana potions, and a Level 10 gift pack.
Finally, he checked his [Quests].
Objective: Survive the "Divine Banquet Incident" and the "Seven Days of Death" against the Evilus in seven months.
Reward: Divine Artifact · Endless God-Chasing Staff.
"Seven months... I need to reach Level 2 and complete my Class Advancement by then," he noted grimly before exhaustion claimed him.
Early the next morning, Roland woke up, habitually reaching for a phone that wasn't there. After washing up, he headed to the kitchen of the Starry Court to find Astraea already preparing breakfast.
"Good morning, Lady Astraea."
"Good morning, Roland. Would you like to eat now or wait for the others?"
"I'll wait."
Soon, Lyu, Kaguya, and the rest of the girls joined them. Alise arrived last, full of energy as always.
"Lyu-san, would you mind sparring with me later? I want to test my skills," Roland asked.
"Of course," Lyu replied calmly.
"Whoa, challenging Lyu right off the bat? Are you serious?"
"Lady Astraea, can we watch?" Iska, the Amazon, asked. The goddess clapped her hands and smiled. "Certainly."
At the training ground, Roland gripped a wooden sword. Facing a high-level adventurer (LV4) like Lyu made his heart race. He charged forward, secretly condensing a 'Magic Hurricane' in his left palm.
As their wooden swords clashed, Roland used the momentum to release the gale. Lyu's golden hair fluttered, but she effortlessly shattered the wind with her blade. Roland immediately followed up with an 'Ice Ball', attempting a pincer attack.
Lyu was too fast. With a single step, she sliced the ice ball in two and swung her wooden sword against Roland's. His blade was sent flying, and before he could cast another spell, the cold tip of Lyu's wooden sword was at his throat.
"You lose."
Roland sat on the ground, panting. "Yeah... I lost. You're amazing, Lyu-san."
"Not at all. To do this well right after receiving the Falna... your talent truly surpasses mine. You will overtake me soon," Lyu said, shaking her head.
The Familia members swarmed him. Iska picked him up in a friendly hug. "Not bad, kid! Chantless magic, and two of them!"
Kaguya turned to Alise. "This guy can already hold his own against Lyu right after joining. The pressure is on."
"Hahaha, it's fine! More strength for Justice is a good thing. Until he grows stronger, we'll be the ones protecting him!" Alise said with a brilliant smile.