Chapter 4

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Content Warning: Vivid descriptions of social anxiety attack symptoms

Translator’s note: As will become very obvious over time, a key element of the series is that magic spells are written and spoken in a language similar to English, that is very different from the common language. This element of the text is lost in translation, unfortunately, and the best I can do is italics for spells and other important lines in katakana, the Japanese writing system for foreign words. Stat names are an exception to this rule

Thanks to Sonia’s explanation, I now understood why the adventurers were chasing me. I still didn’t know a lot of things, though, so I decided to ask Sonia about them while she continued to rest.

“I know what happened with that light now, but what was that book earlier?” I asked. “And why did it float up and disappear?”

Sonia’s eyes open wide in surprise. “Haru… did you live a very sheltered life?” she asked. Still, she answered my question, telling me that books just did that as a matter of course in this world, and that she was very confused I didn’t know that.

“Ah…~ and that’s about it,” Sonia said. “Oh, did you happen to want to know how to get a book?”

“Yes,” I said.

Sonia’s taking great care not to judge me. She’s such a kind and considerate person, especially since yesterday’s “no underwear” incident.

“You get books like this,” Sonia says before she mutters, “Lend.” Immediately, a thick book appears out of thin air and floats in front of her.

I’m so surprised I can’t say anything, just stand there like a statue with my mouth agape.

“Ahahaha!” Sonia laughs with tears in her eyes. “That’s it, that’s the face I wanted to see!”

“I just saw something like that for the first time in my life, I can’t help it!” I sputtered, my face red from embarrassment.

Sonia just kept on laughing, however.

I decided to ignore her and said, “Lend.”

A very thick book appeared in front of me. “Wow,” I said as I gingerly touched it but it showed no signs of falling. When I opened the hard red and gold-lined cover, the text was written in Japanese:

“Status…” I mumbled.

I’ve seen menus like this across so many online games. The adventurers at the guild must have guessed my power earlier, but as I flipped through the pages with trembling hands, I found myself overcome by a feeling I couldn’t put into words.

status

ATK [E]

DEF [E]

STR [E]

VIT [E]

DEX [S]

AGI [E]

MAT [SS]

MDF [SS]

INT [SS]

RES [SS]

“What is this…” I mumble.

It’s not that I didn’t understand the English in the book. The problem is the letter ranks. All my physical traits in the top half were “E” and all the mental traits in the bottom half were “SS”. It’s almost as if you took every last point possible from the former to give the latter.1

Aren’t these the ideal stats for me to have as a magician?! I was more excited than I’d ever been in my lives.

“What’s with that grin, Haru?” Sonia asks as she looks at me.

I just couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to to hide this from her, however, so I said, “Look at this, my magic stats are so high!” I say. “Though, my physical stats are very weak as a trade-off.”

Sonia looks at me in surprise. “Huh, wait, you can read it?!” she sputters.

“I can read it,” I say.

“Come on~ don’t lie~!” Sonia hums before she laughs.

“It’s the truth,” I said. “If you don’t believe me, I can read my stats aloud to you?”

Sonia gave me a look that said she wasn’t entirely convinced. “So what does this mean?” she said, pointing to a stat.

“STR”. Which means–”It’s my ‘physical strength’.”

“Ho, seems like you really can read it,” Sonia said, looking like she was beginning to believe me.

I wondered why she was so doubtful in the first place.

“Hey, Haru…” Sophia asks. “Where exactly did you come from…?”

I’m not sure how to answer her.

“You don’t seem to know how things work, so I’m still convinced that you’re just a sheltered girl, but you can understand the characters in this book…” Sonia says, trailing off.

I understand what she’s implying: for me to understand the words on this book just isn’t normal.

Hah… even if I told her the truth, I’m not sure if she’d believe me. But if I told her a lie, I’d lose her trust.

I decided to tell her the truth. “Well, I… I came from another world,” I started, my voice quivering as I stared at the cobblestones here in this alley.

A heavy silence falls between us. With each passing second, I feel my heart racing faster and faster till I feel dizzy enough to collapse.

Sonia wouldn’t believe this… no, it’d be stranger if she did believe it.

This was hopeless. I’m terrified of what she’s going to say, I don’t want to hear what she’s going to say. I wondered how I was going to get out of here even as I felt myself filled with dread like never before.

“… Eh…?” I mutter.

Sonia pulls my face into her large chest. She’s so soft and warm I couldn’t find the words to describe her.

This feels so familiar… oh, that’s right. When I was a kid, my parents would hug me like Sonia is right now. Those were some of my fondest memories from my childhood.

Before I knew it, I had tears welling in my eyes.

“It’s alright,” Sophia softly whispers into my ear. “It’s alright, I’m right here.”

The tears that had been building up finally spilled over. Sonia gently patted my head as I cried silently.

This is commonly known as “Min-Max”, short for “Minimizing and Maximizing”.

Like this:Like Loading...

Related