Chapter 1

"Next person, come here."

"Yes."

In the skill room of the temple, I responded to the temple knight's call and stepped forward.

"Name?"

"My name is Noct Bigsmall."

In response to the matter-of-fact question, the temple knight wrote my name on a piece of paper.

My name is Noct Bigsmall.

In my previous life, I was a salaryman in a place called Japan and died young. However, when I came to my senses, I had been reincarnated as the son of a noble in another world.

People who have read fantasy novels might think that being able to lead an elegant noble life makes you a winner, but my Bigsmall territory is a rural area that can only boast of its vast land, adjacent to a large forest where many vicious monsters live.

Therefore, our territory has suffered from monster attacks multiple times, and my father, the lord, and a few villagers have been fending them off.

However, such a situation cannot continue indefinitely, and our territory has already reached its limit.

It was at this time that I, the son of the lord, turned fifteen and came of age.

In this world, when you come of age, you are given a skill by the gods at the temple.

Skills like [Swordsmanship], [Physical Enhancement], [Magic Power Increase], [Regeneration], and so on vary from person to person and can sometimes bring great benefits.

Naturally, in our territory, which is plagued by monster attacks due to the large forest, combat skills are in high demand. As the hope of the territory, I am seeking combat skills like [Swordsmanship] and [Physical Enhancement].

With these skills, I might be able to repel monsters together with my father, brother, and the villagers.

Or, if I obtain rare skills like [Sword Saint] or [Sage], or a combination of good skills, I might be able to go on expeditions to clear the forest and develop the land.

The large forest is an unexplored area, untouched by anyone. If I can develop it, it should bring significant profits.

For these reasons, I have come to the temple, bearing the expectations of my father and the villagers.

I must obtain a combat skill at all costs.

"Then, enter that magic circle."

"Yes."

Prompted by the temple knight, I entered the large magic circle in the center of the skill room.

"Pray sincerely to the gods for the joy of reaching adulthood. If you do, you will be granted a skill."

As the temple knight quietly instructed, I thanked the gods for my life up to this point.

When I was alive in Japan, thanking the gods was just a formality, but as a reincarnated person, I now truly believe in the existence that grants skills.

I am endlessly grateful to the gods, whether they are from Earth or this world, for giving me life again after I had lost it once.

I pray in my heart, "Please grant me a combat skill to save our territory."

As I was praying, my body suddenly glowed faintly.

When the light disappeared, a skill appeared in my mind.

[Enlargement & Reduction]

My soul understood that this was the skill granted to me by the gods.

Enlargement & Reduction? Is this one skill? Or did I receive two skills?

"It seems you have successfully received a skill. Place your hand on this appraisal crystal."

Unable to fully suppress my confusion, I placed my hand on the transparent crystal offered to me.

The skill name [Enlargement & Reduction], which had appeared in my mind, was displayed on the crystal.

"[Enlargement & Reduction]... Is this a set of two skills? That's rare."

"What kind of skill is this?"

It's probably not the combat skill I was hoping for.

Despite the ominous feeling, I couldn't help but ask.

"There is a single skill called [Enlargement] that makes things bigger. So, this skill can make things bigger or smaller."

"In other words, this is not a combat skill..."

"It's not."

The temple knight's clear statement left me in despair.

My father and the villagers were hoping for a combat skill to turn the tide, but I couldn't receive one.

The faces of the villagers who had seen me off with smiles, and the encouraging words of my father and brother, flashed through my mind and then disappeared.

I was expected to receive a combat skill, but instead, I received a useless skill that only enlarges or reduces things.

I don't know how I can face the territory when I return.

"Well, this skill might be convenient if used properly. Don't despair and keep striving. Next person."

The temple knight, accustomed to such situations, comforted me and moved on to the next task.

Indeed, the desire for combat skills or rare skills is common, and not receiving them is a frequent occurrence in this world.

◆

After receiving my skill at the capital's temple, I returned to my territory by carriage.

Of course, a poor territory like ours doesn't have a private carriage, and we don't have the luxury of an escort, so I took a public carriage.

Usually, I would have been embarrassed by this, but now I was glad.

I didn't know how I could face the territory.

I didn't know how to talk to my father, brother, and the villagers after receiving a useless skill.

For a week, I was in a daze, shaken by the useless skill, as the carriage swayed.

I had returned to just outside the territory.

However, my heart was now clear.

Thanks to the week-long journey from the capital to the territory, I was able to regain my composure.

Humans can't stay depressed forever. The week gave me time to sort out my feelings, for better or worse.

It's true that not being able to obtain a combat skill is a blow, but it can't be helped. In this world, very few people get the skills they desire.

Even if it's not a combat skill, a skill is still a skill. As the temple knight said, I should explore its uses and contribute to the territory.

I haven't thought of specific ways to use it yet, but I can think about it with everyone.

With this thought, I arrived at the territory and saw dilapidated houses and villagers who looked like vagrants.

"......What is this?"

As I was shocked by the miserable state of the territory, a villager with a dark face shouted.

"It's Lord Noct! Lord Noct has returned!"

"He's our hope!"

As the villager shouted, many more villagers gathered, as if they had been hiding somewhere.

Their faces were all haggard, in an abnormal state.

The villagers' words were hard to understand as they spoke all at once.

"Everyone! Lord Noct is surprised, please calm down!"

The one who shouted at the gathering villagers was Joseph, the butler who worked in our mansion.

Despite his age, he usually had his white hair slicked back with pomade and wore a crisp butler's uniform, but today his hair was disheveled, and his expression was haggard.

"Lord Noct, I am glad to see you return safely."

"Thank you for the welcome. What is the situation here? Why is the territory in such a state..."

As I asked, Joseph and the villagers looked grim.

"It was a monster attack. Many monsters from the large forest invaded the territory."

"---!! I see, that's why it's in such a state. What about my father and brother?"

My father had the skill [Command], which could enhance the physical abilities of his allies.

My brother had the skill [Swordsmanship], which allowed him to wield exceptional swordsmanship to defeat monsters.

During emergencies, my father would give precise instructions and use his skill to strengthen the villagers, while my brother would fearlessly clear the way against the monsters.

Because of these two reliable figures, the villagers could follow them.

Even if the territory suffered from monster attacks, as long as my father and brother were there, we could recover.

However, the next words from Joseph shattered my hope.

"Lord Rutherford and his eldest son, Wisheart, have passed away in the battle against the monsters."

"......What?"

Our hope, my father and brother, had died.

This fact was a far heavier despair than receiving a useless skill.

Until now, we could manage this harsh territory because of my father and brother.

Without them, the state of the territory is very dire.

"Now that Lord Rutherford and Wisheart have passed away, the next lord will be the second son, Lord Noct."

With Joseph's words, tension and expectation rose.

At this moment, I was made to realize that Joseph and the villagers were desperately hoping for my combat skill.

"Lord Noct, what skill did you receive in the capital?"

As Joseph spoke, the villagers' expectant gazes turned to me.

"......I'm sorry, the skill I received is not a combat skill like my father's or brother's."

The moment I said this, Joseph and the villagers' faces were filled with despair.

"Is that so..."

The disappointed gazes of Joseph and the villagers.

I had braced myself for this during the week-long journey, but the reaction was worse than I expected.

"I'm sorry, I'm tired, so I'll return to the mansion."

The hope of the territory and my family, my father and brother, had died.

This information cut deeper into my heart than the disappointment of receiving a useless skill.

However, my despair did not end there.

The next day, all the retainers and villagers fled the territory.