Chapter 2 – Testing the Skill

While thinking about the Skills, I set out for home. There were about 10 people on the carriage with me. My house is about half a day by carriage away from the capital, where the shrine is, at the outskirts of the Town of Lucas. It is a relatively nearby town from the capital, with a population of about a thousand. Beginner adventurers pass through here. It is a lively town. 『Well then, let’s try using Appraisal.』 While the carriage is shaking, I silently used Appraisal and faced an adventurer in his prime. As I did that, information surfaced in my mind. Name: Keith Race: Hume Gender: Male Age: 48 Years Old Occupation: Adventurer (Rank C) 【Skill】 One-handed Blade Cleaning Hee, so he is Keith-san. His skills are...... 【One-handed Blade】and 【Cleaning】, huh....... It’s a bad combination, isn’t it? Although he has quite a tasteful face, there is an extreme gap with 【Cleaning】. While thinking about cleaning, I tried looking at Keith's, and more information surfaced in my mind. 【Cleaning】: Able to properly carry out efficient cleaning, when skill level is increased, able to clean neatly. I see, Appraisal can search for detailed entries on confirmed information. This is quite convenient. I think that it’s probably because it’s 【Appraisal・Complete】 that it can do this. In the procured information, there’s a word that arouses my curiosity. It’s “Skill level”. I don’t see any entries about skill level, but the word seems like the more you use the skill, the better the ability. I see. If that is the case, the more I use Appraisal, the more detailed the information I can obtain. If so, I should use Appraisal more. Anyhow, I can’t move from the carriage for half a day. Besides, I can’t test out【Cut and Paste】in places with people. Thinking about such things, I used Appraisal on all 10 people inside the carriage. I didn’t particularly have any problems until the ninth person. However, the information I obtained from the 10th man contained outrageous information. Name: Gaskarth (ゲスカルト）(Iz: Any idea? Gas Cart or something?) Race: Hume Gender: Male Age: 31 Years Old Occupation: Robber 【Skill】 Sewing Dagger・Extreme Swift feet (Small) What, a robber!? Why is he on the carriage!? Furthermore, he has 【Dagger・Extreme】 He’s a master in himself. Dangerous, this is dangerous. Right now, he’s sitting quietly and shutting his eyes, but I don’t know when he’ll act violently. There are some adventurers on board, but if he's tabbed with a surprise attack, it won’t be long before we die. What’s this guy’s goal? This carriage is headed towards the place I live, the Town of Lucas. Since he’s acting docile in the carriage, that means he should be aiming for the Town of Lucas. The inspection when entering the town is strict, so robbers cannot enter. No matter how much I think, I can’t seem to think of the correct answer. No, I can’t think of it. Right now, I am the only person who knows he is a dangerous person. Even if I tell someone inside this small carriage, they will naturally hear me when I speak. Anyway, isn’t there any way? Before he takes out his dagger, before he becomes violent, isn’t there any way....... Even if I grow impatient, there isn’t anything a youngster like me can do. So I thought. It would be best if that guy doesn’t become violent, and without him realizing, immediately return home as soon as we arrive. However, as things are, I’m not sure if this guy will stay docile. Even if we arrive safely, if anything happens inside the town, I will be dragged into it. Above all, there are other young adults like me, and there are even girls. As expected, if I don’t think of a solution, we will surely be in danger. What can I do now? Speaking of what I can do, I only have the Skills I gained today. Appraisal will surely be useful. However, it can’t overturn this situation. If so, it seems like I have to use the other Skill 【Cut & Paste】, one way or another. (TLC: なら、もう一つのスキル【カット＆ペースト】を何とか上手く使えないだろうか。) I can’t use 【Cut】on living things. Assuming I use it, I can’t attack my opponent who hasn’t even done anything. If I did, the person who’ll be arrested isn’t him, but me. Because I can’t injure my opponent, I become powerless....... Ah, I can use 【Paste】to stick that guy’s shoes on the floor. If I do that, even if he suddenly acts, he wouldn’t be able to move. Even if he kicks off his shoes, he can’t do it immediately. Next is the dagger on his waist. Let’s stick his scabbard and the dagger together. If I do that, even if he acts, Keith-san and the other adventurers can deal with him. Yosh, since I decided, let’s get to it immediately. As I invoked the Skill, the successful invocation response was returned in my mind. It was my first time using it, but it seems like I was somehow able to use it. Phew...... with this, I am relieved for now. It’s just that, as it is, I won’t be able to deal with what happens after we arrive in the town. Even if I stick his shoes, he will be able to move if he takes them off, and if he buys a new dagger, it’ll end there. I don’t know whether his aim is the carriage or inside the Town of Lucas or anything else. I can’t come up with a fundamental solution. Just like that, he boldly boarded the carriage. If his aim is the Town of Lucas, he’ll manage to enter. If so, there might be harm to the town. Optimistic that the urgent danger would be prevented, I was able to cool myself down a little. And, this me who calmed down...... was struck by an outrageous idea.