Into the Wetlands
Our progress after leaving the east gate was smooth, and we only encountered a few goblins before arriving in the wetlands.
As that was what they called it, I was expecting loose soil and so much mud that we would soon be covered in it…
“Well, that’s a surprise…”
“It is quite beautiful…”
We both stood there and watched. There was a slanting path between the trees that stretched on before us. Flowers bloomed here and there, and there were lots of small ponds made from water that had risen from the ground. Each pool reflected the blue sky on its surface.
It was a beautiful sight indeed.
“Really, I thought we were about to travel through some horrible marshes.”
“As did I. Just the thought of getting my new clothes dirty was putting me in a foul mood. But this…I am quite speechless…”
Water and flowers and sky. It was so little and yet created such a great effect. It was impressive that they had paved a path here without destroying the natural beauty. That was the empire for you. I no longer had any desire to live in Lambrusen.
The road was wide enough for us to walk side by side, and there was no one else here but us. It was nice to walk like this. A marsh date. Why not?
The wind blew and disturbed the surface of the ponds. Daniela said that this was the result of wind spirits playing. I wished I could join them. I wished I could see them.
“You cannot see them at all, Asagi?”
“Yeah, I only have normal eyes. And Jack of all Trades, Master of None as my unique skill.”
“But what about Legs of the Forest Wolf? Is that not a unique skill?”
“Hmm…I don’t know. I don’t think it is unique if it can be given to you.”
“But I have never seen anyone else with it.”
“That’s not too surprising. I doubt Beowulf has that many thralls.”
This skill was almost part of my identity now. I would be a lot less of an Adventurer without it. Not that having Jack of all Trades, Master of None alone was such a bad thing.
“That is also a skill I have never heard of before.”
“I’d be worth a lot less if you had…”
“I do not think I have ever asked you about it in detail… What is it like?”
Yes, it wasn’t exactly something we had talked about, now that I think of it. Or maybe we did…
“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain… If I want to do something but don’t know how, or don’t know what the outcome of doing something will be, I activate it. And then this image that is split into quarters appears in my head.”
“Quarters? What does it look like?”
I picked up a stick and began to draw on the soft dirt.
“It’s split up like this. And I am able to see what I want to do in each frame. If I want to swing my sword like this, it will show me examples.”
“It only instructs you visually?”
“No, I also gain an understanding of how to make my body do it. Things like weight distribution or balance. It just comes to me.”
I hadn’t really mastered it at all yet. But it gave you the basics. In order to copy it perfectly, you had to think, move and understand it all.
“It’s kind of like a shortcut skill. But a shortcut is still a path. You can’t just skip through everything. But if I could, I would never have to be afraid of anything.”
“I see. I think that I understand now.”
“Yeah, it’s like that. You feel like you understand… But you’ll never be sure. It’s that kind of skill.”
As the briefing session continued, someone came towards us from the other side of the road, and I so we moved to the side.
“Ah, sorry to bother you.”
“No, we were the ones blocking the path.”
It was a young man. He looked like an Adventurer. As he greeted us pleasantly, I smiled and apologized. Daniela also bowed.
“You two look like Adventurers as well…”
“Yes. Though, I’m still somewhat of a beginner…”
“Haha. You do not look like one.”
Oh, he was good. I almost fell for it.
“Let me give you a word of advice then.”
“Yeah?”
