It is the day before my fifth birthday. I made my bread beforehand. And some butter. Tomorrow schedule will be revealing my affinity and abilities (AA), buy milk for cream making. And a simple "cake" will be done.
Dad had tried to bring me some samples from the wild. Discarded. They are of poisonous species.
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"Happy birthday Kei, today marks your fifth." A simple greeting and we head out to the AA library.
An old fart was waiting inside. "So you are Kei? Happy birthday." He said and casually touched my head. And started scribbling whatever he saw.
I would spill my drink if I were drinking anything. It really is chinese character from earth.
"Something ball. We never seen this first character before, but the left part seems to be ground. Ground ball, I suppose?"
No no no gramps, I read that Chinese character. Even I am surprised. It is written as "di qiu" and literally translates to Earth. And i heard a familiar voice.
"Kei, glad to know you are doing well. Happy birthday, we talk later."
A long awaited voice of mother echoed right in my mind.
In this world. Ground, metallic, plant, water and fire are currently known affinity. With ground types being classified as weakest. Throwing mud is more like an insult than dealing actual damage.
Metal are usually for self reinforcing. They can't throw a ball of metal as they are.
Plants have to be connected to user or be grown at a place with soil. It is also an affinity with limitation.
Water types doesn't deal much damage either, but at least, long expeditions can use a few of them to secure potable water source.
Fire are most valued as making fire is equally troublesome and fire actually deals burn damage from a distance.
From this old fart's eyes, he already judged me as a future failure. If my ability is a sword user still sound better than me being a ball user.
The widely known abilities are weaponry types like swords bows axe. Or the most common ball types. Or things like cooking, logging, business. Oh, anyone can swing a sword or cook. But having a ability to sword makes your sword somehow deals heavier damage. And a cooking ability just knows when to stop the fire. If not, you have to learn it via the brute force route: study hard.
Sorry gramps. I am an earth user. Specifically, the earth planet somewhere not in this world
The AA library is free on revealing personal ability, but due to scholars not fully understanding what they meant. Personal details are no longer personal. Though names are generally hidden, AA are not. Anyone can request to see what are the AA known in this world. Or, if you had someone's name, you can even ask for someone's AA. Of course, there is a service charge. It could be asking info on party members against lying on their AA.
Today will also be the day I sign up to report to the academy. All individuals revealed will undergo three years training on how exactly AA works, how dungeons work, what notable things found in there. This time round, it is not for free. The academy, partly sponsored by the king. Takes some money from academy too. Not cheap. 1 silver coin per month. A hundred copper coins makes one silver coin, similar for silver to gold. Silver and gold bars are not used as currency, but rather, to bless a weapon. Werewolves are known to take more damage from a weapon even with silver residue.
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I made a batch of cream again. It doesn't taste as good as fresh butter made. But cream and cooked dough is pretty much what completes most earthlings' sense of birthday. Happy birthday me. I picked a smallest stick from the fireplace, blew it off.
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Night, my parents are fighting their own war. Softly. I asked: "Mother?"
"Hi yay!" An energetic voice echoed again. " It has been like a month.. no, five years if we are speaking of here. I know you want to ask on that day. Trust me. This is not the time now. Grow stronger. And help me get stronger. We will touch on that when time is right. Right now your frail body can only support 30 grams of item to get from earth….weekly. It drains your mana since it is a stellar level long range teleportation magic."
30 grams.. I can't even get myself a can of carbonated drink to try. Let's go for something smaller and practical. "Mother, a tab of paracetamol please?" "Sure do! Clench your fist~" The moment I did, I felt something resting in my palm. A tab of paracetamol without the aluminium plastic casing. Ok so it works. But I am not eating it. I am not sick today. Let me wrap it with cowhide tomorrow, leaving my room now is probably a bad idea.
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The next day, we are summoned to have audience with the princess. Apparently, dad went his way to cut so much sugarcane it created a big land space. Half of the space are granted to our family as reward for his clearing of land. More space means more crops to grow. The city will fund the building of new wall. My reward has to be delayed. News are currently on the way towards the king.
Me, sneaking a view to my parents: My reward had to go through the king… Heh.
The new plot of land is big enough that, even if we build our house with same arrangement as now. We will still have enough space for some farming. Not sure if it can supply the whole city. Self sufficient shouldn't be an issue. But I have set my eyes on that land to cultivate new plants. Seeds are not heavy. City walls will take quite sometime to build. I am guessing minimal 1 year. Depending on climate and manpower, maybe even 2 years. No one is going to work during snow.