I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 2

Episode 2: Skill Acquisition

Even after entering the orphanage, the two of them spent most of their time swinging swords.

Seneca remained as tomboyish as ever, while Lucius was still shy and reserved.

However, they both began to learn how to get along with their new friends, even if just a little.

Sister Claire and the Headmaster took good care of them.

The orphanage was relatively well-off, and they rarely struggled with food or clothing.

Kito’s family had survived, but with their village gone, they had relocated to Baetica.

Seneca would sometimes sneak out of the orphanage to visit Kito.

Though Kito’s family was facing hardships, they were always optimistic and worked hard, giving Seneca courage every time she saw them.

Occasionally, Seneca and Lucius would go hunting together to contribute to the orphanage, and so two years passed.

◆

In the year they turned ten, children were granted their skills.

Once a year, on the Day of the Moon, they would visit the nearby temple.

Finally, they would receive their skills.

The thought made Seneca’s heart race with excitement.

Eighty percent of children inherited skills similar to their parents.

Because of that, Seneca assumed she would gain either swordsmanship or magic skills.

The remaining twenty percent who received entirely different skills caused her a little worry, but she had resolved to become an adventurer regardless.

She had a promise with Lucius to fulfill.

Even so, Seneca wasn’t overly worried.

At ten years old, she already possessed magical power comparable to a top-tier mage.

She hoped to receive a magic skill, imagining how she could combine it with her swordsmanship, filling her with anticipation.

Lucius, too, was nervous.

His swordsmanship had sharpened to the point where even Seneca could no longer match him.

The city guards would spar with him and speak highly of his promising future.

Lucius didn’t care whether he received healing, swordsmanship, or any other skill.

He simply wanted the power to protect and save others.

If he could gain the ability to protect his strong yet sometimes fragile and delicate best friend, that would be enough for him.

Every night, he prayed to the moon.

“Please grant me the power to protect Seneca.”

“Even if it’s not a special skill, let me help the people I care about.”

These sincere prayers felt as though they reached beyond the sky, to the shining stars.

◆

Children from all over the city gathered at the temple.

There was one child who had fallen ill and came at age eleven instead.

Once they turned ten, they could receive their skill at any time.

However, very few children missed their first opportunity.

The time arrived.

A person known as the Bishop of the temple began speaking about something.

But the content was far too complicated, and neither Seneca nor Lucius—nor even Kito—could understand.

After a while, the Bishop began chanting something like a song.

Seneca would later come to understand that it was a special magical incantation.

As the Bishop’s prayer continued, the ground of the temple began to glow faintly.

A soft, pulsating light gradually extended to the children.

Seneca felt a strong rhythm echoing in her chest.

That pulse grew steadily stronger, but it didn’t feel unpleasant.

The Bishop’s voice rose higher and higher.

It became more and more like a soaring melody.

Suddenly, Seneca felt a heavy impact surge through her body.

At the same time, a soft and beautiful voice resonated in her head.

【 You have been granted a skill. 】 

As the Bishop’s magic came to an end, most of the children collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

◆

After the skill bestowal, the priests began to appraise each skill one by one.

Until the appraisals were finished, no one could leave the temple.

Seneca and Lucius were near the back of the line, waiting quietly with nothing much to say.

Kito stood silently behind them.

From a distance, they could hear children cheering with joy. Occasionally, a sigh could be heard, but it was rare.

Seneca thought it was natural since the cheers were much louder than the sighs.

Skills were a grand blessing.

Everyone hoped for a rare skill, but most people received ordinary ones. The church encouraged everyone to accept their skills with gratitude and work hard to master them.

Skill talent was easy to identify. However, no matter how good an ability was, knowing when and how to use it mattered most, and it needed to be honed continuously.

Having a skill might allow you to advance quickly, but how far you could go remained uncertain. Early bloomers and late bloomers were two separate issues.

However, it was also true that being an early bloomer often made it easier to receive better training.

◆

Seneca was called up for her appraisal first.

In front of a crystal orb the size of her head stood a Bishop

He gestured for her to step forward.

Her heart pounded, and her hands and feet tingled slightly.

When she reached the crystal, she was instructed to place her hand on it.

Seneca extended her hand.

The crystal emitted a bright light.

Watching the glow, the priest spoke.

“Your skill is 【Sewing】. It’s an exceedingly rare skill, you know. I’ve been doing this job for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve seen it,” said the priest.

“【Sewing】? You mean the thing where you use a needle to thread something?” she asked.

“That’s right, that 【Sewing】. Good for you. With this, you can make a living. Start by practicing steadily,” he said with a hearty laugh, calling for Lucius right away.

Seneca’s mind went blank, and her vision grew hazy.
Her heart pounded wildly, and a loud ringing echoed in her ears.

【Sewing】 was clearly not a combat skill.
Magic? Swordsmanship?

No, even something else would have been fine.
Whether it was a defensive skill or a scouting one, she was ready to fight.

But a lifestyle skill?

She was on the verge of collapsing but steadied herself. She had to see what Lucius’s skill was.

When Seneca turned her gaze, Lucius was placing his hand on the crystal.
Just like with her, the crystal emitted a bright flash.
The Bishop reading the information from the crystal widened his usually drooping eyes.

Then he suddenly stood up.

“Magnificent! It’s 【Holy Magic】! A child capable of Holy Magic has appeared for the first time in sixty years! A new saint has been born!”

His loud voice echoed through the temple.
The remaining children in the temple all turned their attention at once.

Lucius asked, “Huh? Holy Magic? What’s that?”

“It is divine healing magic. Those who obtain this skill are revered in the church as the people most blessed by God.”

“Revered? By who?”

“By you, of course.”

Lucius, unable to understand, panicked.
He stammered and flustered as he spoke.

Seneca couldn’t bear to see him like that and blurted out, “What happens to Lucius now that he has such a skill?”

“Well, the bishop here will come to confirm the results soon. After that, he’ll be taken into the care of the church. Judging by your appearances, you lot are living in the church’s orphanage?”

Seneca nodded.

“If that’s the case, you can’t refuse. By tomorrow or the day after, he’ll likely be taken to the great cathedral in the royal capital.”

“What does ‘taken into the care of the church’ mean?”

“It means you won’t be able to live together anymore.”

Seneca began to panic.

“Why?”

“Because that is the destiny of a saint. To fully master Holy Magic, he must train with the church’s magicians. For that, he needs to leave this place and go to the great cathedral in the capital. It was the same when the current Saint was a child.”

Lucius listened silently.
Seneca, however, was firing question after question at the priest in front of her.

Kito, who had been waiting for their turn to be evaluated, noticed the commotion and came over. Sensing the situation from Seneca’s demeanor, Kito Struggled to calm her down.

After some back-and-forth, Lucius, who had been silent, finally stepped forward and spoke.

“Priest, just how great is this Holy Magic?”

“If mastered, it is said to heal any wound and banish any evil. It is one of the most powerful skills.”

“With it, can I protect someone important to me?”

Lucius glanced briefly at Seneca.

“Hoho. I see. If that’s your aim, then there is no better skill. For protecting others, it is the pinnacle of skills,” the priest said with a sudden grin.

Kito, watching the conversation, interjected, “But I’ve heard that saints lose their freedom to live their lives. Is Lucius really okay with this?”

“That was true in the past. However, the current Saint changed those customs, so there is no longer excessive interference. She caused quite a stir…”

“Is that so…”

“But I understand why you girls would worry. I will personally look after Lucius. Rest assured and think of it as being in good hands!”

The Bishop let out a hearty laugh.

As the Bishop had said, events proceeded quickly.

Before they knew it, Lucius was scheduled to leave the town by noon the next day.

On the way back, Seneca, Lucius, and Kito taked about each other’s skills.

Kito had acquired the rare skill of 【Mixing】. If mastered, it could make one very wealthy.
Kito said she would likely train with an apothecary for a while.

As for Lucius’s 【Holy Magic】, neither Seneca nor Lucius knew much about it, but Kito was surprisingly knowledgeable.

This skill was special, it was said to cast healing, purification, defense, and even offense through magic.
However, it was also difficult to handle, and if one increased its output without proper training, it could backfire and prove fatal.

To protect those bestowed with a skill bearing the name of “God,” the church immediately provided shelter once the skill was discovered.
Possessors of this skill invariably displayed exceptional power, eventually earning the titles of Saint or Holy One and being revered.

Seneca and Lucius were taken aback by Kito’s detailed knowledge, but it seemed that such information was common knowledge for those who studied properly.
Both Seneca and Lucius, who weren’t fond of studying, exchanged embarrassed looks and quickly changed the subject.

Seneca finally revealed the name of her skill to them.

She had been terrified to say it out loud, especially after declaring she’d become an adventurer, only to receive a lifestyle skill instead. Her voice must have trembled.

However, the two didn’t seem to care much, and their reaction was unexpectedly subdued.

“I’m more curious about how 【Sewing】 is different from generic tailor skills,” Lucius said nonchalantly. “I’ve heard that specialized skills usually outperform general ones in terms of potential. So, Seneca, I’m sure you’ll find a unique way to use it. Who knows, maybe it’ll turn out to be stronger than you think.”

“Besides,” Kito added, “I think you’d grow strong even without a skill, Seneca-chan. You can already make sparks come out of your hands, right? Isn’t that magic? I’ve never heard of someone using magic without a skill!”

Indeed, through sheer effort, Seneca had managed to create something akin to sparks. However, it was practically useless.

The words of her childhood friends brought Seneca hope for the future, but they also became a source of torment, a curse she carried with her.

When they returned to the orphanage, it was in an uproar.

The children were already excited from receiving their skills, and Lucius’s situation had added fuel to the fire.

Some of the sisters knelt before Lucius, offering prayers.
Seneca didn’t miss the cold sweat forming on Lucius’s face.

Although some children had sneered at Seneca’s skill when they heard about it, the commotion over Lucius had overshadowed it, sparing her from further humiliation.

After dinner, Lucius came to see her.

“Hey, Seneca. Once everyone’s asleep, come to the attic.” Sister Claire said she’d look the other way just for tonight.

“…Alright.”

The two often sneaked into the attic and climbed out onto the roof.
Sometimes, they watched the sunset, the moon, or the sunrise.
Looking up at the empty sky, they would recall their days in Cordoba Village.

But tonight, Seneca didn’t feel like looking at the sky.