Shujinkou Janai! - Ch 16

[You don’t know what Level and Status are……?]

My mind went blank as I heard those unintelligible words.

[No, I’m sorry. To be precise, even though I don’t know what the Status is, I do know what Level means. That was the numerical stage of your “growth” after you defeat monsters, right? However, I don’t know how to measure my level. I haven’t experienced any growth though, so I don’t think my level has changed yet……]

Resilia corrected her words, but those words felt more like a pursuing attack.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Status is the most important factor in an RPG.

For something as stupid as not knowing that is just……

(……Arehh? Come to think of it, how do you look at your own Status again?)

That’s something so basic that I hadn’t thought about it at all.

Up until now, when I use my Arts or my Inventory, I had the feeling that my body somehow remembered how to use it, so I could easily use it even for the first time.

However, when I think of “looking at my own Status”, I don’t have that feeling at all.

(Could it be because I’m not the “Hero”? ……No, rather than as a game character, was it something I could do because I was the player of that game?)

It would probably be on the same level as the Save, Load, and also the Quest List and Help Function.

That is information disclosed to “the person operating the game”, not to the characters in the game who are actually operating and seeing the information.

However, that would be troubling.

If I don’t know my Status, it’s hard to know how much I’ve grown, and it’s hard to make plans against the enemies.

But in the game, there’s no way to know your Status other than opening the Menu……

But as I had such thoughts in mind, I suddenly thought of “something” and ran to the mirror.

(Perhaps, if I use that……)

Guided by my premonition that felt almost convincing, I shouted in front of “my reflection in the mirror”.

[————Inspect!]

Thereupon……

(Alright!)

My ability values were displayed, the same as I had seen on the status screen.

With this, I can feel relieved.

(The technique to gauge the strength of the opponent, Inspect, works just fine huh. This ability normally can’t target anyone but enemies, but it looks like you really can use it this way in this world huh.)

It was a gamble to see if it would work on a real person, or if it would even work on my reflection in the mirror, but I’m glad this worked.

(Gotta say, Rex sure is weak.)

Adventurers in the world of B&B generally increase each stat value by an average of 4 points per level.

In that case, you can say that gaining 200 points at LV 50 is average, but in reality, Rex’s starting value at LV 1 is about 20, which means that each of his status values is lower than a normal character.

In addition, 4 is just the average, as stat growth would have irregularities to it such as “a warrior having +6 STR/level, but would just have +2 MGC/level”.

Therefore, even if the overall value is the same, at LV 50, it would be normal for there to be inclinations in growth such as “300+ STR and 100+ MGC”.

And of course, there’s a big difference between having 300 STR and 200 STR, so although you could technically say that Rex is flexible, to be honest, he’s very weak offensively.

Furthermore, the average for “ordinary adventurers” is 4, most of the main party characters in the game will naturally exceed that number.

Furthermore, this disparity becomes even more pronounced in the later stages of the game.

This is because although B&B is a game that allows players to change their Jobs to various Jobs, the conditions for Job Change still require a character’s stat value.

Even though the higher the Job is, the stricter the conditions for Job Change will be, having a higher rank Job gives them access to more powerful techniques and greater stat increase according to their Job.

In other words, the stronger you are, the stronger you get, and the weaker you are, the further you fall behind……

[Ummm, are you alright?]

I finally came to my senses when Resilia called out to me.

[Y- Yeah. There’s no problem.]

[Are you feeling sick? You should get some rest……]

Resilia, who was asking me that, lacks expression on her face, but she really seemed to be worried and called out to me in a concerned manner.

However, that’s needless worry.

I may have taken a bit of psychological damage, but it’s no big deal.

(Now then……)

It’s good that I could see “Rex’s” status, but I already knew Rex’s status values from the beginning.

The main issue here is checking Resilia’s status.

(<Inspect> would probably work here but……)

The question is, what are her status values like?

Even if she’s LV 1, her current status values would give me a rough idea of her growth rate.

As a rule, one’s status value at LV 1 is equal to six times the growth rate per level.

For example, if the average growth is 4, their status value at LV 1 would approximately be 24.

(……One’s growth rate, a character’s qualities, is the disparity in this world that can’t be overturned.)

Of course, there’s a limit to what can be covered by affection and efficiency.

I may have said that 4 is the average for Adventurers, but conversely speaking, there are many characters who aren’t Adventurers whose growth rate was lower than that.

The average growth rate of a person in a town, if I’m not mistaken, half of the population would be around 2.

(The borderline for her is 18.)

If she has a balanced 18 points in each stat, making her have a growth rate of 3, she should be able to do well enough as a party member as long as she was a support.

However, if her stats were less than that……

(Sorry to say, but it might be better not to let her participate in battle.)

Secretly making such a decision, I turned towards Resilia, who was looking at me with a strange expression on her face, and used <Inspect>.

And as for her stat values……

[…………………….Huh?]

My mouth dumbly opened at the unbelievably high stats displayed in front of me.

※　※　※

When I woke up, I was sweating profusely.

[It was just a dream huh.]

Probably because of the dream that felt real, I was in a terrible mood.

In my dream, I was playing an MMO and followed the advice of a green-haired Elf to create a balanced character, but that character was useless in battle, with people around me saying “Hey, you hear? I heard he actually made a balanced character”, “Uwahh, what, he’s trying to be one of them “jack-of-all-trades, master-of-all”? Only clueless elementary schoolers are allowed to do that”, “Heyya, trash chara-kun~~”.

I know the cause of this.

It was definitely Resilia’s shocking status that I saw yesterday.

It’s simply extraordinary that she has such high numbers even when she’s LV 1.

Even in the game, I had never seen a character with that abnormal stat value.

And that’s not the only thing that stuck out to me.

When I saw that status, I couldn’t help but think……

(————If only I had this power……)

Of course, I know that can’t happen.

However……

[……You’re awake.]

I turned my head at the voice, and there I found Rex’s sister, Resilia.

The memory of yesterday’s events makes me feel complicated, but I try my best not to show it and called out to her.

[Ahhh, ummm…… Good morning. I’m sorry for causing you trouble yesterday.]

To be honest, I don’t really remember what happened after that last night.

I was so shocked it seemed like I ended up falling unconscious.

[No. That aside, please wait a bit.]

Brushing off my apology without moving an eyebrow, Resilia opened the door and walked away.

A few minutes later, she returned with a bowl of what appeared to be a meal in her hand.

[……Here’s some egg porridge. I’m not sure if it will suit your palate though.]

The way she held out the bowl to me was somehow gentler than yesterday.

[I heard from the innkeeper. The day before yesterday, you were defending a beginner party, and though you were badly injured to the point of death, you defeated a Demon.]

[Eh? Yeah, well……]

Depending on the interpretation, I guess you could describe that event that way huh.

[You must have been fatigued. ……Help yourself.]

[Y- Yeah.]

At her urging, I scooped the porridge with the spoon she handed to me and brought it to my mouth.

[……Delicious.]

The taste is soothing not only to the body, but also to the soul.

Even the boorish tsukkomi like “Rice in a fantasy world?” seemed to be pulled into the back of my throat along with the umami of the meal.

[Thanks. By any chance, did you make this, Resilia?]

[……Well, I was just killing time.]

With her gaze to the side, she sullenly said.

Apparently not wanting me to touch on this matter any further, I slowly ate my egg porridge.

[Thank you for the…… Whoa?]

Before I had time to express my gratitude, she took the bowl as if she was snatching it away, and saying “I’ll clean it up”, she quickly turned to leave the room.

However……

[……Speaking of which.]

Her footsteps stopped just as she opened the door.

And then……

[Thank you for saving me.]

[Eh……?]

[I didn’t get the chance to tell you that yesterday.]

After quickly saying that, Resilia left the room without looking back this time.

But just as she was about to leave, for a brief moment, her side-profile seemed to have a slightly reddish tinge to it.

The sound of her footsteps, rushing down the stairs, gradually faded away.

[……I’m so pathetic.]

A grown man like me shouldn’t make such a young girl worry.

Before that, even if it was only for a little bit, I hate myself for being so small-minded and jealous of such an unusual, but kind-hearted younger girl.

From the beginning, I knew that “Rex” was weak.

And yet, saying “On second thought, please come with me” the moment I actually saw the disparity between our abilities is just very uncool.

(……I need to change my thinking.)

I’ve been treating this as if I was still playing B&B, the game itself.

I’ve been saying that “I’m not the Hero” while acting like a Hero.

B&B is an Action RPG, a game in which you play the Hero who takes the initiative to save the world and beat down all of the enemies.

However, I’m sure that’s not the role I’m supposed to play here.

If I were to use an analogy, yes……

————-I should think of this world as a Simulation Game instead.

Rather than myself, I will train others, raising a group that can defeat the monsters and clear this world.

That is the best choice, the optimal solution, that I can make right now.

Even though it wasn’t exactly myself, the answer to my final goal probably lies somewhere in here.

(I’m glad I met Resilia here.)

If I had kept on with a half-baked thinking, I’m sure I would have hit a much bigger wall someday.

Now, rather than comparing myself to her, I felt like I could simply congratulate Resilia for being strong.

“”

[Resilia……]

And so, when Resilia came back, I could naturally ask her for this favor.

Looking at her firmly in the eyes, I said the words that would answer yesterday’s question.

[————-I want to borrow your strength. Would you fight alongside me?]

At this sudden question, her eyes widened for a moment……

[……My sword is yours.]

And saying this, she fearlessly smiled.