48. S: Sweet Leveling, Remnant of Memory, and a lone person

The moment I focused on the ring, suddenly a sudden description appeared, and reading it, I...

-Metal Ring: a plain-looking ring made of metal .-

“Pfuu…!!!”

I spat blood from shock.

"M-metal R-ring??? serio-... No, wait, just wait a moment....”

“Yeah, take a deep breath and calm down.”

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale

“Haaa... Fuuu... alright, l-let’s just think about it calmly...”

“Alright, so maybe it’s not the ring that’s a treasure?”

Saying so and convincing myself, I suddenly understand...

“Right, of course. It’s not the ring that is a treasure, but this ability in it, right?”

“I mean, now I understand, just like the System manual, an Appraisal skill is another necessity, right?”

“... Or maybe it’s even more than that, right?”

“I mean, Appraisal, Eye of Truth, or sometimes called as Clairvoyance... Yeah, of course, it should be this....”

“The ability to read other’s information, weak points, and secrets, and then using this ability and knowledge to your advantage, or even training yourself by relying on this skill. Yeah, so maybe this is the true reward of the tutorial?”

“A Versatile OP Cheat-like Skill, that is not only rare but also hard to obtai-....”

-Conditions have been met.

Skill: Analyse Lv1 has been acquired.-

“... or maybe....”

“.... not?....”

“......”

Saying so and then falling silent, I slowly and stiffly check my status window, and there...

- Analyse lv1 -

“... is the skill... Haaa...”

“Alright, I give up...”

Saying so and feeling powerless, I try my best in not crying my eyes out of frustration and sorrow, and then in such a sad state, I look once again in front of me to the only chance I have for a true reward...

A Silver Box, laying there atop the accursed Black Pedestal.

And then with my gaze lingering on it for a moment, I, with hands shaking with nervousness, open it slowly, when...

Suddenly, light shone from inside the box. And looking at that light, I slowly extended my hand inside and pulled something that reflected light. And then slowly taking hold of it, I...

Remove the silver foil covering it, before putting it in my mouth, and then chew before swallowing it. But...

“Aah... this chocolate is overly sweet...”

Crying some tears and saying that, I look again inside the box filled with sweets reflecting light, and from there pull a piece of paper, where a certain message...

[Nothing beats Stress, like Sweet Leveling]

… was beautifully written. And reading it, I...

“......”

I resume my silence, while also calmly but tightly hugging the silver box, as I then slowly look at the room around me, locating a door that was not there previously, before then turning my back on it as if not seeing it, and instead of moving toward the door that I entered from. Doing so, and exiting the reward room, I ignore a sudden notification series that has just appeared, while also ignoring the question of how I am suddenly back at my safe room, and instead I...

-Conditions have been met.

Lv5 has been reached.-

-Condi.....

......

......Bow Arts Lv1......

Instead, I just went to the bed, lied there, and ate sweets while blankly staring at the ceiling... for a while... until suddenly, I...

“......”

I was ambushed... by pain that has not healed and tiredness that has not faded, I was ambushed and toward the world of sleep I was dragged... probably... either that or that I was too mentally unstable that I abruptly lost consciousness, but no, I think it was probably pain and tiredness, yeah.... it was... those two... that.... made me slee-...

......

.........

............

‘Pathetic’

Remembering such a word, I abruptly open my eyes, jumping out of bed surprised, but...

“... it was not a dream? Haaa”

Tiredly saying that and feeling a multitude of random feelings weighting in my heart, I suddenly...

‘Pathetic’

I suddenly flinch, remembering what happened yesterday, or was it today? No, honestly...

“I am not sure how much time actually passed...”

Saying so, and feeling my complicated feelings growing heavier, I once again remember her word...

“Pathetic, was it...”

Saying so, and absentmindedly looking around the room, I smile bitterly, remembering a certain person’s words...

Nevertheless, to think that even after all this time and years, I am still...

‘Pathetic’

“I am still pathetic, ha?”

Feeling exasperated and saying such, I once again look around me, and then feeling my expression distorting, I...

“Haaa...”

I sigh and then using both hands I comb my hair backward. Before then, slowly moving toward the desk, and sitting at the chair tiredly, as I stare at the silver box in front of me.

“Fuuu... alright, guess I indeed am pathetic...”

Saying such, and glancing at my hands drenched in sweat, I calmly close my eyes, as if attempting to escape that fact, even if... that’s only temporary... nevertheless...

‘Pathetic’

“Nevertheless, it’s hard to forget that person’s words...”

“No, is it she herself that’s hard to forget...”

“Sigh... I guess that’s indeed true...”

Feeling tired and saying such, I...

‘Pathetic’

I open my eyes. And then with my decision made, relax my mind, embracing a certain feeling of Foreign Calmness. After all, while it’s true that I am pathetic, but it’s also true that...

“... that right now is not the time to dwell over such an old fact.”

Smiling a little and saying that, I then slowly look forward, to the book lying atop the desk ahead of me. And then with both the Foreign Calmness and the Name of Sage aiding me, I...

Slowly open that book. All, for the sake of not being pathetic again, even if...

“That’s only temporary...”