“I am not a summoned hero,” I admitted. “As Thoth and Ulla put it, I was pulled along for the summoning…”

I explained that Thoth had removed me from a portion of the summoning and given me excess energy to make the trip to Praecantio. That Ulla was surprised I was able to receive traits and an ability at all.

“I still have every intention of helping Bella,” I continued. “She is my friend and I will do anything I am able to protect her.”

“That is noble,” the armor-clad high general said, “but without active abilities you will be at a disadvantage.”

“Perhaps fighting isn’t the only way you can help,” the high mage said smiling. “Your traits all focus around investigation. Perhaps you should take your cues from that. Join me in research and support the nation and the hero through that.”

I explained that I had a similar thought, but that I wanted to learn to fight as well. To me it was surprising how strong the urge to learn the sword and other weapons was. Especially given the option of just researching all the time.

“I will continue his training,” said Adekin. “Given practice, he will make a fine addition to the royal guard.”

“If I may speak frankly Your Highness,” the high treasurer said. “I don’t know that we should continue to put so many resources into a young man who did not receive the hero’s blessing. Clearly Ulla thought him unworthy. So too should we.”

Gulp.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand that position, but still. Was I about to be thrown to the curb?

“I would have to agree,” the prince said after giving the high treasurer’s words some thought. “I mean no offense, but without the hero’s blessing…”

“No. I can’t do this without Elliot,” Bella said. “He supports and encourages me. He has helped me in countless ways. I need to have him with me.”

“I thought you said the two of you were just friends,” the prince said seemingly disappointed. “You make it sound as if it were more.”

“No,” she said. “We are just really good friends. Best friends.”

“Additionally, I would be interested in continuing his training Your Highness,” said Adekin.

“And I would be interested in using his researching-type traits…I mean helping him use his traits,” said Perceval.

The prince looked to the high advisor. Theobald tilted his head and raised his eyebrow. He had very expressive eyebrows. It seemed as if he were acquiescing, giving in to Bella’s demands.

“Very well,” The prince said. “For the time being we shall maintain your title as hero of Acone. However, be advised that you will be expected to produce results from your work with the high mage and knight commander. Should you slacken in your efforts for either, we will be reconsidering your position. Is that understood? Perceval. Adekin. You are to push this ‘hero’ to his limits and beyond. Make him worthy of the title we are allowing him to keep.”

““Yes, Your Highness.”” They said in unison.

Gulp. That sounded like a lot of work. I was never really the type to stick with things. I usually bounced from interest to interest. But it looks like I wouldn’t have a choice. If I wanted to stay, I would have to work.

“Thank you. Thank you.” Bella thanked the prince.

“Do you know your affinities?” the prince asked me. “Perhaps you could still study magic with your traits.”

…

“Um…well according to Ulla…I shouldn’t have any affinities.”

“What!” Perceval yelled. “Even children have at least one affinity.”

That was essentially what Ulla said. I would be the weakest in Praecantio.

“It seems you three have your work cut out for you,” the prince said.

I couldn’t tell if his smile was hiding a scowl or if his scowl was hiding a smile.

Perceval and Adekin looked as if they had just accepted an impossible task. I felt bad, but for the moment, I was determined. I would do my best.

The high advisor then turned to Bella, “And what about the hero’s affinities?”

“Oh…um light, spirit…spacetime?”

“Spacetime, Void, Beast, Physical, Light and Spirit” I helped.

“Oh. Thank you Elliot. See I need him.”

“An interesting combination,” said the high mage. “Let’s see. I imagine you would want to learn the Healing Arts”

“You also have the potential for several fighting styles,” The high general added. “Even without traits or abilities we must hone your ability to fight if you are to be a hero of the nation.”

Well I’m not sure about that. There is plenty a good healer could do for war efforts and morale. Ensuring the safety of your wounded can be just as important as causing wounded for the enemy. But now was not the time to speak up and draw attention.

“However,” the high mage said, moving to pick up the scrolls from the table. “The first things you should learn are the hero skills. Those skills all heroes who pass between worlds are able to learn.”

Is that because of the spacetime and void skills Ulla said heroes received passing through interdimensional space?

“Let’s see here,” he continued, while looking through the scrolls. “There is 【Void Storage】 and 【Timescape】. Several spatially enhanced attacks like 【Space Slash】 and 【Temporal Thrust】…”

As Perceval listed the names of magical incantations I couldn’t help but wonder. Who names these things? Do the names come from the gods or are they named by the people who figure them out? In a world with actual gods it seems to be an important question. Is a rock called a rock because someone came up with that name or did a god set out to make a rock and then tell people what it was?

The list of heroes’ magic was actually quite extensive. I suppose there was a lot you could accomplish with just two affinities. As Perceval read I could see Bella getting anxious. Perhaps worried she would be expected to learn all of the magical invocations which would probably go with the magic.

I wondered how much memorization she had already gone through as a pre-med student. I can only imagine how much work must have been involved. Now to be told she has to change her focus, learn magic and protect a nation. It must have been overwhelming.

“You will need to decide which of the heroes’ skills you will begin to learn,” the prince said. “Obviously you are not expected to learn every type of magic you are capable of performing at the very start of your journey. Additionally, however, you will also have other magical abilities to choose from given your multiple affinities.”

“Yes, your friend and I will begin compiling those magics which might fit your combination of affinities. As well as begin researching new possible combinations for you to try.”

I see. So that’s what we would be doing. I suppose the number of combinations plus the variants inside those combinations would make this a large task. Especially if their record keeping was not up to parr. Not to mention researching new magical skills. That actually sounded like a lot of fun.

“So there will be even more?” she said.

“Oh yes,” the prince chimed in. “The warriors of Acone all learn a great number of magical skills as part of their training. Consider them a simple component of combat. Like a new guarding position. A tool to be used in the right circumstance.”

“For example,” the high general added. “With your physical magic affinity you may learn skills like 【Physical Strength Boost】 which will make your attacks more potent or help you wield a larger weapon than you might otherwise. With your Beast and Physical magic affinities added together you may learn 【Claws】 which allows you to grow beast-like claws which may be used as a weapon. Both of which I have learned, used and would be happy to teach you.”

The general had a large grin on his face. As if to say ‘these are my favorite skills.’

I wondered how Bella felt about the idea of fighting. I know she learned martial arts when we were younger. Judo, I think. But being pre-med she was surely planning to take the Hippocratic Oath. She hadn’t taken it yet, but I wondered how that would affect her desire to fight and harm monsters and demons.

“It is unfortunate,” he continued, “that you don’t have the Tool Magic Affinity as that would allow you to apply magical enhancements to weapons. Although we could start to train that affinity.”