Chapter 6

Suddenly... I wake up.

"Master Hira! It's good! You've awakened...!"

Muse hugs me.

The softness of her chest and the sweet scent tickle my nose.

Seeing her tearful face, I feel a sense of guilt.

I am the master, yet I made the slave cry.

"I'm sorry for worrying you."

"No! It's fine as long as you're safe! Truly, it's good...!"

Muse lets out a sigh of genuine relief.

Hmm... I should avoid taking such risks from now on.

"By the way, where are we...?"

"In the carriage of the merchant you saved."

It seems we are in a covered carriage.

Apart from us, it is packed with goods.

"Hey! Big brother, are you awake!?"

A man's voice comes from the driver's seat.

When I sit up, I see a bearded merchant holding the reins.

"Thank you so much for saving me!"

"Don't worry about it. And I'm sorry for taking up space in your carriage. I'll pay the fare later."

"No, no! I can't take money from someone who saved my life! I was really saved!"

Hmm... but I don't think it's right to ride for free.

But he won't take the money. Well, let's leave it for now.

"By the way, where is this carriage heading?"

"To the city of Woz."

"Hmm... Woz, huh. That's convenient."

Then Muse tilts her head and asks.

"What is Woz?"

"It's the name of the city we were heading to. It's a fishing port known for its seafood dishes."

"I see! Master Hira knows everything! As expected!"

"I just read it in a book."

As long as we stay in the carriage, it seems we will reach our destination.

Finally... I can take a breath.

"Right. Muse, what happened to the loot from the wyvern we defeated?"

"Well... it didn't drop anything."

"Hmm... that's strange."

There should be some kind of loot...

Wait a moment.

I grab my arm and use [Open].

My status is displayed in front of me...

"Please select the loot."

...Hmm, it seems you can choose the loot later.

・Dragon Fang × 10 (C)

・Dragon Wing Membrane × 2 (B)

・Dragon Bone Marrow × 1 (S)

"Hmm... Dragon Bone Marrow."

I remember hearing that it can be used as a medicinal ingredient.

"What!? Big brother!? What did you just say!?"

The carriage suddenly stops.

The jolt makes my butt hit the floor. It hurts, but that's not the issue.

The merchant, with a changed expression, rolls into the cargo area.

"Y-You just said Dragon Bone Marrow!?"

"Ah, yes... it dropped during the battle."

"Amazing...! Dragon Bone Marrow is an item that rarely drops! Out of 100... no, 1000 dragons, you might get one or none at all!!!"

Hmm... so Dragon Bone Marrow drops with a probability of about 1 in 1000.

"To be able to get such a rare item for sure! That's amazing, Master Hira..."

...Hmm. I should keep the fact that I can get rare items for sure confidential.

"Big brother, can you sell this to me!?"

The merchant leans in, pleading with a desperate look.

There seems to be some serious reason behind it.

"No."

"Wh-What... I'll give you all my money..."

"I'll give it to you."

"......!?"

The merchant is stunned. Hmm? Did he not hear me?

"I said I'll give it to you for free."

"Free!? N-No, no! What are you saying, big brother!? This is an extremely rare and hard-to-get item!"

"Yes. But I'll give it to you. You need it, right?"

"No, no... I mean, it would help, but... I can't just take it for free..."

Hmm?

I see.

"You really want this. It's an ingredient for medicine... Hmm, is someone sick?"

"That's right... My daughter is sick, and to make the medicine to cure her, I need Dragon Bone Marrow..."

So there was a reason.

"Then, take it."

"No, but... why?"

"Those with power should use it to help the weak. Noblesse oblige. That's my policy."

"Big brother... no, Master Hira..."

The merchant, moved to tears, starts crying.

"If you feel uncomfortable taking it... how about this. Consider it payment for the carriage ride to Woz. And if you could tell me about a good inn, that would be even better."

The merchant, kneeling before me, says:

"Thank you! You are my and my daughter's savior! Thank you so much!"

"Very well. Go to the city quickly and treat your daughter."

"Y-Yes...!"

After bowing multiple times, the merchant returns to the driver's seat and starts the carriage.

Muse, standing nearby, looks at me with sparkling eyes.

"You really are a wonderful person, Master Hira!"

"This is just what's right."

"No! Most people are too busy with their own affairs to help others. Especially, giving away such a valuable item for free is something no one can do... Master Hira is truly special!"

Well, I am indeed from a special lineage.

But for me, it was just the right thing to do.

Noblesse oblige.

That's how I live.

"To help others without expecting anything in return... that's really amazing!"

Just then...

"Condition met."

"Skill [Gratitude and Reward] acquired."

...What?

"What's wrong?"

"No, I just got a new skill."

"Again! That's amazing...!"

■ Gratitude and Reward (UN)

→ You can increase SP by being thanked or making someone happy.

...Hmm?

The rank is bugged.

Usually, it would be A or S.

I've never seen UN before...

"[Identify]"

■ (UN)

→ Short for Unique Skill. A skill given only to a specific individual in the entire world and history. Also known as a Unique Skill.

...Hmm.

So it's a skill unique to me.

"What kind of skill is it?"

"Gratitude and Reward. It seems that when someone thanks me, my SP recovers. It's called a Unique Skill."

"Y-You...!"

Muse covers her mouth with her hand.

Hmm?

"Unique Skill... I've heard of it. It's an ultra-rare skill given by the heavens to heroes and great heroes in history!"

"...Hmm. I see."

This power is a blessing from the heavens.

Then, there is only one way to use it.

"Use this skill to make more people happy. That... is the will of the heavens."

"!?"

Muse bursts into tears.

"That's wonderful... to use such a wonderful power not for yourself but for others... What a person of compassion. Are you an incarnation of a god?"

"Hmm... Muse, are you joking?"

"I'm not joking! Master Hira is the most wonderful person in the world!"

She's really exaggerating.

But it's true that the heavens have given me a wonderful power.

Unique Skill... huh.

With this, I can use SP without hesitation, not just to defeat monsters but to help people.

But even with a Unique Skill, what I do won't change.

Noblesse oblige.

Power is not for oneself but for the weak.

From now on, I will use my power for the world and its people...

"Muse. I've decided on a plan. Listen."

"Yes! I'll listen!"

"We'll go to the city and become adventurers."

"Adventurers...? But..."

I understand.

With this power, I have many options, like being a merchant.

"I want to use this power to help more people. For that, a hands-on job is better. For someone like me, an adventurer is the most convenient."

"I see... I understand! Then, me too!"

"You too?"

"Yes! I want to be an adventurer with you!"

And so, the plan was decided.

First, we'll go to the city of Woz and register as adventurers at the guild.