Part Twenty-Eight

::The World System has determined your compatible Classes.

Generating Data Slate (Class) for User……..Complete.::

A black slate, about the size of an IPhone, dropped into my lap. I’d been waiting for that announcement for hours, long enough that the day had come to an end. I wasn’t sure if the wait was unique to me, or something everyone would go through, but it had been rough all the same. I’d been unable to calm down all day, and everyone had taken notice of it. I’d yet to tell them anything, but I also knew I couldn’t keep them in the dark for too long. I’d even kicked Regis out of my room for the night. The whole thing was just too stressful to deal with him for now.

It was only made worse by the information on Classes that Insight now contained. To summarize it all, you’d need to complete a B-Rank Dungeon by yourself in order to actually get the Class. I didn’t know how dangerous these Dungeons would be, but based on the Siege Dungeon, it wasn’t an experience I was itching to undergo.

Let’s just, not think about that for now. I feel like if I dwell on it too much, I’ll panic and won’t be able to think of anything else. Let’s just take this one step at a time for now.

I took a deep breath before turning my attention to the Data Slate. This thing was critical to the Class selection process, so I needed to look it over very carefully.

Data Slate (Class)

Rank: Magic Tool

Description: When the World System requires the input of a User, it generates a Data Slate to procure said input. This one is configured to help a User select their Class.

Sighing deeply, I sent a thread of mana into the Slate, causing it to come to life just like a smartphone would. It caught me off-guard at first, but I quickly adapted, mostly because I was just used to weird stuff happening because of the System. I decided to just focus on the thing in front of me. If I didn’t, I was afraid I’d have a panic attack.

::Mana Signature confirmed: Welcome, User.

Beginning Class selection process. Eleven Class options are available.

Swordsman Twin Blade Suicide Swordsman Mage Dark Mage Dread Spawn Abyss Dweller Murderer Warrior Zombie Soldier Nightmare

Select a Class to see detailed information on it.

Warning: Once a Class has been chosen, there will be no going back.

Godspeed, User.::

There were more options than I’d expected. Some of them seemed relatively tame, and were things I’d expect to see in just about any RPG. But others were….more interesting to me. Especially that last one. It clearly had something to do with the Labyrinth based on the name alone.

Ahhhh, this might be harder than I thought. I wasn’t intending on doing this now. I just wanted to use this as a brief distraction, but now…. Now I don’t know what to do. I’ll just….put this away for now. There’s no time limit on my choice, so I can take my time with this, maybe consult the others. Yeah, they’ll need to know about this at some point. I’ll tell them in the morning.

I flung the Slate to the end of my bed, sprawling out as I did so. The Slate turned off when it lost the connection to my mana, but the knowledge it imparted remained behind, as well as the worries. I’d need to think this over before making any decisions.

***

[Alicia’s POV]

“So you noticed it too?”

“Yeah, he was acting squirrely after we fought those Gremlins. Something must’ve happened then. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“But what? He didn’t look hurt, just distracted. I thought maybe he got a new Skill at first, but I think he would’ve told us if that was the case. Could he maybe be worried about that strange man we met?”

“No, I doubt it. He was fine on the trip to where we fought the Gremlins. It wasn’t until after the fight, but before we went back, that he started acting odd.”

“So, it was something that happened during the battle? Did he notice something off about the monsters?”

“If it was, he would’ve said something back then. No, my guess is that this is something about him, something he doesn’t know how to process or understand. And it’s causing him to shut down.”

“Hmm, so, do we ask him about it? Because he’s kinda touchy about personal things like that.”

“Yeah, that would probably backfire. But the last time he kept something to himself, it really backfired.”

“Oh, that. You, you don’t think this is on a similar scale, do you?”

“Well, he did promise not to keep secrets that important after that incident, but it’s Michael we’re talking about. I honestly don’t know if he’s capable of being completely honest with others. I’m not saying he’s a liar or anything, but he’s….secretive? I mean, I’ve known him for nearly six months, but I don’t feel like I know him all that well. He’s told me a few things, but I can still feel him holding back. And sure, I don’t expect him to spill all his secrets in that amount of time, but…..I don’t know. Maybe I’m overthinking it.”

Alicia went quiet, and Kalia was unable to respond. The two of them had been talking when Alicia said something that made Kalia realize that she’d noticed what was happening with Michael, which sparked the previous conversation.

The two of them had been unable to come up with a definite conclusion to whatever was bothering Michael. Which meant that the situation would remain unresolved, for now.

***

[Regis's POV]

“Kuuuuuuu……”

Regis was very, very, very, very, very sad. His big brother had kicked him out of the room, and wouldn’t let him back in, even when he whined and scratched at the door. All he’d earned for his troubles were sore paws and a broken heart. The door remained closed to him, regardless of his wishes.

Technically, he could get in, but Regis also knew that doing so would make his brother angry. And he didn’t want him to be angry, no sir. There’d been this one time that he’d chased after a mouse and got lost because of it. He’d been lost for hours, and had gotten an extraordinarily long lecture that he’d only half understood. He didn’t want a repeat of that, so listening to his brother was probably the correct thing to do.

“Kuuuuu.”

Sulking, he turned around and started walking towards the stairs. Maybe the large, rather intense man and his sister downstairs would give him the attention he craved. The thought of attention and treats sent his tail a wagging, and put a pep-in-his-step.

*Creak!*

Until the creak of a door opening caught his attention.

“Reggie? What are you doing out here, sweetie? Did Michael kick you out? Poor thing. Why don’t I-. Ah! Wait, where are you going!?”

“KYUUUU!”

The second he heard the scary lady's voice, Regis took off down the hall. If he didn’t run, she’d catch and cuddle him, which he hated. Only brother was allowed to cuddle him, and only when he wanted to be cuddled.

He jumped off the third-from-the-bottom step, but fouled up the landing by landing on a rug, which slid out from under him, sending him sprawling across the ground. The impact dazed him enough that he couldn’t quite find his way back to his feet.

“Kuuuuuu.”

Shaking it off, Regis stood back up and darted forward, looking for one of the little dark corners that he could hide in. But in doing so, he didn’t notice that he streaked past the other two people in the house.

***

[Gwyn's POV]

Hm? Was that Regis? What’s he doing down here?

Gwyn had seen something small and black streak past him out of the corner of his eye. And since it had been too big to be a mouse, he figured that it must’ve been Regis, though that was odd. The fox pup was usually content to stay wherever Michael was at night. He wouldn’t be out here unless Michael had thrown him out of the room for some reason.

Hm, should I be worried? It’s unlike Michael to prevent Regis from sleeping with him. Then again, he may just want a little time to himself. I can understand that myself.

“H-hey…dumbass. I ain’t done….with ya yet. Stop….gettin' lost….in thought.”

“Apologies. I simply thought you may want a moment to recompose yourself.”

“Fuck…that. I can…keep going…for as… long as you can. Don’t…underestimate me.”

“Well in that case, how about I ramp up the difficulty?”

“Ahaha, fine. If that’s…what you need…to do.”

The two of them were sparring in the living room, of which they’d cleared out most of the furniture to make more space. Gwyn had felt the need to iron out a few odd habits Gwen had picked over the last week. She tended to focus on stabbing enemies with her lance, forgoing the use of her shield to make openings. This was fine against weak or unskilled enemies, but her overly straightforward way of fighting would have too many openings against more powerful monsters.

Unfortunately for her, Gwyn was a bit of an intense teacher. He’d pushed her to the edge of her endurance over the last hour or so. Even using wooden weapons instead of their regular gear wasn’t making it any easier. Gwyn was still fine, but Gwen was covered in bruises from blows she hadn’t been able to block.

In fact, Gwen was more worn out than she thought. As she tried to raise the makeshift lance back up to shoulder height, her grip slacked ever so slightly, allowing the weapon to slip from her grasp. The surprise caused by that dropped her focus, which in turn let the exhaustion fully set in. The adrenaline in her system had been keeping her focused enough to keep fighting, but even that had its limits.

Seeing that his sister wouldn’t be able to keep up any longer, Gwyn decided to call it a night. Any more and they’d risk her getting hurt. And fortunately, there was a perfect excuse coming down the stairs right at that moment.

***

[Kalia’s POV]

Every. Single. Time. Why does he run from me every time? All I want is to lavish him with affection. And yet he rejects me every time.

Her talk with Alicia had gone longer than she thought it would, and it was nearly time for her to take the night watch. Randomly seeing Regis hadn’t been something she planned, and she knew he wouldn’t actually come to her, but seeing him run off so desperately still hurt. Snuggling a cute little critter would probably reduce the anxiety she felt, but that required Regis to comply. She wouldn’t force him to cuddle her, no matter how much it hurt to see him run away. Which was a lot.

Though, when she reached the living room, those thoughts were immediately driven out of her head. Gwen and Gwyn had just finished sparring, and Gwen looked to be on the verge of passing out. She sprang into action, running over to Gwen and checking her for any serious injuries. Thankfully, she seemed fine, just highly exhausted and bruised all over.

With Gwen’s immediate safety assured, Kalia turned a scathing eye toward Gwyn. She knew they’d been sparring lately, but this looked closer to a form of harassment than training.

“Gwyn, was this really necessary? Gwen looks like she’d pass out if she even tried to run anywhere, let alone fight.”

“I’m afraid so. Not only is it necessary, but Gwen is the one who requested this. Besides, I was just about to call it anyway. She clearly can’t hold a weapon anymore, so there’s no point in trying to continue.”

“I’d hope so! Do I need to start lecturing you now? Because I will!”

“Yes, I’d imagine you would. Trust me Kalia, I’m well-aware of what my sister can and can’t handle. She’ll be fine after a good night's sleep.”

“Well, fine! Just help me get her upstairs and into bed. She’s heavy when she’s nearly unconscious.”

“I’d imagine most people are heavy when they’re nearly unconscious.”

“Don’t backtalk me mister! Just get her other shoulder!”

“Yes ma’am.”

***

The two of them had been so preoccupied, that they both somehow missed the little, furry head poking out inquisitively from under the nearby couch. And how said head quietly sunk down into a nearby shadow, disappearing from view.