With no warning, faster than he could recognize what had happened, Zack Adder found himself pinned to the ground, his face pressed into the dirt.

  It was almost an insult that his face was only pressed lightly into the dirt, and there was no pain from his restraint.

  “As I said,” Rosimund said from somewhere above him. “I’m level forty, and I have a growth rate of C for Speed, the same as you, Zack.”

  He unhanded the [Otherworlder] and stood up, and Zack stood up as well.

  That level of speed had been superhuman.

  “Whoa!” Bradley exclaimed belatedly. “I couldn’t even see that!”

  Zack dusted himself off, and his sense of unease redoubled, though he concealed it.

  Was everyone in this world so immensely powerful?

  Would he become that powerful, if he trained?

  Underneath his concern, Zack felt himself grow excited.

  It was a sense of eager anticipation, like the anticipation of obtaining admin privileges on a new computer network.

  “Now, let’s take a break and discuss your role in the [Hero’s Party], Zack Adder.”

  Rosimund led the other three members of the [Hero’s Party] to a table much like a picnic bench, and they sat. The [Priestess] rushed to sit next to the [Hero] and cling to him, her affections all the more effective now that he was unarmored and could feel the softness of her body against his. Zack noted this and managed not to roll his eyes, as he had better things to think about.

  Rosimund had said that one of the goals of the [Hero’s Party] was to improve Bradley’s, and his own, strength.

  After Rosimund’s lightning-fast demonstration, that was highly appealing.

  However...

  The [Priestess] was clinging to and flirting shamelessly with Bradley, the [Hero].

  Bradley had the good grace to look a little embarrassed, but he also didn’t tell her to stop.

  The secret agent maintained a poker face as he and the [Guide] sat opposite the other two.

  This… was a problem.

  She was a problem.

  Her behavior was way over the line. Not just in terms of blatant flirting, but also power harassment.

  He surreptitiously looked around to see how everyone else was reacting.

  Sir Rosimund was choosing not to do anything about it.

  Most of the knights were studiously ignoring it, but…

  Two of them were sharing some kind of look. Two who, as far as Zack could tell, weren’t spies.

  Something was going on.

  But what to do about it?

  Rosimund had been perfectly clear: all the members of the [Hero’s Party] were not equal.

  Bradley Northcourt, the [Hero], was obviously indispensable.

  [Guide] Rosimund represented the Kingdom’s interests.

  [Priestess] Maria represented the Church’s, and the Goddess’, interests.

  Zack Adder was a tag-along, and clearly Maria had it out for him. The animosity seemed to be personal—or perhaps religious—but without political backing, it seemed only a matter of time before she managed to exclude him entirely.

  Unless…

  Observe. Orient. Decide. Act.

  Ultimately, there was one person who had the final say of who was in the [Hero’s Party] or not.

  The [Hero] himself.

  Zack Adder had no political backing—not yet—but if he had the [Hero’s] backing, that was a trump card.

  As soon they were all seated, Zack Adder made his move.

  Decision: cultivate his relationship with Bradley.

  “Hey, Brad.”

  A serious tone.

  Direct eye contact.

  A pause to wait for Bradley to give him his full attention.

  The blush faded from Bradley’s face and he met Zack’s gaze.

  “I wanted to thank you, for trying to save my life yesterday. And… I’m sorry that you wound up dying along with me.”

  “Whoa, uh…” Bradley sat up straight, and pulled his arm from the clingy priestess’ grasp. “Don’t worry about it, man.”

  Zack raised a hand, cutting him off.

  “No, it’s a big deal. And, it looks like the only reason I’m here and alive right now is because I got wrapped up in your summoning, so, in a way, you did save my life. I’m eternally grateful. Thanks, Brad.”

  Brad was speechless.

  He couldn’t find the words.

  “So,” Zack said, keeping the conversation flowing, “you said you were getting scouted for college ball? Which schools?”

  At that, Bradley perked up. “Oh, dude! I was getting scouted for Ohio State and Ole Miss! It was nuts, they flew me out to both campuses and put me up in these luxury hotels…”

  And so, for some time, Bradley bragged about all the wooing he had received from different schools that, unbeknownst to him, crossed several lines regarding corruption in college sports recruitment.

  Zack merely smiled and kept the conversation going, asking strategic questions to learn more about Bradley and build a rapport.

  Why bother pointing out illegalities when they were a world away from any of that?

  “And then, my girlfriend—”

  Maria flinched, but Bradley didn’t notice.

  Zack’s expression fell, and Bradley did notice that.

  “Oh, uh, it’s not a big deal, we had already broken up…”

  Maria perked up!

  Zack expressed concern. “But didn’t you say you were Prom King and Queen?”

  “Yeah, we were, but, you know. She wanted to go to different kind of university… She was trying to get into the Ivies, you know?”

  “The aye vees?” Rosimund asked.

  “The Ivy League,” Bradley explained. “They’re, like, the best schools back in our world. Really focused on education.”

  “Why, uh, why were they called that?” Maria tried to join the conversation.

  “Hmm…” Bradley folded his arms and looked up. “I dunno, honestly…”

  “It’s because they’re old, and they let ivy climb up the walls which was a sign of that,” Zack answered. “Though I don’t think Stanford actually has any ivy covered buildings.”

  Bradley snapped his fingers and his face brightened. “Oh, yeah, that was Stacy’s top choice! I mean, I could have got into Stanford’s football program, easy, but I wanted a real shot at going pro, so… Yeah, it was a mutual break-up, uh huh.” He nodded as though trying to convince himself.

  “Still, that’s rough man.”

  “What about you? You were studying computers, right?”

  Zack gave his pre-planned response, from before the accident.

  Studied IT at a decent, but not great state university.

  Got his certs, and was just about to graduate before the accident.

  “Aw, major bummer dude, you missed the ceremony? Super lame.”

  Zack shrugged. “Well, it is what it is. At least I don’t have to pay back my student loans, now.”

  “True that!”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Bradley put his hand up, and they high-fived.

  And then, he turned to Rosimund, who was looking a little lost.

  “What about you, Rosimund? Tell us about yourself!”

  Bradley was in the mood to chat, now.

  Zack kept his smile friendly, but inside, his grin was even wider.

  The deeper his rapport with Bradley, the harder it would be for Maria to separate him from the party.

  He almost pitied Maria. She was so lost she didn’t even have time to shoot him glares.

  “Well,” Rosimund said, “I always knew I wanted to be a knight, just like my father before me, and his father before him…”

  Rosimund’s was a fairly standard tale.

  A hard worker, he had put in the time and paid his dues and climbed the ranks, reaching the position of Knight Captain in the Kingdom of Forti’s Royal Knight division.

  “Is that the highest rank?” Zack asked.

  “Oh, no, there’s Subcommander and Commander above Captain. However,” Rosimund huffed through his nose proudly, “I was recognized as the strongest of all the Knights in all the Kingdom, and was selected for the role of [Guide], just like in the very first [Hero’s Party].”

  “The first [Hero’s Party]?” Bradley asked.

  Rosimund’s eyes flickered to Zack for just a second. “We can discuss that another time, Sir Northcourt.”

  “Please, call me Brad. We’re all gonna be working together for a long time, right? Sir Northcourt’s a bit of a mouthful.”

  “Oh, I could never,” Rosimund demurred. “I have to maintain at least some level of decorum…”

  “How about Sir Bradley, then?” Bradley pressed.

  “If—if you insist…”

  “I do.” The [Hero] grinned triumphantly.

  “Ahem, er, very well then, Sir Bradley…”

  Eager to shift attention away from himself, Rosimund turned to Maria across the table. “Well, tell them about yourself, too, [Priestess] Maria.”

  All eyes on her, she preened.

  “Well, my mother was a [Priestess] herself, and when I was born, she had me appraised and I was discovered to have the ultra-rare [Oracle] skill!”

  She paused, as though expecting everyone to ooh and ahh.

  “Er, your mother was a [Priestess]?” Bradley asked.

  “Huh? Uh, yes…”

  “They let [Priests] and [Priestesses] get married and have children?”

  “Of course they do! Why wouldn’t they?” Maria was flustered.

  “Back on Earth, priests and monks and nuns would take vows of chastity, and they didn’t get married or have children,” Zack answered. “If they were caught doing… those kinds of things, typically they were kicked out of their church.”

  “What?! How barbaric!” Maria cried. “How did they produce any [Priests] at all, then?”

  “People would volunteer and take the vows. There were other kinds of vows, too. Vows of poverty, obedience, service…”

  Maria’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? And people would volunteer for that?”

  “Uh, yeah,” Bradley replied.

  “Well that’s not how we do things here!” Maria declared. “My mother was a [Priestess], as was her mother, going back eight generations! I’m a ninth generation [Priestess], and I certainly haven’t taken any crazy vows like those.”

  She went on to explain that the Church, as an organization, was dedicated to carrying out the Goddess’ will, and spreading Her messages to the people of the world.

  “And that’s why my [Oracle] skill is so important! I can speak directly with the Goddess, should She deign to answer my prayers, and She can see through my eyes to observe the state of Her world!”

  “Ooh, that’s, uh, pretty cool,” Bradley said.

  “It is ‘pretty cool,’” Maria bragged. “And, of course, as my relationship with the Goddess is so deep, I’ve mastered all the third tier healing miracles, and I’ve started to study the fourth tier!”

  Back in her element, she found the time to look down her nose and sneer at Zack.

  He kept his expression friendly. “I can see how you’re a crucial member of the party, Maria,” he flattered.

  “Of course!”

  “Can anyone learn healing miracles?”

  On the one hand, being able to heal himself in a fight would be a complete game changer.

  On the other hand, he did not want to rely on Maria for healing if he ever actually needed it.

  “That depends on one’s devotion to the Goddess,” she answered.

  “So they’re not skills?”

  “Well…” she hesitated.

  “Ah, that’s a good point, Zack,” Rosimund smiled. “The foundation of healing miracles is the [Prayer] skill, which almost everyone in the world has.”

  “Almost everyone?”

  “Hmm…” Bradley scrunched up his face. “I don’t think I have the [Prayer] skill, either…”

  “Bradley, you have the [Divine Favor] skill, which is even better than [Prayer],” Maria rushed to reassure him.

  “Indeed,” Rosimund agreed, then turned back to Zack. “I think we will have you learn the [Prayer] skill from Maria, Zack. You see, here’s what I’m thinking…”

  He continued on, ignoring the look of horror and outrage on Maria’s face.

  Bradley, Zack noted, looked particularly interested in what the [Guide] was saying.

  “Given your unique skill, [The Learn]—”

  “Oh, yeah, what’s up with that?” Bradley asked.

  “With what?”

  “You said it’s a ‘unique skill.’”

  “Oh, yes, well, skills range from common, like [Prayer], to very rare, like [Oracle]…”

  “Ultra-rare!” Maria interjected.

  “And beyond that, there are unique skills. [The Sword], [The Shield], [The Mathematic], [The Friendly], and, of course, now we have discovered [The Learn].”

  “So they all have ‘the’ in the skill name, huh?” Zack asked.

  “That’s right. The definite article is what indicates it’s a unique skill. Some of them have been held by different people at different times, while others have only been recorded once.”

  “[The Sword]? That sounds awesome!” Bradley exclaimed, looking excited.

  “Yes, [The Sword], er, the last person to have that skill died just about a hundred years ago, now. It was said he could cut through anything with a single swing of his sword.”

  “Anything?” Zack’s eyebrows raised.

  Conversely, Rosimund’s brow furrowed. “Yes, anything. There are records of him slicing through entire buildings with a single slash…”

  That was… alarming.

  “Are there any alive right now?” Bradley pressed.

  “Mhm, [The Shield] is still alive, but he’s well into his eighties. Even now, there’s no greater master of defense and blocking attacks. He has no openings. In fact, he resides here, in the Royal Castle of Forti.

  So that’s where we are, Zack noted.

  “Can we meet him?” Bradley looked hopeful, but Rosimund made a complicated face.

  “Er, if that is your wish as the [Hero], I can try to arrange a meeting…”

  “Yeah, that’d be great!” Bradley smiled innocently.

  “Ahem, er, where were we…” Rosimund tried to get the discussion back on track, but Bradley couldn’t be stopped.

  “What about the others?”

  “Er, [The Mathematic] is also alive; he lives in Valendrathal. It is a rather underwhelming unique skill, however…” Rosimund once again glanced at Zack. “The skill enables him to perform any kind of mathematical calculation instantly.”

  Zack’s eyes nearly bugged out of his skull he opened them so wide. He couldn’t help himself.

  “Eh, really? Kinda lame, yeah.”

  “Indeed,” Maria sniffed.

  How was that not a total cheat skill?!

  Zack composed himself, and Bradley continued on.

  “And the last one, [The Friendly]?”

  “Ah, well there are others, but she we will try to meet, in the city of Alvheim. Amelia’s unique skill enables her to befriend anyone she meets—and I do mean anyone. Including all manner of creatures.”

  “Why her?” Brad asked while Maria nodded along.

  “Oh yes, you’ll definitely want to meet her and get on her good side if at all possible,” Maria said, a little too loudly. Zack restrained another twitch, and Rosimund looked around before shushing her.

  The [Private Conversation] skill, perhaps?

  “Yes, she’s formed relationships with every single Great Spirit, and she’s the contractor of several powerful familiars. She first became known as a solo adventurer [Tamer] before reaching worldwide renown when she escorted several Great Spirits to an international conference. Our hope is that she can introduce you, Sir Bradley, to the Great Spirits and increase the level of your [Universal Affinity] skill.

  Rosimund explained, mostly to Bradley, that although the [Universal Affinity] skill was extremely useful, it typically leveled slowly since it required exposure to and meditation on all elements to improve, whereas most affinities weren't skills and so could be improved individually. The fastest way to improve elemental affinities was by spirit mediation, and especially Great Spirits. But Great Spirits weren't big fans of humans bothering them just to improve elemental affinities, so they tended to avoid humans.

  “Wow, [The Friendly] Amelia sounds amazing! Why don’t we have her join our party, too?” Bradley whispered excitedly.

  “She would surely refuse,” Rosimund said evenly. “She has said before that she refuses to take any kind of political stance or be involved in politics. We believe that this is due to her unique skill disinclining her to do anything that might create large numbers of enemies for herself.”

  “But, wait,” Zack whispered. “Won’t the Great Spirits not want to meet Brad if he’s just trying to raise the level of [Universal Affinity], since they don’t like anyone who’s trying to raise their affinities?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Brad said.

  "There is a chance of that being the case, yes." Rosimund replied. "But the Great Spirits may also be interested in meeting the [Hero] despite that, given his holy mission bestowed by the Goddess herself." He turned to me. "And [The Friendly] may be interested to meet another unique skill holder, especially one that's not so... destructively inclined." Maria snorted at that.

  Rosimund continued. "Either way, it's worth making the journey to visit [The Friendly] in the frontier city Alvheim. And even if the Great Spirits do refuse to meet the [Hero], raising the level of [Universal Affinity] is a low priority. While magic can be useful, the [Hero]'s true power lies in his [Divine Favor] and [Holy Strike] skills, which will be most effective against the [Demon King]. We can simply add a powerful mage to the party to increase magical power."

  “Maria.” Bradley turned to the [Priestess] sitting next to him. “I’ll be counting on you as our [Priestess] to help me on our quest.”

  Maria looked proud. “You can count on me, Bradley. You already have a great relationship with Goddess Arianna, so I’m sure you’ll grow in faith splendidly.” She turned and looked down her nose at Zack smugly.

  She must really think the Goddess hates me, Zack thought to himself.

  “[Priestess],” Rosimund growled warningly. “You will instruct Zack, as well. It would be a great boon for the party to have a third member capable of calling down miracles. We think it likely that Zack Adder can at least reach level one in [Divine Favor], with enough [Prayer]. We must try to reduce the burden on the [Hero] as much as possible.”

  Maria looked stunned. Aghast, even. "What?! Him?!" she yelled, drawing the attention of everyone in the courtyard.

  "Yes!" Rosimund said firmly, staring her down. "You will instruct Zack in [Prayer], at the very least, starting this evening. Tears started forming in Maria's eyes, which Rosimund ignored.

  “Now, we haven’t even gotten to the main point: party roles.” Rosimund turned to look Zack in the eye.

  “For all that we’ve said about [Prayer], the party needs three more members, besides us in the core.”

  Zack Adder was still not considered a core member of the [Hero’s Party].

  “We expect to need a Mage, a Scout, and a Fighter, to take some of the load off the [Hero] on the front line. Zack, we think you should train for a Scout role.”

  Three knights and and two maids in Zack’s line of sight reacted to that statement, clearly eavesdropping.