One spell. Two skills.
For a transmigrator, Shaka's ability set was… honestly, just average.
But the blessing system in this world was truly idealistic—Shaka's entire status was a reflection of his past experiences.
A space-type magic born from his past as a double transmigrator? Fair enough.
A skill developed from years of chasing the unknown and mysterious? Makes sense.
And then… the ever-present ambition that exists in every man's heart—the Harem Dream—manifested as the skill Wings of Justice.
Truly, "everyone is my wings," huh.
Once Shaka had finished reading through his stats, Astraea spoke up:
"All three are incredibly rare abilities—especially Wings of Justice. If you joined a powerful Familia, Shaka, you'd instantly possess terrifying levels of strength."
Holding the parchment in his hand, Shaka sighed wistfully.
"Right? If I joined Freya's Familia, the strongest in Orario… and somehow got everyone to max affection, I'd probably become the strongest in the world on the spot."
…Of course, getting max affection from Freya's followers was pure fantasy.
And affection, in this context, was ambiguous to begin with. There was no standard way to measure it.
Clenching his fist, Shaka tried to adjust his mindset.
"To inherit 50% of someone's stats… that level of affection would have to be like, married for years level, right?"
Bottom line: the more girls he "conquered," the stronger he became.
"Still, I'm sorry," Astraea said with a hint of guilt. "For joining a Familia like mine that has nothing at all."
"It's fine. I made this choice willingly. Besides…" Shaka said earnestly, "if word of my skills ever got out, I'd be finished. So… Lady Lia, I'm counting on you to keep this a secret."
"Lia?"
"Astraea. Lia for short."
"My, my… are you already trying to charm me?"
Astraea smiled warmly.
"Looks like i have to taken the liberty of putting extra effort plocking your skills as hidden. Even if you're captured by another god, they'll never be able to reveal them."
As expected—choosing your god was everything.
If it had been Loki, she'd probably have thrown a giant party and broadcast his abilities to the entire city.
Most other gods were the same.
Though the Astraea Familia right now, just as poor as Hestia's, its reputation as a justice-based group was soaring. Astraea had influence.
Even the ever-greedy Freya showed her some respect. Not to mention fellow deities like Ganesha.
All but the most villainous Familias would start with at least a neutral or positive impression of her.
"I can finally go around saying, 'Give me some respect for this redhead!'"[Insert doge meme here](T/N : i don't understand this if anyone has this meme than comment)
Getting dressed, Shaka looked a little troubled.
"…This might be a problem."
"What is it?" Astraea asked.
"The captain role…"
Usually, the Familia captain was someone who naturally drew admiration. Initially, it didn't matter to Shaka. He didn't care about the title.
But now, with Wings of Justice, everything changed.
If they recruited new members, the captain would automatically be seen with respect. That kind of starting affection would be invaluable.
"Instead of working to charm people, starting off with admiration as the captain would immediately grant me a stat boost."
By his rough estimate, respect should equate to at least a 5% boost in inherited stats.
And that was huge.
If he joined the Ganesha Familia, for example, and they has a Level 5 members… then even without lifting a finger, Shaka could have the stats of half a Level 5.
That is Level 3 strength at least!
"So instead of being just some vice-captain or random nobody… being captain is clearly far more strategic."
Shaka scratched his head in frustration.
"The issue is Cecil… how do I explain this to her?"
Astraea looked equally troubled, but her expression quickly softened.
"Cecil's a good girl. She might pout a bit, but… didn't you just awaken Mystery?"
Astraea grinned confidently, her eyes narrowing.
"Development abilities usually only awaken after an adventurer levels up. But Mystery? That's a one-in-a-million rare option. Even if Cecil wanted to awaken her blacksmith-exclusive skill Forge, she'd need at least two or three years."
She leaned down and gently patted Shaka's head.
"That's why your Mystery—which could temporarily substitute for Forge—will be incredibly valuable to her. You need to make use of your strengths, Shaka."
You dare pat my head like that!?
Flustered, Shaka swatted her hand away, his face burning as he tried to avoid staring at the pure white glimpse of skin that flashed before him.
"I get it, I get it. I'll make it up to her. If I have to use Mystery to make weapons for her, I'll do it."
"About that…" Astraea straightened up and gave him a deep bow.
"I need to ask something of you. Please—say yes."
"You don't have to bow, my lady!" Shaka helped her up. "If it's something I can do, I will."
Astraea nodded, her tone serious now.
"Mystery has many forms. Everyone's affinity leads them down a different path. Some people use it to enhance healing and alchemy—creating potions through the path of Harmony. Others, like Asfi, focus on crafting magical tools and special potions. Still others pursue the art of cursed weapons."
She paused, looking him in the eyes.
"But at its core, Mystery is a development ability that touches the divine to perform miracles. At its peak, it reflects the 'omnipotence' of the gods or even more!."
Shaka nodded solemnly.
I know exactly what she means. That's the "I'll just wing it" energy.
In the original story, Asfi literally recreated Daedalus' Eye—a divine artifact—just through sheer will and Mystery. Bloodline curses? She figured those out too, just by tinkering.
Seeing that Shaka understood, Astraea continued.
"The reason I'm explaining all this… is because I want your help. I want you to forge a weapon."
"A weapon?"
"Yes. Originally, I planned to ask a wind spirit to bless it. But I haven't been able to find one, and my contacts haven't gone well."
She pointed dramatically with one finger.
"But now that I have you—with Mystery—you can serve the same role."
Spirits, after all, were considered the children of the gods. In some ways, they held the same authority as deities themselves. In a world where gods had sealed their powers, spirits were vital for crafting powerful weapons.
Shaka understood.
Many ancient heroes had signed contracts with spirits, either turning them into mounts or forging them into weapons. Even with the rise of divine blessings, spirits still had unique, irreplaceable talents.
Like the famous War God spirit handkerchief—a cloth turned armor, made just for fun.
And with Shaka's own skill Mystic Aspiration, he had a plan.
"My skill lets me temporarily borrow high-level Mystery from someone I admire. It's a broken ability!"
"I don't know what level the legendary sage Fels had in Mystery, but considering she could create Philosopher's Stones, I'd say… it was pretty high."
Looking at his setup—magic, skills, chant—Shaka felt a mischievous idea forming.
Speaking of which…
"Lady Astraea." His tone turned serious.
"Yes?"
"Please help me become more experienced."
"…Experienced?" Astraea tilted her head, eyes drifting toward the bed.
"I mean in Mystery!" Shaka shouted, blushing. "My skill needs a 'target'! And as for mystery? Gods are the most mysterious in the lower world, you're the best training partner I could ask for!"
"Please… teach me everything you know!"
"…Very well!"