"Father, why didn't you ever use your second trait?"
I already had some ideas, but that was beside the point. I needed to act like a surprised child.
He got on one knee. Even then, I still needed to look up at him.
"Son, a warrior will always have need of different weapons. And when using certain weapons—if they break—there is no mending them. So, if the weapon I choose as my partner shatters, then I would barely be able to live as a second-class warrior. So I decided to limit my strength for consistency. You may be young, but I know my son... you understand, don't you?"
I nodded.
Mother and he smiled.
"So, son, will you tell us your trait?"
"...Traits."
Their eyes darted to me.
"Son, did you just say traits?"
"Mmhmm."
"HAHAHA! Our house is blessed! Son, darling, what are they?"
"Yes, my boy, what are they?"
"Um... the first one is—"
C Tier Skill: Bodybuilder
— When you consume food, it will contain equal parts protein, carbs, and fiber, no matter its composition.
— When you exercise, others in a 10-meter radius gain 10% in their muscle growth.
"And the second—"
B Tier Skill: Arts Information
— When seeing a person, you will see a portrait of them that reveals their strongest path.
— When using it on an object, you will gain a portrait of its past.
I lied about the skills slightly, dialing back their extraordinariness. But even then, my parents were shocked.
If I told them the A-rank skill I had that broke this world's system... they might have fainted.
Suddenly, my father grabbed my shoulders.
"Son, you must never speak of your skill. Do you understand?"
I was surprised, but I understood his panic. Just having one of those talents would have me recruited by the kingdom's powers. But to have both? Enemy kingdoms' assassins would be sent for my head.
For the simple reason: when paired together, they have the ability to create an army stronger than the kingdom had ever produced. If my true traits were found out, every power in the world would be deployed to either obtain or kill me.
"I understand, Father."
Still looking concerned, he relented his grip on my shoulder.
"My boy... I'm truly grateful. You were born for greatness. But you must tame your will to shine until we believe it's safe. Do you understand?"
"...Ok."
"Good. My love, what should we tell the king's emissary?"
"We will say he has a C-class trait named Band of Brothers. We'll say it allows him to choose 20 individuals, and he will have their training speed increase by 10% when he is around."
"It's strong enough for passes to be sent, but limited enough for most to not envy. We can't have what happened to Lily happen to another one of our children."
"...What happened to Elder Sister?"
Looking distraught, my father answered.
"Your sister awakened a B-rank magic trait—basically equal to a standard A-rank trait. Its name is Geomancer. She gains strengthened spells from gems—the rarer and stronger the gems, the stronger the spells. Because of that, many wanted to have her through political marriages. The most insistent of them all was Marquis Theo Von Krellen. He insisted on a marriage—not with one of his sons," my father clenched his fists, "but with himself. The bastard... the son of cough cough, that man wanted to have your sister be his concubine."
"He started with bribes and promises, but when we kept disagreeing, he started with threats."
"Do you remember the butler from earlier?"
"Yes, he had a silver crow as his family's crest."
"Hmm. That is the Viscount Farbear, a noble house a month's ride to the south. They've been offering their eldest son for Lily. But we investigated them. They're one of the families under the Marquis."
"Wait, Father... the Marquis is so powerful—how did you get him to stop?"
"Hm. At first, we sent her to Frost Flame Academy, the greatest academy in the North, which cooled him... but that's not why he stopped."
"That was your sister's doing."
"Elder Sister did?"
My father and mother smiled with pride.
"Yes, baby. My little flower gained a master."
"She did? Who?"
My father answered.
"Frost Flame's dean—one of the kingdom's ten most powerful mages—Grand Mage Minerva, the Red Storm. Wielder of the 7th-class spell Fire Nimbus's Symphony."
"With her, your sister was able to keep the Marquis at bay."
"So, do you understand? You must never tell anyone. Ok?"
"Ok, Father."
As I lied about my traits, my parents also lied.
The Marquis may have stopped publicly... but in eight years' time, an event that would shake the kingdom would come to pass.