Nfirea turned to the approaching woman, looking sheepish. "Grandma."
"There's no place for your so-called goodwill," she snapped, folding her hands behind her back. Her lined face betrayed a hint of irritation, and her tone held a trace of anger.
"Purchasing and gathering herbs during the Royal Trials is the proper thing to do."
"Yes, Grandma," Nfirea replied softly, ruffling his short golden hair.
Watching the exchange, Sakeer finally pieced together why the grandmother-grandson duo—who should have been in the border city of E-Rantel—were here in the Royal Capital.
The realization hit like a jolt, though he kept his expression composed.
Lizzie Bareare, Nfirea's grandmother, might have looked like a frail old woman, but she was anything but ordinary. Though her role in the anime was minor, she was E-Rantel's most renowned alchemist—and a genuine Tier 3 magic caster.
Based on her level alone, she had to be at least Level 15. Among humans, that made her a force to be reckoned with. For Sakeer, still at the starting line of his journey, she was absolutely someone not to provoke.
Lizzie's sharp gaze scanned Sakeer, pausing on the dagger at his waist and then on his slightly muscular frame.
"Let's go, Nfirea," she said curtly, turning and walking off with her hands behind her back.
"Yes, Grandma."
Nfirea started to follow but paused. He turned back to Sakeer.
"You're here to see the duel between Gazef Stronoff and Brain Unglaus, right? I heard the arena seats are really expensive."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "Here, take this waterskin. Black rye bread is hard to swallow unless you soak it first."
He pulled a small waterskin from his belt and offered it to Sakeer.
This guy… he's kind of annoying.
Sakeer's cheek twitched. If he hadn't already known Nfirea's overly earnest personality, he might have been suspicious of such unsolicited kindness.
And as an orphan, Sakeer had never been fond of charity—especially when he didn't ask for it.
"No, I—"
Just as he began to refuse, Nfirea pushed the waterskin into his hands.
Then suddenly—something happened.
"!!!"
Sakeer's expression shifted—not due to Nfirea's insistence on giving him the waterskin, but because the moment their hands touched, a notification flashed across his status panel.
[Ding—]
[Contact with dual special basic classes—Alchemist (Genius) and Apothecary (Genius)—has triggered conditions for unlocking an ordinary class.]
[Class unlocked: Genius.]
[Warning: This class is ordinary and provides no attribute bonuses.]
His arm trembled involuntarily as he stared at the notification.
In YGGDRASIL, combat-oriented classes were divided into Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced/Specialized tiers. Meanwhile, non-combat classes fell into a separate category: Ordinary. These were essentially production-oriented roles—Apothecary, Alchemist, Blacksmith, Farmer, Merchant—intended for support and logistics rather than direct combat.
But in this new world, the definition of "ordinary" had expanded to include unique societal roles like Slave, Maid, Noble, Prince, King, and Princess. Unlike the players of YGGDRASIL, who could actively select their classes, the people of this world acquired them passively, shaped by their life experiences—regardless of their will.
"Job activation!"
Without hesitation, Sakeer confirmed the change mentally.
He had long been torn between pursuing a warrior class or a caster path. Now, without any regret, he chose an ordinary class—one that offered no combat benefits.
And yet—he felt a rush of elation.
While ordinary classes offered no stat boosts, this world had already proven that things not found in the game weren't necessarily useless.
[Class activated: Genius, Level 1.]
[Genius (Ordinary): This class can substitute any basic or ordinary class and adapt as needed to specific circumstances.]
[Note: Due to this class's unique nature, leveling up will not enhance base stats or grant inherent traits upon conversion.]
Sakeer stared at the information in awe, struggling to contain his excitement.
"Are you okay?" Nfirea asked, clearly concerned, noticing how tightly Sakeer was gripping his hand.
"Ah, sorry. Thank you." Sakeer blinked, releasing his grip and sincerely accepting the waterskin.
This time, his gratitude was genuine.
"It's nothing," Nfirea replied with a casual nod, unaware of the monumental change he had just triggered. With that, he turned and hurried after his grandmother.
Watching the boy's retreating figure, Sakeer took a deep breath. His eyes shimmered with exhilaration.
He never imagined he'd unlock such an incredibly rare class.
The Genius class removed the need to agonize over choosing a basic path and erased one of the major hurdles in developing his build. More importantly, it drastically expanded his margin for error.
To Sakeer's knowledge, only one other person in this world possessed the Genius class: Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, the Golden Princess of the Re-Estize Kingdom.
Also known as the "Ruinous Princess."
Her unique "Princess (Commander)" class was a transformation of the Genius class. Such an ultra-rare potential, squandered in the hands of a native. But in the hands of a player…
It could become something else entirely.
For the first time in a long while, Sakeer felt relief—as if a taut string inside him had finally slackened. The despair that had shadowed him since his arrival began to lift. Even if it was an "ordinary" job, the future no longer looked so grim.
"I've just discovered something important," he muttered, eyes gleaming with realization.
His encounter with Nfirea had unexpectedly triggered the Genius class. That alone was a significant revelation. Moreover, he now understood that physical contact could activate classes. This granted him two critical insights into his unique identity as a "player."
However—
The fact that he had only unlocked an ordinary class, instead of production classes like Apothecary or Alchemist, hinted at something more specific. It wasn't simple interaction alone that triggered the change.
"Could it be… that Nfirea's dual Genius traits—Alchemist and Apothecary—met some rare condition required to activate this class?" Sakeer speculated, deep in thought.
(End of Chapter)