"Cheer up, Arel! No matter what profession you got, you're still my proud son!"
"That's right, Arel-chan. You're still you, no matter what."
"Big sis is on your side too!"
After the blessing ceremony, when we got home, my family tried to comfort me.
When people receive a profession, they become able to acquire skills that match it.
For example, a [Swordsman] gains the skill
A [Merchant] gains
Skills have a huge impact—having them versus not having them is said to make a world of difference.
[Unemployed] means receiving absolutely none of those skill benefits.
Unlike other professions, it also cannot grow into an [Advanced Job].
[Unemployed] stays [Unemployed] for life.
In a way, it's like the goddess personally branded me as "talentless."
Because of that, it's often despised. Even the eldest son of a noble family can be stripped of his heir status if he turns out to be [Unemployed].
Dad desperately tries to encourage me.
"Listen, Arel! Don't you dare think about dying, okay!"
"No, I don't feel that way at all."
My sister chimes in too.
"It's okay! You don't have to worry—Arel, big sis will take care of you!"
"I'll pass."
"Why not!? Come on, when you were little you said you wanted to marry big sis when you grew up!"
"That was ages ago. Also, sorry, but you're not my type."
"Wha—!?"
"You're kinda flat and childish, sis. I prefer someone with more feminine charm."
My sister takes after Dad—short and baby-faced.
She's thirteen but completely flat-chested and even shorter than ten-year-old me.
People often mistake me for the older sibling.
Dad, who's thirty-five, is about to be overtaken by my height soon too.
"I-I'm still growing! I drink a full glass of milk every day! Hmph, 150 cm is totally doable!"
"Another 15 cm to go, huh. Well, good luck, sis."
"You think it's impossible, don't you—!?"
Of course I do.
"Putting your sister aside, Mom and Dad will keep working as long as we can, so Arel-chan doesn't have to work at all."
Mom gently accepts the idea of her son freeloading.
Unlike Dad and sis, she's tall and curvaceous.
I think I take after her more.
They sure are worrying about me a lot.
Honestly, I don't feel that devastated myself.
Because I think—
Even without skills, I'll probably manage just fine somehow.
The day after the blessing.
I was doing practice swings in the open space near our house.
It's been my routine since I was five.
I started because I saw Mom doing it every day and joined her.
People around me said there was no point.
They said no matter how good you get with a sword as a child, once you become a [Swordsman] and gain
"There's nothing pointless about it. Just swinging a sword feels good."
As I swung—*whoosh whoosh whoosh*—laughter came from somewhere.
"Hey, look! The [Unemployed] guy's training with a sword!"
"Pfft haha! No way, for real!"
It was two boys my age.
In other words, guys who received their blessings with me yesterday.
Both had swords hanging at their waists.
"You guys too?" I asked.
"You guys too? Pfft—unlike you, we're [Swordsmen]!"
"Don't lump us together!"
Apparently both of them got [Swordsman].
They must have acquired
"Unlike you [Unemployed], we don't need lame stuff like practice swings!"
"Yeah, just watch from there!"
They suddenly started sparring.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Swords clashed, sparks flew.
"Whoa! Amazing! I never even held a sword before, but my body moves on its own!"
"Me too! At this rate, I could one-shot a goblin!"
Indeed, their movements didn't look like beginners at all.
So this is the power of skills.
"Haa… haa… Skills really are insane!"
"Haa… haa… Haha, some [Unemployed] out there will never know this feeling in his whole life."
They exchanged fierce blows for a while, switching offense and defense rapidly, until they finally ran out of breath and collapsed on the spot.
Once their breathing steadied, I called out.
"Since you're here, want to spar with me a little?"
They burst into loud laughter.
"[Unemployed] versus us [Swordsmen]? Pfft haha, no way you'd stand a chance!"
"Didn't you just see our sword skills?"
"No, that's exactly why. Honestly, I think you're just the right opponents."
The only person I've ever sparred with is Mom.
But she's way too strong and terrible at holding back, so it never felt like real training.
I'd always wanted to try against someone closer to my level.
They stared wide-eyed for a second, then laughed even harder.
"Pfft hahaha! This guy's an idiot!"
"The shock of being [Unemployed] must've broken his brain!"
Hmm.
Was what I said really that weird?
In my estimation, I don't think I'd lose even against both of them at once.