Copy Skills with Affinity! - Chapter 42

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Copy Skills with Affinity! ◈

Chapter 42: Enhancement

──────

So.

To review his current state...

-Skill Info

◈ Weaver of Fate

【 Noel Astria Seamus 】

- Bond: Stage 6

◆ Heart of Pure White

◆ Ki Enhancement: Consecration

【 Katia Heinkel Craven 】

- Obsession: Stage 2

◆ First Vow

◆ Sacred Body

⎨ Lionel XIII ⎬

- Bond: Stage 1

◆ Unique Trait: Imperial Bloodline

⎨ Dunadan U’zal ⎬

- Bond: Stage 1

◆ Generic Ability: Spiritual Power → Savior’s Vow

⎨ Rania A'shan ⎬

- Bond: Stage 1

◆ Spiritual Resonance

⎨ Meyer Belford ⎬

- Bond: Stage 1

◆ Analysis

⎨ Abigail III ⎬

- Bond: Stage 2

- You can copy 2 skills.

⧾Arden Brimstone Lionel

- Malice: Stage 1

- You can imitate 1 skill.

※ This target cannot form a Bond. The skill's effect has changed from the original!

... Seeing it all laid out like this, he really had picked up all sorts of things.

Still, two things stood out the most.

The Pontiff's two skills, and the Prince's one skill. The most recent things he had acquired.

'Not bad.'

With that thought, Aiden immediately brought up another window.

-Quest Info

♠ Main Quest

◈ Act One, < Imperial Capital Rift >

- Chapter One, < Ghost Knight Incident >

▶ Subjugation Battle (D-Day!)

◈ Fake Marriage

- You have been chosen as Lady Noel's spouse. Maintain your contract with the other party to the end!

- A related event will occur soon. (D-Day!)

With his rematch against the Lord Protector just around the corner, he could say he had done fairly well.

The moment he woke up and left this dreamlike Mindscape, the event would begin.

"So."

Aiden shrugged and asked Meyer, who stood before him.

"What did you say was the most effective combination for beating a spirit?"

"..."

"I want to make sure I brought the right things."

... In truth, he planned to copy whatever Meyer told him.

Like checking the answer sheet before copying it.

Meyer listened quietly, then sighed.

"... You know."

"Yes?"

"Aren't you getting a little too used to dying?"

"..."

To be fair, his torso was split in half even as they spoke.

"Well, you get used to it after dying enough times."

"You know."

Meyer spoke in a drained voice.

"Do you realize what you're saying?"

"...?"

Had he said something strange?

Aiden tilted his head.

"Isn't that possible...?"

"It is strange."

"... What?"

"I've trained several disciples, but losing your aversion to fighting and your fear of death isn't something that can be explained by grit or mental strength alone."

"What are you trying to say?"

"It feels like your personality itself is changing at a fundamental level. Like you're being forcibly... rebuilt. It's not natural."

After saying that, Meyer stared at Aiden for a while before letting out a deep sigh.

"Well, let's keep watching. I've never seen a case like yours before. It's worth observing and analyzing."

"At least you won't freeze up in any situation," Meyer added before sighing again.

"There's such a thing as compatibility. Spirits are weakest against Divine Power. So your first priority is maximizing Divine Power's output."

"Ah."

Aiden nodded and scrolled through the Pontiff's skill window.

'... There are more troublesome ones than I thought.'

The Pontiff's skill list was practically a gold mine, but many of them were too difficult to use, or required him to learn other skills first.

Apparently, copying the skills of someone who had reached the pinnacle came with its own problems.

Still.

It did not take long to find something that met Meyer's requirements.

-System Message

▶ You copy [ Divine Power Enhancement: Detonation ]!

-Skill Info

◆ Divine Power Enhancement: Detonation

Doubles the output of Divine Power released in a single use. Has a one-day cooldown.

This was ideal.

It was simple, perfectly met Meyer's requirements, and had no prerequisites for use.

No, simply doubling his output the instant he used it, without conditions or anything else to consider, was an absurdly powerful effect...

'What would happen if I combined this with Guardian’s Flame?'

Aiden already had a way to increase the output of his Divine Power. If he added this skill to the mix, he could not even guess how strong it would become.

"Second."

As he entertained that pleasant thought, Meyer spoke again.

"Forming it. Even if you have a blade, you can't grab it barehanded and swing it around. It's important to first solidify an ability into some kind of form."

... Ah.

He had seen that before.

Katia had once honed Divine Power into blades and fired them out, while Noel wrapped Ki around her sword and sent out slashes.

He had also copied several skills from Noel that created barriers out of Ki.

What Meyer meant was the form needed to solidify an ability.

'Perfect.'

As luck would have it, he had the skill list of someone exceptional in that field right before his eyes.

There were many words used to describe the Prince, but the most representative one was undoubtedly "once-in-a-generation genius."

Of course, Noel, who wielded the unprecedented power of Pure White Ki, was also called a genius. Still, the Prince had built a reputation of his own.

His came primarily from his technique.

Not in terms of an ability's output, but in how he handled it.

-System Message

▶ You imitate [ Special Technique: Spiral - Hollow Point ].

-Skill Info

◆ Special Technique: Spiral - Hollow Point

Carves an ability into a finely divided, complex spiral form. It can pierce defensive measures and strike the opponent.

★ This skill is extremely difficult to use. Prerequisites are required.

★ You meet those conditions through the effect of [ Skill: Analysis ].

★ This skill was copied through "Imitation." It is weaker than the original!

... He normally would not have been able to use it, but thanks to Meyer, it seemed he could.

'I should thank my senior.'

Considering the level of talent the Prince had shown in the original story, imitating this would have been like plucking stars from the sky for Aiden.

It might be weaker than the original, but its attached trait was incredibly appealing.

'Ignoring defense...'

Nobody entered battle without some kind of protection.

It was a trait that would always be useful, no matter when or where. Among the abilities he could acquire right now, nothing was better.

'... This should do it.'

Once Aiden clearly explained to Meyer what materials he had brought, a smile spread across his face.

"Honestly, if you can't make what I asked for with this much, it means you're incompetent, Senior."

"..."

"Do you admit it?"

"..."

Meyer watched Aiden, who snorted with pride, through narrowed eyes.

"... You're really excited."

Even so, Meyer himself could hardly nitpick Aiden's words.

In Meyer's eyes, the abilities Aiden had acquired were powerful enough to justify that confidence.

He had brought back two top-tier materials. If Meyer could not make what Aiden wanted from them, the title Dawn Knight would weep.

"Still."

Meyer tilted his head slightly as he looked at Aiden.

"I'm fine with making it, but how are you planning to land it?"

The combination Aiden requested was nearly an ability that would definitely subdue his opponent, if it hit.

But as Meyer had questioned before, landing it could be the problem.

"I heard last time that you had a way somehow. How are you planning to do it?"

"... Well."

Aiden scratched his head.

"The reason I can't hit her is because the gap between my basic ability and hers is too big, right?"

"Right."

"So I'll close the gap."

"... I'm asking how."

"Somehow."

"..."

"I have an idea."

Meyer sighed as if he wanted to drop the subject, but Aiden only shrugged.

No, he really did have one.

It was not something he needed to explain to others. And if he thought about it, people might curse him for calling that a plan.

But that ridiculous plan would definitely work.

'I only need to prove one thing.'

He only needed to determine whether the Lord Protector's spirit had truly been summoned in a sound state of mind.

There were few beings with the authority to manipulate even spirits themselves.

But they did exist.

They were among the main enemies of the main scenario.

Most likely.

They were lurking behind this incident.

'I even have an idea who one of their agents might be.'

So he only needed to get proper evidence from that person.

And for now, more than that...

"Senior."

"What?"

"Give me some advice as someone with more life experience."

"About what?"

"How should I comfort my fiancée when she's extremely anxious?"

"... I've never been married."

"..."

"... Does it count if I got close once?"

... The Pontiff too.

Why were there so many unmarried people among those who accomplished great things?

▣

During the Harvest Festival, the Empire always became a place overflowing with music and alcohol wherever one looked.

Of course, even while the whole nation was swept up in revelry, drinking, and dancing, the Imperial flags and symbols displayed throughout the Empire gave off an almost solemn atmosphere. It was dignity befitting the Empire's greatest holiday.

In that sense.

Only this place felt like a different world, steeped in gloom.

"..."

Aiden cautiously watched Noel, who walked beside him.

She looked unhappy. Terribly so.

More than simply being in a bad mood, her face was pale as though she had PTSD.

Of course, she could hardly be happy about having to face the Prince and the Minister of Administration in court during a holiday. But she looked worse than that.

"I'm sorry. I seem to have worried you."

When he asked about her condition, Noel managed a smile despite her pale face.

She was more forthcoming about the reason than he expected.

"The Magic Kingdom began its attack during the Harvest Festival as well."

A festival day was naturally when people's guard was at its lowest. Especially near the end of a war. The Magic Kingdom had probably chosen that very reason to attack.

Which naturally meant...

"... Today is also Teresa's death anniversary."

"..."

... A long time ago.

He had wondered why the Prince and the Minister of Administration had scheduled the event for today of all days.

That single remark explained everything.

Noel looked as though she could barely hold herself together. If the Lord Protector's spirit truly appeared in this state, there was a good chance she would not be able to do anything at all.

"Lady Noel."

In that sense.

If he did not want to be dragged along at their pace, there was something he needed to settle first.

At the entrance to the courtroom, Aiden firmly gripped Noel's shoulders.

"Look at me."

"... Aiden?"

"Look at me properly."

Noel's eyes met his, startled but steady. Aiden spoke clearly.

"Do you think Lord Protector Teresa's restless spirit attacked you because she still held a grudge against you?"

"..."

"This is important, so please answer me."

... It was surely a sensitive subject for her, so he had not asked her directly until now.

But with the hearing right ahead of them, they had to settle this before going in.

Whether she got angry with him or not.

"..."

Noel's breathing became rough. Countless emotions crossed her eyes.

At last, she spoke in a trembling voice.

"It was my mistake."

"..."

"Teresa took the blame for the wrong judgment I made."

"..."

"To save me, Teresa stayed on the battlefield alone..."

Images flickered behind Noel's eyes.

Screams, raging flames, blood, mountains of corpses, a sea of blood...

And then.

As those scenes threatened to consume Noel's mind, Aiden gripped her shoulders again and pressed down firmly.

"I'm not all that interested in the details."

"..."

Reason returned to Noel's eyes.

... Probably because she found his answer too absurd for words.

"Then why did you ask?"

"Because it seems you're half convinced that the Lord Protector resents you even after death because of that."

"..."

"Let me ask you. Do you think Lady Teresa is the kind of person who would do that?"

"..."

After thinking for a long time, Noel struggled to answer.

"... No."

The Lord Protector.

The protector of the people. A woman who had been like the sun of the Empire.

Noel remembered her running through the streets, covered in dirt alongside children from the slums.

She remembered Teresa sacrificing herself for the Empire's citizens and people until the very end.

Before Noel was called Lionheart.

Back when she had been a cowardly, slow, tearful little girl.

She remembered the older sister who always made her crooked pinwheels and held her tightly.

-I'll protect you, Noel.

-I'll protect the country where I was born and raised, too.

She could not imagine that person ever raising a blade against her.

'... But.'

That doubt still remained in a corner of her heart.

Her mistake had led to Teresa's death.

Could she truly be certain Teresa had not carried that resentment to the very end...

"Then she didn't."

-She could.

The man before her said it with certainty.

"If you say she wouldn't, then she wouldn't."

"..."

Noel blinked blankly at him as Aiden continued.

What exactly had happened on that evening near the end of the war, on this very date in the past, was none of Aiden's business.

It was not his job to pick apart who had made a mistake on the battlefield, who had caused things to go wrong, and whose fault it was.

Maybe Noel really had been at fault.

But.

"I believe in you, Lady Noel."

At the very least, this woman was the person most bound by morality that Aiden had ever met.

Even when she was in danger, she always worried about civilians. She tried not to harm anyone first.

Even when she made a huge fuss over the smallest injury to Aiden, she was willing to risk her life to take responsibility for the things she herself had done.

"So I believe in the person you believe in, too."

That was why.

He believed in the person who had made Noel Astria Seamus who she was today.

He believed in Noel's judgment that Teresa would never do such a thing.

"The Lord Protector isn't that kind of person."

Yes. Lady Teresa Adelaide was absolutely not that kind of person.

-The means Aiden had boasted to Meyer about, the means to "hold the Lord Protector down," stemmed from that belief as well.

Aiden grinned at Noel, who still stared at him with blank eyes, then turned away.

"And I'm going to prove it now."

The courtroom where the Prince and the Minister of Administration waited came into view.

The smile on his lips turned a little fiercer.

Well. He had never really known how to smile like this, but lately he felt as though some of Katia had rubbed off on him.