Copy Skills with Affinity! - Chapter 57

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Copy Skills with Affinity! ◈

Chapter 57: Negotiation

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On the way back to Grand Duke Aslan’s castle, Aiden brought up a window before his eyes.

-Skill Info

■ Omnipotence [Level 2]

You can combine two or more abilities to produce effects stronger than before.

▶ Currently discovered combinations

〓 Guardian’s Flame (Heart of Pure White ↔ First Vow)

Traits: High Output, High Firepower

Its firepower is stronger than conventional Divine Power, and it can affect a far wider area than when Divine Power is used alone.

〓 Radiant Brilliance (Savior’s Vow ↔ Heart of Pure White)

Traits: High Density, High Precision

You deploy Ki based on the precision of Spiritual Power. Since you can manipulate Ki with far greater strength and precision, it is especially effective for creating defensive structures and performing delicate work.

〓 Purifier (Savior’s Vow ↔ First Vow)

Trait: Nullification

This is an ability with highly specialized properties and can only be used on a small scale.

A target exposed to this ability has its inherent traits greatly weakened.

※ As the Skill Level rises, the number of abilities you can combine will increase, and additional effects will appear.

Aiden gave the window a quick look and nodded.

‘Not bad.’

That was the only way to describe gains like these.

Aiden’s total output and ability control were still pitifully weak. The reason he could handle dangerous situations at all was because he had abilities with unique traits that could not be found in other superhumans.

Guardian’s Flame had already proven its power in all sorts of situations.

And Radiant Brilliance was an intuitive ability. Just looking at it, he could immediately see how useful it would be.

‘High density and high precision...’

Once he actually brought the ability out and handled it, the difference from his other abilities was obvious.

It shone far more brightly than basic Spiritual Power, but more importantly, he immediately understood what “high precision” meant.

Normally, using an ability was like trying to force strange new limbs that had sprouted from his body to move in the direction he wanted.

He could copy Skills, but the proficiency needed to control them did not appear all at once.

But despite being an ability he had never used before, Radiant Brilliance moved as finely as his own limbs.

‘And it’s sturdy, too.’

When he brought out Guardian’s Flame and tested them against each other, Radiant Brilliance had far better defensive power when condensed to the same density.

It could not produce heat as absurdly intense as Guardian’s Flame, nor could it move as quickly. But when held firmly in place and used defensively, its efficiency was outstanding.

It was clearly the ideal Skill for making use of the defensive abilities he had copied mostly from Noel.

‘This one, though... I’m not sure.’

Purifier’s description, on the other hand, was rather vague.

He did not know exactly what it meant to nullify inherent traits.

When he brought it out and moved it around, it glowed in the form of a sphere of light, as expected from an ability based on Spiritual Power. But it was not especially fast, hot, sturdy, or anything else.

And more than anything else...

‘So this is what it means by only being able to use a small amount...’

Using any ability extensively brought fatigue right away, but Purifier built up exhaustion with a viciousness that set it apart from the others.

It felt like he would only be able to maintain it for a few seconds at most.

“You’re handling something strange again.”

While he was testing one thing after another, Katia leaned over from beside him.

She looked curious about the ability he was controlling.

“Did you combine abilities again? How do you even do that?”

“...”

That was the problem. Aiden did not know either.

He had heard the priestess mention Outer Gods before, but he had no leads that would let him investigate them now.

The only thing he had learned was that an Outer God liked him enough to cling to him, and because of that influence, he could copy Skills by raising someone else’s Affinity.

But that was not something he should reveal.

‘Senior told me to keep quiet.’

From the first moment they had seen this ability, they had been stunned. Once they heard what it was, they had repeatedly warned him to keep it secret. Nothing good would come from blabbing about it.

They had even explained the reason very clearly.

-An Outer God... Normally, I would have told you not even to learn that such things exist. The moment you get involved, all sorts of ancient beings might take an interest in you.

-What are those ancient beings?

-You don’t know yet, do you? Then don’t go trying to find out. Not until they approach you first.

-I heard I’m already involved with them.

-Your fate is seriously twisted, that’s all.

-...

-Cheer up. Life is like that.

... It could not have been explained more simply or clearly.

As Aiden mulled over that explanation with the color slightly drained from his face, Katia pushed her hand into the ability he had summoned.

“Wait, Your Highness...”

He did not stop her too forcefully because he knew her condition better than anyone.

Numbness, and beyond that, immortality.

The chance of something happening just because she touched an ability was practically zero.

But the reaction that followed was different from usual.

She should not have been able to feel anything.

“... Huh?”

Katia’s eyes widened.

She pulled her hand from the sphere of light and quickly rubbed it with her other hand.

Then she summoned Divine Power, pressed it against her hand, and immediately burned herself with it.

“What are you doing?!”

Aiden panicked and tried to stop her, but Katia kept her hand over the flames. Her eyes soon filled with tears as she turned to him.

“... It hurts...!”

“... What?”

“It hurts! My sensation came back!”

Aiden’s mouth fell open as well.

“... It really hurts?”

“It does! I’m telling you, it hurts!”

“Everywhere else too?”

“No, I think it’s only this hand. But still, that’s something!”

Katia spoke through teary eyes and repeatedly pressed her hand against the fireball.

“...”

He was not sure she needed to go that far, but at least he understood this much. Katia’s Numbness had disappeared, though only in the part that had touched Purifier.

“... Ah.”

But Katia’s expression soon fell again.

“I can’t feel anything again...”

Sure enough, her burned hand was immediately restored as Divine Power, writhing up like clay, covered it again.

The duration was clearly not very long.

Katia looked disappointed, but Aiden’s eyes remained wide.

‘So nullifying inherent traits means...’

It had only lasted a few seconds.

But it had temporarily nullified Katia’s Numbness, something even the Pontiff could not erase.

As if anything touched by it would be disabled for a moment, regardless of the rank of the ability.

Aiden had only one thought.

‘... This is completely broken.’

There was no need to say how useful an ability like this could be.

An abacus began clicking away in his head.

Once he had obtained something like this, there was only one thing to do.

‘Use it right away.’

Fortunately, the perfect conditions for setting the stage were right in front of him.

And the person who would serve as the material was, of course...

“... Is this really a good idea, Mr. Aiden?”

“The three of us already turned part of the duchy upside down. I don’t think there’s any backing out now.”

At his calm answer, Noel’s face immediately crumpled.

“... I think this is a somewhat different matter.”

“...”

That seemed fair.

After all, returning to Grand Duke Aslan’s castle with an unconscious young lord slung over his shoulder like luggage was rather different from simply tearing through the other side like a storm.

“Please trust me, Lady Noel. I have thought this through.”

“...”

“... Please, really trust me.”

For a moment, Lady Noel’s face showed the regret of someone wondering why she had ever become involved with a person like this.

Yet she still kept her mouth shut. That alone was admirable.

‘... She’s been letting me get away with a lot lately.’

With her personality, it would not have been strange for her to lecture him all day about what he could possibly be thinking.

But lately, she had been listening to everything he said as if he had something on her. It was as though she were watching his mood.

“...”

Perhaps, as Grand Duke Aslan had said before, she felt strongly guilty about digging into his past.

‘But I’ve lied to her plenty too.’

There was the lie about knowing her before, and there was the false confession that he liked her.

If she dug too deeply into him and found out about those things, it would only create more trouble. It seemed better to let her keep watching his mood for now.

He would have to clear up the misunderstandings later.

“But is this really such a problem?”

At Katia’s question, Noel and Aiden both looked at her in shock.

Their expressions clearly asked what she could possibly mean, but Katia answered evenly.

“Aren’t families supposed to be desperate to kill each other?”

“...”

“Why would anyone get angry over this?”

... Aiden knew what kind of people she had grown up around in the Holy Empire, but hearing things like this still made his head spin.

“I have quite a lot to say about Your Highness’s view of family, but I agree this time.”

Instead of objecting, Aiden scratched his cheek and added,

“Grand Duke Aslan probably won’t say much about this either.”

“... What makes you think that...?”

“He’s a dad. He clearly cares deeply about his family.”

Well.

Aiden remembered very clearly how Grand Duke Aslan had behaved when speaking about his children before.

It was remarkably similar to the way Kenneth looked whenever Sissela and Aiden did something foolish, as though Kenneth’s insides were about to burst.

“He won’t want his children going astray.”

“...?”

▣

If Grand Duke Aslan’s administrator had heard those words, they surely would have cried out in shock and asked how Aiden knew.

After all...

“There’s no need to make such a fuss while reporting that Damian cracked his head, Administrator.”

That was the Grand Duke’s response as soon as he received the report on what had just happened.

“More importantly, how are the defense preparations coming along? There are less than two days left until the Night of the Hunt.”

“... Your Grace.”

The administrator continued in a disbelieving voice.

“Your direct blood relative was injured by an outsider. How can you react like that...?”

“Did you think something like this would not happen? Damian and Liza were both eager to swallow up my position the moment I said I was unwell.”

Both of them had likely hoped that they would be chosen as the chief overseer preparing for the Night of the Hunt.

It was the symbolic post held by the Grand Duke of Aslan, who served as the Empire’s shield.

Of course they would reject it when he suddenly brought in outsiders as helpers.

The administrator blinked blankly.

Even knowing that, he had called them here. It was almost as if...

‘... As if he encouraged them to fight instead...?’

Before the administrator could properly dwell on that thought, the Grand Duke spoke again.

“Those two had gotten far too full of themselves.”

“...?”

“They think they are something special. Damian and Liza both.”

At the administrator’s puzzled expression, Grand Duke Aslan gave a quiet laugh and continued.

“Both are considered decent warriors. But success depends on circumstances almost as much as ability. Those who are born with so much think they achieved every bit of it themselves.”

“...”

“As far as I’m concerned, they are frogs in a well. Both my son and my daughter.”

The world was full of monsters who lived in realms far beyond that.

They would probably realize that fact painfully today.

“What do you mean?”

“It would be good for them to understand, at least roughly, that they are nothing special. And I want them to learn that the Grand Duke’s position they are so desperate for does not matter at all.”

“...”

On the other hand, the Grand Duke twisted his lips as he recalled someone.

-Aim the gun at me!

-Aim it at me if you want to live!

-You can give someone desperately trying to feed the people under him one last chance, can’t you? He’s trying to feed his family.

“... That man understands, at least roughly, what matters.”

He had certainly brought that man here to find someone who could help prepare for the Night of the Hunt. That was both the practical purpose and the official reason.

But Grand Duke Aslan had greater personal expectations for the man.

There was something beyond that which he wanted him to do.

“I hope he teaches Damian and Liza that as well.”

Well.

Even Grand Duke Aslan was not sure whether a man named Aiden would notice his intentions.

‘If he sees through my intentions exactly...’

... He would like that quite a lot.

He had not made a pledge to stand against the Prince for nothing.

And the Grand Duke could be certain of at least one thing.

“What is this...!”

“Y-Young Lord Damian...!”

Just by seeing Aiden burst through the gates of the main castle, causing a commotion, then throw the half-dead Damian onto the table.