In this world, there are innate skills that are special.
Innate skills are basically something that are unique to that person, so aside from them, no one in that particular timeline has exactly the same thing.
The innate skills are something that represents a person, a creature, or even the 'beings that can't be defined'.
But, there are some skills that can be passed down through natural means and they are mostly racial skills or genetic skills. The racial skills that energy beasts possess, as well as special skills like Alf and aunt Haze's eye powers, are an example of these skills.
But there are also some special innate skills that appear in the world with the same names and functioning throughout the passing of time.
They are skills with such absurd functions, such great strengths, and such diverse utilizations that they are termed pinnacle skills.
These skills are something that only that being in that particular timeline possesses, and those possessing them are inevitably powerful in some ways.
There have been fourteen key skills that have been the same in this time-immortal. They are the main pinnacle skills. And the skills that become as powerful as these fourteen main skills are categorized in the fifteenth subcategory of EX skills.
Rein and I had innate skills that had the potential to grow into these exponential skills, but this person before us had one of the main pinnacle skills, and one of the most famous ones like [Gluttony].
[Solodinel] the pinnacle skill based on one of the seven virtues, wisdom. It was one of the most famous skills and something I knew a great lot of things about.
He was someone who had an amazing skill like this one and the possessors of this particular skill have been very famous in the known and unknown history.
'Though, from what I know, it hasn't appeared in humans in the last nine or ten centuries.'
It was an amazing skill, and maybe grandma used some aspects of this skill in Lucy…
'Nah. Lucy is something totally unique.'
Solodinel was a skill that granted the user unparalleled wisdom, information about the world, some of its 'small truths' and a mind that was like an endless ocean.
'It's similar to my mind that can't forget but different from me, his mind is so great that it can remember too much information without any problem.'
I can't forget anything, and it was more of a curse than a blessing while his skill was a blessing in true meaning.
The possessors of this particular skill have been some of the greatest people the world has ever known. And they were famous not just because of their special powers, but the unique wisdom they possessed.
'They are even said to have been blessed by the great phoenix… ironic.'
I was looking into his eyes with a calm expression and he was looking at me with a similar calm expression. But only Rein knew about the conversation we were having through Celes's connection.
[[ "Master Axion. Oh, master Eon… a unique power that can analyze someone's whole being, a power that can ignore the highest grade mental barriers and even bypass a pinnacle skill.
Amazing? No. Awesome, nah. Exceptional, hmm, tsk.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtYou are beyond words, master Axion." ]]
[[ "He's cursing you, darling." ]]
[[ "I can tell that too Rein." ]]
Wisdom, the ability to contemplate, have prior knowledge of something, knowing the positive as well as negative consequences of most, if not all, available scenarios, and act productively using the existing knowledge, experience, understanding common sense and insight.
It also includes the willingness to yield to someone else's opinions and take the options with the most advantage for the present and future.
Solodinel was a skill with diverse utilizations, as its main purpose or use was to assist the possessor of the skill in all possible mental activities.
It was an assistant skill, while on the other hand, Lucy wasn't my assistant. She was a unique entity that existed with and within me.
That skill might be able to interact with him like our eyes, but that was its limit. I don't think it could ever reach the level of Lucy.
Well… I wasn't interested in his pinnacle skill as much as I was interested in his second unique skill.
That one was the main thing that made this weak-looking person an anomaly. A being that was a 'mistake'. Someone who was similar to the two of us.
But still, his abnormality was totally on another level from my existence or Rein's natural inability to perceive time as a witch like her should.
[[ "Can you believe that Rein? This boy could literally change his race and evolve into the high human at his will." ]]
[[ "Well, it is unbelievable. But I'm more surprised by that attitude that doesn't even give a shit about his ultimate skill." ]]
[[ "But you aren't even surprised by either of them." ]]
[[ "You need strength for that shit, my dear. Look at me. Do I look like I have any energy left in me after you did those amazing~ things to me?" ]]
Her voice was usual, and by usual I meant alluring in the wrong way.
It was good that he couldn't hear us or else things would be more difficult.
Well, anyone would be tired after all that. The other couples were naturally resting with their partners in different corners of this ballroom. But she was different.
Yes, the day had been tough and long and tiring, but she definitely was more energetic than she had been before this dance.
[[ "You're tired? Aww… no cuddling then." ]]
[[ "Cuddling doesn't require energy, darling. Just say the word and we can do it all night and the next morning. But remember that it's inevitable." ]]
[[ "Master Axion?" ]]
Rein was talking about some usual things and I was more focused on that.
I was distracted and didn't answer his obviously made-up words while we both could see his true, well-hidden emotions.
He was astonished that someone unexpected actually saw through his skill, but this ultimately angered him because of the many consequences this thing would result in.
He was cussing at me, and he was a good actor to control his emotions so well. But sadly, we both had more worldly experiences than him. The acting was naturally futile.
I also wanted to answer him, but it could wait for a moment.
[[ "Alright ma'am, we can do that. But before that, I have something on my mind. You will like it." ]]
[[ "...? What is it? Tell me. Tell me, tell me, tell me!" ]]
[[ "Look forward to it~." ]]
I looked at her and gave her a smile, which sparked a cute chain reaction of countless emotions. She will be quiet for a while with that.
[[ "Yes, your highness. I apologize for my rudeness, but I was just curious.
If this awfully wretched conduct had inconvenienced you in any way, I will sincerely accept any damnation to atone for my ineffable transgression." ]]
He looked at me blankly as he stood before me and while he was still there, as if he was invisible, other people just came and greeted the two of us.
He was right there, but people really seemed to not notice him at all.
This just showed that he was good, but my words surprised this smart person.
[[ "You already know everything, don't you?" ]]
He looked at me with a sudden defeated gaze, as if he had realized just how bad of a situation he was in.
That skill was quite good. Not anyone could figure out we already knew his feelings. As expected of a skill even Lucy admired.
[[ "It's fine, your highness. Don't worry about anything. I love my peace too." ]]
I gave him a warm smile, and he nodded with a deeper, helpless smile.
[[ "Just call me Alph. Is there any chance I will be able to become your friend?" ]]
He was directly asking something like that. He sure was bold, like his father.
[[ "Depends, your highness. A friend is a big thing for me, you see. Not right now, but maybe with time? I would love to have a special friend like you." ]]
It was better to keep a person who knew about you close to you than to go on their bad side.
If I accept his friendship right away, there would only be a contractual meaning to this friendship.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmI didn't want that. It was neither profitable for me in any way nor useful for the things I had in mind for the future.
It would be a loss to have an amazing person like him as nothing more than someone who I shared some secrets with.
Having him as a true friend would be better, but that wasn't easy for us.
He was a smart one, and though he was still not at the level of his dad, he had great potential and prowess.
He could achieve some great things if he wasn't hiding his strengths, but as he was right now, he was really the lowest of the imperial heirs.
But he was smart, and that was a great variable that prevented me from accepting him as a friend right away.
He was good, but only his willingness, devotion, and actions could grant him my true friendship.
[[ "I… understand. I will try to earn that friendship. But can I ask you a question?" ]]
He had a sad expression as well as complicated feelings, but he gave me a smile with his answer and then he was back to normal, curious about something.
[[ "Sure." ]]
I wasn't doing the formal talk now, but I wasn't exactly friendly either. It was neutral, and he wasn't offended by this.
[[ "I can tell that you and lady Reinelle have a special relationship, but she knows about me too, right?" ]]
He was curious about something proper. And I could answer his question with ease now that we were trying to become friends.
[[ "To tell you the truth, she was listening to our conversation until just a moment ago.
She's contemplating something I said, so she's not exactly even listening to these people." ]]
The answer surprised him. Not many knew about Rein's past and the fact that she was a witch older than their grandma, after all.
[[ "So she also has secrets… damn. Now it suddenly feels like I know nothing." ]]
[[ "You do know nothing, your highness. But that's fine. Knowing a lot isn't as good as it sounds." ]]
It was painful. Even agonizing when it comes to things that you can't tell anyone, not even dead souls.
It was the worldly restrictions and the smart person before me understood what I was talking about.
So, we smiled, and I greeted the special, expected person who had walked up to me with a small plate and a piece of chocolate cake in it.
"It is a great honor to greet you like this princess Isabella."
I was expecting her, and she took her time, but finally, she was here.
'She's special too, but this is related to business, so I hope she says the words I am expecting.'
And it was just like I thought, thankfully.
"I loved it," she said with a bright and impressed smile, and I smiled back.
This should check out another thing from today's to-do list.