Chapter 2: New Family Member (2)

Late afternoon came, I set off back home.

An AMAZING adventure awaits: The journey of Noel the TALENTLESS!

Yeah, sarcasm, I know, I know...

I wanna cry.

Cherry trees line the avenue pointing right to the school gate just up in front. Pink petals falling like rain. 

Just then someone grabbed my shoulders and I spun like a top. The next thing I saw was Gruan before he pushed me over a yard in a fraction of a split second. My back slammed against the wall. I was sure my school bag blew up from the impact— likewise, my spine.

Hey, isn’t he supposed to be in the afternoon class?

“Ughh..” I fell to the floor writhing. My back seriously hurts. Seriously, seriously. Oh god. It burns.

“Hahahahahahaha!” Gruan heartily laughed. His gang— I mean the imbeciles laughed with him.

“W..what do you w-want,” somehow I managed to speak. Ha... how I wish I’ve gotten a TALENT to shred that face of his.

“Protection fee,” his smile widened to a grin.

I’ve been yearning for my birthday for months on end. Being bullied by this big shot dumb ass for a little more than two year now was an absolute pain. And when the fateful day came two days ago, low and behold— my TALENT was nil. N-O-T-H-I-N-G. 

“I heard you’re a TALENTLESS. How pitiful,” he jeered then laughed.

I frowned.

“Pay up,” he stretched his hands forward.

There’s nothing I can do about it. The only choice I have is to be obedient and listen to his orders. I’m weak— too weak to retaliate. I know that, so I would make dumb decisions and get myself killed.

I crawled up on my knees and looked at the pile, my trashed bag, broken trophy, with books spilled everywhere and took out my wallet, passing him the money I have.

I could’ve thrown it on the floor in front of him but— I prioritize my safety.

“Good boy.”

He doesn’t question the amount. He just takes them knowing that he could do it again. And again, and again.

When he left, I noticed the gazes directed at me. 

Yeah. All that time while I was being beaten up, not a single person cared to help. Rather, they knew they shouldn’t help, couldn’t help. It would only worsen the situation.

And I saw Prune peeking at me from a distance. I didn’t think she would oversee the situation. Whatever. She’s the same as everyone else, merely spectators.

I tidied my bag— looks like I’ll have to replace it— carried it under my arms. With my spine stinging in a prickling, slow burning, pain, I walked forth, pressed on.

This is my journey. My journey as a TALENTLESS. 

 

*

“Noel, are you alright?”

“Sorry. I was just thinking..” I spaced out.

My mom looked at me with concern. I know, she didn’t expect me to be a TALENTLESS either. I can imagine the sorrow she must be feeling, knowing that her son was a defect. Not really. That’s just me.

My mom’s TALENT is the ability to literally perceive heat. Like a thermal camera or something? Her explanation was rather vague. My father, who is currently on a business trip to Colorado, is an architect. His TALENT is the ability to recreate a three-dimensional object on paper with pin point accuracy. 

The television was playing in the background, a cartoon. My 12-year-old sister, while her gaze never left the show until the intermissions, was chewing rice in her mouth. Cute. The area around her mouth was an absolute mess, not to mention her sailor uniform.

Normally my mom would do something about her behavior but she’s just too depressed to do so.

Now what?

I quietly ate my rice. 

 

*

 

Now back to my room, I gently laid myself back onto the bed.

OUCH.

Darn, it still hurts.

I bent over to grab my phone. 

Though students are allowed to bring phones to the school where I study, I don’t intend to do so on the off-chance Gruan assaults me. Losing my phone is like losing my life-line. 

Speaking of which..

“Where’s my manga reader?” Don’t tell me that pink frilly app is the manga reader? Did it get an update? I forgot to ask my sister about it just now. And I’m too lazy to walk to her room.

Whatever. I’ll just tap and see.

Boop.

Wait... what was that sound effect. My fingers sank into the screen for a moment.

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The app opened up and I was greeted with a screen. A pink screen and..

Oh gosh. First my spine now this— I’m blind, I’m blind. I saw nothing. Yup. I’ll go with that.

The screen showed various female characters that I have not the slightest recognition of, are these supposed to be celebrities? Ah, no. I saw a furry.

There were two options in the centers, the female ‘models’ shuffled every now and then at both sides.

This... can’t be a game.. right..

The big PINK button on the top writes: GACHA.

The sub-header just below it states: first summon guaranteed 4 stars or higher.

The one in the bottom: SHOP. 

But it’s locked so I suppose I’ll roll for gacha...

S-SSSTTTTTOOOOPPPPP!!

What the heck even is this? A gacha game for girls? What the heck? I want my manga! Where’s my manga reader!? 

Out of curiosity, I mustered the courage to wiggle my finger over the GACHA button and...

The screen flashed pink in a way that made me want to vomit. Random black silhouettes of girls, some in odd uncomfortable positions shuffled past the screen like a roulette. Then it stopped. A petit silhouette of a girl wearing a dress, tardy, well ordered, hands placed in front of her. 

Most peculiar was that she had horns.

A five star summon. 

Then the wooden floor of my room began to glow white in what seemed to be a summoning circle.

“GGAHH?! WHAT?” 

No heck. Like I’m going to jump into that thing and get transported into another world— Wait... I think that’s an incredibly good idea! Off to another world! Goodbye shitty world hello fantasy realm!

Ignoring the pain in my back, I jumped off the bed. And hit something, soft. The floor isn’t soft.

The magic subsided.

I heard a wince.

I looked below to see a small girl, crushed underneath me. Her  long curly velvet luster spread out across the floor. Skin pale to the point of white. Her crimson-purple eyes opened and looked at me. 

‘Emaciated’ was the word to describe her. She wasn’t in a dress nor any normal clothing. A mere rough cloth entwined around her figure. Her skin was not only pale, it was also dirty. Her arms were thin, frail, cheeks cave in, and a collar was seen chained to her neck. She smiled then fainted on the spot.

Befuddled, I slowly pulled myself away from her.

She was, undoubtedly, a beauty worthy of a five star summon. That said— was she a slave? From the rag she wore, not to mention the collar-- it’s just like a scene from some manga. Not to mention.. she was missing the two horns on her head— or could it be that it’s just plain decoration?

I noticed blood-- many wounds riddled all over her limbs.

Huh...

Am I a derp?

...

WHHHATT IN THE WORLD?! I SUMMONED A GIRL WITH MY SMARTPHONE?!!!

Alright.. clam down, clam down. What next?

Her breathing is shallow, she looks like she’s in a bad condition. Is she thirsty? Maybe hungry? This is a cliche slave plot right? Before that..

Should I call for my mom? And then call for a doctor? No, I shouldn’t let people know about this. 

Then I should wait until she wakes up? I don’t know what I should do? What if she’s in some severe condition that needs immediate attention?

I carried her in my arms.

Wow, she’s light. And freezing cold.

I placed her on my bed and covered her with a blanket. Gosh, that innocent baby face of her’s.. makes me wanna take care of her for life. Looks like I’ll sleep on the floor today.

Ah.

I’m falling for her already huh? Not that I can deny.. it’s the truth, and a fact. Anyways.

I instinctively picked up my phone and looked at the screen again. The shop tab is finally unlocked. I’m itching to know what’s in store.

Taping the button, I was presented with a list of item options, including quests to earn special currency, or points. I wish the point icon wasn’t a heart shape though..

The items are— incredibly expensive. The cheapest one is around 100 points, a potion of temporary boost. There’s also a potion of forced leveling, citing that it could increase the level of the summoned ‘girl’ by 1. A vague description. So this is saying that the girl sleeping soundly there has a level? So gamey..

Other items include a basic gacha ticket at 1000 points, wow these sure are expensive. Next up is an instant affection potion at 1000 points... nevermind. In summary, it’s a shop filled with a bunch of buffs to upgrade the summons, including exp pots and more specific rate-up gacha tickets. 

And it looks like there’s another shop specifically for the girl. Though it’s locked.

I turned to her, sleeping soundly on the bed.

I‘ll ask her about this tomorrow. Perhaps I should skip class? I need time to digest this.. and perhaps it’s the same for her too.

Looks like I wasn’t TALENTLESS after all? But what would happen if I lost my phone? —Eh, wait, then where’s my manga reader?

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