Chapter 118: Defining Choices

Chapter 118: Defining Choices

Chapter 118 - Defining Choices

Kai blinked twice. Yes, it was finally time. Actingthe second skill he ever learnedwas evolving after more than ten years. The last splash of red in his status.

Not giving the mental command immediately was harrowing. If he saw the options, he would end up sitting down in the middle of the street and probably start wandering aimlessly till he made a choice.

Home first, then Ill have all the peace and quiet I need.

A fortune in silver mesars weighed down his backpack. He hadnt used the spatial ring in front of Reishi. Even though he trusted the merman, the fewer people knew the better.

Driven by eagerness and paranoia, Kai flew through the streets. The white door was within his sight when a very inopportune man stood in his way, forcing him to stop.

You seem particularly cheerful today, Captain Zerith peeked at him curiously. I heard your sister found quite the catch a few days ago.

Spirits, if he has a skill to appear at the least convenient time I wouldnt be surprised.

Salvation was within his grasp, hidden behind the towering man.

Is there anything I can do for you, Captain? I really need to get home, it's getting quite late. The sun hid behind the line of buildings. Time flew by while he bargained with Reishi.

I simply wanted to say hi, kid. No need to worry. You havent been up to any mischief, have you?

Of course not. My master taught me to be respectful.

Even when someone is as aggravating as you.

The mans gaze was unnerving, like he could garner all his secrets if he stared long enough. Was he here for the pearl, or just to torture him?

Too bad Ive already sold it.

So, I assume youre aware that luxury goods sold without a vendor license are subject to a 30% fee, right? Because trying to evade taxes is equivalent to stealing from the Republic, and thats a serious crime.

Surely Reishi would have told me if that was something I needed to worry about.

Kids would get a reduced sentence. Zerith casually added. And they might avoid punishment entirely if they pay a fine equal to three times the stolen amount.

Cold sweat ran down his back. Only Acting kept Kai from betraying himself.

Keep calm, hes just bullshitting. Worst case, he doesnt have any proof.

Im not sure why youre telling me this, Ive not bought any expensive goods lately. Kai furrowed his brows in confusion. If that is all Mom is waiting, and she gets angry if I come back too late.

His attempt to slip past was easily thwarted as Zerith grabbed his shoulder in a friendly gesture. Starting a contest of strength would be pointless.

Whether to consider pearls as luxury items is debatable. Both parties would be allowed to argue their case and it would be up to the local judge to decide. Unfortunately, there isnt one in Sylspring. In a new territory, such as the archipelago, that duty falls on me.

Oh, fuck me!

Im not sure what youre insinuating.

Nothing. None of that is a problem since you must have used a licensed intermediary to sell the pearl. Right, kid? Zerith let him go.

Yes, I obviously wouldnt deal with a merchant personally. Its better to leave it to a professional.

Well, thats a relief then. You know, some officers got curious. Zerith ruffled his hair. Now, dont make your mother worry and bring her my regards for raising such a wise kid.

Before Kai could understand what was going on, the captain left, leaving him in a daze.

What just happened?

Kai hurried toward his house. Whatever it was, it could wait till he got within the walls of his room.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.

Im back, he announced to no one in particular.

Moui met him by the stairs. Did something happen?

Acting Advanced (lv1) Push the limits of your performance to new heights and perfect the nuance of human expression. Improvisation (lv1) Never be caught unprepared, no matter the circumstances. Before the cold edge of a blade or a crowd of thousands, youll always know what to say and do. Calculating Performer (lv1) With the right words and gestures, nudge people toward the result that best suits you. Make them dance in the palm of your hand, like puppets on a string.Method Acting (lv1) Inhabit the character you want to perform without faltering or misstep. No act or lie is more convincing than the one you yourself believe is true.

Descriptions were aspirational, they depicted what a fully realized skill would do. It wouldnt magically transform him into a great mastermind at level 1, but it would open a path to get there.

The Guide was neither good nor evil, even though Calculating Performer probably wasnt made for a righteous hero.

Dont fall for whispers of the dark side.

Jumping to the final option wasnt a great distraction. Method Acting seemed the skill of a spy, a way to fully inhabit the shoes of a fake persona. This time, Kai was truly puzzled about how he got this.

I guess, Ive occasionally made up characters to fit into a situation.

The innocent mail boy in Greenside, who sold potions on behalf of his reclusive master came to mind. There was also the rich scion who walked into poshtown and dealt with merchants. Or the perfect son who is always fine. Plus a ton of other minor characters who lived and died within the same day. Impersonating someone different could be useful at times.

Yes, Ive dabbled a tiny bit.

It was an interesting choice. No matter where he went, he would be able to create a role that fit in. Though the last line about believing the lie himself wasnt the most reassuring. Method Acting was performative, not an ability that would be easy to cast aside when the show was over.

These last two skills sound shady as shit.

Kai reread the four paths he could take twice to garner as much as possible. The Guide didnt require a high grade before it began to tailor the descriptions to him. The wording itself was likely influenced by his knowledge, which meant his interpretation of their purpose should be correct.

I need to make a choice, yay!

Using a tested and proven method, Kai worked by exclusion. Discarding Acting Advanced was an easy start. A vague potential for the future wasnt enough. Acting was a broad skill that included numerous offshoots. Sooner or later, hed have to specialize. He shouldnt postpone the choice when he had better evolutions.

The next to go was Method Acting. Again, it would be useful in many situations, but it was too niche to occupy his only slot reserved for a social skill. While be yourself might not be an advice that worked in every situation, building relationships on a pile of lies wasnt either.

With silent mourning, he abandoned his dreams as a secret spy. When he imagined himself living that life, it sounded less than ideal. Quite shitty actually. Spies were pawns in someone else's game, sacrificing their lives for a cause.

Hard pass.

He was already working on a no-lie policy with his family, choosing Method Acting would be like giving drugs to an addict. A temptation hed rather do without.

That left only two choices. Improvisation was exactly what he used Acting for. A solution to unexpected situations and a fallback plan when things went wrong.

Then there was Calculating Performer. Kai couldnt deny it held a certain appeal. There was some satisfaction in seeing the pieces fall into placeor people in this case. Have someone be unconsciously led to the result he wanted.

A skill is just a tool. It all depends on how I decide to use it. I could convince people to act in their best interest. Im not turning into a third-rated villain.

Kai paced back and forth. Improvisation was more flexible while Calculating Performer was more situational.

But if I manage to pull it off, the rewards could be greater.

No matter how many times he went through this, the idea of closing any door forever made him falter. The fear of regret loomed over him.

I cant choose both. Just have to pick the best one.

Writing down a list of pros and cons helped clear his head. There were some details he hadnt considered.

Skills were just tools, but if you bought a rifle, you probably didnt plan to go rescue bunnies. If he had the power to do something, odds were hed use it. Skills had to be practiced to gain levels. To train Calculating Performer he would have to play with people.

His morals could be flexible, but not that flexible.

Dark Kai, your time has yet to come.

He had shed blood and tears to learn how to fight. Endured countless migraines and diligently practiced mind-numbing exercises to cast spells. There were ways to earn what he wanted that didnt include manipulating people.

Acting was the slot he dedicated to a social skill to deal with uncomfortable public situations. Improvisation was going to fit perfectly. It did something his other skills couldnt do. Gave him a comeback when he was too tired to think. Grant him the perfect response when he wanted to crawl into a hole in shame.

I wont have to stay up nights thinking of cringe moments any longer.

Are you sure you want to evolve Acting (lv100) into Improvisation (lv1)? Be Aware this choice is irreversible.

*Ding*

Congratulations, Acting (lv100) has successfully evolved into Improvisation (lv1).

Kai flopped down on his fluffy pillow, the tension flowing out of him. It was done. The last speck of red was gone from his status and a notification began flashing.