The Second Skill
“What, can’t you see that the young miss and me are talking?”
“I’ve let you have her for long enough I’d say. Anymore and Francesca will end up catching a cold if we stay here.”
Graziano went silent hearing that but, Francesca still had an objection of a different kind.
“It’s not just me, you two as well! All this talk about secrets is done now, so let’s go back up already. There’s also a lot of stuff that has become clear with this ambush as well.”
“Then first, let me teleport back up top to call for help as well bring a change of clothes for you. So please wait for me………”
“Wait, Graziano.”
Francesca suddenly grabbed his hand, startling him.
“Y-young miss?”
“You know my skill that I just told you about, can I use it on you if you don’t mind?”
Asking that, Graziano quickly nodded in agreement. Giving her thanks, she closed her eyes with her hand still holding on to Graziano’s.
(The second skill possessed by the [protagonist] Francesca, that is—-…….)
She sharpened her concentration and focused, as a pattern appeared within her darkened vision. The red rose, the insignia of the Calvino family shone with a deep red light.
“This is…….”
Graziano must have also felt a strong power surge through his body. Meanwhile, Leonardo smiled curiously as he closely observed it from the side as he spoke.
“This is not the [Enhancement] you used on me, is it?”
“Yeah. This skill doesn’t just perform a simple enhancement on a skill, instead……..”
As if confirming the newfound power flowing through him, Graziano clenched both his fists.
“——it [evolves] it. With this, he should be able to teleport not just himself, but one more person alongside him as well.”
“……..[A skill to evolve other skills]……..”
Leonardo quietly muttered to himself.
Just like enhancement skill, this too was a skill that was unique to Francesca alone. There was no one else in the entire world that possessed this skill other than her. A power only held by the protagonist of the game.
(The enhancement skill would have only increased the range of his teleportation skill. But right now, it was more important to increase the number of people it can affect instead.)
She knew from the game how Graziano’s skill would evolve of course. On the other hand, it was completely unknown to her how it’d work on Leonardo’s skill(s).
“Francesca, you really are incredible. Are both the enhancement and evolution, just a singular level?”
“No, enhancement goes up to ten times. But only the first time can it be enhanced without using anything else with it.”
To enhance a skill beyond the first level, as per the game, you needed specific [ingredients] to make it work. But all of these ingredients were very hard to obtain.
(A large amount of gems, a silver bullet used in ancient times, etc; there was bunch of other similar antique like things as well……..what’s really scary is that if I asked for these items, I just know that everyone would go through hell and back just to find them for my sake……!)
That’s why she didn’t say that part out loud, and instead looked up towards Graziano.
“So, both you and Leonardo can teleport back together now, okay?”
“……….Hah?”
For once, both Leonardo and Graziano spoke in perfect unison. Being looked down at by both men, Francesca simply made a guts pose with both her fists as she spoke.
“We finally have new movements in regards to the assassination plot, so we need to take action fast! And for that, Leonardo, you need to get back asap, and give new orders to the members of the Aldini family right?”
“…….”
“………..”
“As for you Graziano, you are also completely drenched from head to toe, so you need to get in a warm bath or else you’ll catch a cold. You were always quick to catch a fever when you were a kid, also, you’ll be needed to help Leonardo with his work as well. As for me, the rain seems like it’ll stop soon, so I’ll just walk back——…….”
Leonardo and Graziano looked at each other, and just sighed deeply.
“——watchdog.”
“No need to say it, I already know. We’re going, young miss.”
“Eh?………uwaaah? Grazia—……!!?”
Francesca screams disappeared into the void midway as she got to experience her life’s first teleportation, and thus they didn’t even echo inside the cave.
***
Some time had passed since Graziano had returned alongside Francesca from under the cliff with the help of his teleportation skill.
“haah………”
Having quickly finished his bath, Graziano sighed as he dried his head with a towel.
The extreme fatigue he was feeling right now was probably not due to the recoil from the newly evolved skill that Francesca had given him.
Recalling his own emotions when he had heard that Francesca had been attacked and fallen down a cliff, it felt like his heart completely froze over. And at the same time, he also recalled the powerful words that seemed to have been engraved into his heart.
[It’s obviously a big sister’s duty to make sure that her little bro is not in any kind of danger after all……!!]
[……….!!]
Ever since they were children, it was always like this. Her voice was strong and had no hesitation in it.
He wondered if she even realized just how much she had changed and affected his life by embracing him and giving a place to belong.
(……….If something happens to her, I will die too…….)
While being filled with such thoughts, he walked down the stairs of the villa that they had borrowed from the Ranieris. Just then, he happened to cross paths with the man that seemed to have returned just now.
The black haired man and the head of the Aldini family was taking off his drenched coat at the entrance of the villa.
“I seem to be running into you a lot today huh watchdog.”
“………You, did you only just return now?”