saiki

ch 11

The carriage shuddered with every turn of the wheels.

"Yawn..."

A yawn slipped from my mouth as the carriage gently rocked to and fro.

It had been three days since we left the forward base, making our way northward in the carriage.

Our pace was slow, burdened with caring for the injured – and I was one of them.

"So boring..."

I grumbled, sinking deeper into the plush seat of the carriage. The persistent ache in my back was worsened by hours of sitting.

"Lucas! Are we there yet?"

"We'll be there soon, Your Highness! Just a little longer!"

My shout was directed at Lucas, who was at the helm of the carriage, and his response was a familiar echo, having heard it no less than five times before.

Why was this conversation on a repetitive loop like a kid in car?

"Oh, geez..."

With a sigh, I sprawled on the seat, and a jingling sound drew my attention to my neck.

A necklace.

With my bandaged hand, I clumsily untied the necklace and cradled it in my palm.

More of a choker than a necklace, it was made of black leather, adorned with a metallic centerpiece.

'The reward for clearing the tutorial stage.'

Upon clearing Stage 0, a reward box had materialized in my inventory. This was the prize inside.

Initially, I was puzzled about what an inventory was, but it turned out to be a pocket dimension that spontaneously appeared from nowhere.

I wasn't certain if I had the power to store and retrieve items at will like some kind of Dora*mon, but well, it's a game world...

[???'s Necklace]

- Its function has not been unlocked yet.

- It will be usable after the story progresses.

A frown creased my forehead as I studied the enigmatic necklace.

There wasn't supposed to be a reward for Stage 0 as it was deemed unbeatable.

But I had prevailed, and this mysterious necklace was the fruit of my efforts, having emerged from the reward box. Its purpose, however, remained elusive...

'Well, its purpose will reveal itself in due time.'

I refastened the necklace around my neck.

A burn marred my neck from the recent battle, but it was a minor injury that had healed quickly, leaving behind a scar. The necklace served as a handy cover.

'Don't worry about this item, what about the others....'

I summoned my status window.

[Ash(EX)]

- Level: 5

- Title: Mad 3rd Prince

- Profession: Novice (Job selection now available!)

- Strength 2, Agility 3, Intelligence 5, Stamina 2, Magic Power 3

"Hmm..."

I let out a sigh while scrutinizing my vaguely increased stats. Their growth seemed sporadic, not indicating a specialized character, yet too low for an all-rounder.