NOVEL NEXT 1: Nice to Meet You, Gift
In this world, everyone receives a gift when they turn five.
It naturally emerges when they wake up on the morning of their birthday.
The character of the gift varies from person to person; some are good, and some are lackluster.
There are no bad gifts if we think positively.
However, life isn’t that simple.
The skills obtained from the gift can sometimes significantly impact someone’s life.
I rub my sleepy eyes, yawn widely, and stretch my body; I jump out of bed.
I open the frosted glass window, and the refreshing early morning breeze gently brushes my cheeks.
It’s a fresh, early summer morning.
Today is my fifth birthday.
I sit down on the edge of the bed.
Taking a breath, I mutter the customary words in a small voice.
“Status Open”
Name: Haku Radcliffe, five years old
Level: 1
Occupation: None
Gift: Plant Cultivation
Skills: Plant Cultivation Magic ※ Life Magic ※
Unique Skill: Botanical Garden ※
A semi-transparent screen appears before me.
Everyone has a status screen that is visible only to themselves.
The status screen doesn’t display HP or MP like in games.
The only thing quantified is the overall level, which might seem a bit inconvenient.
But that’s just how it works.
Well, it doesn’t cause any major issues.
My skills are farmer-type skills.
For my family, this might seem like a miss.
But for me, it’s not a problem; it’s lucky.
I can’t help but smile.
In this world, everyone starts with no occupation.
Occupations are chosen when you become an adult, unlike in games where they’re predetermined.
Most people choose occupations matching their skills but sometimes take on completely different jobs.
New skills can also emerge through practice and effort.
For example, cooking and sewing skills can easily develop through daily repetition.
Martha is my maid; she said she acquired cooking and sewing skills after becoming an adult.
I’ll check my skills later and quickly get dressed for breakfast.
Let’s go!
I leave my room and go downstairs; I head to the mansion’s back door.
The back door reveals a stone-paved area; there’s a well with a roof nearby.
I bring water from a large wooden barrel beside it with a hand bucket and wash my face.
Since I’m still too small to draw water from the well, it’s kept ready for children.
Fetching water is hard work, and falling into the well would be a big accident.
After that, I head to the dining room and take my seat.
Today, I was the first to arrive.
“Good morning. Oh, you’re up early today, young master,” Martha, the maid, said as she entered the dining room.
Martha is a slightly plump middle-aged lady; she takes care of all the household matters.
“Good morning, Martha. It’s a nice day today.”
“It’s really clear. Last night’s rain seemed like a lie.”
She smiles cheerfully and sets the table.
The rest of the family gathers.
“Good morning.”
The one who came in was my father, Reynard.
He is a handsome man with blond hair and green eyes. He’s a fairly muscular, big man who looks like a warrior.
Dad is so cool!
“Good morning, Father.”
While exchanging greetings with my father, my two brothers arrived.
“Good morning, Father. Good morning, Haku.”
My eldest brother is Ren; he is seven years older.
My second older brother is Riol; he is five years older.
Ren looks like a miniature version of Father, with a refreshing and handsome personality. His white teeth are dazzling.
Riol has platinum blond hair and blue eyes and looks like an angel. He might seem a bit cold, but he’s a kind brother to me.
I resemble Riol more; I have silver hair and blue eyes.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the same beautiful boy vibe; I’m often mistaken for a girl.
I’ve heard that Riol and I look like our late mother.
I don’t have any memories of my mother because she passed away before I was old enough to remember.
“Good morning, brothers.”
After exchanging greetings, we all took our seats.
Martha began serving breakfast.
Breakfast consisted of hard black bread, salad, and potato soup.
The ingredients were few, and the taste was bland, but we couldn’t afford to be picky.
Salt is a precious item, after all.
The Radcliffe family is a poor baron family in a remote area.
Our territory consists of two small villages, so the mansion is small.
We have few servants.
There is Martha, the elderly butler Barton, the coachman and stable keeper Tom, and five retainers.
Retainers are warriors from commoner backgrounds who serve noble families.
Knights are officially appointed by His Majesty the King, so those who aren’t appointed can’t call themselves knights.
The only exception is that border marquises can have knights.
In times of emergency, villagers might be conscripted.
There hasn’t been a single war ever since I was born.
Peace is the best.
Our patron is the northern border marquis of Lagnard, my mother’s family.
The Radcliffe territory is located at the western edge of the Lagnard border marquisate, a remote place surrounded by mountains and forests. It’s the farthest point of the kingdom.
After finishing our simple breakfast, I took a sip of herbal tea.
Tea is expensive and rarely drunk.
Simple herbal tea is delicious once you get used to it.
As I was relaxing, Father smiled at me and started talking.
“Well, Haku. Happy fifth birthday. So, what kind of gift did you receive?”
Both of my brothers looked at me with great interest.
“Um, it’s a skill called ‘Plant Cultivation Magic.'”
“Oh, plant cultivation?”
Father smiled cheerfully, not showing any displeasure.
“And ‘Life Magic.'”
“Life magic…”
Riol muttered softly, deep in thought.
Both common and ordinary skills were often found among commoners; they were slightly disappointed.
Well, it’s better to have skills than not.
“Life magic is simple, isn’t it?”
Ren smiled brightly.
He means well.
“Yeah.”
I smiled back without any concern.
We have a good relationship.
“Indeed, Haku has a talent for agriculture. With Ren and Riol here, you can choose whatever profession you like in the future.”
Father also smiled kindly.
I’m sure he’s relieved that I didn’t get combat-related skills.
I’m small, and my growth is slow.
I still can’t speak well.
And being the third son, there’s no excessive expectation on me.
I’m the mascot of the family!
By the way, Father’s skills are spearmanship, swordsmanship, horsemanship, and earth magic.
A border lord cannot be a softie. It’s dangerous territory!
Ren’s skills are swordsmanship, spear skill, and earth magic, inherited from Father.
Riol has archery, swordsmanship, and fire and wind magic. Riol is scary when he’s angry.