Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Reincarnation and the Attribute Test
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"Waaah."
"This kid... how should I put it? He's crying so artificially."
"Not a single tear drop, just 'waaah.'"
I had just experienced my first isekai reincarnation in life.
My very first reincarnation. It's a ridiculous sentence, but what can you do? It really was my first.
I had no idea what kind of world this was, but when I came to my senses, I was fresh out of my new mother's womb.
Since I'd been born, it seemed polite to cry a little as a formality.
"What should we name him?"
"I've already got one in mind for that. Rye. From today on, you're Rye. Chwahaha!"
My name was apparently Rye.
I later learned that my new family's surname was Ought.
This world followed Western naming conventions, with the family name coming last, so my full name ended up as Riot.
And so, as I passed through infancy, I began to grasp the basics of this world.
In simple terms, it was a standard isekai with mana.
I didn't know the finer details yet.
The reason was that I'd been born in the boondocks.
Unlike the big cities overflowing with magical conveniences, this was a rural village centered on agriculture.
Even so, the village did benefit somewhat from magic.
Specifically, most of the villagers knew how to use it.
Nothing impressive—just lighting small fires or conjuring water for farming.
They only used basic everyday spells like that.
It seemed like a world where magical ability was pretty evenly distributed.
Even the old man passing by could cast spells.
I figured out the reason for this absurd world setup when I turned seven.
"Where are those older boys and girls headed?"
It was the first day of the new year, early in the predawn hours.
I'd woken up unusually early and spotted a group of kids climbing into wagons, off to who-knows-where.
"Up early, aren't you, Rye? Those older ones are heading to the nearby city."
"Why?"
"When you turn ten, you can get tested for your Attribute Constitution. You'll be able to do it too when you hit ten, Rye."
"Attribute Constitution?"
People in this world were born with innate magical Attribute Constitutions, each different.
Some had Fire, others Light; there were even weird ones like Smell or Mirror attributes.
The varieties were incredibly diverse and nuanced.
Generally, attributes that encompassed many others were preferred.
Higher attributes could use the magic of lower ones, but not vice versa.
For example, a Wind attribute mage could use all Smell attribute spells, but a Smell mage was limited to Smell spells.
And even within Smell, someone with Durian Smell (it actually existed, apparently) could only use Durian Smell-related magic. It went like that down the hierarchy.
Most people had lower attributes with limited versatility,
and the rarer, higher attributes that covered broad concepts were less common.
So, those with lower Attribute Constitutions basically lived as ordinary folk.
They could just make things smell like durian, after all.
That explained why everyone in the village could use one or two spells.
"There's another factor that determines talent besides Attribute Constitution: Attribute Rank."
And then there was Attribute Rank.
It ranged from F to S, basically a measure of affinity for that attribute.
The closer to S, the higher the talent for it.
Of course, even an S-rank Durian Smell was just someone who could produce an insanely strong durian stench.
The takeaway: both Attribute Constitution and Rank needed to be decently high to become a proper mage.
That was the reality here—even though everyone was born with a magical constitution, true mages were rare.
"What was yours, Mom?"
"Mom's is Clone (E). I can make clones."
"Clones??"
She could use cloning techniques?
That sounded ridiculously overpowered.
Even if she couldn't be a mage, she could've been an assassin or something useful.
"Hehe. It's not that impressive. Want to see?"
A faint duplicate of Mom appeared right away.
"At my rank, this is the best I can do, so it's not very practical. I hear S-rank Clone attribute mages sometimes do special jobs, but even that's not a huge help."
"Why not? Couldn't the clone just do everything for you?"
"Sadly, no. No matter how perfect the clone looks, it's ultimately just an 'illusion.' Here, look."
Mom's clone spread its arms as if to hug me, approaching.
Whoosh—
But it couldn't touch me—it passed right through my body.
"Illusion attribute magic doesn't affect the real world like this. Even higher ranks are the same. Maybe it could dance or something."
Multiple clones dancing in sync might draw a crowd.
Mom laughed merrily as she said that.
I'd thought it was amazing magic, but apparently, all Illusion-series spells worked like this.
Of course, with a higher Illusion attribute, you could simulate touch and such through illusion.
But that was too complicated, few mages could do it, and it was pointless anyway.
Why create a Durian Smell illusion when you could just fetch someone with a real Durian Smell Attribute Constitution?
That was how Illusion differed from Light attributes.
Illusion-series magic was literally just 'illusions.'
It was considered the most worthless attribute across all categories.
"Ugh. Then I don't want anything Illusion-related."
"Good call. Our son must have an amazing constitution! Hehe, hohoho..."
Hohohoho...
For some reason, Mom's laugh sounded a bit forced this time.
She took my hand and led me back inside for breakfast.
I wouldn't learn she'd lied until three years later.
The year I finally turned ten.
On the day we set off at dawn for my Attribute Constitution test.
That's when I overheard it.
"Wake up, kid! Both your parents are Flour attributes—how could you possibly get Fire? Attributes are mostly hereditary!"
"Yeah, Grass at best. Grass isn't bad. Though getting a higher one is tough."
"But I want Fire—! I wanna burn everything! Farming plants isn't for me—!"
That attributes were highly likely to follow your parents' lineage.
Of course, Rank and exact sub-attribute weren't fully inherited.
Getting a good constitution or Rank was still luck-based.
The lineage just nudged the category.
But that was for ordinary attribute families.
Even kids of Durian Smell parents might get Wind, a solid attribute.
But our mom had an Illusion-series attribute!
If Dad had been different, I'd have had 50/50 odds.
But last night, I'd overheard that Dad was Illusion-series too.
No wonder they'd hugged me with such pitiful looks at dawn.
This wasn't fair!
"Ha... damn it... Me, an Illusion attribute...!"
I arrived at the nearby city in a deeply depressed mood.
Everyone else was grinning excitedly about what theirs might be, but I couldn't smile.
No matter how good the Rank, it'd still be useless Illusion...
"Next. Lea Oilrn. Come on up."
"Yes!"
My turn was right around the corner.
Lea, the one just before me, climbed the altar and placed her hand on the crystal orb.
Placing your hand there makes the orb glow, revealing your Attribute Constitution and Rank.
"Beginning now."
The mage managing the altar infused mana, and light began rising from deep within the crystal orb.
The light grew, spreading outward.
"This light... A-rank talent...!"
The brilliantly shining crystal orb.
That meant Lea's talent was at least A-rank.
Regardless of constitution, higher Ranks produced brighter lights.
Fwosh—
A massive burst of light revealed Lea's attribute.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Lightning (A)] "W-Wow...!"
"Lightning... that's a top-tier Attribute Constitution! And A-rank too...!"
"W-Wow, Lea, I'm so jealous..."
Her attribute was Lightning (A).
As expected, Lightning was the pinnacle of the Lightning series.
Meaning she could learn every Lightning attribute spell.
And with A-rank talent, no less.
The altar mages were stunned, and all us kids—including me—looked at her with envy.
"Wow, this is... incredible talent. Congratulations, Lea."
"H-Hmph! Thank you!"
Lea stepped down from the altar in high spirits.
Lighter steps than anyone before her.
Rumor would spread fast, and the Lightning Tower would probably come fetch her soon.
"Next. Riot?"
"...It's Rye Ought, not Riot."
"Right. So, Rye... uh, -kun? You're next."
"...Yes."
And then my dreaded turn.
I passed the beaming Lea and climbed the altar.
Yeah. Even if it's mostly hereditary, there are low-probability exceptions.
Plus, I'm an isekai reincarnator. Gotta have some perks, right?
"Place your hand on it and stay still."
When my turn actually came, I activated positive thinking mode and reached for the crystal orb.
And for some reason, it felt good.
Like a great attribute was coming.
"Beginning now."
The mage infused mana into the orb.
Light slowly began to fill it.
Like with Lea, enormous light overflowed, flooding the world beyond the orb's capacity.
The difference? This light was incomparably larger than hers.
Fwaaah—
"Th-This... no way!!"
"S, S-rank talent...!"
The shocked voices of the altar mages rang out.
The light was already blinding me.
Yes! This is it! I knew something good would show up...!
"W-Wow... Rye got S-rank?"
"Insane... jealous."
Envious voices from the friends below the altar.
As the dazzling light faded, my attribute began to appear in the orb.
"Th-This...!"
"O-Ohh...?!"
Trembling, I checked my Attribute Constitution result.