Comet's Class Change

Having spent so long watching everyone else's backs, I had somehow fallen behind even Shiz—but in a way that only proved how capable she already was, reaching this level without a single evolution.

I had no time to waste on hesitation. I immediately pressed the [Job Change Available] button and checked the options.

I remembered Echidna had only three options back then. Without the Self-Faith skill, she probably would have been stuck with two. Comet, though, had a full four—and every single one looked delicious.

For the first time, I felt like I couldn't afford to discard any of them. Most were production-oriented, so they wouldn't directly boost combat power. But if anyone asked whether that meant they couldn't raise our overall fighting strength, I would shake my head without hesitation.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

People with jobs like these empowered everyone else, letting allies fight more steadily—or more recklessly—than before. Crafting created new gear for the team. Enchantment layered extra power onto existing equipment. Modification was similar in that it added something to what already existed, yet the more you modified, the further the original form drifted away; people either loved it or hated it. Mass Production specialized in churning out large quantities of items while keeping their stats consistent.

At first glance you might tilt your head and wonder if that last one was even useful. It was. Normally you had to buy land, build a factory, hire machines or workers to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠forge weapons—every step costing money and time. Even after everything was set up, a single hiccup could plunge you into the red. Being able to streamline that entire messy process with one person's power alone was already impressive. Once you had the capital flowing, the benefits only multiplied. Sometimes it was simply more efficient to treat mass-produced gear as consumables rather than cling to a handful of awkwardly specialized weapons.

Unless you were like me—using shadows as weapons or relying on alternatives like Magic Armor—weapons were a constantly depleting resource. Choosing mass-produced stock wasn't a bad idea at all.

"Hmm..."

If I had my way, I would summon a whole army of Automatons and give each of them a different job. Even if they weren't critical right now, their usefulness would only grow with time. The problem was that all of that was about building a foundation; it did nothing for my immediate combat strength.

After thinking it over, I decided it was better to ask the person who would actually use the power rather than stew over it alone. As long as the result still became my strength, handing the choice to the one who would wield it felt like the natural order of things.

"So, what do you think?"

"Mmm..."

Comet pondered for a moment, then stretched out her hand. Tiny things no larger than ants swarmed across her palm, writhing and knitting themselves into a solid shape. Even without a fixed form, the mass looked hard as metal—alive, almost, as if metal itself had learned to move. She had clearly grown far more comfortable controlling nanomachines since the fight against the vampires.

"If I may offer a personal opinion, Master, I would prefer Enchantment or Modification. Crafting and Mass Production are already within my current capabilities."

I nodded. Coming from anyone else, that claim would have sounded like arrogance. But Comet had been born from the materials of an A-rank-potential boss. Looking at her trait and the way she casually shaped and commanded machinery, it was hard to call it mere pride. Real skill turned pride into well-earned confidence—and she had more than enough of that.

The options had narrowed. Enchantment leaned into fantasy; Modification pointed toward a more futuristic path. Once the field was that small, the choice came quickly.

"We're going with Modification."

Things were already plenty fantastical as they stood. Mixing in even more fantasy risked turning everything into an unrecognizable mess. Better to keep the current balanced blend of fantasy and pivot the direction toward the near-future. Any sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic—that was what a futurist, inventor, and writer from my previous life had left behind. So what about science that had advanced even further? Could it not only recreate magic, but surpass it?

That was only my imagination, of course. How she would take that idea and what direction she would choose for her own growth was entirely in Comet's hands.

"As you wish, Master."

Having read my thoughts through the Link, Comet beamed and lifted both sides of her skirt in a graceful, aristocratic curtsy. If anyone else had said those words I might have taken them as sarcasm or a challenge, but the emotions flowing from her held not a single grain of mockery—only boundless respect and gratitude so thick it was almost burdensome. Extreme spite was bad enough, but being affirmed this completely was its own kind of awkward.

"...Book of Combination."

Just before confirming the job change, I summoned the Book of Combination on a hunch. The moment it appeared, the Book of Summoning in my hand twitched and let out a low, cat-like growl that echoed through my mind. Even after learning the full story, the Book of Summoning still clearly regarded its counterpart as an eyesore. I soothed it before it could throw another tantrum, then handed the Book of Combination over to Echidna.

The instant I confirmed the job change, Comet's body began to glow. More accurately, she was drawing in the surrounding mana. Her silhouette shifted in response. With Echidna there had been a clear maturation and a complete change of attire. Comet's overall appearance, however, did not transform so drastically.

Her neat maid uniform melted away into practical work clothes that prioritized freedom of movement, and a white lab coat settled over her shoulders as if it had always belonged there. Her hair, once a short bob that had grown only a little, now reached midway down her shoulder blades and was gathered with a ribbon.

Even after Comet's job change finished, the Book of Combination never reacted. So it could interfere with evolutions, but not with job changes?

"Haaah~"

Even after the process ended, Comet stood still with her eyes closed for a while. Then she suddenly opened them, stretched her arms high, and began loosening her body. The motion was so precise that you could no longer tell her apart from a real human. Before, faint traces of machinery had still shown here and there; now there was none. Her chest rose and fell as if she truly breathed, and the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shape of her muscles shifted organically with every stretch.

I was more than a little startled by how natural she looked, but the pure joy radiating from her made the meaning clear enough. I spoke.

"Looks like the results aren't bad?"

"Ah—Master! Could you wait just a moment?"

Her expression was apologetic, yet overflowing with anticipation and delight. She clearly wanted to show me something. I nodded. Smiling, Comet placed her hands on her clothes.

Ssshhh—

Nanomachines poured from her fingertips and flooded across the fabric. In the time it took to blink three or four times, her ordinary work clothes had transformed into a maid uniform. Not an exact copy of the old one, though. Function had clearly been prioritized.

Where her previous outfit had been a classic, old-fashioned maid dress, this one balanced modern mobility with elegance—half well-tailored uniform, half maid attire. Simply removing the outer layer would instantly shift the impression from maid to something closer to a formal suit. Practicality went without saying, and the design itself was so polished that anyone could tell it had been crafted with care. It almost looked like cosplay, but I didn't mind. I already had a good idea of what she wanted me to see.

"You 'modified' it?"

"Yes! I still liked the previous outfit, but I thought this would be better for serving you, Master. What do you think?"

She lightly pinched the hem of her skirt and spun once, looking for all the world like a young noblewoman checking her ensemble in a mirror before a ball.

"And the functions?"

"Perfect, of course! Ordinary blades can't so much as scratch it, and it won't burn even in fire. Right now my level is still low, so all I can do is break down existing fibers, reinforce them, and recombine them. But once I research the new trait Perfect Modification, I should eventually be able to construct clothing entirely from nanomachines."

"That's more than enough."

"I'm still a long way from the level you truly desire, Master. Adapting to the changed skills will also take a lot of time and materials."

"Don't worry about that. I'll just buy whatever you need."

Money was the one thing I had in abundance. Now that there was finally a use for it, what was the point of hoarding?

"As expected of my Master."

Comet accepted the words with deep satisfaction and offered another curtsy—same as before, yet far more natural—expressing her gratitude. Being able to hold a proper conversation felt this good. I opened her status window, abandoned the idea of examining every skill in detail, and simply invested the remaining points: five into Dexterity and five into Intelligence.

Following Shiz, Comet had become another entity with two traits. I felt a little sorry for her, still adjusting, but my expectations were high—so she would just have to work hard.

Is that everything...?

Nothing else had changed in any major way. The only loose ends were the gacha tickets and Hive's new skills that I still hadn't looked over... but those could wait for tomorrow-me.

I'm so sleepy...

I was too exhausted to do anything more. The fight with Jinjo had already drained me dry, and then I had forced my brain to overheat on top of that. The drowsiness was crushing; if I lay down right now I would be out instantly. Tomorrow we had joint classes with the third-years, so if I didn't rest starting now, tomorrow would begin in the absolute pits as well.

I roughly dismissed the more eye-catching summons, half-collapsed onto Growl's back, and rode to the dormitory. Under the dorm supervisor's sharp glare I staggered into my room and face-planted the moment I crossed the threshold. My body was filthy and uncomfortable, yet the simple knowledge that I had finally reached a place where I could rest sent the tide of sleep crashing over me like a flood.

The thought At least make it to the bed had barely formed when a human-shaped silhouette burst from my shadow, scooped me up, laid me neatly on the mattress, and vanished. Hive's work, no doubt. The suddenness startled me a little, but it did nothing to chase the sleep away.

My head grew heavier; thoughts refused to form properly. Consciousness thinned, and a sensation like floating in water filled my entire body. I did not fight it. I simply accepted the feeling and closed my eyes.

Pitch-black darkness. A silent night.

As always, I dreamed of nothing.