Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Chapter 8: It can't be helped

"Don't feel too bad, she only just found out too." Eva offered with a nervous smile, hoping to ease the tension that hung in the air.

Jett's unease only deepened at his mother's admission. "That doesn't make it any better. If anything, that's even worse." he replied, his tone laced with uncertainty. "When is she coming?" he asked, trying to push aside his apprehension.

"She's already here." Eva revealed, her smile widening with anticipation.

Jett's eyes widened in surprise at the news. "She's already here?" he repeated, caught off guard by the sudden revelation. "I better go see her."

But before he could make a move to leave, his mother intercepted him with a firm hand. "You're not going out there dressed like that young man." she admonished, her gaze sweeping over Jett's disheveled appearance.

"I'll clean up once I see her." Jett protested, still yawning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Eva's expression softened, but her resolve remained unyielding. "And I'll rain lightning on you before that ever happens." she retorted, her smile belying the seriousness of her threat.

Jett chuckled nervously, realizing the futility of arguing with his mother. "C'mon Mom, I was joking. There's no need to threaten your own son like that." he quipped, his laughter tinged with a hint of apprehension. 'She's really scary.' he thought to himself as he hastily made his way to the bath.

Meanwhile, Eva couldn't help but reminisce as she watched her son hurry off. "Six years already? They grow up so fast." she murmured, a trace of sadness coloring her words as she contemplated the passage of time.

Jett emerged from his room, now dressed in the new clothes specially tailored for the occasion. The fabric was pristine, and the cut of the garments bespoke elegance and refinement. It was clear that no expense had been spared for this special day.

The awakening day held great significance in this world. On one's 6th birthday, children were considered to have come of age, and they would undergo an appraisal at the church to determine their class, regardless of their social status. This appraisal would often shape their future and influence their path in life.

For Jett, who had just turned six, this day marked a pivotal moment. As the potential heir of House Grift, his class appraisal carried even greater weight and importance. It was time to discover what destiny had in store for him, a realization that dawned upon him as he reflected on the events of the morning.

Jett finally made his way down to the dining room, where his father and mother awaited him. As he scanned the room, he couldn't spot the guest he was expecting. "Mother? Where is sh..." Before he could finish his sentence, he felt someone pounce on him from behind.

Instincts honed from secret training and perhaps a gamer's intuition kicked in, allowing him to react swiftly and dodge just in time. As he turned around, he saw the surprised expressions on everyone's faces and realized he may have revealed a bit much. 'Gosh.' he thought to himself.

"Oh? My little brother must really be swift." a female voice sounded from behind him. "Is that your doing, father?"

"Little brother? Could she be...?" Jett, still on guard, was shocked to discover that the newcomer had managed to approach him unnoticed. Before he could react, she enveloped him in a monstrous hug, lifting him off his feet and leaving him gasping for air. "Ack..."

"Ahhh... Mercy," Jett managed to blurt out, feeling like he was being squeezed to death. "Save me."

"That's enough, Neri. You can put your brother down now." Eva sighed. "I swear you act more and more like your father every day." She shot a disapproving look at Jerry.

"Sorry about that, little bro. I just got super excited. Hope I didn't hurt you." Neri apologized with a smile.

Finally released from the bear hug, Jett got a good look at her face and was speechless. "Sis?"

"Yep, that's me." she confirmed.

"Ember? Is it really you?" Jett felt a surge of emotion welling up inside him.

"Who's Ember?" Neri asked, curious.

"Oh, nothing," Jett replied quickly, trying to regain his composure.

In his past life, Jett also had an older sister named Ember, someone he cherished more than anyone else. They did everything together and were as close as siblings could be. Both avid gamers, they bonded over their shared love for the MMORPG: WAR BOUND. Throughout the game, no one came close to their duo in ranking or stats. They were the best, even though Jett couldn't surpass Ember. However, tragedy struck when they were invited to a competition on a cruise.

Ethan got lost, and Ember went to find him. While searching, she found herself outside and accidentally fell into the water. Ethan, frantic to find her, asked security for help. One of the guards caught a glimpse of Ember falling into the water, but Ethan was stopped from rushing in because it was too dangerous. Despite extensive search efforts, it took two days to find Ember's body on a nearby island. Since then, Ethan became a hollow recluse, shunning interaction with others and avoiding going outside. The only solace he found was in memories of his sister and the stories they both loved.

Now, as he looked at Nerissa, who had the exact face as his late sister, Ethan couldn't help but wonder if this was fate. "Is this fate?" he thought to himself, gazing at her.

"Alright, Jett, this is Nerissa Grift, your older sister," Eva introduced her.

As Jett looked at Nerissa, memories of his beloved sister Ember flooded his mind. The pain of losing her was still fresh, even in this new life as Jett Grift. He couldn't help but wonder if this meeting with Nerissa was some twist of fate.

"Alright, Jett, this is Nerissa Grift. Your older sister," Eva introduced her, unaware of the emotions swirling within Jett.

Jett forced a smile, trying to hide the turmoil inside him. "Nice to meet you, Nerissa," he greeted her politely, though his heart felt heavy with the weight of memories.

Jett could feel himself on the verge of tears, but he managed to hold them back. "So, where have you been all this time?" he asked Nerissa.

"In the capital. Apparently, I became a student there the year they gave birth to you," Nerissa replied, casting a disappointed glance at their parents.

"Isn't that supposed to only last three years? What about the remaining three years?" Jett inquired further.

"I joined the Adventurer's Guild and started taking up missions, and now I'm a C-rank adventurer. Isn't that cool?" Nerissa attempted to change the subject.

"Hmm," Jett gave her a skeptical look. "So, haven't you tried to visit? You do have a family here, after all," he pressed.

"Well, the thing is, the academy..." Nerissa began, but Jett cut her off.

"Has breaks when students can do whatever they want," he finished for her. "You just didn't want to come back to boring Lagia where people are scarce and nothing interesting ever happens."

'This kid is a handful. He's figured that out already?' Nerissa thought to herself.

"If you give me an extra present for my birthday, I'll forgive you," Jett teased.

"Huh?" Nerissa was caught off guard.

"C'mon, Jett, stop toying with your sister, or she'll actually think you're serious," Jerry intervened to save Nerissa.

"No fair. She gets to attack me, but I'm not allowed to tease her?" Jett pouted.

As they entered the carriage headed to the church, Jett couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something important. It nagged at him throughout the journey until he finally decided to voice his concern to his father.

"Umm, father," Jett began tentatively. "What level will the priest be at?"

"Somewhere around 103 to 105," Jerry replied casually. "Lagia may not be that big, but we're still a town worth investing in, especially with our current unexpected growth and prosperity."

Jett's heart sank. "Crap," he thought. "If he appraises me, I won't be able to hide my true state from him. The level difference is too high."

Despite Jett's unease, they arrived at the church, where a man dressed in white robes greeted them.

"I welcome you to the presence of God," the priest began.

"Thank you. Where's the head priest? We don't have all day," Jerry interjected, his impatience evident.

"I'm sorry, but the head priests from different territories are all gathered at the capital," the priest explained.

"The capital? For what purpose?" Jerry inquired.

"I presume you haven't been informed," the priest continued. "But the crown prince and princess are having their awakening ceremony today."

"Oh, right. I did get an invitation but decided not to attend. But is that enough to make a head priest leave his post?" Jerry pondered, noticing his wife's disappointed expression and Jett's cheerful reaction.

"Of course not. But the Priestess of Light will also be having her awakening ceremony today at the capital. I'm sorry, but I will have to do the appraisal for young Master Jett."

"Ahh, I see. Well, that makes sense," Jerry conceded, turning to see two disappointed faces and one cheerful one. "Nothing we can do about it, Jett. You just got unlucky."