Melia stared at Ackster silently after he answered her question. He began to get worried. Ackster didn't know if there was some secret test or question that he had failed or was about to fail.
Although he knew a lot about the world and the original story, Ackster didn't know about things that the story hadn't mentioned. And since The Hero didn't join the Adventurer's Guild the same way Ackster did, he didn't know if there was something else that he should do, something that anyone with a lick of common sense would know.
"Huhu, the basics, huh? That's great. That means I don't have to tell you anything."
But contrary to his expectations, Melia was satisfied with the answer and giggled as she gave up her intense stare.
"Well, then, young adventurer, here is your Nominus Card, or Nomi, for short. Since you know the basics, do you know how to get it started? Wait, is the information about the Nomi covered in what you know…."
"I'm Mas."
"Mas, do you know what a Nomi is?"
"Somewhat."
Ackster shrugged. The Nomi was something the original story had brought up in quite a lot of detail since it was important for The Hero and basically every other being in Millmeria. There was also an arc centered around the Nomi cards.
However, the problem wasn't whether Ackster knew about the Nomi or not. It was whether he might know too much. So, in order not to inadvertently reveal something suspicious about himself, he gave a non-committal answer.
"Okay… I'll give you a short rundown, just in case."
"Alright."
"A Nomi is a magical item, a tool that tracks and records your growth. It's a revolutionary item that has been preserved and kept safe through several Calamital Cycles, which is proof of its extraordinary value and usefulness. It's difficult to only use a few words to describe the Nomi's capability. But, basically, it helps you find the greatest way to become stronger. The quickest way to understand is to experience it for yourself."
Melia held out the Nomi, the card that looked like it was made of wood but, at the same time, was not. She also held out a knife.
"Here. Just prick your finger and put it against the card, and you will understand what the card is capable of."
Ackster grabbed the knife and the Nomi. He was worried that Gerrick and Melia would notice how quickly his finger would recover since it might give them a hint of his true identity. But obviously couldn't hesitate here since he had to get his hands on the Nomi.
So, he pricked his finger and, before it could heal, put it against the card.
Ackster felt a sting that left his finger all tingly. The card shimmered with a faint blue light before returning to its original state and color, at least to Gerrick's and Melia's eyes.
Acskter saw something else fade into existence on the card. At first, it only looked like unintelligible scribbles that a child might draw when they're bored. But the scribbling shifted around and took shape, eventually forming several rows of words that, despite the card's size, Ackster had no trouble reading.
[Name: –]
[Profession: (Adventurer)]
[Stats:
[Strength: F]
[Agility: G]
[Fortitude: F]
[Mana: –]
[Spirit: G]
[Skills:
[Strong Body]
[Pain Tolerance – F]
[Poison Resistance – F]
[Keen Senses – G]
Ackster saw his status when categorized into the standards of Millmeria. He looked at the card for several minutes and was surprised by three things, the lack of a name, the additional brackets around his profession, and the number of skills. He was also a little uncertain about his stats, at least the fifth one. But he couldn't tell for sure whether it was an oddity or not since his main source of reference, The Hero, had more kinds of stats.
"Well? Do you understand what a Nominus Card is now, Mas? It's pretty self-explanatory, right?"
Melia rested her weight on the desk as she looked at Ackster with shiny eyes.
"Uh, yeah. I think so. Um…."
Ackster hesitated since he wasn't sure whether he was supposed to ask anyone about what he wondered or if he should figure it out on his own. But he quickly realized that he would have to figure out the name part, at least since the Nomi would be his main identification in the future.
"Go on."
Melia urged him to continue.
"Would it be alright to ask you about a couple of things, or should I keep this stuff secret?"
Melia tilted her head cutely.
"Hmm, most of the things should be pretty straightforward. And while I work for the Guild and am supposed to help you with any questions you might have, it's still recommended to keep the information secret. After all, someone with your information will have no trouble pinpointing your weaknesses."
"It's about my name…."
"Oh, in that case, it's fine! Ask away!"
"I don't have one."
Melia tilted her head in response to Ackster's statement.
"What do you mean? Wasn't it Mas?"
"Ah, yeah. My name is Mas, but it doesn't show up on the Nomi. It's blank."
Melia nodded in realization.
"Ah, that happens sometimes. It's basically because the Nomi reads you, the entirety of your being. So, unless the name is truly a part of your identity, like to your core, it doesn't always pick it up."
"I see… How do I fix it?"
Melia rubbed her chin as she answered.
"If you think hard about your name while clutching the Nomi, it should show up sooner or later. Even if it doesn't, the Nomi is still accepted as a confirmation of your identity. The lack of a name might give you some trouble when you try to enter cities or something, but it's not like it's forbidden or anything. You could let your profession show instead until you fix it. That's a little easier to do. You just think about displaying your profession while holding the card."
Ackster nodded.
"About that…."
"What?"
"I'll just show you."
Ackster gripped the Nomi tightly and focused on displaying his profession. And before long, the word '(Adventurer)' was visible to Gerrick and Melia.
"Uhuh."