"Finally!"
Harry and Max stepped inside, their bodies heavy with exhaustion. Tim had already parted ways with them earlier, much to his dismay, his room being located farther away.
Without exchanging a word, the two collapsed onto their respective beds, sinking into the not so soft mattress as the fatigue of the day washed over them.
"Today was fun, wasn't it?" Harry let out a chuckle, staring at the ceiling with a lazy grin.
Max, lying on his back, let out a quiet hum. "...I learned a lot."
Harry turned his head slightly, smirking. "Right? The best way to learn is to observe others. So my advice worked, huh?"
"Hmm…" Max responded noncommittally, but there was a hint of acknowledgment in his tone.
Harry stretched, placing his arms behind his head. "Since you're no different from a baby, I taught you how to learn like one. Aren't I a genius?"
A faint smile tugged at Max's lips, barely noticeable in the dim lighting.
Harry caught the small expression and, for once, decided to let him rest. His protagonist friend had a tough day today, after all.
So, he fell silent.
But sleep didn't come to him right away. His mind, as always, refused to settle.
'…I am alive.'
That simple thought echoed in his head, stirring something deep inside.
Slowly, he began replaying the day's events, going over every little moment, every decision, every action. His survival, discoveries, awakening, and etc.
By now, he had thoroughly checked his status, analyzed his new abilities, and formed a rough idea of his potential.
"Heh…" A quiet chuckle slipped from his lips.
Nobody had paid too much attention to the fact that both he and Max had awakened their Essences. Perhaps they had deemed them useless.
The Fool and The Traveler.
If that wasn't the definition of "trash Essences," then what was?
Harry could already imagine the dismissive looks, the whispered judgments.
'But they're the real fools.'
The thought made his grin widen.
He had a hunch—a growing certainty—about why he had awakened The Fool. He was beginning to understand himself better, why this was his Essence.
And as for Max… The Traveler.
Harry didn't know the full extent of its meaning yet, but he had a vague idea. Something told him that, in time, it would all become clear.
'I'll confirm it... soon.'
His thoughts shifted, drifting toward their lunch conversation with Tess. Unfortunately, they hadn't seen her since then.
Harry had wanted to ask about the current objective. He had been unconscious when the first one ended and the next began. The fact that no one had mentioned it throughout the day likely meant everyone had been asleep when it started.
'Guess she didn't sleep.'
He recalled their morning encounter, piecing together the subtle signs. Now that he thought about it, she had the telltale signs of someone suffering from sleep deprivation.
Though she was skilled at hiding it, it hadn't escaped his notice.
"Hah."
A sigh escaped him.
'It's good she's a good person.'
A strange glint passed through Harry's eyes.
His fingers twitched slightly before he raised his hand, opening his status screen with a thought.
The translucent panel materialized before him, its golden letters faintly glowing in the dim room.
His gaze moved immediately to new updates.
Harry's lips curled upward the moment he saw Banana Peel Fate.
A quiet chuckle slipped from him, which soon turned into a barely restrained snicker.
Even without opening the description, the name alone was absurd.
With a thought, he expanded the skill window.
______ ___ _
[Skill: Banana Peel Fate]
Type: Active / Passive (?)
Rank: ???
Description: 'At critical moments, the user may call upon the sacred force of the banana peel to shift fate itself. The results are… unpredictable. Effects may range from minor inconveniences to absolute disasters. Cannot be directly controlled. Good luck.'
Note: "Slip and fall, but maybe you'll fly instead?"
_____ ___ _
"...Pffft—"
Harry had to physically bite his lip to suppress a laugh.
This was ridiculous.
He was half expecting some joke Essence to come with an equally useless skill, but this? This had the potential to be both a weapon and a catastrophe.
His eyes narrowed as he recalled something.
"The ten bananas…" he murmured.
The reward from the first objective.
His amusement briefly faded as he tapped his fingers against his bed.
He has been pondering how he could use this skill or whether were there even bananas in this world before that.
But he had only ten right now, which meant… he had to be resourceful.
"…Banana peels, huh," he muttered again.
A low chuckle escaped him.
Deciding to check further, his gaze moved toward his achievement which he didn't remember when he achieved it.
____
[The Face of Incompetent Heroism]
Description: 'Awarded to those who, despite overwhelming evidence of their incompetence, somehow survive or succeed in so-called 'heroic' situations. Causes mild admiration, severe frustration, and occasional disbelief in those around you.'
Effect: Luck +1
Note: People are more likely to underestimate you. You are more likely to succeed in dumb plans.
_____ __
"...Pfft—Bwahahaha!"
This time, Harry couldn't hold it in. He buried his face in his pillow, shoulders shaking as he laughed.
"Severe frustration…? Dumb plans…? This thing is mocking me!"
Still, his Luck stat increased.
Even if it was by some stupid title, he wasn't about to complain.
Finally, his eyes landed on his Personal Fragment.
His laughter died down as he tapped on it.
The description appeared before him.
____ __ _
[Personal Fragment: Fool's Logic]
Type: Passive (?)
Rank: ???
Description: 'The world bends ever so slightly in favor of the Fool. Actions that "shouldn't work" sometimes… just do. Reasonable people may experience mental distress when attempting to comprehend your actions. Reality is 99% logic and 1% nonsense. You thrive in that 1%.'
When activated, this fragment twists fate at random—bestowing unexpected boons one moment and unpredictable setbacks the next. It's as if the universe winks at you, offering help or a playful shove, all in equal measure.
Note: "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread… and sometimes, they survive."
____ __ _
Harry stared at the screen.
A long silence stretched in the room.
Then—
"...I love this Essence."
A sharp grin spread across his face.
His Essence wasn't just some joke.
It was a paradox.
A contradiction.
A glitch in the system.
And the best part?
Nobody knew it or could understand it, yet.
With an amused hum, he dismissed his status screen and closed his eyes.
He couldn't wait to test this out.
And with that thought, sleep finally claimed him.
Or so he thought.
Knock-! Knock-!