On the third day after the celebration ended, heavy clouds pressed low over the estate.

Marco's mood remained untouched.

The tall youth left the dormitory humming, his stride light as he made his way toward the smithy.

When he passed an open yard, he noticed a group of youths following a thin man through a recitation lesson.

His gaze wandered over them. The moment he spotted the handsome youth struggling over the text, his mouth curled.

"That mercenary Sam took the money and failed to do the job, but I still got what I wanted..."

The memory of Roland's embarrassment that day, unable to recognize more than half the words on the strip, drew a quiet laugh from him.

"Father spent good money on teachers for me when I was young. After I came of age, he even had me sit beside him and study all kinds of business contracts."

Marco brushed a finger over the fine buckle at his waist, pleased with himself.

"Even then, it took me years to learn enough words to barely pass Master Hawk's knowledge test."

"And he thinks that unknown 'beggar' can teach him enough to pass in a month? What a joke."

With that thought, Marco straightened his collar and continued toward the smithy, steps even lighter than before.

Roland, the target of Marco's private mockery, was listening to Bronson with complete attention.

The branch in his hand moved with the rhythm of the lesson, sketching letters again and again in the dirt.

Bronson noticed the concentration and eased his voice.

Unlike the other youths, who treated the lessons as something to endure, Roland had paid attention in every class for the past three days. Afterward, he always chased Bronson down with more questions.

"Even in the Tower, students this diligent have become rare..."

Bronson gave a small cough and spoke gently.

"Roland, come forward and read this passage."

"Yes, Mr. Bronson."

Roland set down the branch, stepped up, accepted the strip, and began to read.

"During the, uh... period, the knight followed... uh... to campaign against... dragon, and afterward... uh..."

The halting recitation had barely ended before laughter broke across the yard.

"Everyone, please quiet down."

Bronson tried to stop them, but the youths paid him no mind. Their whispers turned sharper, full of open mockery.

"He can't even read a knight novel properly, and he still wants to become a Blacksmith Apprentice?"

"I heard he's a country boy. Knowing a few words is already impressive for him..."

They had resented Roland for some time because of Hawk's special treatment.

Now that they finally had an opening, none of them intended to let it pass.

"Quiet! I said... quiet!"

Bronson raised his voice, attempting to restore order, but the snickering kept spreading.

The more mischievous youths traded sly looks. None of them took this "beggar" teacher seriously.

Bronson rubbed his fingers together, embarrassed, and sent Roland an apologetic look.

To his surprise, Roland did not flare up or shrink back under the laughter.

He simply continued, his tone rough but steady, reading one word at a time until he reached the end.

"Mr. Bronson, I have finished."

Roland bent slightly in salute and returned the strip.

"Very... very good..."

Seeing Roland's calm face, Bronson released the breath he had been holding and patted him lightly on the shoulder.

"Keep going."

His tone grew warmer.

"Your progress has already surpassed everyone else's."

"Thank you, Mr. Bronson."

Bronson watched the youth return to his place and sighed.

He had meant what he said. Compared with the other youths, Roland was learning to read at an impressive pace.

"But his foundation is far too weak. Passing Mr. Hawk's knowledge test will be difficult..."

"I do need an assistant. Perhaps..."

Then he thought of the meager funding Baron Forsling provided, and the idea died there. In the end, Bronson only shook his head with a helpless sigh.

Once Roland returned to his seat, he immediately sank back into the same routine.

He listened to Bronson's explanation while using the branch to scratch lines into the ground.

After an unknown stretch of time, a clear chime rang out.

Roland's calm pupils contracted.

[You have learned General Knowledge. Current level: Lv.1]

[Upon inspection, you qualify for the base occupation: Scholar]

[Requirements: Spirit 0.8, Lv.1 General Knowledge]

[Proceed with job change?]

"Learning words can trigger a skill too?"

Joy sparked in Roland's chest as he looked at the golden text before him.

Until now, every skill he had awakened had come from something he could do with his hands: pulling bellows, practicing Basic Swordsmanship, and the like.

Yet reading, something so abstract and knowledge-based, could also activate a skill. That changed his understanding of the occupation panel.

After a short moment of surprise, Roland answered silently.

"Change occupation to Scholar."

[Job change successful. Current occupation: Scholar]

[Attribute bonus gained: Spirit +0.5]

[Trait gained: Focus]

[Focus: When activated, enters a state of heightened mental concentration. Duration depends on Spirit attribute value]

"It's an active trait!"

Roland's eyebrows lifted as he studied the golden text.

He had expected a base occupation like Scholar to grant a passive enhancement, the way Blacksmith Apprentice and Recruit had.

He had even guessed what the effect would be. Something along the lines of "significantly improves learning efficiency."

But [Focus] was nothing like what he had imagined.

"Heightened mental concentration..."

Roland repeated the description to himself and activated [Focus] without hesitation.

In an instant, the conversations around him receded into a blur. Bronson's hoarse explanation also grew distant, muffled behind a thick pane of glass.

The world quieted.

Roland looked down and rubbed the strip between his fingers. The texture stood out with startling clarity. He could even tell how deeply different parts of the material had taken the ink.

The crooked, hard-to-recognize letters separated before his eyes into distinct strokes and structures.

Then they came alive, pouring into his mind.

[You have successfully performed General Knowledge study. Experience +1]

[You have successfully performed General Knowledge study...]

[You have successfully performed...]

After a length of time he could no longer judge, a thin hand settled on his shoulder.

Roland surfaced from that indescribable state.

Before he could lift his head to see who had come, needle-thin pain stabbed through his mind.