Ren, the guy in the expensive athletic jacket, went first.
When the High Priest brought the translucent crystal close to his chest, the entire temple seemed to hold its breath.
The stone pulsed with a violent golden light, projecting runic letters into the air that even Shiro could understand, thanks to the automatic translation that seemed to hammer directly into his mind.
[Class Detected: Sword Saint — S-Rank]
The nobles in the upper galleries erupted into murmurs and applause.
King Lucien flashed a wide smile from the throne.
Ren puffed out his chest, glancing sideways at the others as if he'd just won the lottery.
Next came the girl in the school uniform.
Aoi activated a brilliant blue light.
[Class Detected: Divine Archmage — S-Rank]
The third young man, Riku, received the Dawn Paladin class, also S-Rank.
It was a perfect combination.
Three S-Rank prodigies, ready to be shaped by the kingdom into weapons of war.
And then, the Priest stopped in front of Shiro.
Shiro took a step backward, uncomfortable.
He was still wearing the green uniform from the convenience store, stained with gray dust and carrying the horrible smell of burnt plastic.
Compared to the other three, who looked like they had stepped straight out of a TV commercial, he looked like an uninvited guest who had crashed the party.
"Stand still, young man," the Priest ordered, his voice lacking even a trace of the patience he'd shown the others.
The crystal was positioned just inches from Shiro's chest.
For three long seconds, nothing happened.
Silence once again filled the cathedral.
But this time, it was an uncomfortable silence.
The crystal began to vibrate erratically.
The crimson light from before flickered, weakened, and transformed into a dull gray color that looked almost dead.
Crack.
A thin fracture split across the center of the magical crystal.
[ERROR: Soul Reading Failure.]
[Class: Unidentified.]
[Potential: Null.]
The floating runes distorted in the air for a second before evaporating like smoke.
"What does this mean?"
King Lucien rose from his throne, his voice echoing coldly through the stone walls.
"Priest?"
"Your Majesty... I... I've never seen anything like this before."
The old man stammered as he pulled the cracked crystal away, as though Shiro were contagious.
"His soul... the World System cannot categorize it. It's as if he doesn't belong in its calculations. He has no class. No usable mana."
The Priest stared at Shiro.
"He's an empty shell."
Empty shell, my ass.
Shiro's knuckles turned white with rage.
He had worked twelve hours straight in Japan, been kidnapped through a magical portal, and now some old guy in a robe was casually calling him trash to his face.
Ren let out a quiet snicker beside him.
Aoi looked away, pretending Shiro didn't exist.
The favoritism of this world was pathetic.
"If he has no class, he can't fight on the front lines."
Prince Leon spoke from the top of the staircase, crossing his arms with disdain.
"He's dead weight. Wasting the royal treasury's resources on a powerless mutant would be foolish."
"Lucien, wait."
Queen Elena intervened, urgently touching the king's arm.
"Look at his condition. We brought him here. We can't simply throw him away like a broken object."
She looked toward Shiro.
"He's a human being."
King Lucien stared at Shiro for several long seconds.
There was no hatred in the monarch's eyes.
Only political indifference.
And somehow, that hurt even more.
"Elena, we are at war with a real threat advancing upon us. Every gold coin and every ounce of food matters."
The King delivered his verdict before sitting back down.
"We will send the boy to Erenfall. With a reasonable amount of supplies and a trusted escort, he will be kept away from danger."
He paused.
"It is the fairest measure we can take."
Then he gave the final order.
"Prepare the discard carriage."
---
The sun was already disappearing beyond the horizon when the wheels of the military carriage finally stopped turning.
Marcus Veyne jumped down from the driver's seat and tossed a heavy canvas bag onto the grass.
It landed with a dull thud.
"All right, kid. Everything's in here."
Marcus wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"A standard short sword, a week's worth of travel rations, water, and three basic potions."
He pointed toward the bag.
"It's a dimensional bag, so it won't weigh anything on your back."
Shiro climbed down from the carriage and stared at the colossal trees that marked the border of the Veyr Forest.
The night wind carried a cold whistle through the trees, raising goosebumps along his arms.
He swallowed hard.
"You're... actually leaving me here alone?"
Shiro looked at the two soldiers.
"Out in the middle of nowhere?"
His voice came out harsher than he intended.
"I was a fucking convenience store clerk in Japan. I don't know how to use a sword."
Daren Holt, the other knight, adjusted his armor with an expression of visible discomfort.
"Look, Shiro... we're just following orders."
He sighed.
"If it were up to us, you'd be staying in an inn in the capital. But the royal council has made its decision."
Daren glanced toward the darkening forest.
"If you want some advice from someone who's survived on the frontier, build a shelter before it gets completely dark. Start a fire, and don't wander too far from this spot."
He paused.
"With some luck, a patrol from Erenfall will pass through this route within the next few days."
"Enough talking, Daren."
Marcus interrupted as he climbed back onto the carriage and took hold of the reins.
"We need to turn around before night falls completely."
Marcus looked at Shiro one last time, snapping the reins against the horses.
"Take care of yourself, kid."
He gave him a grim look.
"You're going to need it."
The carriage set off, leaving behind a trail of dust and the fading sound of horse hooves against the dirt road.
Shiro stood completely still, watching the silhouette of the carriage disappear around the bend.
The silence of the forest fell over him like a coffin.
The cold began biting through the thin fabric of his convenience-store uniform.
He was alone.
No class.
No friends.
No heroic legacy.
Abandoned to die on his very first day.
A bitter laugh escaped his throat.
"Fuck this kingdom."
He kicked the dimensional bag.
"Fuck all of them."
The shadows of the colossal trees stretched farther across the empty road as darkness swallowed the forest.
Shiro took a deep breath.
He grabbed the handle of the bag.
Then he took his first step toward the dark undergrowth.
If he wanted to see the sunrise the next day...
He would have to rely on himself.