Re:Zero: No Job, No Magic, Just a Stupid Romance System

The flames licked the letter paper, making a faint hissing sound.

  The 'Nianhua' ritual continued.

  Allen leaned back in his chair, resting his chin in his hand, smiling as he watched the letter burn.

  "So now that the childhood score is full… does that mean I can enter the juvenile tutoring phase of the system tasks? Or do I still have to wait for Rudy to go to Roa next summer like in the original plot?"

  [According to the original plot, that would be next summer. However, since you've already completed the childhood arc with full marks, you can indeed advance independently into the adolescence phase.]

  [After all, this is your own time-travel journey.]

  "So how do I trigger early entry? Will my score reset?"

  [Just like how you entered the Sylphy goodwill route. If you want to trigger it early, you need to make contact with key characters from the adolescence arc during a meaningful interaction.]

  The smoke flickered slightly. The system's handwriting paused momentarily, as if delighted.

  [Allen, this is the moment to step into adolescence ahead of time.]

  [And yes, the score will reset. Please do your best, Host. You'll need at least 60 points again to pass.]

  "Is there a full score reward again this time?"

  [Of course.]

  "What is it?"

  [Same as in childhood. Clear the arc first—reach 60 points. After that, you'll be eligible to find out. By now, after fully experiencing your childhood, you should have some understanding of the logic behind the point system.]

  Allen stared at the panel and whispered to himself.

  "The defining moment was when I resolved to save Senis and Paul."

  "All the ripples caused by my choices are the traces of my existence."

  "The rougher the waves, the deeper the imprint I leave in everyone's heart."

  "The bigger the disturbance…"

  "…the more real my life becomes."

  "The butterfly effect shouldn't be suppressed for the sake of some so-called 'future vision.' I shouldn't suppress my own emotions in favor of safe, calculated benefits."

  "Do what I want. Meet the people I want to meet. Live 'freely'—as a person."

  "That's what it means to live as the 'jobless reincarnator' named Allen."

  [Hahaha… How long have you been holding that in your heart? You understand everything, but you're just stubborn about doing it.]

  The fire reached his fingers. Allen instinctively shook the letter, and the burning parchment snapped in half and fell.

  But the flame wasn't extinguished.

  It danced, reflected in his gray pupils. Allen didn't joke with the system anymore. He simply spoke one line at a time.

  "Follow your heart. Let knowledge and action become one."

  Under his gaze, the flame split cleanly in mid-air as it fell and landed softly on the table.

  Allen stared at the growing flame on the table with a faint smile.

  The flickering firelight illuminated his face.

  "I saw it clearly. It's not just my eyes—my mindset has shifted too."

  "This… is an epiphany of the Sword God style."

  [Oh?]

  "The moment I burned the paper, my heart spoke to me."

  "A soundless blade."

  "I've reached the peak."

  [Wow… That was kinda cool.]

  "Heh. Thanks for the praise."

  [By the way—the table's on fire.]

  "…Wait—WHAT?!"

  Allen's eyes bulged. He looked down at the scorched, smoldering desk and leapt up from his chair, knocking it over with a loud thud.

  Brother Bking, thoroughly embarrassed, frantically slapped the flames with a panicked expression.

  This… might be what they call "clinging to the peak."

  Senis's concerned voice rang out from next door.

  "Allen? What's wrong?"

  "No! It's nothing!!!"

  'NOTHING?!' Allen looked down at the two blackened holes burned into the table and opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish.

  This kind of behavior wasn't because of low IQ. It was because he hadn't slept in almost 40 hours, and the constant activation of the Water God style was draining his brain.

  "Just rest already!!" his brain screamed.

  But Allen didn't rest. He'd been staring at "Future Vision," burning letters, and now, burning tables.

  He was emotionally stirred—how could he possibly be sleepy?

  But his thinking was definitely slower than usual.

  [It's understandable to screw up now and then. Just don't overdo it.]

  Allen remained speechless, staring at the charred pits on the desk.

  "I'll apologize tomorrow…"

  "Senis will probably forgive me."

  "…But I'll need a decent excuse."

  "At least the fire didn't spread to the handmade Luo Qixi figure nearby."

  Thinking of this, he turned to look at it—and froze.

  The figure of 'Luo Qixi' stood there, wand raised, casting magic with a stern expression.

  Yeah. Cool-looking, sure.

  But it didn't feel like the real Luo Qixi.

  This expression was way too serious.

  In Allen's memory, the real Luo Qixi wasn't like that.

  Rudy had crafted the figure with such perfection that it could be sold professionally… but wouldn't it be better if it showed a flustered, awkward expression instead?

  Like the little wooden doll he once carved?

  Allen blinked, staring at the figure of Luo Qixi.

  "Follow what you want, unify knowledge and action… this is the right path, right?"

  [Yes. What's on your mind?]

  A smile slowly curled on Allen's lips.

  "System."

  "Activate location search."

  "Target—Luo Qixi."

  For a brief moment, the system seemed surprised—almost as if it hadn't expected that request.

  Then, the system's smoke flickered excitedly in the air, as though it were celebrating.

  A massive world map unfolded before him, suspended in the air.

  It was the map of the novel's world.

  Allen's gaze shifted—and without needing to search—his eyes locked on the southeastern part of the central continent.

  The "Kingdom of Silon."

  There, a black dot pulsed softly—expanding and contracting like a beating heart, sending out ripple after ripple.

  He focused on it, and the map zoomed in—until the outlines of palaces and pavilions could be seen.

  Allen rested his chin on his hand and smiled faintly at the glowing point in the Kingdom of Silon.

  He still couldn't see Luo Qixi.

  But just seeing her location brought comfort.

  The location retrieval had already been used—it was on a one-week cooldown.

  A shame.

  Even if he knew what he wanted, he couldn't go rushing to Luo Qixi now.

  After all, the jobless journey still had to be completed, and 60 points couldn't be skipped.

  "Unity of knowledge and action" may be his ideal…

  But it doesn't mean doing whatever he wants without consequence.

  Still, he grumbled internally.

  Why were system mechanics so restricting?

  Before time-traveling, these kinds of "rules" in web novels seemed dumb.

  But now that it was his turn…

  It wasn't so funny anymore.

  Maybe that's what time travel really is.

  As Allen continued mulling over nonsense, his eyes froze suddenly.

  Underneath the glowing dot on the map, a new system message appeared.

[Would you like to observe target? Observation time: 10 seconds.]

  Allen's eyes widened. His throat suddenly felt dry.

  "System."

  [Speak.]

  "…What does it mean to 'observe'?"

  [Location and retrieval ability: Clairvoyance-mode panel display.]

  [What do you think 'gaze' means, Allen?]