First Skill

“Mister Otosaka,” the hotel clerk said as I walked toward the desk, “back so soon?”

I eyed the clerk. He was a tall man, neatly dressed in a tie and coat, no fantastical features evident. On his face was a neatly trimmed beard which framed a friendly expression.

“So soon?” I asked, pretty sure I had never been in the hotel before.

“You just left,” he said with a patient smile, “and had said that you were going to visit the Sisters of Indiscretion.”

“I’m not sure…” I began.

“It’s the strip club on the next corner,” the man said quietly, leaning in so as to not be overheard, “out the door on to the left.”

“Uh, thanks,” I said, “and I have a room?”

“Eleven-O-three,” his smiling face said, “left breast pocket.”

I reached inside my jacket and found a white key card with the hotel’s name on it. So the voices had not only sent me to a new world, they’d set me up with a life, too.

“Right, of course,” I said, not wanting to sound like I’d lost my mind, “I’ll head over there in a few minutes.”

I needed a second to get my bearings. So I was in a new world, an existing life had been set up for me, and I was heading to a strip club? The whole thing made me feel dizzy. Luckily, the lobby held a few sofas scattered around the room. I crossed to the nearest empty one and planted myself.

It would be okay. Yes, it was a bit scary to not know exactly where I was or what the rules were, but I was a reasonably intelligent man, and I could figure it out. Hadn’t the first voice said something about gaining skills? I’d probably pick up a few of those, whatever they were, and then things would start to make more sense.

On a couch nearby a woman with pale green skin and leafy hair was staring into a compact mirror touching up her makeup. My eyes were drawn to her, not just because of her otherworldly allure, but also because her movements were so smooth, almost hypnotic. Each stroke of her hand enhanced her natural beauty, causing her to look far more attractive than a supermodel back in my old world. I felt myself drawn in, deeper and deeper, unable to look away, until suddenly the world froze and words started appearing before my eyes.

SKILL GAINED - EFFORTLESS ELEGANCE

Subject has gained the skill of magically enhanced makeup. The least amount of effort will bring out the most amount of beauty.

What?! Makeup?! Why would that be a skill that I would need?? I could feel my heart racing, then more words appeared.

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED - FIRST SKILL

50 SKILL POINTS REWARDED

I didn’t know what skill points were, and in that moment I didn’t care. All I knew was that I had just gained a completely unwanted skill. Even thinking about makeup flooded my mind with looks, techniques, and products that I had no business knowing. I wasn’t just familiar with makeup, I was an expert. A master. A guru.

The words vanished and time began to flow again. I quickly looked away from the green woman, not wanting to learn any more of her skills accidentally. This world was more complicated than I had thought, and until I figured it out, I needed to get control of what I was putting into my head.

That didn’t mean that I could just sit in the lobby, though. If I stayed there, who knows what I’d pick up. No, I had to be decisive. I stood up and decided to…