My Gift Is “Beauty”. I Think It’s Useless, but It Seems to Be an S-Rank Gift With the Strongest Buff Effect for Beautiful Girls - Chapter 1: Gift "Beauty"

Chapter 1: Gift “Beauty”

It has already been thirty years since dungeons appeared in the world and humans began to possess special abilities called “Gifts.” With the emergence of adventurers as a profession, people now defeat the monsters that inhabit dungeons and seek the treasures within.

On this day, Hiroyo Takanashi, a first-year high school student, visited the Adventurers’ Guild in the autumn season when the air still carried a hint of warmth.

Upon turning sixteen, one becomes eligible to learn their Gift from a guild official who possesses the “Appraisal” Gift.

Today, Hiroyo stepped into the Adventurers’ Guild to discover what Gift he had been granted.

“—Hiroyo Takanashi, your Gift is ‘Beauty.'”

“…Huh?”

Hiroyo had been given the “Beauty” Gift, which was completely useless in combat.

The one who performed the appraisal was a female guild official named Saori Fuyutsuki.

She appeared to be in her early twenties, with long brown hair tied back with a floral barrette. Although she was slightly shorter than Hiroyo, who stood at 170 cm, she was still quite tall for a woman. The way her ample chest strained against her suit was quite the sight.

“Please rest assured. This information will not be shared within the guild. I am bound by confidentiality, and if I were to disclose it without your permission, I would be punished or even arrested as a criminal.”

“O-oh, I see…”

Fuyutsuki explained calmly, but Hiroyo looked pale. It was only natural. He had aspired to be an adventurer, yet he had received a Gift that had no combat potential whatsoever.

To enter a dungeon, one must have the appropriate qualifications. Even a weak combat-related Gift, such as “Water Gun,” “Slip,” or “Cat Punch,” would suffice. As long as the guild recognized it, a person would be granted permission to enter.

“According to the guild’s regulations, your Gift does not qualify you to become an adventurer, Takanashi-san. …I’m sorry.”

“I see…”

“However—this is a very valuable skill.”

Hiroyo lowered his head in disappointment, but upon seeing this, Fuyutsuki suddenly changed her tone.

Unlike her previous composed demeanor, she now fidgeted slightly. Despite her professional appearance, her behavior seemed oddly out of character.

“There has never been a case of someone receiving the ‘Beauty’ Gift before. You may not be able to become an adventurer, but there will surely be people who seek you out—like me.”

“Huh—?”

Hiroyo lifted his head at Fuyutsuki’s words. When he looked at her, she was smiling gently.

“I’m not supposed to make personal requests, but… It doesn’t have to be now. One day, when you’ve regained your spirits, could you use your Gift’s skill on me?”

That request was likely against guild regulations.

However, Fuyutsuki seemed unable to suppress her desire and had chosen to voice her feelings to Hiroyo.

“At first, I thought you were a strict person, but you’re surprisingly honest about your desires, aren’t you?”

“Of course. —Girls love ‘Beauty.’ In fact, for us girls, it’s probably an S-rank Gift with the strongest buff effect.”

There was no official ranking system for Gifts, but Fuyutsuki expressed just how valuable it was in her own way.

“Hearing that makes me feel a little better…”

Even so, at that moment, Hiroyo had not the slightest intention of using his Gift on Fuyutsuki. The shock of being unable to become an adventurer was too overwhelming.

And he had already decided—he would never tell anyone what Gift he had received.

He wouldn’t be able to face his friends, with whom he had chatted so casually just yesterday. But even if he couldn’t be an adventurer, he could still live a normal life.

“Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!”

As soon as he stepped out of the guild, Hiroyo screamed into the open air.

“What the hell am I supposed to do now…?!”

Realizing that his dream of becoming an adventurer was crushed, his future seemed shrouded in darkness.

Because he had held such high expectations, the disappointment was even greater.

With slumped shoulders, he had no choice but to go home.

◇◇◇

“Hey, Hiroyo, what was your Gift?”

The next day, at school, Hiroyo was approached by his friend sitting in front of him—Yamato Kuzuhara.

“Haha, it was a disappointing result.”

“…I see. Well, cheer up! My Gift wasn’t combat-oriented either!”

Yamato’s Gift was “Speed Reading”—he could flip through any book and instantly absorb all its information. It was perfect for studying, but Yamato had continued his studies without relying on it. Like Hiroyo, he had once dreamed of becoming an adventurer, but he had quickly accepted reality and moved forward.

“So, what was your Gift…?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I can tell just by looking at you. If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”

“You’re really a good guy, you know that?”

“Well, I kind of understand how you feel.”

As a fellow aspiring adventurer, Yamato’s words couldn’t have been more comforting.

A girl, watching their conversation from a distance, activated her Gift’s skill and perceived something.

“No way…!”

Understanding what she had just seen, the girl involuntarily whispered in shock.

◇◇◇

After school, Hiroyo walked home alone.

“—Takanashi-kun, right?”

“Huh?”

He was suddenly spoken to and turned around in surprise.

The person addressing him was his classmate, Hibiki Hayashido.

Hibiki was one of the top-ranked girls in the class hierarchy.

Despite being in the same class since the start of high school, they had never spoken until now.

She had shoulder-length pink bobbed hair, large eyes, and long eyelashes. She always wore a pink cardigan over her shirt. As expected of a top-tier girl, she was a true beauty.

Hiroyo was not particularly popular. He was just an average male student with no standout features.

Girls never talked to him, and he had never expected that to change.

“Come with me for a bit.”

“Huh?! Wait—”

Hibiki suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

Stunned by how fast she was walking, Hiroyo couldn’t bring himself to resist. After all, being dragged by a cute girl wasn’t exactly a bad experience.

After about five minutes, they arrived at—

“This is my house. Come in.”

“W-What?! Why?!”

“Please! Just listen to my request!”

“Huh?!”

Hiroyo was shocked that a girl he had never spoken to before had suddenly brought him to her home.

Then, Hibiki lowered her head in a deep bow.

Startled, Hiroyo told her, “Okay, okay, just raise your head.”

In the end, he was overwhelmed by her persistence and entered her house.

It was his first time in a girl’s room—moreover, the room of a beautiful girl.

Her family wasn’t home yet, meaning they were alone. Realizing this, Hiroyo started sweating.

Unlike his own room, hers was decorated in a cute, pink-themed style, and a pleasant scent filled the air.

“Sit over there, okay?”

“O-okay…”

Hiroyo sat in front of a square, low table.

Hibiki sat across from him and, as if making up her mind, began speaking.

“I have a Gift called ‘Desire.’ It lets me see what I truly want. And this morning, when I looked at you using my skill, you were shining with an incredible aura!”

“So… you’re saying that something inside you wants me?”

“Yes! I overheard a little… You went to check your Gift yesterday, right?”

“Yeah, I did…”

“I think your Gift is what I desire the most right now. I don’t know what it is, but my body is telling me—I need you to use that power on me.”

“No way…”

Hiroyo was torn.

He had sworn not to tell anyone.

But Hibiki, looking at him seriously, had even invited him into her home.

Then, she grabbed his hand, her eyes glistening.

“My Gift is ‘Beauty.'”

(…I said it!!!)

Hiroyo had fallen for her cuteness.