That was definitely not the reaction Matheus was expecting.

  Was the guy mocking him? Either way, Matheus was too mad to care right now.

  “What the hell man? he asked with indignation.

  “I’m sorry your highness.”

  “Why did you just stand there? I almost died!”

  “I…It threw my sword away, I was unarmed.”

  ‘Then why didn’t you use any skill? You didn’t even have to hurt the monster, just distract it.”

  “I didn’t have any skills I could use.”

  “What? You don’t have any skill?” Matheus asked, skeptical.

  “I have one skill,” he mumbled.

  “Just one? How is that even possible?”

  For a second, Matheus thought he wouldn’t answer, then Rick glanced at his head and looked down, as if afraid.

  “I was cursed,” Rick said in a whisper, his head down.

  “What?” was everything Matheus could say. Was he serious?

  “I can’t learn skills,” he said, clearly ashamed of admitting it. “My sword is all I have.”

  Matheus didn’t know what to say. Compared to Rick’s curse, the ones he had seemed like taps on his back.

  If he couldn’t learn skills, his journey would have been over from the start.

  That’s why Rick had barely helped during the deer hunt. There wasn’t much he could do.

  With those limitations, he was practically useless. No wonder his level was so low.

  God damnit. The guy was even weaker than Matheus had first thought.

  “Your stories…” Matheus said, still trying to cope with everything.

  “I’m sorry, your highness,” Rick said bowing. “They weren’t lies, just exaggerations. I’m still Rick from Nevarnia, the endless cut, and will be invaluable at your service.”

  Matheus didn’t know how to feel about that.

  He doubted Rick would ever be strong enough to be of any use. And Matheus couldn’t afford having someone on his party, taking a percentage of all his experiences, if he would never be anything more than a hindrance.

  Even Captain had more potential. There was nothing Rick could offer him.

  “Let’s head back. I think we’ve done enough for today.”

  “Of course, your highness.”

  Rick’s behavior had changed completely. Every word was full of deference now.

  It was creeping him out.

  This was a completely new territory for Matheus, and he didn’t know how to react. No one had ever talked with him like that.

  It was making him utterly uncomfortable.

  “Please, stop it. Don’t mention the king thing with anyone else, ok? I am trying to keep it a secret.”

  “Of course, your highness. You know what’s best.”

  They walked back, an awkward silence now between them. It turned out there was a way to make Rick shut up. It was almost worth revealing his secret.

  When they got close to Tartaros, Matheus stopped.

  “Remember, you can’t say a word about my title.”

  “Of course. Shall we go enjoy a drink? I know of another establishment way more appropriate for someone in your station.”

  “No, I am tired. I am going back to my room.”

  “Ok. Where should we meet tomorrow? At the city hall again?”

  Matheus paused, unsure how to answer. He couldn’t let it drag on forever.

  “Maybe it would be better if we went our separate ways,” he finally said.

  “I…” Rick seemed like he would argue, but he stopped himself, going rigid. “Of course, your highness. You know what is best.”

  He gave another small bow and turned, leaving him.

  Matheus couldn’t help but feel a little bad. Still, it needed to be done.

  He had a contest to win.

  On the way to the Guilder’s Inn, he decided to see if he could do something about his bruised and sore body.

  “Matheus! How can I help you today?” the shopkeeper asked as he approached the store.

  “Do you got anything for pain, Ravi?” Matheus asked with a tired smile.

  He had finally asked for the shopkeeper’s name after some embarrassing days not knowing how to call him. He was doing his best not to forget it.

  “Hmmm, let me see,” he said, going through some shelves. He got a box full of potions with a strong blue liquid and put it on the counter.

  Gani Elixir.

  Recovers 2HP instantly and 2 more in the next twenty minutes. Also eases the pain.

  “3 coins one, 5 for a pair,” Ravi said while giving little taps on Captain’s head.

  Matheus didn’t have much money, but he still felt dizzy from the punch. Until he managed to get a healing spell of some kind, medicines and healing herbs were a good investment.

  “Thank you,” Matheus said, handling the money and drinking one of the elixirs.

  “Of course. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “Actually, I was wondering if you knew Rick from Nevarnia, the Endless Cut.”

  Ravi let out a sharp laugh.

  “Yeah, I know him. Everybody knows him. Loudest bullshitter in the whole town.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “Yeah, I can believe that.”

  “Did he trick you into something? You shouldn’t listen to him.”

  “No, nothing like that,” Matheus lied, ashamed of admitting he’d given over 20 coins to the guy. “I was just wondering. So you think I should stay away from him?”

  “Rick isn’t a bad person. At least, I’ve never considered him one. This town has survived a lot, and I remember him there when it mattered, helping to take care of the sick and rebuild when necessary. But since he was a little boy, he had a tendency of exaggerating things. Especially when they were about himself. Sometimes I think even he believes some of his lies,” Ravi concluded, shaking his head.

  “Was he always like this, then?”

  “In a way, yes. But it got worse a few years back. I think he was about to reach maturity and be integrated into the SoulSystem, I can’t recall.”

  “What?” Matheus asked, caught off guard. He didn’t know Ravi knew about the system.

  “You know, get access to experience and be able to develop his skills. He was about 13 I think.”

  “And does that happen with everyone?”

  “As far as I know, yes. “ Ravi answered, giving Matheus a questioning look. “Though 12 is the average age for most people. Rick took a little longer.”

  “Anyway, I don’t remember the specifics, but there was an incident with some kids being kidnapped. They were taken by Garlugas, and it took days for the hunters to track it and get them back.

  “And Rick was one of the kids taken away?”

  Ravi shook his head.

  “No. Rick was the only one that escaped it. He came back to the city and told everyone what had happened. In minutes, a search group was formed and they followed him, going after the other kids.”

  “Except, the information he gave kept being wrong. And because of that, it took several days for them to find the kids and get them back. From 9 that were taken, only 4 were still alive. The rest had been eaten.”

  Matheus shivered. So, that was what had happened. And somehow, in the middle of it, Rick probably got cursed.

  “It wasn’t his fault, really. Those Garlugas mess with a person’s head, making you see things when they are not there. When the hunters figured out what was happening, it was already too late. And grieving mothers needed someone to blame.”

  “It must have been awful.”

  Ravi nodded, “It really was. Rick’s behavior got worse after the whole thing. I think ever since then, he’d been trying to be remembered by something else.”

  That made sense. Matheus didn’t think he could bear living as the one who let kids die, even if not on purpose.

  But Rick was just a kid too, wasn’t he? As much as a victim as all the others.

  And still, he’d never recovered from that failing. His identity had been formed when he was at his lowest, and people never saw him as something else.

  Matheus could understand that. Probably more than anyone.

  He bade his farewell and went back to his room, taking a sleepy Captain with him.

  After Matheus started being known as “The King of Losers”, it didn’t matter what he did, the title never went away.

  He could stay quiet or try talking with others, he could hide or make an effort to fit in. The results never changed.

  He was the loser, and nothing else. No one accepted him as something different. No one gave him a chance to be more.

  In his darkest moments, Matheus believed they were right.

  He felt bitterness filling his thoughts. It hadn’t been fair. He knew he had never been just that. Fuck them all for making he doubt himself.

  He was the only one who could decide what he was worth.

  Making up his mind, he fell asleep, newly formed determination creeping in.

  When he woke up, he could still feel the traces of it on his body, pushing him forward.

  He stretched with Captain, got dressed and went to the city hall.

  With a smile, Matheus noticed Rick was already there, waiting for him by the entrance. This time, he didn’t seem to be hungover.

  “Good morning, your hi…” Rick said, but a stern look from Matheus made him catch himself. “I’m sorry. Good morning, uh..sir?”

  “You can just call me Matheus,” he replied with a sigh.

  Rick nodded.

  “Look, I know your time is very valuable, and I appreciate having your presence here, and I know there isn’t much I can do to help in hunting matters, but I…” He started saying nonstop.

  “Please, stop. This is not necessary.”

  “Alright, of course your hi…Matheus. Yes, I understand. Thank you for giving me the honor of your words.”

  “Wait, that’s not what I mean. It’s not necessary, because I’ve decided to keep with our Party. At least for now.”

  Rick instantly beamed, and again he wouldn’t stop blubbering nonsense.

  “Thank you, you won’t be disappointed, I’m positive that together we’ll reach unimaginable heights, and people will…”

  “Rick, please. Don’t make me regret it, ok?”

  Matheus wasn’t about to offer Rick to become a permanent vassal, only a temporary party member.

  Yes, the guy had been mostly disappointing as an ally so far, but he at least was being honest now. And he had tried to attack the Porkulogos when Matheus got hit, even though he was pretty ineffective.

  Maybe there was a way to make Rick more efficient. It wouldn’t kill Matheus to offer him another chance.

  Or would it?

  Nah, it probably wouldn’t.

  Just in case, he decided to keep the Gani elixir at close reach.