“I’m…a Level 5 [Singer].”

“How odd. How low-level. I believe you are not from this world for that alone. A ten-year old might have higher levels, especially if apprenticed. And no other classes?”

“Uh—[Actor]. Level 4. I got it when I fainted.”

She still remembered the words in her head. He frowned at her.

“I assume that was from you deceiving me.”

“Probably. I got a Skill too. Uh—uh—[Echo Voice]. And two others.”

The young woman saw the [Knight] nod at her, appreciatively.

“Congratulations. Is [Singer] a new class for you as well?”

“I got it yesterday.”

“Really? Well, congratulations again. A new class is a happy occasion in most cases.”

He looked around, seemed to realize that there was little occasion for happiness here, and applauded her. The clapping was quiet in the tomb and faded away awkwardly. Cara was still nonplussed. She just regarded the [Knight] as he lowered his hands, embarrassed. Celebration?

“So this is just a fact of life? Classes? Skills?”

He frowned.

“Naturally. Do you not have classes where you come from, Miss Cara? Ah—wait. This is another lie.”

He sighed heavily, shaking his head and seeming hurt once more. Cara frowned.

“It’s not a lie. We don’t have classes. That’s—insane.”

“It is the way of the world. Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not! This time.”

Ser Dalius gave her a deep look of confusion.

“Then what do you have, instead of leveling up and classes? When you perform a great deed, what happens?”

“…Nothing?”

The ghost-knight looked askance.

“What? But classes are a reward for virtue and hard work! We all level and gain classes by our deeds! In The Book of Levels, it is written that no creature without thought and understanding lacks for levels. Not even Goblins.”

Cara didn’t know about Goblins or this book—but she was sure no one got levels on Earth. She shook her head.

“We have nothing like that, Dalius. I told you. My world is nothing like yours. We don’t have [Knights].

Those were hundreds of years ago. Besides. Why do you need a reward for doing something?”

He hesitated.

“Great deeds should be rewarded, whether seen or not. Surely you must agree. Your world seems…passing strange. Incomprehensible. There are no levels whatsoever? Not even a few?”

He seemed nonplussed. Cara shook her head.

“I can agree doing something amazing should be rewarded. But it’s not. Sometimes people are heroic and no one will ever know, or thank them. That’s just the way the world is. My world.”

“How depressing.”

Cara caught herself in a nod. It was. But that was how it worked. Ser Dalius’ description of this place sounded…

Well, like a game. Like a dream, in a way. An egalitarian place where every action was rewarded.

Or watched. She shivered. And remembering how she had felt at first, she took another step away from Ser Dalius.