Political Schemes 3

While most of the research on the new essences had been done on the basement floor 1 itself, I still handed over all the essences I had to Raven.

In my opinion, all mages were perverts.

While they did take pleasure in uncovering the unknown, they also enjoyed the process of research itself.

It’s like chewing gum, isn’t it?

Some people spit it out as soon as the sweetness is gone, while others enjoy the act of chewing itself and will gnaw on it all day long.

So…

“Then… I’ll do my best to study this.”

Rather than expecting new discoveries, I simply thought of it as entrusting Raven with essence storage. If some results came out of it, all the better.

And just like that—

“Ah, by the way, what was that thing you wrote in the letter? You said you had something to tell me.” I asked Raven about the contents of the letter.

“Right, I almost forgot. It’s about the essence of Hippramagent that Miss Aynar obtained during the expedition. I think I’ve figured out the unclarified embodied ability.”

“Oh, really?”

“After returning to the city, I compared the numerical data we obtained at that time with other existing data, and found something similar.”

“So what is the embodied ability?”

At my question, Raven crossed her arms and puffed out her small shoulders proudly.

And…

“Do you know about the Level 3 monster, ‘Ramansis’?”

She asked me in a triumphant voice, but honestly, I didn’t understand. How could someone so short look down on me?

Maybe the answer was simply that she held her chin as high as it could possibly go.

“Ah, it’s only natural that you don’t know.”

What is she talking about now?

“It’s because ‘Ramansis’ is—”

“A rare monster that appears in the 9th-floor rift?”

Raven, who had her words stolen, flinched her shoulders.

“…Huh?”

I think her tilted chin dropped a few degrees.

“So you knew…?”

Of course I did.

Her reaction was so cute it made me chuckle, but Raven immediately resumed her usual tone.

“Still, you only know half. Ramansis can’t be found through normal means in the rift.”

“Well, obviously. You have to use Gavrilius’ achievement within the rift to encounter it, right?” True to my sociable barbarian character, I spoke with her while nodding along.

But what’s this now?

“……”

For some reason, the chatterbox had gone quiet again. The tilt of her chin fell further than before, and her eyes no longer looked down on me.

From that same posture, she spoke in a careful tone.

“Could it be… Do you know what that achievement is?”

“Of course.”

I answered as if it was obvious. Raven’s eyes widened in disbelief.

From that reaction, there was something I could tell.

“Wait… don’t tell me—you don’t know?”

“……”

As always, her silence served as my answer.

“Huh.”

I wasn’t surprised.

What, you were looking down on me like that without even knowing that?

“W-well! It’s only natural I don’t know! Do you think such high-level information would be written in books…? Just the data on essence abilities is incredibly valuable! Moreover, even if you look at the people who have had this essence throughout history, they are few and far between… Why are you looking at me with those eyes…?”

“Hmmm……”

“……”

At some point, our positions had reversed. Now I was looking down with folded arms, and Raven was the one looking at the floor, dejected.

Still, Raven forced herself to muster strength and squeezed out her voice.

“So……”

“…?”

“…then what exactly is that arrangement?”

Typical mage.

Even now, that’s what she’s curious about.

***

After I explained the hidden piece in the 9th-floor rift, Raven shared what she’d learned about Ramansis’s passive skill.

I already knew about it, but…

‘It’s Social courtesy.’

This time, I listened to Raven’s explanation without interrupting.

“Ramansis’s embodied ability is [Soulmate]. Just looking at the name, you might wonder what it is, but upon examination, it’s a very peculiar ability.”

Hmm, well…

Rather than saying [Best Companion] is a peculiar ability, it would be more accurate to say it has a peculiar activation condition.

“First of all, it is indeed a support-type ability as we suspected. It grants a very powerful blessing to one target in the vicinity and the user.”

“Oh?”

“However, the ability cannot be activated voluntarily. It’s not active under normal circumstances either. A specific condition must be met for it to activate…”

“And that is…?”

“I’m not sure of the detailed conditions either. But looking at the data of previous owners, the odds were much higher for men and women who spent a lot of time together.”

Well, of course.

[Best Companion] only activated when the essence’s holder had maximum favorability with another person.

For that reason, whenever I had the essence, I’d deliberately get food for an ally and give her flowers each day to boost the stat.

And of course, the essence was unusable by the player character.

Due to the system, players couldn’t have affinity towards NPCs.

‘Then, in my current state, does that mean I can use this essence directly?’

My gamer curiosity was triggered for the first time in a while, but I had no intention of taking [Best Companion] myself.

For starters, I didn’t have a slot for it anyway…

Efficiency-wise, it’s better to give it to an ally and raise their favorability toward me.

‘But wouldn’t that make me seem like kind of an asshole?’

Anyway, now that I know about the passive skill, it seems useless.

It’s true that it’s a good skill that performs above its level once activated, but…

‘Is it even possible to activate it…?’

In the game, reaching 100% affinity wasn’t easy.

No, to be precise, it was almost impossible between same genders.

When raising affinity, it would always hit a wall at 90%. After that, you needed those awkward, romantic events between opposite genders to slowly raise it further.

But…

‘Aynar…?’

I can’t even imagine Aynar being in that kind of relationship with another man. To her, we were all just male friends—including me.

“So I’m thinking maybe it only works between a male–female lover’s relationship… Hey, I’m trying to explain something. Why are you zoning out?”

“Ah, I was just wondering how we can activate that ability.”

“…That is also a concern.”

It’s a problematic issue in many ways.

It’s a waste to leave the skill unused…

But I can’t exactly flirt with her by buying her cream bread every day just to activate [Best Companion].

‘…It’s better to just consider this skill as non-existent.’

So I decided to just seal away [Best Companion] in my mind.

Besides, the essence performs perfectly well even without the passive skill.

“Anyway, thank you, Raven.”

“Thank me? I couldn’t be of any help in the end.”

“But you did find out that it’s not an embodied ability with negative factors, right? That alone has eased my worries considerably.”

“Hmm… I suppose that’s true too?”

Does she want gratitude or is she just playing humble?

I couldn’t tell, but after the first matter was concluded, we spent some time chatting about this and that.

The conversation turned to her suggesting that, since I was there, I might as well get tested. That ended with me sitting in that familiar chair as her subject again.

I got hungry in the middle of it and had a meal at the Mage Tower’s cafeteria.

“Wow, it’s already this late. It must be dark outside by now.”

“I can’t see since there are no windows. Ah, by the way, Raven. Can I borrow a communication crystal for a bit?”

“Who are you trying to contact?”

“I need to contact the sanctuary. If the call goes through later, can you tell them for me? Say that because of today’s research, I’ll be sleeping in your lab and heading straight to tomorrow’s meeting.”

Raven tilted her head.

“…But you don’t have any research scheduled today?”

I let out a sigh. She was oddly slow to grasp certain things.

“Just say what I asked.”

“Huh? Sure… but… why though?”

Trailing off, Raven looked up at me with curious eyes and asked.

“What on earth is going on that you’re doing this?”

Not wanting to bring up the topic of marriage and stir up trouble unnecessarily, I revealed only half truth.

“Just because.”

“…Just because?”

“I just don’t want to go home today.”

“…………Huh?”

“Let me sleep here.”

I didn’t feel like arranging a room at an inn, either.

***

I drifted off on the roughly spread bedding.

Raven, who had slept on a bed in one corner of the lab, woke up first and poked me with her foot to wake me up.

“Get up. You’ll be late. You said there’s something important today.”

“Ugh…”

“Did you sleep okay?”

“Perfectly. The warm floor was nice. Huh? You’re already washed up?”

“…Well yeah, obviously. What, you expect me to go around unwashed?”

Hmm… she used to look like she hadn’t bathed in days.

Maybe military life made her more disciplined.

“Anyway, thanks for the bed. I’ll be back later.”

“No thanks. You’re exhausting.”

“Huh? Exhausting? Didn’t you fall asleep early too?”

“…That’s not what I meant. Hurry up and leave, I’ve got work.”

After being kicked out the next morning, I left the mage tower in a hurry, boarded a carriage at a nearby platform, and set off for the Imperial Capital, Karnon.

Because today was the day.

Humans, dwarves, fairies, barbarians, beast tribe, and dracon tribe.

Leaders of all six races that made up the city of Raphdonia were gathering for the Race Conference.

‘Hard to believe this is my first time here.’

Though I’d long been the chief of the barbarians, I’d never attended this event until now.

I had passed by the conference hall many times before; it stood out with its six towering pillars, reminiscent of a Roman temple.

‘…Still some time left.’

Since I got kicked out early, I arrived ahead of schedule and ate at a nearby restaurant.

The prices in Carnon were outrageous, but… well, hunger is hunger.

Do I get a food allowance as well?

After eating, I patted my stomach and entered the hall.

“…Bjorn Jandel, did you come alone?”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, sir. Please proceed. The others are waiting.”

The guards at the entrance were of every race except barbarians.

‘Are these their personal bodyguards?’

Never heard about this from the previous chief…

Not that I’d be surprised if he forgot to mention it.

“Good work.”

I encouraged the guards and walked in.

In the center stood the important figures of each race.

Interestingly, two of them were familiar to me.

The Dragon tribe chief.

And—

It seems that the Beast People had sent the Red Cat Tribe as their representatives this time.

The pure-blood main family of the Red Cat tribe and Misha’s..

I suppose he isn’t technically her biological father?

Anyway, the man who holds the position of her father in the family tree.

“Been a while. I never imagined seeing you here again like this.”

“Understandable. I know your imagination was always lacking.”

“…Still holding a grudge, are we?”

“Of course not.”

I didn’t hold any grudge. Back then, I was just a greenhorn with nothing to my name.

Now, though? He couldn’t speak down to me so casually anymore.

“Let’s leave the private talk behind. Bjorn, son of Jandel. Won’t you take your seat?”

At the words of the fairy representative, I slowly swept my gaze around

Though it was a gathering of important figures, I felt no discomfort.

It was because of one simple reason.

“So, they use a round table here, too?”

A large round table stood in the center of the chamber.

I quietly took the empty seat that was clearly meant for me. Resting my chin on one hand, I tapped the armrest with my finger.

Though it was my first time attending such a council…

Tap, tap.

For some reason, a surge of confidence welled up inside me.

 

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