“Since discussing it right now would just be running in circles, let’s talk about the hidden secrets of the original work later. For now, I want to talk about your skill…”
“I swear to heaven, I’ve never stolen your information without permission.”
When I cautiously mentioned the **[Truth-Reading Eye]**, Reysir hurriedly proclaimed his innocence.
Well, I had been extremely wary every time he reached for his eyepatch until now. It was only natural for him to react that way, thinking he was under suspicion.
“It’s not that I never suspected you of reading my information in secret. However, it’s been quite a while since I stopped having those doubts.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. Knowing how much I dislike it, I didn’t think you would use that skill on me secretly. You also seemed quite reluctant to use it on others yourself.”
“…You know I used that skill on Professor Skadi, Nidhr, and Liolikin, right? Even so, you still think that way?”
Reysir watched my reaction with a timidness that was unlike him. His lack of confidence was almost pitiful, so the words came out naturally.
“Those weren’t decisions made for your own sake, were they? Especially using that skill on Professor Skadi… It must have been a huge risk for you. After all, she is in a position where the Imperial Family holds her leash.”
Unless he had a very firm resolve, it would have been difficult to carry out.
“Furthermore, Professor Skadi is such an elusive person that it would have been impossible to use the skill on her from a distance without her noticing. So, you must have faced her while revealing the silver eye you had been hiding. And you didn’t stop there; you revealed to me the fact that she was a highly skilled assassin. Even though you guessed she might be listening from a hiding spot somewhere.”
Knowing Skadi’s personality, I was certain she wouldn’t do such a thing. But since Reysir didn’t know her well, he wouldn’t have been able to completely rule out the possibility that Skadi might report the matter to the Imperial Family.
Yet, the reason Reysir had stepped forward like that in chapter 68 was…
‘It must have been a measure to protect me from her.’
Because he was worried about me. To warn me that she was dangerous. And by pointing out to Skadi that she had no right to hate me, he wanted to prevent her from harming me.
“It’s not as if you didn’t know that, if things went wrong, the ability you’ve been hiding could be revealed to the Imperial Family and put you in a difficult spot…”
Therefore, Reysir using the **[Truth-Reading Eye]** on Skadi was by no means something to be criticized. If Skadi ever learned the truth, she probably wouldn’t feel offended but rather grateful. She was someone who didn’t know what to do with herself because of the guilt she felt over hurting me. If Reysir hadn’t intervened back then, she might still be hating me even now.
“And you used that ability on Nidhr because Liolikin was so anxious about failing to achieve the goal I set. You did it for his sake.”
For the record, this content appears in chapter 104.
“Using that skill on Liolikin must have also been an action born from your concern for him. Since he suddenly fell into a state of **[Berserk]**. You wanted to check his condition because you were worried. Also…”
In chapter 114, Liolikin wasn’t the only person Reysir was worried about.
‘You must have been bothered by the fact that I was blaming myself. That’s why, even though you could have just kept it to yourself, you went out of your way to tell me I could relax, right? Knowing full well that saying such a thing to me—someone who had a vague idea about your Silver Aether Characteristic Ability—would give me confirmation…’
I remembered how Reysir had grinned at me when he saw me looking relieved. That expression, which usually felt nothing but annoying, seemed quite reliable at that moment.
I looked at Reysir while recalling my feelings from that day, and Reysir looked back at me. Our gazes met in the air. When he discovered the shimmering light of emotion in my golden eyes…
Reysir suddenly spread his arms wide.
“……Why are your arms like that all of a sudden?”
“To make it easier for you to hug me?”
“????”
What kind of nonsense was this? Why on earth should I be hugged by the protagonist of another novel? In the first place, how did he even come to think that I would fall into his arms?
As I stood there bewildered, unable to understand the reason at all, Reysir explained.
“When a cat matches your gaze while showing trust, doesn’t it mean it’s ready to be held?”
I stand corrected. This isn’t an explanation; it’s just nonsense that’s worse than a dog barking.
“…No?”
“……No.”
“That’s strange. It definitely felt like that…”
“It’s your imagination.”
“Really? You’re not just denying it because you’re embarrassed?”
Not only did he treat a perfectly fine person like a cat, but he was also being incredibly persistent. I couldn’t help but feel a surge of irritation. So, I kicked his shin with all my might.
“Ouch…”
Though a sound like that came from Reysir’s mouth, he didn’t look particularly pained. Still, now that I had taken such an action, he wouldn’t continue with the nonsense.
“Anyway, you aren’t the type of person to abuse that skill for your personal goals and violate others’ privacy, are you? If you were that kind of person, you would have used that skill on me during the first semester of last year. If there really was a defect in my Aether Characteristic Ability as others suspected, it would have been possible to find out what it was and blackmail me.”
“I don’t do such cowardly things.”
“Right, you didn’t. Even though you could have at least proposed a condition like asking me to stop bullying you, without even trying to control me as you pleased.”
The readers of the original work had found this incredibly frustrating. And I was one of them. While I liked that Reysir wasn’t the type to blackmail others using their weaknesses, I hated the villain Karbaldr so much for tormenting him.
“Since you were like that then, you obviously wouldn’t have accessed my information after I stopped tormenting you. And above all… it seems you prefer hearing it directly from me rather than finding out in secret.”
Just like how he asked me in chapter 232 if I had a buff that slowed down perceived time.
“That’s why I don’t suspect you anymore. However, it seems you can’t control that skill, so I just haven’t been able to let my guard down. Because it’s possible for you to end up reading my information regardless of your will…”
“Does that mean…! You were going to stab my eye for my sake, worried that I might feel guilty and apologize to you for breaking our trust if such a thing happened?”
I didn’t know how he could make such a touched face while saying I had tried to stab his eye. And that touch was based on a ridiculous misunderstanding.
“I never thought of that. I just felt uncomfortable because I didn’t know what you could see, so I acted that way.”
“Yeah, yeah. I see.”
Reysir’s face formed a punchable, annoying expression. An urge to scratch him hard washed over me. But I decided to hold back, thinking that instead of his face becoming distorted, he would just like it while babbling about cats.
“Anyway… in that sense, I want to confirm something.”
“What?”
“Exactly what and how much your right eye can read.”
“What I can see is the name, stats, skill list, and a brief description of the skills.”
Had he decided to speak honestly about it from the moment I mentioned the **[Truth-Reading Eye]**? The specific answer came back very quickly. Since the other person answered lightly without showing even a hint of hesitation, it was almost embarrassing that I had brought it up with such a serious atmosphere.
“Brief? How brief?”
“To explain using Liolikin’s **[Berserk]** skill as a standard… it only said, ‘He is seized by madness, but due to the reflection of his attribute, he follows the instructions of a specific person.’ It doesn’t show what kind of attribute was reflected or who the ‘specific person’ is.”
“The skill rank?”
“I saw that too.”
“Since **[Berserk]** is classified as a general skill, not an Aether special ability… that’s how you knew Professor Skadi was a highly skilled assassin. Because she possesses general skills related to assassination, and their ranks are high.”
I nodded, muttering as if I had just realized the information I already knew from reading the original work. Yor also nodded along with me and meowed seriously.
At that, a satisfied smile spread across Reysir’s face. It seemed that this protagonist of another novel had finally begun to fall for Yor’s cuteness. I felt very proud. I had to struggle to control my facial muscles, which kept trying to relax.
Wearing a beaming expression didn’t fit the possessed body’s character, and besides, I had work to do right now.
“If it’s only that much…”
I muttered the above words while stroking my chin like someone lost in thought, putting on a serious face. Then, after taking my hand away from my chin as if I had finished organizing my thoughts, I opened my mouth while making eye contact with Reysir, who had a puzzled expression.
“Try using that skill on me now.”
“……???”
Reysir blinked with a blank expression, and it was only after a moment that he showed surprise. His face was colored with shock, and bewilderment could be read in his wide-open eyes. My remark was quite unexpected.
“Is there a problem?”
“Uh, no, it’s not that… Is it really okay…? No matter how much I already know about your abilities, and even if the description is a simplified version…”
“You don’t know everything.”
“…Huh?”
“It means there are more skills that you don’t know about.”
“Oh… Oh!”
As the voice expressing doubt grew louder, I hurriedly covered Reysir’s mouth and warned him.
“I said we could talk normally here, but I didn’t mean it’s okay to shout. It doesn’t seem to be a space inside the Library, but it’s connected anyway.”
“Mhm, mhm.”
Reysir’s head moved up and down as if he understood. After checking and taking my hand away, Reysir lowered his voice significantly and asked.
“Hey… were you talking about an Aether Characteristic Skill, not a general skill…?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“……!”
“I’m telling you in advance, I’m not saying you can just look. Share what you read with me as well. I’m giving permission under that condition.”
“Karbaldr…”
“Don’t sneakily spread your arms, put them down.”
“Ah, it’s not this timing either?”
“……”
Reysir lowered his arms feeling awkward. But as if to protect me from him, Yor squeezed himself between Reysir and me.
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