“I’ve lost, I’ve lost!
This is a complete checkmate, isn’t it?”
“Stop grumbling and prove it already.”
“Here, this is the Hrafnin Guild Badge.”
What Pret pulled out from his Inventory was a metal badge embossed with a crow motif.
The Hrafnin Information Guild was the top information guild in this world’s setting, with the established lore that high-ranking nobles, royalty, and even the imperial family often utilized it.
Naturally, his action stemmed from the proud assumption that I would recognize the mark.
However, this was the first time I had ever seen this mark in person.
I knew from reading Nas-e that the Hrafnin Information Guild used a crow as their symbol, but there was more than one way to stylize a crow.
‘Even so, since it’s being shown by the next head of the Hrafnin Information Guild, it must be genuine!’
Instead of taking what was in Pret’s palm to examine it closely, I simply glanced at it and met his eyes.
“Shouldn’t a person from an information guild prove themselves with information?
Not with a piece of metal like this.”
“Aha!
That is quite an interesting and charming thing to say.
However, information is a result that comes after a long period of investigation, so it’s not something I can just produce on the spot.”
“Couldn’t you just use the information you currently have on hand as proof?”
“That won’t work.
Not revealing what kind of information one holds is one of the basic ironclad rules for an informant.
Why don’t you just place a request right here?”
The ironclad rule he just mentioned wasn’t something he made up on the spot; it actually existed.
It was something he often said in the Original Work, and it made sense logically.
‘But if I submissively place a request here, one of Pret’s curiosities will be resolved, wouldn’t it?’
Whether it was to maintain control of the conversation or to show him that I wasn’t an easy person to deal with, I couldn’t simply follow his lead —.
“Is there a need for that?
It’s enough to demand information that you definitely have right now.”
“Is there such a thing?”
“Aren’t you currently investigating me?
Then you must have gathered as much information about me as possible.
You wouldn’t have just stuffed such documents in your dormitory room, so they must be in a space only you can access.
In other words, inside your Inventory.”
I couldn’t have requested information about Karbaldr under any other circumstances.
Anyone would think it strange if someone asked to be investigated themselves.
However, if it was for the purpose of verifying if the person was truly from an information guild and testing their competence, I could avoid suspicion.
Just as I expected, Pret didn’t show any sign of doubt at my statement.
Instead, he even clapped and expressed admiration in a somewhat exaggerated manner.
“Ooh!
That is a very accurate analysis!”
“Then take it out quickly.”
“Aey, why is someone who should know better acting like this?
No matter how much it’s for proof, I can’t just give away information for free.”
Pret made a circle by joining the tips of his thumb and index finger while saying this.
It meant I should pay.
“Even though it’s information about myself that I already know?”
“No one in the world knows themselves perfectly.
People tend to think of themselves in a distorted way, whether positively or negatively, so they inevitably lack objectivity.
And… how much I’ve grasped about Senior Karbaldr is also information in itself, isn’t it?”
Pausing briefly before continuing was a common speech habit used to emphasize the words that followed.
Furthermore, a strange light flickered in his eyes at that moment.
It was a statement clearly meant to ask if I hadn’t requested this information specifically to check how much he knew about me.
‘Well, I did have that intention!’
Thinking that, I nodded slightly and began to speak.
“Yesterday, during the Mock Battle and Survival Training, didn’t you take my Whip and daggers?”
“Surely you aren’t saying you’ll pay with those?”
“Why not?
They are strictly my property, and even considering they are used, they should be worth quite a bit.”
“Aey, still, would information about the young lord of a Ducal House be worth only that much?”
“Isn’t the value of information relative?
Since it’s about myself, whether it’s information requiring objectivity or rumors about me, I can find out as much as I want without going through an information guild.
Therefore, the only thing I should properly pay for is how much you have grasped about me.”
The owner of the body I possessed had plenty of money.
There was no problem even if I paid whatever amount the other party wanted without haggling.
Nevertheless, the reason I was bickering with Pret was that I intended to continue a long-term business relationship, and there was nothing good about being seen as a pushover from the start.
‘Using wealth to show off by needlessly throwing around large sums of money is an outdated trend anyway!’
These days, readers preferred seeing characters who were wealthy but didn’t waste it and knew how to be practical.
Of course, acting like a complete miser in every situation would make me look petty, so I had to consider the circumstances.
Since this wasn’t an urgent matter and I wasn’t trying to buy a gift for someone else, it was right to pull the deal in my favor as much as possible.
That was why I said those things, but —.
“Wow….
I really hate people who try to half-heartedly lowball the price of information…
but you aren’t doing it because you look down on its value.
Someone who asks to readjust the price because they know the nature of information well…
is really great!!
To the point that I want to agree to the haggling even though it doesn’t benefit me!”
His expression looked a bit blank as he spoke slowly, only to suddenly pour out words quickly with shining eyes.
The way he blurted out favorable words without reservation, his face showing excitement and anticipation, was no different.
No matter how I looked at it, this appearance was definitely that of a successful Influence Event.
‘Why did it turn out like this again?’
It was an extremely uncomfortable realization, but it was impossible to take it back.
It would look very strange if I suddenly said I would buy the information at full price now.
Still, although Pret was mysterious, he hadn’t done anything unlikable yet, and he possessed both trap manipulation and information gathering skills.
From Author Senna’s perspective, he would likely have a low priority for death.
I thought it was a relief and continued the conversation.
“You’re quite long-winded just to say the payment issue is resolved.”
“Aha!
You’re already jumping to a conclusion before I’ve even confirmed it?
I really like that about you too.”
“Cut the crap and just bring out what you’ve investigated about me.”
“Yes, yes.”
Even though I frowned and urged him irritably, the other party replied by pointlessly drawing out his “yes” in a playful manner.
Yet, he immediately pulled a bundle of documents from his Inventory and handed them over.
Unable to even get angry, I took them roughly as if snatching them away.
“Please read them right here and return them.
They are materials still being edited.”
I had intended to do that anyway.
The cost of disposing of information was quite high, and —.
‘Since Pret even went so far as to say he likes me, he won’t sell my information to just anyone.’
Though it was unsettling that I had unintentionally succeeded in an Influence Event, using what could be used was also a trend in modern webnovels, so I shouldn’t waste money.
Reaching that conclusion, I nodded lightly to acknowledge him and began to read through the documents.
Since there was information provided by this body’s family, most of it was content I already knew.
However, it was different in that it detailed how Karbaldr had been treated while growing up within the family, and the negative public evaluations of the body’s original owner were written very bluntly.
And…
‘He said these were still being edited!’
Descriptions of a cruel and selfish personality, or looking down on and ignoring others — numerous sentences like those had lines struck through them, and “Continuous observation required” was written in small red letters.
Along with a comment saying his actual personality seemed quite different from what was known.
“There are a lot of parts that need fixing, right?
It’s a common occurrence when investigating people.
Especially since personality tends to be judged based on first impressions or a part of one’s outward behavior.
Collecting opinions from various people is a necessary process, but you shouldn’t trust them blindly.”
Was he embarrassed to show an unorganized document filled with incorrect information and personal opinions?
The successor to the head of the information guild offered an explanation that sounded almost like an excuse.
“This is why investigating people is difficult, but that’s also why it’s more fun and interesting.”
I didn’t know what he wanted me to do about that.
Thus, I let his talk about his information preferences go in one ear and out the other as I finished reading the document.
‘Fortunately, he hasn’t found out about the memory loss setting.’
But I couldn’t be completely at ease.
There was information stating that a large-scale staff turnover occurred at the Austri Ducal Castle immediately after Karbaldr returned last summer vacation.
Below that, a complaint was scribbled about how gathering information had become difficult because even the secretly infiltrated informants had all been kicked out.
‘Since he said the informants were also fired, I could just claim the turnover itself was to clear out the rats hiding in the castle and that everyone suspicious was fired, but……’
The problem was that among the comments Pret had left, he had not only written a question about the timing of the turnover but had also circled it and added a star.
Even worse, it was followed by a self-question:
“Is it related to the fact that the Young Lord has been acting differently this semester compared to the last?”
‘Before I let Pret dig further and find out about the memory loss setting, it would be better to preemptively nip his curiosity in the bud by releasing some limited information!’
That didn’t mean I had to be the first to speak as if making an excuse.
After I finished reading this document, the other party would naturally throw out questions anyway, so I could just answer then.
I turned the page and moved my gaze to the next sheet.
From here, it recorded the actions I had taken at the Academy after possessing Karbaldr’s body.
I didn’t need to read it in detail, but since it was obvious Pret would be suspicious if I just skimmed it, I had to maintain the same speed and slowly take in the words to avoid giving him any unnecessary excuses.
It was only after a significant amount of time had passed that I returned the bundle of documents to Pret.