“To put it bluntly, why would someone from the upper echelons of the nobility, who lacks for nothing, want to join an information guild? If they needed information, they could just pay for it.”
“Are you saying Karbaldr seemed to lack something?”
When I heard that conversation, suddenly, the remark made by an extra during Episode 36’s Lobby Backtalk Event flashed through my mind.
The one about Karbaldr being cast out by his family upon graduation.
‘Surely he’s not planning to use that as an excuse…?’
If it were just some student spouting such talk, one could argue it was merely speculative speech aimed at disparagement.
But the problem was that Pret was the future head of the Information Guild.
If a statement like “Senior Karbaldr is an outsider within his own family!” came from his mouth, Reysir wouldn’t even be able to question its veracity.
‘I knew it might come out someday, but to be exposed like this…! It’s just too awful.’
Not just in terms of the story’s development, but I personally didn’t like it one bit.
So, just as I was about to show my displeasure openly on my face and snap at him to stop talking nonsense…
A supporting character from someone else’s novel suddenly winked at me.
That action was so absurd that I was momentarily left speechless.
Pret seized that opportunity to spout his nonsense.
“It’s a well-known fact, to the point where everyone knows, that Senior Karbaldr was obsessed with and clung to Senior Vigdis, right?”
It was completely different from what I expected…
“So, I tried to lure Senior Karbaldr by saying our guild could teach him how to win over the person he likes.”
Something I could never have imagined…
“After all, if we were to recruit Senior Karbaldr, I thought the first thing to teach him would be seduction techniques. So, our interests aligned.”
…Was utter bullshit.
So, forgetting even the fact that Pret was just making up excuses to get out of the situation, I couldn’t help but ask for confirmation.
“You were going to teach me what…?”
“Karbaldr, that guy is completely dangerous! So you absolutely must not get close to him! No, don’t even talk to him!!”
“Gasp~! Kyaaah! Grrrrrrrr——!!”
It seems I wasn’t the only one shocked by the supporting character’s statement.
Reysir was jumping up and down, making a huge fuss, and Yor became even more furious, unleashing his draconic aura with full force.
“Hey, that’s…! It’s a problem if you think seduction techniques are only about tempting the opposite sex and such…! I’ll explain step by step, so please calm down first…”
Pret squeezed out his voice while sweating profusely.
Judging by his appearance, it seemed Yor had used [Dragon Fear] or something similar.
I wanted to tell him to just shut up, as there was no telling what kind of nonsense he’d spout under the guise of an explanation.
‘If lunchtime ends like this, he’ll be a nuisance later. He’ll insist he must explain… To save future time, it seems I have to give him a chance to speak.’
So, I gently stroked the baby dragon’s back to calm him down.
Pret wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and let out a long sigh of relief.
“Now I understand why Senior Liolikin adds ‘nim’ when calling Yor.”
“Then you should add it too.”
“Eh~. I don’t add ‘nim’ for Senior Fyora or Senior Karbaldr, so adding it for the familiar Yor would be a bit weird.”
Then why not just use the title ‘senpai-nim’ instead of ‘senpai’?
If his setting was that he enrolled as a commoner from a circus troupe, shouldn’t he do that naturally?
A belated question arose, but it was literally too late, so I decided to let it go.
“Ahem, ahem! Anyway, to explain, I had absolutely no intention of making Senior Karbaldr do or teaching him anything strange! If I did that, it’s obvious Senior Karbaldr would quit the guild, right? And that would be after learning our guild’s important information. But given the senior’s status, I wouldn’t dare to do anything about it, so I’d be tormented by anxiety day by day.”
Even though I haven’t joined, nor do I have any intention to.
Pret began defending himself, using the word “quit.”
“When I used the word ‘seduction techniques,’ it was only because, under the same conditions, a person with outstanding looks can more easily attract human favor. And if that beauty is also from a high-ranking family, one can’t even feel jealousy. So, that’s all it was. What I was going to teach Senior Karbaldr was just ‘conversation skills’ and ‘facial expression acting’!”
It felt a bit exaggerated.
But anyway, it seemed he didn’t use the term in that kind of meaning.
“I really thought it was a waste. To have inherited the beauty of the Duchess, who famously captured the current stoic, almost emotionless Duke of Austri in an instant. Yet, not being able to utilize that face properly and failing to win the heart of even one fiancée!”
“I understand what you mean. But Karbaldr no longer clings to or obsesses over Vigdis, so the ‘shared interest’ you thought of will never happen.”
I have no idea what he thinks he understands.
‘No, more importantly, didn’t something incredible just come out…? What happened to Hard and how??’
Considering Hard’s personality and how he treats his children, I naturally assumed it was a political marriage with no love whatsoever, without a shred of doubt.
‘Who would have thought such words would come from the mouth of the person slated to inherit the world’s top information guild?’
It was incredibly perplexing.
My baby dragon also seemed surprised, its eyes wide open.
“That’s right, I missed the timing. But it made it even more impossible to give up. Senior Karbaldr made Senior Vigdis let go of her fear and treat him comfortably, and even turned a bullying victim who held a grudge against him into his follower, right? And in a short time! He awakened his own seduction techniques on his own!!”
“Reysir is not my follower, and I have never awakened any such thing!”
“This prickly attitude is also Senior Karbaldr’s strong point! He doesn’t act that way with others, but if someone shows him favor, he gets flustered yet pleased. Worrying that attitude might just be a momentary whim, the other person ends up striving to build a solid relationship of trust and spills all sorts of secrets!”
“……”
It was nothing short of insane talk.
But the problem was, excluding the fact that the subject being discussed was me, it sounded quite plausible.
Also, it was a problem—if it was a problem—that a supporting character from the original work uttered a line about becoming the follower of the former villain protagonist.
“Senior Karbaldr has talent for seduction techniques. As the future head of the world’s foremost information guild, how could I let such talent slip away?”
“……..It seems the explanation is sufficient, so please stop with the unnecessary talk.”
“If that’s what you say, Senior.”
Since Pret said that and actually shut his mouth, it could be considered settled for now.
Although it left a very unpleasant feeling.
I tried to shake off that feeling with a long sigh and, to change the topic, voiced a question I had from Episode 256.
“But why aren’t you trying to recruit Reysir? His [Identify] skill is an ability the Information Guild would covet, isn’t it?”
“Of course I covet it! But if I just get you to join the guild, he’ll naturally follow along, right? Why should I inefficiently spread my efforts? I’ll just focus on Senior Karbaldr!”
I shouldn’t have asked.
The question wasn’t resolved, and the added nonsense just gave me a headache.
So, I let out another sigh and closed my eyes tightly, when this conversation reached my ears.
“More than that, I’ve been wanting to ask since earlier, isn’t now the wrong time for you to be interrogating me here, Senior Reysir? Shouldn’t you be more concerned and wary of another person?”
“Who could be more suspicious than the future head of the Information Guild, infiltrating the academy while hiding his identity?”
“Are you serious? Oh my~, Senior Hailga would cry if she knew you said that! How many years have we known each other!”
I quietly opened my eyes and saw Reysir wearing a guilty expression, unable to say anything.
Even though it was Hailga who was in immediate trouble.
He had been pointed out by the very person he was interrogating that he hadn’t paid attention to her, so his speechlessness was understandable.
Although the conversation here did nothing but give me a headache instead of helping…
Anyway, Reysir called Pret out to protect me, to understand the intentions of a suspicious person.
Then, just as he stepped forward for me, it was only right that I step forward for him.
“It seems the conversation will move quickly since you already know about Hailga’s situation.”
“Otōt?”
“Hand over that scoundrel’s personal information.”
“So, you called me here, Senior Reysir, for both Senior Karbaldr and Senior Hailga?”
“That goes without saying. If my sole purpose was to interrogate your identity, judging you as a dangerous person, would I have this conversation in such a remote place? I would have done it in the classroom with the Imperial Princess and the professor present. That way, I could expose the scum hiding in the Awakened Special Class and detain them so they couldn’t escape.”
“Are you saying you’ll overlook the fact that I infiltrated?”
Seeing Pret’s eyes light up, I momentarily wondered if I had misspoken.
But upon reflection, I had already made a deal with Pret, and to secretly send money to Svein’s family, I would need his help in the future.
I was already in the same boat.
‘So, depending on how I answer, even the original protagonist gets tied in as an accomplice…!’
This was a very good thing.
Since Reysir set up the lunch schedule on his own without asking for my opinion, I’ll do as I please too.
“Well… There’s Professor Skadi’s precedent, so even if your identity is discovered, it’s obvious you’ll continue training with us. There’s no need to make the relationship unnecessarily uncomfortable, right? It would be different if you had approached me because you received someone’s request to sell my information to others, but…”
“As I said before, that is absolutely, definitely not the case!”
“Now that you mention it, about collecting information on the Awakened Special Class…”
“It’s just to satisfy personal curiosity! I have no intention of selling it! Why on earth would I give information about the organization my chosen talent belongs to to others? If I’m not careful, we could all be in danger!”
“In that case, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Exactly, of course!”
“Then let’s proceed with the transaction.”
“An excellent decision!”
As if unable to follow the flow of the conversation that passed in an instant, Reysir made a bewildered expression and let out an “Eh…?” sound.
But that wasn’t something that needed attention right now.