Chapter 96 : Chapter 96
Chapter 096
"What is that?"
"It is the emblem our company will be using from now on. It was finally completed today."
"Ah, that?"
They had said it would take some time, but it had come out quickly enough. Now that we had been reborn as a company and our name had changed, we needed a new logo, and it seemed the finished result had arrived.
It was a little unfortunate that we could no longer use the Avengers logo, but there was never any good in clinging to what had already passed.
"Let me take a look."
I held out my hand. Kalmond respectfully passed me the frame with both hands.
But the instant the frame touched my fingers, something unexpected happened.
FLASH!
Blue letters scattered across my vision and then began gathering into one place. This was clearly a phenomenon similar to when the Status Window appeared, but it felt different from usual.
"Huh?"
I was startled, and the subordinates beside me stared at me in alarm as well.
"What is wrong?"
"Master? Are you all right?"
"......"
The blue letters, which had been swirling chaotically, gradually settled into place and formed a single sentence. In short, vivid script, it delivered the following message:
A locked Information Window is being unlocked after a designated objective has been achieved.
What in the world was that supposed to mean? A designated objective had been achieved......
Could it be...... the company?
I naturally went blank for a moment.
"......And a locked Information Window is being unlocked? What is this?"
"Master! Are you all right? Shall we call a doctor?"
What I had failed to consider was that, to everyone else, I now looked like a man staring into space and muttering to himself.
Eluna in particular seemed deeply shocked. Her eyes were wider than I had ever seen them.
Coming back to my senses, I let out a dry laugh and waved my hand.
"No, it is nothing like that. A doctor? Do not make such a fuss. I am fine."
It was true that I had suddenly felt dizzy, but it was not as though the sky had turned upside down. I took a deep breath and leaned back into my seat.
The blue message was still flickering faintly before my eyes.
"Still, that was sudden. Whew......"
"Have you perhaps been overworking yourself lately? I think it would be best for you to be examined. You are going to the Royal Capital soon as well."
"I think the same. Eluna is right. Your trip to the Royal Capital concerns me."
"I said I am fine, so why are the two of you doing this together? I just felt a little dizzy. People, you know, sometimes get a little light-headed. If someone is perfectly fine every single time, that would be the strange thing."
"The fact that you can still joke about it makes me think you really are all right."
"Exactly."
I let out a faint chuckle.
I was grateful for their concern. Eluna really had become rather stubborn lately. Still, it was not as though I had become dizzy because my body was truly unwell, so it did not matter.
"I really am fine. So that is enough."
I drew the line firmly. Eluna and Kalmond still looked worried, but they could not press me any further.
But a locked Information Window was being unlocked?
Resting my chin on my hand, I fell into thought.
Ever since my reincarnation, I had grown with the help of the Status Window. But it could not truly be called a perfect Status Window. It had never explained everything. Too many parts had been locked or obscured from view.
In fact, this was the first time I had ever seen an explanatory message like this appear. It was only natural that I would be startled by a new change.
It seemed something in the Status Window had changed, so I would need to examine it first.
"Eluna. Let me see your hand for a moment."
"My hand?"
"Your palm, you know. Like palm-reading, the thing from before."
"Ah...... yes."
Eluna cautiously extended her right hand to me. Pretending to examine her palm, I took hold of it.
○ Eluna
Rank: ★★★★★
Level: 23 (+2)
Trait: Archery S, Instrument Performance A, Agility A, Wisdom A, Affinity with Nature A, Bow Mastery A, Magical Power B, Blessing of the World Tree C, Magic Resistance C, Healing C, ???
Status: Admiration
Areas of Interest: The expansion and stabilization of Metis Trading Company, expressing loyal devotion toward the Master.
[Not Unlocked]
......
Her level had risen by 2. Well, that was understandable. She had been working herself to the bone for the sake of the company lately. She was now edging close to level 30.
By my analysis of the information I had gathered so far, level 30 placed someone among the experts of any field. Level 40 was artisan level. Level 50 and above was the level of a master.
And now a new category called Areas of Interest had appeared. It seemed to describe what the owner of the Status Window was currently devoting attention to.
Unlike a status message, which conveyed things indirectly through suggestive words, this was kindly written out in complete explanatory sentences, so it was much easier to understand.
"How fascinating."
"You mean my palm?"
"You are going to continue having good fortune ahead of you, Eluna. You will make a great deal of money too."
"That sounds like a good sign."
I gave a hearty laugh and let go of Eluna's hand. Then I picked up the frame again and shifted the topic as I looked at the emblem inside.
"Anyway, I like our company emblem very much. You did good work, Kalmond."
"It was nothing."
"Since you are already at it, work a little harder. Make badges bearing this emblem and have every member of our company wear one. Tell them not to forget the weight that badge carries."
"I will obey your command."
Kalmond gave a loyal military salute, and I continued speaking while running my hand across the framed emblem.
"There is a book, a farming implement, and a weapon in this emblem. The book supports the base, while the farming implement and weapon cross above it. In other words, it signifies that our goal is to become a company that represents every field. Engrave that in your hearts and continue striving forward."
"Yes, Master."
The two subordinates looked at me with resolute eyes. Rising from my seat, I hung the framed emblem in a fitting place and gave Kalmond a pat on the shoulder.
"Then I will see you on the day of the auction. Work hard."
"You are leaving already?"
"You know how busy I am. I will leave the rest to the two of you, so handle it at your discretion. Eluna in particular, see if you can increase sales of the standard-model fountain pen."
I answered while checking the Status Window hovering over Kalmond. There was another surprising piece of information there as well.
"Selling it is only a matter of time. The word of mouth is spreading rather nicely too. I think you will be quite shocked the next time you come."
"I like that confidence. It pleases me."
"Please look forward to it."
Eluna smiled beautifully.
Sorry, but this is not the time to admire that smile. Kalmond's Areas of Interest were broadly similar to Eluna's, but one part of them was different.
In short, he wanted to grow stronger.
Well, whenever he drank, he would sometimes talk, almost like a drunken habit, about what happened in the warehouse of the Arkain Merchant Company.
The revenge he wanted against the unknown man who had inflicted deep humiliation on him. His subordinates had suffered, and he himself had been badly injured. That was likely why he had developed such a strong desire to become stronger.
But he might never meet that man again even if he lived his whole life. I was that unknown man.
Whenever I heard those stories, I found myself wondering whether I ought to reveal my identity or not.
"Please return safely, Master."
"All right. Make sure you both eat properly."
I was able to leave the company building with a little less weight on my mind.
***
After returning to the mansion, the thing that kept me busiest was updating the information in the Status Windows by making physical contact with the people I was close to.
I started with the easiest target, Rohan.
"My friend! It is good to see you!"
"Hey? What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"
I wrapped him in a tight embrace. He struggled to pry me off him, but it was impossible. There was no way he could overcome my physical strength.
Areas of Interest: A passionate one-night stand with a beautiful woman.
Honestly, there was just no saving this bastard.
And yet, in a way, that might have been only natural. I actually liked Rohan for being like that. He was manly, and more than that, he was honest.
That was a hundred times better than people who put on dignified faces and then schemed behind the scenes.
"Let go! What kind of nonsense is this?"
I released Rohan as requested. His face bright red, he glared at me like he wanted to devour me.
"Have you taken to men now too?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? I was just glad to see you. Before long, even if I want to, I will not be able to see you."
"Well, that is true. Anyway, it cannot be helped that you are going, but remember this much: if you come back empty-handed, I will kill you."
"All right. But I have a favor to ask you too."
"What is it?"
I spoke as seriously as possible, so that he would not brush it off.
"I want you to sort out what happens here and send it to me by letter. Especially the things that happen in the Butler Corps, the things that happen among the Young Masters, and the overall atmosphere here."
"Hmm, that is no easy request. But it is not impossible either. You do know my information fee is expensive, right?"
"When I come back, I will bring you a letter from a fine lady living in the Royal Capital, so let us call it even with that."
"You little bastard! You really are my best friend!"
Leaving that rather embarrassing remark behind, I lifted a hand and parted from him. Since I had asked him specifically, I would no longer be cut off from the mansion's information.
The next place I headed was Rosetta. Since she practiced cooking after finishing her work, she was probably there.
Sure enough, Arwen was there in a white hat, diligently working dough. Seeing the butter and sugar, it looked like she was making cookies as a snack for Young Lady Sapiela.
"You are working hard."
"Dilen! Where did you go? I didn't see you for quite a while today."
"I went out for a little while."
She slowed the motion of her hands slightly and looked at me with an envious expression.
"Isn't a trainee going out far too often? Did you go down to the village?"
"I did. I went out with the Young Lady's permission, so do not worry."
"Wow, I'm jealous."
I stepped into the kitchen. Most of the people working there were favorably disposed toward me, so no one stopped me. If anything, they greeted me gladly.
I picked up one of the cookie cutters nearby, a flower-shaped one, and handed it to her.
"This is the Young Lady's preference."
"Ah, right. Thank you."
In the process of handing it over, my hand naturally brushed against Arwen's. At once, blue letters fluttered through the air and her Status Window appeared in full.
○ Arwen Lefebvre
Rank: ★★★★
Level: 20 (+6)
Trait: Cooking A, Taste A, Cooking Mastery B, Handiwork B, Sewing B, Nursing B, Cleaning C, Eloquence C, Ingredient Appraisal C, Judgement by Eye C, Plating D, ???
Status: Spring Breeze’s Flutter
Areas of Interest: The Young Lady's health and happiness, making a good impression on her childhood friend.
[Not Unlocked]
......
She was leveling at an absurd pace. The last time I checked, she had been level 14, and now she had already gained six more levels. At this point, it almost felt as though someone were power-leveling her.
Apparently she was gaining so much experience because she was effectively working two jobs.
On top of that, her Cooking Mastery trait had risen to B-rank, and the traits Judgement by Eye and Plating had newly unlocked. Their levels were still low, but they were worth paying attention to.
And then there was the grand new category.
"Hmm."
"What is it?"
"Ah, are you hungry?"
The words came out without even meaning them to. It was because I had seen the line about making a good impression on her childhood friend and almost let out a sound on reflex.
"Did you skip dinner?"
"No, I am fine. But if there are leftovers from those cookies later, let me taste them. Even just the crumbs."
"All right."
After that clumsy excuse, I left Rosetta at once. And on the way out, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
"Wait. Am I getting ahead of myself here? It said her childhood friend, not me. If it is her childhood friend, then besides me......"
Rohan's face flashed through my mind.
Surely that was not the twist waiting for me, was it?