Victoria and I stopped by her dorm and then headed out.
We walked down the main road from the gate. There were large mansions on both sides, but soon they started to get smaller, and we reached an area with shops.
This is a road Victoria walks every three days, so she’s very familiar with it.
In fact, all the paths the Harvesters frequent are familiar to me.
Following Victoria, I knew where we were heading even before we arrived. There was a delicious smell wafting from the street, and I saw people coming from the opposite direction, each holding food.
We arrived at a street lined with restaurants.
Back when I attended the Clockwork Knight School, I didn’t have any friends, but I often came to places like this. I’ve always had a good appetite, and since I gained my psychic powers, my appetite tripled.
It really consumes a lot of calories.
To be clear, it doesn’t mean I have the ability to create something from nothing. Sure, I do an excessive amount of work compared to the calories I take in, but that’s the same with magic.
Victoria, smiling widely, ran into the alleyway.
I followed her inside.
As soon as we entered, countless gazes were drawn to me. Curiosity, jealousy, dislike, interest—various emotions and stares mixed together.
Am I really that strange?
"Oh my, didn’t you wear that on purpose? That outfit. It’s hard for ordinary people to wear something like that, isn’t it?"
Merryweather, pointing at my collar, said that. She was smiling, but she couldn’t hide her probing expression. If she’s from the intelligence department, she’s obviously trying to figure out what I like and dislike.
This kind of profiling is a technique used to understand someone by gathering these details. It means you’ve essentially cooked the person in a way that makes them easy to read.
I don’t want to show my weaknesses that I’m not aware of, so it’s a bit annoying.
Speaking of outfits...
Now that I think about it, there’s a noticeable difference. Even though this is a fairly humble neighborhood, the fabric of the clothes is different.
I don’t care what I wear, but people wear different clothes depending on their status. Take Kanna, for example—she knows various types of fabric and the clothes made from them.
Not only does she know the types, but she also memorizes the clothes worn for different situations, locations, and times.
Clothes are an important element in human culture.
They express oneself and help understand others.
I’d use them when necessary, but that’s when I need to exert influence outside.
With a guard by my side, who else would do something other than steal? That’s what I thought, as I walked over to Victoria, who was already stuffing her mouth with food she bought just ahead.
"Bell, do you want to eat too?"
"I don’t eat much."
"Yeah, you barely ate at home. That’s why... Well, you’re not exactly short, but... hmm."
As she spoke, it seemed like she remembered our first meeting.
"Aren’t you short, Bell?"
Merryweather asked from the side.
"This kid... When I first met them, they were about 25 feet tall, right? Honestly, that body is something. What was it? They said it was similar to the body they used before... Wait, why did I even say that?"
Victoria quickly covered her mouth. She glanced at me, and I shrugged my shoulders. I can’t feel it, but Merryweather probably has the ability to loosen people’s tongues.
Cognitive distortion isn’t just something that can be done at places like the Royal Academy; it can be used outside as well.
I looked at Merryweather.
I couldn’t see any object that might be responsible for such a function. Could she be hiding it inside her body?
It’s an intriguing skill.
Psychic manipulation is very useful.
But just knowing that she can use it is a threat to humans. It could become something unsettling, and it might be better not to know about it at all.
Above all, even if I obtained Merryweather’s memories, it’s more likely that I would only know how to use the tools, not the actual method of using them.
It’s more important to create the tools.
So I’ll need time. I’ll spend my days without any thought, letting all the suspicions dissipate, and then I’ll passively wait until they begin to use me.
Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.
It’s the only method I’ve had success with, and it’s all I have to show.
Yeah.
I’m confident it will work.
"Well, it’s just something I can talk about, Victoria. I’ve never hidden the fact that I’m a monster."
I answered Merryweather’s question casually, as if to say I had properly responded. It’s uncomfortable to say something specific and make me into an easily understandable object, but it’s true that it’s something I can say.
"By the way, Victoria. Didn’t Beatrice scold you for eating too much last time?"
"This... this is just a rare treat, so it’s fine! And my psychic powers stop me from gaining weight!"
I mean, even if that’s the case, there’s no need to hide the box of fried food under your arm like you’re trying to keep it from me.
"Really? You don’t gain weight?"
"Oh, you don’t know? Marly."
As Victoria spoke, a small droplet of water appeared in the air. It shifted and turned into a small figure, then transformed into the name "Marly."
Then, it quickly dried up, and the air returned to its original moisture level.
"Once I use this, I get really hungry."
Victoria uses it every day. She uses it when she washes in the morning and evening, or just in her daily life.
"Wow! So you don’t even use magic at all? How do you do that? It’s impossible... that’s weird."
Merryweather stared at the spot where the droplet disappeared. Since her pupils were fixed, she might be able to see magic with her eyes.
A powerful magician?
Maybe it’s her cognitive distortion ability. Instead of using a special tool, it could be her own technique. Though, that’s a bit strange. Could someone with such strong magical abilities really be working for the intelligence department?
Hmm.
This kingdom could use some improvement.
According to the developmental scale Daegon created for invasions, this world would be quite a challenge. Of course, on its own, it’s at a level that Daegon’s vanguard could easily defeat.
The problem is that nature in this world is larger and stronger than the civilizations covering it.
There were many monsters that even Daegon’s vanguard couldn’t handle.
In other words, this kingdom is a human civilization that exists in a world full of monsters.
Of course, even if I make this analysis, there’s nothing I can do about it, but I’ll keep making these observations. I think that eventually, they might be useful.
I’m diligent.
Meanwhile, Merryweather mumbled strange words while focusing her gaze into the air, and Victoria, smiling brightly, continued eating.
Then, sensing my gaze, she picked up one of her snacks and handed it to me, but I refused.
I wondered if it would be awkward to stare at her, so I looked around.
Every now and then, I’d catch a glimpse of people’s stares that would disappear. It was fascinating, but I noticed some worry between them.
I turned my gaze to the sky.
In this world, there are a handful of good people, a handful of bad people, and the majority of people who are in between, wavering.
That’s the world I know, and the model of humanity I’m assuming will keep gaining warmth as I give myself.
When I lowered my head again, I saw the bustling alley full of delicious smells. In a place like this, bad people would have a hard time showing up.
For now, this is still within the range of public authority.
At that moment, I noticed someone approaching me with hostility.
It was a child, about my size. Compared to Victoria, maybe three to five years younger. And a little further away, there was an adult man with the same expression as the child.
They weren’t just physically similar, but they both looked at me with the same emotion.
The man, looking awkwardly away, walked toward me as if he were trying to act like he didn’t see me because I was too small to notice him.
As we almost collided, his body swayed, and he brushed past me.
Taking advantage of the man’s distracted gaze, the child’s small hand reached out and grabbed a button on my clothing. The button was made of some valuable metal.
Snap.
The button was yanked off and fell to the ground. It was cleanly severed, though I didn’t know what had cut it.
"Not happening, little one."
Blood started oozing from the clean cut on the button.
"Ah, aaaaahhh!"
Ignoring the child’s pained scream, Merryweather lifted the child’s severed hand.
"I’m on guard duty right now. What happens when you steal other people’s things?"
She held up the child’s hand like a trophy and spread her fingers, revealing the button she had grabbed from my clothes.
She exaggeratedly handed the button to me.
"I didn’t stop you before you stole it, but since I caught it, could you let it slide?"
I took the button.
The surroundings fell silent. The only sound was the child, still clutching their severed wrist, crying in pain.
The person who had blocked my path quickly left when the child screamed. This was just another unfortunate accident, a righteous judgment carried out by someone with power.
I took the button.
"Yeah. I’ll let it slide."
As I pondered what to do with the torn clothes, Victoria, with an angry expression, approached me.
"Merryweather. Cutting that child’s wrist was too cruel."
Victoria glared at Merryweather, standing in front of her like she was about to fight.
"Isn’t it strange? The law says that anyone who steals should have their wrist cut off, no matter their age."
Merryweather asked, as if to point out something odd, with a playful smile.
Tap, tap.
Taking her time, Merryweather approached Victoria and casually swiped her fingers under Victoria’s chin, asking:
"On the other hand, bringing Bell to a place like this all of a sudden... Could it be that you have some ulterior motive?"
Ah. I understand now. Planting doubts.
She’s trying to isolate me. It looks like the royal family is finally thinking of using me.
Hehe. To be the one directly affected by this...
It’s amusing.
Well, I’ll have to side with Merryweather.
"Yeah. Victoria."
I picked up the child, who was drenched in sweat from pain. About 20kg, or roughly 50 pounds—a very light weight.
Just as Merryweather wanted, I lifted the child by their shoulders and hoisted them high. Though I didn’t hold them tightly, they groaned in pain.
I brought the child in front of Victoria so she could see clearly and asked her:
"What should we do with this?"