kscans

Chapter 325 - Interlude: The Clan Meeting

The high-class hotel "Camelot" in the Royal Capital.

In the banquet hall on its tenth floor were four people. Ronios and Cremola of the Gemini Foundation, and though he was a former member, Jolth of the Leo Foundation and his aide, Victor.

Jolth wanted to avoid contact with Foundation members as much as possible, but this time was different. Ronios was messing with Hayato.

He owed Hayato a debt.

He might have been the only one who felt that way, but a debt was still a debt. For his own convenience, he had brought an envoy from Scorpion to Hayato. He did it despite knowing it would certainly cause trouble, whatever the reason may have been.

He had simply compared the risks and decided that refusing the Foundation's request would be worse. Besides, if he had not done it, someone else would have. Therefore, he had acted thinking that he, who might be able to protect Hayato, should be the one to do it.

In the end, Hayato had not needed Jolth's help, leaving only the debt behind. This time, he had decided to speak with Ronios to resolve Hayato's problem.

Jolth turned his gaze to Ronios.

"What are you doing, starting this game?"

"Curiosity. I was interested in the technology here, so I gave it a try. It's incredible, isn't it. It's just like reality."

Ronios said this with a joyful expression, opening and closing her right hand as she looked at it.

Jolth shifted his gaze to Cremola.

"You too, Cremola-sama?"

"I'm just keeping her company. But this place is nice. You can do things you can't do in reality."

As Cremola said this, she took out a large amount of sweets and began to eat.

"The best part is that no one gets mad at me for doing this."

Cremola continued to eat the sweets she had produced, her face expressionless.

Realizing he only needed to persuade Ronios, Jolth returned his gaze to her.

"I understand why you started the game. But what are you doing now? For that matter, aren't you the leader of Shooting Star?"

"Didn't you just figure it out? We pretend to have a master so we can move freely. The leader is a figurehead, but he handles all the tedious stuff. He does command the other members, so it's not entirely inaccurate to call him a leader."

Jolth had thought as much, but that was irrelevant. What he really wanted to know was the answer to his first question.

"I understand the situation. In that case, what is your reason for targeting Hayato?"

"Oh my, you look so serious."

"My apologies, I was born with this face. Now, what is your reason?"

"I can only say it's because he seems interesting."

"...That's your reason?"

"Do you need a better one? Would you be satisfied if I said I was forced to do it because my lover was taken hostage?"

"No. I just thought it was a more boring reason than I expected."

When Jolth said that, Ronios burst out laughing.

"You're incredible, Jolth. Those words hit home. It certainly is a boring reason. I need to come up with something more interesting."

"Indeed. So, what's the real reason?"

Ronios showed a look of surprise at his words, but it quickly turned into a smirk.

"I think it's even more boring than the last one. I don't have to tell you, but shall I? But wait a moment. Cremola, some tea for me too."

Cremola, with a reluctant look on her face, placed a cup of tea in front of Ronios.

Ronios took a single sip before looking at Jolth.

"I wanted to test my own strength."

"Test your strength...?"

"Since we were children, we've been made to learn more knowledge and skills than ordinary people. I don't dislike it, but do we ever get to use that knowledge and skill?"

"Use our knowledge and skill, you ask?"

As someone who was once of Foundation blood, Jolth had also been hammered with all sorts of things. But as for using them in the real world, not so much.

The main reason for learning such things was to avoid being outmaneuvered by others in dealings between the Foundations.

Those outside the Foundation bloodlines were considerate, and even if you lacked knowledge, you would never be laughed at for it. That was because of the fear of what might be done to them if they did.

"Sometimes people hide their Foundation identity to start a company, but you'd have to be a fool to think they don't get found out, wouldn't you? And once you're found out, you get special treatment. With or without knowledge and skills, you can do whatever you want. And you never fail. Because everyone around you will work themselves to death to make sure of it."

"Well, that's true."

"This virtual reality is the perfect place to test my own abilities. In reality, the title of Foundation blood is always attached to you. This world, where that's gone, means you have only your own strength to rely on."

Jolth could understand that feeling.

Part of his reason for leaving was his dislike of the succession disputes with his siblings, but it was also true that he had wanted to see if he could survive on his own strength.

However, that was the indulgence of the 'haves'. Even if you said you would live by your own strength, you already had enough money to live a life of leisure. You were merely playing in a safe place.

In the first place, the knowledge and skills were given to him as a member of a Foundation bloodline. The idea of 'one's own strength' was a delusion.

That was something Jolth had realized after leaving the Foundation, so he decided not to say anything on the matter, figuring she wouldn't understand even if he pointed it out.

But there was something he wanted to say.

"I understand how you feel. But that doesn't justify messing with Hayato."

"Let's not rush to conclusions. We can talk slowly. I'm actually starved for conversation. No one will talk to me in the real world. It's quite a problem."

I don't particularly want to talk to you either, Jolth thought, but he kept it to himself.

Ronios took a sip of her tea with an elegant motion, then turned her gaze to Jolth.

"The first thing that made me want to get involved with Hayato was Ney of Libra."

"Ney-sama?"

"You must know, right? The clan Hayato was in, Kokuryu. Its leader, Ney, is of the Libra Foundation's bloodline and its next head. And she's an investor in this virtual reality."

Jolth affirmed with a nod. He hadn't confirmed it, but he had been almost certain it was true.

"You may not know Ney well, Jolth, but she is quite the fool. You could say her head is in the clouds."

"Please stop, you're shortening my lifespan. It's true I don't know her well, but isn't that going too far?"

"It's not far enough. To the point where I wonder what the current head of Libra is teaching her. It's nice that she has a sense of justice as a member of Libra's bloodline, but she's such a child she seems to think there are no bad people in the world. Everyone in the Foundations thought the next head of Libra would be a failure. But..."

Ronios cut herself off there. Then she closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips.

Jolth thought it was a rare sight, but things wouldn't progress if he stayed silent, so he prompted her.

"But what?"

Ronios slowly opened her eyes.

"Opinions changed at the last Council meeting."

"At the Council meeting...? I've heard a little about it, but it was secondhand, so I don't know the details. What happened?"

"Ney brought Scorpion to its knees. I still don't know what trick she used, but she picked a fight with a Foundation to protect something important to her. And she won. I've never been so surprised in my life."

Perhaps recalling that moment, Ronios was smiling the entire time she spoke.

And Jolth was surprised.

He knew the story of Libra making Scorpion yield, but he hadn't known Ney herself had done it.

"And the cold look in Ney's eyes for just a moment. It was as if she was saying she'd crush them if they didn't back down. Even for me, a complete third party, it took my breath away for a second. My assessment of Ney changed 180 degrees. It made me wonder if she had been fooling us all along. Can a person who isn't even the head of a Foundation not just meddle with another Foundation, but actually pick a fight with one?"

"It's almost impossible. Doing so would upset the balance of the Foundations."

"Right? Scorpion made the first move, but that's because they didn't know Ney was involved. But Ney did it knowing her opponent was Scorpion. Normally, it's something you'd do more secretly, but from what I saw of the exchange, she must have done something serious right then and there. Every Foundation is looking into what happened at that time. Scorpion is keeping quiet, so we still don't know what she did."

Ronios drank her tea again, then recrossed her legs.

"I have a feeling the reason for Ney's change, or rather, the reason she showed her true nature, has something to do with Hayato."

"Hayato?"

"It's just speculation. However, Ney has been providing Hayato with various conveniences, even in reality. She seems to have had Hayato transported to the Hospital colony right after the Clan War event ended, and she apparently visits the cafe Hayato runs frequently... hmm?"

Ronios trailed off, lost in thought.

Not again, Jolth thought. This was probably one of her conversational tactics to pique his interest, but having the conversation interrupted every time was a pain.

"What is it?"

"Ah, my apologies. Something just occurred to me as I was talking. Scorpion didn't know Ney was involved, yet they somehow contacted Hayato. That's the one part I don't understand. Seeing how Scorpion tried to raise the issue of a business suspension at the Council, they almost certainly didn't know Ney was involved... Do you know anything, Jolth?"

He had his suspicions. He speculated that Hayato had some kind of connection to this virtual reality. But that was the same as knowing nothing at all.

"No, I don't. I was also wondering why a Foundation member would go to see Hayato."

"You don't know either. Perhaps they were trying to talk to the top-ranked players of the Clan War. The prize money is transferred, but I heard they met this world's God before that. You met him too, didn't you?"

"Yes, well. I didn't see him, though. It was just a voice. I was asked a lot of questions, but I got the prize money without any problems. More importantly, talking about someone's real life in a virtual reality is..."

She had mentioned Hayato running a cafe. Even for a Foundation member, manners and morals were necessary.

"You wouldn't misuse the information. Nor would Victor, of course. Cremola and I are Foundation members, so we can't be blamed."

"Ney-sama is the investor in this virtual reality, you know? Won't the conversation logs be saved?"

"I just called Ney a fool a moment ago, but nothing happened, right? She probably can't access the conversation data either. They say the structure of this virtual reality is a black box that's still being analyzed, true or not. They hold regular events, so I think it's a lie, but well, if we get caught, we'll deal with it then."

So much information was coming out that Jolth was getting a little confused.

He organized his thoughts before speaking.

"I mostly understand the situation. Hayato is involved in Ney-sama's change, or her showing her true nature. That's why you messed with him, is that right?"

"Exactly. But that's not all."

"There's more?"

"I said earlier that it seemed interesting, and that's not wrong either. All things considered, Hayato is extremely interesting. And he's competent. So much so that I'd like to scout him for the Foundation."

For the umpteenth time that day, Jolth nearly cried out in surprise.

Scouting for the Foundation meant a change in class. He was talking about raising Hayato, who ran a cafe, likely from the working class, to a higher class. While class demotions happened, promotions were almost unheard of. It wasn't without precedent, but you could count the instances on two hands.

But there was something he found strange. Being competent in a virtual reality was not the same as being competent in the real world.

"Hayato is competent?"

"Is that strange?"

"Yes, well. Hayato is certainly a competent production player, but I think that's a separate issue from wanting to scout him in the real world."

"Of course. I wouldn't scout someone in reality just because they're a competent production player in a virtual reality. Are you making fun of me?"

"I'm not doing something that would get me sent to a dead end. I just felt a slight disconnect with you calling Hayato competent."

Jolth liked Hayato. He wanted to be his friend in the real world, but that wasn't because he was competent. It was for a combination of reasons, from their past interactions to Hayato's personality.

He didn't understand Ronios's intention in calling Hayato competent.

"I see. Then what kind of person would you call competent?"

"The definition of a competent person, you mean?"

"That's right."

"My image of a competent person is someone who specializes in a field. I also feel that people who think quickly are competent. In that sense, I don't think Hayato is quite there."

"Well, that's about right. But my idea of a competent person is different."

"Then what kind of person do you consider competent?"

"I believe the people who can manage those competent people Jolth mentioned are the truly competent ones. No matter how fast you think, there's a limit to what one person can do alone."

"And that's Hayato?"

Ronios smirked and then nodded.

"I tried approaching him the other day. Hayato isn't particularly attractive, nor is he strong. And he was about to accept our demands, probably because he thought it would cause trouble for his shop. To be blunt, he's a coward."

"That's a harsh assessment, but you seem to be enjoying saying it."

"I like the unexpected. Hayato is no great figure, but the NPCs with him tried desperately to protect him. I ended up fighting four of them. The first two were ace tamers, and the two who came later were experts in melee and ranged combat. Even if they're NPCs, for such people to try and protect Hayato. It's different from being able to 'manage' them, but in effect, it's as if they're lending him a hand. By my definition, that's competent."

"But they're NPCs, aren't they? If you meet certain conditions, won't they always help you?"

NPCs were, in the end, just programs. It wouldn't be strange if they were coded with some kind of priority program. That was Jolth's thinking.

"I don't know what kind of AI the NPCs are equipped with, but it's close to human thought, isn't it? It wouldn't be strange to say there are people inside them. Besides, even if it's just the actions of a program, do you have any NPCs who would help you when you're in a pinch, Jolth?"

"I don't have any NPCs. In the real world, I believe Victor would help me, though."

Hearing that, Victor looked a bit embarrassed, but considering he had followed Jolth after he left the Foundation, it was safe to say he would undoubtedly help him.

"You and Victor seem to have a good relationship. But even for you, Jolth, it's only one person, right? And zero NPCs. I have some NPCs I've gotten friendly with, but it feels more like a business relationship than companionship. They wouldn't throw themselves in front of me to protect me. Since I don't know how he does it, I think Hayato is extremely interesting, and competent."

"When you put it that way, I suppose so."

"And in reality, Ney is lending him a hand. She's not using the Foundation's power to provide him with conveniences, but would a Foundation member really visit a small cafe in a colony over and over again?"

Jolth grunted.

Ronios was saying that Hayato, who had NPCs with near-human thought patterns helping him, was competent. If Hayato himself heard it, he would probably deny it, but there was no denying that was the result.

That was in the virtual reality, but if a Foundation member like Ney was doing various things for Hayato in the real world as well, then Jolth decided she wasn't entirely wrong.

"I understand what you mean by Hayato being a competent person, Ronios-sama."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"However, I think harassing someone and then asking them to be your ally is wrong. How could you possibly think that would work?"

"I never said I wanted him as an ally, did I?"

"...What?"

"As I said at the beginning, I want to test my own strength. I've chosen Hayato as my opponent for that. I don't want a competent person to be my ally, I want him to be my enemy."

"You're meddling with him for such a reason...?"

"That's why I said it was a boring reason, didn't I? But you know, it's important to me."

"That's just too selfish."

"Is there such a thing as a selfless person? Everyone is selfish to a greater or lesser extent."

"You're missing the point. I'm talking about the degree of selfishness. It's clearly too much. You're not only affecting yourself but dragging others into it."

"Is that wrong? Well, I won't ask you to understand. I only answered because you asked for my reason. Besides, I'm in a position where I can live such a selfish life. If you have a complaint, you can tell it to the god who gave me such power. Though I think it's useless to say anything to a god who did nothing even when humanity was on the brink of extinction."

Jolth let out a sigh he had been holding back.

This was why he didn't want to meet Foundation members. They understood their power and position, and they pushed their selfish desires on others.

They were cautious about things that could affect the Foundations, but for everything else, they didn't care about others. The only thing equal was that each life was one, but the circumstances surrounding that life were so different.

As someone who had benefited from it, he couldn't say it was unfair, but such a wide gap was quite distorted.

Jolth thought that, but it didn't mean he could just nod and agree.

"In that case, I have a request."

"As thanks for putting up with my conversation, I shall hear it."

"This is too pitiful for Hayato. He's being forced to play along with your one-sided game."

"You brought Scorpion's envoy to Hayato, didn't you. Was that not pitiful?"

"That puts me in a tough spot. That's why I'm trying to repay that debt, even if just a little, by making this request now."

"So it's an act of apology rather than friendship. Well, fine. What is your request?"

"Why not make me your opponent? I think I'm more competent than Hayato."

It was no longer possible to stop Ronios. So he would have to redirect her aggression so as not to trouble Hayato.

With that in mind, Jolth made his proposal.

Ronios, as well as Cremola and Victor who were present, were momentarily stunned, but only Ronios clutched her stomach and burst out laughing.

Even in that situation, Jolth stared at Ronios with a serious face.

Finally catching her breath, Ronios turned her smiling gaze to Jolth.

"My, it's been a long time since I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. Isn't this attempted murder? But I see. You're saying that since you're more competent than Hayato, you'll be my opponent."

"Yes, that's right."

"I refuse. There are many reasons, but we can't have PvP battles between players."

"Then we can compete in something other than PvP."

"I said I want to test my own strength, didn't I? I want to fight with the martial arts and rapier skills I learned for nothing. Besides, I lost when I messed with him before. I want a rematch."

"Me too. I want to get back at that maid."

Cremola, who had been silently eating sweets, spoke up.

Jolth grew weary as the number of people he had to persuade increased.

"Then you should just tell Hayato the situation and ask for a mock battle with his NPCs. You don't have to harass him by buying the lot next to his base."

"I want to fight Hayato and his team when they're serious. If I make such a request, there's a high chance they'll think it's okay to lose. I want them to come at me with everything they've got."

"Then at least give Hayato an advantage. And Ronios-sama, you should take on a risk."

"An advantage for Hayato I understand, but a risk for me?"

"Whether you win or lose against Hayato, you achieve your goal. And even if you lose, it's no skin off your back. You're making your opponent go all out, but you think you can fight seriously without any risk yourself?"

"I see. Now that you mention it, that's true. Then what kind of risk should I have?"

"If you lose, leave the Foundation."

Jolth told Ronios to become not just the next head of the Foundation, but not even a member of the bloodline. In other words, he was telling her to be in the same position as himself.

Once again, everyone was stunned. But Ronios quickly laughed.

"Such a worn-out negotiation tactic is meaningless. You're making an impossible demand first, intending to have me grant a lighter one instead, aren't you? What's your real request?"

"No, that is my real request. I'm completely serious. If you can't do it, it means you don't think you can win. If you think you'll lose even if you go all out, then the fight is meaningless. The moment you don't take on a risk, you've already lost from the start."

"Nice. Is this a strategy to anger me and change my target? But that's meaningless too. You and I have had similar educations. When it comes to negotiations, we both know each other's hands, don't we? Besides, I said I would listen to your request, Jolth. I never said I would grant it, did I?"

Jolth muttered inwardly, So it's no good.

Just as he was wondering what to do next, Ronios laughed.

"It seems my judgment was not mistaken after all."

"What are you talking about?"

"About Hayato. To think you would go this far to defend him, Jolth. That in itself is proof of Hayato's competence. The reasons may be different for each person, but everyone tries to help Hayato. I really want him as a subordinate... right, as for Hayato's advantage, how about raising his class?"

"Are you serious?"

"The procedures are a pain, but it's not impossible. However, according to my investigation, Hayato might not want that. He seems to cherish the cafe in the Factory, and it doesn't seem like he wants to run a cafe on Earth."

Her actions bordered on stalking, but for a Foundation member, it couldn't be helped. Besides, Jolth himself often did a lot of investigating, though not to that extent, so he couldn't criticize her too harshly.

And he judged that it was no longer possible to stop Ronios or change her target. In that case, he should try to get as much of an advantage for Hayato as possible.

"About Hayato's advantage, how about you grant him one wish, anything he wants? Within reason, of course, but you should be able to do most things."

"I see. I suppose I should do at least that much. Since I'm making him go along with this."

It wasn't a matter of it being okay to do anything as long as she gave him a reward later, but at the very least, if she didn't do this, he wouldn't be able to face Hayato.

"However, there's a condition."

"A condition?"

"A condition not for Hayato, but for you, Jolth. You are not to tell Hayato or Ney what we discussed here until the fight is over. That includes our true identities, of course. If Hayato finds out before the fight is over, consider the promise to grant his wish null and void."

"I understand, but will you really go that far for a game? I heard your reason, but I don't understand it at all."

"I told you, didn't I? That I wouldn't ask you to understand. But, well, to put it another way, I don't have the courage."

"What are you talking about? No courage?"

"I can't just leave the Foundation like you, Jolth, nor can I pick a fight with another Foundation like Ney. But the desire to test my strength is stronger than anyone's. If things go on like this, I feel like I might do something terrible in the near future."

"Something terrible...?"

"I don't have a death wish. I just have a feeling that one day I'll do something I wouldn't normally even consider. Something that could lead to an all-out war between the Foundations. Well, I probably won't be able to do that either, and one day I'll just break."

As Ronios said this, she smiled fleetingly.

Even though she was a Foundation member, she was still a woman in her twenties. Jolth figured she must have her own issues. He himself had run away because he couldn't stand that kind of thing. He wouldn't say he completely understood, but he could sympathize.

To put it crudely, she wanted to blow off steam in a game. But her way of doing it was just like a Foundation member, and it was unbearable for those who had to deal with it.

Jolth apologized to Hayato in his heart.

"I understand. I give up on persuading you. Also, if I'm good enough, I can be someone you can talk to. So if you feel like you're about to do something, please contact me. I'll stop you."

"Thank you for that. I'll count on you then. Now then..."

Just as Ronios was about to speak, a system voice echoed around them.

"The seal on Shuten Doji on Onigashima has been broken. An invasion of the Eastern Country has begun. Please proceed to repel them. The time until resealing is approximately one week. I repeat..."

It was a world announcement, like the ones during the Stampede events.

"The Eastern Country...?"

It was the first time Jolth had heard such an announcement, but one thing came to mind.

And Ronios, who had been smiling fleetingly, was now smiling as if that had been a lie.

"Hayato probably did it. What perfect timing. This must be God telling me to fight Hayato."

"I don't know how you came to that conclusion, but he's not."

"You think so? We were talking about Hayato, and then Hayato breaks some seal. I thought it was a sign that I should break my own seal and get serious."

"You should see a doctor. How about you check into the Hospital for a while? I hear there are two master physicians there."

When Jolth said that with a look of disgust, Ronios laughed.

"You're the only one who can say something like that to me. My, today is fun. It's been a long time since I've felt this happy. In that case, maybe I'll go to the Eastern Country too. If the timing is right, I might be able to anger Hayato and his friends in just the right way."

"What are you planning to do? Surely you're not going to the cafe Hayato is running to..."

"I won't harass him in reality. I'll only do it in the game. The details are a secret, but I'm sure Hayato and the NPCs will be angry. Oh, and as I've said many times, don't tell Hayato and the others what we talked about here. If you do that, the balance between the Foundations might collapse, you know?"

(...She got me. That's her check on me.)

She had pinned him down with a statement that might or might not be true. For Jolth, who tried to minimize risks as much as possible, it was enough to immobilize him.

In the worst-case scenario, he could have told everyone everything and ended it all, but now that option was gone.

Was the face that had bared its heart and smiled fleetingly real or fake? As long as he didn't know, he had to act as if it were real. The risk was too great otherwise.

Though he had already left the Foundation, if the Foundations fell into chaos, it would affect many people. Even if he thought she wouldn't do it, if she showed the possibility that she might, Jolth had no choice but to follow Ronios's condition.

As if seeing through his thoughts, Ronios stared at Jolth with a slightly displeased expression.

"Jolth, that part of you is... no, that's fine. I can't talk about others either."

"What is it?"

"It's nothing. So, you understand?"

"I understand, but I don't agree. But I won't say anything. However, I have your word on Hayato's reward."

"I know. I'll do anything for him, as long as it's within my power. Now then, shall we head to the Eastern Country? Cremola, let's go."

"Mm."

Cremola said only that, stood up, and left the room with Ronios.

When their footsteps could no longer be heard, Jolth sagged. He was so tired he didn't think he could stand for a while.

Seeing Jolth like that, Victor looked at him sympathetically.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?"

"No, not at all. But we have to hurry, right?"

At Victor's words, Jolth smirked.

"As expected of my aide."

"There was no promise not to help Hayato. You were steering the conversation that way, weren't you? As long as we don't say anything about what was discussed here, we can do whatever we want."

"I was in a tight spot when she told me not to say anything, but I'm glad she didn't say not to interfere."

"She might have already factored that in, though."

"That's the thing. And she might be thinking she wants to get involved with Hayato and confront Ney-sama. Is that woman a masochist?"

"Don't ask me about that stuff. Come on, let's go. We're going to help Hayato and his friends, right?"

"I don't know if we can. But it seems a large-scale battle has conveniently started, so we can make up any excuse. Let's interfere as much as possible. But I wonder what she's planning to do."

"Something that will definitely anger Hayato and his friends. It seems she won't do anything in reality, and the shop in the game is probably out of the question... maybe take someone hostage?"

"Hayato maybe, but can she take the other members hostage?"

"When you put it that way, it seems unlikely... I feel like it would be faster to just fight it out than to be harassed endlessly. She would be satisfied with that, right?"

"True. It's also difficult to decide how much to help Hayato. Well, whatever. First, let's go to the Eastern Country. Still, what a fun-sounding event, Shuten Doji. I'm not happy about it at all."

Jolth said that, then told the Bandit Clan members to prepare to go to the Eastern Country, and left the room with Victor.