Plotting Together

"Anyway, don't touch it."

"That suits me just fine. Good night."

After boarding the plane, he warned me that he was going to sleep, so I'd better not whine about being bored.

I suppose that was his way of responding to my getting a little too excited about riding a private plane for the first time in my life.

Honestly, I did want to chat a bit... but with mountains of things I needed to look over, I gave up early on.

'Pull up my recent quests.'

Ring—

"Hmm, this Tree of Eternal Immor—"

"Quiet."

"Ugh, a girl can't even talk to herself."

Honestly, he has sharp ears on top of everything else.

If anything, the person who can't sleep because of a little noise is the bigger problem here, don't you think?

I grumbled a few times in quiet rebellion, then turned my attention back to the quest window.

'...What exactly is this Tree of Eternal Immortality?'

It was strange.

Ever since the Gates opened, like everyone else, I'd enjoyed browsing all sorts of wondrous items — and as a rule, I should at least have heard the name of anything remotely notable.

But this was something I had never heard of, not once.

...Don't tell me.

It doesn't actually exist in this world, does it?

With a flicker of anxiety at my fingertips, I clicked on the material name.

Pop!

Whew... well, at least it's purchasable from the shop. 'Shop!'

I let out a relieved sigh and immediately opened the shop.

But what appeared was a UI with a strangely familiar look.

'...Doesn't this resemble the game I used to play?'

It really was similar.

Granted, it seemed somewhat hastily thrown together and rough around the edges, with a pretty sparse item list — but it had nailed the feel of it, no question.

So it was built from my memories after all.

Nostalgia washed over me as I dug through the item list.

'Pyranian Ancient Pendant.'

'Pyranian Ancient Bracelet.'

'Pyranian...'

Why are there so many Pyranian-somethings?

...Oh! Found it!

Jackpot!

...I'm loaded.

I had no idea how I'd accumulated all that, but either way, it was good news.

After checking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the skill's details, I learned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that if a Pygmy crafting attempt failed, the materials would be ruined and unusable — so it would be wise to stock up generously.

I bought the item right away and opened my inventory.

Inside, the essences left over from awakening my body were piled up.

Hummm—

The moment I clicked on the items needed for crafting, the physical objects slid right out of the screen.

'...Subspace magic?'

The ability that item-crafting guilds and dungeon logistics companies would sell their souls for. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ There were only about fifteen slots, which admittedly wasn't many — but even so, it was S-Rank magic, eat your heart out.

One absurdly overpowered trait after another kept popping up out of nowhere, and my heart began to race with excitement.

"Whew— okay, calm down. Next up... Pygmy crafting!"

Ring—

'Advanced Pygmy.'

Ring—

"B-Blade Claws?"

...So that's how it was.

No wonder there were no tools — apparently I was meant to shape the materials with my own hands.

Well, a true artisan's hands are both the tool and the spec sheet, after all.

The Pygmy required six pieces of wood in total: two each for the arms and legs, one for the torso, and one for the mask and face.

I activated Blade Claws on the spot and threw myself into carving the wood.

'I'll make you my finest work yet...!'

"Grrrrgh...! I'm up!"

"You're awake?"

"...You never slept?"

"Nope."

Vincent stared quietly at me after that. Then he scratched his head slightly and let out a baffled remark.

"Looks like you didn't sleep a wink... but you're in a suspiciously good mood. Anything good happen?"

"Hehe — life is always fun when you're as amazing as me. Looks, talent — what's missing from the package?"

"......."

Clap!

Vincent, who had gone silent, lightly smacked his own palm with his fist. Then, eyes rounding into crescents, he loaded up a single beaming smile.

"I get it now!"

"Get what?"

"You ate something weird, didn't you? ...Jihyun, bring me something tasty from whatever she didn't order."

"Right away, Master Vincent."

The stewardess — no, the attendant — gave him a brief nod and left. She'd only just brought the freshly-risen Vincent a glass of water, and already a bonus mission had materialized.

...Figures he'd pull that. Waking up from a nap and being insufferable right off the bat.

If he'd just stayed up and eaten with me, the attendant would've had it so much easier.

I clicked my tongue — tsk — and turned my head away.

"Just like a real little sister — you've got that I-could-slap-you look on your face."

"You bet I do."

"Have you eaten?"

"Oh, yes! It was delicious! I never imagined I'd get authentic Italian pasta on a plane like this. Later, I want to try the other menu too— mmph!"

Vincent's hand sealed my mouth shut. When I looked up at him questioningly, he said, exasperated.

"Your addenda are too long. And I distinctly told you it was an 'airbus' — why do you keep calling it a plane? Honestly, and you call yourself a noble."

"Pff—! ...Come on, don't ride me so hard. What can I say? I've lived such a pitiful life."

"How would you know if it was pitiful? You can't remember a thing."

"That's exactly what makes it pitiful."

"Tch."

With that, he turned his face to the window and kept it there. Uncharacteristically, he didn't look happy at all.

But it didn't seem like anything from our conversation had bothered him — if anything, he looked like he was mulling something over.

'He'd pass for a movie star if he just sat still like that.'

A face carved like a statue, topped with an unfairly long frame. If the Gates had never appeared, he might well have been working at some high-end nightclub.

But then—

Bzzt—!

"...?"

"What are you staring at."

At the sound of something crackling, Vincent began to bristle. I hadn't said a single word — and yet, merely because our eyes happened to meet, I received a threat that I'd be killed where I stood if I blabbed.

It was the most graceless version of him I had seen to date.

I fought for my life to hold down the laughter threatening to burst out of me.

My laughter-suppression challenge was finally called off when a delicious smell began wafting over from somewhere.

"...Raebi."

A short while later, he called my name as he sliced into his steak.

When the food had arrived, his expression had brightened momentarily, but by now he had slipped back into dark mode.

Wondering if something was still eating at him, I answered with a playful smile.

"I said I wouldn't talk."

"That's not what this is about, you brat."

But his face was more stripped of humor than I'd ever seen it. The mood had subtly shifted, and when I looked up at him, he began voicing an unexpected topic.

"Just to be clear, this is a friendly tip — you're handling your speech well right now."

"...Is that sarcasm?"

"No. Keep using honorifics like you are now."

...Weren't you the one who told me to talk casually just yesterday?

At Vincent's baffling remark, I tilted my head slightly.

As if he'd read the question on my face, his gaze drifted somewhere far away as he spoke.

"Nobles are just like that. I came on this trip telling myself it was a vacation, so I figured I'd relax and get comfortable with you for a little while — that's why I talked casually."

"Then the 'speak casually' thing was..."

"Just wishful thinking on my part. You'll see once we get there, but the inner quarters of the estate are honestly suffocating."

"...Hmm."

Suffocating, huh.

Only then did I understand why he'd been in such a foul mood.

With that do-or-die personality of his, a stifling atmosphere clearly wouldn't suit him — and it seemed the aristocratic system was far stricter than I'd imagined.

I opened my mouth, a thread of anxiety woven into my voice.

"Is it like... schemes and power plays running rampant everywhere, that kind of thing...?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. Of course, if you were aiming for the next head of house's seat, that'd be a different story — but if not, you don't really need to worry about any of that."

"Phew... what a relief."

"In exchange."

Vincent raised a single finger. I quietly urged him on.

"In exchange...?"

"Best to keep the talking to a minimum. About your abilities, for instance — or gossiping about anyone behind their back."

"Ah—"

...I see.

His point was definitely sound. Given how I'd acted on my own whims earlier and made things awkward, discretion was clearly the better part of valor no matter what I did.

'Note to self: study up on etiquette in advance.'

From then on, I began pestering Vincent with questions about the atmosphere inside the estate and all sorts of other things. Though he seemed a little put out by it, he answered me dutifully enough.

And then — only when our arrival was nearly upon us — did I finally get an explanation for my earlier blunder.

"...A chance to coordinate what I say?"

"Exactly, you airhead. That ability of yours was never meant to be revealed willy-nilly. His Eminence intended to consult with you beforehand about what information could be let out."

So, to summarize what he told me:

It was dangerous.

And hearing the details, it truly was dangerous.

If the family found out about it, I would inevitably be exploited in every direction imaginable — and in the worst case, people might start digging into the very source of my power.

Things would become especially grave if a psychic-type Awakened got involved.

Anyone might say, well, just refuse them — but nobility is a rigid caste system, through and through. Even ordinary nobles short of a house head can override the laws of the old world if they truly wish.

"So you'd do well to keep your mouth shut from now on. That is, if you want to protect yourself."

"Aha... I understand completely. But why didn't you want to tell me this? It's important."

"It's because it's important, dummy. What kind of noble hands over information for free? Besides, from here on out, I'd be the one you're hiding things from."

'.......'

"That's so mean, seriously."

"What?"

"From now on, I'll tell you everything important. So don't be so tight-fisted going forward."

I said it with an easy smile.

I understood now that the aristocratic system was rigid and cutthroat — but what else could this be, if not an instruction to live without a single soul to trust?

I had zero interest in living so coldly and so lonely. A hard pass on that.

And so I spoke up right away.

"Vincent. Want to see something fun?"

"...Fun?"

'Inventory.'

Pop—

A translucent yellow box sprang up before my eyes. Confirming that no one else was watching, I drew a single low-grade essence out of it.

Hummm—!

"Here you go. A present."

".....?"

Vincent accepted the essence with a dazed look on his face, staring hard at the thing resting in his palm. As if he simply couldn't process the situation, he was making a thoroughly clueless expression.

But...

This was nothing more than the ocean floor moments before the tsunami. Soon enough, a colossal shock began to swallow his face whole.

"S-Subspace mag—!"

Vincent clamped his own mouth shut with both hands. Even though the attendant was the only other person around to worry about, he started sweeping the surroundings with wide, startled eyes.

I leaned toward him and settled into the seat beside him.

"S-So? Can you trust me now?"

"Trust has nothing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to do with it — first things first, we're getting our story straight. This is serious."

Vincent swallowed hard. Then, gripping my shoulder and fixing me with burning eyes—

His hand had dug in hard enough to hurt.

"Advanced buffs, sudden growth spurt, summons — and now subspace magic on top of it all. You... even the Head of House mustn't know about this."

"Huh? Why not?"

"...Simple. Because Douglas Kim wouldn't be able to handle you."