Genus at a Loss for Words

Genus worked his mouth, plainly at a loss.

"Why? You can't give it to me? Fine. Forget it, then."

"How is it that you know of the Synchronization Marble?"

"Sirius told me."

"……Sirius did?"

Genus let out a groan of regret. Sirius was young, and for the prince of a nation he had a remarkably innocent streak. Even so, Genus had never imagined the boy would go around broadcasting the Synchronization Marble he had gone to such trouble to obtain.

"You gave it to him, so of course he'd know."

"True. I did give the marble to the boy."

"Why?"

"Because I could not, for the life of me, determine its use. At first I was dazzled by the mere fact that it was Relic-grade, and I spent three years wandering every corner I could reach, searching for any clue about the Synchronization Marble. Nothing came of it. So I gave it to Sirius. The boy likes darting all over ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the place. I thought he might, somehow, stumble into a way to make use of an item called a Synchronization Marble."

So he didn't know how to use it?

Well, aside from Yujun himself, no one had ever felt the Synchronization Marble's effect. His inventory was linked to No-Pay Casual Gamer's, and so the marble's power had only ever manifested properly for Yujun. More precisely, he had been unilaterally snatching the items away.

"Do you have a Synchronization Marble on you right now, or not?"

"I do not."

"Damn… then you're useless. Where'd you get the Synchronization Marble in the first place?"

"I found it while excavating a half-collapsed ruin."

Yujun nodded.

"Genus cannot come with me. What a shame."

"What? Even after I begged like this, you still refuse?"

"Count yourself lucky I didn't make it public in sixty seconds."

"……You speak nothing but riddles. I will find a Synchronization Marble somehow and give it to you, so can we not go together just this once?"

"Why are you clinging so hard? If I clear it myself, you can get out too."

"I ought to receive some of the reward as well……."

"Have I ever seen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a friend this shameless."

"Heh-heh. Cut me a little slack, friend!"

"Since when am I your friend?"

"Th-then shall I speak more formally?"

"You know what an equivalent exchange is?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing goes out unless something comes in. Wouldn't you agree?"

Faced with Yujun's sly smile, Genus opened his inventory without another word. He drew something out, hid it against his chest, and cleared his throat several times. Then he even put on a meaningful smile.

"This was something I truly treasured, but I will give it to you. On the condition that you take me along."

"What is it?"

"A Trait Gem."

"……Oh?"

The words hooked his interest at once. A Trait Gem. Wasn't this an item you couldn't obtain even if you wanted to, with no way of knowing where to look?

"What grade?"

"Mid."

"Not bad."

"It is far more than 'not bad'! Do you have any idea how precious this item is? Have you never obtained one, not even once? That's it, isn't it? Hmm?"

"Hand it over."

"A firm answer first!"

"Fine. I'll carry you, so give it here. I'm about to get a headache."

"You definitely said yes? Hmm?"

In that instant Yujun's hand moved with the speed of a flash of light. The Trait Gem Genus had been hiding came into Yujun's possession just like that.

"Ah, n-no…… what."

Robbed blind with his eyes wide open, Genus stared down at his own hand in a daze. No matter how high one's Agility, to have something snatched before he could even register the movement?

"Thanks. I'll put it to good use."

"This is……."

Was this what it felt like to have a beloved sweetheart stolen away? It had been something he meant to give from the start, and still his chest felt as if it were tearing.

Even so, going with that man is by no means a bad choice.

He had no idea what would happen if his contribution to the trial was low, so it was better to prepare for the worst. And watching the fight between Yujun and the Black Knights had branded into his brain just how powerful a being Yujun was.

Whatever I choose, it's close to a gamble. Better to invest on the side with more of a chance.

Genus had always chosen the comparatively safe path. Thanks to that he had survived, and grown this strong. His keen instinct for survival was fervently insisting that he follow Yujun. He prayed, desperately, that the Trait Gem would prove a choice he would never regret.

Yujun followed behind the Black Knights, turning the Absolute Sealing Orb over in his hands. Colchi was in here. The orc had done something so bewildering that Yujun, flustered, had sealed him back inside—but thinking on it now, it sat wrong with him. Hadn't that orc Colchi liked being trapped in the Absolute Sealing Orb? It felt less like punishing a Demon God Worshipper and more like handing him a reward, and the thought did not sit well at all.

I need to find a friend to swap him out with, and soon.

Another Absolute Sealing Orb held a villain of the most heinous sort. Miura Genshin. A man with the perverse hobby of collecting the ears of those he killed.

I need to hear what he has to say about the Japanese server, too, but there's no time for that now.

This might be the hardest trial yet. In all likelihood, it would be. He was aware his life could be in danger. Even so, his expression was bright.

Just how good a reward are they planning to hand out……. Heh.

Yujun was already thinking about collecting the reward. The trial's difficulty didn't seem to be on his mind at all.

"Everyone's glaring."

"Y-yeah. They all look ready to charge any second……."

Manuela glanced around and plastered herself tight against Yujun's back. The imperial soldiers' sharp gazes were fixed on them all at once, and the attention was inevitable. They were guests being personally escorted by the Empire's famous Black Knight Order. On top of that, Genus—once the Empire's enemy—had brazenly shown his face. The imperial soldiers he had killed numbered in the thousands alone.

"Our Genus has been causing quite a lot of trouble, hasn't he."

"A-ahem."

"At this rate you're basically asking to be assassinated, aren't you?"

"……I understand. From their perspective, I must be utterly detestable."

"Good that you know. Look after your own life."

"R-right."

Genus, who had secretly hoped for some promise that he would be protected, wore a glum expression.

The tightly shut castle gate opened. The procession, with the Black Knight Commander at its head, wrought a miracle worthy of Moses. Soldiers and imperial citizens alike scattered from their places in a rush.

In the meantime Yujun took out the Trait Gem (Mid) Genus had given him.

Better use it quickly.

There were about two traits worth spending a Trait Gem on. Equanimity (S), and Swift Sword (SSS).

Swift Sword's grade is higher, but…… the one that's actually helped me the most is Equanimity.

A trait that had stayed with him from the very beginning until now. Its existing ability had been so good that he seemed to have neglected it all this time. Yujun made his decision at once.

I'll use it on Equanimity.

There was another reason he meant to invest in Equanimity rather than Swift Sword. Stopping the Second Foreign Invasion. It might be several times harder than bringing down the Empire. Enemies powerful enough that an Empire judged EX-tier difficulty could not stop them were nothing to laugh off. It was an option whose difficulty the System had judged unmeasurable. He wanted his preparations to be certain, and that preparation was developing the Equanimity trait.

The greatest threats to me right now are shape-alteration abilities, and mental-type attacks strong enough to pierce S-rank Equanimity.

He had a near-perfect resistance to curses, so those didn't worry him much. Mental attacks were the problem. Yujun used the Trait Gem at once.

Yujun's eyes went wide.

SS-rank?

This was unexpected. He had thought it would end with a single plus tacked on, but the result had gone beyond that. Perhaps his immense luck had acted in a big way once again. Yujun opened his status window to check.

The grade had indeed risen properly. With the gem's effect added on, it was fair to treat it as SS+. Yujun smiled in satisfaction. He even felt as if his mind had grown a little calmer.

Having the Equanimity trait doesn't seem to just dry your emotions out completely, either.

Yujun's party entered the imperial palace. Having pushed through a vast crowd, everyone was mentally exhausted. Genus's condition was especially bad, for he had received stinging glares from every imperial citizen. Moreover, in the Underground Kingdom he was someone who had received nothing but envious looks. He was not used to treatment like this.

"Regretting that you tagged along?"

At Yujun's words, Genus shook his head.

"If I hadn't come, I would have regretted it more. I don't want to die."

"Right. Even rolling through a field of dog shit, the world of the living beats the underworld."

"Oh, a fine saying. Mind if I borrow it later?"

"…Go ahead."

The imperial palace was monstrously huge—a vast palace plastered in dazzling gold. How thickly had they slathered money onto the making of it? It was no different once they stepped inside. Expensive paintings were a given, and finely carved sculptures and works of art decorated every place they passed.

"This place really is the final boss of extravagance."

It seemed to overflow with luxury and wealth more than anywhere else on the Continent. The equipment of the knights inside the palace was absurd as well. Now and then you could even spot a knight wearing Mythic-grade gear.

Is it because this is a virtual space? The equipment doesn't even make sense.

If a power possessing knights like that had existed on the Continent, the balance of power would have shifted long ago, and then some. The Empire's military strength was that overwhelming. The System's notice that toppling the Empire was EX-tier difficulty had been no empty boast.

Genus left an impression much like Yujun's.

"This is insane. There was no way I could have handled it alone."

Of course, if Yujun hadn't suddenly barged into the trial, things would never have come to this. For Genus, who had been on the verge of clearing it, the unfairness was inevitable. But what could he do? Yujun was far stronger than he was. If it rankled, the only option was to get stronger.

Yujun's party could not meet the Emperor right away. There were security concerns, and it seemed a great deal had to be prepared before an audience. They were guided to a guest chamber. It was called a guest chamber, but it was nearly the size of a small mansion. Luxury goods abounded, of course, and a fine fragrance drifted from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the potted plants set here and there. On top of that, delicious food had been laid out. Faced with a banquet, Yujun's eyes went sharp with hunger.

"This smell is unreal."

While grilling and eating Enhanced Yeti Meat, he had pondered deeply on the taste of food, and on the pleasure that taste gave. Raising his level quickly and growing stronger was all well and good. But there was no need to live quite so tightly wound, was there? He felt he had lived so obsessed with growth that he had missed a great many things.

Manuela and Genus had gone wide-eyed as well. All manner of dishes were laid out on a very large, long table, and the smell rising from them was enough to drive a person mad.

"Did they prepare this for us to eat?"

"Yes."

The Black Knight Commander answered, bone-dry.

"And the Emperor?"

"His Majesty said he would come once he has finished his remaining business."

"Then I suppose we have no choice but to eat the food here. We're busy, though. Haa……."

"If the food is not to your liking, I will have it cleared away at once."

At the Black Knight Commander's words, Yujun startled.

"No, no. That wouldn't be proper courtesy to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the person who cooked it."

The Black Knight Commander met Yujun's razor-cold gaze and nodded with a sour face.

"Understood. Ah, and…"

"If it's not enough, just say so? You'll bring more? Got it."

"……."