Interference (2)
〔Plausibility in possession: 31P〕
Without realizing it, I’d somehow gathered quite a bit.
It was probably thanks to revising the narrative again during my encounter with Michael, but I’d only just now had a chance to check due to how hectic things had been.
Well, maybe it’s time for me to do some shopping.
When I summoned the [Setting Shop], the hazy interface appeared before me.
Everything except the [Setting Shop Upgrade], which cost 500P, was available for purchase.
Out of those, I’d already bought [Growth], so four remained.
I wanted to raise the level of the settings I’d already acquired, but it would be more useful right now to diversify.
“Additional Understanding… Let’s exclude that for now.”
I wasn’t desperate for [Understanding] yet.
I still didn’t fully grasp how this setting functioned, and more importantly.
[Understanding: Michael Lippenstein]
✵Current Understanding: 5.3%
Even though my understanding of Michael had increased significantly, there had been no visible change.
Unlike with Rohan’s [Understanding], where memories surged or I grew more accustomed to the body, this felt completely inert.
My guess was that [Understanding] worked differently for others than for oneself… Anyway, I’d pass for now.
That left:
[Add Bookmark]
[Sixth Sense]
[Status Window]
Time to consider them carefully.
[Add Bookmark].
This one was ambiguous.
Having more save slots (or checkpoints, essentially) would definitely be good, but I hadn’t felt the need for it yet.
Maybe I wanted to believe that was proof I’d been doing well so far—but last Sunday…
My fate deteriorated.
It was the first time I’d experienced that.
And I learned one important truth:
Just like Grace, my fate can also worsen.
No matter how I looked at it, that wasn’t a good thing.
And yet…
I had no intention of flailing in panic just because I was tied to fate.
My goal was singular.
…The salvation of Grace Euclid.
Saving her—that was my fate.
So even if my own fate worsened, if hers shifted toward the light, could I really call that a “decline”?
Maybe I was being too naive.
Maybe it looked like I was living only for Grace, completely disregarding myself.
But if I were the kind of person who wavered at that thought, I never would’ve tried so hard to change Grace’s fate—never would’ve survived this far.
My selfishness is only one thing.
Her happiness. That’s all.
…Seeing how long I’d been lost in thought, maybe I was feeling anxious too. It was my life on the line, after all—no surprise.
In any case, the conclusion was: I don’t need to add a Bookmark just yet.
So this setting gets pushed down the list.
Next up—[Sixth Sense].
This was roughly described as “unlocking a sixth sense to perceive things normally undetectable.”
It also allowed me to perceive fate more accurately.
Even though I could already see Grace’s visualized fate, it only helped gauge changes—nothing more.
I couldn’t see my own fate, or anyone else’s.
Knowing the fates of multiple people could be a nuisance.
However, if the information I needed was among that, it would be worth spending Plausibility on.
Especially if it allowed me to sense unseen dangers.
The problem was, like [Growth], I wouldn’t know what it actually did until I tried it.
Lastly, the [Status Window]...
…After living in this world, I’d concluded this was an absolute must-have.
Despite the name, it was basically a power-level scanner.
I’d be able to know whether I could beat Michael right now, or how much of a threat Ariel posed to Grace.
I could see it all.
How strong others were. How weak I was. All of it as objective stats.
Someday I—no, we—would have to point our swords at the Lippensteins.
If their goal was the downfall of the Empire, and Grace’s death even more so.
With the Status Window, I’d be able to predict when that time would come.
Just as I made my decision and went to purchase the setting—
[You do not have enough Plausibility to purchase “Setting: Status Window.”]
…What the hell?
[This setting costs 50P.]
I hadn’t expected that.
So it wasn’t like [Growth], where all the settings cost 25P?
What the—does this mean settings have “grades” too?
If that’s the case, I only had one option.
But two choices:
Do I buy [Sixth Sense] now, or gather more Plausibility?
[25P will be deducted.]
…I thought about it this long—no way I was backing down now.
It wasn’t like I needed it immediately anyway.
〔Setting Added: “Sixth Sense”〕
Just like when I first added [Growth], I didn’t feel much different.
There were no dramatic changes like my senses sharpening or perceiving previously unnoticeable things.
But it wasn’t disappointing or underwhelming either.
From [Growth], I’d already learned one thing.
All settings are active.
Sitting in the office, I turned to Grace.
“If we explain this spell using this theory…”
She was deeply focused on her research materials.
Gazing at her—like a living magazine cover—I activated the setting.
〔“Sixth Sense Lv.1” Activated〕
As the message popped up, the scenery before me appeared in a new light.
The same familiar office.
But every object radiated a colorful aura.
And at the center of a kaleidoscope dyed in all hues was her fate.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ【Grace’s Fate—Page 17】
『Survival』 《━━━╋━━○━━━━╋━━━》 『Death』
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ 「Branch Point」 「Branch Point」
Oh… So this is what it meant.
It was clearly more defined than before.
Now I could even see “Branch Points.”
Probably indicators of key events.
“Rohan.”
Grace’s voice snapped me back to reality.
Now that I think about it, I’d always snapped out of it with her voice.
“Yes?”
“You look like you have something to say.”
“No. I mean… I had a question but I forgot it.”
“I see. Then tell me if you remember. Promise.”
“Thank you.”
I’d been caught.
Too focused on using the setting—I forgot I was just outright staring at Grace.
I turned back to my desk as naturally as I could, but the thundering in my chest and heat in my face wouldn’t settle.
Then I saw it.
Reflected in the small mirror on my desk was my own face.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ【Your Fate—Page 17】
Alongside my own fate.
***
We restructured the content and re-lectured it, adjusting the theory accordingly.
Grace buried herself in work even more.
I, too, occasionally glanced at her—as if trying to forget something.
And just like that, the weekdays flew by.
Vroooom⸺!
At last, the day of the Royal Auction.
“Arrived!”
Ellis and I, aboard the Inferno, pulled into a street that looked like a festival was about to begin.
Outside the windows, a decent crowd bustled about.
All of them wore peaceful, relaxed expressions—like herbivores basking in a sunny morning.
But that peace came not from the heart—but from their bank accounts.
Blean Woods—the wealthiest and most radiant district of the Capital.
And on the flip side, a sanctum of the bourgeois that the poor could never trespass.
“What should we have for brunch~?”
Ellis, carefully navigating around the pedestrians, peeked around the storefronts for restaurants.
I answered firmly.
“We don’t have time to eat. The auction starts in 30 minutes. We need to be there 10 minutes early for ID verification.”
“What? Auctions take, like, 3 hours minimum! What about my hunger?”
“That’s the price for skipping breakfast.”
“Rohan! That burger looks so good!”
“No.”
“Okay. It’s burger day.”
…Does she have some kind of filter that only hears what she wants?
Ellis immediately turned the wheel and pulled into a drive-thru.
“Two special cheeseburger sets and cheese sticks—quickly, please.”
[That’ll be 6,700 ring. Thank you. Please wait a moment.]
She actually ordered it.
Hopeless.
We got the food and re-entered the main road. I spotted the auction building and pointed.
“Zhthe gi guhngma eul ee nun gut i da. Gunmool apeh suh se—”
“What?”
Gulp.
“…That’s the building.”
“How did you hold back all that time if you wanted it so bad? Rohan, you’re really not honest with yourself, huh?”
“I only ate it because it’d be wasteful to throw it away. People are starving to death in the Empire right now—”
“Save it, Sir Noble.”
“……”
…So this is how that felt.
***
We stepped into the building and presented our IDs at the desk.
Once our identities were confirmed, two attendants who had been waiting nearby approached.
“Lady Ellis Éclat, I’ll escort you. This way, please.”
At that, Ellis looked back at me in confusion.
“Then what about Rohan?”
“Lord Rohan isn’t a Royal Auction premium member, so he’ll be assigned to general seating.”
Then Ellis rubbed her forehead as if remembering something.
“Oh, right. My dad’s a premium member here. It’s been so long, I forgot.”
“Then I’ll just head to general—contact me when you—”
“Why? You’re coming with me.”
Turning to the attendant, Ellis smiled.
The attendant brought his hands together, looking troubled.
“Unfortunately, Lord Rohan is not of House Éclat, so it’s not permi—”
“How much has my dad spent here again? Five hundred? No, maybe about one trillion ring?”
“…It’s allowed.”
“You said no? Rohan, my forehead’s red, right?”
Now that she mentioned it… yeah, it was kind of red?
“Rohan, remember this. If my forehead’s red—it means I’m pissed.”
I instinctively recalled the “doormat” remark and nodded.
The attendant, watching us, trembled slightly.
“N-No, I meant—it’s allowed! I forgot that premium members can bring one guest…”
Ellis shot me a confident smile.
This is why people strive for success.
I gave her a light pat on the shoulder and asked,
“Ready, Ellie?”
“Of course, Rohan.”
This could very well be the most important event yet.
Time to enjoy this page properly.
“Then both of you, please proceed to premium—”
That’s when it happened.
“Didn’t expect to run into you here.”
A voice I hadn’t wanted to hear again anytime soon.
The one that had mercilessly torn and scarred Grace’s heart.
“What a strange coincidence, Rohan.”
Michael Lippenstein.
Turning around, I saw him dressed in an elegant formal suit.
…Would’ve preferred to avoid this meeting.
But damn it—our timing overlapped.
Now that it’s come to this, let’s just say hello and bail.
“Pleasure to see you ag—”
“Ugh. Gross.”
A sharp voice cut me off, and I turned my head.
“I really hoped I wouldn’t see your face again.”
Ellis, baring her teeth like a beast, glared at Michael.
Her pale forehead was definitely red now.
“Well, what a pleasure to see you, Professor Lapunshotine.”
“It’s Lippenstein, problem child of Springwind—Ellis Éclat.”