I stopped by Victoria's dormitory with her and then went outside.
We walk along the road leading from the main gate. Large mansions rise on both sides, but after a short distance, they gradually become smaller and shops appear.
It's very familiar as it's the road Victoria takes every three days or so.
Actually, all the roads that Harvesters frequently use are familiar.
Following Victoria, I knew where we were going even before we arrived. Delicious smells waft from the roadside. And people coming from the opposite direction each have food in their hands.
The place we arrived at is an alley filled with eateries.
During the time at the Clockwork Knight School.
It's a place she used to come out to play occasionally since she wasn't completely without friends. She originally ate well, but after gaining superpowers, her appetite increased about threefold.
That consumes an enormous amount of calories.
In other words, it means her superpower isn't completely creating something from nothing. Of course, she does far more work compared to the calories consumed, but that's the same for magic.
Victoria ran into the alley with a big smile on her face.
I followed her inside.
But as soon as we entered, countless gazes turned towards me. Curiosity, jealousy, hatred, interest, various emotions and gazes are mixed.
Am I that strange?
"Oh my, didn't you wear that on purpose? That outfit. It's an outfit that ordinary people find hard to wear, isn't it?"
Merriwather points below my neck and says that. She's smiling, but can't hide her exploring expression. As an intelligence department member, it's natural to try to understand what I like and dislike.
Collecting such things and interpreting a person is called profiling, which means cooking a person into an easily understandable state.
It's a bit annoying because I don't want to show weaknesses of myself that I don't know.
Anyway, about the outfit.
Come to think of it, there is a bit of a difference. Even though this is a fairly well-off neighborhood, the quality of the fabric is different.
I don't care what clothes I wear, but people wear different clothes according to their position. Just look at Kanna, she knows various types of fabrics and the clothes made from them.
Not only does she know the types, but she has memorized how clothes change according to situation, position, and even time.
That's how important clothes are to humans.
A culture that reveals oneself and allows one to know others.
I would use it if necessary, but that's for when I go out and exert influence.
With an escort beside me, who would do anything other than maybe steal? Thinking that, I approached Victoria, who was already some distance ahead, buying food and stuffing it into her mouth.
"Belle, do you want to eat too?"
"I don't eat much."
"That's true. You really ate very little at home too. You, that's why your height. Your height. Hmm. It's not that you're short. Yeah."
She seems to have remembered the time when we first met while speaking.
"Isn't Belle short?"
Merriwather asks from the side.
"This kid. When we first met, she was about 25 feet tall, right? Rather, that body makes me wonder. What was it? She said it resembled the body she was using before... Huh? Why did I say this?"
Victoria covers her mouth. And looking at my reaction, I just shrugged. I can't feel it, but there's a high possibility that Merriwather also has a function to loosen people's tongues.
This means that cognitive distortion can be done not only in specific places like the Royal Academy but also outside. This.
I looked at Merriwather.
I can't see any objects that are presumed to have such functions. Is she hiding it inside her body?
It's a technique I covet.
Techniques that manipulate the mind are very useful.
But the very fact that it can be used is a threat to humans. It becomes creepy, so it might be better not to know.
Above all, even if I obtained Merriwather's memories who is right in front of me, there's a higher possibility that I would only know how to use the tool, not about the tool itself.
I need the side that makes the tools.
So I need to take time. I'll spend time helplessly, appearing foolish and thoughtless, until all suspicion disappears and they start to use me.
It's the only method I've succeeded with, so it's the only thing I can boast about.
Yes.
I'm confident I can succeed.
"It's because it's a fact that can be said, Victoria. I've never hidden the fact that I'm a monster."
I answer casually, as if I've properly answered Merriwather's question. I don't like it when there are specific numbers because it becomes an easily understandable object rather than the form of monster each person imagines.
The fact itself that it can be said is true.
"More importantly, Victoria. Didn't Beatrice scold you last time for eating too much?"
"Th-this is fine because it's just once in a while! And I don't gain weight because of my superpower!"
No, even so, there's no need to turn away from me while hugging the box of fried food to your chest as if I'm going to take it away.
"Oh my, you don't gain weight?"
"Ah, doesn't Malley know? This."
As soon as Victoria speaks, a small water droplet appears in the air. Then it moves around, becoming a small picture before changing into Malley's name.
And then, softly. The rapidly dried air regained its moisture.
"I get extremely hungry after using this."
Victoria uses this every day. She uses it usefully in daily life, like when washing in the morning and evening, and in various other ways.
"Wow! You really don't use any magic at all~ How does that work? It shouldn't be possible, it's strange."
Merriwather stares intently at the place where the water droplet disappeared. Since her pupils are fixed, maybe this person can see magic with her eyes.
A powerful magician?
Perhaps the cognitive distortion function. The possibility has arisen that it's not using a special object but her own skill. No, that's a bit strange. A magician that powerful working as an intelligence agent?
Hmm.
I should raise the level of this kingdom a bit more.
According to the development scale that Great Kraken created for invasion, it's becoming a bit tricky world. Of course, looking at this alone, it's a level that Great Kraken's advance party could easily win.
If there's a problem, it's that in this world, nature was wider and stronger than the civilization that covered the world.
There were many monsters that not only humans but even Great Kraken's advance party couldn't handle.
In other words, this kingdom is humanity that has achieved civilization in a world where such monsters live.
Of course, even if I do such analysis, I can't do anything with it, but I intend to keep doing it steadily. If I do everything I can do, won't it be useful someday?
I'm diligent.
Meanwhile, leaving Merriwather who is muttering strange words while focusing her gaze on the empty air, Victoria eats her food with a broad smile.
When she noticed my gaze, she took one of them and offered it to me, but I refused.
Wondering if it was uncomfortable to stare, I looked around.
Gazes touch me once in a while and then disappear. It's because it's that curious, but when I found worry among them.
I turned my gaze to look at the sky.
Surely, in the world, there's a handful of good people. A handful of bad people. And in between, there are many people who waver ambiguously.
That's the world I know, and it's the human model I assume will consistently give me warmth when I give myself.
When I lower my head again, there's still an alley full of many people coming and going and delicious smells. It would be difficult for bad people to come to a place like this.
Still, this is within the range where public authority has influence.
At that moment, I noticed someone approaching me with hostility.
It's a child just my size. Compared to Victoria, a child 3 to 5 years younger at most. And a little distance away, an adult man with the same expression as the child.
I don't mean their faces look alike, but that they're looking at me with the same emotion.
The man approaches me while forcibly looking at a distant place. It's a movement as if he's trying to say he didn't see me because I'm short.
I thought we were going to collide, but his body swayed as if about to collide and then just brushed past.
Taking advantage of the man distracting attention, a small hand approached me and grabbed a button on my clothes. It's a button made of relatively precious metal.
Thud.
The hand grabbing the button fell to the floor. I don't know what cut it, but it was cleanly cut.
"Hmm. That won't do, little one."
Blood is trickling from the cut surface.
"Ah, aaaaagh!"
Ignoring the child's pain-filled scream as if it's nothing, Merriwather picked up the cut hand of the child.
"I'm on escort duty right now, you know? It's not good to steal other people's things as you please."
Then she lifted it up as if showing off to others, and spread her fingers to pull out the button from my clothes that was inside.
She brings that button to me with an exaggerated gesture.
"I made the mistake of not stopping the theft before it happened, but I caught it like this, so please forgive me?"
I received that button.
It's quiet around. There's only one sound. Only the child who is now whimpering and clutching his cut wrist.
The person who blocked my way left this place immediately when the child screamed. So, this is it.
It's a frequent unfortunate accident, and a righteous judgment carried out by those with power.
I received the button.
"Yes. I'll forgive you."
What should I do about the torn clothes? While I was pondering that, Victoria approaches with an angry expression.
"Merriwather. Cutting off the child's wrist is too cruel."
Victoria glared at Merriwather and stood in front of her as if about to fight.
"Oh my, that's strange? Isn't it written in the august national law that thieves, regardless of age, have their wrists cut off?"
But as if asking something strange, Merriwather cunningly asks Victoria.
Step, step.
Approaching Victoria with unhurried steps, Merriwather strokes Victoria's chin with her finger and asks.
"Rather, suddenly bringing Belle to a place like this. Perhaps you have some other intention?"
Ah. It's something I know well. Sowing doubt.
She's trying to isolate me. It seems the royal family has finally thought of using me?
Hehe. To think I'd become the direct target of this.
It makes me laugh.
Well then, I should side with Merriwather.
"That's right, Victoria."
I picked up the child who was drenched in sweat from pain. About 20kg. In the units here, it's about 50 pounds, very light.
So that I could be more isolated as Merriwather wants. I grabbed both shoulders of the child and lifted him high. Even though I didn't grab that hard, he lets out an extremely painful groan.
I brought the child in front of Victoria so she could see easily and asked like this:
"What should we do with this?"