This Novel is not my Novel

"Anyway, to continue the explanation... Yor, could I borrow a writing implement for a moment?"

"Ong."

It had only been a few minutes since I'd returned the whiteboard and board marker I got from Reisir, putting them away in the Yeouiju.

So it would have been understandable if she found it bothersome to take them out again.

But Yor answered readily without a hint of annoyance and took the items out for me.

With gratitude and a bit of personal affection, I stroked Yor's head once... no, about three or four times.

I took the whiteboard and board marker and wrote the following.

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: Can confirm the information of the following targets.

Stage 1. Things without an ego, like objects and plants

Stage 2. One who has consented to their information being viewed [Locked]

Stage 3. A being with killing intent toward oneself [Locked]

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"If someone asks what kind of ability 【Jinilnun】 has, you're telling me to explain it like this...?"

Reisir asked after reading the text written on the whiteboard.

It was obvious at a glance, with no room for misinterpretation.

For him to react this way despite that, he must have been asking why it had to be done.

"That skill of yours can arbitrarily read the information of others, and it's a power that originates from the Demon Realm, isn't it? So it should naturally be able to figure out a monster's abilities too."

"I haven't confirmed it yet, but... yeah, I think so too."

"This information will be a great help to all of our survival. And it's obvious that sharing the information with everyone is much more efficient than you knowing it alone."

"I understand up to this point. But if that's the case, shouldn't the part about being able to check a monster's information be moved to an earlier stage? And I think it would be better to hide the fact that you can read a person's information as much as possible..."

Well, when he was young, he must have been warned countless times not to let it be known that he could see others' status windows.

And now that he was old enough to understand the dark side of the world, he knew all too well why Djúpr had repeatedly given him such warnings.

He could easily guess that someone hiding their abilities or identity might try to kill him.

He could also easily imagine that a greedy person might take his loved ones hostage and try to use his ability.

That was why, even with restrictive conditions like needing consent or the target having killing intent toward him, he would naturally feel uncomfortable.

Even more so if he thought it would be enough to state outright that he couldn't read people's information at all.

However...

"Unless you're going to reveal that the Silver Ether is a power from the Demon Realm, there's no way others will readily believe your claim that you can't read a person's information but can read a monster's, is there?"

Amazingly enough, in the original novel, people did believe such an implausible story.

But it was far too complacent to expect the same thing to happen this time.

Especially since, unlike in the pre-remake version, Reisir wasn't telling his close associates personally now.

He was in a situation where he had to join the 'Special Class for Awakened Ones' and share his ability with its members.

Furthermore, this 'Special Class for Awakened Ones' was an institution created by the Imperial Family, and wasn't the Imperial Family a group given the role of plunging the protagonist into ordeals and hardship by the original author?

There was a high likelihood that information about Reisir's 【Jinilnun】 would leak to the Imperial Family one way or another.

Therefore, I judged that it would be safer to eliminate any room for problems in advance.

"That's why, instead of explicitly stating 'monster,' I wrote it as a being with killing intent toward you. After all, anyone who wants to kill you will threaten you regardless of your ability. If that person mistakes the conditions for using your skill to be this, they'll try to avoid confronting you at all costs."

"It'll also be possible to know in advance who is trying to kill me...?"

"Is that all? Anyone who's hiding their abilities or identity will absolutely not harbor any killing intent toward you."

"Ah......"

Reisir let out a low gasp, his face looking dazed.

He looked so out of it that I wondered whether he could even hear me if I continued my explanation.

"I'm not done talking. So get a grip."

"Ah, uh-huh...!"

"Lower your voice."

"Okay..."

It seemed he really was half out of his mind.

Only after I pointed it out did Reisir compose himself and stare at me with a focused expression.

I opened my mouth to continue my explanation.

"You can think of the content of Stage 2 as a kind of bridgehead. It's common to think that the next stage after 'objects and plants' would lead to people through beasts and monsters. Or they might immediately think of 'animals, including people.' But wouldn't it be too suspicious if you suddenly mentioned killing intent out of the blue?"

"Then the reason you wrote the phrase 'things without an ego' in the Stage 1 description was..."

"For the same reason. It's to instill the perception that obtaining the other party's consent is absolutely necessary."

"Ooh~, I see?"

The sight of the other person admiring me, his heterochromatic eyes shining, was incredibly burdensome.

So much so that I thought I should have just left him in a dazed state.

"...Even with this, the Stage 3 target setting might feel a bit out of the blue. But if you let it slip that the reference point isn't the 'target's resistance' but the 'skill owner's survival instinct,' most people will be convinced."

"You even considered something like that? Karvaldr, you're really amazing. I want to shower you with praise and admiration, but I'm holding back because I feel like my voice would get loud without me realizing it."

Just how loudly was this guy planning to express his admiration?

I couldn't help but think it was a relief that this wasn't a place where Reisir could make a scene with his overdramatics.

"And, uh... Using the Stage 2 condition, you'll be able to question Pret without fully revealing your ability. If he's really just an ordinary circus troupe member, he shouldn't have anything to hide, so you could tell him to allow you to read his information..."

"Then I can prove I'm not being needlessly suspicious while hiding the fact that I can read others' information without permission?"

"Well... yes... that's... right..."

"You're so reassuring."

"W-What is?"

"The fact that you're on my side."

I thought I needed to retract my thought about it being a relief.

Perhaps because he couldn't raise his voice as much as he wanted, Reisir must have concluded that he should speak up close instead, as he came so near that he seemed ready to hug me.

"......Just back off for now."

"Ah, sorry. I was just so moved, and your existence feels so precious and valuable... Was it burdensome?"

"Including that last remark. It's so far beyond 'maybe' that anyone would have felt burdened, without a shadow of a doubt."

"It was that bad?"

"It was that bad. So please, talk to me from a distance."

When I pushed him away in disgust, Reisir wore an embarrassed expression and readily backed off.

Although he did add the following useless words.

"But you're not denying that you're on my side?"

"No, well... We're planning to enter the Demon Realm and fight together, so isn't it obvious we're on the same side?"

"I see, it's obvious."

Even though I presented a clear reason, Reisir fixated on the word 'obvious' and stared intently at my face with a beaming smile.

This guy must have let what I said about it being burdensome go in one ear and out the other.

That was why he immediately said the following.

"I'm so glad I was honest with you about my ability. It makes me regret not revealing it and consulting you much earlier. I've only ever thought it would be dangerous if this skill became known, but to think of using it as a means of ensuring my safety by explaining the skill differently..."

It seemed his emotions were starting to well up again as he spoke.

Reisir's expression was colored with deep emotion.

For that reason, I held up the whiteboard like a shield and took three or four steps back before continuing with what I wanted to say.

"Anyway, uh... when the time is right, take off your eyepatch, and if someone who sees it asks what happened, you can explain it like this: The Stage 3 ability of this skill might be helpful when fighting monsters, and I was feeling the limitations of fighting with one eye covered. I've been making an effort to control the unstable Silver Ether, and I've finally seen the fruits of my labor."

"Okay, I'll do that."

"...And the skill name 【Truth-Reading Eye】 is too grandiose, so it would be better to come up with a new, ordinary-looking skill name. Lower the grade appropriately... to about S."

"Do you have a skill name in mind?"

"No."

"Then will you think of one for me now?"

It was truly flabbergasting.

It was just like the saying, 'Saved a drowning man, and now he demands my bundle.'

"Since you rewrote the skill description, I thought it would be right for you to decide on a fitting name. And I've never done something like naming before. So please help me, okay?"

My dumbfoundedness must have been written all over my face.

Seeing Reisir take a submissive attitude and ask again in such an earnest tone...

I was planning to snap at him to do it himself and then ignore him...

But he wasn't taking it for granted that I would give him an answer, and I could accept his reasoning, so I decided to grant his request.

I leaned my back against the bookshelf, closed my eyes, and sifted through my mind, conjuring and dismissing countless words in search of a suitable one.

And after a long time had passed, I was able to pick out a fitting word to use as the skill name.

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【Identification】 - (S)

: Figures out the identity of what comes into view by discerning it.

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"What I wrote earlier was more about distinguishing the stages than describing the skill itself. Since I was creating a skill name anyway, I added a one-line description."

I said, showing Reisir what I had written on the whiteboard.

For reference, I had my intelligent baby dragon write the characters that came after Identification.

"Thank you so much. For naming the skill, and... especially for taking so many things into consideration for me while writing the description... If you hadn't helped me, I would have been in a really difficult situation, wouldn't I? Not just once or twice, but for the rest of my life. When I think about it, it's truly dizzying..."

"Th-That's enough of that talk."

"Haha, you're getting embarrassed again."

"That's because you keep saying things that would make anyone embarrassed, isn't it?"

"I just said that because I thought you'd be used to it by now, but there's no sign of that at all."

"......"

You can say that again.

Even as I watched the smile on the other party's face grow wider, I could only shut my mouth, unable to offer any rebuttal.

Because these kinds of cringey words were still so unfamiliar.