Chapter 39: The Star and Its Symbolism
"Hey there, brother, Lucien," I say with a smile to him. He puts the book back on the bookshelf and looks at me as if he’s analyzing me.
"Evelyn...just call me Lucien," he says, not as a freedom for intimacy, but more as a way to not have any bonds.
’Maybe I should stop calling them brothers...’ We’re not siblings, and they obviously don’t like it, probably only Augustus and Marie would enjoy that.
’Well, Esther also told me to call her sister...but that’s more for convenience.’ Esther probably doesn’t like me calling her sister, but she also doesn’t like me using her name, so she chooses what seems more acceptable.
’Wait, if she chooses the most acceptable, that means calling her by name is better, right?’ Maybe I should start calling Esther by her name, even if it annoys her at first.
"Okay, Lucien, we’re in the library, I believe we don’t need any bickering in this sacred place of knowledge, right?" I say as he rolls his eyes.
"A servant told me what that maid of yours did, she’s apparently a skilled swordswoman," he says, approaching me.
"Yes, she is..."
"Is that your blessing? A strong blessing doesn’t make you strong, you still seem as weak as ever," he says with a mocking smile, interrupting me before I can say more.
"..."
"I...don’t need to hear that from someone who’s been secretly going to the black market," I say coldly, and with that, Lucien’s eyes widen.
"How..." he murmurs, surprised, realizing that it’s no longer so easy to underestimate me. I undoubtedly know more than he expects, of course, all the knowledge of the game that I’ve obtained through the effort of a determined gamer.
"Lucien, you’re a skilled Warrior, you should know that there’s more than one form of strength...even information is power. Do you want me to tell you what you do in the black market?" I ask, and he clicks his tongue, taking a few steps back.
"No need, Evelyn. It seems you at least have a good source of information, which is funny, because you never used that source of information before. You didn’t even have servants before," he says with interest.
"My source of information is private, and it’s not something I need to reveal to you," I say as I approach him, but pass by his side to go to another shelf.
"Want some advice?" he asks, making me look at him briefly.
"Sure, any constructive advice is useful, but nothing guarantees I’ll follow it," I don’t think he’ll give me really useful advice.
"Don’t get too involved where you don’t belong. Information is power, and I agree with your logic, but information without the power to defend yourself becomes a trap for you," he says.
"So if you don’t want to disappear, I suggest you be careful when threatening someone with information. Certain things are worth the risk of being discovered, and you can be sure that many would hate to have their secrets exposed."
"That’s why the next time you mention the black market, at least be ready to be killed for knowing too much. After all, the first rule of the black market is to never mention it," Lucien says, starting to leave.
’Oh...this...was actual good advice?’ This caught me slightly by surprise. I thought he would say something stupid, but I should know that not everything is as I imagine.
’This is the reality, this is no longer a game, they are different even if they follow a similar destiny.’
In the end, I broke the first rule of the black market. I have to remember that, unlike the game, using information this way can backfire on me.
’I don’t have Grace’s plot armor. If I’m not careful, they can really try to kill me...’ I have to remember that I’m not immortal, and although I practically no longer feel pain due to being a puppet and my pain being reduced by 95%, I still feel a small part of the pain.
"Well, I’ll set that aside! Time to read books," I murmur, going to a shelf and pulling out a book. It’s not what I’m looking for, so I put it back and repeat the process, searching for specific books about this continent.
...
...
...
"Hmm...what do you think of this?" I ask, looking at a servant, a completely black being without a face, who watches me as I sit on my bed in my room.
"It’s perfect, Antares-sama," she says as I observe the system. I don’t think it’s perfect, but if she says so, I’ll give it some degree of credit.
"Look, servant, this is the message the system should display if someone observes me with certain abilities," I say, activating the system and showing this little profile of mine.
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Name: Antares
Race: Principle Breaker
Title: Stellar Scorpion/ Goddess of the System
A girl with a cute appearance, blood-red eyes and short pink hair, has a small and cute physique compared to the rest, with an obvious difference in her skin tone, which is a pale navy blue.
Personality: Curious, Liar, Creative, Observant, Extremely Intelligent
Weight: 0kg
Age: 284,914 years
Birthday: Non-existent
Height: 140 centimeters
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"It’s very good, Antares-sama, and it has a good physical description of you, although simple," she says, seeing the system show it to her.
"I don’t think so, something’s missing, you know? The system is kind of cute and helps the races down there...but...I feel like something’s missing, something more exciting..."
"Antares-sama, perhaps what you’re looking for isn’t something in the system itself, but someone in the system," she says, surprising me momentarily.
"Someone in the system...yes...YES!!! That might be the solution, maybe I should observe a mortal who uses my system," My system is quite fair, and precisely because it is fair, everyone uses it.
Gods, mortals, and any being, whether inferior or superior, have decided to use my system, and that’s because my system, unlike other ideas, is 100% neutral and transparent. It shows the true answers and status for everyone without falsification.
In other words, even I can’t hide my own information if someone looks at me with an ability that provides information, even though the system is mine to keep 100% impartial, no one can make changes to the collected data.
"But servant, who would be worthy enough for me to observe their life?" I ask while the servant ponders.
"Antares-sama, what about one of the demon king’s sons? Currently, the fate of mortals depends a lot on these 6 candidates for the throne, and I’ve even heard that someone among them belongs to the seventh layer," she says, leaving me in absolute shock.
"W-W-W-WHAT!!! Seventh layer...for a mortal!?" I’m in the eighth layer myself, which means this mortal is in a layer close to mine.
"Are there really such interesting mortals alive today? What a surprise," I say, interested in observing such a mortal.
"Is there anyone else that interesting?"
"Hmm, there’s another candidate for the throne who is just as interesting as the mortal belonging to the seventh layer. Her name is Esther, but the other equally interesting mortal is called Evelyn," she says, getting my full focus.
"And what makes this mortal so interesting?"
"She is a demon who, with her ability, has become a living puppet, and although she belongs to the sixth layer, her ability is very rare," she says, catching my attention.
"Puppets? Like a puppeteer? Why would someone who plays with dolls in adulthood be interesting?" I ask, not convinced that this Evelyn can be fun to observe.
"It’s because..."
"Before you speak, know that if it’s not a good answer, I’ll revoke your right to look at the system. I didn’t give you access to all the information on beings below the eighth layer for you to offer me a boring solution to my boredom," I say seriously.
"...I believe she’s a good choice because fate doesn’t like her, while she apparently is trying to obtain the throne," she says, and I gain a malicious smile.
"So watching her failure as entertainment? Sounds great, and it’s more than obvious that this Esther from the seventh layer is going to win the throne competition."
"After all, it’s someone close to the divine against mundane beings," I say with a smile, and she nods in agreement with my view.
"Well, you’ve convinced me. I’ll watch the lives of these two, Esther and Evelyn. Both seem entertaining, even though we already know that the end will be Esther becoming the next ruler."
"Now, servant, go prepare the system to observe these mortals!!! I only have 284,000 years of life, I have to make the most of my youth before I get old, I don’t want to look like those bitter old ladies who seem to have never lived the fun part of life," I say, all excited.
"Understood, Antares-sama. I will do it immediately," the servant says, quickly leaving my room as I hold the paper, looking at my own information.
"Principle Breaker...I wish I was from a slightly higher race..." I’ve gained a lot of fame for creating the system, but unfortunately, I’m not that high up in the eighth layer.
My current power and influence come largely from the fame I’ve gained. Creating a system that others can’t modify, even if they’re stronger, while the system works for everyone and is fair with transparency, was quite difficult.
I was called a prodigy for creating such a thing at a young age, but unfortunately, this was my greatest creation. As such, I’ve never been able to create something so innovative again.
"Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m practically at the top of the top. To be better, I wouldn’t just depend on the race, I’d have to literally be in the Ninth Layer, which, let’s face it, is an impossible dream." I say to myself, content with my current success.