I drew in a deep breath.

‘Did he summon even my party members?’

[Looks like it. I came too.]

‘Trail.’

[It seems Impelium is very determined today. He must want to talk about something quite important. Let’s listen carefully.]

I was about to nod.

But before I could, Impelium spoke.

“No need for secret conversations through souls, Bion.”

“……!”

“Why not just speak with your own mouth?”

“W-what?”

He was right.

From the moment I saw nine teacups prepared, I thought it was strange.

Including me, our party had seven members.

Even counting Impelium, the host of this room, eight cups would have been enough.

But nine meant…

“Mr. Trail?”

“Oh? You’re more handsome than I expected.”

“Really unexpected. In a good way, of course!”

“Though you do look a bit older than me.”

“Offense, please stop. That’s painful.”

Trail was there.

Before I knew it, the party members had gathered around, looking him up and down.

The absurdity of the sight made me let out a chuckle.

Impelium said to me,

“Your comrades adapt quickly. To be dragged into such a bizarre place, and that’s their first reaction?”

“They have been through all sorts of things.”

“Or perhaps it’s because you’re beside them.”

“……”

“Anyway, sit down, all of you. Let’s have some tea.”

At his words, everyone turned to me.

I nodded, and they each found a seat.

Trail, utterly worn out, said to me,

“I thought I was going to die.”

“You exaggerate too much.”

“Never leave me alone again.”

“Then don’t ever say creepy things to me again.”

Neril chuckled.

“Mide said it too, but you really are shy. Oh, may I speak casually with you?”

“Of course!”

“Then treat us casually too.”

“Eh?”

“You have saved us from danger several times. If not for you last time, we would all have been slaughtered by Velosian. There’s no reason for you to shrink back. No, you mustn’t.”

At Neril’s words, the party all smiled and nodded.

Trail scratched his head.

I studied his face closely.

I had only ever heard his voice, so seeing his face like this was a first.

It was a silly thing to say, but it felt almost like meeting a discord friend after only talking online.

0

TL: I hope you understand lol. In the raws, he said it felt like meeting an old friend after a long time.x

Trail said,

“Mm. Understood. Well then… I look forward to working with you.”

He seemed more at ease now, but his stiff manner of speaking was never going to change.

Before any of us could reply.

Impelium cut in.

The name he mentioned was enough to shift the entire conversation.

“Last time. You mean the fight against Velosian, I presume?”

“……”

“That was a very close call, Mide.”

The others glanced at me as if to leave all talk with Impelium to me.

I spoke on behalf of us all.

“Well, it was thanks to your advice. About turning fame into power.”

“……”

“Even outside the special room, that level of strength… I can’t even fathom how great his true power must be. That’s why we need to grow stronger.”

Impelium said nothing, calmly filling each of our cups.

Meanwhile, I continued

“Of course, I have many things I want to ask. About you and Velosian, what happened in the past between you… things like that.”

“…….”

“But I know you won’t answer. You will just tell me to raise the Eye of Omniscience’s level.”

“…….”

“So I won’t ask those things. Just this one: how can we grow stronger? Can my comrades also turn their fame into power?”

“There is a way.”

Impelium answered plainly.

By then, he had finished pouring tea for us all.

With a gentle voice, he continued,

“First, drink. I prepared black tea with a certain someone in mind.”

“That’s me. But how did you know I like black tea?”

“Hm.”

“You have been spying on us, haven’t you? Like Idria… ahem.”

She clicked her tongue, cutting herself off.

“Sorry. That was harsh.”

“It’s fine. And no, I wasn’t spying on you.”

“Then?”

“Let’s leave that aside. More importantly, let’s talk about turning fame into power.”

We all hastily straightened our postures.

Then, out of nowhere, he asked,

“What is fame?”

“……?”

“You know the conditions for gaining it.”

“The greatest happiness of the greatest number.”

“Correct. Humanity places its hopes on those who bring them happiness. That hope, that desire, that is fame.”

He sipped his tea and continued,

“Think of it simply. Two people of equal strength. One is a murderer who slaughters indiscriminately, the other a knight who protects civilians. Which one’s fame rises?”

“Of course, the knight’s.”

“Why? Their power is the same.”

“……”

“Do you understand? The power you hold doesn’t matter. Fame rises only when you bring happiness to humanity.”

“So that’s the law of the world.”

“Yes. A vast blessing granted by this world, made solely for humanity.”

Everyone’s faces showed curiosity and unspoken questions.

But they stayed silent.

From the start, they had wordlessly entrusted me with leading this conversation.

Impelium said,

“Once you gain enough fame, you can convert it into power.”

“……”

“To have reached that much fame means you have already brought happiness to many people. The law of the world judges you as a ‘trustworthy existence.’”

“And so it lets them convert fame into power?”

“Exactly.”

“You said ‘enough fame.’ How much, specifically?”

“Roughly ninety thousand and above. When you slew Kaeld and gained fame, that’s about when you crossed the threshold.”

Snap.

He flicked his fingers.

I nearly jumped from my seat.

Bzzzt.

A “screen window” popped up beside each of my comrades’ faces!

It was no different from the windows Trail showed me.

“W-what is this?” New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on NoveIＦire.net

“There’s a weird thing next to your face, noona.”

“You have got one too.”

“Incredible. May I touch it?”

More shocking still, my party members could all see the screens.

I steadied my breath and told Impelium,

“I see now. The Eye of Omniscience was originally yours.”

“……”

“And I think I understand why Adin had no choice but to ‘transfer’ it to Trail. It wasn’t truly his ability, so he couldn’t divide it.”

“Correct.”

“You must have been watching our every move from this room through the Eye of Omniscience, not through an authority like Idria’s.”

“That’s right. I thought so for a while now, but you really do catch on quick.”

He smiled warmly and turned his gaze to everyone.

“Check the numbers written there.”

Everyone looked at their windows.

I too focused my eyes and checked their windows.

Neril Slane / Total Fame: 367,160

Xenia Seide / Total Fame: 348,790

Adwin Ayn / Total Fame: 333,900

Offense Dake / Total Fame: 320,270

Lisel Vint / Total Fame: 319,450

Serein Magnus / Total Fame: 308,960

Every one of them was quite high.

“It’s thanks to having an excellent leader.”

“What?”

“Unlike Kaeld, you didn’t try to monopolize the fame. Every time you stopped an incident, you didn’t boast alone but made sure to acknowledge your comrades’ efforts.”

“……”

“That’s what’s reflected in their high fame. You can even see it in the small differences according to the order you met them.”

Serein clutched her head.

“Ah. So that’s why I’m last.”

“It’s fine, Serein. The difference isn’t much.”

“You can say that so calmly? This can be converted into money later, you know.”

“Wow. I didn’t think money would come up in this situation.”

Listening to their murmurs, Impelium let out a quiet laugh.

It was… the kind of expression that, to my instincts, looked like he was seeing something ‘nostalgic.’

I asked without thinking.

“You had comrades once too, didn’t you?”

“……”

“And you also gave credit to your comrades’ fame like I do. The look on your face right now, it’s as if you’re remembering something dear.”

“Later…”

“Fine, fine. You mean I should check for myself later with the Eye of Omniscience.”

He shrugged once.

Then he snapped his fingers again.

Tak.

Everyone’s windows disappeared.

As everyone looked regretful, Impelium spoke.

“This belongs to me, so I can’t give it away. If you get curious again, ask Mide.”

“I was never able to see my party members’ fame until now.”

“You weren’t? That can’t be.”

At that moment, Trail, who had been silent, cut in.

“You can see it.”

“…? What? Then why didn’t you show us until now?”

“You never asked me to.”

“No, hey.”

“I’m pretty sure I said it when you first leveled up. That you could see everyone’s fame in the world.”

I rummaged through my distant memories.

Was it when I first leveled up and could see C-grade secrets?

Back then, Trail had said this:

[Well done. Now that you have leveled up, you will be able to see Kaeld’s fame in detail. Or rather, you will see the fame of everyone in the world.]

So he did say it.

Everyone gave me a long stare.

I answered calmly.

“Hoo. Back then I was only focused on comparing fame with Kaeld.”

“So it’s not that you forgot?”

“I also only recently learned fame could be used as power. There was no need to examine other people’s fame closely before.”

“So you didn’t forget?”

“…Yeah. I forgot.”

Impelium laughed softly.

It was a rather pleasant laugh. But soon he straightened his expression and spoke seriously.

“Let’s get back to the main point.”

“Right.”

“All of you have more than 90,000 fame, which means you can use it as power. No, more accurately, you’re already using it.”

Everyone tilted their heads in confusion.

But I understood.

My companions had grown so much stronger than in the previous regression that there was no comparison.

“But you’re only unconsciously using part of your fame. Converting all of it into power is another matter. For that, you need resolve.”

“Resolve?”

“Mide’s resolve was, ‘I will give up on retirement.’”

My companions looked at me.

Their expressions were quite shocked.

They knew what ‘retirement’ meant to me.

“That’s almost like staking your life.”

“Is it that heavy?”

“For Mide, it was.”

“Then you all will also need to show resolve of equal weight.”

Creaaak.

He leaned back in his chair.

“As I said, fame is another word for human desire. You could see it as entrusting power to someone who will fulfill that desire.”

“……”

“But there’s a condition. You must prove that you won’t use that entrusted power for selfish ends.”

“So that’s what resolve is?”

“Yes. Your desire, Your greatest wish, you must resolve to give that up in order to use fame as power.”

Everyone looked troubled.

The atmosphere even grew slightly heavy.

‘So they all really have things they deeply wish for.’

[Of course they do.]

‘Trail. You could just say that out loud.’

[I wanted to keep it private. But you know your unique party members each have their own wishes, right?]

Of course.

For instance, Offense is searching for his parents who abandoned him.

Serein wants to run a business and become the richest person on the continent.

Adwin must save his father, and Xenia must save Ophelia.

Lisel wants to become a human.

Neril… hmm, I’m not sure. But she did reconcile with May.

‘Anyway.’

I said to Impelium.

“That’s harsh. You already know, but for example, Adwin needs to save his father.”

“Mhm.”

“Then to tell him to give up his father for power, that’s too much.”

“Don’t complain to me. If you don’t like it, just walk away.”

His tone was cold.

Adwin hung his head low.

Neril twisted her hair and spoke.

“Isn’t there another way? Ah, Mide, sorry for butting in.”

“Not at all.”

After flashing me a grateful smile, Neril looked at Impelium.

He answered.

“As far as I know, there isn’t.”

“What did you give up?”

“Hm?”

“Your fame doesn’t show, but I bet it’s higher than all of ours combined. And you have astonishing strength.”

“……”

“So I want to know what you gave up. As a reference.”

Impelium gave a small smile.

“It seems it’s about time I go back.”

“What? But we’re still talking…”

“No. I have told you all I can. And it will be better for you this way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because I think Velosian is going to pull a dirty trick.”

“…!”

Everyone flinched.

The next moment.

Whoosh.

The shapes in the room blurred.

Even Impelium’s gently smiling figure.

I quickly shouted.

“Impelium! How much fame do you have right now? How much more do I need to accumulate to gain power like yours?”

“……”

“My enemy isn’t only Idria. I need to crush Adin, and Velosian too. I have to become as strong as you.”

“Mhm.”

“My fame is just shy of 500,000 now. So how much more? 100,000? 200,000?”

Impelium chuckled and answered.

“Surpass at least Adin’s fame before you ask me again.”

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