Chapter 6 - Shepherd’s Secret Continuation

Early the next morning, Hajina, armed with the authorization from the Inspection Bureau, headed to the Moriarty Manor. This time, it was evident she had learned from the previous day's experiences. After a quick breakfast, she hurried over, arriving before seven o'clock. At this hour, Aiwas hadn't even woken up yet. Thus, the butler, Oswald, had no choice but to place her in the drawing room and have the maids serve her some tea and snacks while she waited. It wasn't until Aiwas had woken up, freshened up, and eaten breakfast that Oswald informed him that Hajina was already in the drawing room, waiting. "You're here so early this time, Hajina. Weren't we scheduled to meet at nine-thirty?" Aiwas, seated in a wheelchair, was gently pushed into the drawing room by Oswald. The moment he entered, he saw Hajina dressed in formal attire. In stark contrast to the previous day's outfit, she was now donning a two-piece leather armor. However, this set of leather armor seemed more like a uniform than protective gear. Though it didn't cover all skin, offering some protection, its primary significance appeared to be ceremonial. "Armor" holds a sacred status in the Kingdom of Avalon. In Avalon, the primary power structure is divided into "knights" and the "civil servants" system. The former, apart from the hereditary knight families eligible for the Senate, includes supervisors, adjudicators, and the entire cavalry system. Only "knights" are permitted to don armor, and even senators must be fully armored when entering the Senate; entering in civilian attire is considered a challenge to the authority of the Round Table Hall. Anyone else wearing or even possessing armor, including the children of knight families without the Queen's authorization, would face the harshest penalty of capital punishment. Thus, seeing someone in armor on the streets directly indicates their identity. The specifications of the armor can further indicate their rank—the more cumbersome, durable, majestic, and silver-white the armor appears, the higher the status. This understanding wasn't drawn from game experience... Avalon had fallen too early. Aiwas's knowledge on this matter purely came from his memories and common knowledge. Aiwas noticed that Hajina's armor was brand new, as he could still smell some of the oil scent. Perhaps due to this, Hajina was too cautious to sit fully on the Moriarty family's sofa, instead perching lightly on the edge, sitting upright, afraid of dirtying it. "It's better to be early than late." Upon seeing Aiwas arrive, Hajina let out a long sigh of relief and promptly stood up from the sofa, "No problem, Mr. Aiwas. I can adjust to whatever timing is convenient for you—that's the bureau's requirement." Aiwas raised an eyebrow. Late by two and a half hours last time, and now three hours early... "You seem a bit extreme." "What?" Hajina looked puzzled. "Nothing," Aiwas chuckled softly, "the leather armor looks nice." "This was specially approved by the bureau!" Upon hearing this, Hajina's spirits lifted immediately, "My equipment and griffin have been approved, but they're still on the way. The Chief said it might take another two months to receive them." "But because I reported your case, the Chief thought the Bureau would face trouble if something happened to you — but also disagreed that sending many people with you would make you unhappy; however, letting something happen to you would be even worse. Thus, they made an exception to approve the armor and sword for me first!" Proudly, Hajina gently patted the sword she placed on the table. Aiwas followed her gaze. It was a leaf-shaped short sword with a scabbard that shone with silvery brilliance. About twenty-four inches or sixty centimeters long, with beautifully etched thorn patterns on the scabbard and small pieces of red, green, and blue glass embedded within, sparkling under the sunlight—a typical example of elven style. Practicality aside, it at least looked good. The sword's exquisite appearance contrasted sharply with the rather plain leather armor she wore. Instead, it blended effortlessly with the elven-style furnishings in Aiwas's home. For a moment, Aiwas thought it was one of his own art pieces. So it's something you brought. That's alright then. "I will definitely protect you!" Hajina declared with unwavering determination. Her calloused fingers gently caressed the thorn patterns on the scabbard. Upon holding the sword, a confident aura seemed to emanate from her. Unlike the timid, awkward, and cautious demeanor from last night, her whole demeanor had transformed. Even her eyes seemed brighter. It was akin to the difference between a horror game player without a weapon and one who's just acquired a gun. Aiwas gazed deeply into Hajina's eyes, falling into a silence and contemplation. He could tell she didn't sleep well last night—likely due to excitement. Of course, part of it stemmed from finally getting her hands on her sword. But more so, it was the anticipation of finally being able to "showcase her skills." From the observations made yesterday, today’s interaction, and investigating her background, Aiwas was beginning to piece together Hajina's thought process. Clearly, she wasn't very savvy. Once things became complicated, she avoided analytical thinking. Her humble beginnings meant she didn't dress up as much, and compared to the well-groomed ladies of the capital, her appearance was naturally less refined. This led to a subtle self-consciousness she may not even be aware of. This self-consciousness turns into aggression and hostility towards those with a higher status. Yet, she's wary of causing trouble, as someone with no background. Hence, it wouldn't manifest in clear words or actions but could be discerned through her pressured attitude and instinctual reactions during decisions. Her straightforward personality, relatable background, outstanding academic performance, and a knack for not offending people made her popular in school—especially appealing to the straightforward-minded students. Yet, upon entering society and facing setbacks, she could quickly become lost, manipulated, or stray down the wrong path. Now, she finds herself in such a bewildered state. She is entirely exploitable. The vulnerability and helplessness Aiwas displayed when first meeting her were precisely calibrated, reinforcing the initial appeal based on her profile. The act of "reading poetry" carries an unconscious implication, portraying stillness. The wheelchair further reinforced this idea, negating any confrontation with Hajina in areas like "physical activity," "stamina," or "swordsmanship," preventing immediate competitive or hostile tendencies. Aiwas had checked himself in the mirror—his current physique was undeniably striking. Therefore, he had his personal maid makeup him, creating a look that seemed weak, pallid from blood loss. The fireplace was meticulously set to a comforting warmth and glow, enhancing Aiwas's image with a warm filter. This portrayal would awaken Hajina's protective instincts, bypassing hostility due to his noble background. A "weak," "wounded," "handsome" superior, entirely under her care, would nurture her wish for Aiwas to be good. Consequently, he wouldn't become an adversary. With this, Hajina's instinct would signal her to cease investigating further. Her lack of extensive experience meant her behavior was emotion-driven. Once she convinced herself of an answer, subsequent actions merely justified that conclusion. However, when impressions are overly intense, they tend to become abstracted and one-sided in memory. If Hajina's fondness for Aiwas became excessive, any deviation from her expectations would lead her to "feel disappointed." Because of this, Aiwas needed to create a slightly imperfect first impression. By bringing up Hajina's tardiness, he subtly implied truths she might not want to accept, allowing her to perceive his words as criticism. In fact, she expected Aiwas to criticize her. This would actually help her relax. Once she interpreted Aiwas's remarks as attacks, they would subconsciously be dismissed, and upon hearing something acceptable, she'd latch onto it, alleviating her guilt and stress. Thus, from today onward, she could become a highly reliable bodyguard for him. Following yesterday's interaction, Hajina might perceive them as friends. She yearned to showcase her swordsmanship—a point of personal pride—to this noble, innocent, gentle, and artistic new friend. If she could truly demonstrate her skill, she’d long for Aiwas's acknowledgment. Receiving such validation, along with expressing his need for her help, would significantly satisfy her social desires. In that case, despite having been a suspect whom she initially guarded against, Aiwas could, through a day's interaction, transform into her good friend, integrating naturally into her social circle from school. Yet, Aiwas felt a bit guilty manipulating such a freshly graduated young woman. This was a debt he felt compelled to repay. He disliked being indebted. As soon as he owed someone, he felt an urge to repay it. Otherwise, repeated interactions might lead to forming closer bonds with others, which he found dangerous, often resulting in personal risk due to helping friends or suffering painful betrayals due to misplaced trust. Aiwas preferred keeping a distance from others. —Such closeness would only make him feel anxious and uncomfortable. Maintaining a state of mutual assistance and utilization, staying at a healthy, efficient, and renewable business relationship, prevents sadness from betrayal or resentment from abandonment, and equally avoids hesitation or guilt when preparing to betray others. Aiwas’s predecessor was a cautionary tale. Too passionate and naive, he trusted pen pals as friends and paid a harsh price. Repaying a favor, however, was simple for Aiwas. In his memory, there was no character named "Hajina" in the game. Presumably, she perished during Avalon's invasion in the game's initial version. He wasn't saving Avalon particularly for her, but for the stability of his own life. Saving her in the process wasn't considered a favor repaid. But given Hajina's personality and abilities, she'd likely attract many deceitful "false friends" during her school years. Aiwas could easily identify and warn her about those individuals, helping her discern genuine, trustworthy friends from potential backstabbers. His expertise lay in analyzing people. In essence, the HR profession was somewhat akin to a covert operation. Not only did it require a sharp eye, objectivity, and the ruthlessness to make tough decisions. A single strike could mean someone is "eliminated," losing their job, or seeing a pay cut...which was precisely Aiwas's line of work. A rather unscrupulous occupation. Anyone who's worked in corporate environments likely harbors a fair amount of resentment towards HR. Aiwas himself had recently endured three full years of unemployment. No sooner had he secured a job, albeit not yet started, than he found himself in this precarious world. Despite his calm demeanor, he'd already conducted self-analysis—feeling profoundly unsettled. Satisfaction with his current life clashed with the clear awareness of impending disaster. Desperate for stability, he was determined not to become a stateless individual, drifting without a home. To counter the looming future threat, he had to climb as fast and high as possible. Gaining sway in the Kingdom of Avalon was essential. At the very least, in a one-man fight against overwhelming foes, he needed confidants who wouldn't hold him back. This wasn’t baseless paranoia. Aiwas had insight beyond most in this world, aware that decisions based on known facts were inherently flawed. He couldn't openly share his prophetic insights—he wasn’t altruistic. This foresight was his most treasured asset. Thus, Aiwas needed influence—not as a "knight" in name alone. Such a title merely signified nominal status. Even if admitted to the Senate, it involved mind games with a cadre of seasoned elders. Achieving anything would be mired in bureaucracy. That feeling of life adrift, fate out of one's control...was unbearable. Aiwas aspired to become someone whose counsel power brokers sought before making decisions. Not one of them, he must remain unaffiliated and avoid becoming a casualty of their internal power struggles...but stand above them. Not to control others, but to ensure his autonomy. Ensuring he wasn’t sacrificed and didn’t have to sacrifice others. He vaguely recalled this incident eventually implicating a high-ranking official. Originally, resolving this would elevate the player character's prestige. With no such character existing in this world, Aiwas needed to join this investigation. Thanks to Julia—though he skipped cinematic parts—he remembered certain details. Key information locations, types of enemies, and levels in the final dungeons remained in his mind. Post chaotic investigations would lead to the game’s first dungeon: Level 10, "The Guilty Pelican Tavern." (End of Chapter)