Chapter 63: Why Didn't I Notice Until Now!
While on the way back to the Adventurers' Guild after registering at the Merchants' Guild, a voice called out from behind.
The one calling out was the "Appraiser" who had been the examiner in the recent test.
"Takuto-san, I'm sorry for the sudden request, but do you have a moment?"
"It's fine, is it okay if Laura joins us too?"
"Well, if possible, I'd like to talk to just the two of us..."
With a grin, Laura said she'd go ahead and left.
Back at the Adventurers' Guild, I hope I don't say anything strange...
For now, we entered a nearby shop to chat.
The name of the "Appraiser" is "Kanna," dispatched to this town from the capital.
Her job seems to involve "appraising" at the request of various guilds and lords.
"You've been quite busy these past couple of days."
Upon closer look, she indeed seemed to have been at the Adventurers' Guild yesterday as well.
"Oh no, I might have made your workload worse, sorry."
"No, no, it was interesting to witness such a significant moment."
Kanna replied with a smile.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
Kanna's demeanor suddenly changed, and she looked down as if her energy had dropped.
"Takuto-san, I'm sorry..."
She abruptly stood up, bowed her head, and apologized.
Other customers and employees around us all turned to look at the scene.
Not understanding what was going on, I asked, "Could you please raise your head and explain?"
"Actually, during the skill confirmation for the rank test at the Merchants' Guild earlier, out of curiosity, I ended up browsing through your status..."
Wait, does that mean she found out?
If I can see the statuses of others, it means that someone with equivalent or higher skills could see mine as well.
Why didn't I realize this...
I completely forgot.
"Viewing statuses itself isn't a criminal act. I also occasionally check the statuses of adventurers I find interesting..."
Appraisers apparently sometimes confirm people's statuses as part of their job.
In fact, it was explained that appraisers even assess whether someone is suitable as a fiancé for royals and nobles.
They appraise people, not just objects.
"But well, I could have kept quiet about it, but since your status is quite extraordinary, I was afraid of potential retaliation if it got out..."
I see, she must have been surprised by how exceptional my status was when she casually peeked.
"It's not just a request, but a plea to keep it confidential. If you promise to keep it safe, I won't cause any harm."
To ensure things don't escalate unnecessarily, I need to make the request a bit firmer. Kanna nodded repeatedly and said, "I'll keep it safe."
"How many people can actually view my status?"
I asked, considering the future implications.
"Well, I believe I'm the only one in this town. Generally, if your level is high enough, you can see others' statuses."
I see! But this is a problem.
If I don't come up with a solution, things could get complicated in the future...
I tried setting the [Concealment] skill to [Auto Skill].
"Kanna, try peeking at my status for a moment."
"Is that okay?"
I nodded, and Kanna checked my status.
"Huh? Why can't I see it?"
Alright, it worked.
Kanna seemed to have figured out that I used [Concealment] after thinking for a while.
"With [Concealment], even at SSS rank, you can't see it!"
With Kanna's confirmation, it should be alright.