Rumpel and the Jungle Adventurer's Party were back again in the inn where they were renting their rooms.
"Woah! There's a lot of food! This is heaven!"
"Slow down, Ms. Gretchen. The food wouldn't be gone. Please, slow down, or you will end up choking on your food."
"Are you right? You look familiar."
"Ah, is that so?"
However, there was also another person who was eating lunch with them at their table. A lady who has long black hair tied into a ponytail. Possessing crimson eyes that were as red as blood and fair skin. The lady held an energetic demeanor likened to the sun.
She wore a gypsy-dark green shirt paired with short brown pants and dark green boots. On her waist is a black belt bag and various little sacks tied to the belt bag.
This girl is the lady who caused an earlier commotion in the Grimoire Shop located at the Black Market of the Alloces Domain, Gretchen.
"This is delicious! I haven't felt so full for a while... — hmmm... That wrongs... I indeed felt my stomach bloated from time to time, but the food tastes crap."
After muttering some words, Gretchen glanced at Rumpel and smiled.
"Thank you for inviting me to eat lunch with you. It was unexpected for an Elite Excelsior to be so kind."
Narrowing her crimson eyes at Rumpel, Gretchen asked.
"So what it is that you want from me, young master? To be invited by you for a lunch. Kind Elite Excelsior's don't exist. You must have an ulterior motive."
Taking a spoonful of soup from his bowl, Rumpel replied.
"You're right."
Rumpel didn't expect to discover his unique ability because of Gretchen. In this world, strays are always blessed with unique abilities. One of the reasons they were hunted by the people of the Goetia Kingdom.
Rumpel estimated that it would take longer for him to discover his unique ability. He was glad he discovered it so early. At the same time, Rumpel feels disappointed.
When he read Noir Hero's Wrath, the stray animals that the protagonist encounters possess various offensive, flexible, or OP-unique abilities.
His unique ability as a reader's bias was none of those things. It wasn't an offensive type or even something OP.
' Well, at least I have a unique ability. This is better than nothing. '
Reader's Bias, with its arrival, has provided useful information with its activation. Aside from telling Rumpel when he encountered any character mentioned in the novel, no matter how small or big their importance, Rumpel gained information on where he is in the story of Noir Hero's Wrath.
' Because of Miss Gretchen, I learned that I arrived here 10 years before the Canon Storyline. '
The information was both relieving and dreadful. Relieving because he has a lot of time to get stronger before shits the fan. A lot of crazy events would happen. The war between the 9 regions, various deaths of Tower Lords, and finally the main antagonist just deciding to end it all. The main antagonist concluded that the Goetia Kingdom is shit and saw no reason for having it keep existing.
After learning his ability and Gretchen mistaking him for buying the Grimoire that she wanted, Rumpel decided to invite her to go back to the inn with them to eat lunch. Rumpel invited her after hearing her stomach make a loud grumbling sound. As for other reasons, Rumpel only wanted to gain more information and wait for someone to arrive here at the inn.
Gretchen pursed her lips with Rumpel's confirmation.
"So what is it you want? I wouldn't give the Clear Grimoire to you! It's mine! And you didn't show interest in it before when Madam Mirada was selling them in the black market."
"No, I am not interested in your Clear Grimoire. You bought it from her, so it's yours."
Rumpel doesn't know anything about clear magic. But he doubts that whatever Gretchen assumes about the Grimoire is correct. For him, the spell book isn't a clear grimoire.
Scrutinizing him and glancing at the Jungle Adventurer's Party briefly, Gretchen asked.
"I wouldn't reject a delicious food to satiate my stomach, but if you have any impossible requests, I wouldn't fulfill them."
He would not request assassinating a Tower Lord or something absurd of that level.
"No, I wouldn't ask any impossible request. I merely want to ask you some questions."
Bringing her right hand in front of her with three raised fingers, Gretchen says
"You can only have 3 free questions."
"That sounds fair."
With the questions that he wanted to ask in his mind already formed, Rumpel asked his first question.
"You're 20 years old. The same age when people here in the 7th Region are allowed to study at Alloces Academy. Since you are a native here in the 7th Region, I wanted to ask if you have any idea what kind of entrance exam would happen for Alloces Academy. Do you know what it is?"
Frowning, Gretchen pondered before replying.
"I don't have any idea. Alloces Academy is strict with its entrance exam. The professors don't let non-students or non-exam takers learn what kind of trial they have for the aspiring mages. Is that not the case for the upper-layer academies?"
"No, it was the same for my region's academy. They are very secretive."
"Then why bother asking such a pointless question? You wasted one of your chances."
"Is it bad to verify facts and not just assume things?"
Gretchen pouted.
"It's your loss for wasting your questions. I only give you 3 chances, young master. Don't expect me to answer you after your 3rd question."
"I understand."
For Rumpel's second question, he asked if Gretchen would like to become his guide while touring the Alloces Domain. Gretchen scrunched up her face, sounding a little irritated.
"You don't have the right to make me your indentured servant only because you have treated me with food."
"I apologize; that wasn't my intention, Ms. Gretchen. Feel free to reject if you don't have any desire to accompany an Elite Excelsior like me."
Turning to glance at Lev and Abe, Rumpel asked them for confirmation.
"Sir Lev and Abe are from the 7th Region, right? Even if you aren't from Alloces, perhaps you have visited this domain from time to time."
Lev, who was biting on a roast meat leg, replied.
"I'm not from here. You can ask Abe!"
Lev patted Abe's shoulder while the latter avoided choking on the food that he was drinking. Lev sent Abe an apologetic expression.
"Sorry."
"Lev, how many times did I tell you to don't tap on my shoulder when I am eating?"
"You're not eating. You're drinking."
"It's the same."
Sighing with a frustrated expression, Abe glances at Gretchen and Rumpel while Ourse is spreading some honey on her bread.
"I used to live here five years ago, but I moved to live in another domain.""
Abe paused and explained.
"The process when moving from another domain in the same region isn't complicated. As for the reasons for moving from another domain, it's personal, so I wouldn't tell it to you, young master Rumpel."
"It's alright."
"Ah!""
Suddenly, the Jungle Adventurer's Party and Rumpel heard Gretchen exclaim and point her finger at Abe.
"I now know why you look so familiar! One of Alloces Academy's professors and an Alloces Tower High Ranking mage, Sir Abelard! He's your father, isn't he?"
Abe's face turned into an ugly expression. He unconsciously clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. Before he could retort, Ourse, Rumpel, Lev, and Gretchen turned their gazes to the inn's door like the other customers eating lunch like them.
"Gretchen!"
Someone was calling out for Gretchen's name.
"Ah, I forgot!"
The girl who was being called exclaimed.
"I made a blunder."
At the inn's door, two people are walking towards them. One of them is glaring at Rumpel, while the other is looking at him with a wary and fearful expression.
[Characters detected]
[Reader's bias is activated]
[Identifying Character]
[Name: Wagner Nacht
Age: 20
Status: Alive (Alive: 10 years-future)
Role: Supporting Character (Major)/Antagonist (Minor)
Title:
• Time Saint
• The Devil's Follower
• Psi
Class: None
Potential: (Mage: 7th–9th Circle)
• Time Magic: 9th Circle
• Mind Magic: 7th Circle
• Law Magic: 7th Circle]
[Name: Faust
Age: 20
Status: Alive (Unknown: 10 years-future)
Role: Background Character (Major)
Title:
• Devil of Knowledge
• The Great Sage of Madness
• Fragment
Class: None
Potential: (Mage: 9th- Grade Circle)
• Law Magic: Grand Circle
• Alchemy: Grand Circle
• Mind Magic: 9th Circle
Ah, the two other important characters that he was waiting for have arrived. Rumpel could feel a slight smile forming on his face.
Even 2 out of 3 of the characters haven't appeared in Noir Hero's Wrath. They were all important characters that caused waves in the Goethe Kingdom.
Just like Gretchen, the two new characters appeared to have impressive potential in the future.
It was to be expected. Including Gretchen, all of them were the reason for the main antagonist's existence in the novel.
Since he still has time, Rumpel decides to change his plans. These three important people in front of him are Rumpel's guaranteed chance of survival in this world.
With an amiable smile on his face, Rumpel introduces himself.