Chapter 71

Ganesha

The next day.

As I sat in the office with a serious expression on my face the whole time, Noel tilted her head beside me and asked a question.

"Is something troubling you?"

"...No."

That’s what I said, but honestly, I had a lot on my mind.

Mostly because of the notification that popped up yesterday.

-System Log

▶ The target ‘Drakan’ has developed affection for you. You may copy one skill!

▶ The target ‘Ganesha Aldebaran’ has developed affection for you. You may copy one skill!

▶ Due to successful progress, an additional event has been triggered. Try raising their affection even further!

Reading through lines like that, there was no way my expression wouldn’t turn grim.

‘...Drakan?’

It referred to a half-human, half-dragon being. A hybrid of humans and dragonkin.

Considering that dragons were typically described as divine beasts, beings with godlike authority, even as a hybrid, a Drakan who inherited half that power would undoubtedly be a formidable existence.

Why was I phrasing this as speculation?

‘So it really does exist.’

If Ganesha was a special NPC that only appeared under certain conditions, then this was something that had only existed as "dummy data" in the setting.

A being that didn’t show up at all in the main game. Even Aiden never fully figured out its identity.

Though I did know some information about the entity, actually coming face-to-face like this was completely unexpected, so it was a bit overwhelming.

Still.

‘Isn’t this a good thing anyway?’

It’d be a different story if it were hostile, but for now, it was showing affection. There was no reason to feel bad about that.

In fact, no matter how many more unexpected things pop up in the future, the stance I’d take would always be the same.

‘Aren’t they all skill mines?’

Maintaining an extremely positive mindset was good for mental health.

Whatever the case may be, if such beings existed, that meant there were plenty of skills I could copy. Maybe even a treasure trove of powerful abilities I didn’t even know existed might fall into my lap.

Isn’t that an incredible opportunity? It felt like getting a surprise gift...

“...”

Though lately, paradoxically, it seemed more people were questioning the state of my mental health.

“...Mr. Aiden. Please refrain from making that face. It’s creepy.”

That was the first thing Dame Stella said as soon as she walked in to report something, after seeing my face.

“A guest has arrived from the Free Merchants’ Union. They’ve requested a private meeting.”

“The Free Merchants’ Union?”

Hearing that name, Noel tilted her head in confusion.

To put it simply, they served as the continent’s central bank. When it came to money matters, it wouldn’t be wrong to say they held the highest authority.

It was certainly unexpected for a group like that to suddenly visit the military government office.

“Alright. I’ll get ready shortly.”

“No, Dame Noel. That’s not it…”

The look on Dame Stella’s face clearly showed she didn’t even know how to explain what she was trying to say.

Considering what she said next, that was understandable.

“They explicitly said they wanted to meet Mr. Aiden, not you.”

“…”

That meant—

It was a clear declaration that, in their judgment, Aiden was more important than Noel.

Both Noel and Aiden’s expressions twisted awkwardly at the same time.

Baron Helmut nervously rubbed his hands together.

As a man whose roots were in crime and fraud, the military government office was naturally an uncomfortable place for him. Not as bad as the police, but still a natural predator to his kind.

‘Spokesperson of the Free Merchants’ Union…’

He silently let out a sigh as he recalled the “role” he’d taken on today.

The so-called Merchant of Death who hired him clearly had significant influence, even with the continent’s central bank.

Every document, seal, and ID he’d received had clearly been verified several times—there was no doubt they were all genuine.

And compared to these terrifyingly authentic “props,” the task he was commissioned with was relatively simple.

‘Just pull off some kind of con, no matter what…’

He recalled the unpleasant instruction with a sour expression.

The request was to somehow con the Lionhearted’s consort—whatever it took.

The scale didn’t matter. The core of the task was to “deceive” the target, no matter how small.

He had no idea what they were hoping to achieve with this, but the payment they offered was something he couldn’t afford to refuse. So he would simply do as he was told.

Eventually, while he sat quietly waiting in the reception room, the target walked through the door with steady steps.

‘…Thank god he looks a little vacant.’

Scanning the man’s appearance at a glance, he plastered a well-rehearsed smile across his face like a mask.

Since he was said to be the Lionhearted’s consort, he’d expected the guy to radiate an overwhelming aura and had been on edge. But this guy looked like any ordinary man you could find anywhere.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Helmut. You said you reached out regarding an investment?”

“Yes, Mr. Aiden Kellermain. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Even the way he warmly clasped Helmut’s hand with an innocent smile made him look like a naive, defenseless prey to anyone watching.

He was such an unremarkable person, it was hard to understand how someone like this ended up at the side of the Lionhearted…

“All the related details are in these documents. Take your time reviewing them before making a decision.”

Of course, that was one thing but still.

Anyway, he had a job to do.

With a bright smile, he spoke those words, and Aiden calmly skimmed through the documents.

The most critical element in any con is the target’s level of suspicion. No matter how elaborate a lie is, if the other person is absolutely convinced it’s a lie, then it’s completely meaningless.

In that sense—

“All of this has been verified. A premium winery’s liquor distribution business…”

The banner of the “Free Merchants’ Union” that he brought with him was perfect for lowering such suspicion.

As soon as he heard that, Helmut smiled in satisfaction.

There was nothing easier than a scam that leaned on authority.

“But for such a promising investment case, I don’t think you needed to seek me out specifically, out of all people. Someone marrying a soldier doesn’t exactly scream financial connections. My wife does like alcohol, though.”

…That was certainly true.

“No, that’s exactly why we sought you out.”

Hearing that, Helmut cleared his throat and straightened up.

This was the important part.

“We’re making this offer because we believe in your future potential. We came here with the intention of growing together.”

“Ah.”

“Personally, I’m even more interested in you than the Lionhearted herself.”

“Hmm—”

“Now, if I may explain the details—”

He went on with all those honeyed words and a thorough breakdown of the contract, but as he spoke, Aiden’s expression only grew more and more rigid.

From a general perspective, Helmut was quietly cheering inside.

‘He’s probably thinking that now.’

Something like, Who do you think you’re fooling?

On the surface, everything looked polished and legitimate, but anyone with a bit of brains would eventually realize that the risks would fall on their shoulders while the profits flowed back to Helmut.

And that was exactly what Helmut was aiming for.

That was the core.

Make the other person think they’re clever, and give them the confidence that they’ve figured you out completely. Then everything else flows smoothly.

No one trusts a stranger who comes out of nowhere pushing some amazing opportunity. That kind of stupid trick doesn’t work on anyone.

That’s why the best approach is to plant the illusion that they’ve seen through your ploy.

And usually—

When a smart person sees someone trying to use them, they try to turn the tables and use that scheme to their own advantage.

They’ll try to maximize their own cut and turn the con back on Helmut.

The contract Helmut brought today was perfectly tailored for someone thinking along those lines.

And the moment their train of thought shifted in that direction—

‘They walk right into the trap.’

It was the kind of trap that worked even better on the smart ones.

In fact, if this guy had been dumb, he might not have fallen for it. But it was clear now that he was sharper than he looked.

‘Too bad, though.’

The problem was, his opponent just happened to be Helmut—a man who’d been seasoned in this business for years.

That was how the setup worked. No matter how cleverly this guy named Aiden tried to play it, the moment he “signed,” there were already dozens of carefully laid traps waiting to bleed him dry.

Once the signature was on the contract and things got rolling, he’d realize—too late—that the other side was far more cunning than he imagined. That method, where the mark only recognizes the deception after the fact, boasted an almost perfect success rate.

Layers upon layers of psychological traps—double and triple-layered schemes. Even the most experienced players Helmut had gone up against in the past had fallen for setups like this.

“…”

But the situation wasn’t unfolding quite how Helmut had predicted. Rather than smirking and signing the papers straight away, Aiden calmly flipped the documents back to the first page.

What was on that page was Helmut’s fabricated background. The fake identity prepared by the Free Merchants’ Union for this moment.

“So you originally worked on-site for a weapons manufacturer. Over a decade of experience under a master at a luxury workshop, huh? That’s quite the resume.”

“…”

Something—

Felt off.

Usually, anyone who got this far just looked down on Helmut, adjusted a few terms, and signed without hesitation.

But before he could dwell on that feeling, Helmut kept his best smile plastered on.

“…That’s right. My mentor taught me a lot.”

“And when was the last time you saw your mentor? I’ve always had an interest in that workshop myself.”

“We still talk regularly.”

“Even now?”

“Yes. We’re very close.”

“Ah.”

With that, Aiden casually held out his hand to him.

Helmut stared at it, puzzled, wondering what this was about. Aiden shrugged lightly.

“No, I just mean I’ll consider the offer positively. This is just a polite gesture.”

“…”

…Was it just his imagination?

Had this guy fallen for the trick after all?

Helmut reached out, half-believing, half-doubting.

Then, the other man grabbed his hand—like a predator snatching its prey.

“...!”

There was a hint of weariness in those eyes.

But beneath that—

“Your hand is soft.”

Was something black and rotting.

The mark of someone who had already crossed death’s threshold multiple times.

Someone who’d been burned by these tactics over and over again.

Someone who had faced men like Helmut countless times before.

“Working on-site wasn’t all that tough, was it?”

“…”

As he leaned in closer with those words, I involuntarily found myself short of breath.

The man’s demeanor hadn’t changed at all from earlier.

“And you said you regularly kept in touch with your master.”

With the exact same tone and air.

“That master of yours died last year.”

He tore Helmut’s lie apart without hesitation.

Helmut’s expression froze.

“That workshop is pretty famous, isn’t it? You picked one that’s way too well-known to lie about.”

“…”

“Lately, their quality’s gone down too, and their prices tanked. Who came up with this cover? You need to go back and learn the basics of scamming.”

The words were spot on. On paper.

…If the workshop in question weren’t located practically on the opposite side of the continent.

Physical distance meant information scarcity. No matter how prestigious or renowned a place was, news would inevitably travel slow.

And yet—

Out of all the information floating around in the world, why did it have to be this workshop?

How extensive was this guy’s information network anyway?

“...Th-that’s—”

“Scammers who sell things off a manual are behind the times, Mr. Helmut. Having experience is good and all, but if your fundamentals are broken, no one’s going to fall for your tricks. You’ve got to stay on top of your intel, from A to Z.”

Aiden yawned as he replied.

Still disinterested, still weary, still speaking in a flat tone with no rise or fall in emotion.

But right now, Helmut felt as if he were completely naked before this man.

Everything he had prepared, all his tricks, had been unraveled by this man with just a single minor flaw.

“If you want to sound convincing, you’ve got to study every day, research, and gather every piece of info out there. People these days are sharp, you know.”

“…”

And from that tone of casual indifference, Helmut realized something instantly.

His client had claimed this guy was just some average person.

But this guy? He was no ordinary man.

‘...This bastard’s no amateur...!’

There was the unmistakable presence of a fellow con artist.

Not just any amateur either—this one had serious experience.

“And judging by recent events... there’s only one person I can think of who’d try to pull a stunt like this on me.”

Aiden sighed and ran a hand down his face.

“Merchant of Death. I know you’re listening somewhere.”

“…”

“You pulled something last time, too. What is this supposed to be? You trying to throw me off?”

As Aiden casually muttered into the air—

[...Ha, ha.]

From somewhere—

[Hahahaha—!]

A burst of laughter erupted, tinged with machine distortion.

-System Message

▶ You have successfully completed a ‘Bonus Quest.’

▶ Affection with target ‘Ganesha Aldebaran’ has increased. You may now copy 2 skills!

...Along with that message.