CH 17

Pinpoint Assessment

Translated by Mlzkzr

Edited by Mlzkzr

“Oh my, did you feel like stabilizing by your own, Hermes?”

When I was looking at the ring I ordered in the living room of the mansion, nee-san who came into the room had a happy face.

“I don’t have any plans to do that, you know.”

“Ara? If so, what about that ring?”

“This huh. This is a ring that limits a person’s ability to less than 1/100 when fitted――”

“So~i”

Nee-san picked up the ring from me with a flowing movement, and threw the ring out of the window in a daring form of swinging her legs up.

By drawing a beautiful arch, the ring has disappeared and became a star.

“Ah, what a waste”

“It’s not a waste. Mou, don’t just use your mind for things like that.”

Nee-san went out of the living room fumingly.

“Fuh……”

Nee-san, is naive.

I predicted that nee-san will so~i(throw away) it.

I gently touch my pocket.

There is the exact same ring that nee-san threw away.

Well, let’s actually put it on and try it out ――

“Mou, I forgot to say it because of Hermes.”

“Uwah!”

Nee-san came back without a warning, so I was surprised since I tried to put on the ring.

“What’s wrong Hermes”

“No, it’s nothing. More than that, what did you forgot to say, nee-san”

“That’s right. Hermes, you’re being monitored.”

Ah I know ―― or rather, I’m aware.

Even now, there is a guy who is watching this place from outside the window, from the top of a private house in a remote location.

By the way, it’s a two-fold tailing. Even if I notice the first person, the second person who was concealing himself more than the first will ascertain it, that’s their pattern.

I’m aware of that, but how should I reply to nee-san?

“It’s because of that.”

“Eh?”

“Because Hermes is feigning ignorance variously, there are rumors that the Canoe family’s head is incompetent and unsuitable.”

“My goodness”

“Don’t look happy.”

I was scolded.

However yeah, this is good.

“On the other hand, there are those who acknowledged Hermes. Like Lina-sama. That’s reasonable.”

“Muu”

“Two conflicting assessments. If it was split that much, it’s natural to wonder which one is true.”

“I see, that means that they have to observe and verify if I really am a bad person. ”

“That’s the way it is, is it okay, Hermes.”

Nee-san’s face approaches.

She indeed draws her face near to me.

“I implore you, don’t do anything strange”

After reminding me, she left this time.

After nee-san is gone, I put my hand in my pocket as I sit.

In light with the blunder of the aforementioned Terme pearl, I secretly made this ring.

Regardless of whether I am careful or mindful, it is a fact that when I’m pressed into a situation in the last moment, it backfires.

In order to prevent that, I should fundamentally reduce my ability.

The same is true for that pearl.

At that moment, if my abilities were low, the pearl would’ve shattered and the story would’ve ended there.

That’s why, it’s this ring.

I secretly put the ring on my hand as I thrust it in my pocket.

I feel my body getting heavier.

I no longer feel the line of sight and existence of the observer that I could feel until a while ago.

☆

I went out into the city with the ring on.

As long as I had suppressed my ability, there is no point in being sluggish inside the mansion.

Because I am being observed, it’ll be two-fold.

It’s necessary to show that my current ability which has been suppressed is my true (lie) ability.

Or something, like that.

Thinking so, as I’m wandering around the city.

“Pickpocket! Someone catch him!”

Suddenly, I heard a woman screaming a yell.

Looking towards the voice, I saw a boy dressed in drags who runs away with a dash with all his might, and a dreadfully weary middle-aged woman chasing after him.

The boy runs away while knocking down things while dashing hard, keeping away from others in the surroundings.

Pickpocket huh, it just came to the right place.

Alright let’s catch him …… no no.

Let’s be careful here.

That bitter memory which looked sweet when it was just the shellfish is resurrected in me.

I am suppressing my ability with a ring, but if I get into a pinch, I might instinctively pull it out.

To prevent such a situation from happening, first of all, I’ll carefully observe.

Even if I suppress my ability, my observation power (experience) and judgment remain unchanged.

The boy who was running away, his body is quick, and he has no hesitation in knocking down and destroying things around him in order to escape.

It’s troublesome in that sense, but that’s it.

It’s just a boy, just a pickpocket.

There’s nothing wrong at all.

I reaffirm it to the last minute just in case, observing it as much if there are holes.

Alright, this incident is fine.

While elapsing so, the boy came right in front of me.

I tackled the boy.

“Uoh”

It’s been a while since I felt this, even if I tackled the boy, I couldn’t stop him completely.

I entangle myself with the boy, and we tumble together.

“What are you doing, old man! Let go! Let me go!”

The boy was kicking and struggling, and he shouted at me from within his heart.

As I thought, he’s just a boy with no power as he looks.

I cling to such boy.

When the boy was stopped, the spectators gathered, and the woman who was pickpocketed also caught up, so I stood up while seizing the boy.

“Look, reveal the thing you took.”

“Chi!”

The boy resigned, and slammed the wallet on the ground.

The woman picks it up, confirms the contents, and is relieved.

So I judged that it was solved, and as I had a momentary gap loosening my mind, the boy shook off my restraints and ran away.

After breaking the crowd and running away.

“Remember this.”

He ran away while leaving behind a sharp parting remark.

He escaped―― I was secretly pleased with that.

The boy wouldn’t be able to escape no matter how unprepared I was if I didn’t seal my power with the ring.

And the people around me who saw that are screaming, “Why did you let him go?”, with blaming eyes.

Well enough, this is fine.

The sweetness of this stuffing is good.

I pray that they would be monitoring this properly.

One case of pickpocket was resolved, and I started walking around the city again.

Actually, at the time I got tangled with the boy, my arm was grazed.

This also makes an incompetent appeal of me.

Therefore, I walked around hoping for something else happening.

“Ooh? You bastard, what are you hitting against!”

“At there, I’ve bumped into it”

This time, I came across a place where men were fighting with each other.

Let’s observe closely again.

As a result of staring at the interaction and their body’s gesture for about a minute, I am convinced.

Even if it’s in broad daylight, they’re just getting drunk and fighting.

Just like the boy I was with a little while ago, they don’t have power.

Moreover, this time there are two parties, if I get in to stop them, one shot or two strikes will have to be hit.

“Alright”

In order to stop that, I stir the men’s brawl arbitration and came forth.

☆

The next day, at the drawing room of the mansion.

There was a man in front of me who I see for the first time.

“My name is Hari Fristos, First-class Inspector General.”

The middle-aged man who named himself, was a middle-aged man who had aristocratic clothes and a fine beard.

By that name, I intuitively understood that he was the one who was watching me yesterday, but he didn’t say it.

I did not react.

If I react, he’ll clearly see that it was a set-up.

That’s why, I will only enquire what I could “see”.

“A first inspector general you said, you have a relationship with the Princess who came before.”

“No, it’s not directly. However, recently, bad rumors and good rumors of the head of the Canoe family have mixed, so I came to check it. ”

“Hee”

It was exactly what nee-san said.

But well, there’s no problem.

What I did yesterday was “normal”.

With me reducing my ability to less than 1/100, any adult man can do that.

I have only done such a thing.

The bad rumors that are intentionally disseminated, and good rumors that are really not willingly spread.

Since such head is eye-catching, as a matter of fact, it was normal.

I looked back on my actions many times last night.

I thought about it over and over again before and after I’ve done it.

No problem, my actions yesterday is normal.

“Just as I expected*.” (TN: Sasugadana)

“――Heh?”

What did this person say just now.

What does Sasugadana mean?

“Sometimes a timid nobleman, is just right to become a politician. That’s my theory.”

“……”

“Forgive me, but yesterday I was asked to keep an eye on baron-sama. Well, the prudence that is impossible for a young lad to have, it’s no longer at a level that can be called far sight and deep design​(foresight).”

……

I wonder what is this person saying.

I mean, this flow.

“You observe everything deeply before moving.”

“……Ah”

“Perhaps it was not timidness. When you observe and can move, you move, and when it exceeded your own, you rely on others.”

I certainly relied.

Because I had reduced my power to 1/100, there are things I can’t do on my own.

At that time, I relied on the people around me. I was at peace that I would’ve shown my power if I hadn’t sealed it―― but.

Really, this flow.

“As a politician, I have to say that you have the best qualities.”

“Err”

“I can’t rely on the rumors in the surroundings at all. In the first place a noble, it doesn’t matter what the individual armed forces of a politician has. The most important thing is their power of observation, judgment, and a steady gut.”

“Wait a minu―― ”

“To the top, I will report it as it is. Then, I’ll excuse myself.”

Without stopping, Hari left the mansion.

Power of observation and judgment ……?

He’s gone and assessed what was left of me at pinpointttttttttttttt!!!!!