How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 174

I took a short break to clear my head.

Once the preparations for departure were complete, I requested an audience with the Grand Duke’s family to report my departure and bid farewell.

The Grand Duke was away, so Princess Elenia granted me an audience as his representative.

“It seems you’ve been enjoying some leisure time these past few days,” Princess Elenia remarked casually, as if she were fully aware of my recent activities.

*Where did she hear that from, really?*

“I had a wonderfully relaxing time. There were surprisingly many interesting places to visit.”

“It seems you really did just come to play. Well, if you enjoyed your time here, that’s all that matters.”

It seemed she was secretly worried I might cause trouble again.

“So, Aileen? Are you planning to leave now?”

The Princess cleverly discerned my purpose and inquired.

*Well, she probably knew it all along. The port is already undergoing inspections and preparing to launch the ship at any moment.*

“Now that this job is done, I’m moving on to the next.”

“Diligent.”

“If I want to make a living, I have to work hard, right?”

“Huhu. If it’s work you want, I can give you plenty of it here, you know?”

Princess Elenia smoothly extended a job offer.

Of course, it would be a shame to overlook talent.

It’s only proper to make a scouting offer at least once or twice.

“I am grateful for your consideration, but I have something I want to do, so I must decline.”

And it’s equally proper to refuse.

*If that lady hires me, she’ll definitely work me to the bone.*

I will never be employed by anyone again.

Worker Aileen vowed.

…Of course, my mind might change if there’s enough money.

*My heart is like a reed, swaying with the slightest weight of gold coins.*

“Please let me know if you ever need help.”

“Oh? Is that a favor?”

“Of course, it’s a favor offered with a certain fee.”

Aileen’s services are paid.

Very expensive. Well, there may be some discounts for VIP customers.

The Princess gave a wry smile at my not-so-joking joke and simply replied, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Aileen, our transaction was beneficial. I extend my gratitude on behalf of my grandfather.”

“I am truly honored.”

“If you have nowhere to go, come anytime. The Principality does not reject someone like you.”

“I will also keep that in mind.”

After exchanging those brief words, she hesitated for a moment and called me again.

“But it’s not enough to send you away with just this. It’s still not satisfactory.”

“I’ve already received what I should have, though?”

“That’s separate.”

The loyal Princess seems unable to bear being indebted and wants to settle everything definitively.

“Is there anything else you would like to request?”

Ah, then that would be good.

There is a reward that I can request separately, and it wouldn’t be too burdensome for her.

Come to think of it, it would be a waste not to ask for it.

“Princess, I heard that Sylvester requested a prophecy some time ago.”

“Hmm? Did you hear that from him?”

She confirmed without seeming particularly surprised.

*Actually, I didn’t hear it from him; it’s just information I happen to know. In the first place, Sylvester’s purpose in visiting this place was to obtain information he wanted through prophecy.*

“I don’t know how much you’ve heard.”

“I suppose not. I have no intention of telling you either. Frankly, I don’t even know why he asked such a thing…”

*Of course, I know what he wanted.*

*What Sylvester wanted to know was the existence of other returnees besides himself, and that information.*

I’ll mention it someday if I get the chance.

At least it has nothing to do with me right now.

“Aileen. Do you also want a prophecy?”

“Since you said it was okay, I’d like to trouble you with a request.”

“Hmm…”

However, for some reason, she seemed to be hesitating.

What is it?

Of course, using the artifact requires considerable power.

It’s not something that can be easily used.

But she wouldn’t be someone who would hesitate just because of that, would she?

“If it’s burdensome…”

“Hmm?! No. It’s not that, Aileen. It’s not that I’m hesitating because your request is burdensome. It’s just… I’m a little worried about whether I can properly fulfill it.”

“…Pardon?”

What does that mean?

“…Okay. I’ll try it first.”

The Princess instructed me to stay still and took out the artifact.

“Okay. Sit still.”

She made me kneel on the floor, pointed the artifact at me, and activated the prophecy.

“…”

Quietly concentrates.

In fact, I used the prophecy itself to investigate the mine even before I fully obtained the artifact.

But that was only an investigation of an unspecified environment.

And reading the fate of an individual is said to be much more difficult.

*It’s strange. Why does it take more power to read the fate of a specific individual than to read an accident that will happen in a mine…*

In the setting, it’s said that reading the detailed fate of an individual is more difficult than reading the big picture of the whole.

I obediently entrusted my body to the mana flowing from the artifact without resisting.

Surprisingly, the impression is…

*It’s ticklish.*

It’s not just that I’m restless because I can’t move my body.

The feeling of strange mana rummaging through my head and body was a little annoying.

Is it reading information?

*I wonder what kind of result will come out.*

In fact, prophecy itself doesn’t have much meaning to me.

I have a guideline called the memory of reading the original work, which is a kind of future information.

However, it is foolish to blindly believe in that alone.

Because it is only a route that records one possibility, and even variables can change the details.

*But come to think of it, prophecy isn’t bad either.*

However, in the case of prophecy, there is an advantage that it even reads the variable of my personality and gives a prediction.

Instead, the observation results are also abstract.

At least I can trust and entrust it once.

And I’m a little curious.

“…Umm.”

The Princess started groaning as if she was uncomfortable.

Is it still difficult to handle?

“Aileen.”

“…You don’t have to force yourself.”

“That’s not it. Um… Well… Is that so after all. I’ve been wondering about it since before.”

Muttering strange words.

“Aileen, what I was about to say earlier… Is that what it was after all.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your information cannot be read.”

“…Really?”

“Your immediate actions can be read. But beyond that, long-term prophecies do not activate.”

It seems that momentary actions can be seen, but reading the flow beyond that is not possible.

“It may simply be because I am not skilled at handling this.”

“…I think it can’t be helped.”

It’s not just comforting words; I have some ideas.

*In other words, only I can’t be read, right.*

I have never read in the original work that there would be an exception to that artifact.

That means a problem outside the original setting.

And unfortunately, I have no choice but to feel guilty.

Maybe it’s because of my characteristics.

“It can’t be helped.”

“Hmm… I can’t understand.”

Princess Elenia looked back and forth between the artifact and me, pursing her lips as if she didn’t like something.

She must be annoyed that she couldn’t produce results even though she made a big fuss.

“I won’t give up. I’ll try again.”

“You don’t have to force yourself.”

“Aileen, this is a matter of pride. I don’t like backing down like this after accepting it with such fanfare.”

Why are you being so stubborn?

“…Yes. Do as you please.”

I’ll just let her try until she feels better.

The Princess continued to test the use of the artifact on me several times.

But it’s the same.

“Ugh… Why doesn’t it work? You old junk.”

If that artifact had emotions, it would have shed tears.

It’s not its fault.

Should I stop her soon?

She looks tired, and I can’t stand it anymore.

At first, the mana flowing from the artifact felt like tickling my blood vessels.

Now, that feeling is felt all over my body.

Pajit!

*Ugh…*

It stings.

I actually felt like something like static electricity was happening lightly inside.

I’m worried that an accident might happen, not to mention failure.

“Um… Uh…”

“It doesn’t matter. I feel like it’s getting better! Yes!”

No, that’s the most dangerous flag?

Let’s stop her now.

When I decided to do so.

Pajit.

Once again, I felt something like a spark inside me.

It’s bigger than before.

And…

<∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎>

Uh?

I can’t understand the meaning.

The moment the spark flashed, something like this appeared above my head at the same time.

Like an output error.

*…Could it be?*

I stopped trying to stop her and decided to watch a little more.

It’s a strange sign, but I can’t ignore it.

Let’s bear with it.

When the spark flashed once more.

“Ugh?!”

This time, the Princess dropped the artifact.

The artifact that fell to the ground made a clattering, metallic sound, and the interfering mana stopped.

She must have used so much power that she couldn’t move properly for a while because her hands were shaking.

“Why were you being so stubborn?”

“…I was a little stubborn. Well, there was a reason to be stubborn.”

“Did you read it?”

However, unlike my expectations, she slowly shook her head.

“I couldn’t read it like I did with Sylvester… But I saw something strange.”

“Something strange?”

“Um… Wait a minute.”

She told me to bring paper for a while, and then she took the pen and paper that the maid brought and scribbled something.

“I could only see something like this.”

“Where…”

What she saw was not a specifically visualized prophecy but a kind of phrase.

*Is it like a revelation?*

She must have read the information as a kind of sentence rather than an image.

She was also embarrassed because it was her first time like this.

*Two heretics will stand at the crossroads of best and worst.*

*He who seeks the best to abandon the world.*

*He who seeks the worst to embrace the world.*

*No matter which one they choose, they will stand in opposition to those who are destined for the opposite path.*

*But the ending that anyone reaches will surely be the end.*

…What are you talking about.

*That’s why I hate prophecies. It’s all just grasping at clouds.*

In addition, prophecies in this direction are usually ominous.

It’s like saying that my hard times are wide open.

“Didn’t you see anything more detailed?”

“That’s all. It’s really strange… I don’t think there’s ever been a time like this before.”

She also had an uneasy expression on her face.

“Will you try again?”

“No. This is enough.”

I don’t think anything will change if I try again.

*The worst…*

Maybe, really maybe.

*The ending.*

To complete my comfortable life plan, maybe I have to end this troublesome original work first.

Or I have to do something more than that.

I had that suspicion.

Well, let’s think about that slowly.

“Thank you very much.”

“What. I’m just sorry that I couldn’t repay you more than this, Aileen. Call me anytime if you need help.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I thanked her again and soon left the place.

Now I will leave for the next thing to do.

I have enough money and power.

Now all I need is a base. A base where I won’t be disturbed or interfered with by anyone.

I plan to prepare it by the end of the 8th volume of the original work.

* * *

Around the time when the ship returning to the port city of Pelpuke in the Selbas Kingdom was sailing on the sea.

I was locked in the cabin, sitting upright and concentrating.

If it was a few days ago, I would have been constantly vomiting as if there was something wrong with my semicircular canals just by riding a ship.

Now I am an upgraded Aileen.

I will no longer commit the past disgrace.

I overcame seasickness.

To be exact, it seems that I overcame it by accident.

*Did my semicircular canals evolve on their own as my physical abilities improved?*

My sense of balance has been strangely good these days.

I never fall by mistake.

Thanks to that, I was surprisingly okay this time!

Seasickness! Goodbye now! Hahahahahaha!

I didn’t know that a sea trip without nausea was so comfortable.