Chapter 67 – Artificial Emotions (One)

The leaders of the five gangs were kneeling before Ray, their faces battered to a pulp.

“The information I want is three things. Rainbow. Black Rain. The brown-haired woman.”

His mind was hazy. He still couldn’t quite grasp this situation.

“Come to the inn where I’m staying every day to report. What information you’ve gathered. How many streets you’ve patrolled.”

Clearly, the five of them had rushed at that white-haired man simultaneously, and then…

“To the one who does the most satisfactory job, I’ll give a reward.”

A reward.

At that single word, the leaders’ minds and ears perked up.

“H-how much is the… reward?”

“100,000 Shillings. I’ll only give it to one person. Understood?”

The leaders’ jaws dropped.

They nodded their heads frantically, then sprang up from their spots and dashed out of the alley.

“Rainbow! Black Rain! Brown hair! Rainbow! Black Rain! Brown hair!”

“Starting today, my job is information gathering!”

Repeating the keywords Ray had given them.

And reaffirming their resolve with vigor.

Philip, who had watched Ray’s series of actions in handling the gang leaders, inwardly erupted in admiration.

‘Impressive. He deliberately concentrated the reward on one person to stir up their competitive spirit. I hadn’t even thought of such a method.’

He had only lightly advised that in dealing with children, there was ‘reward’ as well as ‘force’.

But now, Ray had completely mastered that method and was even applying it.

“I think it’s best we stop by the inn first and change clothes. They’re expensive, and we shouldn’t get them dirty.”

Ray and Philip agreed with Veronica’s words.

Now that the hotel visit was over, the clothes had served their purpose.

Returning to the inn and changing, the party headed back out to investigate the Sector.

“Philip and Veronica, go together. We’ve intimidated the gangs, so there shouldn’t be any trouble moving around nearby, but you never know.”

The Mana that occupied the largest portion of Veronica’s Ring after white was Sky Blue Mana.

The associated emotions were cheerfulness and joy.

The main elements infused within were Wind-attribute, change, swiftness, connection, etc.

It was Mana primarily used to enhance bodily mobility or increase the speed of projectile-type Magic.

Or to generate wind itself.

‘It shouldn’t be a big problem even without me.’

If a threat arose.

If Veronica so wished, she could create wind blades to shred an opponent’s body to pieces.

Of course, given Veronica’s personality, the probability of that actually happening was slim.

Veronica, who usually used wind not for attack, but only to cool sweat or sweep fallen leaves in front of a bookstore.

Ray added one more safety measure.

Vwoom—!

A stream of Mana emitted from his palm seeped into the backs of the three people’s hands, drawing a fixed pattern before disappearing.

It was ‘Binding’.

This allowed them to sense each other’s locations.

Furthermore, by infusing Mana into the pattern and causing Resonance, they could signal danger.

「Originally a Magic mainly used by Wizards who handle Familiars or creatures. But depending on the situation, it can be applied in various ways.」

One of the many Magics learned from Graham.

Its range wasn’t infinite, but it was sufficient to cover several surrounding streets.

“We’ll head this way.”

“See you later then! Ray!”

Ray watched the two figures receding into the distance from the inn.

Then, turning his body toward the alley, he spoke.

“You can come out now.”

Tap— Tap—

Slow footsteps.

The person who appeared was Skyle.

“I wasn’t planning to hide. It just seemed you were in the middle of a conversation, so I intended to come out once it was over.”

Ray wasn’t particularly bothered.

After forming the Ring, his body’s five senses had improved by leaps and bounds to a level incomparable to an ordinary person’s.

He had noticed Skyle’s arrival long ago.

He had arrived near the end of the conversation.

They hadn’t been discussing anything problematic, even if someone was listening.

“Have you finished your talk with Mr. John?”

Unlike when they met in the wilderness, he used honorifics.

A temporary, but cooperative relationship.

At least a minimum level of respect needed to be expressed.

“Yes. That’s right. I’d like to discuss future plans with you, Wizard… If it’s alright, shall we move to another place?”

The place Skyle guided them to was a bar located in the central district of the Sector.

Clink!

Inside a luxurious private room.

Ice scraped and slid down the walls of the glass, and liquor gurgled over it.

“Do you drink, Wizard?”

“…….”

He had tried alcohol before.

Once, Niles had gifted him a whole bottle of cheap vodka, saying:

「You said you’ve never had alcohol, right? Try it. You can only say you’ve truly become an adult after experiencing your insides twisting into knots the next day and having hot soup to cure your hangover.」

And he added.

「Alcohol makes people emotional, you know. Don’t suddenly do things to me you’ve never done before after drinking that? Like expressing all the gratitude you’ve felt. Or looking at me with eyes full of respect. Or calling me Hyung.」

「Not that I’m hoping you’ll do that or anything?」

「Who knows?」

Alcohol makes people emotional.

He hadn’t tried it, but he agreed with that statement.

Indeed, the drunks on the streets had far more emotion filling their Vessels than others.

Though sometimes, perhaps because their emotions were excessive, they would walk on all fours or cry then laugh, showing incomprehensible behavior.

Niles said alcohol was a magical potion that could transform humans into dogs.

「Thanks for the gift. I’ll try it and let you know.」

「Where do you think you’re going! Drink it here!」

「No.」

Returning under the bridge, Ray sat by the riverside and opened the vodka Niles had given him.

He didn’t have high expectations.

Anyway, the time when he made every effort to feel emotions had passed.

He poured the liquor into a broken glass cup and downed it in one gulp.

A burning, fiery sensation spread through his esophagus to his entire body.

「…….」

He waited a moment.

There was no particular change in his mood.

Another drink.

Again, no change in mood.

Yet another drink.

Still, no change in mood.

「Was I scammed?」

No matter how much he drank, it felt like water.

Filling and emptying the cup repeated.

After brutally slaughtering the entire bottle of vodka, Ray stood up from his spot without a single trace of unsteadiness and left the riverside.

‘Maybe it was because the alcohol back then was cheap.’

He didn’t know for sure, but the alcohol before his eyes now was likely a much more expensive type than that one.

Then, might it help in feeling emotions?

“Yes. I drink.”

“Excellent.”

With a satisfied smile, Skyle pushed the freshly filled glass toward Ray.

And poured his own, creating two glasses in total.

Skyle’s glass was raised high.

“Since it’s fate that we’re working together like this, let me formally introduce myself first. I’m Skyle, of the Skyle Mercenary Group.”

Had there been some change of heart during the move from the hotel to the inn?

His Vessel was filled with favorable emotions.

Anticipation. Reassurance. Excitement, etc.

Of course, a not-insignificant amount of hostility still resided in a corner of his Vessel.

And the emotion occupying the largest portion of the whole was greed.

A dazzling golden color.

Its brightness and vividness were the second strongest among the golden hues witnessed since arriving at Sector 48.

To harbor such powerful greed even in daily life.

‘It means he’s a person with an incredibly strong desire for money.’

Ray followed Skyle’s lead and downed his glass.

“Guh.”

“…….”

Only the emotions in the other’s Vessel surged greatly; there was no change in his own mood.

Was it still ineffective after all?

Or maybe it was because it was the first glass.

“You hold your liquor well. If it’s alright, may I ask which Mercenary Group you belong to?”

“I haven’t decided on a name yet.”

A brief silence followed.

It took Skyle a little time to understand Ray’s words.

And the moment he understood, anticipation rapidly expanded within his Vessel.

“Oh! So when you said ‘Mercenary Group,’ it wasn’t that you’re already affiliated with one, but that you plan to work as a mercenary from now on!”

Ray nodded.

He reached for the bottle to pour more, but Skyle moved faster and poured for him.

The second glass went down.

“Guh! If there’s anything you don’t know, just ask me. I’ll help you with all my heart and sincerity!”

Clink!

The third glass went down.

“Have another! First, I’ll tell you the basics, like how to register at a mercenary office…”

Despite it being quite strong liquor, Skyle continued speaking smoothly without any sign of drunkenness.

He had a strong tolerance for alcohol.

Bringing Ray to the bar was also to get him drunk and find an opening.

But something felt a bit off.

His opponent, a young person at that, showed no sign of being affected at all.

‘Well, doesn’t matter.’

As long as the bastard was human, if he kept drinking, he’d have to get drunk eventually.

Skyle continued his talk in high spirits.

“Ah, and thank you for not mentioning the hunting matter to the client. If they brought that up, saying we didn’t perform the request faithfully, it would be nothing but a headache.”

“……”

It wasn’t that he deliberately didn’t talk about it.

The purpose of visiting John Grid was solely to obtain information about the blue-furred Rockdeer.

He hadn’t gone to report or expose any facts.

But the other seemed to think he had done him a favor.

Ray casually asked.

“Is the tracking of the Rockdeer herd currently ongoing?”

“Of course. My subordinates are following at a set distance. Each time the truck returns, they assist in population control.”

Population control.

It meant hunting.

Simultaneously, Skyle’s greed swelled roughly.

Unable to take his eyes off that interesting spectacle, Ray spoke.

“About that.”

“Yes?”

“I’d like you to stop the hunting. For the herd you’re currently tracking.”

His goal was to examine the blue-furred Rockdeer up close.

It would be problematic if that individual died or got injured.

“Suddenly saying such a thing…”

Fluster, distrust, suspicion.

Various emotions filled Skyle’s Vessel.

The greed that had been swelling stopped expanding, and the hostility lodged in the corner began to tremble violently and move toward the center of the Vessel.

Ah.

Ray felt extremely disappointed.

He had been curious just how far the other’s greed could grow.

He had somewhat expected it, but for it to shrink this much…

“May I ask the reason for what you just said?”

An uncomfortable tone seeped into his voice.

Swallowing his disappointment, Ray decided to first deal with the hostility making its Presence known.

Instead of answering, he applied pressure to the glass with Telekinesis.

Crack!

Liquor spilled onto the table.

Glass fragments scattered in all directions.

“Any complaints?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that, I was just curious about the reason…”

Skyle’s hostility, which had been billowing to occupy the center of the Vessel, hastily retreated to its original corner.

Its size also rapidly shrank.

“After I leave, you can hunt or do whatever, I don’t care. But while I’m here, it’s forbidden.”

“Haha, understood. It’s not a difficult matter.”

As if struggling to control his expression, the muscles in Skyle’s face twitched.

He struggled to control his expression.

He was angry but had to endure it.

He knew that even a weak Wizard could easily send dozens of ordinary people to their graves.

“When is the departure plan? I’d prefer it to be as soon as possible.”

“You said your goal is to search for the Rockdeer herd. We can depart first thing tomorrow morning.”

Moreover, the other was a person with potential value who could bring far greater profit than income from hunting.

So it was right to humor him as much as possible.

Even if the other was a fool who believed the ramblings of a senile old man.

“Here, here! Drink up!”

Skyle increased the pace of emptying glasses to get Ray drunk.

But while several bottles of strong brandy and whiskey were emptied, the only one getting tipsy was himself.

The other, as if lacking even the minimum conscience of a living being, didn’t change complexion at all.

‘What the hell. Why does it feel like I’m the only one getting affected by the alcohol now?’

While his own senses were gradually dulling, the boy before him was truly drinking alcohol like water.

As if conducting an experiment, he opened various types of liquor, drinking them alternately, mixing them, or downing them in one shot.

“You really hold your liquor well, Wizard.”

“Seems so. Unfortunately.”

Unfortunately?

Is he mocking me?

Frowning, Skyle reached across the table.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed the bottles in front of the boy contained not liquor but water.

‘Especially that Captain Jack, how strong that liquor is.’

It was jokingly called a devil’s liquor—said to start a car if used instead of gasoline, or that you wake up two days later after drinking it, so there’s no hangover.

But seeing him chugging it down made him suspicious.

He must have dumped the liquor when I wasn’t looking and filled it with water.

“Captain Jack. Good liquor.”

Skyle forced a bitter smile and took the Captain Jack in front of Ray, pouring it into his own glass.

Glug glug glug. Gulp! Thud!*

He confidently downed it in one shot.

And.

“Bleeeaaargh──!”

He vomited.

His lunch menu had been beef stew with mushrooms and a fish dish drizzled with lemon sauce.

While Skyle was checking on his balanced diet, Ray continued to observe his emotions.

‘I wish he’d show a bit of reaction.’

Perhaps because he had been checked earlier, Skyle’s greed remained still, showing no movement.

‘Should I stimulate it?’

Almost all the people he had met so far showed their greed expanding or becoming agitated upon seeing money.

How much money would he need to take out to stimulate a Mercenary Group Captain who should be accustomed to fairly high sums?

The safe in the vehicle’s trunk held about 5 million Shillings in total.

Would that be enough as bait?

“…….”

No.

Recklessly revealing his assets could cause unnecessary trouble.

Then, what method could stir the other’s greed without significant risk?

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

Ultimately, what fills the Vessel is Atmospheric Mana related to each emotion.

It could be said that Mana flows into where emotions appear.

‘Then what about the opposite case?’

What if, conversely, he pushed Mana into the other’s Vessel?

As if entranced, Ray colored the Atmospheric Mana, creating Golden Mana.

And then.

He directed it straight toward Skyle’s Vessel.