Chapter 344: The Luck of 'Wish Fulfillment'
"A half-elf?"
The topic clearly piqued the interest of the merchants dining at the table, sparking a lively discussion.
"Really? There's actually a half-elf living in the slums outside the city?"
"Elves are incredibly rare. That race can live for centuries—how enviable.~"
"Elves are indeed uncommon. They live secluded lives in the forests, much like the oni. I was lucky enough to see one during my merchant travels in my youth."
"Hey, if elves are rare, half-elves are even rarer."
"..."
Though the merchants' voices weren't loud, to Roy, their words were as clear as if they were chatting right beside him.
If ordinary demi-humans—like giants, beastmen, elves, or even the exceedingly rare oni or steelmen—only had racial tensions with humans, then there was one existence despised by both sides.
These were the mixed-blood races, like half-beasts and half-elves.
Neither humans nor demi-humans accepted these hybrids, leading to persecution from both sides. Many mixed-bloods banded together, hiding in remote, uninhabited places just to survive. This prejudice was especially severe in the Lionheart Kingdom of Lugunica.
"I heard that half-elf has caught the attention of some noble lords."
"That's hardly surprising. Elves are renowned for their beauty. The nobles wouldn't dare provoke an elf—that could spark a racial war—but a half-elf is fair game. I'd bet that half-elf inherited the elves' beauty."
Men's conversations inevitably drifted toward women, and soon, the merchants wore lecherous grins.
In a feudal—perhaps even slave-owning—world, such things were all too common. Especially when the victims were mixed-bloods, shunned by both humans and demi-humans, no one would even bat an eye.
"Though I heard from someone else that a noble named Roswaal Mathers is gathering those mixed-bloods, offering them protection."
"Roswaal Mathers? I've heard that name. He's some kind of prodigy, an exceptionally powerful mage. That's why the 'Lion King' summoned him and granted him a noble title as an exception. His territory is on Lugunica's border—the Lion King probably wants him to guard it."
"Granted nobility and land in his teens..."
At this, the merchants' faces twisted with envy.
Roy felt he'd gathered plenty of crucial information—enough for his current needs.
With that thought, he stood up directly and walked toward that table.
The merchants who had been chatting animatedly fell silent as they saw the man—who had exuded an air of high nobility since entering the tavern—approach them. They sat up straight in their seats, unsure what this important figure intended to do.
"I just overheard you mentioning a silver-haired half-elf. Could you elaborate for me?"
Roy didn't actively use 『The Face of the Divine』, but his demeanor and the passive effect of this authority alone made it difficult for anyone to refuse his request.
The merchant who had first brought up the 'silver-haired half-elf' flashed an ingratiating smile and bowed slightly to Roy. "...My lord, I only heard this as hearsay and haven't actually seen the half-elf myself. It's said she lives in the slums outside the city. You... could send someone to investigate."
The merchant nearly blurted out, 'You could go see for yourself,' but caught himself just in time. A noble of such refined bearing would surely consider it an insult to set foot in a place like the slums.
"Thank you."
Roy smiled politely before leaving the tavern.
Only after he was gone did the merchants exhale, as though they had been holding their breath in his presence.
"Who knows which great noble family that lord belongs to?"
"And he was so courteous—completely unlike the nobles I've met before. That must be what true aristocracy is like!"
"Who'd have thought our conversation would be overheard?"
"I wonder what that lord wants with a half-elf."
"What do you think he wants?"
The merchants exchanged glances and chuckled knowingly.
...
Stepping out of the tavern, Roy continued strolling down the street. Spotting a fruit vendor, he took out a silver coin and bought some fruit.
Aside from a few exotic varieties he had never seen before, the fruits in this otherworld were identical to those on Earth—like the bright red apple in his hand.
The money had been "kindly provided" by the tavern owner earlier. Though Roy had the means to take anything without paying, he generally avoided doing so.
For small vendors like this, struggling to make ends meet in an underdeveloped economy, life was hard enough. Roy had no intention of bullying the lower class.
Though he could be utterly ruthless at times, he also showed genuine compassion for the suffering of common folk—a contradiction within himself.
"The power system here is fascinating. Much like the Moonlit World we once inhabited, this place has something akin to the 'Root.' But compared to that world, the 'Root' here is weak, even pitifully so... Yet the world itself is leaking power, and some lucky individuals receive its blessings."
Aiwass murmured softly behind Roy.
Carrying the bag of fruit, Roy continued his leisurely walk, feeling that he could use an attendant to carry things for him.
In the worlds of the Moonlit World and the Campione, tasks like carrying things would never have fallen to him. It must be said that it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury back to frugality—Roy had already grown accustomed to others revolving around his life.
Yet even holding a simple, worn-out bag of fruit, Roy still exuded an overwhelming presence. Walking through the crowd was like being a dazzling star, drawing furtive glances while people quickly made way, ensuring not a single trace of his noble bearing was disturbed.
.00
A person's aura is a truly mysterious thing.
Hearing Aiwass' voice behind him, Roy chuckled, "…You're talking about 'blessings,' right? It's indeed a fascinating power, worthy of our study."
"Every world has its novelties, things that never grow old no matter how many times you see them."
Aiwass' ethereal voice carried a hint of amusement. As the Holy Guardian Angel who imparted knowledge, exploring the unknown was also her interest.
"I should now be endowed with the 『Blessing of Human Order』, allowing me to draw infinite magical energy from human order while granting me near 'wish-fulfilling' levels of luck."
"…See, the world is vast, yet I effortlessly obtained crucial information and located key figures. Statistically speaking, these are extremely low-probability events."
What is MAX Luck? If Roy were an ordinary person, he'd be the type to pick up a random scrap of paper on the street—only for it to turn out to be a winning lottery ticket. No matter how dangerous the situation, he'd always emerge unscathed.
Though such luck could be twisted by those wielding extraordinary power—meaning Roy couldn't rely on it to become invincible—it was still immensely useful in daily life. Just like now, luck was actively delivering key figures to him, sparing him the need to search the world over.
"You mean that silver-haired half-elf?"
"Yes, her. If my guess is correct… Hmm, we're here."
This medieval European-style city wasn't large. While conversing with Aiwass, Roy's pace had already taken him from the bustling streets to the filthy slums ahead.