Chapter 61: The Hero's Luck Audit
Notice. Probability distortion detected. Individual 'Masayuki' is emitting a passive logic-warping field. Analysis: High-tier luck-based Unique Skill identified. Notice. Total soul capacity usage: 38%. Stability: Optimal.
I stand on the balcony of my newly completed estate—a masterpiece of obsidian marble and reinforced magic-glass that sits on the western edge of the central district. I adjust the cuffs of my silver-threaded suit, my silver-white hair catching the afternoon sun.
A "Hero," I think, my internal persona mentally flicking through a stack of speculative stocks. In my old world, these types were usually manufactured by PR firms to distract from quarterly losses. Let's see if this Masayuki is a blue-chip asset or just a bubble waiting to burst. I need to see the pilot behind the probability field.
Below, the crowd is parting for a blonde teenager who looks like he's trying very hard to remember a script he never read. He's surrounded by adventurers who look at him with a devotion that borders on the religious.
"He's here, Lord Shinji," a voice says from behind me.
I turn. Standing there is Vesper, a high-tier Greater Demon I contracted during the post-Walpurgis recruitment drive. She wears the form of a sharp-featured, clinical maid, her red eyes devoid of warmth but brimming with a dark, professional efficiency.
"The welcoming committee is positioned, Vesper?" I ask, my voice porcelain-cold.
"The Sarion merchants and Blumund envoys are in place to witness the encounter, as per the contract," Vesper reports. She pauses, her gaze flickering toward the street. "However, the Hero appears to be... perspiring. His internal magicule flow is chaotic. He does not look like a conqueror."
"Good. Fear is the first stage of a successful audit," I state.
[Shadow Step]
I emerge in the central plaza, exactly ten paces in front of Masayuki's path. The air around me instantly drops in temperature as my [Dragon Spirit Haki] is coiled into a tight, intimidatingly elegant presence.
The crowd freezes. The adventurers guarding Masayuki draw their weapons instantly. One of them, a spearman with a scar across his bridge, steps forward, his voice trembling despite his aggression.
"Who do you think you are, blocking the Hero's path?!" he barks. "Back off, or we'll—"
"Quiet, Jin," Masayuki stammers, his face turning a ghostly shade of white. He looks at me, and I can see his knees shaking behind his ornate armor. My [Market Transparency] feed is redlining—his presence is literally shimmering with "Good Luck" particles that try to soften my perception of him.
Warning. Attempted probability manipulation detected. [AZATHOTH] is filtering logic-warp. Notice. Risk of 'Charisma' influence is 0%.
"I am Shinji Satou Tempest," I say, my voice echoing through the silent plaza. "Executive Auditor of this Federation. Masayuki-kun, I've reviewed your 'Heroic' track record. Your success-to-effort ratio is statistically improbable. It suggests a significant deficit in actual combat skill, compensated by an over-leveraged luck attribute."
"St-statistically improbable?" Masayuki blinks, his 'Hero' persona cracking. "I... I just do what I can, you know?"
"Masayuki-sama is being humble!" a female adventurer behind him cries out, her eyes gleaming with fanatical zeal. "He defeated the ogres of the border with a single look!"
"He didn't look at them; he just tripped and they fell off a cliff," I say flatly, watching the color drain from Masayuki's face. "The Jura-Tempest Federation is currently launching a new enterprise: The Great Tempest Dungeon. We are in need of a high-value mascot for the opening. I am offering you a sponsorship deal."
"A... a sponsorship?" Masayuki asks, confused.
"I provide the stage. You provide the celebrity endorsement," I state. I manifest a formal contract from my [Inventory]. "If you survive the first ten floors, your 'Luck' will be officially certified by our nation. If you fail, the Kingdom of Blumund will be forced to acknowledge your insolvency. It's a standard risk-reward proposition."
"And if I refuse?" Masayuki gulps.
I let a sliver of the [Lord's Ambition] leak out. The ground beneath my polished shoes cracks. The adventurers behind Masayuki fall to their knees, gasping for breath as the sheer weight of my existence presses down on them.
"Refusal is always an option," I say, my sea-grey eyes cold. "But it is a very expensive one. The 'Hero' brand in this region is currently overpriced. I am here to facilitate a market correction. Now, Vesper will show you to your VIP quarters. Read the contract. I expect your signature by dawn."
I turn and walk away, leaving the confused, terrified party behind.
Notice. [Analytical Appraisal] complete. Unique Skill: [Chosen One] identified. It is a passive probability-manipulation law. Integration with [Transaction Domain] is possible.
Luck isn't a miracle, Azathoth, I think. It's just a hidden currency. And I'm about to become the central bank.
Current Magicule Reserves: Infinite (Linked). Location: Central Plaza -> Executive Office. Status: Hero Audit: Phase 1 complete. Dungeon IPO: T-minus 24 hours. Soul Capacity: 38%.
Chapter End.