Villain detected.

He has a mustache and his scalp is balding.

There’s no way he isn’t a villain, right?

“Welcome to my humble abode… My name is Theo Kalamas.”

And I just realized he has the same name as the city…

Or rather, the city has the same name as him.

Which means one of his ancestors named this city after himself!

What an arrogant thing to do!

He definitely can’t be a good guy!

…

Well, for now, I should introduce myself at least.

“Hi, I’m Nina.”

No need to make it long.

“Good to finally meet you…”

He smiles and nods to himself.

But I won’t be deceived by his false mask!

“Please sit down.”

He points to one of the sofas in the room and walks over before sitting on the other sofa opposite of it.

I do as I’m told and sit down.

Cana and Ignis follow me.

“I wanted to thank you for helping with the incident a few days ago. If it weren’t for you, the city might have suffered great loses…”

Eh, that’s exaggerating.

Even if I didn’t help, there’s still Mable, Kuro and Veras…

Those three are way stronger than me anyway, you know?

“Of course, I have prepared an appropriate reward. Along with the guildmaster of this city, we decided you deserved to rank up!”

What?

Another one?

No, wait.

He must be talking about the same one.

…

In other words, he’s sending me back to the guild from where I was sent.

It’s an infinite loop!

“So, after we are done here, please visit the guild and-”

Before he finishes his sentence I pull out my rank B adventurer’s card and hold it up next to me.

“Oh, so you already did. Brilliant!”

You seem way too happy about this.

How suspicious…

Am I playing on top of his palm by getting the rank up?

Is he going to extort me later to ‘pay him back’…?!

…

Calm down, me.

These imaginations are getting out of hand.

“Ah, I would also like to thank you for raising Kent.”

What?

Thank me for raising my brother…?

…

No wait, Kuro told me his actual name was Kent, didn’t he?

So…

I raised this cat?

That’s news to me.

“Meow!”

“Ahaha, don’t be surprised. I was already told you were the one to raise him.”

Hold on…

Who told you?

Was it Veras?

Why did he tell you such a lie?

…

Is it to protect my real identity or something?

Well, okay, I guess…

“Well now, let’s get into the main topic, shall we?”

Uhh, sure.

What is the main topic?

“Oh, but I have to warn you… I’m about to say some highly classified information… under no circumstances are you to talk about this to anyone.”

Hmm?

Are you trying to make a serious expression?

It’s not working.

You only make yourself look more villian-ey.

“The only reason why I’m telling you all of this is because you are already involved… and because Kent trusts you so much.”

“Meow.”

Huh…

Well, you might think it’s because ‘I raised him’.

But it’s actually because he’s charmed.

…

What?

It’s not my fault!

I can’t help it!

It’s this blessing!

“In other words… if you don’t think you can keep it secret, I advise you stop me or to leave the room.”

Yeah, yeah.

It’s not like I’m talkative anyway.

Your secret is safe with me!

And if I don’t hear you out, it’s gonna bother me anyway!

“A final warning… if you let it slip at some point… something bad might happen to you…”

Oh my god!

I hate people like you!

Just say it!

Stop dragging it out!

“I-I think I’ll leave.”

Huh?

Ignis?

Did his threat scare you?

Come on now…

You simply have to stop talking whenever someone asks you…!

…

Uh, yeah, actually…

It would probably be better if you left.

“M-me too…”

Cana too?

Ugh, what is this peer pressure?!

Do you want me to walk away with them now?!

No!

I will persevere!

…

A wild butler appeared and lead the two girls outside.

Once the lord confirmed I wouldn’t budge, he told me his story.

And…

How should I say it…

It was…

…

Way too long!

I couldn’t care less about your childhood and your first love!

What does it have to do with the cat base and the reincarnators?!

…

Oh?

You got attacked by one of them?

They injured your wife…?

But then Kuro saved you?

Hmm, hmm…

Oh, so that’s it.

The underground base is actually a failed attempt to build a sewer system…

And the reason why people didn’t know about it is because it was really old…?

Erm, are you kidding me?

You left a series of underground tunnels under the city for several generations?

Isn’t it like… dangerous?

One little earthquake could cause a cave-in and bury the entire city…

Not that I’m an expert on this stuff, but…

… and anyway!

You seriously just gave out such an enormous real estate to a cat?

I get that he saved your life, but…

Oh?

There’s more to this?

Secret research…?

The king’s orders…?

Now we’re getting somewhere.

This feels a lot more like a national secret!

Mhmm, please continue.

…

So you are keeping the reincarnators locked up to research their skills?

Hmm, I see…

I guess it makes sense.

Their skills are leagues above what you can normally get in this world.

Naturally, other people would want to harness such power for themselves…

…

Wait, you actually succeeded?

What?

The sealing cages are a product from one of the reincarnator skills?

…

Oh yeah…

There WAS someone who could seal skills, wasn’t there?

The blue cat and her… aether crystal, I think she called it.

Hmm…

Interesting…

I always thought skills are just that.

A person’s skill.

But they are an actual ‘thing’ that can be extracted…?

That’s weird!

And it doesn’t make sense!

And… it’s kind of gross.

Is it like a surgery?

Do you have to wear a white bloodstained facemask as you close in on the patient with a drill needle scissors in your hand?!

…

Wait.

Wait wait wait.

No.

This is pretty bad for me, isn’t it?

I have ‘nine lives’!

I still don’t know how it works, but isn’t this basically immortality?!

No way!

If they found out about this, I would become their prime target!

Immortality is the wet dream of every rich and evil guy, after all!

Ah crap!

…

Ok, calm down.

Who knows about this so far?

I told Deliah… and Mable… and I think that’s it right now.

Alright…

I don’t think Mable will tell anyone…

After all, I’m also holding onto her secret!

And Deliah is a smart girl!

She’s not like Ignis, who talks without thinking.

…

Phew…

I think I’m safe.

I just need to make sure nobody else finds out about it.

Simple enough.

“And finally… one of the greatest secrets of the world…”

Oh, it’s getting suspenseful?!

Where’s my popcorn?!

“It’s a… concept, that’s pretty hard to grasp.”

Well, that’s fine!

I read enough sci-fi and fantasy stories!

My imagination is pretty good!

“Every person has it… this ‘board’ of information about them, hidden from everyone else.”

Board of information…?

Ohh…

…

Wait, do you mean status screen?

“If you believe in it and wish for it to appear, it will…! We call it the status screen!”

Argh, I knew it!

Seriously?!

The status screen is the world’s ultimate secret?!

That’s laughable!

“I know, I know… it’s very hard to believe. But it’s true! Just try it!”

No, I know it’s true.

I’m only baffled because you say it’s super secret!

Argh, dammit…

How is that even possible?

Surely there has to be the odd person who accidentally opens it once in a while, right?

And from them, it should spread like a wildfire!

…

Or those individuals might simply think it’s their personal ability and keep it secret.

Oh, dammit!

“It’s alright if you can’t open it… Only the reincarnators seem to have this ability naturally, after all… It took even me a good while to do it as well.”

…

Hmm?

Does he not know that I’m also a reincarnator?

Huh…

What did they tell him about me?

Only that I was Kuro’s caretaker and nothing else…?

Well…

I guess that’s for the better.

If he knew I was a reincarnator, he might inquire about my skills, after all.

“Meow…”

Yeah.

Thanks Kuro.

You saved me from a lot of trouble.

Now I won’t be hunted for my immortality!

“Well, that’s it for my story. Any questions?”

Not really.

Only… why did you have to include that beginning part?!

Do you want me to write a biography for you?

“No.”

“Then, I guess this is it for me. I wish you good luck on your further endeavors.”

Long and exaggerated as always, huh?

“… goodbye.”

After I got up, his butler lead me outside of the room and into the reception room again, where Cana and Ignis waited.