CH 20

[There is No Mistake in Theory]

After being politely thrown into the reflection room, I was confronted by Iris-san and asked about the true meaning of what I said in the waiting space.

She is looking at me with a despising-like gaze as if she’s looking at a disappointing, or rather a somewhat different life-form, but that utterance was based on a solid idea, so I wished she’d stop it with that kind of eyes.

“Well then, let us hear that idea.”

Since she asked for an explanation, I straighten my back, puff up my chest, and start the explanation.

Because there’s nothing I should be ashamed of, shouldn’t I say it proudly?

First of all, hm? When I thought about what interpersonal skill is, I concluded that the main point of it is communication skill.

Whether it’s in the workplace, in the relationship with family or friends, or even in romance, isn’t all human relationships people built originated from the great wisdom, ‘communication’.

When I thought so, I came to the conclusion that putting it another way interpersonal ability is communication ability in itself.

“Certainly, that may be the case. Please continue.”

Then what is communication ability? It goes without saying that it allows you ‘to give a good impression to people’, ‘to move people’, and ‘to tell a story in an easy-to-understand manner’, even feel sympathy to other… there’ll be no end to it if I have to point out the others too, but I think it can be summed up into three.

They are ‘ability to listen’, ‘ability to convey’, and ‘ability to understand the state of mind’.

These are the main points of communication ability and interpersonal ability.

“I think that consideration is correct. So, what do you want to do to polish them?”

Picking up women.

“Let us hear the reason.”

As a matter of course, to pick up women, you need the ‘ability to convey’ your favor to them.

And in order to have them to go with you, your ‘ability to understand their state of mind’ must be high too.

Furthermore, in order to select words to move the other party’s state of mind, the ‘ability to listen’ to the other party’s reactions and words is important.

Isn’t this an act that requires all the core of communication skill?

If that’s the case, the more successful I’m in picking up women, the more experience point I will accumulate, and my interpersonal ability will certainly increase, isn’t it!?

“…Well, let us say that is the case. So? If you succeed in picking up a woman, what are you going to do with the other party?”

……?

No, if I succeed, I will get experience points, and I will have no particular use of her anymore.

“That is why, you stupid!!!”

“Ow!?”

Pocopocopocon! – is so I get hit many times; holding my head, I roll around the floor.

Why!? My theory should be perfect right!? Is there a more efficient way to level up interpersonal ability than this!?

“I am so shocked that I couldn’t put it into words!! When I thought you have reflected and think about things properly, why did you come to such a deplorable conclusion!? Did Higaki-san not say a word hearing that!?”

“When I told her, she had a bitter face and said, ‘For the time being, why don’t you ask Iris-san for advice?’”

“Doesn’t that imply she gave up and left me to take care of probleeeem!”

Ahhh! Mouuu! Iris-san who is holding her head and going around in circles like that must has excessive energy.

Well, the Netherworld is basically crappily peaceful. From the content of the conversation with the mob characters in the original work, there seems to be nothing but troubles such as stopping the conflict between adventurers who challenge the ‘Tower’ or finding missing pets in the neighborhood, occurred here after all. That’s probably why she has excessive energy.

That was why when the ancient evil god was resurrected and took over the ‘Tower’ at the moment the protagonist came, they fell into a real difficult situation.

Well, it’s still a long way ahead until he come, and one month here is a about a day in the real world due to the distortion of time and space, so I don’t have to worry over it.

Anyway, it’s about time for the pain of my head to subside.

Iris-san says, “Please wait a moment!” and locked the reflection room from the outside and leaves. I quietly make use of the lock to earn experience points of the Unlocking skill.

After one hour since I succeeded in unlocking the key – I practice-swinging while waiting because I was free – Iris-san comes back with a triumphant smile.

For some reason, Higaki is also following behind her, and she sighs as soon as she sees me.

“Are you sure about it, Iris-san…?”

“Of course. We don’t know what he will do if he is out of sight after all; in order to prevent unnecessary uproar, I will supervise properly.”

“I don’t get what you two are talking about.”

“Listen here, Sakurai-san. In order to improve interpersonal skill, you have to focus on getting involved with people, which stresses on communication skill. That viewpoint is correct. However, your means, or rather lack of consideration that can’t even be put into words is overflowing in selfishness! It is no good! It is a no no!”

Saying that, Iris-san points her long rod at me with a snap, and with a daring face as if to say that she will not allow any objection, declares,

“So I would like you… no, you two to do your best for the peace of everyone who lives in the ‘Netherworld’ as a ‘guard’ like me in this one week period!!”

“Eh, I don’t want to.”

“Give up. I have already received permission from Anubis-sama… Hey, stop with that completely reluctant face.”

I stare at Iris-san silently while letting out a feeling of being annoyed at her, who made the necessary arrangements in this little one hour, in full throttle.

However, without minding me, she begins to explain with a grin, “First of all put on this badge that shows that you are a guard~.”

Since even continue staring at her for a while has no effect, I resign myself and put the badge I received on my chest.

The golden badge shines on my chest.

It indicates that the mini-game of the original work ‘Guard Activity Record’ that triggered in the ‘Netherworld Guard Palace’ has started.