The Appraising-Eye Slave Trader ~ A Blind Boy Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble Dominates with the Power to 'See True Talent' ~ - Episode 1: Awakening

Episode 1: Awakening

My name is Kirishima Naosumi.

I lost most of my eyesight in an accident when I was little.

But somehow, in exchange for that… I gained a special ability where I could understand “the essence” of a person. Even if it was our first meeting.

For example, a teacher who was famous for being a good person…

The moment I first met him, I could tell “this person is doing something bad.”

A few weeks later, he got arrested for molestation, and it became big news.

Because of this strange ability, people found me creepy sometimes.

I was always lonely.

I was even bullied.

They took advantage of my blindness to pour water on me or trip me up…

Because I couldn’t see, I couldn’t read books.

But lately, there were a lot of audiobooks available. So even though I couldn’t see, I was able to enjoy novels.

I was grateful.

I especially liked reading isekai light novels.

And then one day… I died after being hit by a car.

It was sudden.

When I died, I thought:

“Ah, in the next life… please, let me be able to see…”

◆

When I next opened my eyes, I had become a completely different person.

Yes, it seems I had reincarnated…

And to my surprise… yes, I could see.

I was overwhelmed.

“Amazing… I can really, see…!”

I gasped.

Until now, my world had only sound.

Footsteps, the sound of wind, someone’s voice — that was all my world had.

But now, in front of me, there is “form.”

There is “color.”

There is a “world.”

To think… it was this beautiful.

I had forgotten for so long.

My eyes were getting hot.

My vision was getting blurry.

I immediately knew it was tears.

I realized that “tears” were something you could see.

“Thank you… thank you…!”

I didn’t even know who I was thanking.

But I couldn’t help but say it.

I could see.

Finally… I could see the world.

After soaking in the emotion, I gradually grasped the situation.

It seemed I hadn’t reincarnated in modern-day Japan.

More like a medieval fantasy… could this be… another world…?

And I wasn’t a baby, but a boy around 14 years old.

While I was checking over the situation…

A maid entered the room.

“Ouji-sama. It’s time to change your clothes…”

Hm…?

Wait a second, what did she just call me…?

Ouji (Prince)…?

No, that’s not it…

Ouji…?

That means…

“Is my name Ouji…?”

“Yes… that’s right… What are you talking about…? Your name is Ouji Grandfalm, isn’t it?”

“Ah, I see… Right… my name is Ouji Grandfalm… wait…”

Then I realized it.

I had heard that name before.

Ouji Grandfalm — he was a character in the light novel I liked.

And definitely not the protagonist.

He appears in the story as the worst villain… the final boss-type character.

And in the end, he’s killed in a really terrible way by the protagonist.

So basically, if things go the same as the story…

“I’m gonna die……!!!! This sucks……!!!!”

I held my head in despair.

“Ouji-sama…!? Are you okay…!? You’ve been acting strange… what’s wrong…!?”

“No… yeah, sorry, I lost it. It’s nothing… just forget it…”

“O-Ouji-sama said ‘sorry’… This is the first time you’ve ever apologized… What’s really going on…!?”

No good. The usual Ouji is so arrogant and prideful that anything I say surprises her…

Ugh… How should I live from now on…?

Anyway, I absolutely don’t want to get involved with the protagonist.

Also, I want to avoid doing anything villain-like.

For now, I’ll stay away from the main plot and live quietly…

If I don’t, I’ll be killed as a villain.

I glance at the maid’s face.

Then I noticed something strange.

Something was floating above her head.

This is… what you’d call a “status”, right……?

It’s my first time seeing it with my own eyes, but it’s just like in games and light novels…!

Let’s see, let’s see…

I stared at the status window floating above the maid’s head.

Name: Kariya

Age: 17

Gender: Female

Occupation: Maid

Basic Status

Attack: B

Defense: B

Magic: E

Physical: C

—Talent—

Maid: F

Adventurer: SSS

There was more written. But this is what caught my attention.

So the maid’s name is Kariya.

Because I had been staring at Kariya’s face too intently, she blushed and looked flustered.

“U-Um… If you stare at me like that… it makes me nervous…”

“Ah, sorry, sorry…”

“I-Is there something on my face?”

“No, it’s not that… it’s this… looks like some kind of status…”

“S-Status…?”

“Wait, am I the only one who can see this…?”

“Geez… I don’t understand you at all today, Ouji-sama… Are you really okay…?”

Kariya touched my forehead. She thought I had a fever.

But I didn’t have one.

Well, of course she’d think I was acting strange. I was suddenly saying things like this…

Maybe I should imitate how Ouji normally talks and act like him…

Let’s see, lower my voice…

“It’s nothing. I was just teasing you a bit. Don’t worry about it.”

“Th-That’s the usual Ouji-sama…! I’m so relieved… You scared me…”

Looks like I managed to fool her.

Kariya helped me change. She then quickly went back to her other duties.

Still… Kariya’s pretty clumsy…

She helped me change, but all the buttons were mismatched…

My pants were inside out…

I fixed my clothes myself.

Maybe Kariya really isn’t suited to being a maid…?

Come to think of it, her “Maid” talent was F in the status screen earlier…

But her “Adventurer” talent was SSS.

So maybe… Kariya would have a much happier life as an adventurer than as a maid…?

Wait, this might be an extension of the ability I had in my past life — “seeing the essence of people”…?

In the original story, there was no setting where Ouji had this kind of [Appraising Eye].

So this might be an ability that comes from me…?

Until now, I could only sense people’s essence vaguely because I couldn’t see well…

But maybe because this is another world, it’s now visualized as a proper status screen.

This ability… might actually be pretty amazing…?

Kariya didn’t seem to see the status screen either…

If I’m the only one who can see people’s talents, then maybe I can use this for something incredible.

I could even prevent being killed by the protagonist easily, right?

If I use this ability to set everything up before I ever meet the protagonist, there’s no way I can lose.

Yeah, that’s right.

Using this ability, I’ll take control of the world…!

If I’m fated to be destroyed as a villain anyway, then I’ll use this power to change that fate.

Right…!

This appraising eye… might also let me see my own abilities, not just others’.

If I can do that, I’ll know what job suits me and how I should grow…!

I’m still only around 14. So if I use this ability now to build on my talents…

I might even surpass the protagonist.

I quickly looked into the mirror.

Ouji Grandfalm… so this is what he looks like…

He’s got a super villainous face…

Well, he is a villain, so I guess it makes sense…

Still, even with a villain face, he looks cool. So I’m fine with it.

Maybe I’ll even be popular…

Now, let’s check the important part — my status…

In the story, Ouji’s job was [Swordsman].

He was one of the strongest swordsmen.

So his talent for swordsmanship must be amazing…

But the result was――――

Name: Ouji Grandfalm

Age: 14

Gender: Male

Occupation: Swordsman

Basic Status

Attack: SS

Defense: S

Magic: S

Physical: SS

—Talent—

Swordsman: F

Slave Trader: SSS

“Huuuuuh……!? Swordsman F!? And… S-Slave Trader……!?”

Turns out Ouji had no talent for the sword, but max-level talent for being a slave trader.

I… I don’t get it…

Wasn’t Ouji supposed to be the strongest swordsman…!?

Maybe his base stats were so high that even in an unsuitable job like swordsman, he still got that strong…?

Then, if he changed to a job he is suited for like slave trader, what the heck would happen…!?

And seriously, of all things, my talent has to be in slave trading…?

Hmm…?

Wait a second…?

If I use this appraising eye and become a slave trader… could something amazing happen…?

“If I identify slaves with talent and raise them… I could probably create incredible slaves…!”

If I do that, then even ruling the world from behind the scenes would be possible…!

Interesting…

If that’s decided, then it’s time to change jobs…!

In this world, according to the original setting… if you go to the Job Change Temple, you can change jobs.

I immediately went to the Job Change Temple and changed my job from swordsman to slave trader.

Alright, this is good.

From here on out…

A new life as Ouji Grandfalm begins now.

Original Author’s Comment:

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