The World's Strongest and Most Evil Noble Strives Humbly and Diligently ~ Using Knowledge of the Original Story and Unique Magic to Avoid a Destruction End ~ - Chapter 7: Negotiation
Chapter 7: Negotiation
In the Forbidden Library, all the knowledge of this world converges.
Not taking advantage of it would be unthinkable.
I stretched out my right hand, activating Void Transfer, and a black vortex appeared before me. This was the entrance to the Void, connected to the Forbidden Library. Since I had marked the destination earlier, I could jump directly there without relying on the fairy’s return route.
If I improve my Void mastery, I could travel using location data alone. But as an 11-year-old, I lack that level of skill. Well, there’s still time to refine it gradually.
I passed through the Void, instantly teleporting to the Forbidden Library, where Entia, engrossed in reading a thick book, slowly raised her head.
“Oh my, did you forget something? (He bypassed the proper route and appeared directly here. As I thought, Hollow possesses the Void factor. The information from the magical compendium Arcana wasn’t false.)”
“Yeah, I came to borrow the Forbidden Library’s knowledge.”
“Fufu, no way. This is my private library, and I’m not letting you read anything!”
Entia stood and poked my forehead with her index finger.
(…She’s treating me like a child…)
Well, to her, I’m just a kid skilled in using Void. Her response is understandable.
(…Maybe I can reveal this to Entia.)
I know her well—her personality, not just her secrecy. She loves flaunting her knowledge but never shares anything crucial. This paradoxically makes her trustworthy. Even if I disclose my identity, Entia won’t spread it.
“Let’s negotiate, Entia. Or should I call you… Roy?”
Dropping my lazy arrogance, I called her by her true name. Instantly, her expression froze.
“Where did you learn that name? (His demeanor changed completely.)”
“I know everything about you. Let’s drop the pretenses and talk honestly.”
“What could a greenhorn like you possibly know about me?”
“Let’s see… For instance, the Witch of Craving Knowledge is immortal but not indestructible. If someone burns your original text, you’d vanish without a trace, right?”
I said this while pointing toward a particular bookshelf among the countless ones surrounding us.
There, stored safely, was Entia’s Soul Book. Burning it would erase her existence.
“…Who are you, really? (Not just my true name—he even knows about the original text…!)”
The composure drained from Entia’s face. Of course, it did. Her prideful innate magic, Book Garden of Forbidden Tomes, had been exposed at first glance.
“To sum it up, I’m a reincarnator.”
“…I see, that explains it.”
Entia’s eyes widened momentarily before nodding, as if everything made sense.
“I’ve never seen one in person, but I know of reincarnators. Souls that travel from ancient times and are reborn in the modern era. If you know this much about me, then it means we shared a deep connection at some point in history. That would explain—”
“—No, that’s not it.”
“What?”
“I came from a different world—an otherworld, if you will.”
“…What…?”
Entia gaped, her mouth wide open, letting out an incredulous sound.
“Well, to put it simply…”
I began explaining my story in broad strokes.
I was born and raised in a small island nation called Japan. After dying there, I was reincarnated into this world. My current body belonged to Hollow von Heisenberg. This world is from a game called Ronzorkia, and I possess knowledge of its characters and general storyline.
After finishing my brief explanation—
“…Wait, give me a moment to think.”
She closed her eyes, clearly struggling to process the revelation.
(Hollow says this world is part of something called a “game,” with predefined plots? It’s hard to believe…)
Peeking at me through one eye, she analyzed my demeanor.
(He doesn’t seem to be lying… It’s so absurd it feels like it could be true. After all, he knows my real name and even the secrets of Book Garden of Forbidden Tomes. Besides, no ordinary child could reach the Forbidden Library…)
Once her thoughts aligned, Entia spoke.
“If what you said is true, why do you need the Forbidden Library? If you have knowledge of the original game, wouldn’t that suffice?”
“Don’t underestimate Ronzorkia. The game has countless routes and an overwhelming amount of character details. I remember reading in an old developer interview that ‘even the devs couldn’t fully grasp everything.’”
“So your knowledge isn’t perfect, and you want to fill in the gaps using the Forbidden Library. Is that it?”
“Exactly. Thanks for understanding.”
With that, the information exchange concluded. It was time to get to the main negotiation.
“I want unrestricted access to the Forbidden Library. In return, I’ll teach you knowledge from the otherworld once a month. How about it?”
“Sorry, but that’s not enough to strike a deal.”
She shrugged her shoulders, looking exasperated.
“Really? I thought it was a fair trade.”
“My forbidden library contains all the knowledge in this world. You’re asking for unlimited access to it, and in return, I get just one piece of knowledge per month? It’s completely unbalanced.”
“I see your point. In terms of ‘quantity,’ it’s overwhelmingly in my favor. But the information in your library is limited to this world. Meanwhile, the information I have is from another world entirely, beyond the reach of this one. In terms of ‘quality,’ isn’t that more advantageous for you?”
“Yes, information from another world is certainly intriguing. However, there’s no guarantee that you’re the only ‘reincarnator’ from another world. Plus, I’m immortal. I can simply wait for the next reincarnator to appear. What I mean to say is—my library isn’t that cheap.”
Entia firmly rejected the offer.
I argued for the superiority of quality, while Entia argued for the superiority of quantity. Our points of view ran parallel, with no room for compromise—or at least, that’s how it would seem under normal circumstances.
But my keen observation skills as Hollow didn’t miss the subtle signs. Beneath her long skirt, Entia’s right foot was tapping nervously.
(Entia is the embodiment of insatiable curiosity. She must be dying to get her hands on information about another world…)
There’s no guarantee another reincarnator will appear, and deep down, she probably wants to seal the deal here and now.
Her strong stance is an act, a negotiation tactic to extract concessions from me. Her nervous fidgeting proves it. Even if her words are confident, her body betrays her true feelings.
(This is a negotiation. The leverage is in my hands. It’s best to press her firmly now.)
Seeing that I remained silent, Entia must have decided the timing was right. Her voice wavered slightly as she tried to reopen negotiations.
“W-Well? Information about another world is certainly valuable, and it’s not like I have no room to compromise—”
“—I see. What a shame.”
“Huh?”
I turned on my heel and opened a portal back to my residence.
“Sorry to bother you, Entia. I suppose we won’t be seeing each other again.”
As I spoke my farewell and stepped one foot into the void—
“W-Wait! Please, wait!”
Her pleading voice echoed behind me.
“Is there something else you need?”
“…You already know what I want, don’t you? You’re so mean…!”
Entia clenched her fists in frustration, glaring at me with a fierce expression.
“I’m not a mind reader, Entia. If you don’t put it into words, I can’t understand.”
“Grr… Fine! I give up! I surrender!”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she all but shouted her admission of defeat.
“You can read as much as you want from the forbidden library! In exchange, just share your knowledge of another world with me… once a month.”
As expected of the Witch of Curiosity. It seemed even her immense thirst for knowledge couldn’t be denied.
“I knew you’d come around, Entia. Let’s seal the deal right away with a .”
I extended my hand, and a glowing magic circle appeared in the empty air. Entia read over the terms inscribed on it, looking as though she were chewing on a bitter herb. Reluctantly, she extended her left hand. Our magical essences were inscribed into the circle, formalizing the contract.
“To think I’d be tricked by a mere child… The nickname ‘Ruthless Noble’ fits you perfectly.”
“Haha, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Though, to be fair, the ruthlessness probably came more from this body than me.
“Now then, shall I share some knowledge from my world?”
“…!”
Entia’s previously sullen expression lit up. Her six black wings fluttered in excitement.
Her body was so honest about her desires.
“In my world, there’s something called a ‘vacuum cleaner.'”
“A ‘vacuum cleaner’? What’s that? Is it a creature? An object? Is it even a physical thing? Could it be a phenomenon!?”
Entia’s eyes sparkled as she pressed closer to me, her excitement palpable.
“A vacuum cleaner is an appliance used to suck up dust—”
“An ‘appliance’!?”
Her cheeks flushed, and she leaned in even closer.
Too close.
Soft.
Nice smell.
Please stop. Hollow’s body is weak to all kinds of ‘desires.’
With a beauty like Entia pressing me so earnestly, I almost felt tempted to push her down. But with ironclad willpower, I suppressed such thoughts and focused solely on teaching her knowledge of another world.