# Next day afternoon, Yu-jin gathered everyone involved in the situation and headed to the club room.
# [First Ivan Petrovich Yeremov Emergency Response Meeting]
After finishing writing on the blackboard, Yu-jin surveyed the audience with a serious face.
The small club room was packed with an ill-fitting crowd. The Hero Party led by Isabelle totaling 6 people, plus the "3 Transmigrators" made 9 people in total, who sat with fingers interlocked, looking at each other with serious expressions.
"Now, everyone please focus."
At Yu-jin's words, everyone's attention gathered. Yu-jin cleared his throat once and continued.
"I have an ability granted by the Lord. I can quantitatively determine how much someone likes someone else."
At those words, Elfihera raised her hand high. Yu-jin ignored her and continued.
"It's not magic. It's an ability granted by the Lord, I tell you. If you want to refute me, come at me with theology, not magic."
Elfihera quietly lowered her hand. Unfortunately, there was no priest present at this meeting.
Just as Yu-jin, the only priest in this club room, was about to continue, Asidis raised her hand.
"What is it?"
"I'm not just saying this, but really 'quantitative'? How can you quantitatively judge someone's feelings? How reliable is that?"
"As much as I believe in the existence of the Lord God. Any other questions?"
Asidis's sharp rebuttal was thwarted. Yu-jin nodded and continued.
"Now, let me show you definitive evidence. Isabelle?"
"Yes?"
"Congratulations. 91 points. Extremely favorable."
"Kyaa!! Oh my goodness!! Out of 100 points, right? The old man feels that way about me...?!"
"No, it's Isabelle's feelings toward my brother."
"Then what's the point of that...?"
Isabelle sat back down with a strange expression.
"The good news is that Isabelle's score is the highest. Ah, this is about my brother's feelings toward Isabelle."
"Kyaa!!! Oh my goodness!! How many points?! I knew it. The Lord really exists, right? Praise God!! Don't you all believe in God? Are you all atheists?"
"27 points. 'Neutral'."
"God is dead."
Isabelle, who had jumped up, sat back down in a daze, worshipping Nietzsche's philosophy. Yu-jin scanned the unsettled crowd and pointed to each person.
"Asidis, 26 points."
"Is that out of 30?!"
"It's out of 100."
"Wait! Wait wait wait!! Revealing people's feelings like this? Isn't it a bit, a bit inappropriate to talk about without permission? I, I'm not ready to hear this. Unlike humans, elves have delicate sensibilities..."
"Elfihera is 25 points."
"Kyaaaaaaah—!!"
The three screamed like high school students checking their grades.
And so the time for grade disclosure continued for a while.
"For reference, I'm at 21 points. Fortunately, you all scored higher than me. For your information, below 20 points is 'hostile'."
"Does that mean Ivan is on the verge of being hostile toward me and Oswald...?"
"Let's be grateful we're not enemies. Speaking from experience as someone who was once his enemy, people whose relationship with my brother turns hostile almost never exist anymore."
"Why?"
"Because they're all dead. I nearly died within 3 seconds myself."
"Oh..."
He's not a person but almost a beast, a predator...? Yu-ri muttered in terror.
Oskar looked at the Hero Party, who were overwhelmed with frustration, and asked calmly.
"So what's the use of all this? As long as he's not hostile, it doesn't matter, does it?"
"No, the problem starts from the moment we learn that my brother 'truly likes someone'."
"W-w-who is it? Who is that person! Is it a demon?"
"Of course not. They're all human, and if there's another commonality..."
Yu-jin paused to choose his words. He wanted to explain as kindly as possible, but it wasn't easy.
"They're all deceased. All of them."
"...All of them?"
"Everyone... 'almost' everyone. Almost all the people with high favorability are already dead. Everyone who was 'liked' in my brother's heart."
At this moment, both the Transmigrators and the Hero Party were at a loss for words.
He had spent nearly his entire life on the battlefield. And not just any war, but the one that burned half the continent, the one called humanity's final war.
How many humans lost their lives during that war? Half of the United Kingdom was literally 'erased.' It's an era where losing parents is common, and losing siblings is even more common.
If Ivan spent decades on the battlefield during that time, how many people must he have seen pass away?
"..."
How can a person live like that? After everyone he had even a bit of affection for has died, what kind of life would he lead?
Is that what human life is? How does someone who continues to live through such moments feel day by day?
Isabelle suddenly bit her lip.
She remembered the curse received after killing the Seven Dragon Generals. That malicious curse that cuts off emotions in a person's heart. Perhaps her father was in a similar situation to Ivan.
Yet Ivan still smiled occasionally and sometimes shed tears. Although those moments only came when eating hometown food. But that might mean there's still a chance left.
A chance for him to live a better life. A chance to gift him a better life.
Perhaps, and definitely.
"Yes. That's the problem. I think we all agree that my brother is fundamentally a bit... somewhat... very...? broken."
"So?"
"If my brother truly didn't care about anyone, we would all be at 20 points."
Yu-jin tapped the blackboard confidently and declared.
"Look at Isabelle receiving 27 points. That means the score can increase depending on what we do! Our goal from now on is to raise the favorability to 50 points... that is, to a 'friendly' level!"
"Friendly...!"
That's a subtly pathetic score, isn't it?
Elfihera muttered with a furrowed brow.
Yu-jin ignored the elf's words and concluded.
"If we can quantitatively confirm emotions, we can also determine what actions can increase or decrease my brother's favorability! Using this, we will become 'important people' to my brother and completely restore his mental health!"
"Wow!!"
"You're a hero!"
Asidis and Isabelle cheered.
Lucia, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, raised her hand high.
"But how? I mean, I know the master is in that state... but is there an answer besides just showering 'the master' with gifts? We barely have time to meet him separately anyway?"
"Hehe, that answer is not for me to give. Oswald?"
"Well, now it's my turn. Please focus."
Oswald stood up and approached the blackboard. He erased all the written text and wrote in elegant handwriting.
[Everyone Can Do It. One-on-One Date]
"Can I go home now?"
Oskar nodded with a neat smile. Alright, let's get away from these lunatics first, he thought.
His opinion was naturally buried. The entire Hero Party erupted in cheers. (They sat down with suspicious expressions looking at each other immediately after cheering.)
Oskar, who had started to stand up, awkwardly sat back down and sighed. According to the principle of majority rule, the opposition was overruled.
Thus, democracy can never be the answer in some cases.
"My brother believes there's a spy at this university. Not just believes, he's seriously searching for one."
"So?"
"The three of us will assist my brother in his spy hunt. For that..."
After class, Ivan spotted three people watching him among the students who were hurriedly escaping as usual.
The trio of Transmigrators approached with sinister smiles.
Yu-jin, who was leading, rubbed his hands together with a vile smile.
"Brother, I have a brilliant idea."
"Hmm?"
"You know, about finding that spy? The one you said must be in this class."
"And you couldn't find them."
Ivan is someone who understands opportunity cost. That means there's no need to try the same method again in the same way after failing once.
Despite Ivan's cold words, Yu-jin continued with a grin.
"I couldn't do it alone. But what if the three of us work together? You know, even the Liu-Guan-Zhang trio ruled the world as a team."
If we spoil the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei eventually lost to Cao Cao. Despite Ivan's suspicious gaze, Yu-jin continued undeterred.
"To check someone's information, I first need to get close to them, right?"
"And?"
"And here we have an expert in 'getting close'."
He gestured toward Oswald.
"We failed because we tried separately. If Oswald uses 'getting close' to make the relationship between me and the 'suspect' 'friendly,' then the status window will reveal information."
"For reference, my role is kidnapping suspects."
"What do you think?"
"...Not bad."
For these guys' ideas, it's quite a useful method. Moreover, it was to his taste to exploit the loopholes in the status window like true "Transmigrators."
As Ivan nodded quietly, Yu-jin grinned and whispered quietly.
"But, as you know, 'common sense' dictates that there's always a spy hiding in an academy. Right?"
"Hmm."
"And that spy is usually revealed by the protagonist, and in the process, the academy falls into danger once due to the spy's plot, correct?"
"...You're not wrong."
"Then if we first identify the spy among ourselves and observe, and later naturally guide the protagonists there, wouldn't the 'stage clear' proceed smoothly as you said?"
Oh.
Ivan was even somewhat impressed. It had been a very, very long time since he'd met someone who discussed common sense.
As Ivan quietly nodded, Yu-jin's smile deepened.
"Let's solve this one part at a time. We'll divide the students by country of origin. While we search for the spy among them, you can separate the protagonist from that country and buy us some time."
Yu-jin opened a notebook and secretly began to doodle.
Tilles – Isabelle, Oskar.
Droan – Asidis.
Kalion – Elfihera.
Krasilov – Lucia...
Rewinding time a bit, back in the club room,
Lundis, who was listening to Yu-jin's explanation, shouted.
"Wait a minute! Why am I not included in the old man's dating schedule?!"
"Um... Lundis, didn't you already date my brother during the break?"
"No!! That's completely separate! This is cheating! I can't accept this!"
"Ignore that dwarf. Continue. It sounds good?"
"Please exclude me. I'm satisfied just training more with Lord Yeremov."
Ivan nodded and looked at Yu-jin.
"Will you be alright without me? Searching for foreign intelligence agents is a rather high-difficulty operation for beginners."
"Haha, come on, brother. Are we beginners? With Mind Sorcery and status windows, we're invincible."
"Honestly, I think we're more capable than most intelligence agency operatives, Ivan."
"...You're not wrong."
Ivan nodded heavily. Although these three hadn't received precise 'training,' honestly, this guy could be useful depending on how he was used.
All three are strong enough to have Line-of-Fire Detection. Plus they possess non-standard abilities like the status window.
Yu-ri has outstanding sword skills, scoring higher than Isabelle in practical exams, and Oswald is the best among his peers in the Mind Sorcery school.
Indeed, a flawless selection.
Ivan nodded reassuringly.
"Then let's proceed according to your plan."
It had been a while since he had adjusted to someone else's plan, but it wasn't a bad feeling. After all, one person can't accomplish everything alone.
In the club room, Isabelle, who was listening to Yu-jin's explanation, raised her hand and asked.
"What if something like a real spy actually appears? Then it's obvious the old man will go crazy and say 'we must kill him'!"
"Eheh."
To Isabelle's question, Yu-jin rubbed his hands together and smiled vilely.
"How could that possibly happen?"
Logically, in a university that's monitored 24/7 by the counterintelligence command, where a princess directly sits as the chancellor, and which was recently directly exposed to terrorism.
How could there be a spy in such a place? Especially a 'demon spy'?
We call that common sense. It's only natural.
"Why is there actually one?!!"
This was the scream Yu-jin let out two weeks after implementing "Operation: Everyone Can Do It, One-on-One Date."