Oh, Hermes, have you decided to get yourself settled?

　I was looking at the ring I had ordered in the living room of the mansion when my sister walked into the room and looked happy.

'I don't plan to do that,'
'What?　Then what about that ring?
Here. It's a ring that, when worn, reduces a person's ability to function at less than one-hundredth of a second.
Yeah.

　With a fluid motion, my sister took the ring from me and with a dynamic form of swinging her leg up, she threw it out the window.

　The ring disappeared as a star in a beautiful arch.

'Oh, what a waste!'
It's not a waste of time. It's not a waste. You can't just think about that anymore.

　She walked out of the living room, puffing and puffing.

''Huh........''

　You're sweet, sis.
　I know you're going to shoo (throw away) your sister.

　I gently touch my pocket.
　There is a ring there that is exactly the same as the one she threw away.

　Now, I'm going to try it on and see if I can--

'I already forgot to tell you because of Hermes.
Wow!

　She came back without warning, sister, and I was surprised when she tried to put the ring on.

'What's the matter, Hermes?'
No, no, not at all. More importantly, what is it you forgot to say, sister?
It was. Hermes, you're being watched.

　Yes, I know - or rather, I'm aware of it.
　Right now, there's a guy watching us from the top of a house in the middle of nowhere, right outside the window.
　Double tail, by the way. If I notice the first one, the second one, who hides more than the real one, will figure it out.

　I'm aware of this, but how should I respond to my sister?

It's because of that.
What?
Rumors have been circulating that the head of House Cano is incompetent and unworthy because Hermes is so quick to blurt things out.
That's it.
You don't look so happy.

　He scolded me.
　'But yeah, that's good.

'On the other hand, there are those who appreciate Hermes. Like Lady Lina. That's not surprising.'
Mmm.
'Two conflicting assessments. If you're that divided, isn't it natural to wonder which one is true?
Okay, so that means there are people watching and checking to see if I'm really screwed up.
That's what I'm talking about, okay, Hermes.

　My sister's face looms.
　A true, looming face looms over me.

'Please don't do anything weird.

　After a reminder, I walked away this time.

　After my sister was gone, I sat down and put my hand in my pocket.

　Based on the failure of one of the pearls of the Terme, I made this ring secretly (,).
　Careful or not, what I did at the last moment when the situation forced me to do it would backfire.
　The only way to prevent that from happening is to fundamentally reduce my ability to do so.

　It's the same with that pearl.
　If my ability was low at that moment, the pearl would have been chewed to pieces and that's where the story ended.

　That's why this ring.
　I sneaked the ring on with my hand in my pocket.

　I can feel my body getting heavier.
　I no longer feel the watcher's gaze and presence that I could feel earlier.

　　　　　☆

　I went into town with the ring on.

　There's no point in slouching around the mansion now that I've suppressed my abilities.
　Because we have surveillance, and that's double.

　You need to show them that your suppression of your abilities is a real threat.
　What do we have, anything?

　So, I'm wandering the streets.

It's a pickpocket!　Somebody get me!

　Suddenly, I heard a woman's screaming mixed with screams.
　I looked towards the voice and saw a ragged looking boy running away in an all-out dash, and a middle-aged woman who was sprawled out in pursuit.
　The boy was running away, knocking things over in a mad dash, and the people around him couldn't get close enough to him.

　A pickpocket, just in time.
　Let's get him.......no, no.

　Let's be careful here.
　It brings back those bitter memories of when I underestimated that it was just a shell.
　I'm suppressing my abilities with the ring, but if I'm in a pinch, I might instinctively pull it out.

　To avoid such a situation, observe carefully first.
　Even though you're holding back your abilities, your eyesight (and experience) and judgment are still intact.

　A boy on the run, his body language is swift and he doesn't hesitate to take down and destroy everything around him to escape.
　It's tricky in that sense, but that's all.

　Just a boy, just a pickpocket.
　There's no doubt about it.

　I double-checked it just in time to make sure, and observed it enough to make a hole in it.
　Okay, this guy is going to be okay.

　Meanwhile, the boy was right in front of me.
　I tackle him.

"Whoa.

　A feeling I hadn't felt in a long time, tackling the boy and not being able to stop him completely.
　I tangled with the boy and rolled with him.

'What are you doing, old man!　Let go of me!　Let go!

　The boy is jittery, I yelled out in my mind, Yoshi.
　I'm still just a boy with no power, as I see it, just a boy with no power.

　I cling to the boy.
　The boy stops, and the onlookers gather around, and the woman who got soaked catches up, so I stand up with the boy in my grasp.

'Here, give me the rubbing.
Shit!

　The boy slams his wallet to the ground in abandonment.
　The woman picks it up, relieved to see the contents.

　Taking a momentary break from my slackness in deciding that that was the solution, the boy shook off my restraints and ran away.
　After breaking through the crowd and running away.

'Just remember,'

　And then he ran off with a discarded line.
　He was able to escape - he was secretly happy about the thing.
　If I hadn't sealed my power with a ring, the boy couldn't have escaped no matter how careful I was.

　And when the people around me saw that, they said, "Why are you letting him get away? You're looking at me like I'm trying to pester you.
　Okay, okay, that's good.
　That's the beauty of it.

　I hope they're keeping a close eye on this.

　This whole pickpocket thing is over, and I'm back out on the streets.
　I actually rubbed my arm when I got tangled up with the boy.

　It's another way to show my incompetence.
　So I walked on, wishing for something else to do more.

'Oh?'　What the hell are you bumping into?
You're the one who hit me.

　This time, we come across a man fighting with another man.

　Again, I watch them closely.
　After a minute or so of watching the exchange and body language, I'm convinced.

　It's broad daylight and they're just drunk and fighting.
　Just like the boy from earlier, they have no power.

　And this time there are two of them, and if you try to stop them, they'll take a hit or two.

Okay.

　I bought the guys to break up a fight to do it.

　　　　　Stars.

　The next day, in the parlor of the mansion.
　I see a man I've never seen before.

"I'm Hari Fristos, First Inspector.

　The middle-aged man who gave his name was a middle-aged man with aristocratic clothes and a fine beard.
　By that name, I intuitively understood that he was the one who had turned on yesterday's surveillance, but he didn't say it.
　I didn't react.

　If I reacted, it was a trap, I could clearly see it.
　So I listened with only what I could "see".

"The First Inspector is related to the Princess who was here earlier.
'No, not directly. It's just that there's been a mixture of bad and good rumors about the head of the Cano family lately, and I'm here to confirm that.
Yeah.

　Your sister was right.
　But, well, no problem.

　What I did yesterday was "normal".

　Any adult male can do it, with less than a hundredth of my abilities.
　That's all I did.

　The bad rumors I'm intentionally spreading and the good rumors I'm unwilling to spread.
　I've done that, which was actually normal, because that's the drop in the bucket that got me noticed.

　I reflected on my actions many times last night.
　I thought about it over and over again before I did it and after I did it.

　No problem, my behavior yesterday (...) was normal.

That's what I'm talking about.
"Heh?

　What did he just say?
　What does Sasugadana mean?

Sometimes it's best for a politician to be a coward. That's my own personal opinion.
....
'Excuse me, but I had to follow the Baron yesterday. Well, that's a level of prudence that's rarely seen in a young man, I'd say it's now a level of profound discretion.

　..........
　What the hell is he talking about?
　I'm just saying.........

"You have to look at everything in depth before you can act.
Oh...
'But that doesn't mean I'm a coward. I observe and move when I can, and rely on others to do more than my share.

　I relied on it, for sure.
　Because I'm trying to keep my strength down to one hundredth of a percent, and there are some things I just can't do.
　And in that case, I made sure to rely on others. And I was relieved that if we hadn't kept it under wraps, we'd be able to show our strength--

　It's true, it's happening.

I have to say, that's one of the best qualities of a political leader.
Well,
I don't trust the rumors around me at all. The military might of the aristocrats and politicians is of no importance. The most important thing is their discernment and judgment, and their firmness of spirit.
Wait a minute.
I'll tell them exactly what happened. Now, if you'll excuse me.

　Before he could stop her, Hari walked away from the mansion.

　Eyesight and judgment...?
　You're going to be evaluated on what's left of the pinpoint, oh my God!