Old days, dice and investigator's manual

"This is……"

Before setting off, Isaac held the twenty-sided die that Carlo had given him and asked in confusion.

This twenty-sided die is different from the dark gold ten-sided die. It is a black crystal with white numbers on each side. However, the numbers do not seem to be engraved on the surface, but rather appear to be patterns that seep out from inside the crystal.

"This is my private, exclusive dice," Carlo said.

"Aren't these dice meant for you to use only? Why are you giving them to me?"

Isaac had heard about the existence of this twenty-sided die from the mercenary Finn before, and Carlo had also told him that this twenty-sided die was a die that only Carlo himself could use, but this was the first time he had come into contact with the real thing.

Before the undercover operation began, Carlo gave him this die, clearly not as a souvenir.

"When it's in my hands, it can serve as a substitute for a test piece." Carlo leaned back in his chair. "But this thing also has another function: it connects to the perspective of the employee with whom you have continuous contact. When you have it, I can see what you see... not quite accurately, because it's in the third person."

"It has this effect too?"

"That's right, I call it the KP's perspective."

Isaac didn't understand: "What's KP?"

"Tabletop role-playing game (RPG) terminology."

"What is a tabletop role-playing group?"

"A game. The key point is that for this die to function, two conditions must be met: First, it must be a formal employee with whom I have signed an investigator contract to allow me to connect. Second, the investigator needs to maintain a continuous spiritual connection with it. Well, for someone who hasn't practiced, the most direct way is to keep it in their hand."

"As long as this die remains in contact with you, I can sense your surroundings, enough to assess the situation and remotely deploy a check area. This is suitable for situations where I need to make a check but it's inconvenient for me to show myself directly."

"There must be some inconveniences to this ability, otherwise you wouldn't have only brought it out now, boss," Isaac guessed.

"There are inconveniences, of course," Carlo shrugged. "It gives me a headache, or more accurately, it gives me a headache."

"For me, the KP perspective can be very burdensome if it lasts too long, just like continuously expanding the testing area. Also, because my attention is focused on the third-person perspective there, I can't do anything on my side and can only lie down. So I only let my employees use it when necessary."

"So, you'll have to decide when I need to intervene. If I see the junk time going on for too long, I might disconnect you and take you offline."

Isaac understood and put the dice into his pocket.

The dice are small enough to fit in a pocket, allowing you to easily slip your hand inside without looking awkward.

……

Glenn, who had been tricked by the full inspection, stared at Isaac, pondering a solution.

Rather than continuing to waste time with this kid, it's better to back down a few steps.

"The Order has a stronghold in the west of the city," Glenn said. "There are people in charge there who can temporarily house you."

"How many people are in the stronghold in the west of the city?"

"That's not your question."

"If there are only one or two people in the base, or even just me, what's the difference between that and kicking me aside?" Isaac said. "I need to make sure that the base is actually being operated by someone, and not just an empty shell."

"...There's an officer at the base who's in charge of the cult's affairs. Once you get there, someone will hand you over the information."

"What kind of cadre?"

"One of the Order's high-ranking members in Vista," Glenn said impatiently. "If you want to see someone influential, this level should be enough."

Isaac pondered whether the stronghold Glenn described was a trap, but firstly, Carlo's check showed Glenn had regressed, which was in his favor, and secondly, continuing to drag things out was not a solution.

"If the officer you mentioned is indeed at the base, I can accept this arrangement," Isaac said.

Glenn stood up: "Let's go."

"If I arrive at the base and find that the officer you mentioned isn't there, or if that person doesn't seem like an officer to me, then I won't stay there."

Glenn clenched his teeth: "There is indeed an officer in the base. I'll let you see him. As for whether he's willing to talk to you, that depends on your abilities."

Isaac nodded: "Okay."

Glenn walked towards the door, and the two went outside. Seeing them emerge, Joey stubbed out his cigarette: "Mr. Glenn, are you leaving?"

"You stay here and tell the Boot Gang that tonight's events are over, but don't spread it around."

Joey was taken aback, not expecting to be asked to comfort Boots: "But over there at Boots... does that mean I can't get back?"

"You're still worried about the Boots?" Glenn scoffed. "You were just a gofer over there anyway. If you leave, you leave. They're not going to hunt you down, are they?"

Joey's expression froze for a moment, her mouth moved as if she wanted to say something but then she swallowed it back.

Glenn walked toward the other end of the alley, and Isaac followed. As he passed Joey, he noticed that the somewhat slick expression he had managed to maintain in the warehouse was gone, replaced by an inexplicable bewilderment.

Joey paused for a few seconds, then quickly caught up: "Mr. Glenn, what's next? Will the Order assign me other work?"

Glenn didn't even turn his head: "Just wait and see what's in store."

"How long will I have to wait? My lodgings here... I can't go back to the Boots Gang anymore. Could the Order find me a place to stay first?"

"Keep things under control over the boots for now, don't let them spread rumors. Other matters will be communicated to you later."

"How long after that? I..."

Glenn stopped and turned around, his impatience undisguised: "Can't you understand me? Just wait, don't ask so many questions."

Joey didn't say anything more and slowed down.

Isaac and Glenn walked out of the alley one after the other and turned into a slightly wider street.

"What are Joey's plans for next?" Isaac asked.

Glenn didn't even turn his head: "What arrangements?"

"He's an informant for the cult, isn't he? He couldn't stay with the Boots Gang anymore, and the cult just abandoned him like this?"

"He was just a gofer anyway. Once he finished his errands, he went back to doing what he was supposed to do."

Isaac thought to himself that Glenn didn't care about Joey at all, and didn't even bother to put on an act in front of him, the person who was about to be "accepted".

Joey ran errands for him as an inside man, but now that his identity has been exposed, he doesn't even have a place to stay, yet Glenn won't give him a straight answer. This attitude doesn't even seem like he hasn't thought of any arrangements yet; it's more like he simply doesn't think Joey is worth his trouble.

This reminded Isaac of what Glenn had said earlier in the coffee shop, spouting terms like "immortals" and "short-lived species," putting on a very high-handed attitude.

This division is a real class division within the cult. In the eyes of Glenn, who has mastered the "Great Art," a "short-lived" errand boy like Joey is probably not even considered an outsider, but merely a tool that can be replaced at any time.