020 Theoretically, There’s No Mistake
I was politely tossed into the reflection room, where I faced Ms. Iris, who questioned the true meaning of my words in the waiting area.
She looked at me with a gaze that was a mix of disappointment and looking down on me as if I were some strange creature, but these were statements made after careful consideration, so I’d appreciate it if she’d stop looking at me like that.
“Well then, let’s hear this idea of yours.”
Since I was asked to explain, I straightened my back and puffed out my chest as I began to explain.
I have nothing to be ashamed of, so I’ll say it with confidence.
First of all, right? When I thought about what interpersonal skills are, I figured it’s essentially communication skills.
In the workplace, in family and friendships, and even in romance, all human relationships are built upon the great wisdom that people have created: ‘communication,’ right?
So, I think interpersonal skills can be directly rephrased as communication skills.
“That may be true. Please continue.”
Then, if you ask what communication skills are, it’s obviously about “being able to make a good impression on people,” “being able to move people,” and “being able to summarize and convey things clearly,” but also about empathizing with others and understanding their feelings… There are countless other things, but if I were to summarize it, I think it could be condensed into three points.
Specifically, ‘Listening Prowess,’ ‘the ability to convey,’ and ‘the ability to understand and move people’s psychology.’
These are the key points of communication skills, interpersonal skills.
“That analysis is correct, I believe. So, what will you do to hone them?”
Pick-up girls.
“Let’s hear your reasoning.”
In picking up girls, you naturally need the ‘ability to convey’ that you have feelings for them.
And to get them to come along, you need to have a high ‘ability to understand and move their psychology’ to manipulate your words.
Furthermore, in order to choose the words to move the other person’s psychology, ‘Listening Prowess’ to their reactions and words is important.
Isn’t this an act that completely requires all the core elements of communication skills?
If that’s the case, the more successful you are at picking up girls, the more Experience Points you’ll accumulate, and your interpersonal skills will surely increase, right!?
“…Well, let’s say that’s the case for argument’s sake. Then? If you succeed in picking up a girl, what do you intend to do with her?”
…?
Well, if I succeed, I’ll get Experience Points, so I don’t really need anything else.
“That’s the problem, you idiot!!!!”
“Ouch, what was that!?”
I was hit repeatedly, and I hugged my head and rolled around on the floor.
Why!? My theory was perfect, wasn’t it!? Is there even a better way to level up interpersonal skills than this!?
“I’m so dumbfounded that it’s ridiculous to even put it into words!! I thought you were being short-sighted, but you actually thought it through, so why do you end up landing so pathetically in the completely wrong direction!? Mr. Higaki, did you not say anything when you heard that!?”
“When I talked to him, he made a bitter face and said, ‘Why don’t you go get some advice from Ms. Iris?'”
“He’s throwing in the towel and trying to pawn you off on me, isn’t he!?”
Ms. Iris, who was holding her head and spinning around, must have an excess of energy.
Well, the Netherworld is basically super peaceful. Looking at the conversations with the mob characters in the original story, it seems like the only troubles are stopping fights between adventurers challenging the ‘Tower’ or finding someone’s lost pet. So, it’s no wonder she has so much energy.
It’s a big deal that as soon as the protagonist arrives, an ancient evil god is resurrected and takes over the ‘Tower.’
Well, he’s not coming for a while yet, and the time-space is warped here so that one month here is like one day in the real world, so I don’t need to think about it.
Anyway, as the pain in my head subsided,
Ms. Iris said, “Please wait here!” and locked the reflection room from the outside before leaving. I obediently used the lock to earn Experience Points for my unlocking skill.
About an hour after successfully unlocking the lock, I was waiting while practicing my sword swings when Ms. Iris returned with a triumphant smile on her face.
For some reason, Higaki was also following behind her, and he sighed as soon as he saw my face.
“Are you really going to do this, Ms. Iris…?”
“Of course. If he’s out of my sight, I don’t know what he might do, and I’ll supervise him properly to prevent any unnecessary trouble.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Alright, Mr. Sakurai. You focused on interactions that emphasize communication skills in order to improve your interpersonal skills. That point of view is not wrong. However, your methods, or rather, your consideration, or rather, your selfishness that I can’t even put into words, is overflowing! That’s no good! Absolutely no good!”
With that, Ms. Iris pointed the long staff she was holding at me with a sharp gesture, declaring with a fearless face as if to say she wouldn’t allow any objections.
“Therefore, you… no, you all will work for one week as ‘Guardians,’ just like me, to ensure the peace of everyone living in the ‘Netherworld’!!”
“Eh, I don’t want to.”
“Give it up. It seems like she’s already gotten permission from Lord Anubis… Hey, stop making that face like you’re completely against it.”
I stared at her silently, my feelings of annoyance at Ms. Iris’s ability to get things done in an hour at full blast.
However, she didn’t seem to mind, and with a cheerful smile, she started explaining, “First, this is the badge that shows you’re a Guardian~”
Since staring at her didn’t seem to have any effect, I gave up and attached the badge I received to my chest.
The golden badge shining on my chest.
It indicated that the mini-game ‘Guardian Activity Log’ that occurs at the ‘Netherworld Guard Headquarters’ in the original story had begun.