Speedrunning a Sealed Artifact's Favorability and Claiming a Reward

At this early hour, the people from the education department had plenty to do.

After a brief chat, Fry went to find and assemble books for Xie Yu.

Mr. Yize sat down where Fry had been sitting and began working right there in the inn's common reception area.

However, there were only education department staff on this floor, so the common area had become private.

While eating breakfast, Xie Yu happened to hear that the grading in Black Pine City was complete. Every examinee's score had been checked a second time, and the papers had been sent through a teleportation array to Mirror Lake City, the provincial capital of North Plains Province, to await a provincial review.

Under the rules of the grand examination, scores were announced nationwide on the seventh day after the exam ended. Xie Yu had always assumed that meant grading the papers took seven days, and had never expected the actual grading to be finished so quickly.

After breakfast, it was time to get down to business.

A mischievous smile curled at the corners of Xie Yu's mouth.

Before Fry returned, he would max out Sealed Artifact 3-0771's Affection.

From their conversations last night and just now, he had completely grasped its weakness.

"Mr. Yize, I've thought it over, and I still need to help Mr. Kaiming. Since we foresaw this conflict, perhaps we can find a way to prevent it."

Xie Yu brought up the matter again.

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 (Affection: 75) said in a panic:]

[Do we have to kill the old bastard at the funeral? If you talk about this, he might look at me again. I'll help you kill the old bastard. I'll be here the whole time, so we can take it slow.]

[You're holding on to me without giving me back, and the old bastard doesn't dare come ask you for me now anyway.]

The Magister Yize had thought he had already convinced Xie Yu. Hearing that Xie Yu still insisted, he said in surprise:

"Actually, we can have Fry do it."

Xie Yu put on a confused and aggrieved expression.

"You seem to be doing everything you can to keep me from going out, and I don't quite understand. Mr. Fry told me my name has been kept secret, so the ill intentions you mentioned seem to have been guarded against already."

Yize clearly did not want to discuss the subject at this stage, and only said:

"I know you're at an age when you like to be active, and in principle, there's nothing wrong with going out. It's just that there's a problem with this funeral... I have a premonition that you shouldn't get too close to the Brown Family. Whatever it is, you can ask Fry to handle it. Kaiming will understand."

The conflict between the kingdom and the nobility was not something that could be discussed openly. Though Yize was a Magister, he too was insignificant compared to the true behemoths. A premonition was an excuse diviners were fond of using. Xie Yu observed him.

Drawing on what Fry had said earlier, Yize added:

"You should understand that there are many issues surrounding Wig Brown: a teaching incident, local disputes, his status as a noble... there's no shortage of trouble."

His attitude was clearly that the farther away they stayed, the better. Not only should Xie Yu avoid getting involved, but Yize himself could not be bothered to get involved either. He would let things play out on their own.

Although, as a Magister, he was confident he could get involved, he was busy.

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 (Affection: 75) screamed:]

[He looked over here again! We're both going to get caught!]

[Aren't you scared? You're way too carefree! Isn't your heart even beating faster?]

Inside his coat pocket, it seemed to be secretly listening to Xie Yu's heartbeat.

Xie Yu tried to get a handle on Yize's thinking and subtly steered the conversation in the direction Sealed Artifact 3-0771 feared.

"I was the one who assisted Mr. Wig when he made arrangements for his own funeral, and Kaiming also told me about this teacher of his. From everything I've heard, the old man doesn't seem to have been close to his family."

Yize was clearly not very interested in these trivial matters in Black Pine City, but he was quite tolerant of Xie Yu and had plenty of patience.

"What you've said actually matches my divination. But nobles are also difficult to divine. There are plenty of Magisters and even more powerful beings among them, and they have no shortage of ways to block prying eyes. Even though Wig himself wasn't a Magister, my divination of him was quite unclear. As for what method was used and what secrets are hidden behind it, those are complications neither you nor I need."

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 (Affection increased to 80) breathed a sigh of relief once again and began thanking you. Once again, it felt that your conversational skills had helped it avoid danger. It looks like the chances of it being discovered are decreasing.]

Seeing that Xie Yu still could not make up his mind and seemed unwilling to give up, Yize added:

"If you insist on getting involved, I'll scout ahead and clear up the trouble for you, including the messy disputes between the merchant guilds and nobles at the funeral. But that would be extra work for me, so you'd owe me a favor. How about it?"

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 (Affection: 80) panicked for the third time:]

[Don't! I'll handle it! I'll definitely help you deal with Wig Brown.]

[Once this Magister figures everything out, he'll take me away, get back at me for interfering with his divination, and hand me over to the royal treasury. You'll lose me! And I'll be locked in some cabinet for months or even years, then sent to who knows what academy or research institute to be studied by idiots. I don't want to live like that anymore.]

[You don't want to lose me, and you don't want him to be wary of you either, right?]

[I truly want to stay in your hands. Really. (Affection increased to 85)]

It was so desperate that it was practically about to confess its love.

"I'm flattered to have the chance to owe you a favor."

Xie Yu kept the sealed artifact on edge, making it so anxious that it was about to speak again.

Seeing that he had nearly achieved his goal, he changed tack.

"But I've benefited even more from your guidance. When you know there's trouble, staying away really is the mature way to handle things. I truly didn't think this through. I'll remember your kindness in teaching me by word and example."

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 (Affection soared to 100) breathed a sigh of relief for the third time. It seemed too drained even to speak:]

[Just as I thought, you do like me after all. You want me...]

"You've only spent a little while with Fry, and you've already learned to be a smooth talker. You're young, but you've got quite a mind on you, kid."

Though Yize spoke as if he disapproved, a smile appeared on his face.

Then he immersed himself in his complicated official duties again.

Xie Yu returned to his room and stopped disturbing the Magister.

Thanks to this great, friendly Magister, his progress in winning over Sealed Artifact 3-0771 had advanced by leaps and bounds.

[Congratulations! You have won over Sealed Artifact 3-0771.]

[You may choose one of three rewards:]

[1. Lifelong Entrustment] [Permanently activates Sealed Artifact 3-0771, and its favorability will never decrease.]

[2. Full Disclosure] [Some unknown magical knowledge, as well as Sealed Artifact 3-0771's life history.]

[3. Friend of Low-Grade Sealed Artifacts] [The initial Affection of all sealed artifacts encountered from now on will be increased by 0.5. This effect can stack.]

"Permanent Animation?" Xie Yu looked at the new description that had appeared among the rewards.

It was something none of the previous rewards had offered.

Sealed artifacts themselves seemed to possess a certain degree of autonomy and a certain degree of animation. What did Permanent Animation mean?

Xie Yu stared at the option, hesitating.

Exploring the workings of his Affection power was important, but the terrible personality Sealed Artifact 3-0771 had displayed made this option somewhat risky, like a dangerous temptation.

If its Affection never decreased, perhaps he could keep it under control?

Xie Yu agonized over it for a little while, but in the end, he followed his initial feeling and chose [1. Lifelong Entrustment].

Inside his coat pocket, a faint light began to shine from Sealed Artifact 3-0771.