On the World's NPCs

"Speaking of which… this is pretty late to bring up, but NPCs also have ranks, right?

What exactly is that?"

I asked the question with Lyuka, Yuria, and Ursula present.

These three were my walking encyclopedias right now.

Going forward, whenever I had questions, I'd ask the three of them.

"… We hadn't explained that? Then, allow me."

Of the three, Lyuka — the one most fond of explaining — took it upon herself.

"First, what is an NPC…

In a word you'd know, Naoto-san, an NPC is fairly close to what you'd call a public servant.

People who earn wages and live by carrying out duties the system assigns them.

When a Master retires, they become an NPC.

Simply put, when a G-Class Master becomes an NPC, they're a G-Class NPC; an F-Class becomes an F-Class NPC… and so on, becoming the NPC corresponding to their rank.

However, C-Class NPC and above works differently. Unless you reach 1st place in your rank, you cannot become an NPC of that same rank.

In other words, D-Class NPC can be held by D-Class Masters and C-Class Masters.

C-Class NPC can be held by C-Class 1st-place Masters and B-Class Masters.

B-Class NPC — well, you get the pattern.

To become an S-Class NPC, only S-Class 1st-place Masters can do so."

"… I see. So that's why, when I became A-Class 1st place, I was told I had the right to become an A-Class NPC."

"Exactly."

"And the only S-Class NPCs are Silvana and her eight party members — the only example in history of someone retiring from S-Class 1st place… is that right?"

"Yes. As examples of Masters who became S-Class NPCs, that's correct."

"Aside from former Masters, are there born NPCs who start out as S-Class NPCs?

Lyuka and Yuria are both born NPCs, right?"

"… In my case, I'm from the Faerie Realm.

The Faerie Realm and human territory use different criteria; they aren't interchangeable.

A class in human territory has no relevance in the Faerie Realm, and vice versa.

In the Faerie Realm I'm a PC, but when I came to human territory and Almaria-san vouched for my status, I was registered as an NPC.

So from the time I settled here, I've counted as an NPC — a born NPC."

Mn… it was getting complicated.

"In my case, I'm an NPC because I'm the child of NPCs and an NPC myself.

Of course, even a child of NPCs becomes a PC if you don't pay the necessary fees. Either way, if a child with magician qualifications is born, the Magicians' Association scouts them from all over the world and makes them an NPC magician — so I would've become an NPC no matter what.

Such children are also called born NPCs."

Yuria added.

"Those with secretary skills or princess skills are the same, no doubt."

Ursula chimed in.

NPCs were complicated too… Let me try to organize this.

First, both Masters and Garumon are normally born.

Their parents may be PCs or NPCs.

If, in their student years, they awaken to special talents — magic, secretary skills, princess skills — they get scouted as NPCs.

Such people become born NPCs: magicians, secretarial officers, princesses.

Those who don't fall in those categories become Masters or Garumon.

… Is that the flow?

"That's right. Born NPCs are those who became NPCs without going through being a Master.

Mainly magicians, secretarial officers, princesses, and system NPCs fall in this category.

Everyone else becomes a Master or Garumon.

They enter school, and upon graduation, formally debut as a Master or Garumon.

Then they're active… and once they've saved enough money, they retire and become an NPC.

… That's the general flow.

Once you become an NPC, you no longer need to fight Garumon Battles, and your Garumon on hand are rarely taken from you unjustly.

You handle the work the system assigns you, and can safely enjoy life in this world.

For most people of this world, life is a game of how favorable a Master's conditions they can secure before retiring into NPC status."

So Lyuka explained.

"Hee… I see."

"The higher the NPC rank, the better the work you get, and the better your standing.

In terms of importance, it goes:

That's the order."

Yuria wrote it out for me.

"Um… so only C-Class and S-Class are cases where the NPC is higher than the Master."

"That's right. C-Class NPCs correspond to the senior figures of the knight orders.

The town heads who govern each C-Class town generally also serve as knight order commanders, and most of them are C-Class NPCs.

In emergencies, C-Class NPCs have the authority to direct the knights to fight monsters. Dispatching knights at the behest of B-Class-or-above Masters is also the knight order commander's job."

"I see — C-Class NPC equals knight order commander. Yeah, you'd certainly need them to outrank fellow C-Class."

"Mind you, becoming a C-Class NPC doesn't immediately make you a knight order commander.

There are several thousand C-Class NPCs and only eight knight order commanders.

Platoon leader, captain, battalion commander, commander — there's apparently a ranking even within C-Class NPCs."

Yuria added.

"And B-Class NPCs?"

"Let me see. B-Class 1st through 500th-place Masters correspond to kings.

In ranking they're below B-Class Masters, but B-Class NPCs run organizations at scales not bound by national borders.

Presidents of mega-corporations spanning multiple nations, headmasters of world-famous universities — the heads of world-scale organizations not tied to any single nation are often B-Class NPCs.

A single-school local principal is often D-Class or E-Class, though."

"Hee… are there ranks within B-Class NPCs too?"

"Of course. Companies founded by B-Class NPCs aren't bound to a single nation's tax system, so they enjoy advantages.

Naturally, taxes are also assessed at B-Class rates, so they're cheap. If you want to found a company, becoming a B-Class NPC first is advantageous… that's the story, at any rate.

But from there on, it's a world where business talent decides everything.

There are mountains of unsuccessful B-Class NPCs. Even so, since the B-Class NPC status itself holds value, there are apparently almost no truly hopeless wrecks."

Yuria added.

General knowledge was Lyuka's domain; current affairs were Yuria's.

Ursula was…

"I am not of NPC origin. Of NPCs I may not be so well-versed.

Should there be aught I know, I shall chime in."

That was her position. She listened alongside me.

"And A-Class NPCs?"

"A-Class Masters are heads of world-scale organizations. Garumon Entertainment, for instance, oversees world-scale entertainment activity, doesn't it?

They're heads of public institutions directly under the system's jurisdiction. If Pamela didn't double as it, the president of Garumon Communications would be an A-Class NPC."

"Hee…"

… I almost let it pass, but.

"Eh, president? Pamela-san is the president of Garumon Communications?"

"Yes, that's right."

… At first I'd been told she was the editor-in-chief of Garumon Weekly, hadn't I?

When did she get promoted… no, she'd held both jobs from the start.

Well, I guess you do see president-and-editor-in-chief cases in Japan too… maybe.

"Well, I know a few A-Class NPCs, so I can cover this part too.

For Garumon Entertainment, Lorent-san is the A-Class NPC president.

Karino-san and Austin are A-Class NPCs too, but they're producers.

Even within A-Class NPCs there are distinctions, right?"

"That's right. System-directly-managed mega-corporations are very few in number even among mega-corporations.

With no competitors, they're print-money operations. Becoming one is a coveted position, but you have to fight through fierce competition among A-Class NPCs to get there.

But even then, A-Class Master and S-Class Master eyes are on you, so you can't act too freely.

… In this world, generally speaking, A-Class NPCs are numerous among the self-important wealthy types: the gentry, the nobles, the heads of various organizations, the elder statesmen, and the like.

The people sending you congratulatory telegrams from all over right now? A great many are A-Class NPCs.

They're the hidden noble class that infests this world.

People who did what they could at S-Class, then were injured or lost an ace Garumon and had no choice but to retire — among those are fine ones. But people who rose to S-Class by some stroke of luck and immediately became A-Class NPCs: among those there's quite a bit of trash, so take care."

Yuria added.

"Mmm… well, fundamentally A-Class NPC authority does not extend to S-Class Masters.

Even if those types make some noise, it amounts to nothing.

… However, should Naoto carry out reforms in this world, those types may form a resisting force."

Ursula chimed in.

"I see… thanks. I'll be careful.

Though I'm not sure exactly what I should be careful about…"

"Well, that's what we're here for.

The parts you're weak in, we'll cover."

Yuria said.

"That brings us to S-Class NPCs…"

"They become heads of even larger-scale, world-level organizations.

Almaria, head of all magicians, is the easy example…"

"… Huh, but Pamela-san is the president of a single company, right?"

"No, the presidency is just one of her duties.

Pamela's true role is supreme commander overseeing all reporting and publishing in this world."

"Eeeeh…!"

That floored me! In Japan, that'd be unthinkable. A supreme commander overseeing all reporting and publishing.

Like the NHK chairman? … No, world-scale.

"… When I first met Pamela-san, she was introduced as editor-in-chief of Garumon Weekly…!"

"It's true that she's the editor-in-chief, too."

Lyuka answered nonchalantly.

I'd been frequently visiting such an important person, and being given her milk…

"By the way, what does Silvana-san do?"

"… That person's title is officially Garumon Critic. The supreme one, at any rate."

Yuria taught me about Silvana.

"… Critic?"

"Every Garumon Battle has a play-by-play commentator and an analyst called in, right?

Anyone can do play-by-play, but the analyst is almost always a Garumon Critic.

The play-by-play is mostly handled by idols.

Anneroese isn't an idol, but no one else can really partner with Silvana, so they get called as a set."

"… Ah."

I could picture Anneroese-san skillfully reining in the free-spirited Silvana and getting her to do her job.

I'd noticed before that whenever B-Class-or-above Garumon Battles took place, play-by-play and analysts would show up from somewhere and turn the match into a show.

So that meant A-Class NPCs were being conscripted every time, huh.

… Thinking about it that way, it was kind of amusing.

"For the record, analyzing Garumon Battles is an honorary post.

Requests do come to active Masters too. You can ignore them, but if you're interested, you might try accepting once.

Wages are also paid from the bookmaking revenues, etc."

"I see…"

Analyst, huh. I didn't particularly want to. I wasn't good at speaking, either.

But it did seem a little fun.

"Then what does Anneroese-san usually do?"

"Her primary occupation is system-related work."

"… Whoa."

System-related. On Earth that'd correspond to your everyday system engineer, but this was on another dimension entirely.

In this world, "system" was practically synonymous with "god."

To be involved with that system…

"So if the system hangs up, we just tell Anneroese-san?"

"Well, not only Anneroese.

Several hundred system NPCs manage the system.

Anneroese's job is to oversee them.

There are a few other born S-Class NPCs, but they too are classified as system NPCs."

"Eh, eh, eh… wait, the system is managed by hand?"

That floored me. The status window that pops up every single time someone in the world calls "System!" was handled by hand?

With 1.1 billion people?

That had to be impossible…

"A considerable portion is automatic, I think… but it's true that to some extent, human management is necessary.

Otherwise there'd be no need to employ several hundred system NPCs."

"Hee… so when we complain about the system and the system suddenly changes…

I'd thought it felt strangely human, but maybe a human really was checking."

"Maybe. Though I myself don't know specifically what the system NPCs do.

For that, you'd do better to catch hold of Anneroese or a system NPC and ask."

"I see…

… While we're here, may I ask about this too?

So Silvana's comrades — they're all senior figures of this world, then? May as well hear about them now."

"… Right. Explaining that would probably connect directly to explaining the NPCs of this world too.

Let me explain."

"Three born S-Class NPCs. Eight new S-Class NPCs. These eleven, in total, are this world's S-Class NPCs."

A bunch of new information had landed and I was floored, but the first thing to point out…

"… Um, every time you explain Pamela-san her titles multiply…

Now mayor, which is new information…"

"That's how it is."

… That's how it is, huh.

Well, no point digging into Pamela-san.

Let me ask about the seven new names.

First, the three I'd just heard for the first time.

"This Aura, Nirvara, Letra — the Three Goddesses?

Like living gods or something? Or in this world, are they really gods?"

"With Mercheada and others, Garumon become goddesses and live ordinary daily lives, so…

In this world, the word 'god' isn't all that weighty.

With that caveat… they're people whom calling 'gods' wouldn't be inappropriate.

Becoming an S-Class NPC means becoming their equivalent — that's not an exaggeration."

"Haa…"

In any case, this world's secrets could mostly be learned by asking them or Anneroese.

"How do I meet them?"

"It's said only the S-Class 1st-place Garumon Master can have free audience.

Also, S-Class 4th and above can decide world policy at a special meeting called the Highest Council.

The Three Goddesses are said to attend that Highest Council too… by rumor, at least.

Silvana and the other S-Class NPCs, if you want to meet them, should be possible."

"… Either way, unless I become S-Class 4th or higher, I can't meet them easily."

Currently difficult, huh. To become S-Class 4th, I'd have to beat Leonhardt.

… Meeting Anneroese would be easier.

I'd probably meet her at the S-Class Tournament.

Gods, huh.

They seemed connected to this world's creation, or perhaps to the existence of the system itself.

If this world were a game, they might be people involved in operations.

Even if it's not a game, they might be the system's developers.

In any case, as people to grill about this world's secrets, they were ideal.

I definitely wanted to meet them eventually.

"Next, from Silvana's former comrades — I'd like to hear about the new members.

First, this Salem Belial… a Demon God?"

"That's right. A Demon God whom Silvana defeated single-handedly and made submit, taking him in as a comrade."

"… A former Demon God, openly serving as Divine Soldier Order Commander."

"Well, the lack of discrimination against former Demon Gods is one of this world's good points.

Aside from Silvana and Kukuru, Silvana's comrades are sensible people.

Not as notorious as Tiari Belzebute, but Salem Belial — the Demon God who killed many Masters — is now what you'd call sensible."

"The Demon God who killed Masters second only to Tiari…"

That was a terrifying existence.

And unlike Ursula's descendant-based lineage, this was the actual person, right?

"In a stage play based on Hard Worker Gaius, Salem Belial appeared in the role of the Demon God and was well-received."

"Quite the playful side!"

I guess even a terrifying Demon God had totally mellowed by now.

"I, too, have met Salem Belial.

Unimaginable as the Demon God who once threatened humanity. A gentle, kind person…"

"Hee…"

Demon Gods came in all varieties.

"… So, what kind of work is Divine Soldier Order Commander?"

"Crime prevention, rebellion prevention.

If a Master of this world were to attack Lasburg and try to destroy the Tower of Heaven, the Divine Soldier Order counterattacks.

The Order has fighting strength equivalent to about 100 S-Class Masters, so rebellion is difficult for any ordinary Master.

Also, in towns, Garumon Battles and out-of-Battle battles are forbidden, but firing long-range attacks from outside the forbidden range isn't impossible.

If someone fired large-scale destruction magic at the town center, the Order would be dispatched.

They don't move for manners violations like picking out-of-Battle battles against individuals. The Order moves when this world's rules are fully violated.

For inhabitants of monster territory, different rules apply.

Even if a Demon God invades and attacks Lasburg, no matter how much they attack the town and kill people, so long as they don't attack the Tower of Heaven, the Order cannot move.

Attacking the Tower of Heaven is the only rule violation.

… In that sense, having a Demon God guard it may even be fitting."

"… Mn… I see."

The Divine Soldiers, with only the Tower of Heaven off-limits to attack…

Players are forbidden to destroy a town, but monsters destroying a town as part of a raid event was a possibility.

But only the Tower of Heaven, which was the system itself of this world, was no-attack.

Hmm… what was this. It was a little unsettling.

Like how online games' operators perma-ban illegal players.

Conversely, even the operating side, to exclude illegal players, had to create an in-world organization called the Divine Soldiers.

This world-is-a-game theory I'd been worrying about.

If I went to the Tower of Heaven, would all the answers come?

"Do those Three Goddesses you mentioned earlier also live in the Tower of Heaven?"

"They should. We've heard so."

… And right now, I was an S-Class Master. If I wanted to go to the Tower of Heaven, I could go now.

I'd have to attend the S-Class Council on the 24th whether I liked it or not.

Hmm, if I went to the Tower of Heaven and caught hold of a system NPC, would I be able to hear various circumstances?

… Would it be okay to ask before becoming S-Class 1st?

No, if I could ask, I wanted to ask.

Whether this world was a game or not a game…

The answer might not be far off.

But if they said, "We won't tell unless you're S-Class 1st place, have audience directly with the Three Goddesses, and ask them," then it'd recede all at once.

1st place… could I win this year's S-Class Tournament?

If I couldn't this year, the next was four years away. If I still couldn't then, eight years away… it just kept receding.

No, I had to go at it with the mindset of being 1st place this year!

Having climbed this high, I had to keep climbing.

That said, what currently made me feel impatient, like 'I have to do this,' was just settling things with Eclair as soon as possible!

After that, if the unease about this game theory got resolved, my motivation to climb in a rush probably wouldn't rise.

Though, to have sex with Silvana, I probably needed to be S-Class 1st place. That was strong motivation, yeah.

But if it were like 'I have to get home within a year no matter what,' I'd push myself to the death. When I planned to settle here permanently from here on, climbing to the top that fast felt kind of pointless. It'd lose its bite…

Hmm, was I getting complacent now that I had Ursula?

Couldn't have that…

Well, anyway, I needed to raise my next motivation — but first was Eclair.

I needed to bring my full focus to defeating Eclair. Looking beyond was pointless. One step at a time.

"What does Sofina-san, the Commerce Head, do?"

"Explaining her work is difficult…

She oversees all commerce outside Garumon Battles. She's said to be the busiest person in the world.

She's even said to hold most of this world's wealth."

… I gathered she was someone even Lyuka basically gave up on explaining.

"Chambers of commerce, banks, trading companies, securities… she handles the diverse range of jobs single-handedly.

If I explained each one, the day would end."

"Yeah, I don't need the commerce lecture either. There's nothing I have to grasp as an S-Class Master, right?"

"We're here so Masters don't get bogged down in such miscellaneous matters.

Commercial knowledge, I can cover, or Colette-san can. No need for worry."

In that case, I'd give up on understanding Sofina-san's work.

"As for Astrea-san… I more or less get it. That I won't understand."

University city. She probably handled research on magic and science in this world.

"Mira, have you met Astrea-san?"

"Yes, when it comes to Astrea-san, I might be the one who knows her best.

She's my teacher; I always meet her at Unitia.

She's said to be the most beautiful and the most intelligent person in this world.

The 'most beautiful' part includes flattery, I think… but the 'most intelligent' part is certainly true."

Mira introduced her, somewhat proudly.

"Of course she's wonderfully beautiful. But there are others as beautiful as Ursula or Astrea-san."

"Then she must be wonderfully beautiful."

If Mira rated her on par with Ursula, she had to be a transcendent beautiful girl.

I'd like to meet her, but…

"… Does she not deal with foolish people, or anything?"

"Nothing like that. Compared to her, everyone is a foolish person.

She's kind."

"I see. Then, I'm looking forward to when I can meet her."

So.

"Finally, this Kukuru-san…"

She seemed to have important work, but ranking alongside Silvana as an absent-minded one was a concern.

"She heads up this world's primary industries.

Her work is basically dumped on others, while she herself just drinks, eats, and plays around, by reputation."

"Well, exactly that kind of person.

Silvana is still more serious."

Yuria offered no follow-up either.

… Was she really okay?

"She's undeniably strong, so she and Salem Belial had a row over who'd be Divine Soldier Order Commander, but since she can't run an organization, she went to Lahod.

That said, Lahod is very well organized thanks to the efforts of her subordinates."

"She does have charisma, apparently. If there's trouble, she goes there and resolves it on the spot — she has a high reputation for that.

… But normally if she meddles she just stirs things up, so it's better if she's just drinking, by reputation."

… I wondered if I'd meet her someday. I was a little uneasy about that prospect.

… Now then, I'd asked about NPCs…

One more thing I should ask, for reference.

"… So, among Silvana's comrades, who has daughters by Silvana?"

"Aiming for them, are we…"

Yuria told me with a wry smile.

"Among NPCs, Astrea's daughter.

Among PCs, Kukuru's daughter."

"Astrea's daughter means…"

I looked at Mira again.

"… Yes, she shares a desk with me and we research together.

Soleil.

She's also a wonderful beautiful girl and a wonderful genius. Her Garumon talent must be wonderful too. But she's all about research, and however many Masters invite her, she turns them all down."

She told me.

Soleil-san, huh. Whether she'd become my comrade or not I didn't know, but I'd like to see her face at least once.

I'd go to university city Unitia sometime.

I resolved as much.

"Kukuru's daughter… should I not say, since it'd be a spoiler?"

"No, since she's already targeted, just say it, shouldn't you?"

"Well, that's so. She's about fifteen years older than us, the eldest of Silvana's daughters.

… Sea Dragon God Liviath.

Aqueria's S-Class 2nd-place party member."

"… Oho."

Aqueria's member, huh.

"… If the daughter is a Dragon God, then Kukuru is a Dragon God too.

Kukuru — as in Kukulkan. The dragon god of the ancient Maya, identical to the dragon god of the ancient Aztecs, the winged serpent Quetzalcoatl."

… Heh, I'd shown off my middle-school chuunibyou knowledge.

"Wonderful."

Pachi pachi pachi.

Lyuka praised me. Made me happy.

"Aqueria is a noble of distinguished Yucas lineage.

When Silvana's first child Liviath was born, many S-Class Masters went to Silvana and pleaded for Liviath to be entrusted to them.

In that flow, Kukuru — since Aqueria had wrested her from Yucas — said: return Liviath to me.

Aqueria, still in her early youth, personally went to Silvana to negotiate, it's said.

Silvana wasn't one to listen to others, but she took a great liking to the clever beautiful girl Aqueria.

She granted Liviath to Aqueria.

Since then, Liviath has been Aqueria's best friend, supporting her, it seems."

"I see…"

So Liviath wasn't someone I could wrest away.

… If I became friends with Aqueria going forward, it'd be nice to do fun things together in that flow.

"By the way, what's Liviath's personality like…?"

The child of the two most free-spirited would be…

"She's a proper, fine, sensible person. No need to worry."

Yuria told me.

"… So, as you see, NPC work spans a wide range, and basically the higher the rank, the more senior the person."

"If I want work tied to the system itself, becoming an S-Class NPC is the only way.

For that, I'd need to be S-Class 1st place and retire… right?"

"Exactly."

"… But if I'm going to protect the world from the threat of Demons, I can't retire from active duty."

"Mn, that too is true.

Whether to become an S-Class NPC, thou canst decide anytime once thou art S-Class 1st place.

Think on it from then."

Ursula wrapped up.

But…

"Almaria-san and the others are in much more important positions than I expected…

I'd vaguely been thinking maybe Silvana would return to active duty someday — but if all her party members are this important, she probably can't easily return, huh."

"As if.

No matter who said no, if Silvana said she was returning to active duty, all of them would rush to her side at a single word.

Whatever they say, all those people are head-over-heels for Silvana…"

Yuria said, somewhat fondly.

I swallowed the words "you too."

Well, in my own way I liked her too, however you sliced it. Both as a person and in an erotic sense.

And so, I'd asked all about NPCs.

… As for the lower-tier D-Class and below NPCs, what kind of work they specifically did — I figured it might be worth investigating sometime.