WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

Discord: https://discord.com/yT4GsFAYRf

HOW TO BECOME A STAR WRITER

Chapter 15

Episode 3. Create an Incident (5)

A new skill?

It wouldn't appear when I wanted it to, but now it does?

I quickly opened the skill window.

Description: A skill devised to somehow win an argument when there's no logic to your words. Those who hear your sophistry will be persuaded or fall into confusion.

...I don't really like the description of the skill.

Why does it create such a skill when it does?

Anyway, I continued speaking.

"Think about it. We all, at least once, imagine killing someone else."

I'm not sure if it's the skill, but words just keep flowing out.

"Close friends, superiors, even family. It's just that we don't act on it, but we all have the potential to kill someone."

[Using General Skill ‘Sophistry’.]

[Sophistry Skill Successful! ‘Plausible Nonsense’ is activated!]

[Guard ‘Bain’ is persuaded by your sophistry.]

[Guard ‘Zek’ is confused by your sophistry.]

"Hmm, maybe you're right, Zek. Don't you imagine stabbing the captain in the back every day?"

"Shut up, do you want to die?"

"Oh! Look at that, threatening to kill me? Captain, shouldn't Zek also be jailed with us?"

"...Hey, you innocent thief. Can't you defend me too?"

This skill might be more useful than I thought.

I grinned at Zek.

"Did you say your name was Zek? Of course, you don't need to go to prison. Because you always make the right choice at the crossroads of 'to kill or not to kill'. Choosing 'not to kill' allows us to live as 'humans'."

Zek's expression became complicated. Time to drive the point home.

I looked at the guards' faces one by one and continued.

"I'm the same. I may be a thief, but I haven't killed anyone yet and won't in the future. Just like you don't kill your superiors. Because... I want to be the same 'human' as you."

[Sophistry Skill Successful! Now they will even believe your words that 'beans are used to make soybean paste'.]

Exactly! ...Wait, isn't that actually true?

[Guard ‘Zek’ is persuaded by your sophistry.]

"Captain, thinking about it, he's a criminal without any charges. Why not just let him go?"

"Haha! Looks like he doesn't want to be jailed with us!"

[Guard Captain ‘Solzhenitsyn’ is confused by your words.]

...Is this a success?

"A thief who can read, huh."

[Guard Captain ‘Solzhenitsyn’ resists your sophistry.]

Damn it. Crazy genius.

"You're a thief. Anyway, being part of a thief gang, you'll likely kill someone eventually! What are you waiting for, take him away!"

He's tough to persuade, his brain must be made of combat power.

I need to find an opening.

I looked again at the guard captain's character information, especially the 'description' section. Now that my Imagination level had increased, more information appeared.

[Character Information]

Character: Solzhenitsyn

Description: ... (omitted) ... Recently, he is worried about his runaway son. He blames his stoic personality for negatively influencing his son's upbringing. He is a...

...A pretty ordinary father, huh? Wait, can I use this...?

I quickly formulated a sentence.

"...What if I were the captain's son?"

"What?"

"If I were your son, would you say the same thing?"

Solzhenitsyn's eyes showed a hint of alertness at the unexpected question.

"Don't panic. It's just a hypothesis."

"Ahh, hmm."

Apparently, the fact that his son had run away was a secret.

"Of course. Even if you were my son, if you committed a crime, you couldn't escape punishment!"

"Even if your son's only crime was 'potential criminality'?"

"No, my son would never commit a crime!"

"You never know. Right now, he might be a thief somewhere like me."

"...That's impossible!"

"Ah, don't get excited. It's just a hypothesis. Anyway, your son, now a thief, might be saying somewhere, 'It's all because of Dad.'"

Solzhenitsyn's face went pale.

"That, that's..."

"Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe he now understands you."

"?"

"Maybe he's thinking, 'Maybe Dad didn't mean that.' 'Dad is from the desert city.' 'Dad doesn't know how to express his feelings well.'"

"..."

"A stubborn man who sticks to his principles no matter what."

"Why are you saying this? I am..."

Solzhenitsyn looked at me as if I were his son. Time for the final blow.

"Because 'you haven't done anything wrong yet'."

"!"

"No matter what you think, it's not your fault. You may be stoic, but you're not unloving. Your son running away isn't your fault."

"Why..."

"Why? Because I believe in you."

"Why would you..."

"Isn't that what being 'human' is all about?"

Solzhenitsyn's face showed deep shock. His emotion spread to the nearby guards.

"You don't have to take all the blame just because you're a 'father'. Just like I don't have to bear all the criticism of the world's thieves just because I'm a 'thief'."

[Sophistry Skill Major Success!]

[Guard Captain ‘Solzhenitsyn’ is persuaded.]

[Now they will even trust you if you say 1+1 equals 1.]

[Sophistry Skill level increased to 4!]

I delivered my final line, relishing the sweet message.

"I'm just an ordinary human. Captain, please let me go."

[Some stars admire your sophistry!]

[Some stars pay you 2000 Dust for your story.]

[A giant among the stars takes a brief glance at your actions.]

[You gain an additional 3000 Dust.]

I barely contained my urge to jump for joy.

The dazed guard captain, Solzhenitsyn, was looking at me.

.

.

.

And a short while later, I was back in the cell.

Join our discord at https://discord.com/yT4GsFAYRf