Aiwass had never liked getting too close to others.
——That only made him feel tense, uncomfortable.
It was better for both parties to maintain a relationship of mutual assistance and utilization. Staying within a healthy, efficient, and sustainable business relationship meant there was no sorrow over betrayal by the other party, no resentment for being abandoned... Likewise, there was no hesitation and guilt when preparing to betray another.
Aiwass's current predecessor was just such an example.
Because of excessive enthusiasm and naivety, trusting pen friends and regarding them as friends, indeed, came at a heavy price.
But paying back a favor was a very simple matter for him.
In Aiwass's memory, there was no name "Hayna" in the game. Without a doubt, she must have been the one who died in battle when Avalon was invaded in the game's first version.
Aiwass did not save Avalon for her sake, he did it for the stability of his own life. Therefore, saving her in the process could hardly be considered a repayment of a favor.
But given Hayna's character, insights, and abilities, there must be many scoundrels in the school with intentions as dark as his own attempting to become her fake friends. Aiwass could easily identify those people and then help her distinguish the true friends who were trustworthy and less likely to betray.
He was very skilled at analyzing others.
If anything, the HR profession did have a slight resemblance to the East Factory in nature.
It required not only a discerning eye and objective attitude but also enough ruthlessness to take tough actions.
A light hook meant someone was "eliminated," losing their job, and seeing their salary reduced... and this was precisely Aiwass's own occupation.
It could be said to be a very unscrupulous profession.
Basically, if you were a corporate drone, the odds were high that your hatred for HR would be maxed out.
Aiwass had just experienced three full years of unemployment not long ago.
He had found a job, but before officially starting, he came to this world threatened by an uncertain future.
Even though he appeared calm and composed, he had already conducted a psychological analysis on himself—he felt a strong sense of instability now.
He was very satisfied with his current life, but he was also acutely aware of the impending disaster.
He desperately hoped for a stable life, did not want to become a national refugee, homeless, wandering everywhere.
To combat the fear of the future from this world, he had to climb up as quickly and as much as possible. In this way, he could grasp some power within the kingdom of Avalon. At the very least, he could not allow his teammates to drag him down when he was left alone to face the world's great enemies.
It was not a case of victim paranoia.
His vision was longer than that of the vast majority of the people in this world, their decisions based on known information were certainly imperfect, not comprehensive. And Aiwass could not easily reveal the prophecies of the future he had received—he was not a Saint. This Prophet's information could become his precious treasure.
Because of this, Aiwass needed to gain sufficient influence.
Not the name "Knight" of his foster father. That was only a nominal position, and even entering the senate meant a game of wits with a bunch of old, sophisticated folks, making any action sticky like syrup, unable to unfold freely.
The feeling of life drifting with the tide, fate not under one's own control... It was unbearable.
What Aiwass wanted was to make those in power consult his opinion before making decisions. He could not become one of them, and it was best not to get close to any faction. He could not become the sacrifice in internal power struggles... but had to become an existence even higher than theirs.
Not to control others, but to ensure he was not controlled.
To ensure he was not sacrificed, nor did he have to sacrifice others.
Aiwass vaguely remembered that this incident would eventually involve a certain minister.
In the original history, it was the player who gained high prestige by resolving this incident.
Without the presence of a player character in this world, he had to join the investigation of this incident.
Luckily, thanks to Toyulia's favor—although Aiwass still skipped the plot animation, he remembered some details. For instance, where the crucial intelligence was, what enemies were in the last instance they opened, and their level.
Because after a messy investigation, the first instance of this game would be unlocked:
The level 10 instance, "Sin Nexus Pelican Bar."