Chapter 42
I stood still for a while, holding the cookie pouch. It had already been 2 years since that incident, which wasn’t anything particularly special. It’s natural for various things to happen during a war, and for someone to die is just part of the deal. But even now, as I try to shake it off, it’s not as easy as I thought it would be.
Still, there would come a day when I could let go of it. After looking down at the cookie pouch, I tucked it into my pocket and moved toward the forest. I had to finish everything before it got dark; otherwise, the fair tomorrow would be in jeopardy.
As I hastily arrived at the forest, I spotted Manager 1 and Manager 4 deep in conversation. They seemed to have already wrapped up the interrogation. As expected, if they set their minds to it, they could accomplish anything.
“Are you done?”
“Yes, I got them to confess everything they knew.”
Both Managers looked a bit tense, still fidgeting. Even if I were to say it’s okay, that’s not something that would magically fix things, so I decided just to let it be. I mean, how many people would believe it if their boss said, “I’m not angry with you”?
As I glanced at the captured members of the Third Honor, none of them appeared to be in a normal state. They were seriously missing limbs, and quite a few were severely injured. Yikes! Did they get tortured outdoors? That means the information we secured should be credible.
“Any noteworthy findings?”
“They had something strange on them.”
“Something strange?”
In response to my question, it was Manager 4, not Manager 1, who handed me a piece of paper. Sigh. Look at these guys.
“It’s an explosion scroll.”
“Yes. It seems to be meant for mining.”
A one-time use scroll with explosive magic stored inside. It’s usually employed in mining operations. Due to its destructive power, it’s exclusively produced in the Magic Tower and is only supplied to individuals or organizations with verified identities.
If this scroll had detonated in the middle of the Academy, it would’ve triggered a disaster of unimaginable proportions. Of course, it’s not productive to worry about something that hasn’t happened yet. What’s crucial is figuring out how this scroll ended up in the hands of some rebels.
Explosion scrolls are supplied to provincial officials, nobles, or mine supervisors. No matter who they are, they have to pledge loyalty to the Empire. If someone like that leaked a scroll to the rebels, that’s clearly an act of treason.
“Are they just asking for a death wish?”
“It seems that way.”
The scrolls are given to verified individuals or organizations, and there’s a record of who got how many. So, if we comb through those records, we can find the culprit. If there are inconsistencies between the supply and usage records, well, that’s our guy right there.
Seriously, are all traitors this clueless? I mean, why gamble your life on something so easily traced?
I briefly scratched my chin and nodded. Just the mention of the scroll as a peculiar item indicated that not much valuable information had emerged. Now that we confirmed it was leaked, we need to refocus on that.
“We’re done here. Good work, team.”
Now that there was nothing left to take care of on-site, we only needed to report to headquarters. The Special Service Agency could deal with whoever was still breathing, and they’d probably sort out the scroll leak in no time.
If the head of the Magic Tower found out that their creations were being used like this, he would absolutely blow a gasket. From the Special Service Agency’s point of view, they’d want to quickly find the person responsible to appease the Magic Duke’s anger. Talk about an uphill battle.
Of course, once the Special Service Agency identifies the culprit, they’d toss the case back to the Prosecutor’s Office. So, in the end, it’s us who’ll be picking up the slack.
After successfully capturing the Third Honor and gathering intel, our roles with Manager 1 and the Masked Unit concluded. As Manager 4 reported it to the Special Service Agency, magicians appeared out of nowhere and whisked them away. Teleportation sure is convenient!
Also, following the Special Service Agency’s orders, we kept the Masked Unit on standby in case any wildcards showed up. They might just be useful until the very end. However, since Manager 4 had already made an appearance after Manager 1, the nobles would probably have a meltdown if they saw her too, so the Masked Unit ended up sticking around in the forest.
Seeing a slight disappointment in Manager 4, I decided to visit her every evening. I should show some consideration for a subordinate I hadn’t seen in a while. Plus, I should bring some snacks with me on those visits.
Unlike Manager 4, who stayed by in the forest, Manager 1 agreed to join me at the booth the next day.
“Executive Manager, let me carry that. Just hand it over.”
The only thing that had changed was that she had become a lot more compliant.
“It’s alright. I’ll take care of it.”
I started chuckling when I realized why she was acting this way. It’s not often that one of the manager trio is so cautious around me. But hey, at least she has a conscience! Touching!
Even after I turned her down, Manager 1 continued hanging around me, her eyes darting nervously. Despite not being directly responsible for yesterday’s incident, she clearly felt involved. If this keeps up, she might just burst into tears.
I want to see that.
But becoming a boss who makes his subordinates cry is just not my style. Judging by how attentive she was, I figured she wouldn’t cause trouble if I let her relax for a bit. Plus, since we’d already dealt with the Third Honor, there wasn’t anything urgent on the agenda.
“Are you free right now?”
“Yes! I’m totally free! I’ll do it, so please take a break, Executive Manager!”
If she were a dog, her tail would be wagging like crazy right now. Nodding, I handed her the luggage I was holding. The moment she took it, Manager 1 looked decidedly more relaxed, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She wasn’t just accepting a burden from me; she was receiving some precious peace of mind.
“Just leave that in the corner and go enjoy yourself for a bit.”
“Huh?”
Seeing her tilt her head in confusion, I untied her apron. Since I captured her with that, it was only fair I let her off the hook.
“There’s no rush anymore. Just stay inside the academy. When else will you get a chance to unwind?”
“Uh, um… Is it really okay?”
“Trust me, the booth will run just fine without you.”
Waving her off, I saw her eyes light up with excitement. She quickly set the luggage down and bolted off, probably worried I’d change my mind. It was quite the scene, kind of like releasing a Pokémon back into the wild.
I casually tossed Manager 1’s apron aside, and it did the trick as the booth came into focus. The club members seemed to be getting the hang of running things, and the workers from the Three Kingdoms were diligently at work. Since Manager 1 wasn’t even supposed to be here in the first place, her absence wouldn’t create any issues.
Moreover, the nobles who’d been coming to bother me had noticeably decreased. Most of them had flocked around on the first or second day, so it looked like the rush had passed. Now, I could finally enjoy some time without any worries. This is how a good club fair should be.
“Oppa.”
As I was about to plop down in a chair to relax, Louise approached me and sat right next to me.
“What’s up? Is something bothering you?”
“No, I just wanted to sit down for a sec.”
Louise was always bustling around at the booth, so she’d barely had time to rest. Normally, she wouldn’t even get close to a chair unless there were no guests around.
“You’ll wear yourself out like this. Take it easy.”
I couldn’t help but worry, thinking she might be pushing herself too hard. However, Louise silently gazed into my eyes without saying a word. Her intent stare made me feel a bit awkward.
“Is something on my face?”
Sometimes flour from baking gets on my face, so I wondered if that’s what she was staring at. But Louise quietly shook her head.
“Did you eat all the cookies I gave you?”
“Yep! They were delicious.”
At my response, Louise smiled gently, but something about her expression seemed a little bittersweet.
“You can trust us with the booth. We’ve got this covered.”
Now it was my time to respond with a smile. Just yesterday, she mentioned I looked tired, and today she asked if I finished all the cookies. Seeing her so eager to encourage me to relax, it seems Louise doesn’t think I’m doing so hot.
Just like she showed concern when I received the tea leaves last time, she’s worried about me again. If the Minister found out, he’d probably chuckle.
“It’s fine. After all, I’m the Advisor here.”
“But that’s not the case for other clubs, right? The club Irina’s in has the Advisor completely absent.”
Busted.
An Advisor’s role is just to keep an eye on things and ensure nothing goes awry. You only need to check in occasionally. Honestly, there’s no reason for an Advisor to cling so tightly like I do.
The thing is, I just can’t bring myself to leave those hopeless club members unattended. Besides, supervising to prevent any mishaps is my duty, and I take that seriously since my situation is unique compared to other Advisors…
As I awkwardly smiled, Louise pouted her lips and continued.
“I’m really thankful to you, Oppa. From the moment you became our Advisor until now, for everything.”
“I haven’t done much. No need for thanks.”
“Every little thing you thought was insignificant has meant the world to me.”
Those words left me momentarily speechless. Each tiny thing does pile up, and when you add it all together, it becomes a pretty big deal. Although this isn’t exactly the right occasion for that sentiment.
“It seems like you’ve been carrying everything on your shoulders, so I want to help you out, even just a little.”
Little brat! Don’t sulk alone! If something’s bothering you, you can tell your big sister any time!
“Urgh!”
This has been happening since yesterday. Normally, I’d have brushed off what she just said without a second thought, but now it’s all looping back to that damn memory.
That bonehead died after spewing a bunch of nonsense.
Before I knew it, I’d let out a sigh. If the goal of the Third Honor was not to destroy the Academy but to break my spirit instead, they’d pretty much succeeded. It’s been a while since I had such an infuriating enemy.
“Oppa…?”
Ah!
I quickly recalled that Louise was right in front of me and hurriedly fixed my expression, but she’d already seen the sadness in my eyes. Her shoulders slightly hunched, and her eyes reflected anxiety.
“Feeling guilty about worrying someone like you is embarrassing. Should I take a brief break then?”
Sigh! Exhaling in front of someone who’s worried about me practically screams, “Mind your own business.” Talk about being rude. Leaving the booth kinda bugs me, but it’s probably best to follow Louise’s advice for now.
As I forced a bright smile, it seemed to calm Louise down a little. Thank goodness I avoided the fate of becoming a total nutcase who made a girl around my little brother’s age cry.
That jerk!
This is all thanks to that idiot. I shouldn’t have just shattered his skull; I should’ve gone for a little extra!
With the threat of the Third Honor eliminated, the Club Fair—which should have been a peaceful affair—was off to a bizarre start.
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