<213 - Official Document from the Foundation>
Oknodie flicked her hat in irritation.
“I was startled! I mean, suddenly talking to Hestia? Consider my feelings too.”
“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stand seeing a child I’ve talked to for a long time distressed…”
“Is it guilt? It’s just painful to see a child who tried to take over feeling troubled.”
The hat was quite surprised.
A child with an adult-like maturity.
Maybe it’s that childlike innocence that makes her so sharp.
“Maybe. No, you’re right. Feelings are like water filling a cup. Actions are like water overflowing from the cup. If the cup overflows with feelings that cannot be contained, it’s certain that the last drop is guilt.”
“I’m not blaming you, you know.”
“I know. You’re the one who has watched her as long as Hestia. I can understand a bit about what kind of child you are.”
“Really?”
“I may not fully understand the meaning behind your actions, but you know a lot.”
“And?”
“People call you a good or bad child, but you’re just doing what you want to do.”
“Hehe. You really have been watching me all along.”
“You don’t think of yourself as good or bad. You can play the role you want to be.”
“I’m sorry. Let’s stop here. It doesn’t feel great to have my feelings exposed!”
What kind of expression is behind Oknodie’s bright smile?
Having gained a new name as the 2nd Hat, she dared to calculate her true self based on her own standards.
“Yet, it feels good inside, doesn’t it? The feeling of being loved by everyone.”
“Tch. Stop it already.”
“You’re feeling shy, just like Hestia. You want to stall because you’re not used to being loved.”
“Hmph. You really are a nuisance.”
“I don’t think it’s a nuisance. I think it’s okay, both your appearance and your feelings. You don’t always have to be a good child, but it’s that desire to want to be a good child.”
“Is it okay if I do bad things secretly?”
“A good child is weak. They can’t perceive the malice of others and are easily deceived. That’s why they get trapped and lose their lives. I can say this because I know that so well. Being a bad child… doesn’t have to be entirely bad.”
With many worries and regrets bottled up, Oknodie touched her hat gently with her hand.
“Doing this makes me a good child.”
As if thinking that way.
It’s fine even if the action is not sincere.
She finds comfort in that action.
The 2nd Hat thought.
Hestia and Oknodie.
She still wants to protect these children.
“Oknodie.”
“What?”
“The Foundation’s retaliation is about to begin.”
“…Huh? Against whom?”
“Against you.”
So she spoke.
It was something she could easily ignore as someone else’s business.
*
The general scholarship student Primer from the Foundation.
After the failed curse operation that had caused quite a commotion, he received another order from the Foundation.
Stay close to Oknodie’s acquaintances.
And look for an opportunity.
An opportunity to obtain information that could become her weakness.
“I can’t believe such an opportunity would actually come…”
━━━
[Message to the Foundation]
Oknodie, who came to Hestia’s club.
Infiltrating the [Paper Dungeon], where she was subject to one-sided torment and lost her physical freedom for an extended period.
It’s assumed that she will be able to push Oknodie back into the Paper Dungeon again using Hestia.
━━━
He rolled up the coded letter and placed it in a small bottle, then stuffed it into a cleaning tool container meant for delivering information from the internal government to the outside.
Once again, another member of the Foundation hiding in the academy would relay the information.
After proving his usefulness once more, Primer was relieved thinking he wouldn’t receive any more reckless missions from the Foundation for a while when a coarse voice grabbed his ankle.
“Primer. Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
“Jaku.”
He couldn’t hold back a laugh.
“Is that you again? You, who shouldn’t be talking trash, seem pretty meddlesome. Or are you… nervous? Did a competitor way more capable than you show up to prove their worth? Are you worried you’ll get tougher orders because of me?”
“Not really. I could crush someone like you anytime I want. That was merely advice from a pure heart.”
“Hah. Pure. Pure, huh. It’s funny that a scum like us can say pure. I thought that would come out of a pristine child like Oknodie.”
“You know nothing about Oknodie. You definitely know even less about the Foundation. Don’t think the little information you possess is everything.”
It was a routine play.
I know more valuable information than you.
I am more important than you.
Be curious.
Hang onto my words.
There’s no reason to be toyed with in such a shallow ‘power struggle’.
“You talk big, but in the end, you have to carry out the orders that come from the Foundation, right? Just pray that scary orders don’t come flying at you, coward.”
The strong can only be bullied by the stronger, but those with brains like him can fulfill orders faithfully and elevate their standing within the Foundation.
Someday he might climb to a position of an educator, training up-and-coming scholarship students like him.
When that time comes, freedom will come at last.
The fear of never knowing when they might cut you off.
Not knowing when you may no longer be useful.
He could finally live without the terror of being chased by orders.
“I’ll be the one who delivers orders, not the one who receives them. Unlike you.”
For that, he could happily send off reports that would trouble a single child.
Life is just like that.
When he was a child.
Parents who sold him for a sack of rice.
The people from the Foundation who trained him.
None of them listened to the whims of a child.
This was the reality he knew and the reality he had learned.
*
The supervisor who received the mission delivered from the academy picked up a communication magic tool.
“Information has come in that you can use for the cage. Information about an opportunity to fix the Joker’s habits. What should we do? Yes. Understood. I will act as instructed.”
click
As the supervisor turned off the magic tool, he opened a drawer filled with new communication devices necessary for carrying out the order.
“This is a special command. Submit a formal document to Gift Academy. In the name of the Foundation, send a request for class day substitution for Oknodie, the Chief Scholarship Student’s extracurricular learning. The deadline is one week. The learning content is etiquette education to cover the lacking general knowledge relative to her sufficient skills.”
Oknodie.
Chief Scholarship Student of the Foundation.
A special child closely observed by the director.
However, she has crossed the line too much.
Many branches have suffered damage because of her.
Personnel ingrained in the military of various nations are facing significant audits and threats.
This child will not simply reveal herself like this, but the branch directly targeted by the former hero Destroyer has been nearly annihilated.
Someday, the military line and others might also suffer grave consequences.
No one knows how much an 11-year-old child knows or how she learned it, but it’s time to lock up the secrets.
“Should we inform the Butler Jonnas of everything? What foolish talk. Tell him nothing.”
If the butler had done proper training, the little troublemaker wouldn’t have caused any issues.
After the trauma of having caused harm to ‘Agassi’ due to his mistakes, I can trust not a thing about his approach to training.
“This week, I will engrain it properly into her. What the Foundation is, and what kind of behavior she should exhibit. What if Oknodie refuses?”
The supervisor loosened the butterfly tie on his chest and reached into his inner pocket, pulling something out.
swish
A claw-like wrist weapon with a blade longer than his fingers.
Known as the dual flying claws or the ‘Claw’ due to its resemblance to long beastly claws.
The blade gleamed as it slashed through the air.
thud
A bug that had been fluttering annoyingly in the corner of his vision fell without its wings.
“If a bug that shouldn’t be flying comes buzzing around, its wings should be cut.”
Even though the Chief Scholarship Student is well regarded by the Boss, she can’t be treated too roughly.
But at the very least, a stricter lesson was needed than what Jonnas provided.
Whether she keeps her head down or spreads her wings to fly up.
It doesn’t matter which.
The Foundation has a response for everything.
As the supervisor’s hand drew back into his robe, the sharp claws vanished without a trace.
As he stood up to leave the room, his foot lightly stomped down on the bug that had lost its wings.
The act of crushing it was so automatic he didn’t even realize it.
*
“Now that the midterms are over, it’s not good to get too relaxed. You’ve only spent half of the first term, a quarter of your first year.”
“Yes!”
“Goodness. It’s always nice to have such spirited responses, Oknodie. Oh, and Oknodie, please follow me for a moment after class. I have some information to relay to you.”
In the upper class homeroom that comes every Monday, I felt curious at the call of Professor Mahabharata, the head of the first-year department.
This professor doesn’t usually call me for anything vague like this; could there be a new event happening?
“The Wahyhiemhai Foundation has sent a document verifying Oknodie’s identity. They plan to give her separate etiquette education, so they’re requesting a class day substitution to be acknowledged instead of the regular lectures.”
“Oh.”
“So, to put it simply, if Oknodie agrees, we’re willing to acknowledge the class day substitution since she has rightfully secured 1st place beyond Ishtar, the joint chief, in the overall midterm grades.”
Please think it over and let us know.
There are two days until the decision is due.
Hearing Professor Mahabharata’s words, I immediately asked.
“Can I respond right now?”
“Of course.”
A veteran player has encountered a random event? An event that appeared all on its own?
If I let this pass, I might get stripped of my veteran status. I absolutely can’t miss a new event!
“I accept!”
“…Are you sure that’s okay, student? If the Foundation were to pressure you against your will, we’re willing to respect and protect your academic intention.”
“It’s fine. I want to do it!”
“I’m not sure if this is the right choice…”
Professor Mahabharata presented a document with a completely disapproving expression.
“This is a participation agreement verifying the student’s intention. Sign this. Once you sign, we won’t be able to assist you anymore.”
Without hesitation, I signed it off!
swish
“Aish… I don’t know anymore.”
As I happily finished signing, Professor Mahabharata stamped the document with an irritated face.
