How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 192

After a long night (2)

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“……!”

The place where Taylor woke up was the infirmary of Dex.

Taylor, who had been asleep for almost a day. Her body, which had been overdoing it, was screaming as it stiffened.

“Huh…!”

Suddenly, Taylor raised her body, which was aching all over the place. The scene he saw right before he lost consciousness is still vividly etched in his mind.

I broke through all of Elte Corporation, reached Ed, and eventually defeated him. And right before he was completely overpowered by Lucy who appeared at the end, Ayla appeared and hugged him.

As soon as I saw Ayla’s face, I felt a surge of relief, and I completely lost my mind.

“…”

After he calmed down for a while, he saw Ayla, who was sleeping with her head buried in the bed around her lap.

There were scratches here and there, but there didn’t seem to be any major injuries. Only then could Taily lean back on the back of her bed, letting out a sigh of relief.

The facilities of the Dex building are somewhat outdated, but the structure itself is neat.

A gigantic window peering over Ayla, who was sighing and exhaling.

Pure white curtains fluttered beside the huge window, which seemed to be cool and airy just by looking at it.

The warm sight of the morning breeze blowing in made Taylor feel a little relieved.

“thank god….”

While doing such a monologue, he wiped his face once.

A lot happened last night, but Ayla was able to escape anyway.

Once that fact was confirmed, the rest was something to think about slowly.

“Oh, are you awake, Taylor?”

So, what was the riot that happened last night?

Just as Taylor was about to think about it, someone called his name.

There was a boy sitting next to Taylor’s bedside, in front of a shield, holding a knife.

The boy, with his shoulder-length hair and a sturdy build, was an acquaintance of Taylor’s.

“Ziggs…?”

“Wait, Taily. I’m going to show you the special high-level skill ‘Rabbit Apple’ that I learned from Elka.”

Saying that, Ziggs held up a knife, gazing at the apple with his chin running, like a sculptor working on a work of art.

“It’s the first time I’ve been blocked from the conception stage. I’m confident in the delicate cutting itself, but the aesthetic sense of leaving part of the skin to look like a rabbit… Indeed, it was an admirable idea. You’ll be surprised if you see it.”

“…”

“First of all, is it basic to cut it into quarters vertically… Even if it were to cut it into quarters while leaving the skin on, the job of leaving the skin itself on and making it look like a rabbit’s ears… certainly requires an unusual aesthetic sense. It’s work… It’s going to be a pretty tough fight…”

Even seriousness radiates from the image of him breaking out in a cold sweat and beating an apple here and there with excessive force.

Taily watched the scene and then spoke in amazement.

“Ziggs… what are you… doing here…?”

“As you can see, I was visiting in the hospital. Elka said that the rabbit-shaped apple was the best for hospital visits, and he taught me the secret, but unfortunately I couldn’t remember the trick, so I was in agony.”

“…”

“I am confident in my cutting skills, but it is difficult to imitate the series of artistic movements that casually embody the shape of a rabbit. Maybe it’s the influence of living in a savage world for a long time…”

“No, I mean…why are you nursing here…”

Taily tried to erase his astonished expression as much as possible, but he couldn’t keep his bewildered face at bay.

“Hmm? I thought we’d known each other quite well since we were in first grade… Or are you saying that if you’re not a woman, you don’t like receiving sick care…? I didn’t know.”

“That’s not…”

“Well, there are many cases where males basically live in hideouts under the care of females. Is it a matter of species instinct rather than values… If that’s the case, my appearance here may have been a thoughtless act.”

“That’s not it, you must have stopped me at Elte Co.”

When Taily stopped talking while talking about it, Ziggs, who carefully placed a knife on his apple, made a face of understanding.

“Ah, was that a problem? If that’s the case, I don’t have to worry too much about it.”

“…what?”

“No, just because I don’t care doesn’t mean that you don’t care. Still, everyone has circumstances, right?”

Ziggs spoke as he delicately quartered the apple with trembling hands.

“In that situation, I had no choice but to join Ed’s side. There was a prior agreement that I received first, and that person seemed to have his own circumstances.”

– ‘Where is there a person without a story in the world? I have a story too.’

Those were the words Ed spat out with a tired face as he trampled on Taylor at the camp where the rain was pouring down.

Contrary to his imagination that he would catch Ayla and greet Taylor with an evil face.. It was much more serious and anguished than he thought.

“No matter what, Ayla’s life was at stake. There is absolutely no justification for holding and shaking people’s lives.”

“Ayla’s life has never weighed on the scales, Taily.”

“what…?”

“Although Ayla was in a position to fall for Ed’s words in the first place… At least it doesn’t seem like she had any intention of jeopardizing Ayla’s life.”

Give me something that could be called proof.

I am speechless even when I try to talk.

The reason why Ed jumped in and blocked the last, last, indiscriminate sword attack from Taily without keeping a safe distance.

Ed also risked his life to protect Ayla, who was sleeping in the wooden shelter.

As a result, Ed was severely wounded by Taily’s sword.

In that situation, Taylor holds her breath. He lifts up his empty hand and looks at it.

With that hand, he almost cut Ayla. The heavy truth begins to press on her shoulders once more.

In the first place, the situation at Elte Co. was the same.

With the exception of Clevius, who couldn’t control his powers, no one let out a lifeblood against Taily.

It was clear that Elvira, as well as Ziggs, were fighting with the intention of overpowering Taily, but not seriously sword-to-sword.

When she reached Yenica, she watched his resurrection until the end, even though she could send Taylor away at any time.

Even Patriciana couldn’t appear in front of Taily because she was looking for workers for the collapsing Elte Company building.

Opponents who would not have been able to make a sound if they had been determined and attacked at once. The fact that such people were slowly waiting for Taylor’s entry was imprinted deep inside.

Safety of Ayla Triss.

With that most important premise secured, it seemed as if a wave of rationality was slowly flowing into Taily’s head.

“Aagh!”

Ziggs suddenly let out a scream as if stabbed by a knife.

When Taylor looked up in amazement, the carefully peeled apple peeled off.

“Damn… the left and right symmetry isn’t right… plus the curve of the rabbit’s head is slightly twisted. This… is a failure…”

“Why are you so obsessed with rabbit apples…”

“I was just impressed with Elka’s delicate knife skills. I’ll have to wait for this next time.”

Saying that, Ziggs just started peeling the skin off the apple.

“Anyway, since you’ve been lying down all day, your body must be stiff here and there. The schedule for the school opening ceremony will start soon. It’s a big event that everyone must attend, so after lying down for a few hours and resting, come back with only the light on your face.”

“Wait a minute, I still have so many stories to tell.”

“Yes, I understand. That’s why I’ve come this far. I’ll tell you as much as I want, so recover your body first.”

Taylor and Ed.

Watching the two people confront each other like a hot bath and a cold bath, Ziggs felt very confused.

“I heard a strange story from Ayla. Listen to my story and Ayla’s story first.”

Isla, now fast asleep with her head buried in Taylor’s lap.

Seeing Ayla’s face like that, Taily tilted her head as if bewildered by Ziggs’ words.

*It was a very long night. After this night, I thought that the power structure centered on Elte Corporation would be completely reversed.

That’s what Dune Greg thought.

When the sun rises on the morning of the first day of school, Dune Greg will be sitting in the seat of the new acting head of the Sylvania branch of Elte Corporation.

Using the relationship with Ed Rosteyler as bait, Oldeck’s next party owner, Slog, will buy Princess Persica’s favor.

Eliminating the competitor Lortel, he will reign as the ruler of the new Elte Firm.

Under him, as the person with the highest real power, he will be able to seize the financial rights of Elte Corporation.

The imperial family’s escort will play the role of catching the criminal, the bachelor under the influence of Vice Principal Rachel will remain silent, and the employees of Elte Firm will not join Lortel.

It was such a perfect flow, and there were almost no variables.

As long as he firmly held onto Lortel and handed it over to the imperial escort, all plans would be completed.

It was a plan that proceeded swiftly without even a chance of resistance. On the morning of the opening ceremony, Dune Greg had to sit in the office of the deputy head of the school, as the owner.

“Dune Greg.”

However, he was sitting tied up in a simple interrogation room in the luxurious imperial residence.

“The basic investigation of the building of Elte Trading Company has been completed. The money in the basement of the villa you founded as the capital has also been confirmed.

“Princess Penia…!”

A situation that has been tied up since morning.

Dune Greg, who had to be helplessly suppressed without even being provided with food… raised his voice as soon as he saw Princess Penia entering the interrogation room.

“Why, why did I…!”

“You bastard! How safe are you raising your voice…!”

Several of the escorts following Princess Penia yelled at him.

“In front of the third princess of the Chloe Empire, Fenia-sama…!”

Princess Penia had little interest in the imperial authority. Since she came to Sylvania, hasn’t she lived with only that kind of appearance?

Contrary to the information caught in Dune’s field of vision, Fenia had completely overpowered Persica’s convoy and brought it under her control.

Princess Penia subtly raised her hand to stop the escort. The guard bowed his head and stepped back.

As it was, she sat on the other side of the dune and started talking slowly.

“I’ll be honest. I don’t get along very well with Lortel Kecheln either.”

Fenia and Lortel are like oil and water.

It is a fact known to those in the know.

“Still, there is no clear evidence that the gold coins found in the basement of Lortel’s villa came from an illegal source.”

“That can’t be the case…! Princess Fenia! There must be a lot of documents in the company building that can be used as evidence! Even though the company building has now collapsed…”

Dune was clearly assuming this situation as well.

“Ask for testimony from Poel in charge of the bookkeeping, or Rienna, the chief secretary! The two of them must have secured evidence of the embezzlement of the deputy head of Lortel Hoju…!”

“Dune. I just told you. All basic investigations are over.”

Princess Fenia’s attitude toward Dune from a while ago was noticeably cold.

When dealing with her subordinates, she always has understanding and listens carefully to everyone… This is the complete opposite of the public opinion of her.

Only then did Dune notice. Princess Fenia entered this interrogation room without believing in Dune in the first place.

“There was no such thing as evidence.”

“I beg your pardon…?”

Clearly everything was prepared.

We mobilized reliable key personnel and clearly ordered the securing of data. It was a plan prepared for several years, but that was the basic of the basics.

It is unlikely that those materials have been lost. Dune was so sure.

“On the contrary, you were the one who regularly embezzled the above funds. Dune.”

“…yes?”

“I didn’t even have to research all the ledger data. After a bit of searching, it came out right away.”

Princess Penia is a descendant of the noble Chloe royal family, and is a monarch who has always been raised among loyal subjects.

Embezzlement of public funds, cheating on employers… Such unconscionable behavior is not the duty of a lower person. The power of the imperial family can only be established under such thorough loyalty.

The culture is completely different from the society of such merchants, who sometimes turn a blind eye to embezzlement more or less depending on their work skills.

In the eyes of Princess Fenia, Dune had already become the world’s meanest embezzler. She could clearly see Dune’s true intentions in those eyes that could see through people more easily than anyone else.

Princess Fenia never trusted Dune. Only that fact had been etched into Dune’s mind without hesitation.

“From the circumstances, it seems highly likely that your funds led to the construction of Lortel’s villa.

“…Princess Fenia!”

“Calling out doesn’t clear your charges, Dune.”

The feeling of benevolence had disappeared from Princess Fenia’s eyes. The destination of her benevolence is the good and sincere people, not the traitors who strike others in the back.

“This can’t be…! This, this is a trap…!”

Dune appealed to Princess Penia in an urgent voice.

“This is… yes, Lortel Kecheln’s ploy to temporarily incapacitate me…! I… I will prove it! If only I could get in touch with the merchant’s side right away…”

“Dune.”

He calls out to Dune with a cold, downcast voice, but Dune still tugs at his bound hands and shouts.

“I won’t ask for help with my bare mouth…! If you say you have an interest in competing for the imperial power, I have a connection with Princess Persica. It’s true. I can prove it!”

Those who are cornered will do everything in their power to survive.

There are no people in this world who are weeded out because they want to be weeded out. He will do everything he can to escape the crisis until he accepts that he is finished.

“You have to use me, Princess Penia! If I reverse the point of contact with Princess Persica and use it as a double agent, the other person won’t even suspect it! Get rid of my debt, put a leash on me and use it. !”

“…”

“It’s not a bad suggestion! You have to use a certain chess piece called me! This… is also an opportunity for Princess Penia!”

If this continues, the one who will be escorted to the imperial family is Dune himself. Knowing that fact for sure, Dune had to see the game here.

“I know my worth well, Princess Penia. If you abandon me like this, Princess Persica will end up cutting her tail and pretending she doesn’t know anything. It wouldn’t be a job for a merchant like me to cut off her tail.”

“…”

“But if Princess Penia makes it public, it’s a different story! Please use me well! Depending on how you use me, I’m the best weapon that can fatally wound Princess Persica!”

The last bow I found after being cornered.

Pulling tightly on his hands tied behind his back, Dune sighed as he somehow pushed himself forward from the chair.

It is a condition that will appeal to Princess Penia, who has started to be properly involved in the imperial competition. From the point of view of a merchant, it seemed a reasonable enough proposal.

However, it is only a story told from the point of view of a merchant.

“Dune Greg. Listen up.”

However, the world in which Princess Penia lives is completely different from Dune Gregx and Lortel Kecheln.

Princess Fenia slowly approached Dune’s ears and whispered.

“There is no human being who appoints a person who moves on the premise of betrayal.”

Those who seek to rise to power by betrayal will be crushed to the ground by betrayal.

A tribe of merchants who cannot make a single person of their own and try to overcome everything in the world through trade and interests.

Princess Penia was someone who hated such people terribly.

Dune gasped for breath at the cold expression of Princess Fenia.

“Please escort to the imperial family.”

Leaving a short message behind, Princess Penia stood up and left the interrogation room.

With that resolute attitude… Despair began to creep up on Dune’s face little by little.

*Even in the half-destroyed building of Elte Company, there were intact parts.

The warehouse for storing valuables had a strong frame from the beginning, so it was safe from the aftermath of the collapse, and there were many rooms in good condition on the west side, where Taily’s sword did not reach.

The location of the temporarily prepared office of Hoeju was right there. It was an empty office directly above the warehouse for valuables.

A site where workers are busy moving and carrying construction materials. If you pass by that place, enter the west side and go up the outer stairs all the way, turn the corridor at the end of the third floor and enter the room.

Compared to the previous Hoeju deputy office, the scale has become much simpler, but it still seems to have everything.

“Did you say you ran to the Trix building in the middle of the night and negotiated with Vice Principal Rachel?”

“Anyway, arguing about something that happened in the bachelor’s hall would make things more complicated. If Rachel had maintained contact with Dune and kept thinking of pushing him to become the acting head of the new club… things would have been more complicated.”

The villa on the side of the camp was also tidied up, and Ed, who had been resting for a while, seemed to have regained his stamina.

The recoil of the ring started to weaken little by little, so it didn’t seem like a big crowd was following the use of magic power, and the first aid treatment for the cuts from the sword seemed to be finished right away.

Still, it was a bit uncomfortable for Ed to control his body, and his movements did not seem very free. Lortel used to sigh deeply, as she was deeply disturbed by such a sight.

“You did a good job of persuading the clogged vice-principal. I heard that he’s been busy with Principal Obel lately.”

“I’m not a person who’s so obnoxious as to be mean even in the negotiating table, what?”

“I hear that Dune has agreed to give up its monopoly on some school supplies or to increase customs fees… It’s strange that the old woman stuck with you despite those promises.”

Ed took the bandage off his arm and put it back on with a new bandage.

“What did you promise that the shrewd old woman came back to you? And only for one night.”

“Well, I basically promised everything that Dune promised. I promised to add some nice stuff on top of that.”

“good?”

“It was a windfall because only the Sylvania bachelor was caught in the middle. Well, it was a choice I had no choice but to live on.”

When Ed looked at Lortel with a puzzled face, Lortel smiled and said,

“Anyway, it’s the heart of Sylvania. It looks good when it returns to its original position.”

“…You promised to return the ‘Sage’s Seal’.”

“It must have been a tough offer to refuse. From my point of view, it was also an offer that I gritted my teeth.”

Lortel smiled as she sat down at her simple office desk.

“Originally, it was an item that was supposed to be sold back to the Roth Taylor family, but since the seller went bankrupt, I should be thankful that it has other uses.”

“Even if you do this or that, the bachelor’s side must have called for joy.”

“Originally, the person who mediates in the middle is the law that touches the money the most. So, where there is a fight, there is always a merchant.”

In the first place, the bachelor side must have approached the seal of the wise man as a symbolic treasure rather than an economic asset.

A guide to Aspect Magic left behind by Great Sage Sylvania. With that alone, this academy bearing the name of Sylvania would have pushed her to the ground, wanting to get it back.

“Anyway, a grand opening ceremony is scheduled for the afternoon, but I didn’t expect you to come to the upper house from this morning. Is the schedule okay?”

“Unlike you 2nd year students, 3rd year students aren’t that strict. I still have to go to show off my face, but I decided to go later with Yenika.”

At the mention of Yenika’s name, Lortel pursed her lips.

In any case, Yenika has the absolute advantage of being a third-year classmate like Ed. No matter what, he was in a position to accompany him to any bachelor event, so the distance from Lortel, who was a year younger, was on a different level.

Lortel looks at Ed with narrow eyes, but Ed is only focused on putting pressure on his arm with a bandage.

Even though I kept asking who the second kisser was until the end, Ed wouldn’t reveal that it was Yenika. I didn’t think she would tell me without hesitation, but she seems to have a mindset that she won’t tell anyone.

How should I dig into the subtle difference in love distance?

Anyway, at the point of not revealing the identity of the kissing partner to Lortel, it is possible to derive the fact that he feels a strange romantic atmosphere for Lortel as well.

Seeing people’s attitudes and reading their thoughts. That much could be known because Lortel was more confident than anyone else.

Ed takes the women around him seriously, but it’s different from wanting to keep them by his side as a lover.

It is not a style that skillfully measures the difference in distance between a good friend and a lover.

Such an inclination, if mastered well, can make it possible to form a miraculous relationship, such as when he came to his senses, he became his lover…

That’s a boon for Lortel.

However, there is a problem.

I’m done figuring out the facts, but how do you dig in here? If you ask me… Lortel doesn’t have an answer to come up with again, just like Lortel.

To my dismay, I’ve never had a tug-of-war in a romantic relationship. I have never experienced such romantic youth.

Even if you know how to distinguish counterfeit gold coins at a glance, it is difficult to easily distinguish between the depth and shallowness of a person in love.

Still, it is not the timing to push, but the timing to pull. You can know that fact.

Ed rescued Lortel from being devastated. I pulled it once from that side, so let’s pull it skillfully from this side this time.

If you throw in a word of courtship with a bewitching smile, wouldn’t the other side feel satisfied? The moment you try to say something with such a snobbish mind.

“So, I’m here to check your face.”

Rather, it felt as if Ed’s hand was being sucked in by the tugging sensation.

“…yes?”

“Aren’t most of the workers at the Elte Company involved in Dune’s plan once? In fact, even if all merchant groups are like that, it won’t be easy to take control of those workers again.”

“Well, that’s a piece of cake for me.”

“It’s not a question of ability, it’s a question of the heart.”

Ed spoke casually as if it were nothing, but in reality he was quite considerate of Lortel.

“Ha ha ha ha, it’s not a very pleasant feeling that most of the workers who followed you while laughing and chatting were taken over by Dune once.”

“Ah, Senior Ed. My sister says, but if you get upset about every single thing like that, you can’t live as a merchant.”

“I would say so.”

“…”

Like that, Ed definitely denied Lortel.

Devil crazy about gold coins. Lortel Kecheln, the greedy man of Elte Corporation.

As if wondering what the rumors circulating in the world were, they talked about the true nature of Lortel.

“He said he hates solitude in a crowd.”

It was a story that Lortel had confided.

“It’s honestly not easy to pretend you don’t even know that.”

“…”

“In short, I was worried about you, so I came to check your face. That’s all.”

Obviously, in the last night’s recapture match against Elte, Ed Roth Taylor pulled Lortel hard.

Didn’t human relations mean push and pull?

If you push it once, you pull it, and if you pull it once, you push it away. Lortel put on a bewildered expression at the feeling that such a tacit sense of rhythm had been broken.

“Oh, no… Senior Ed.”

“What?”

“Isn’t this the timing for me to pull?”

“what?”

“No, what should I say… If you keep pulling me like that, I’m a bit confused about how to respond… Should I say that I can’t keep pushing you away…”

“What do you want to say?”

Lortel hesitated as she kissed her lips, then spoke clearly.

“To be blunt, it’s embarrassing…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Did you ever have a feeling of shame?

Ed asked with his eyes.

In fact, Ed felt it to some extent, but Lortel was the subject of walking around with a bewitching and smirk… Also, her defense was weak.

His high-handed attitude, which feels like a wall of bitterness, is surprisingly hesitant after a few active courtships or emotional expressions… The gap is embarrassing. Although the target is mainly Ed.

When was the last time you suddenly kissed someone on the lips, did you touch your own finger for a few words of goodwill and fall asleep?

I can’t help it even if I talk so nonchalantly. It’s just that this woman is that kind of woman.

“Uh, anyway… I just wanted to say thank you.”

Lortel spoke while pressing on the desk for no reason.

“Thank you, senpai. I survived thanks to senpai. It’s entirely thanks to senpai.”

“… Did you handle the rest of the work well?”

“Yes. As I said. However, there are still some unpleasant parts.”

Lortel said while tilting her head.

“Dune, who led the plan, prepared thoroughly over several years. The embezzlement was steadily collected, and the design of the villa itself was also the same.”

“That’s right. Since it’s deceiving you, you must have acted cautiously.”

“For that matter, the charges went to Dune in vain. I thought they would have manipulated all the ledgers to point me to the culprit.”

As soon as the day after the incident, Lortel regained control of Elte Corporation. He really got the lottery in an instant.

“I was even assuming that there would be a battle over the authenticity of the ledger, but since the situation was resolved so quickly, I was rather uncomfortable.”

“Well, I have something to say about that. I’m actually here to tell you this.”

As Ed said that, the door to the office suddenly opened with a rattle.

There was no one who could enter the office at this time without permission. This is because the entire trade association is looking at Lortel.

In particular, the workers who actively participated in Dune’s plan are not even breathing.

Nevertheless, the one who opened the door of the office and came in… It wasn’t a store employee in the first place.

“…. I’m here.”

It’s an expression full of grumpiness.

The girl with her pale pink hair hanging down in a beautiful braid is the best sergeant in the third year.

“…Yenika-senpai?”

As soon as he saw Lortel’s face, the other side also puffed out their cheeks. In any case, for Yenika, the series of recapture battles at Elte Co., Ltd. was a plan to help the rivalry.

Even though she grumbled like that, Yenika dragged a person along as Ed had requested.

“Uh… ugh…”

The girl who entered alongside Yenica was… Lienna, Lortel’s chief assistant.

With her elegant red hair tidied up, she stood behind Jenika in a hesitant manner.

“…”

The puzzled look on her face at the sight of Yenika quickly darkened this time. For Lortel Kecheln, secretary Rienna was nothing more than a traitor.

“I was late because I was attending an imperial investigation. I was an important reference.”

“I see. Thank you, Yenika.”

“No, Ed. Just…”

Yenika looked at Lortel calmly and spoke.

“You seem to be causing too much trouble to Ed, Lortel.”

Lortel smiled at the sight of Jenika’s expression. She had a habit of smiling and watching when something was ambiguous to deal with.

“Thank you, senior Yenica. Did you personally bring me to punish the traitor?”

“You really don’t know anything. Well, it was a good situation.”

After escorting Rienna’s secretary into her office, Yenica grabbed her wand and spoke.

“Then I’ll head out to the entrance of the trading house. Apparently, the situation is such that you can’t stay long unless you’re an insider. Ed is registered as an insider, but I guess I’m not.”

“Oh, Yenika senior. Forgetting to register senior, this is my negligence… I’m really sorry. Next time I come, I’ll make sure I’m registered as an official.”

They say that with a smile, but both of them knew very well that Jenika would be treated as an outsider the next time.

“Well, thank you for helping me with this and that.”

I did not forget to add a greeting mixed with such subtle sincerity.

Apart from their relationship, Jenika was also the person who joined Ed in the recapture battle against Elte.

Yenica was about to say something, but she made a complicated expression and left the office with a grunt. Did he feel that the gratitude itself was sincere?

“…So, haven’t you thought about it at least once?”

“What?”

“The reason why I was able to get involved so deeply in the matter of Elte Corporation.”

Ed glanced at Rienna’s secretary, who was shaking. She was told to sit down.

With his bandaged hand, he handed the tea to Lienna’s secretary and talked quietly.

“It’s just that there was a spy on the side of the dune.”

“…I beg your pardon?”

Ed also lifted the tea, took a sip, and spoke.

“It’s a bit strange that I knew how I was tying you up inside the firm, or that I was even able to see through the deep internal structure of the firm’s building.

“Certainly, that is so…”

“Not only that, when the store building was in chaos, while everyone else was evacuating, there was someone who went around inside the store building and collected all the manipulation ledger data that Dune had prepared. Who do you think it was?”

The operating ledgers that Dune had prepared.

At those words, Lortel’s eyes flickered for a moment.

It wasn’t that Dune’s plan was haphazard.

Dune had been collecting data that could certainly lead to accusing Lortel of embezzlement. However, there was someone who collected all the materials and burned them.

The moment when everyone is in a panic and is busy running away from the store building.

──Unfortunately, there was one person who ran around inside the building without immediately escaping.

“…”

“In the first place, the first person to offer me a contract is Rienna’s secretary.”

When Ayla and Ed were talking side by side at the terrace cafe, that Rienna secretary came to visit.

As always, he hesitated and approached me.

– ‘I’m here because I have something to suggest from the Elte Company.’

When Dune takes the lead and most of the merchants join in to bring Lortel down.

In the eyes of the timid and reticent girl, the image of them trying to take down Lortel, who was firmly leading the company, seemed like a monster…

– ‘Find the assistant manager of Lortel Hoju.’

Ayla’s appeal, which was a decisive factor in joining my plan, was consistent from the beginning.

Although she was acting as a senior assistant who listened to Dune’s instructions, she sided with Lortel until the end without revealing her intentions.

Timid, timid, and pathetic enough to run away in fear just by running into Jenika.

Nevertheless, the justice to be carried out was alive.

“He is yours.”

Ed had a cup of tea and talked briefly.

She might be a girl who doesn’t talk much and is clumsy, so she’s not good enough as a secretary. Even so, until the end of the day, she moved for Lortel.

Lortel opened her eyes and looked in Rienna’s direction.

She didn’t do anything wrong, but Rienna’s shoulders trembled in surprise.

“In the first place, Lortel, even if I didn’t think about goodwill, I would have been on your side, not Dune.”

“…”

“Did you forget the promise you made with me last winter? What if you proposed and then you forget?”

Ed tightened the bandage around one arm and knotted it. It was properly and neatly pressed, and I was satisfied. Then he quickly stood up from his seat and looked in Lortel’s direction and talked.

The snow that had been pouring down suddenly stopped, and in the forest where only silence remains.

These were the words Lortel had spoken to Ed in the middle of the snowy field, across the campfire.

Even if I turn everyone in the world into my enemy, please be on my side.

“It’s a foreshadowing you’ve already built up, Lortel.”

It is said that he lived in loneliness in a place without people, but in the end, Lortel seemed to overcome everything on his own.

The recapture battle that took place during this long night would have ended with Lortel’s victory, no matter how things went.

I just wanted to imprint that fact on Lortel.

Ed walked over and put his hand on Lortel’s shoulder, who was shaking his eyes. And he slapped her a couple of times.

– ‘Thank you, senior. Thanks to you, I survived. It’s all thanks to you.’

For some reason, it seems that Ed didn’t say that.

“The reason you survived is because of the merits you accumulated.”

“…”

“Don’t bother passing the ball to me.”

With that said, Ed gave Lortel a pat on the shoulder and then turned around.

“Then I have to go to the 3rd year opening ceremony, so I have to go get ready. Outside, Yenika will be waiting… I’ll be the first to go, so take care of the rest.”

“…yes.”

“Are you coming to the opening ceremony?”

“The basics are done.”

“okay.”

– Kung

After saying that, Ed opened the door to his office and left.

“…Ugh, uh…”

Left alone with the timid secretary Rienna, Lortel lowered her head in silence for a moment.

When I raise my hands, they are empty.

It is a world that comes empty-handed and leaves empty-handed. I lived with the certainty that I would die empty-handed even on the day I died.

It reminds me of the streets of Oldeck where it rains.

The gloomy alleys are full of vomit and food waste.

There, a young girl with reddish-brown hair, who was standing blankly staring at the sky, finds leftover bread while rummaging through the trash can.

He picks up the bread with both hands, removes the moldy part, and stuffs it into his mouth.

A life that wandered without even finding the meaning of why it was living. The gloomy sky I looked up from there still lingers in my mind.

After stuffing the stale bread into your mouth, you still have some bread crumbs in your empty hands.

How many years have passed since then?

The mind that I thought I would live with empty hands for the rest of my life is overshadowed, and at some point I have too many things in my hands.

“…”

Lortel sat down at her desk for a moment, then bowed her head deeper. She brushed her face with her hands for a moment, and then a faint sound of sobbing came out.

“Eh, eh…”

Secretary Rienna, who was sitting on the sofa, was just hesitant, not knowing what to do.

You don’t know how high you’ve climbed while you’re climbing. It’s only when you look back and see the scenery that you realize it.

Even knowing what is in my hand, I have to open my clenched fist to know.

After ten years, the girl who barely realized that simple fact… while sobbing silently.

Secretary Rienna couldn’t help but tremble like an aspen tree, embarrassed.

*It seems that I have the specs to catch Bell Broke. Taylor is stronger than I thought.

That fact is hopeful. But there is still some more work to be done.

In preparation for Bell Broke’s resurrection, if you want to minimize damage, you must gather as many forces as possible.

From the Cathedral Knights, the Imperial Guard, the talents of Sylvania, the mercenaries of the Elte Company, and various influential families of the empire.

And, all means must be mobilized so that Bell Broke, who will decorate the end of all these scenarios, can be subdued without damage.

You must never let your guard down until you reach the end.

With those thoughts in mind, I left the building of Elte Firm.

Speaking of which… I heard that Tanya is returning to Sylvania. There are so many things to take care of, it seems that you have worked until just before the end of the vacation.

I guess I need to go and see him first. There are still too many unconclusive things about the Ross Taylor family. More than that, though, first of all, I would have to attend the school opening ceremony.

When I left the store building, I saw Yenika leaning against a tree on the other side of the street, her face puffing out. Even if she pretended to be boo-boo-going, she was getting angry appropriately.

Shouldn’t it be the first thing to ease Yenika’s mood? As always, I have a feeling that it will be resolved more absurdly than I thought… but for now, it’s time to give thanks to Yenika, who worked hard for me.

I raised both arms in a surrender posture and moved towards Yenika.

The sky was high and blue, and the weather was very nice.