The Right Attitude (1)

“I’d like to see one.”

Thanks to the history and achievements built up by their ancestors, they’re called by the grand name of ‘hero’, but in reality, it could be seen as just a legacy of the past with some special powers.

It’s clear they’ll be helpful in this situation, so maybe I should say I’m rather glad.

“However, it will take some time for the hero to fulfill their role. I heard it’s a 15-year-old son of a tenant farmer who doesn’t even know he was born with the hero’s bloodline.”

“That’s too much, isn’t it?”

Lebevre poured cold water on the idea. I clicked my tongue in disbelief at the news that the person called a hero was not only far from being a reliable ally but didn’t even know the first thing about fighting. It would take at least a few years to train properly and become active.

“Lady Isilia, it seems our time is up.”

And we couldn’t keep wasting time on the street like this. At Arisa’s words, I put my hood back on and gestured for Lebevre to go quickly.

From this moment on, we are partners. It wasn’t such a difficult thing, as I had already done it with Ethan, Renia, and the elves.

“From now on, you move with me. Everything is for this world, so just do as you’ve been doing. First, let’s straighten out the internal order of the Order.”

“Understood. Let’s give it a try. Don’t worry about the coachman. He’s my most trusted confidant since childhood.”

Lebevre nodded and left in his carriage. The midnight meeting ended there.

Except for me revealing myself, almost everything went according to our pre-planned script.

“If you’re going to do this, wouldn’t it be better to just step out into the world yourself?”

Patrick let out a hollow laugh as he looked at me. He didn’t seem to understand why I insisted on staying in the shadows.

Certainly, if I were to reveal my identity to the world and act officially now, it would have quite a few advantages.

“I’m not playing some shadow mastermind game. It’s just much easier and faster this way. Even Lebevre joining hands with me is because I’m moving behind the scenes. If I were a well-known force in the open, he wouldn’t have been able to join hands.”

I emphasized that there was no choice. I still dislike troublesome things, but I was trying to endure even greater trouble for this.

“Everyone go back to the lodging and rest. Arisa, return to Ellua as soon as dawn breaks. I’ll deliver the goods to Lebevre.”

The remaining task was to deliver the promised cash to Lebevre. It was a job that required the power of spirits to avoid the enemy’s surveillance network spread even near his home.

“The opposing faction seems to be trying to strangle Lebevre’s faction. They invested a lot, thinking it would be fine if they just firmly held onto a few key areas.”

“So what happened?”

“I delivered everything without any problems.”

Moving from early dawn, I returned to the promised place late in the afternoon that day. Using the power of spirits to avoid the enemies’ surveillance network and magic, I secretly provided funds to Lebevre.

It was up to Lebevre and his colleagues to use that to settle the factional fight, reverse the relationship, and become the victor in the battle.

I didn’t think they would lose, as I had properly filled their most vulnerable and most needed areas.

“I think I’ll go back for a while.”

Until news came from the Order, I returned to Ellua’s side and watched the elves’ first diplomatic action.

The delegation centered around Ellua succeeded in obtaining almost everything the Elf Grand Council wanted. The work of imprinting the elves on the people of the world was also successful.

“The past week seems to have been a time of seeing and hearing more than the 100 years I spent before meeting you, Lady Isilia.”

Ellua lamented to me, expressing her impressions. As I intended, she seemed to have been significantly influenced by coming out to the outside world, and her eyes now contained too many things.

“The reason is erosion, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it just for that. If you just think and act a little more to improve, what can’t you do?”

I didn’t know the future either. It was impossible to predict how the elves, who had begun to interact with the outside world, would change in the future.

“Lady Isilia. Please look at this newspaper. It’s covering the erosion.”

Lina handed me the paper just when news from the Order should start coming in. I found a familiar face in the picture in the newspaper.

A bushy fox tail and twitching fox ears. It was none other than Renia.

Her achievements in announcing her research results on erosion had been conveyed this far.

‘Now that almost everyone has recognized how serious it is, we can set up countermeasures in advance.’

Although what erosion is and whether it actually exists might still be questionable to the people of the world, thanks to the efforts of people like Renia, much had already been revealed.

Once the problem is recognized, the response will be quick.

“A banquet?”

“The royal family invited us directly. It seems impolite not to go.”

Since arriving here to talk with the king, who is both the final decision-maker of the country and the strongest lord, Ellua had to be busy all the time.

It wasn’t just stiff formal occasions. Events like this, called banquets or parties, were held, and those who were lacking seemed to be preparing to work there as well.

“A lot of issues that can’t be openly discussed will come up, I guess.”

It’s foolish to think that powerful figures would gather just to eat and drink at a party. Surely that place is also an extension of politics, and an opportunity to gauge the thoughts of those in power.

Although we’ve achieved everything for now, it would be a loss for the elves to be satisfied with just that. Ellua knew this too, so she was planning to be as active as possible on this occasion.

“Do you have any thoughts of going?”

“Why would I go there? Go with Arisa and have a good time.”

Ellua thought I might show interest in it, but it was the opposite. I was too busy dealing with things right in front of me to spare attention for other places.

I hated crowded places, especially when I couldn’t openly show my face.

“It seems we were indeed too confined in a narrow space all this time.”

“It’s good that you’ve realized it now, at least.”

A wind of change had begun to blow for the elves. Starting with Ellua, who was selected as a representative and came out to the world directly, even those stubborn elders would change someday.

Honestly, I couldn’t guarantee whether the end result would be good or bad. In that aspect, we just had to trust them.

“–, —?”

“Huh?”

However, when I was sprawled out in the lodging, enjoying a rare moment of leisurely rest, the wind spirit that had gone out for a stroll came back with unexpected news.

It was news I hadn’t thought about at all.

“What’s the matter?”

Lina, who was used to me conversing with spirits, casually asked. I, who had no particular intention of hiding it, just blurted out the answer.

“It seems some forces with impure intentions are targeting Ellua’s group. I need to check whether they’re just gossiping because they don’t like it or if it’s something serious.”

“What?!”

Of course, what I said were words that could never be taken lightly.

* * *

“Hey, it’s an order from above.”

“There’s been a lot of work lately. Why? Wasn’t the organization’s business stable?”

“The new commander is very proactive, and other commanders support him too. We can’t help it. We have to do as we’re told.”

In a secluded alley in the kingdom’s capital. Two people who met there had a brief conversation. Both were informants related to the organization.

They were also ones who had urgently received an instruction from Ethan.

“Frank Medis. A person from the Medis family. He’s such a famous person, is there something that needs to be investigated?”

The informant confirmed the identity of the investigation target and tilted his head. Because he was already too famous, there wasn’t much to investigate.

“You know. They want something more secretive.”

However, what the organization wanted wasn’t the honorable and simple information revealed to the world. It was a rather dangerous mission to find out about something that such a big shot might have to hide, perhaps something dishonorable.

“I know people who would risk their lives to do this job for us.”

“That’s good then. Instruct them to find out whatever they can.”

“Does money gush out of a magic pot for that new commander? How on earth…”

He clicked his tongue at the amount of Ethan’s activities. Given their characteristic of working by finding a kind of collaborator, it costs a huge amount of money every time they operate.

Ethan was reaching out to underground forces spread like a net across the entire continent, bearing all of that.

“Is there no higher bidder?!”

Of course, they didn’t know that at this very moment, a mythical era artifact that Ethan had disposed of was being sold at a high price in an underground auction house.