Recruitment

I don’t think of myself as an exceptional gourmet, but I think I’m good enough to recommend dishes that suit popular tastes. At Eunice’s request to eat seafood, I chose seafood paella after much deliberation.

Paella, existing somewhere between risotto and fried rice, was a representative dish of Spain. Ridiculously, Spanish cuisine appears prominently in this fantasy world. It was because the settings for the food were conveniently similar to modern times. Because of that, Japanese curry sometimes appears in restaurants, but unfortunately, kimchi doesn’t appear as a side dish, as befits a fantasy world.

As a joke, I once thought about a setting where there was a kimchi artisan in the north, but I discarded it because I thought it was an unreasonable stretch that didn’t fit the fantasy. Like in Estelle’s case, a discarded setting might come to life, and there might still be a kimchi artisan making kimchi somewhere in the north. I’m planning to put them on the list of talents to recruit using Modest later.

Anyway, while waiting for the seafood paella we ordered, Eunice asked what she was curious about.

,Why did you do that? You know the triathlon is broadcast all over the continent. No matter how good your intentions are… it will leave a bad image for everyone on the continent even as time passes. Look, even now the people around us don’t have good eyes on you.”

As Eunice said, I could feel the people at the surrounding tables glancing at me and murmuring. I scratched my eyebrow and drank some water. It was cool, iced water.

,I know. I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. Now I know it was the wrong way because I didn’t think about myself.”

At Eunice’s gaze staring at me intently, I added with a sigh.

,You didn’t forget our school song you heard yesterday, did you?”

,School song?”

,The saying that the order of this place is the order of the world.”

I took one of the ice cubes in the cup into my mouth. I rolled the ice with my tongue, and moistened my lips at Eunice’s appearance waiting for me to continue.

,It’s been 30 years. The years your academy has been used in the Emperor’s scheme and lived as losers. That vicious cycle is being taken for granted. Isn’t it strange? While shouting that the order of this place is the order of the world, everyone turns a blind eye to the wrong order created by the Emperor, and if you point it out, they deny it and gloss over it. Even though the world itself defines you as losers. And they shout that it’s a fair competition.”

It’s not that I don’t understand the people who bowed their heads to injustice. He’s a crazy Emperor who drives even his own children to the cliff of death. He wouldn’t have stood still if anyone tried to ruin his farce. Rather, the Emperor would have been waiting for the local nobles to rise up. The local nobles knew that too, so the triathlon winner hadn’t changed for 30 years.

I lowered my voice a little more and said as if whispering.

,I’m guessing why the academies united this year, not last year, which was the monumental 30th anniversary of the triathlon.”

Eunice’s shoulders twitched. She didn’t think I would know even that. But I have no choice but to know. Because I was the one who designed the most important story flowing in this world.

,Can I hear what you’re guessing?”

At Eunice’s cautious attitude, I was conscious of the people around me and answered as if it was nothing.

,Because the Emperor didn’t show up at last year’s triathlon.”

Eunice’s eyes widened slightly. She tried to hide her expression, but she couldn’t control her reflexive reaction.

The Emperor is currently unconscious. Only the Emperor’s closest aides know that fact. Even the Crown Princess Bella doesn’t know this fact. She’s barely maintaining her life with medicine, and she’s only regaining consciousness for about an hour a week. In unavoidable situations, they’re using a stand-in, but even that stand-in never goes outside the Imperial Palace in case of an emergency.

This joint academy alliance in the triathlon is not just a rebellion of local academies resisting the Emperor’s farce. The real purpose is to observe the Emperor’s reaction, who hasn’t been seen anywhere since last year, with the joint victory of this triathlon. Underneath the plan of the academy alliance, such political tactics were secretly hidden. That became the trigger that led to the possibility of a noble’s rebellion, and I stopped it.

,You are….”

Eunice was about to say something, but a pot full of seafood paella came up on the table.

It’s a delicious paella decorated with shrimp, squid, clams, and a side of lemon. When I generously filled Eunice’s plate in a gentlemanly manner, Eunice sighed as if she was sorry that the conversation was cut off and picked up the lemon. After squeezing the lemon juice into the plate, Eunice took a spoonful and tasted the paella, and her lips twitched slightly.

Fortunately, it’s a satisfactory reaction. I also took a spoonful and tasted the paella. The texture is amazing. The texture is like fluffy rice, and the unique aroma of seafood and the taste of vegetables are mixed together to create a perfect harmony. The salty taste and the sour lemon taste and spicy aroma that follow had the effect of awakening the taste buds of the tongue at once.

The conversation was interrupted for a while. Eunice, who was diligently emptying her plate, asked me, who was diligently tearing off the shrimp heads.

,…Was everything planned from the beginning?”

I felt like she was misunderstanding me, so I said clearly.

,I’m not that great. The inclusion of a Transcender in the final joint victory was closer to an impromptu plan. It was a big gamble that relied on the luck of Roel.”

,But it became a successful gamble, didn’t it? Everyone except you is happy.”

Eunice said with a playful smile. I put the shrimp on the spoon without thinking and answered.

,Not really? I’ve never felt particularly unhappy. Rather, I think it’s fortunate. It was a bit of a sloppy plan, but the result is good.”

The seasonings in the flesh of the shrimp made me feel a deep flavor. Delicious. The satisfaction was high as I chose a good dish.

,…The result is good. I guess so.”

Eunice, who was scraping the bottom of the plate with a spoon, raised her head and stared at me intently. I thought I was too focused on eating, so I put down the spoon slightly, and Eunice asked.

,Is your dream to be a hero?”

I answered that question without hesitation.

,No, not at all.”

Eunice’s eyes lit up at my quick answer. It was like a detective’s eyes that had found my contradiction.

,Really? The club name is Messiah, and you’re making yourself a common enemy for everyone… Anyone would think you’re close to a self-sacrificing hero?”

I have promised to become a hero. But even if my actions look like a self-sacrificing hero in Eunice’s eyes, it’s far from my true feelings.

,…Usually heroes don’t think about their own interests first. This is only for my own benefit.”

I cut off the vicious cycle of the triathlon and prevented the rebellion. I just acted for that goal. If cutting off the vicious cycle would harm Roel, I would have acted to maintain the vicious cycle by any means.

Therefore, there is no righteousness in my actions anywhere. I was just a foolish, immature child who only thought about my own interests.

,Is being hated by people a benefit?”

Eunice, who doesn’t know the truth, doesn’t seem to believe my words, but I can’t help it. Eunice is not a strategist for me yet. When I drank water without saying a word, Eunice chuckled and muttered.

,Shy.”

Think whatever you want. When I looked at her with that expression, Eunice started to focus on emptying her plate again. As the meal was coming to an end, I asked casually.

,What are you going to do in the future?”

At my question, Eunice put down the spoon and stretched.

,I have to prepare for the next triathlon. I think I have to start thinking about how to win against a Transcender from now on.”

She has an expression that doesn’t have any worries. I could even see the confidence that she would find a way to win no matter what. Her plump lips, stained with oil, sparkled, and I inadvertently glanced at them.

,You’re not giving up. The opponent is a Transcender. They’re monsters who live in a different world than us.”

,Not giving up in any situation is the most important virtue for a strategist. I won’t give up. Even with overwhelming force, I will definitely find a way.”

I smiled without realizing it at Eunice’s confident answer. It was the moment when the thought that I had to bring Eunice became a conviction. I said directly.

,Eunice, join the Messiah club. I need you.”

Eunice tilted her head with a dumbfounded expression. Her eyes widening were cute.

,Wh, what are you talking about? You haven’t forgotten that I’m a student at Elassium Academy, have you?”

,I know. So I’m going to help you transfer to Transcendence Academy as a special case. I’m offering you to join our club.”

Perhaps it was an unexpected word, Eunice shuddered. For some reason, everyone I meet seems to have a good reaction.

,Sp, special transfer…?”

I nodded at Eunice, who asked back in a trembling voice.

,Just like I entered as a special admission, it’s possible to transfer from another academy. Especially since you have good grades and showed a good performance in the triathlon, they won’t refuse.”

,Do, do you think I’ll betray Elassium?!”

Eunice’s voice grew louder. Thanks to that, the eyes of the surrounding tables were focused on us, so I said in a low voice.

,There’s no need to be so attached to the triathlon. Your talent is too good for that. The place where your talent will be displayed is somewhere else. That place is our Messiah club.”

It’s a look that’s closer to bewilderment than embarrassment. I said in a small voice so that the people around me couldn’t hear.

,Just like you know the truth about the joint victory, I also know the plan that the Emperor is plotting. He’s sacrificing countless lives to obtain an immortal body. Whether it’s self-sacrifice or whatever, I’m going to stop that crazy plan with the Messiah members.”

I added to Eunice, who had an incredulous expression.

,As I said earlier, I acted thinking that my way was the best. What looks like a self-sacrificing act to you was the only path I could choose.”

Eunice’s eyes looking at me were shaking. Looking straight at that, I asked with sincerity.

,Help me. Help me find a new way by my side so that I can save the world in a better way than I am now.”