episode_0043

“Nothing changes by doing this.”

Kalia sat down in the hallway of the organization’s hideout.

She buried her face in her knees and muttered in a small voice that no one could hear.

“There should be a limit to one-sided favoritism.”

She grumbled. Criticizing the other person’s foolishness, saying they were doing nonsense.

But her voice was ever so shy.

Like a girl who doesn’t know how to react because she’s happy.

In fact, the corners of her lips kept trying to move on their own while she was talking. Mostly upwards.

‘To help other demons for my sake… The scale is too big for a gift of affection.’

A sovereign state for demons. A fantasy that any demon would dream of at least once in their life.

But no one had ever seriously set it as a goal.

Knowing that it was impossible with their own strength.

Demons are a race discriminated against, persecuted, and hated.

It is difficult to have proper status and property, and even their lives are not properly guaranteed outside the ghetto.

The church openly slanders demons, and the ruling class uses demons to divert the people’s discontent.

At least the Jews were of the same race, but these people were not, so they were more likely to suffer.

They are alive, but not living.

They have personality, free will, and intelligence, but none of them are properly recognized.

That was the life of a demon.

That being the case.

‘You hateful person. How am I supposed to repay you like this?’

To fulfill the dream I gave up as a child like this.

It was so sudden and overwhelming that I didn’t know how to react.

How should I repay that person who is still making grand plans to control the world in his head?

“What are you trying to get from me in return? Words of gratitude? A kiss? Or love?”

It was too hard to be with Ishmael any longer, so she had to leave the room without saying goodbye.

If she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to control her own emotions.

Her face would definitely turn red, and she would stutter and show all sorts of pathetic appearances.

He’s a person who likes mischievous jokes, so he would definitely make fun of me for it.

–Is anyone out there?

“Eek.”

It seems I’ve been here too long.

At Ishmael’s voice, Kalia immediately stood up.

She straightened her clothes and changed her expression solemnly, as if she had never smiled.

The attitude she had shown when she first met Ishmael. This was originally her usual appearance.

If she didn’t open her heart to anyone and focused only on work, there would be no chance of being caught for being a demon.

The problem is that her poker face has been breaking a lot lately, only when it comes to Ishmael.

Anyway, she’s maintaining this attitude to others.

‘Was the archive over there?’

It’s still around lunchtime.

There was plenty of time to work.

Since I’m back at the organization, I was thinking of reviewing the documents to be approved.

“Ah, Branch Manager.”

“It’s been a while.”

She ran into other members of the organization on the way. Rookies who joined about 3 or 4 years ago.

They are older than Kalia, but juniors in terms of experience.

“You must be suffering a lot due to the dispatch work. Teaching those stupid young masters at the academy must be a lot of hard work.”

“I have to do it because the higher-ups ordered it. More than that, what are you doing here? Isn’t it still working hours?”

“Well, we’re bringing him food. To that instructor-nim who’s holed up in his room.”

Of course, there was only one person who could be called an instructor here.

“Are you talking about Ishmael?”

“Yes. That guy. He said he couldn’t come to the cafeteria because he’s been working since earlier, so he told us to bring it to him instead.”

“Why do we have to take care of that ink-stained guy who can’t even keep time?”

Not a friendly tone at all.

Unfortunately, that was the general perception that the members of the Elaine Branch had of Ishmael.

From the perspective of the higher-ups, they like that a newbie has achieved great things and fulfilled their long-cherished wishes.

They tell them to take good care of him and monitor him because he’s an excellent talent.

They are wary because he has an unclear background, is excessively educated, and produces bizarre ideas.

Anyway, because he is useful and helpful to the organization, they don’t bother to be hostile and just manage him appropriately.

Other branches only hear about his achievements, so they just vaguely think he’s amazing.

But what about the people here?

–Monster.

–What the hell is in that guy’s head?

–He’s so smart, but he’s working with guys like us? Isn’t he hiding something?

They revere him. And they fear him.

They know Ishmael’s genius because they’ve worked with him.

And they witnessed firsthand how easily he overturns the world.

From his point of view, he was just appropriately disseminating the knowledge he had learned, but how would others see it?

He’s just spewing out ideas that scholars would have to study for a lifetime to create.

It’s inevitable that fear and dread will arise beyond simple amazement.

–I’ve been working for 5 years and I’m still a low-level employee. Why is that guy already becoming an executive?

What if jealousy towards a colleague who gets promoted quickly is added to this?

The public opinion towards Ishmael could not be favorable at all. The only reason there was no direct harm was because fear was mixed in with the reasons for disliking him.

‘Fools.’

Of course, that’s just the reason others give.

Kalia had no intention of taking it into account at all.

“Stop with the useless complaints. Aren’t you ashamed of being elders?”

“B, Branch Manager. No matter how much–”

“In the first place, who do you think we owe our current growth to? If it wasn’t for Ishmael, we would still be a minor terrorist group.”

Afraid? Well, that’s possible. Human emotions are something you can’t control yourself.

But isn’t it too shameless to hate or ostracize Ishmael because of that?

Thanks to him, the organization has grown this much, and we are on the verge of achieving our long-cherished wish since its founding. And now you’re openly slandering him?

There should be a limit to how shameless you are.

“If you’re going to say such things, achieve a feat that rivals Ishmael’s first. Then I’ll acknowledge it.”

Give the person who has achieved something the appropriate etiquette and treatment. The members of the organization could not refute the extremely correct statement.

“…..”

“If you understand, I’ll be on my way. Please be careful next time.”

Kalia, feeling refreshed after scolding them, went back on her way.

Ignoring her subordinates staring at her with astonished eyes from behind.

* * * * *

‘I should tell Ishmael to pay attention to interacting with those around him in the future.’

He’s the type to not listen to useless slander and insults. But still, I suddenly became worried after hearing it.

If the public opinion within the organization is this bad, shouldn’t I advise him to be a little more careful in his interpersonal relationships in the future?

‘That person hardly cares about others.’

Ishmael is a wise person.

Not only does he have a wealth of knowledge, but he is also highly intelligent, which is necessary to utilize and use it.

He learned the common language of the continent in half a year and easily took the position of instructor at the academy, so there is no doubt about his intellectual abilities.

But conversely, he’s a little clueless.

No, to be precise, he’s constantly focused on something and can’t pay attention to other things.

Kalia always lives with him and has been cooperating with him since the beginning, so she takes good care of him.

But he almost ignores people he’s not interested in.

‘He said before… that he came to the organization for revenge.’

I can roughly guess the reason.

Because he said it with his own mouth before.

‘Who is he taking revenge on?’

What, who, made that person like that?

Kalia had no way of knowing because he didn’t tell her.

However, if it’s a grudge that could devastate the world with war, the opponent must be unusual.

At the very least, it would be a royal or monarch of some country.

Maybe… the damn goddess in the sky far away?

“Hey, that’s too much.”

Kalia laughed because she was so dumbfounded even after thinking about it herself.

How could an ordinary human get involved with a goddess?

Except for Adolphus Hitler (the pronunciation is not accurate because it is recorded in ancient language), the hero who the goddess summoned from another world to catch the Demon King in the past, the goddess has always only communicated with the saintess.

Physically, he can’t get involved with Ishmael.

‘Whatever it is, I hope it works out well.’

Anyway, if he resolves his resentment, Ishmael will be able to regain peace of mind. Kalia could only hope that would happen soon.

‘When that time comes… I should tell him to retire together.’

When the organization’s grand plan is completed and there is no need to work, we will retire together. Find a small house in the suburbs and live together.

If Ishmael confesses his love to me… I’ll answer like this.

Borrowing the words my mother said to my father.

“I’ll hand over the ownership of the rest of my life to you.”

Just imagining it made my lower abdomen flutter.