episode_0047

If you were going to bother Elin again, I was going to kick you out.

This makes things a little different.

“Please?”

I didn’t come to see you as Elin’s ex-brother.

As the captain of the secret task force.

It’s just that Luke has something to see.

“Let’s go out and talk first.”

I had a feeling that the conversation wouldn’t end any time soon.

Click.

I closed the door gently so as not to wake Elin and looked around.

Fortunately, there were no servants wandering the hallways.

“But how did you get here?”

Even though Luke’s room is located in a remote place, it is inside the Bertine mansion.

It wouldn’t be easy to avoid being hit by any guards or alarm magic.

“It was the house I lived in, so there’s no way I wouldn’t know.”

At first glance, it sounded plausible.

but.

“Hasn’t it been at least 5 years since you left Bertain?”

How could the Duke’s security system be so lax?

It will probably be replaced at least once every six months.

If you didn’t come here often, you wouldn’t be able to come in so skillfully.

“You came because of the princess.”

“… … Not often.”

“Anyway, you came here, right?”

“About once a month.”

It’s often right.

Regular support for orphanages is standard once a month.

“Then, every time you came to visit, you would just watch the princess suffer gloomily.”

“… I think you want to make me into a really bad person.”

“Isn’t it?”

Leo, who had opened his mouth slightly, let out a sigh.

“… Yeah. I just watched while I knew Elin was being abused. I thought it wasn’t the time yet… … No, it’s all excuses. It’s just my fault. ”

Leo shook his head.

Instead of making any more excuses, I changed the subject.

“But was today a special day?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“You slept in the same bed as Elin.”

“… … ”

“It wouldn’t happen for no reason, right?”

Leo just dryly pointed out the situation.

“I stayed by your side because you said you couldn’t sleep. Are you trying to interfere now that you’re not even my brother?”

I tried to counterattack like that.

“No.”

Leo responded without wavering at all.

“It seems like we’re getting along well, so it’s better to say that you were by my side.”

Well, it’s Luke’s room.

“Isn’t it a bit odd for an adult man and a girl to sleep in the same bed? Even if they are teacher and student.”

Leo’s words were extremely sensible to say the least.

“… … ”

The distance between me and Elin that is hard to control.

It’s been Luke’s number one worry these days.

No suitable rebuttal came to mind.

“Come in, this is the princess’s room.”

Luckily, I arrived at Ellen’s room and managed to get through.

It was ironic.

Elin sleeps in Luke’s room every day.

Because of that, Ellen’s room was practically empty.

There would probably be cobwebs if Anne hadn’t cleaned it every day.

Anyway, there was no better place in Berthain to have a quiet conversation.

“I’d like to hear why you came to see me.”

Crunch.

I unlocked the door and entered Elin’s room.

* * * * *

“Is this Elin’s room?”

Leo slowly looks around.

Since there was very little furniture in the room, I didn’t have much time to look around.

“It’s better than before.”

A brief review.

The voice didn’t particularly convey emotion.

It’s clear that last time, there seemed to be some regret and lingering feelings.

Now, it was so dry and bland that even that seemed to have been wiped out.

Is it possible for someone to be this different from when they committed a ridiculous kidnapping?

When looking at Leo with curious eyes.

“I’ll get to the point.”

Leo opened his mouth in a businesslike manner.

“Would you like to join the Secret Service, Luke Bucklin?”

“Hmm.”

When you said you had a favor to ask.

I kind of expected it.

“I didn’t know it would be this obvious.”

“If you expected it, the story would be quick.”

“Before that. Why would the secret task force take a private tutor away?”

Honestly, isn’t it a little strange that special forces would take an ordinary tutor?

Let’s say Luke has done this so far.

Graduated from the Academy without ever missing the top spot.

The creation of a unique magic sword that the professor and the magic tower master are obsessed with.

All it did was completely awaken Elin’s potential, which had previously been incapable of using magic.

“… Are you appealing now?”

Leo’s head tilted at the endless boasting.

“No, how could that be?”

Luke, who held out his hand, asked out of pure curiosity.

“But do you recruit in this way?”

I don’t know because the secret task force has never directly appeared in the game.

It is a special force that is clearly under the royal family.

So, there’s no way they would take the unit members like this, like street casting.

It’s going to be a very complicated process.

“We only evaluate ability. And you have already proven it enough.”

“What did I do to make you say that?”

“Did you forget the achievements I just listed? And, you also have a record of subduing three secret service agents.”

“Yes?”

Did I have such an amazing experience?

Luke, who was about to ask that question, briefly recalled the past.

Just a few days ago.

It was when Elin was kidnapped.

Two secret agents bound in chains and bursting with light.

And I aimed a mana sphere at Leo to immobilize him.

“The Empire’s best special forces were helpless against a wizard fresh out of the Academy.”

“… … Yeah. That’s right.”

It seemed like he had a lot to say.

Leo nodded, holding back his words.

“We decided that your abilities were too valuable to be used as a tutor.”

“Isn’t that why you made that decision because you don’t have enough hands?”

“I won’t deny it.”

Leo, who admitted it obediently, continued speaking.

“Although he didn’t say it so directly, I have already asked His Majesty for permission.”

To sum it up, that’s what it was.

Since the situation is urgent, I’ll bring the best guy I know.

“I see.”

Leo nodded.

“Joining the Secret Service will be beneficial to you. You will be given the best information in the Empire and the power to be directly under the Imperial Family.”

Certainly, there were things Luke didn’t have right now.

Even if you have wealth and fame.

There is bound to be a difference between an individual’s information power and a country’s information power.

Although he had a wide network of connections, he had no real power.

“We need you. To be precise, we value spatial magic.”

“Do you want abilities like portals or inventory?”

“That’s correct. I want to use those abilities as an information source.”

The requirements are easy to understand.

Shortened moving and storage times.

The original purpose of developing magic was ‘convenience.’

He couldn’t have been more suited to the secret task force that always had to move underwater.

But that’s your business.

“What about tutors?”

Luke has his own circumstances too.

“There is still a lot of time left in the contract period.”

Even if they are the royal family, they won’t be able to forcefully cancel the contract made in Bertain.

“I’ll talk to the Duchess directly. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

Leo seemed to have some kind of faith in him.

Judging from the fact that he calls his mother Duchess, it seems like they aren’t that close.

“What about the princess? She is someone who waits for my lessons every day without fail.”

Actually, this was the biggest problem.

That I have to break up with Elin.

“If you quit being a tutor, you obviously can’t continue.”

“Is that so?”

There, even the feeling that had never existed before completely disappeared.

Then, as if telling me to listen, Leo’s words became faster and faster.

“You can’t teach, but you can meet every night. You can meet briefly during missions. You can keep in touch on your days off, as long as you don’t get caught by anyone.”

“Is it okay to give that much preferential treatment?”

It looks like he’s already noticed that Luke’s heart has left.

Seeing such a radical proposal, I guess there’s something fishy going on.

“Is it related to the North?”

“It’s not just limited to the North. Both the Imperial Family and Bertha are involved… …like this.”

Hwaruk.

A black flame rose as if it were burning Leo’s tongue.

“Is this not even enough?”

The curse that held the power to speak firmly shut his mouth.

I felt it since last time.

This is not just frustrating.

“If you join the secret task force, will you be able to share all the information you know?”

“Yes. Because it will engrave the same restriction curse of speech.”

“Hmm.”

Luke thought about it for a moment.

I wonder what they know to make them want to take Luke away so hastily.

Is there no way to extract only the information of the secret task force?

I kept my mouth shut for a while and turned my head around tensely.

I wonder if he saw it as a comparison between the secret task force and the tutor.

“We need you, Luke.”

Leo’s voice became more serious.

“You can protect and meet Elin while working as a secret special forces agent. Of course, it would be impossible to maintain the same life as now. In a few years, when the situation calms down, you may be able to return.”

“So,” Leo added, holding out one hand.

It was a hand full of scars and calluses, bearing the marks of life.

“Would you like to join us for the future of the empire?”

I didn’t take her hand hastily but just looked down at her.

Well, I never thought of giving up being Elin’s tutor.

Still, I’m wondering if it might be okay to collaborate a few times on a one-time basis.

Squeak.

I heard the hinges squeal.

slap.

Leo and Luke’s heads turned at the same time.

The impressions of the two people turning their heads were slightly different.

I let my guard down. It looks like my identity has been revealed.

This was Leo’s idea.

Another intruder in Bertain?

This was Luke’s idea.

That was understandable.

There probably aren’t many people coming into Elin’s room late at night.

But what they overlooked was.

This was ‘Elin’s’ room.

“… … What are you talking about now?”

“Your Majesty?”

Elin enters the room with her hair disheveled.

Looks like he just woke up.

It shakes uncomfortably, as if the fool’s hair is malfunctioning.

“You’re taking the teacher with you?”

A blank look at Leo.

“… Who cares?”

A faint anger began to rise in his blue eyes.