Ch.138Chapter 138. Cheska Flandor

After boarding the carriage, I had a conversation with the young noble head who was accompanying me.

The main topic was naturally about Garam Lee, who had worked with me.

It was an expected outcome, as she was our only connection.

“So, you’re saying that Garam would always talk about me after returning from missions.”

“When reporting her missions, stories about you were never left out. I suppose that’s natural since you were the only person she associated with at that time…”

This must be about when I was called the Failed Hero.

Well, sponsors need to hear about their collaborators, and I shouldn’t feel bad as long as she wasn’t gossiping behind my back.

“From what I’ve heard, you transitioned from being a Foreign Laborer to an adventurer. You must have worked quite hard to reach your current position.”

“Hahaha, it’s nothing special. I was just lucky…”

“Seizing luck is also a matter of skill. Most people either fail to recognize when luck comes their way or waste the opportunity.”

Despite her blunt manner of speech, Cheska was dismissing my modest attitude.

While such praise felt somewhat burdensome, I also felt a tingling in one corner of my heart.

I guess I’m only human, weak to compliments… Well, refusing someone’s goodwill would be impolite too.

“Anyway, through my connection with the Hero I sponsored, I’d like to make a proposal to you…”

After our light-hearted chat, she moved on to what I had somewhat anticipated.

She probably came to meet me in her noble capacity for this very purpose.

Noticing this, I asked directly before she could continue:

“Perhaps you want to become my patron?”

“…You caught on quickly.”

“Well, you did come all this way personally…”

Her intentions were obvious, but I didn’t necessarily think that was bad.

While Heroes are seen as saviors by the public, what those in power want is to boost their own influence through such high-profile figures.

So establishing a connection with me before my treatment at the imperial palace is decided would be quite advantageous.

“The fact that you brought this up first suggests you’re quite eager to receive sponsorship from a noble like myself.”

“Well, I won’t deny it… Actually, I find the current situation somewhat reassuring.”

As a smile formed on my face from my undisguised expectations, Cheska tilted her head slightly in confusion.

“Reassuring? That I came to you?”

“This is my first time receiving such a recruitment offer. When working in an unfamiliar place, it’s always good to start by adapting with the help of an acquaintance, right?”

When facing the unknown with potential dangers lurking, it’s best to take three steps back and observe first.

Having someone to rely on, cooperate with, and support each other is the way to extend one’s lifeline in such situations.

That was partly why I first paired up with Garam.

At this moment, I felt a sense of satisfaction growing in my chest, feeling rewarded for that choice.

“Ah, yes. I see. Seeking familiarity…”

But was there something unsettling about what I just said?

Cheska pushed up her glasses, pressed her lips firmly together, and rested her chin on her hand.

I sensed something was off because the atmosphere had changed.

Though I didn’t know exactly what, something was clearly bothering her.

“…Cheska?”

“Well then, I suppose we have an agreement.”

As I tried to figure out what caused her reaction, she raised her head again and reached into her pocket.

She then pulled out a document with such fluid and unhesitating movements.

It made me wonder if the earlier discomfort I felt was just my imagination.

“Since we seem to have reached an agreement, it would be appropriate to draw up a contract right here.”

“A contract? Right now?”

“Once we arrive at the banquet hall, you’ll be the center of attention. It won’t be easy to exchange documents directly then.”

She smoothly presented the document and a pen.

Though the unexpected turn of events left me feeling uncertain, she simply crossed her arms and gazed out the window as if nothing was amiss.

“I’ve already stamped the family seal, so the contract will take legal effect as soon as you sign. Please keep this in mind when signing.”

Was her indifferent attitude stemming from noble authority?

Or was it a pragmatic approach of simply completing her business?

Either way, being handed a contract immediately after meeting was quite burdensome, but refusing didn’t seem like a good option either.

Refusing without a good reason might cause trouble for Garam, who was indebted to her.

‘What? You’re asking what kind of person my sponsor is?’

Come to think of it, we did talk about her sponsor when we camped together.

Convinced that the noble before me was the one she mentioned then, I recalled our conversation.

‘Well, she’s not particularly friendly. She doesn’t like jokes, has a stiff attitude… She provides a lot of support, but she’s also strict enough to scrutinize expense reports in detail.’

An unsociable, penny-pinching person in power…

Not exactly a positive assessment.

While nobles are known for being arrogant and ill-tempered, even if she’s relatively mild among them, that doesn’t mean she’s easy to deal with.

‘Still, she never used harsh words or gave unreasonable orders. She even agreed to let me go around with you if it would help clear my name.’

Despite this, the reason I didn’t form an entirely unpleasant impression of her from our first meeting was because Garam’s attitude during that conversation had been favorable.

‘I don’t think she’s a bad person.’

‘…Really?’

‘Yes, it’s hard to explain in detail… but that’s how I felt.’

Though it was an assessment without clear evidence, relationships between people depend more on emotional factors than material ones.

Given that there are many powerful figures who exploit Heroes or abuse their authority, perhaps a calculating noble who takes a hands-off approach might actually be relatively better.

“Here you go.”

I signed the contract and handed it back, acting out of trust in my partner and with a sense of gratitude.

“…You accepted quite readily. It was quite a sudden proposal.”

“Well, I have my reasons to trust you.”

After all, isn’t she a comrade who has gone through dangerous situations with me?

So for the time being, following this person seemed like a good idea, and a friendly smile began to form on my face.

“Anyway, I’ll trust you based on your effort to visit me personally. I look forward to working with you and Garam in the future.”

I bowed my head with as much respect as I could muster.

Cheska looked down at me, then turned back to the window and said in a low voice:

“Yes, I also consider it fortunate to have acquired someone of your talent… but there’s a slight error in your statement about relying on her.”

“…What? What do you mean?”

“Well, since I’ve drawn up an employment contract with you, I’ll have to cut off my sponsorship of her as soon as I return to the family.”

I froze.

For a moment, I couldn’t understand what she had just said.

Cut off her sponsorship? What does that mean?

“As it happens, I only need one Hero.”

Cheska continued in a matter-of-fact tone:

“For my Flandor family, it’s not easy to employ even one Hero, so I needed to select the most excellent one from among those I could hire.”

“Wait, what are you saying…”

What the hell is this person saying?

Despite only being able to employ one person, she approached me with a recruitment offer while still employing Garam?

“Honestly, I’m grateful to her. Though her abilities were useful, the negative perception of her remained, so sponsoring her wasn’t very rewarding.”

She continued speaking nonchalantly, as if she didn’t care about my shock.

As if she was throwing away her connection with Garam, who had trusted her all this time, like an old shoe.

“But then she provided me with a connection to the hero who led the victory against the Undead, and even helped me successfully secure this contract… I’d say I was lucky.”

“…Are you serious right now?”

“Well, don’t worry too much. Although I can only sponsor one person, I intend to provide as much support as possible to that one person. At least it won’t be less than what other Heroes receive…”

-BANG!!!

My fist slammed into the carriage wall with full force.

Of course, without infusing it with magical power, it lacked destructive power and only made a loud noise.

Just for now, at least.

“…Hey, you.”

But depending on how the person in front of me acts next, the fist aimed at the wall might be redirected toward them, and its purpose might transform into sadistic violence.

“Being a noble must have blinded you. You’d better watch your words. If you keep acting like this and happen to catch the wrong end of a blade, you’ll have nowhere to complain.”

The sound of teeth grinding reflected the disgust I felt at this sudden turn of events.

And now I couldn’t help but regret what I had done.

Even though it was just a piece of paper, contracts have absolute power in society.

Despite knowing that people in power treat others like trash, why did I think this person would be any different?

“…You’re quite emotional.”

Even as I felt self-loathing, she continued to regard me with that mechanical attitude.

“If it weren’t for me, you might have been issued an arrest warrant immediately.”

“That’s for me to deal with.”

“Are you saying you’re prepared to die with someone just because they displease you? Even after being so desperate to climb from a Foreign Laborer to where you are now?”

“Yes, that’s how I’ve always lived.”

That’s not a lie.

Before inheriting Tachia’s personality, I was weak and insignificant, but even then, I never exploited anyone.

I may have lost people close to me due to my weakness, but I never betrayed them.

“…I see now what kind of person you are.”

-Clop, clop.

The carriage continued to rock with the sound of hooves.

In the silence that followed, Cheska quietly addressed me as I glared at her.

“Please sit down. I have something to tell you before we reach the imperial palace.”

“…”

“…Surely you’re not going to make a scene?”

Damn it, what’s with this person?

Even for a noble, this is a situation where they should feel some rudeness, if not fear.

“Go ahead, speak.”

The fact that she didn’t immediately threaten me with execution or accuse me of disrespect made her worth listening to.

I sat down, curious to hear what nonsense she would use to try to persuade me.

The ill-mannered brat pushed up her glasses and said:

“If you get angry like this, things will be difficult for you going forward.”

“…What?”

“You know, don’t you? What kind of people the power holders in this empire generally are.”

I know very well.

The fundamental reason why Heroes have all become morally bankrupt is because this empire is filled with corrupt pigs in positions of power.

“Nothing corrupts more easily than those with power.”

As that assessment applied equally to the person in front of me, she continued with her arms crossed:

“Charisma, leadership, inclusivity, judgment… A person who possesses all these qualities evenly deserves the right to lead others, but ironically, in this empire, authority is passed down through hereditary succession.”

Her expression remained dry, and her words sounded intellectual and haughty, as if she were reciting from a dictionary.

She gave the impression of a strategist rather than a noble…

No, it was more like watching a well-programmed robot.

“And the major drawback of a hereditary system is that people only reap the results of what their ancestors built. Not knowing how much effort and sacrifice went into obtaining that right, people like you, from a Foreign Laborer background, can’t help but feel resentment toward authority figures.”

“…What, are you suddenly engaging in self-reflection?”

“I’m telling you to think rationally and logically. If you realize that the person in front of you lives in a different world from yours… no matter how unreasonable their behavior seems, responding emotionally will only make the situation worse.”

“Haha, and so? Are you lecturing me that I acted rashly by forgetting such considerations when dealing with a noble…”

-Rip, rip.

Just as I burst into laughter at the absurdity, the sound of paper being torn filled the carriage.

The sound of her tearing up the very document that would have given her legal authority over me from the moment I signed it.

“Mr. Hyoseong Woo.”

Cheska threw the torn pieces of paper into the river visible outside the carriage.

This gesture of showing no attachment to the contract gave compelling weight to her next words:

“In Garam’s case, she had no backup and no one else would contract with her except me, but your situation is different. You’re not aware of how much attention you’re receiving from the empire’s leadership right now.”

“What do you…”

“The place you’re heading to is filled with people more detestable than what I’ve just shown you, people who will extend their malice toward you.”

The attitude I had found arrogant and disgusting until now completely flipped the moment she threw away with her own hands the benefits she could have gained from what I thought was deception.

“You want to succeed, don’t you?”

I realized that what came from her mouth was not deception but a ‘warning’.

“The fact that you’ve come this far from being a Foreign Laborer means you feel desperate for success, right?”

“…”

“Then be more careful than you were just now when choosing someone to sponsor you. Otherwise, in the place you’re about to go, everything you’ve built up could collapse in an instant.”

-Thud.

The carriage stopped at the end of her warning.

Cheska then stood up, opened the carriage door first, and stepped onto the street, saying:

“Follow me, I’ll guide you to the banquet hall.”

“…”

Unlike me, who felt tense from the warning, Cheska Flandor walked ahead nonchalantly.

After a moment’s hesitation, I decided to exit the carriage and follow her.

No matter how dubious the person in front of me seemed, we were heading to the same place, so I needed to accompany her.

“…Hey, you.”

But I still couldn’t view her favorably.

Feeling irritated, I followed behind her and asked in a harsh voice:

“So our contract is null and void now?”

“Since the only copy of the contract was destroyed, yes.”

“Then what happens to Garam now?”

“Since I tore up the contract with you, I’ll continue to employ her. As I said before, due to my circumstances, I can only employ one Hero.”

“…That sounds like you’ll replace her if a suitable alternative comes along.”

“I would if the opportunity arose.”

She doesn’t deny my sarcastic remark.

That means there was some truth in the attitude she showed earlier. Just as I was starting to feel angry about this realization:

“Of course, people capable of replacing such an excellent Hero as her are rare.”

“…What?”

“Regardless of public opinion, I consider her excellent. You, who receive her help, should understand this well.”

Cheska stopped walking briefly.

Then she pushed up her glasses, turned to look at me, and said quietly:

“So if you have to make a contract in the future, please be more careful than you were today.”

“If you choose the wrong sponsor, I, who sponsor her, will also be indirectly harmed.”

With an unwavering attitude.

Words that revealed her trust in Garam, right in front of me.