Ch.181181. Untying the Knot (2)

Just Once.

The problem was the match I had willingly participated in by expressing my own intent.

I’m talking about the Grand Battle, where I barged in after seeing Demian cross the line.

Why hadn’t I prepared for this kind of aftermath?

Though I acted on impulse, this was becoming quite tiresome for me.

“What do you think? Are the conditions not to your liking?”

“I’m sorry. It’s not about your offer.”

“If our team doesn’t work for you, how about a guild? The compensation would of course—”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to join any team or guild.”

“Junon!”

It all started that morning when I was out jogging after leaving the dormitory. People began gathering from all around the academy, and before I knew it, they were swarming everywhere.

Because of that, I couldn’t properly warm up and had to head straight to the classroom.

I thought they would give up since they couldn’t approach me during lectures. But as soon as I came out, this is what I faced.

‘Good grief, I understand how this happened, but do they really need to crowd around me like this?’

No matter how much I lament internally, there’s no way out.

No matter how many times I say I have no intention of joining any organization, they keep changing their conditions or trying to persuade me, claiming I’m exactly the person they need.

Whether sincere or flattery, I don’t like any of it.

To avoid these clingy people, buying time would be the most advantageous strategy.

“I’ll consider it after graduation. I absolutely have no intention of joining anywhere right now.”

“What? Graduation…”

“It’ll be hard to secure you by then…”

“And it’s too late anyway…”

“Ah, we don’t mind waiting! Our guild welcomes you anytime, even after graduation. We won’t interfere with you at all, unlike these people. Just keep in touch with us!”

“Hey! Our team won’t interfere either. Please consider us carefully!”

They seemed determined to use every trick to recruit me.

Truly.

Looking at the conditions they offered, none of them were bad for a third-year student.

Considering each place individually—guilds, teams, regions, position-based salaries—none of the conditions were bad.

But despite all these excellent offers, I didn’t want to belong anywhere.

‘Will you still say the same things if I lose my power later?’

Of course not.

They may beg now, but they’d cast me aside without hesitation later. And…

I still didn’t like being depended on by others.

Tembris.

That name still lingered in a corner of my heart.

The party that was my only connection, comrades who risked their lives fighting alongside me on the front lines.

The moment they turned their backs on me still remained like half-melted sediment.

But there was one person.

Someone who helped me through unexpected support during this faction war.

“…Aris.”

When I barged in demanding the 2nd seed for the Grand Battle, I had intended to use the debt she owed me.

But she…

-‘Let’s do that.’

-‘Go ahead. I’ll convince the others.’

-‘It’s okay. Really.’

She readily gave up her participation rights with those words.

I had sent Aris a brief reply saying I still couldn’t forgive her, and she must have received the message through Senia.

There might be various reasons why she didn’t come to me directly, but in the end, Aris never came.

Not since she gave up her seed rights.

Not during all the days of celebration that followed.

“So you won’t ask anything, Aris?”

If that’s the case…

***

After the faction war ended and everyone had finished their tasks, the entire Tembris gathered in their room for the first time in a while.

They had one visitor.

“Let me introduce you. This is Kelnur, who belongs to the same faction as Count Sherpen.”

The blonde man bowed his head at Erika’s introduction.

Senia, who glanced at the man, was the first to ask Erika.

“So why did you bring him here? Don’t tell me he’s a new member?”

“Of course not.”

As Senia asked with her arms crossed, Erika immediately began explaining.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Tembris has grown this much, but there’s one thing that has always remained stagnant.”

“Stagnant?”

“Are you referring to issues in combat?”

“I don’t think it’s about combat.”

As Senia said, that wasn’t it.

Although there was an absence of a center, Goden was filling that role, and the other members were compensating by providing more detailed briefings.

At least, this man wasn’t someone brought in to solve combat-related problems.

Even at a glance, this scrawny blonde man didn’t look like someone who could handle combat roles.

“We have Charlotte for accounting, and Senia who helps Charlotte with the technical side. Michelle handles customer relations, Kain is in charge of equipment, and I’m responsible for recovery. The other members also each have their own responsibilities, right?”

“I see what you mean, Erika. So this person is a secretary?”

“You caught on quickly? As expected, Senia is smart.”

That’s right. Although the members each had their own responsibilities, these tasks would normally be handled by different staff in a guild.

Following Goden’s policy of not bringing in employees, Tembris was suffering from a shortage of personnel.

They were no longer just a team but a party recognized by the principality.

Nevertheless, Senia expressed her opposition.

“But even one secretary is still an employee. Doesn’t that go against Goden’s policy?”

Why was Goden’s policy established?

The instruction not to bring in employees was because subordinates from other noble factions might infiltrate, or double spies might exist to exploit them.

And one more thing.

“We always have to maintain our secrets among ourselves. That was our promise.”

They had avoided bringing in people out of concern for potential vulnerabilities.

Since the person Erika brought in was shaking the foundation of this policy, Senia had to object.

“Then is there another way?”

But this one sentence was decisive.

Is there another way? That question rang like a bell in Senia’s mind.

“Senia… you know that Goden handles almost all the paperwork…”

“…I tried to help too, but I was more of a hindrance than help. Besides, I felt sorry for causing trouble every time I entered because of the Lumia incident.”

“I, I was also on the verge of not participating in this faction war due to academic issues. If Goden hadn’t processed it quickly, it could have been a disaster…”

Charlotte, Kain, and Aris.

They all only added to Goden’s paperwork burden without being able to help.

At best, Michelle and Senia could help, but Michelle was a noble and constantly received calls due to her high ranking on the page.

Senia was also busy with her duel with Ronelion and unfinished trade issues with the Sirens.

In this situation, it was fair to say there was no one available to help Goden.

“This is… a difficult problem.”

Goden scratched his head, showing his perplexity.

How could they resolve the issue of being unable to operate smoothly without even bringing in one secretary?

It was an entirely reasonable argument that bringing in someone was the only solution.

Reluctantly, Senia took a step back, deciding to at least hear them out.

“…You know why Goden made that policy, right?”

“Of course! That’s why I deliberately chose someone who won’t cause those kinds of problems.”

“Someone who won’t cause problems?”

Erika immediately shifted her gaze to the man.

He shyly stroked the back of his head and began introducing himself.

“Well, I’m finally introducing myself. I’m a fallen noble. I barely survived thanks to Lady Erika’s grace.”

“Oh, is that so? Then I think it should be fine.”

Meanwhile, Goden was the first to make a positive judgment.

From his perspective, these conditions posed no problem.

A fallen noble would be despised in noble society and not particularly well-regarded by commoners either.

Moreover, if he was living in Sherpen territory thanks to Erika’s grace, he was clearly Erika’s servant.

He was far too unsuitable for betrayal or manipulation.

The person himself would be extremely difficult to corrupt under these conditions.

“With those conditions… wouldn’t it be okay, Senia?”

“…Fine.”

Even Michelle, who shared the same thoughts as her, seemed to accept it, so Senia no longer objected.

But she couldn’t shake off her uneasiness.

‘Even though he’s just a secretary to handle paperwork, not a new member… it still feels strange.’

Senia was concerned about Erika’s recent behavior.

“Michelle. Let’s go empty the trash.”

She sent a signal that only the two of them understood. Michelle caught it immediately.

“Alright.”

***

Rustle.

The half-filled trash spilled out.

Normally they could have waited until it was fuller, but they couldn’t miss this timing.

Senia threw a direct question without beating around the bush.

“What do you think?”

“…I’m not sure.”

Michelle didn’t deny that something felt off.

However, since it was such a reasonable argument, it wasn’t easy to pinpoint the problem.

Also, the fact that it was still just a suspicion played a part.

“Could this be a means to keep Junon in check?”

“I’m not certain either. If Junon were trying to join Tembris, that secretary Kelnur would probably try to block him at the entrance.”

The problem was that Junon had no intention whatsoever of joining Tembris of his own accord.

“Senia. Could you take the rest of the trash?”

“…Need to clear your head?”

“Yes. I’ve had so many complicated thoughts lately that I can’t help it.”

“Well, most of those complicated thoughts must be about Erika and Junon’s relationship…”

Senia promptly took the trash can.

“Go ahead. If I have any insights later, I’ll let you know then.”

“Thanks, Senia.”

With that, Michelle left the trash can with Senia and headed somewhere.

Her steps grew faster as she went.

Soon, it wasn’t walking but running.

‘I tried to avoid meeting after hearing those words, but… now I have no choice.’

This was no longer a matter that could be overlooked.

—What do you think? Are the conditions not to your liking?

—…I’m sorry.

—If our team doesn’t work for you, how about a guild? The compensation would of course—

—I’m sorry. I don’t want to join any team or guild.

‘Found him.’

Having found the person in question, she would ask directly.

What Erika had done.