Ch.322322 – The Scales of Life

<322 – Scale of Life>

Sing felt a chill.

He’d been had.

And he’d been had thoroughly.

Oknodie’s irrational knowledge.

Using that knowledge to create a reason not to return to the Academy.

The chairman’s proposal.

His wicked wisdom.

The method even appealed to Oknodie.

Sing could see it.

The future that would unfold.

This compromise would stretch endlessly from one week to two, from two weeks to a month, from a month to a semester, from a semester to a year, and then to two years.

In the end, returning to the Academy might be canceled altogether, possibly resulting in expulsion.

If the Foundation resolved all of Oknodie’s worries.

If the child’s reason for attending the Academy disappeared.

If her bonds with friends were replaced by the Foundation’s convenience.

Dark Princess Oknodie would be stained by darkness of a completely different dimension than before.

A truly wicked child who had opened her eyes to genuine darkness would be born.

“My, you seem concerned about Oknodie’s future. Do you think a student who neglects friendships and studies will struggle to grow into a respectable adult with a decent future?”

“What’s your intention in asking when you already know? I may be indebted to you and the Foundation, but I cannot hand Oknodie over like this. Don’t try to manipulate that child.”

“Manipulation? Isn’t that something you should say to yourself as well? Sing, heir to the Sword Gate who fled from the Eastern Empire’s power. Don’t you need my child’s help for your revenge?”

“!!”

“Why are you so surprised? This is a Foundation facility. I am the founder and chairman of the Foundation. There is nowhere in the world beyond the Foundation’s eyes, and there’s little I don’t know. Uncovering a secret like this is nothing if I put my mind to it.”

His past identity had been exposed.

Information might leak to the Sword Gate in his homeland, to the elders of his despicable family, to the enemies he wanted to tear apart.

Before he could accomplish his goal, a powerful person might be dispatched to take his head.

But an even greater fear arose.

The nature of this fear was the guilty conscience that “I am no different from the chairman.”

Using Oknodie and putting her in danger.

The Foundation clearly had that aspect.

They were also trying to separate Oknodie from her friends.

But could he justify making Oknodie participate in his revenge after graduation?

Wasn’t it the same thing, arbitrarily involving her in his circumstances?

It was a clear fact that while Oknodie participated in the assassination mission to the Eastern Empire, she would be separated from her other friends.

Strictly speaking, Sing and the chairman were no different.

The chairman had ruthlessly exposed this contradiction.

“I understand. Anyone becomes earnest when seeking revenge. They use any means necessary. Some revenge is a promise staked on one’s existence. If not kept, one loses their reason to live, their strength as a human, and even wastes away and dies while losing their lifespan.”

Instead of simply blaming him, the chairman made an even sweeter proposal.

“So let’s work together.”

“Together…?”

“You should stay at the Foundation with my child. If you feel something is unfair, you can intervene, and you’ll be reassured by staying close.”

“Working for the Foundation with Oknodie…”

“In the end, what you want is revenge. The Academy is just a place to gain strength for that revenge. If you have people and an organization to help with both your mission and the power to achieve it, there’s no need to be bound to the Academy, is there?”

“That’s… certainly true.”

It made sense.

Aside from his aversion to the Foundation, the chairman’s proposal was completely reasonable.

He also liked having a choice.

He could watch from nearby and take Oknodie away if things went wrong.

Despite having no need to do so, the chairman was making this offer to him.

“Why make me such a favorable offer?”

“Is it strange to care about your child’s friendships? It’s not a bad thing to bestow grace upon a commendable young man who is seriously contemplating his future and determined to seek revenge.”

“Is this how it works? How the Foundation obtains scholarship students and secures global influence?”

The chairman merely smiled.

He was offering goodwill.

To his daughter’s friend.

Even knowing it was just pleasant words.

Even knowing it was blatant temptation.

This temptation was too sweet.

Like the allure of an unhealthy dessert that one cannot resist despite knowing better, like falling into a swamp from which one cannot escape once trapped.

“…Anytime. If I feel a line is being crossed, I’ll convince Oknodie and take her back to the Academy.”

“I’m glad. That a friend will be joining her.”

“Hmm~”

Oknodie didn’t seem particularly pleased.

She even pouted her lips.

“Tch. I don’t like sharing experience points. But since Sing has high likability and high DPS for endgame content, I’ll specially allow it!”

Sing discovered he couldn’t deny that she was acting as if she’d done him a great favor.

Their relationship had changed.

As soon as he realized this fact, Sing’s heart grew heavy.

* *

As soon as it was decided they would stay at the Foundation, the chairman presented a catalog.

“Since you’ve decided to stay at the Foundation instead of the Academy, I’ve compiled things that could help my daughter and her friend. I’ve made a list of opportunities to collect rare items or earn special titles that will help with growth, so please take a look.”

The chairman’s curriculum, instead of conducting lengthy theoretical sessions and systematic lectures like the Foundation’s classes, presented clear outcomes and objectives that needed to be accomplished to achieve them.

The Foundation would certainly benefit in the process, but that wasn’t an issue for those receiving help.

‘It’s frightening how I’ve come to accept this.’

The list wasn’t just sweet enough to discuss mutual benefits as if “what’s good is good.”

━━━

Title Achievement List

01. Thousand-Man Slayer

Estimated Effect – Increased damage against humans, instills fear in human targets

Achievement Condition – Cut down one thousand humans

Foundation’s Proposal – Attack the Deutsch Kingdom’s legion attempting to conduct indirect slave trade by acquiring beastkin as “prisoners of war” beyond the western human border of the continent.

02. Beginning of Enmity

Estimated Effect – +0.1% vitality for each person who designates you as their ‘enemy’

Achievement Condition – Have someone designate you as their enemy

Foundation’s Proposal – Save one soldier from each different unit among the Deutsch Kingdom’s legion.

03. Secret Sponsor

…

━━━

Collection List

01. Celestial Dragon Armor (Rare Grade 3)

Estimated Effect – Iron Wall defense (200+) against ranged attacks. Lightning reflection (200+) against melee attacks.

Current Owner – Schweizer Pretzel, 4th Legion Commander of the Deutsch Kingdom (brother of the current Grand Duke of House Pretzel)

Foundation’s Proposal – Acquire along with achieving Thousand-Man Slayer and Beginning of Enmity.

02. Gravekeeper’s Lamp (Rare Grade 5)

Estimated Effect – Expanded vision (100+) and darkness resistance (100+) to protect oneself from negative energy.

Current Owner – Gravekeeper of the Deutsch Kingdom’s National Heroes’ Cemetery.

Foundation’s Proposal – After killing Schweizer Pretzel, infiltrate the National Heroes’ Cemetery by blending in with the procession transporting his corpse, then kill the gravekeeper.

03. Red Tomb’s Sole (Rare Grade 4)

…

━━━

There was a clear flow to the Foundation’s proposals.

‘Do they want war?’

The Three Western Kingdoms.

The Deutsch Kingdom, the Florence Kingdom, and the Taland Kingdom.

Deutsch of the plains, Florence of the seas, Taland of the mountains.

Beyond the westernmost Deutsch Kingdom lies the great forest of the beastkin.

The human border.

The land of beastkin living beyond the limits of human-controlled territory.

The war discussed involved conflict with the legion stationed near the border and the benefits to be gained from it.

“Oknodie. What do you think of this catalog?”

“The rewards are juicy?”

“…Let me rephrase. To achieve these goals, we’d have to participate in a plot to annihilate the Deutsch Kingdom’s legion. Do you have enough grudge to add your blade to such a large-scale war?”

“Dunno?”

“This concerns you. Answer seriously. I’m asking seriously too.”

Perhaps some sincerity was conveyed.

Her previously light attitude began to show some earnestness.

“Hmmmm. The beastkin territory is connected to Zenya’s event, remember that cat classmate who goes ‘nya nya’?”

“I remember.”

“If conflict breaks out in beastkin territory, Zenya takes a leave from the Academy! If we go help, she returns to the Academy, but if we ignore it or fail to assist, she drops out for good.”

But even that content wasn’t entirely helpful.

She speaks of the future but discusses it as if viewing a past that has already occurred.

She easily predicts the impact on a person’s life.

Insight.

Deductive ability.

Her outlook was so clear it seemed beyond that level, almost like precognition.

“But if we stop this, an event opens where Andersen the Grand Duke’s son returns to the Deutsch Kingdom instead!”

“…So?”

“If we consider who would be more helpful between Zenya and Andersen, it’s obviously Andersen, right? He seems to get along well with our maid April too.”

When that clarity pointed in one direction, Sing felt fear.

“So Zenya should die!”

Oknodie was more broken than he had thought.