Ch.3535 – Agent of the Foundation

<35 – Agent of the Foundation>

Jona felt proud.

‘You’ve done much better than expected, Miss.’

Honestly, he hadn’t expected this much.

At first, he had been disappointed beyond his expectations.

Initially, he harbored the irreverent thought that even the boss’s eye for talent wasn’t always right.

Various mental disorders and a small stature barely reaching his waist. Her face showed promise for the future, but he thought a girl like this couldn’t do much.

Perhaps they intended to give her tasks only a woman could do.

He even had such heartless thoughts.

“Training? I’d love to!”

Oknodie overcame all his complaints and worries with her own abilities.

Even while barely getting proper sleep.

Even while unable to shake off the bad habits formed from living as a street vagrant.

Yet she persevered diligently.

She recognized the value of the opportunity given to her.

And she was grateful.

To the boss who gave her the chance, and to him.

Calling the boss “Papa” and depending on him, while relying on Jona as her protector, often trying to hug his legs.

‘When I look at the Miss, I keep thinking of a flying squirrel.’

She frequently hides and observes people from somewhere, but when she hears someone calling her, she comes running and throws herself into their arms.

She was definitely different from the many foolish prospective scholarship students who rejected outstretched hands and threw themselves away.

She was on a different level even from the bottom-tier scholarship students who barely passed the lower classes.

‘That’s why I’m more worried.’

A cute flying squirrel to the master she follows like a mother.

The moment she steps into the harsh wilderness, the flying squirrel loses its freedom.

From tiger-like cats to all sorts of birds.

There are many predators that would eat a flying squirrel.

Oknodie is no different.

Even if she’s stronger than ordinary scholarship students in the Foundation, she’ll still be labeled.

The world is wary of the Wiheomhae Foundation.

As much as the Foundation hates the world.

It will be a heavy burden for a young child.

“May I have a word with the Miss?”

“Go ahead.”

With Minerva’s permission, he was granted a deferment from group assignment.

A precious time worth its weight in gold.

Jona opened his mouth carefully.

“Listen carefully, Miss. I am a graduate scholarship student taken in by the Wiheomhae Foundation.”

“Wow, really?”

“What do you know to react like that?”

“You seemed to want me to be surprised.”

“Please listen seriously. You are standing at a critical crossroads that will determine your future life.”

“??”

“The Foundation has provided you with a butler, maids, training facilities, and ample funds. This is not pure goodwill toward you.”

“Then what is it?”

“They will demand compensation. Someday, when they think you can no longer climb higher. They will demand your devotion at the position the Foundation has determined for you.”

“Huh. I see.”

An innocently bright expression.

As expected, she doesn’t understand her situation.

“But if you reject the Foundation’s sponsorship, you can be free.”

“Me? Reject a sponsor who’s willing to vouch for me?”

“Please consider it seriously. The Academy has shown goodwill toward you, who entered with good grades, even though you’ll have to repay a large cost.”

Examiner Minerva.

When he came to find him as a sponsor, this was the document he handed over.

＊Child to Academy Agreement

-Gift Academy will pay all debts incurred by candidate Oknodie to the Wiheomhae Foundation.

-The Wiheomhae Foundation cannot exert any kind of influence on candidate Oknodie.

-If a Gift Academy examiner determines that the Wiheomhae Foundation has exerted influence, the Foundation can be forced to pay a corresponding price.

If Miss Oknodie just signs this document, she can escape from the Foundation’s embrace.

“The Academy will handle all costs and procedures and create a new identity for you.”

“Jona…?”

“You just need to take this pen and sign.”

Please don’t ask.

Please don’t ask anything and just take the pen.

He prayed and prayed again.

“Then what happens to Jona?”

…Indeed, gods are not to be trusted.

Gods don’t listen to the prayers of the weak.

“As a member of the Foundation, my contact with you would also be considered an exercise of influence. So I would have to say goodbye to you. Forever.”

“Then I don’t want that! How could I abandon my butler? That’s impossible!”

Is it because he was chosen by the Miss?

Or is it because she walks the same path as him?

Even knowing that the Miss’s life was heading down an irreversible path, a sense of fulfillment welled up deep in his heart.

“You don’t yet know the despair of having someone else determine your life. Even if you like something, even if you like someone, you must set those feelings aside.”

“But I just need to keep climbing higher, right?”

“…Do you think you’ll be different?”

“It’s okay. I’m a player.”

“A player…?”

“I’m Papa’s daughter, right? And the Foundation that helps me is ultimately Papa’s Foundation, right?”

“…I suppose that could be said.”

“Then it’s fine.”

It’s not a decision made after deep contemplation.

It’s a childish thought that any growing child might have.

“It’s natural for a child to help their Papa, right? Taking over the family business might be cliché, but as long as I’m not forced to do just that for my whole life, I can help out.”

She just wants to think of herself as special. She wants to elevate herself as someone greater than others.

“I don’t know what Papa and the Foundation want, but I’m strong. It won’t be easy for them to demand something from me. Because I’ll keep getting stronger!”

“…I see. Indeed, you are strong, Miss.”

That’s why he wanted to protect her even more.

He tried to send her away to protect her.

He pretended to give in to the Academy’s insistence.

He showed her an opportunity to leave the Foundation’s embrace.

Yet if she refuses to fly away.

If she refuses to leave the open cage, then all he can do now is protect her.

“Then as of today, you will enter Gift Academy as a scholarship student of the Wiheomhae Foundation. I, Jona Wiheomhae, as the Foundation’s proxy representative, will be your sponsor. Do you agree to this?”

“Of course I agree! The butler is on my side, right?”

Miss Oknodie pulled out a necklace she had kept hidden in her clothes.

Attached to the necklace was a whistle he had given her, telling her to blow it when in trouble.

She hadn’t called him many times until now, but it was evident she had cherished it.

How many times had she fiddled with it?

How long had she kept it close to her heart?

In her eyes, proudly holding up the whistle he had given her at the inn, there was an almost burdensome level of trust.

“Nothing can go wrong if the butler suggests it. The butler always gives the right advice. Though I don’t like it when you make me eat too much healthy food and nag too much.”

“Your praise is too generous.”

“Then is this boring stuff over? I have so many stories to tell you. At the entrance exam with Uncle Giselle and Uncle Son Ocheon…”

Now she belongs to the Foundation.

Even that smile might someday belong not to her but to the organization.

If the boss’s will is not fulfilled.

And thus, with an even higher probability, Oknodie’s dream will also be broken.

Despite knowing this.

Despite knowing all that future, the human named Jona Wiheomhae simply listens to the Miss’s stories and quietly stays by her side.

-I heard rumors about the problem you caused regarding the disposition of the previous ‘Miss’…

-That’s enough.

Even Leaf, an assassin from a different command chain, knew about the major incident he had caused.

If he repeats the same mistake, this time he will surely be disposed of by the organization.

‘I cannot help you, Miss. I’m saying that if you and the organization part ways, I will become your enemy.’

Yet why does she trust him with all her heart like this?

-I see. You have a ‘next Miss.’

-Which number was I?

-Can I be your last Miss?

Don’t recall it.

Don’t get consumed.

The agent of the Foundation, the Miss’s butler, is not allowed to falter.

The sticky feeling of blood under his feet.

The sensation of flesh being cut transmitted through his fingertips.

Remember the sight of a heart growing cold.

“…so you see?”

“Miss. I’ll hear the rest of your story next time. It seems my allotted visiting time is up.”

“Aww. You’re leaving already?”

“We’ll meet again soon.”

He had spent too much time.

After finishing the conversation and returning, Minerva asked.

“What about the contract?”

“She refused. As of today, the Miss is a scholarship student of the Foundation.”

“I see. That’s unfortunate for both parties, Guardian.”

“Then may I assume that the Miss will be assigned to Group A?”

“Of course. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

On the way out of the counseling room.

Oknodie asked.

“When will I see you again?”

“Guarantors or proxy representatives of guaranteeing institutions for Academy entrants can only visit the Academy once a month, on designated days. I will visit you when the time comes.”

“I don’t like that… I need to have my butler by my side every day. This is strange.”

“It’s the Academy’s regulation, so there’s nothing we can do.”

“I hate this reality patch completely.”

Jona straightened the wrinkles in the Miss’s clothes and left her with words of caution.

“Please refrain from using such incomprehensible words in front of others. High-ranking or formal classmates might look down on you or bully you.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already made lots of friends. I even became friends with Sister Arcadia Ceviche from the Florence Kingdom.”

The lone female figure of the Western Aristocratic Union.

Despite her high pride and calculating personality making her difficult to befriend, she had already established a personal relationship.

His surprise was brief.

He realized it was natural given the Miss’s charisma, which had charmed even him into giving his heart.

Yes, perhaps this Miss will be alright.

“Then, until we meet again, please stay healthy.”

“You too, Jona!”