episode_0039

“That’s how the rebel disturbance came to an end.”

“…Wait, the story was interrupted in the middle?”

As I ended the story on my own, Azuta tackled me.

[Heroine profile]

Name: Azta

Height: 166cm / Difficulty level: A

Progress: 40% / Like level: 3

A beautiful naked woman with her eyes closed, sealed in a huge piece of ice. The long black hair exquisitely covers key parts, making it look like a work of art.

“The rest is about work, so it won’t be fun, right?”

When I tell Azta,

“But once you start, you have to finish it.”

Azta delivers the answer into my head.

“Ugh… It’s so cold I’m dying.”

“You should have dressed warmly.”

“Is it because you can’t see, because I’m wearing really thick clothes? Anything more than this is impossible.”

Currently I am in the northern continent.

It is a barren land where everything is frozen due to the harsh cold and no life can survive. Considering that there are no living things even in the real Antarctic or North Pole, you can see how murderous the cold in the northern continent is.

In the distant past, there was a civilization on the northern continent. This huge sanctuary where Azta is currently sealed is also a trace of that civilization.

Azta has been sealed for over hundreds of years, so it does not know how the world is changing. So, I visit regularly and tell Azta what’s going on in the world and the stories I’ve experienced.

Even if I wanted to tell the other employees, Azta’s existence itself is a secret, and I am the only person who can face her in a normal way, so there is nothing I can do.

“How much did we talk about?”

“Even putting a vampire in a box.”

“Ah, after that, I went looking for the shelter where Robben, who was leading the rebellion, was hiding. It wasn’t too difficult to find the entrance to the shelter near the base of the New Knights.”

As I continued the story, I took out a thermos and poured myself a cup of warm tea.

After taking a sip, the cold that had seeped into my bones was relieved to some extent.

“Then Kuen arrived late.”

*

In front of the shelter entrance.

Although Rion had gotten his emotions under control, the area around his eyes was still swollen and red, and Lily was so sick that she thought she was going to die, but she was exhausted and fell asleep in Rion’s arms.

And Kuen, who arrived late, approached me hesitantly, as if he knew he had made a mistake.

“Quen, you came back to play, right?”

“Ah– I got caught—”

Kuen smiled brightly and rested his head on my chest. Just like a cat showing cuteness by headbutting.

“Zeek— I’m sorry. There’s a strong guy, so I’m sorry—”

I lightly hit Kuen’s head.

“Ahh— It hurts—”

“You’re laughing. How much does my fist hurt?”

“My heart—what does it hurt–?”

“Damn.”

I felt embarrassed so I gave him another shot.

“Ugh— My heart is broken—”

Kuen was trembling and pretending to be in pain, and then glanced at me.

“Ugh… There is no award this time.”

“Ahh—!”

Kuen quickly ran up to me, hugged my arm, and started fawning over me.

“Zeek—There is no prize—I heard it wrong—No—?”

“After playing to my heart’s content, I came back. Aren’t you so conscienceless?”

“Eeh—”

At that time, I heard Leon’s voice from behind.

“What do you mean, award?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you. When we need to borrow the help of the pixies like today, we give them what they want in return.”

Leon asked, uncharacteristically hesitant.

“That… Am I giving it to you too?”

“Well, you can see it as a kind of voluntary participation, but I will give it to you specifically as a way to ask you to take good care of me in the future. Is there something you want?”

At my question, Leon lowered his head.

It seems like something is embarrassing.

“…I’ll tell you later.”

“Yes. Think slowly.”

I turned my gaze again and looked at Kuen.

Kuen pouted and pulled my arm.

“Zeek—Why don’t you give it to me—”

“So who wants to play during a mission?”

“Ahh— I will reflect on it— I will reflect on it ah– I will reward you too—”

I’m so annoyed I’m dying.

“Okay. If there’s anything left at the rehabilitation center, I’ll give it to you so get out.”

“No, the toy is enough—I want something else—”

I can’t believe Kuen wants something other than toys. I feel anxious again.

“Ha… Okay, okay. Let’s talk later. Because I have to finish what I’m doing first.”

“Yay—”

*

“Anyway, Zeke is weak to pixies.”

“What… That’s right.”

I smiled sheepishly at Azuta’s words.

Recently, the number of heroines has increased, and there have been many incidents of one kind or another. As a result, I neglected the heroines whose strategy was over.

No matter how calm the heroines are after completing the strategy, if this dissatisfaction builds up, it can degenerate into a twisted obsession.

So, if you pay attention to this or that when they are calm, they will not have harsh thoughts.

You have to do well when you have it.

I resumed the story where I had stopped.

“The shelter door was quite thick. Of course, for Rion, it was like an old wooden door. When the door was torn apart, a knight jumped out from inside, and Kuen quickly disposed of it. He dragged the driver’s head and went out, saying he was just playing around and looking at his work.”

“Wow, Kuen and Leon are so strong.”

“Is that so?”

It is true that Kuen and Leon are strong. But it’s kind of funny that someone who goes far beyond both of them says something like that.

Does it feel like a person looks at a rhinoceros beetle and admires its strength?

“Roben and his wife Helen were inside the shelter. And soon, only Robben was left.”

“Did you send your wife out?”

“No, I killed him.”

*

“… You piece of trash! There was no need for this!”

Robben shouted as he grabbed Helen, who had a hole between her eyes.

“Roben, I did not kill your wife.”

“Crazy bastard… Now you’re going to treat me like someone who doesn’t exist at all!?”

“Not as a treatment, but in reality, there is no person named Helen.”

“Stop that bullshit! It’s so weird that my wife’s body is there… Huh?”

Robben looked at the place where Helen’s body ‘was’ with a puzzled expression.

Helen disappeared without a trace. Not only the limp body but also the blood stains all disappeared.

“… What is this… W, honey..?”

How embarrassing it was for Robben to call the dead Helen.

“Roben, let me say that again. There is no person named Helen.”

“Nonsense… no… ”

“Helen is a ‘living illusion’ created by the power of a certain pixie tracked down by the Bureau. You are bewitched by that illusion.”

“It can’t be… You got rid of Helen’s body…? Where are you… Where are you?”

“Calm down. It is impossible to clean up all the corpses and blood stains in just one glance.”

Perhaps unable to accept reality, Robben muttered for a long time, saying, ‘This doesn’t make sense.’

Could it be that the third-in-command of the Defense Bureau could not have been damaged to this extent?

“Roben, please take a seat. My business is not over yet.”

“……”

“Ha… Robben, Helen will come back.”

“…What?”

“I don’t know if the appearance will be the same, but I will probably put a new illusion on it. Because you are a man who is quite easy to manipulate.”

Robben looked like he couldn’t understand.

“You may meet someone by chance while walking down the street, or you may approach them as someone you used to know. One thing is certain, Robben, the women who approach you are most likely illusions.”

“…You want me to believe such nonsense?”

“Yes. The Pixie Management Bureau deals with such ridiculous beings.”

Robben looked at my face blankly, then burst into laughter.

“Ha… ha ha ha… Hahahahaha… ”

After laughing for a while, he trudged over and sat down at the table.

“……So what is your business?”

Robben must have come to his senses and started to look formal again.

“Before I tell you my business, let me first summarize the situation. Please let me know if there is anything wrong.”

“…Sure.”

I cleared my throat before continuing the long story.

“The head of the National Defense Bureau was assassinated.”

“…Assassination?”

“To be exact, the head of the National Defense Bureau is scheduled to be found assassinated tomorrow. The culprit is Boris, Deputy Director of the Defense Department.”

“Wait a minute, assassination… ”

“Boris is involved in numerous corruptions. And today this corruption was exposed. In response, the Director of the National Defense Bureau tried to cut Boris off, and Boris, enraged by this, assassinated the Director of the National Defense Directorate using an assassin he had recruited in advance.”

“How do you know that?”

That’s because I planned everything from exposing corruption to assassination.

He sent Bir to assassinate the Director of Defense, took Boris’s family hostage and threatened them into admitting the assassination.

Boris is involved in too many corruptions, and on top of that, he is 100% executed because he ordered an assassination. I have lived well by sucking the backs of the people, and since it will at least save the lives of my family, I should calmly accept it.

But there is no need to tell Robben.

“That’s not important. The Defense Bureau, having lost its leader, was in chaos. First, we will have to select a temporary director, and Mr. Robben will probably be the temporary director.”

“……”

“My business is to submit a post-mortem report to the temporary director of the National Defense Bureau.”

“If it is a post-mortem report… ”

“This evening, the Pixie Management Bureau suppressed the armed forces who were illegally occupying the Rocken Forest. When I checked their backgrounds, I found out that they were from a backworld criminal organization. There were 200 unidentified bodies, but they probably weren’t that important. Please note that there are no survivors.”

200 unidentified bodies. Of course, it means the New Knights. There wasn’t even a corpse left after being eaten by Karjen, but that wasn’t important to the current situation.

Just wondering, how will Robben take what I say? That’s it.

“Under imperial law, the Pixie Management Bureau cannot move its troops without permission from the Defense Bureau. However, considering that the Defense Bureau was in chaos and that armed forces were leading the coup, the Management Bureau handled it at its discretion. Mr. Robben, who is flexible, would not have an issue with this.”

“……”

“Finally, Mr. Robben has nothing to do with any of the events that occurred today. I was just taking a break after a long time. Are there any mistakes in what I have summarized?”

Robben’s pupils shook violently.

“… I don’t understand.”

My wife, who I had been with for years, and the plans I had prepared for years all disappeared in just one day.

And now he must make a choice.

Will I reveal the truth and die, or will I become a failed revolutionary?

Will he survive by asking the truth and become the head of the National Defense Bureau?

“But I… I cannot give in.”

Robben, who had lost everything, ultimately chose the final resistance.

The situation is literally at the edge of a cliff. I guess he actually gave up because he thought he had nothing more to lose.

I plan to tell him the truth.

“Roben, an incorruptible official staged a coup to change a rotten country. He thought of himself as justice, and thought that a coup was the only way to change the country.”

“……”

Robben, who clearly realized that I was talking about himself, listened to my story in silence.

“I have one question here. Were there any innocent people among those killed in the coup?”

“……”

Robben’s expression began to distort.

“What crime did the soldiers who protected the country commit? Is it a sin to become a soldier because of strong patriotism or to make a living? What about those who were forcibly conscripted? What about the people who suffered during the war?”

“…Resistance is the duty of the people. If we do not fight corruption, we are abandoning our duty.”

“Ah, so you’re saying it doesn’t matter if we hunt down all the uncivilized dogs and pigs who abandoned their duties? People who find it difficult to even survive day to day are now being forced to make sacrifices. So what is the difference between rotten and corrupt officials? To me, they both look like idiots.”

“Sacrifice is inevitable to achieve a great cause.”

I laughed at Robben, who didn’t back down.

“What a great business. Justice, justice… I’m not interested in such childish puns. But we always try to at least minimize the damage to innocent people. That is human duty and basic. What is a great cause when one cannot even follow the basics?”

Robben continued to chew his lips and eventually lowered his head.

“Then… What on earth should I do? this… I thought this was best… ”

“Become the Director of the Defense Bureau. And slowly clean up from there. Don’t do something that doesn’t fit your budget.”

“……”

Robben didn’t answer, but he must have understood.

No, you have to understand. If you can’t come to your senses, I’ll leave.

“I will formally greet you later. See you then.”

I left the shelter, leaving Robben with his head down.

*

“Afterwards, Robben became director as planned. Thanks to this, the Management Bureau was able to ignore the Defense Bureau.”

“As expected, that was the purpose.”

I am not interested in such childish things as it is a great cause or duty. The only things that matter to me are utility and practicality.

The reason I persuaded Robben with some rather superficial bullshit was because it was useful. Nothing more, nothing less.

Under imperial law, the troops of the Pixie Bureau are treated as bodyguards rather than formal troops. This is also why the name of the department is Security Department.

Bodyguards are only allowed to counterattack attacks. However, most operations carried out by the Management Bureau are preemptive attacks. Therefore, you must individually seek permission from the National Defense Bureau, otherwise it is illegal.

Until now, it was a mess because of the old raccoon who found fault with everything, but now that Robben has become the director, he can handle things in the form of an after-the-fact report without needing prior permission.

The best thing is to change the law and be recognized as an official military, but changing the law is not easy, so we have no choice but to be satisfied with this.

“It’s really over now.”

“I’m so sorry?”

“Please take a look. It’s already been 4 hours. If this continues, I might have to cut somewhere.”

Even though my extremities were protected with thick gloves and boots, my hands and feet were so cold that they were losing sensation.

If this happens, your fingers and toes may become necrotic and have to be cut off.

“I can’t help it. This story was also quite interesting. I look forward to what kind of story you will tell me next.”

“I think we’ll probably tell a story about going to an amusement park next time? There will only be small things, so don’t expect too much.”

“Even small stories have their own fun. But what is an amusement park?”

Well, I don’t know about Azta. Because he was a person from hundreds of years ago.

“I’ll tell you next time. I’m going.”

“Goodbye, Zeke. If it’s too late, I might come find you.”

“I will try my best to come quickly, so just bear with me.”

It is inevitable that an ice age will come to the empire.

[Azta’s strategy progress has increased. (40 -> 44%) Acquire 400 strategy points]

As I was leaving the sanctuary, an alarm popped up telling me that my progress had slightly increased.

If Azta tells a satisfactory story, the progress of the strategy increases considerably.

However, if it continues like this in the future, I will have to act like a clown 16 more times, which is daunting.

There will be at least one event in the middle that will boost your progress.

Believing so, I covered my face with a hood and mask, tied my clothes tightly, and came out.

The strong cold wind penetrated my clothes and hit my skin. The temperature itself is very low, and with the wind blowing, you realize that it really is not a place for people to live.

I approached Ryuka, who was waiting near the sanctuary.

“Ryuka, let’s go back.”

“Ugh… It’s so cold.”

“Eomsal is.”

Although he was left out in this cold for several hours, Ryuka was fine, just complaining. How can they be so resistant to the cold when they have no hair on their bodies?

Is it because they are cold-blooded animals?

‘Were cold-blooded animals resistant to cold? ‘I’m not particularly interested in biology, so I forgot about it.’

With a strange thought in mind, I climbed on top of Ryuka and slapped the hard scales.

With the bitter wind, it flew up into the sky.