Recruitment

,Then, see you in the morning!

Aria, shouting that, left the clubroom supported by Kane. Luna, who was the last to leave following the staggering Lacar, whispered “Good night” to me and followed the members.

Feeling slightly dizzy from the alcohol, I turned around and saw the table cluttered with alcohol and snacks. It was a trace of them passing on the cleaning as punishment for deceiving them. Tomorrow is the weekend anyway. No one is expected to visit the clubroom, and I don’t have any particular plans. That means I can sleep in as late as I want and clean up when I wake up.

As I was about to move towards the closet, yawning widely, I heard someone knocking on the door. If it was a member who had left something behind, they would have opened the door instead of knocking. If that’s the case, then the late-night visitor is an unknown night guest. Looking at the wall clock, it was almost 12 o’clock. An unidentified night guest at the end of the day, they came without an appointment, so they are no different from an uninvited guest.

-Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock

I thought about ignoring it and heading to the closet, but the knocking continued endlessly, as if they knew I was there. This is horror story level.

With a short sigh, I opened the door. I lowered my gaze slightly because I couldn’t see anything in front of me. As I stared at the purple eyes of a girl with a small height around my chest, Estelle, who was wearing a mask she was holding, kicked me in the shin right away.

,Ouch!

,Move! You slow-ass pig.

Grabbing my shin, I stepped aside, and Estelle, who entered the clubroom, looked at the dirty table and headed towards the relatively clean bed. Estelle sat on the bed, and her feet were dangling in the air, perhaps because she was short. Estelle, who was wiggling her feet, looked at me and said.

,Tell me everything about why you did that in the triathlon, without a single lie.

Her arrogant tone, as if ordering a subordinate, made me a little tipsy. I approached Estelle with the intention of taking off her mask, but when I saw her lifting her leg as if she was ready to kick me at any moment, I naturally sat on the opposite bed.

,You’re saying the same thing as the members.

After the triathlon, the members were curious as to why I acted like a villain, which didn’t suit me at all. The competition was over, and I thought there was no reason to deceive the members who believed in me anymore, so I explained some of the reasons, but not all of them.

As I explained it again, Estelle, unlike the members who easily accepted it, looked for loopholes in the story and asked.

,Was it really necessary to act like a villain? Wouldn’t we have won the joint championship if you just acted like a stupid freshman?

Rubbing my sleepy eyes from the alcohol, I answered in a languid voice.

,Of course, there are several reasons.

,What are they?

I frowned at Estelle’s persistence. Estelle, not liking that reaction, raised her fist, so I quickly opened my mouth.

,Because the original ending had to be different.

,Why…?

I ran a hand over my face once and blurted out whatever came to mind.

,Originally, Roel wins by destroying the academy alliance with overwhelming force. But as a result, the 30-year-old grudge has only deepened. They even formed an alliance in a pathetic way, but you can imagine how much ridicule the academy that lost to Transcendence would have suffered.

,There would have been many kids who dropped out due to shame. And the pig-like nobles in the capital would have put pressure on them.

I nodded absentmindedly at Estelle’s nonchalant voice and continued the explanation.

,The allied students of the academy feel deep despair at the insurmountable wall. The triathlon is not a trial of growth, but an execution ceremony that breaks their will. Where do you think people who give up everything and fall into despair like to go?

At my question, Estelle stroked her mask and answered.

,The Order… and the Demon King’s followers.

That’s right. Just like they targeted Ross, who was suffering from nervous breakdown and inferiority complex, the Order and the Demon King’s followers taint the students of other academies.

,I acted to prevent that.

,But that doesn’t answer my question. That’s not a reason to act like a villain.

I scratched my head and got up from my seat to bring the honey beer left on the table. It wasn’t cold, but it was enough to quench my thirst. I exhaled the scent of beer lingering in my mouth like a sigh and said.

,The fact that the academy has allied is information that people in the know are aware of, as was mentioned in Modest’s meeting. But the most important spectators don’t know. In order to eliminate the 30-year-old grudge, they needed a joint victory. But if they planned and allied from the beginning and showed themselves ganging up on Transcendence, they would definitely make an issue of it even after winning. So, with arrogant and conceited acting, I gave the academy alliance a legitimate excuse for ganging up.

Despite my long explanation, Estelle asked as if she was arguing.

,Even if problems arise, isn’t it over as long as the academy alliance achieves a joint victory as planned anyway?

At Estelle’s question, I realized that I had not mentioned something important. A truth that I didn’t tell the members either. This triathlon was a build-up for a story that would happen later.

,You remember that I see the future, right?

At the contextless question, Estelle pouted and nodded. With a bitter smile, I took out the Spear of Destruction from the spatial storage.

,You still had that cursed artifact?

Estelle, who had experience investigating me, also knew how I got my hands on this. Then it will be easy to explain.

,Originally, the Spear of Destruction goes to Confrere No. 3.

,No. 3… it should be vacant now?

It seems the vacant seat has not been filled yet. I added for a sufficient explanation.

,Lacar’s older sister, Lamine, was going to become a member of Confrere after being persuaded by Dwin, but I stopped it.

,Really…? But why?

,Originally, how did the Spear of Destruction, which should be in the Imperial Vault, end up in the hands of Confrere No. 3?

At my question, Estelle was silent for a moment as if she was contemplating. Feeling tired, I decided to just explain without waiting for an answer.

,After Bella became the Emperor, a rebellion of nobles supported by the Order breaks out. It was such a dangerous situation that Bella barely managed to save her life by disguising herself as a maid. The one who led the rebellion was Eunice, who was under the orders of the Vice-preacher. At that time, the Imperial Vault was robbed, and important items flowed into the Order. The Spear of Destruction was one of them.

Estelle’s shoulders shrank. She seemed flustered by the sudden mention of the Order.

,Wait, Eunice…? That, the freshman from Elassium?! I’ve never heard that there’s a member of the Order among the participants…?

I kindly explained to Estelle, who was puzzled.

,I told you. Originally, the academy alliance that failed to win the joint championship would fall into despair… and the Order and the Demon King’s followers would approach them. Eunice was also among those who were persuaded by the Order at that time. Eunice, who felt a great sense of responsibility as a strategist, couldn’t resist the temptation.

I held up three fingers to Estelle. Thanks to being a joint destiny community, I could tell her all the knowledge I had without hiding anything.

,There are three people who are officially recognized as strategists in this world. Bella, who has the wisdom of a snake, Raellan, who is crazy, and Eunice, who read the situation.

I lowered my hand, which I had spread out with the explanation, and added.

,Eunice was originally going to become the Order’s strategist, but the causality has been twisted by this incident. Like Lamine’s case, the reason for joining the Order has disappeared.

It’s not just the joint victory that I’m sure of. The Vice-preacher’s ‘Pen of God,’ which will be the greatest strength in the nobles’ rebellion, is in Luna’s hands. There is no strategist to devise plans, and no scrolls. I have eliminated the very beginning of the tragic story.

,But what if Eunice still joins the Order?

,…That won’t happen, but if it does, I’ll kill her, of course.

Estelle wiggled her fingers at my resolute voice. I watched it and said in a low voice.

,So, I have a favor to ask. Please keep an eye on Eunice for a while. Until Eunice gets a special admission to Transcendence Academy.

Estelle, who had lowered her head, looked at me with surprised eyes, as if she understood what I meant.

,Are you thinking of transferring Eunice here?

I smiled without saying a word. I had decided to hire Eunice as a strategist a long time ago. Bella, who will become Roel’s strength, should not be touched for the sake of the flow, and Raellan cannot be controlled.

In the end, all I can get is the clumsy freshman Eunice. It won’t be easy to persuade her, but it’s still a chance to re-enter Transcendence Academy, which she had dropped out of. If she’s really smart, she won’t refuse. If you can’t beat them, join them.

Having finished my thoughts, I smiled pleasantly from the alcohol and said.

,It’s my taste to take what belongs to others.

Most of the things I have are things that the Order will get. If I even take the person who will become the Order’s strategist, my joy will be doubled. I get stronger, and the Order gets weaker. This is not theft. It’s doing justice. Justice. The nuance is good too.

While I was thinking that and wearing a sinister smile, I came to my senses at the gaze that made my face tingle.

For some reason, I tilted my head at Estelle’s contemptuous gaze and was hit on the head with a fist.

,Ack…!

,You greedy pig! You’ve finally taken off your human mask! Is stealing your pride? Huh? You trash!!! A guy like you needs to be hit to come to your senses! Stay still! I need to massage your ugly brain…!!!

,No, ack…! That’s not it…!

Estelle’s misunderstanding was resolved after a big bump formed on my head.