Chapter 84
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 84
Knock, knock.
A sharp knock echoed against the door of Professor Zimmer’s office.
Zimmer, who had been double-checking the copy of the contract Roen had sent him, quickly slid the papers into a drawer before granting the visitor entry.
“Come in.”
“Good day, Professor.”
The man who opened the door and stepped inside was none other than Jeremy Gilbert.
Jeremy, who usually summoned Zimmer to his own office, had surprisingly made the trip himself this time.
Has he had a change of heart?
Zimmer removed his glasses and did his best to maintain a calm facade.
“What brings you here?”
“I have something to discuss with you, Professor.”
Jeremy made himself comfortable on the sofa, pulling a document from an envelope and placing it on the table.
“Upon closer review, I discovered an issue with the share transfer document I gave you previously. I’ve brought a revised version.”
“…”
Jeremy spoke with shameless ease, acting as if Zimmer were still completely in the dark. Zimmer’s brow furrowed.
He had already been briefed on the entire stock manipulation scandal by Roen. He had even cross-referenced the details through various news reports. Knowing the truth, it was deeply unpleasant to watch Jeremy sit there and treat him like a fool.
However, Zimmer accepted the document without letting his displeasure show. As he slowly scanned the text, Jeremy added a smooth explanation.
“As you may know, Professor, there have been some noisy articles recently regarding a stock manipulation incident. It seems the merchant guilds I transferred to you were involved in some unsavory business. I should have vetted them more carefully before the transfer. My apologies.”
“…I see.”
“But in a way, it’s for the best. The shares you held were nearly turned into worthless scraps of paper. This time, I’ve transferred shares from a fresh selection of guilds.”
“…”
Comparing the mana seals, this new contract appeared to be genuine. Of course, unlike the previous ones, these were all newly established guilds; they didn't look particularly profitable.
‘I can see right through him.’
Zimmer wanted to tear the document to shreds, but he simply let out a quiet sigh and closed his eyes. He might have been naive enough to fall for a fraudulent contract once, but he wasn't so stupid that he couldn't grasp the current situation.
‘Getting angry at Jeremy now won’t change a thing.’
Besides, Roen had instructed him not to reveal what he knew and to remain composed. Maintaining a working relationship with Jeremy to extract information was part of his role now.
‘I’ve already gotten what I needed, anyway.’
Zimmer quietly clenched his fist.
Through Roen, he had learned how he’d nearly been swindled right under his nose. More importantly, he had obtained a fragment of the Mad Dragon’s Heart, an artifact he’d had no idea how to acquire on his own.
Now, his only job was to protect his position as a professor until Verdandi returned. After that, he would return to the kingdom, join Second Prince Andrew’s faction, and build his strength.
He would get revenge on his brother, Egil Demetri, and… he would stop Prince Jeremy from ever ascending the throne.
Having made up his mind, Zimmer tucked Jeremy’s document away.
“Fine. I’ll accept it.”
*
Sunlight streamed into the Student Council President’s Office.
Today, a special guest had come to visit: a girl with hair as white as the first snow. Freya Gunhild.
She wore her school uniform today instead of her usual light armor, her hair tied back in a practical ponytail. Freya gingerly tested the tea with the tip of her tongue, pulling back like a cat. She clearly wasn't fond of hot drinks.
“It’s been a while, Freya.”
Giving up on the hot tea, she set the cup down and replied.
“…Didn’t we just see each other at a meeting a few days ago?”
“Did we? I don’t seem to recall.”
Freya let out a small sigh and glanced around the room.
“Anyway, the atmosphere in here is quite nice. The sofa is plush, too.”
Freya pressed down on the cushion she was sitting on. It was a leather sofa with the perfect balance of resilience and softness.
“It cost me a pretty penny,” I said, rising from my desk to run a hand over the back of the sofa.
After earning a massive sum of money recently, I had acquired another piece of furniture through the criminal underworld.
[Livre’s Sofa]
Like the phonograph I’d bought before, it was a piece of furniture that increased the room’s comfort level and slightly raised the affinity of any visitors.
[Union Student Council President’s Office]
• Comfort Level: 220
• Items Owned:[Cold Raymond’s Phonograph], [Livre’s Sofa]
• Effect: Slightly increases affinity gain from visitors when placed in a player-owned space.
Normally, each item raised affinity by 100, but a set effect had boosted the total. Adding more furniture in the future would likely create even more synergy. In any case, the investment was paying off; every visitor had nothing but praise for the room’s atmosphere.
I sat down on the plush sofa opposite her.
“If you like it, feel free to visit more often. Preferably as the Vice President of the Student Council. The offer still stands, you know.”
“…”
The Vice President position I had offered at the start of the semester was still vacant. Freya had refused then, but she was welcome to change her mind anytime. Of course, much like Eleina’s secretarial position, it was largely an honorary title, but I was sure it would come in handy eventually.
Slurp.
I moistened my throat with some tea before getting to the point.
“So, what brings you here today?”
For the home-loving Freya to come all the way to the Student Council President’s Office, it had to be a matter of importance. I already knew the reason, of course, but I needed to hear it from her.
Freya, who had been fiddling with her teacup in thought, finally spoke.
“This is a bit shameless of me, but… Roen, I need your help.”
She looked at me with a determined, albeit pained, expression. I leaned back against the sofa and nodded.
“Hmm. Is this about the supplies for the athletic festival? It seems my prediction was correct.”
“Yes… it is.”
Freya’s shoulders slumped in shame.
Back when the four student council presidents met to discuss the festival, I had warned her. I told her that some of the merchant guilds selected to supply the event had bad reputations and that she should secure a backup route.
Most of those selected guilds were now in ruins, having been dismantled by the financial authorities. The funds from those guilds had flowed directly into my bank account, the vaults of the underworld, and Sheika’s hands.
It was only natural that Freya couldn't procure the necessary supplies. How could a bankrupt guild that had been stripped bare possibly make its deliveries on time?
She explained softly, her voice weak.
“…The supply contracts were unilaterally terminated, and I can’t even get in contact with the guilds. I looked into it, and it turns out they’ve gone bankrupt after being sanctioned for stock manipulation.”
“With the festival just around the corner, it must be too late to find other suppliers.”
“That’s right. I’ve looked everywhere, but I couldn't find anyone who could meet the requirements on such short notice.”
“See? Didn’t I warn you?”
Freya hung her head low.
“…I was shortsighted. I will be sure to repay this favor. Is there any way you can help?”
“It seems you’ve already explored all other options.”
“Yes.”
Freya had clearly done her best, running herself ragged to find a solution, but it was a losing battle. With the athletic festival less than two weeks away, no merchant guild had the capacity to provide supplies for thousands of students on a whim.
In the end, she had come to me as her last resort. I needed an excuse to get my hands on the athletic festival anyway, so this worked out perfectly.
‘I do feel a slight pang of guilt, though…’
I looked at Freya’s gloomy expression and let out a small sigh. It felt like breaking a bird’s wing just to play the savior by mending it.
Technically, those guild bastards were the ones at fault, and I had only done what was necessary for my own goals. But in the end, the innocent Freya was the one suffering. Moreover, this supply contract had been arranged through Jeremy. It wasn't entirely her fault, and from her perspective, it would be difficult to openly hold Jeremy, her senior, accountable.
Not that assigning blame would solve the problem.
After a moment of thought, I slowly nodded.
“Alright, I’ll help you.”
“…You mean, you have a way?”
Freya’s eyes lit up as she tightly clasped her hands over her knees. I looked at her wide eyes and gave a slight smile.
“Of course. Through a route I know, we should be able to replace most of the missing stock.”
I had already predicted things would turn out this way, so I had made a special request to Sheika a long time ago. The various supplies needed for the festival—huge custom-made tents, temporary chairs, folding tables, and parasols—had already been procured from Mant, the continental port city closest to the Meteor Archipelago.
Even with advance preparation, the schedule was tight. If I hadn't seen this coming, I never would have been able to get everything ready in time.
“However… I can’t help you for nothing.”
Gulp.
As I demanded a price, Freya swallowed hard, her face tensing. She looked nervous, bracing herself for whatever condition I might impose.
“In exchange for my help, you will grant me your voting rights in a future meeting.”
“You mean…”
“There is an agenda item I absolutely must get passed.”
“May I ask what that is…?”
“I can’t tell you that yet.”
“…I see.”
The truth wasn't that I couldn't tell her, but rather that I didn't have a specific agenda in mind yet. It was simply a preparation for the future. Just as Elena’s help had made the territory war go smoothly, a day would come when I would need Freya’s support. The only difference was that this favor carried a degree of compulsion.
“So, what do you say? Will you accept?”
Freya looked conflicted.
“…Huu.”
She let out a deep sigh, downed her now-cold tea in one gulp, and looked at me with a firm expression.
“I refuse.”
*
In the Student Council President’s Office, after Freya had departed.
“…What will you do now?” Ciel asked as she cleared away the empty teacups.
“That was unexpected.”
I rested my chin on my hands and closed my eyes.
Ever since I fell into the world of Myrillin Saga, most things had gone according to plan. There had been variables, but nothing that deviated too far from my framework.
But even I hadn't predicted this reaction from Freya. Rationally speaking, it was an offer she couldn't possibly refuse. Hosting this festival wasn't just about her career; it was a chance to shift the hostile public opinion against Verdandi. Furthermore, with Jeremy’s "help" becoming a liability, successfully saving the festival would have skyrocketed her approval ratings. It was a golden opportunity.
And yet, she’d refused—perhaps out of personal pride, or perhaps a wariness of an uncertain future risk.
“Huu.”
I leaned back in my chair.
‘Since it’s come to this, I have no choice.’
It was frustrating, but I wasn't going to hold a grudge or sabotage her. It would be petty to cancel the supplies I’d already ordered and ruin the festival just because she’d turned me down.
After organizing my thoughts, I slowly opened my eyes.
‘If she insists on not accepting my goodwill… then I’ll just have to forcibly stuff it into her pockets.’
It was time for a little "reverse-pickpocketing." No one refuses my goodwill and gets away with it.