Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Burger and Martin, Recruitment Complete!
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As soon as he heard my words, Burger's eyes bulged wide.
“……What?”
“Didn’t hear me right? From now on, you’re a prince directly sponsored by Mirmod.”
“Spon, sponsorship from Mirmod……”
“Yeah. At the ‘Diamond’ level, too.”
“……Wha-what, what did you say?”
Burger even gaped open-mouthed and pointed accusingly at me. I shrugged and smiled.
Truth be told, I could understand why he was so shocked.
Mirmod family’s ‘Diamond’ level sponsorship was so rare and precious that it would even astonish princes from foreign lands.
The Mirmod family, being a villainous house, had countless talents flocking to them for sponsorship. But the Mirmods never sponsored them all.
Mirmod sponsorships were divided into three tiers.
Gold, Platinum, Diamond.
Even the lowest Gold tier came with guaranteed housing, financial support, and employment in the Mirmod family.
Back when Duchess Lukela was still active on the front lines, it was said that Mirmod sponsorship was the second most coveted prize after a position in the imperial palace—for talents across the continent.
Sure, the Mirmods were infamous for their villainy, but they weren’t so sloppy as to leave loose ends that others could exploit. Above all, they were at the heart of continental power, enough to make even the emperor tread carefully.
Of course, there were plenty of talents afraid of being used and discarded in the Mirmods’ wicked schemes.
But the Mirmods were generous to the clever and cunning. They valued their abilities and invested in them without restraint.
So, receiving Mirmod sponsorship meant a smooth path ahead—it was as obvious as the sun existing.
And this was the highest ‘Diamond’ tier, no less.
These days, the concept of sponsorship had somewhat faded, but Diamond tier was a different story.
It guaranteed not just housing, financial support, and employment, but also a position as a close aide to the duke and a title of mid-level nobility or higher.
Titles were granted by the emperor, so no other family could dream of it. But this was the Mirmods.
Pressuring the emperor into granting a title was hardly a challenge for them.
However, ‘Diamond’ tier sponsorship had one massive drawback. As if recalling it, Burger spoke up right away.
“……I’m not in a position to receive such an amazing sponsorship. And for that, you’d need approval from more than half the family elders……”
“You’re a golden goose. Why wouldn’t you be?”
Burger stared at me blankly. But I grinned.
“You’re amazing, Burger.”
I knew the future. In [Melodia’s Life], the corrupted Burger was an accounting genius. He’d committed all sorts of dirty accounting frauds—creative bookkeeping, related-party transactions, you name it.
Everyone cursed him, but they praised his skills.
The legendary figure who revived hundreds of merchant guilds. A once-in-a-century accounting genius—that was Burger.
“I get that you think highly of me, but sponsorship is a different matter……”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll help you.”
Approval from more than half the elders—sure, it was tough.
But with Duchess Lukela and Delphia sis on my side, and since I had to oust that toothless elder chairman and sway the elders anyway……
“Right now, ‘Diamond’ tier might be a stretch, but I’ll spread the rumor that it’s possible. And soon, I’ll make it reality.”
I tilted my head slightly.
“And I’m bringing Martin along too. You two team up and get sponsored by our family. Got it?”
Swordsmanship genius and accounting genius.
If the sword genius Martin didn’t go to the temple, it would definitely weaken their forces. He and Ted were practically the symbols guarding the temple.
The accounting genius Burger could solidly back my merchant guild, too.
I could clearly envision the Mirmods flourishing as talents poured in.
That was when Burger quietly spoke up.
“……Got it.”
I met his trembling eyes and beamed.
“Best choice ever, Burger.”
Right then, the bell rang—ding-dong-dang—signaling the end of break.
***
Class ended, and it was time to go home.
Normally, Sien would’ve bolted out like, ‘Gotta go see Dad!’ but not today.
She had gathered Acid, Leonhart, Burger, and Martin in front of the locust tree.
Unfortunately, Leonhart had extra swordsmanship sparring lessons, so it was roughly the three of them.
Sien took in the sight of Acid, Burger, and Martin standing awkwardly before her.
Then she placed a hand on her hip and called their names one by one.
“Acid, Burger, Martin.”
Acid replied brightly.
“Yes.”
Where had that sharp wit from earlier gone? Burger, back to his nerdy self, mumbled half-heartedly while reading a book.
“Uh-huh.”
Martin, with a lingering unease on his face, glanced at Burger and murmured.
“……Why’d you call us?”
Sien clapped her hands to get their attention.
“Burger already knows, but the Mirmod family plans to sponsor you two—Burger and Martin! At ‘Diamond’ grade.”
Burger swallowed hard, and Martin looked incredulous.
“That’s not something you can decide on your own, Sien Mirmod.”
Sien shrugged nonchalantly at his words.
“What if it’s my dad’s decision?”
Sien stared at them intently, thinking to herself.
‘Of course, Dad’s decision alone wouldn’t fly…… but I’ll make it fly.’
As soon as Sien countered, Martin shot back quickly.
“I still don’t get it. You’re a Mirmod—why are you trying to support us like this? What do we even have that makes you do this?”
That was when Sien haughtily lifted her chin.
“I’m investing in the future. Believe it or not, up to you. But if I say I’m sponsoring you, will you accept?”
Martin and Sien’s gazes met head-on. He didn’t open his mouth easily, while Sien fixed him with a blazing stare, subtly urging an answer.
One second, two seconds, three……
A silent standoff, eyes locked.
Unexpectedly, the affirmative came not from Martin.
“Yeah.”
It was Burger. Both Sien and Martin turned to him in surprise.
Burger, looking more baffled himself, raised an eyebrow and countered.
“Why the surprise, Sien Mirmod? Wasn’t this what you expected?”
“……I mentioned it earlier, but hearing you say it outright still shocks me.”
Burger grinned.
“I don’t have a choice. I’m the forgotten prince. If there’s a top opportunity to use my skills, I have to take it.”
Hearing that, Martin stuttered unusually.
“Yo-you…… usually……”
“Speak fine.”
Sien stepped back, watching Burger and Martin eye each other.
Now she just had to wait for their conversation to flow. With Burger on board, Martin would follow soon enough.
That was when Acid stepped closer to Sien and whispered lowly.
“I hope you don’t get swayed by those guys, Sien.”
“Huh?”
“We don’t know what they’re scheming. Getting too close……”
Sien blinked blankly at Acid, tilting her head. Acid’s eyes clearly held jealousy, but Sien didn’t notice.
Instead, she peered into his eyes and whispered back.
“I’m the one swaying those friends. More importantly, Acid, your eyes are pretty.”
“……Pardon?”
“Just, you know. And my favorite friend is Acid! Even if I make more friends, I’ll hang out with you a lot.”
Acid’s cheeks flushed at her words. Sien just giggled, gazing at him as if he were adorable.
Martin, having finished his brief chat with Burger, watched them and thought.
‘……Kids being kids.’
Completely overlooking that he was a kid too.
As he rubbed his chin, observing them, Acid suddenly glanced at Martin. It was a blank expression, utterly different from when he looked at Sien.
He put on a quiet act in front of Sien, but Acid was someone with barely any emotional range.
That made Martin find him even more intriguing.
“Total…… gumdrop……”
Yeah, Sien’s gumdrop. That phrase fit perfectly.
All his focus glued to Sien like a gumdrop. At those words, Sien whipped her head around.
“What? Gumdrop?!?”
She’d never flinched from any adult before, but for some reason, meeting Sien’s crystal-clear eyes made his body twitch.
Her gaze looked just like a tiger’s. Flashing those tiger eyes, Sien jabbered on.
“Martin! You just called me a gumdrop, didn’t you?”
“No, I didn’t.”
Martin flinched for a moment. He knew one way to defuse this.
Namely……
“More importantly, looks like Acid’s got a crush on you?”
……Changing the subject.
But it didn’t seem to work well on Sien. She even pointed accusingly, barking at him.
“What crush! Why bring that up out of nowhere?”
“Uh, well……”
Martin chose his words carefully.
“Just a feeling. His face turns super red every time he looks at you. Like you two are in your own little world.”
At that, Acid’s cheeks turned furnace-red.
‘Acid, blushing now makes it seem like you’re admitting it for real!’
I was speechless and looked back and forth between Acid and Martin. That was when Burger quietly chimed in from the side.
“That’s right.”
……Burger, you don’t seem like a math-obsessed nerd at all. I pursed my lips tightly and shook my head.
“N-No. It’s because I saved Acid. I’ve saved lots of people. There’s this kid called Captain, and tons at the orphanage, and even my dad—I saved him too.”
At ‘my dad,’ Martin twitched.
“You saved your father? No way. Mathias Mirmod is an evil man……”
“Huh? Really? He’s not, though……”
I decided to tell the dubious Martin all about my good dad.
That was when it happened.
A massive voice boomed from afar.
Loud enough that we all jumped and looked outside.
“Aaack!”
I blinked in shock, staring toward the sound.