Several days had passed since the rewards and punishments were settled.
'So much has happened during that time…'
The tea party with Lady Meredia, securing Runiel at the slave market, recruiting Parsha, rescuing the saintess at the engagement ceremony, and finally, the merit distribution.
It hadn't even been a full month since I regained memories of my past life, yet the events that unfolded were already overwhelming.
Looking back, every single moment had been full of danger.
'I need to start preparing in advance from now on.'
However, the real danger was only beginning.
Now that I had shifted from vague goals like the prosperity of my family and a comfortable life to the clear objective of saving Meredia, the trials ahead would be far more challenging than anything I had faced so far.
'On top of that, I now have the saintess under my protection.'
Even focusing solely on Meredia's salvation was difficult enough. If I got involved in the main scenario of 'Black Tail Fantasy 3', it would undoubtedly lead to chaos.
But if I completely turned a blind eye, the world would be in danger as early as Act 1 of the main scenario.
Therefore, I needed to transfer the saintess to the playable characters as soon as possible and distance myself from the main scenario.
After days of contemplation, I had devised a plan for the future.
"Anyway, everyone, thank you for gathering here today."
I had discreetly summoned Parsha, Alfred, Runiel, and other key members—those I considered my trusted subordinates—to my office for a meeting.
"Yes, Master!!!"
"…Sigh, Parsha. Please call me 'Young Master' when others are around."
"You don't need to thank a mere tool. I exist only to be used."
In truth, my so-called "cadre" consisted of only three people—Parsha, Runiel, and Alfred, who had been dragged here the moment he returned today.
However, considering their intellect, combat prowess, and competence, their collective effort would surely be helpful…
"Uh, um… Young Master."
"Hm?"
"T-The board says 'Executive Meeting'… W-Why am I here?"
Oh, right. With Sasha, that makes four people in total.
"Haha, Miss Sasha, if you're not one of my executives, then what are you?"
"B-But I'm just your personal maid!?"
As I scratched my head and tried to brush past the issue, Sasha flailed in panic, desperately voicing her protest.
"Sasha, my grandfather and I are just servants of the estate as well."
"I, too, am technically a maid of the estate. If anything, you're my senior in that regard."
"B-But still…!"
Even though Parsha and Runiel tried to back me up, it was true that including Sasha in this meeting was a bit of a stretch.
However, I had called her here for a very specific reason.
'For some reason, Lady Hestia seems comfortable around Sasha.'
I had no idea what had happened while I was away handling the merit distribution, but the saintess—who was now disguised as a new maid named "Tia"—was in a state of extreme alertness.
Not only was she wary of me and Runiel, but even when Parsha or Alfred tried to explain the situation, she merely nodded frantically, trembling all the while.
To ease her wariness, I needed someone she wasn't afraid of—one of the few people who knew her true identity. Sasha was that person.
'I do feel guilty for dragging her into yet another mess…'
After all, I had explicitly told her to stay out of such matters, yet here I was, pulling her in again.
But at least her role wouldn't put her in any immediate danger.
Still, given her personality, she would likely feel quite burdened. I needed to compensate her properly—especially since she was sending most of her earnings to support her family.
"Sasha, how many family members do you currently support?"
"…Pardon?"
"I heard you have quite a few mouths to feed…"
If I had any conscience, I couldn't treat my subordinates like disposable workers at some black company.
"I could make it so that you never have to worry about them again."
"...!"
As I spoke with a soft smile, subtly testing her reaction, her expression stiffened for a moment.
"...W-What do you need me to do?"
"Haha, nothing much. Just follow my instructions when the time comes."
I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but as soon as I heard Sasha's hesitant response, I silently celebrated my success.
To reassure her, I hooked my pinky in the air as if making a solemn vow.
"If you do that, I promise to guarantee your family's happiness and safety."
"Ah…"
"I always keep my word."
Sasha, still trembling, nodded furiously without opening her eyes.
"Whew. Don't misinterpret my expression, alright? I'm simply saying that good work deserves fair incentives."
"…Really?"
"Well… probably?"
Alfred, who had been sitting beside her, mumbled something under his breath and shot me a disapproving glare, but I ignored him.
For now, what mattered was securing Sasha's cooperation.
"Master! So what's the plan moving forward?"
Just as I was about to dive into the main discussion, Parsha eagerly raised her hand, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"What kind of evi—uh, I mean brilliant plan will shake the empire this time?"
"Well, that's exactly why I gathered you all today."
She was fidgeting in her seat, clearly excited, but her enthusiasm wasn't a bad thing. With a smile, I began explaining.
"Our next goal is to safely awaken Lady Hestia—the future saintess—whom we currently have in our custody."
"Hah… What a thing to deal with in my twilight years."
"Huh? You all already knew the saintess' identity?"
Upon hearing those words, Alfred let out a deep sigh and shook his head, while Sasha, after glancing around blankly, muttered in a dazed voice. Regardless, I continued speaking.
"For reference, the key figure in the saintess' awakening is likely one of the winners of the Prodigy Selection Tournament."
"The problem is that cheating was discovered in the tournament held recently, leading to a rematch."
At that point, the office fell into a heavy silence, with no further distractions.
"As a result, the winners who should have been invited to the engagement ceremony never got the chance to meet the saintess, which is why I had to bring her to the estate."
Since I could feel the gazes on me, I scratched my head before continuing.
"In short, our objective is to arrange for Lady Hestia to meet the tournament winners at the upcoming rematch at the academy."
Finishing my explanation, I casually asked if there were any questions.
"That concludes the briefing. Does anyone have any questions?"
"W-Why… do we have to awaken the saintess…?"
Sasha, who had timidly raised her hand, asked in a hesitant voice, as if regretting her brief moment of courage.
"Haha, good question, Sasha."
"Eek. T-Thank you?"
It seemed that now that her family's well-being was on the line, she had decided to take things more seriously, which was a relief.
"Because it's the only way to counter the black magicians' schemes."
"Hmm, indeed. Black magicians have been spotted frequently as of late. Not to mention their involvement in the engagement ceremony incident."
I had intended to explain with a friendly expression, but Alfred, who had been shooting nervous glances at Parsha the entire time, suddenly nodded and interjected.
"But what exactly do you mean by their 'plans,' Young Master?"
"Hmm."
"Aren't they as secretive and unpredictable as ever?"
"That's true. Very few people know what their true goal is."
Agreeing with his sharp observation, I nodded along before responding.
"That's exactly why I wouldn't have known either—if I hadn't secretly received this information from my father."
I flashed a bright smile, delivering a convenient excuse that was sure to work in a situation like this.
At times like this, my father's absence was incredibly useful.
"From the Count, you say…?"
"Alfred, it's no fun if you keep pressing for details."
"…Ahem."
Giving Alfred a look for his lack of tact, I cleared my throat and continued.
"Anyway, the black magicians' objective is clear."
Although this information was originally meant to be revealed only to the game's player, I figured my inner circle should know.
Even if they weren't saying anything, they were probably uneasy about harboring the saintess.
To gain their full cooperation, they needed to understand this crucial point.
"They intend to summon a new Demon King into this world and usher in an age of darkness."
As my voice lowered to reveal the truth, an eerie silence filled the office.
Well, that was to be expected.
After all, while I could accept it since I had first encountered this world through a game, to those who had been born and raised here, the idea of a 'Demon King' was nothing more than—
"A-A-A Demon King?!"
"Haha."
"You mean the Demon King from the Heroic Legend?"
"Miss Runiel, as unbelievable as it may sound…"
Yes, most people dismissed it as mere fiction.
"I knew it! The Heroic Legend was real all along!"
"…Huh?"
"I-I always believed it! Other knight cadets mocked me for taking it seriously, saying it was just a childish fairy tale, but I knew it was real!"
Just as I was trying to figure out how to convince them of the Demon King's existence, Runiel's ecstatic voice caught me completely off guard.
"That means… the legendary duel between the First Demon King and the First Hero, and the tragic love story of the Second Demon King and the Second Hero—those were all real?"
"Uh… and Sir Whitney, which story do you prefer? I personally love the First Hero's tale, but the Second Hero's story is the most popular, after all."
'…Wait, is this really the same Runiel I know?'
"When I was younger, I even tried to study the Second Hero's swordsmanship and incorporate it into my own technique, but there were too few records left…"
Seeing someone who was once feared as a 'killing machine' among players now breathing heavily with sparkling eyes, speaking in rapid bursts without formalities, was giving me a sense of cognitive dissonance.
"B-But it was definitely worth attempting! Although I couldn't fully recreate it, I concluded that their noble swordsmanship must have incorporated a completely different style of qi training from our era…"
"Uh, Miss Runiel, I think you're getting a bit too excited."
"…Ah."
Although it was amusing to see this unexpected side of her, I had to interrupt to continue the meeting. At my words, Runiel suddenly snapped back to reality, her face rapidly turning bright red.
"S-Sorry…"
Lowering her head, she muttered an apology in a small, embarrassed voice.
She looked exactly like an outed closet otaku.
"No, I actually like hero stories too."
"It's called the Heroic Legend…"
"When I was little, Cecil was really into it, so I often played the Demon King role in our make-believe games. Haha."
"I… played it with Cecil just a few days ago…"
I had meant to reassure her, but as I spoke, Runiel's ears turned redder. Maybe I should've kept my mouth shut.
"Master, do you suspect that one of the Prodigy Selection Tournament winners is the new Hero?"
Just as an awkward atmosphere settled over the room, Parsha chimed in with a well-timed question.
"Exactly, Parsha. One of them possesses the Hero's power and will stand against the black magicians' plot to revive the Demon King."
"..."
"In times when the Demon King rises, a Hero always emerges to oppose them. Isn't that fascinating?"
Feeling proud of her insight, I had unknowingly revealed information that even my father couldn't be used as an excuse for.
Realizing my mistake, I hesitated momentarily and tried to clarify,
"Well, this is only my speculation, but—"
"Oh, I think I finally understand your intentions, Master."
Parsha nodded to herself, as if she had pieced everything together.
"Right. A Demon King needs a Hero to make things interesting. Otherwise, it wouldn't be any fun."
"…?"
"…?"
"Haha, it's always thrilling, always fresh…"
Parsha's quiet muttering as she chuckled to herself was a little unsettling, but with Alfred nearby, things should be fine.
"Well, does anyone else have any questions?"
I threw the question out casually, but no one responded.
"Uh, Head Butler, does that mean he really wants us to ask questions if we're curious?"
"Shh, just pretend you didn't hear anything and nod."
"Eek."
It wasn't that they had no questions—it was more that they knew asking how I knew all this wouldn't do them any good.
That worked out just fine for me.
"Master, how much time do we have?"
The voice that cut through the silence belonged to Runiel, who had been quietly bowing her head until now. Her tone was serious.
"Hmm, at best, two weeks."
The Prodigy Selection Tournament's rematch was scheduled exactly two weeks from now. The problem was that the Academy Assault Incident, the highlight of Act 1, was set to occur around the same time.
'In fact, it could very well happen on the day of the tournament.'
While security would be greatly reinforced due to the tournament, that could make it an even more tempting target for the black magicians.
I couldn't be certain, but I had a bad feeling about it.
"Do you know which finalist holds the key to awakening the saintess?"
"Since the rematch hasn't happened yet, it's impossible to say."
Besides, the top three finalists—the playable characters—were always randomly determined.
This was precisely why speedrunners would reset repeatedly, hoping to get characters with optimal abilities.
"Master! If we could get the participant list for the rematch, I could narrow it down!"
"Hm?"
Parsha, who had been looking between Runiel and me with a sulky expression, suddenly raised her hand and spoke up loudly.
"Because I have an analysis mod—Mmph!?"
"Watch your words, Parsha."
Before she could finish her sentence, Alfred clamped his hand over her mouth and scolded her in a low voice.
"You collapsed the last time you overused that ability."
"Grandpa? Since when did you know about my ability—mmph!"
"Young Master, I will explain this matter to you separately soon. For now, could you please pretend you didn't hear anything?"
I was curious about their story, but seeing Alfred rise from his seat and bow his head so politely, I had no choice but to nod.
"Then, pardon my interruption… Ouch!"
"I can't breathe!"
Despite being an aging butler on the verge of retirement, Alfred had lived through countless battles.
If his granddaughter, Parsha, had inherited some kind of unusual ability, it wasn't surprising.
Out of respect for his wishes, I decided to let the matter rest for now.
He had promised to explain it later, after all.
"Now, back to the main point… Our only option left is to infiltrate the saintess into the tournament venue on the day of the rematch."
As soon as I spoke those words, everyone's expression darkened.
"Even if Sasha persuades the saintess, the academy's security system is no joke, Master."
"I agree! Unless we have some incredible insider information, this plan sounds way too risky!"
"If you were planning to ask for my help, I'd advise against it. The academy's staff are an extremely closed-off group, and my influence doesn't reach them."
One after another, Runiel, Parsha, and Alfred voiced their opposition.
Smiling, I shook my head.
"Haha. You all seem to be misunderstanding something. While the saintess will need to be disguised, we won't be sneaking in. We'll be entering the academy legitimately."
"…?"
"That aside, we should be getting a message soon…"
I quickly dispelled their misunderstanding before turning toward the window, mumbling to myself.
"Young Master, excuse me for a moment."
"Oh? Speak of the devil."
Just then, a knock sounded at the office door, followed by a weary voice from one of the guards.
"Apologies, sir, but there is someone outside claiming to be your dear friend. They are currently causing a commotion, demanding to be let in."
"Hm, I see."
"Fortunately, they seem to have exhausted themselves and are now sulking in front of the gate…"
Hearing this, I let out a wry chuckle and stood up, walking over to the guard.
"I highly doubt it, but do you recognize them?"
"That person is my friend. Let them in."
The guard's eyes widened in shock.
"A-Are you certain?"
"And for the record, they're someone of quite high standing. I suggest you avoid upsetting them any further."
"A-Ah! Understood!"
Watching the guard hurriedly dash off down the corridor, I let out a quiet sigh.
"Young Master? Who did you invite to the estate?"
"Oh, just the academy's student council president, who happens to have authority over the Prodigy Selection Tournament's judging panel."
"…Wait. Then why didn't you mention this sooner—?"
Alfred, apparently overwhelmed by his butler instincts, was sweating profusely.
I reassured him with a more detailed explanation.
"They're actually supposed to be under house arrest right now, so they shouldn't be moving around freely. They're probably disguised, so don't bother with any formal welcome preparations."
"Wait. Just to confirm… what is this person's name?"
Alfred, catching on quickly, asked hesitantly.
With no other choice, I revealed the guest's identity.
"Hmm, Crown Prince Kendrick."
Though at this point, it would be more accurate to say—
'Or rather, Princess Katarina.'
"Urk."
"Hiiik!"
Whichever title I used, it wouldn't have stopped Alfred and Sasha from letting out strangled cries of shock at the same time.