Duties
Each one of them needs to improve and refine themselves; right now, they are the backbone of Irlam. Traitors might exist, but we have our ways of dealing with them. The urgency in their hearts must be permanent, but it's also my duty to temper it so they can do their job right.
'Who would've thought being a leader would be this hard.'
Everyone starts leaving, but I notice Frederica isn't moving. Crusch gives me a wink and says her goodbyes, leaving just the four of us: Emilia, Otto, Frederica, and me.
She looks downcast; she already knew the situation from what Garfield told her, as well as from what we were able to explain. She also found out about Clint, her greatest love to date.
'This must be a tough blow for her, considering Roswaal raised and helped her all this time.'
She clenches her hands in her black suit, closes her eyes, and then looks straight at me.
"So, it's official now..." Frederica's lips tremble, and Emilia stands up, walking toward her.
She stands behind her and wraps her arms around her in a hug.
"I wasn't around for long, but to me, Roswaal was my benefactor, so even though it's not the same, I understand your pain." Emilia closes her eyes, resting her cheek on Frederica's head. "Annerose and Clint will be fine, but I don't know the exact situation."
Emilia looks at me, asking me to share more.
"I'm not sure about Clint, but it's likely he's also involved with the cult." My expression turns serious, and I can see the pain in Frederica's eyes. Emilia looks at me disapprovingly, but even though it hurts to say it, I can't leave any loose ends. "I apologize for my lack of tact, truly... it hurts me too, don't think this situation is easy; it's hard for all of us."
I don't know much, but if I can make some guesses, it's highly likely Clint is just as powerful as Roswaal. If he's an enemy, it means that one day, his life will have to be ended.
"I know it hurts, especially because of what he means to you." I look at her, and she shakes her head.
Her cheeks flush a little, and then her expression changes for a second.
"Not anymore. That man taught me, and I admit there was a time I loved him." She closes her eyes, then smiles slightly. "I admired them, one was the epitome of what a butler should be, and the other saved me and my family in our time of need."
Certainly, I could never see any flaws or even see through Clint. The few times I interacted with him; he was a blank slate; I couldn't see anything. The only thing Beatrice told me was that he was powerful, nothing more.
"They were both my saviors, and I appreciated them greatly. No, I still do." Frederica places her hands on Emilia's arms, holding onto her. "But my gratitude from the past won't stop me from taking action now, so you don't need to worry. I'm no longer just the servant Frederica, hehehe."
Frederica chuckles, her eyes sparkling.
I've always admired the beauty she radiates; it's different from Emilia, Crusch, or Helena. It's different in the sense that it's somehow warm and flirtatious, but without trying. It's curious, to say the least.
"I guess I am a servant for the people." Frederica smiles, standing up carefully as Emilia steps aside. "It still hurts, but now that I know the truth, I can move on."
Frederica bows slightly and heads toward the exit.
"I'll continue with my duties."
She leaves the room, and I can't help but be surprised. I smile, letting out a satisfied sigh. Without realizing it, she has changed too.
"She's in love, isn't she?" Otto asks, and I nod immediately.
"Her expression made it pretty obvious." I nod, and Otto looks at me with a mischievous smile.
He keeps smiling, then turns his gaze to Emilia. She looks surprised and then blushes, making me recall what happened in the cabin.
"If it's you two, who have experience, I can trust you, right, Miss Emilia?" Otto looks directly at Emilia, and she turns her back on him.
"Hmpf! At least I admit my feelings." Emilia crosses her arms, and at that moment, I can see the blood drain from Otto's face.
He places his hands on his legs, looking down at the floor.
"No, no, no idea what you're talking about..."
Then I put my hand to my mouth, laughing softly.
"I think I remember something you said when Rem left..." I pretend to be clueless, and Otto lunges at me, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Yes! It was—"
"Don't say it!" Otto looks at me desperately, but when he sees my smile, he realizes I was just messing with him.
He sighs, then looks at the table.
"I won't make any more jokes about it," he admits, making Emilia smile victoriously.
Otto must have wanted to say it for a long time, but this certainly isn't the right moment. I guess he's never had the opportunity, but I'm sure it'll work out in the future.
That's after he survives a beating from Ram.
'I need to make a video camera; I need to record when that happens.'
Even in a critical situation, we need to keep calm. We have the evidence, and we've gathered several samples from the bodies.
If Beatrice were here, this would be easier since she would help me identify the miasma more efficiently. But well, there's no use crying over spilled blood; the best thing to do is act.
Rem has helped with that; thanks to her sacrifice, we've obtained key samples for the case. Also, my new card, which no one knows I possess except for us.
"If Roswaal is allied with Bordeaux, then the information will be released during the trial, so we need to prepare for the blow." I look at them both, who are serious again. "The trial won't be easy, and we can't all go..."
Otto has to stay; if he's here, I can trust that everything will go well.
"Otto, during the trial, you'll have the same powers as I do. Besides, you'll have the Metia, so there won't be any issues." Whatever happens, we need to resolve it.
I'm not a politician, nor do I have the same experience as the nobles. In fact, none of us except Crusch do. I can manage things with logic and data, but politics is more than that.
There are many things I don't understand and maybe never will.
But that won't stop me from taking responsibility.
"Crusch is going with you, right?" Otto looks at me curiously, and I nod immediately, making him sigh in relief. "Then everything will be fine; there's nothing to worry about. I've seen her speak and write; everything about her has an impeccable way of being, better than anyone else here."
Certainly, she was a former duchess, so her knowledge of this world surpasses all of ours.
"What are you going to do about the bank?" I ask, changing the subject.
The Minister of Economy can't run the bank. I need Otto to manage other tasks. The problem is, we need someone trustworthy, someone we know won't betray us.
I can't think of anyone at the moment.
"Knowing math or statistics isn't enough," she replies, staring at the ceiling. "We could do aptitude tests and even an exam, but if you'll allow me, there's someone I'd like to suggest."
We all turn to Otto, curious, as I can't think of anyone.
"I think it's time." Otto smiles. "Marco might already know, but I'm going to tell Miss Emilia the story of my life; I'm sorry I've avoided it all this time."
We both sit down, listening to Otto's story. As expected, everything happened just like in the novel. The only new thing is what he mentioned afterward.
"My brother is now managing the Suwen Guild, but his talents could be better utilized. The Suwen Guild could ally with Irlam; I'm sure he'd be interested in the proposal." Otto looks at us with determination. "I want to convince my brother to become the owner of the bank, but I'm not sure I'll succeed. Plus, I also need to prepare him for the exam; after all, we have to be fair."
His words bring a smile to my face. Seeing that he doesn't feel overshadowed by his brother's achievements, watching him speak with such enthusiasm, excites me. Clearly, it would be impossible to appoint him as the bank's leader without reason, but if he passes the exam, then there's nothing more to say.
His experience managing the guild, along with his potential contacts, also interests me.
"Your brother could be a good bridge to Vollachia. I'm interested, even if he's not the one managing the bank." I look at him with a smile, which makes him even more excited.
I think Otto should visit his family; he deserves to share everything he's accomplished with them. They've probably heard the news in Irlam, and now that his name will be made public, it's the perfect time.
"I think, after a long time, I'll send a real letter to my family." Otto stands up and leaves the room.
Emilia and I exchange glances for a few seconds. I move my chair to be next to her. The meeting probably lasted a little over two hours. Now the important thing is to go where Erick is; I want to check on his mental state.
Emilia, on the other hand, will go to the hospital.
When she sees me by her side, she rests her head on my shoulder. I'm glad I came to this world, I'm glad I could help, I'm glad to see how happy she is, how proud she is of herself.
Accepting oneself doesn't mean not wanting to change. Accepting the good and the bad isn't an excuse not to improve. From the very beginning, Emilia has strived to get better; from the start, everything she's done has had value.
I don't know when she started to shine so brightly, but I'm glad to be a part of it.
"Rem and Otto look good together, don't they?" she asks, and I smile at her.
Emilia and I share something, a trait that maybe she picked up from me, or maybe we were destined to share.
'How she loves gossip.'
"Rem doesn't seem to deny or confirm it. Honestly, I think they're pretty compatible," I reply, wrapping an arm around Emilia, gently stroking her hair. "I've seen that spark in their eyes when they're together."
"I've always seen them as compatible." Otto's personality is quite outgoing and pleasant, mixed with casual shyness; the downside is his bad luck in life.
Something always ends up happening to him, though it's lessened since they've been together.
I always tease him, but the current Otto is growing stronger each day.
"In contrast, Rem's personality is calmer, but when she gets excited about something, there's no stopping her."
I'm quite curious to see what's happened between the two.
"Rem is leaving the mansion today." I glance at her out of the corner of my eye and see her settle in, leaning against my chest.
'If someone walked in, they'd have a scoop.'
"Yes, I went with her and Luan to buy the house. Honestly, I'm rea~lly glad. I think it'll be good for Ram, after all, they both suffered the worst blow. It makes me rea~~lly sad to think about them, to see what's happened."
It's true; it hurts me more for what we lost than for Roswaal himself.
Also, for what he means to them. All the people in Irlam trusted him, even the entire kingdom. Knowing of his betrayal will be a huge blow for us and all of Lugunica.
"It's painful, but I know they'll get through it." I take her hand, holding it firmly.
I didn't respond to her confession simply because it wasn't the right time. I didn't want to say "yes" just because she helped me, nor say yes out of the emotion of the moment.
I want it to be truly genuine, and she knows that too.
"It hurts me too. Is he really an enemy?" Emilia's hand trembles, and I squeeze it gently. "I don't want to; I don't want to have to end his life. There must be a way to help him!"
Emilia looks at me and then quickly looks away.
"There isn't, because he wasn't really manipulated by miasma." I look toward the door, thinking about the truth. "Roswaal was manipulated by words, which are entirely different. He knew what it meant and what he was doing, yet he chose to do it anyway."
Who knows what he'll do in the future.
The Roswaal in the novel is softer than the real one; I suppose they adapted him to their liking. The reason for the difference is the manipulation he experienced from the start. This Roswaal didn't even consider Echidna as real.
'Do you think I want that farce?'
His words were clear, his constant mention of the "error," my own thoughts on the matter, what happened in my world. I can assume that the soul that arrived in my world has a deeper background than I think.
A soul that escaped the treatment of Od Laguna.
I have to find out, to see what happened four hundred years ago. I must ask Echidna; I'm sure she remembers everything.
"I don't know if it's possible, but if I see him again..." I close my eyes, calming all the hatred inside me with the caresses on her hair. "If I see him again, I'll kill him immediately."
Emilia nods, and I can see those words hurt her. There's nothing I can do; the fact that he changed doesn't mean I shouldn't fulfill my duty. I tried to give him a chance, and he almost killed Ram.
I'm not an idiot either; I can't allow myself to be blind.
Emilia knows this too, which is why she doesn't say anything.
"What are we going to do when the news comes out?" she asks, and I sigh.
A lot of things could happen.
"We'll probably lose several alliances we had, as well as several lands. I really doubt the kingdom will grant me all of Roswaal's lands even if he asks for it." I stroke her head, calming down a bit. "Since they can't take Irlam from me, they'll likely give me this entire area, but who knows what will happen to the villages and the city of Hanumas."
I'm concerned about the Ganacks mines, as well as the city they've given away—Hanumas, which could be a wonderful trade center. I couldn't care less about their mansion, but I'm worried they'll take too much land from us.
Irlam needs to expand; not knowing what they'll take from us really frightens me.
"We must defend Irlam. The news of their betrayal is going to shake the economy. We managed to suppress the news about the cult, but this will send the kingdom into a panic." Emilia holds my hand, and I smile. "If we want to defend it, we have to use that panic to our advantage."
Turning bad into good. We need to seize the opportunity when things are at their worst to push them higher.
"The momentum we gain from the bottom will determine how far we can go," I assert, making Emilia nod again.
Right now, our economy is growing, despite the irreversible damage caused by the war. We can still move forward with the money from the contracts. The problem is that it's not entirely secure, which is why I need Otto as the Minister of Economy.
"We're going to buy options, and that's how we'll get what we want." I see her looking at me curiously, so I explain, "We'll use them to amass all kinds of raw materials, then produce and sell at high prices due to the news-driven price hikes. Since the news will come out of the capital, the first thing we need to do is start expanding. I'll explain more in detail later."
We'll amass as much raw material as we can, that way, we'll have control over the sale of products.
"When the news about Roswaal comes out, along with the trial results, we'll have to play our cards right in the economic sphere." I kiss her forehead, acknowledging that she's not great with business. "Don't worry, you can watch me work, or if you want to ask Otto, you'll start understanding bit by bit."
She nods, and I get up to leave.
"Do you want to have lunch together?" she asks, and I nod.
I leave the room, pulling my hood over my head as I head to the military base. Right now, I need to see the situation from another perspective. I need to know everything Erick Costuul has written, as well as understand Harald Costuul in depth.
My biggest lie is claiming that the plan is complete, but I had to soothe their fears a little.
Now, I have to complete it, turning the lie into truth.