Ch 222: @#%@%# stupid old corrupt commander

Ch 222: @#%@%# stupid old corrupt commander

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"Well, if we have nothing more to talk about, I'll be on my way," I say, a little tired of talking to Cael, turning to leave.

I feel like nothing is going as planned lately.

It's like I can only react to the situations that come my way.

'I don't like this new feeling that I don't have complete control over my life.'

"Wait..."

'Agh. What now?'

I turn around and see Cael hastily writing something.

"... If Emilia is going to leave her position as healer, there's a group of people who are going to be out of a job. At least momentarily," he says, and I instantly understand what he means.

Without Delia here, Victor and the group of people dedicated solely to protecting my little saint will lose their jobs.

But that has nothing to do with me.

"So? Why are you telling me this?" I ask, thinking with irritation about the possible new responsibilities Cael may want to impose on me.

"Because I think you're the one who should be communicating the situation to them. After all, you're the one who has always spoken on Emilia's behalf until now, so I think it's better that you personally explain to them the reason why they'll lose their jobs."

"Sure, no problem..." I say, mockingly.

"....Cael, I don't have the faintest idea what will happen to them from now on. How do you expect me to explain something I don't know?"

"That won't be a problem. Here..." he says, holding out a second sheet of paper on which he has been writing as we speak.

"... this paper makes it clear where Emilia's security guards should go. Give it to Victor."

"I don't like to play errand boy." I say grumpily.

"Ahh, sorry," says Cael, as if he's just remembered something. "Is this too mundane a task for the great war hero?"

"Ahh, good," says Victor, taking the paper, after which he starts to read it dejectedly. "Haa... Goodbye to my privileged salary."

'Haa... I feel a bit guilty about putting someone out of a job who hasn't done anything to deserve it'

"Well, soldier's pay isn't so bad either," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"It is if you have 13 little brothers to support... I'm the eldest and sole breadwinner in a poor family. My father abandoned us when I was little, and my mother died of a stupid disease because we couldn't hire a Solus Temple healer to cure her...." Victor says, sighing again.

'No one asked you to tell me such a story! Shit...

Now the guilt is really killing me....

Maybe I could hire him to work on the project I have in mind.'

"....Either way, it's still better than most salaries. Haa. It doesn't matter. We'll manage somehow. We always do."

"Look... Our protector is thinking of opening a clinic so Emilia can put her skills to good use in the capital..." I say, unsure if I'm not putting my foot in my mouth by telling him this.

"... Maybe I could convince her to hire you as security for the clinic? I don't know if the pay will be much better than what you'll get here, but at least you won't have to put your life on the line."

'This way, I won't feel guilty about putting the future of 13 children at risk, and at the same time, I'll get another reliable bodyguard for Delia, besides Alessia. Once the clinic starts to become known, she will need to have a good safety net around her.'

"That... That would be great! When could I start?" says Victor enthusiastically.

"I don't know yet. I also don't know if our protector will accept you. Don't put too much hope in this offer for the moment," I say hastily, a little stressed at the thought of having a person working for me on a permanent basis.

"Ahh, well..." he says, deflating a little.

"... please look me up as soon as you hear back."

'I can't back out now. I just hope this good deed will serve to offset some of the negative karma I've accumulated for leading Delia astray'

"Yes, I will do that... Well... That's all I came to tell you..." I say, still full of doubts about the decision I've just made.

"...I'll see you another time."

I suppose there is always the possibility of Victor spying on me for Cael.

But I think it would simply be a matter of paying Victor more than the harassing commander pays him, so that he doesn't reveal the information I don't want him to reveal and only tells the gossipy commander unimportant things.

After all, as I saw a few minutes ago, Cael will probably hire people to spy on me, whether I want to or not.

And, if so, it's best to know who the spy is.

I don't want to believe that someone as honest as Victor could be Cael's spy, but given what I've seen, I'm going to think that anyone with even the slightest connection to the commander is suspect.