Chapter 244: Really?

Chapter 244: Really?“That aside, Dowd.”

After hearing the shocking announcement that Sullivan had become the advisor for the Exorcism Club...

Her Imperial Majesty the Empress’ mood worsened rapidly, but of course, Sullivan didn’t care about it and just continued on.

“U-Uh... You know...”

...For some reason, she was twisting her waist around, though. What the hell was she doing?

The slight blush in her face and the way she repeatedly tried to clear her throat... I could take it as she was feeling embarrassed.

Her Imperial Majesty the Empress made a face as if she had just seen a gruesome dead body of a cockroach that had imploded to death though...

“...That bet you are doing, you know, about how the members of the club can challenge you to a match...”

“Uh, yeah...?”

“Now that I’ve become the club’s advisor...”

“Uh-huh...?”

As I replied to her anxiously, Sullivan continued while trying to read my expression.

“...Can I join?”

“...”

“If I win, I want to have you all to my—”

“As if! Have some conscience—!”

Before I could say anything, an objection that was like a scream echoed inside the room.

Cecil and Sulli.

In other words, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and the Chancellor.

I knew that they were on bad terms, just like oil and water, but the atmosphere between them at the moment was beyond even that.

But, even though they seemed like they could eat each other alive if left to their own devices, these two had a little more insidious relationship where they would mock each other with a smile on their faces.

“...That’s a big talk for someone who was ready to manipulate the match in your favor, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“...”

“Actually, why don’t I become the judge for the match instead?”

“...I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

Her Imperial Majesty retorted with a smile.

But even she couldn’t hide the corner of her lips that were twitching subtly.

“After all, how could we let a woman who doesn’t know her place like you—who, even though she’s already so old, yet she still lusts over a younger man, be in charge of something so important? I know of your thief-like mindset, but I didn’t expect you to be so shameless.”

After hearing that, Sullivan’s forehead furrowed hard. She was still smiling though.

“Oh my, despite my age, I still think I’ll live longer than a certain someone who doesn’t know her place and has no conscience whatsoever. You know, the woman who’s still trying to latch onto a man in his prime with a body that won’t last for long. Also, in regard to the time I can spend by his side, I’ll definitely win against you. And it won’t even be close.”

“...Are you done?”

...Correction.

These two had a relationship where they’d pour out toxic words on each other while smiling.

After that, a fierce exchange of words ensued between the two of them.

“You clingy bitch—!”

“Are you really proud of all the fat inside your body, you old ass hag—”

“...”

Even though this was supposed to be a conversation between two stateswomen who practically ruled the Empire, all the grace, semblance of intelligence and even human’s dignity were thrown away into the gutter.

Listening to them drained my energy as well, so I decided to just close my eyes and let their conversation go in one ear and out the other.

I’m a tree... I’m a wind... I’m a lake...

“...You damn brat...”

“...How could you still have such a disgusting mindset at that age...”

After a while, they seemed to have poured all emotions they had to let out as at this point, they were only glaring at each other while breathing heavily.

And while they were doing that, I just calmly drank my tea with a detached expression.

Well, now that both of them seemed to have calmed down, I guess I could speak out now.

Actually, whatever was going on in this room, it really didn’t matter.

Because there was one thing that took precedence over everything else.

“...By the way.”

I called out to both of them. Almost instantly, they fixed their gazes on me.

“Who’s running the Empire at the moment...?”

Both the Empress and Chancellor were here, so who the hell was in charge of the country’s administrative work?

Also, was it okay for people of their level to pull off such ridiculous antics just because of me?

My question was filled with these kinds of implications—which they should be able to tell—but they only shrugged it off.

“Radu is doing his best.”

“I just assigned a substitute to do my work.”

“...But, isn’t something like that is only used in an emergency—”

Before I could finish my words, I ended up clenching my mouth shut.

Because these two glared at me, as if saying ‘This IS an emergency situation’.

“...”

What the fuck did they think my club was? Why did they even do this...?

I just established it because of the school regulations...

[Dowd, think about it.]

“...I’m serious. Um, that is part of the reason, but it’s not the entire reason!”

After facing my doubtful gaze, Sullivan cleared her throat before replying.

I guess it was safe to assume that me establishing a club was half of the reason why they were here. Anyway...

Sullivan continued her explanation.

“...Even after putting your ‘Devil-related power’ that could even draw the Magic Tower’s attention aside, you’re still in an important position, Dowd.”

“An important position...? Me...?”

“People with good eyes and ears are everywhere. Just look around you. Elfante has tried so hard to suppress all the information about you, but you’re already quite popular.”

“...”

She had a point.

They really did try to suppress most of the incidents I was involved with, but due to the scale of them, it was simply impossible to cover up everything.

“You are someone who’s acquaintanced with the Tribal Alliance’s Chieftain, the only outsider who had entered the Imperial Palace, someone who could hang out in Tristan Duchy as if you’re at home, the best friend of the current Hero and someone who’s able to maintain friendship with most Devil’s Vessels—the most dangerous beings in the continent.”

Sullivan listed those things one by one before letting out a deep sigh.

“Just think about it, such a person is creating a ‘force’ by gathering all his acquaintances. It’s hard to consider your club as a simple club at this point.”

“What does that even—”

“I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not, but each of the people you are gathering in your club is able to start a war of conquest against some small nations. There’s even a high chance that they’d win against them.”

Hearing her words, I suddenly felt suffocated.

I understood what she was trying to imply.

“...Such people are ‘grouping up’ together, even if it’s not your intention to, there bound to be people who’d misunderstand you.”

“...”

“You’re creating a new party, Dowd Campbell’s party, a party that is more than likely to shake the ‘continent’ itself. There are plenty of people who have already started to make that kind of connection, you know?”

...Was that why there was such a huge crowd when we started the club’s application?

I thought it was because of Iliya’s and my popularity...

“Not only that, your party has met enough conditions for all those people to think that you’re going to take the ‘next step’.”

Sullivan continued while spinning a pen in her hand.

“To become a ‘King’. You have the perfect environment for it, as long as you could meet the rest of the conditions.”

“...”

At that, my head went blank.

“Two Major Nobles with the highest authority in the Empire are sponsoring you. Not only that, it’s already an open secret that you have a close relationship with the Tristan Duchal House since everyone had seen you dance with Lady Tristan at the Social Gathering back at the Imperial Palace.”

“...”

“You only need to get married with Lady Tristan to gain ‘authority’, now, combine that with the ‘capable personnels’ you’ve gathered, it doesn’t take a genius to tell that you’ll have enough power to become independent and create a whole new ‘principality’.”

“...Those busybodies and opportunists who consider themselves smart would think that you’d definitely do it. Since that’s the only thing they could see from the outside after considering the power level of your force.”

As I stayed silent, unable to say anything, Her Majesty the Empress expressed her agreement with a snort.

“But, you need to keep this in mind...”

Sullivan opened her mouth again, there was a slight frown on her brows this time.

“While there are many who are trying to build connections with you, there are also many who’d be wary of you in the Empire.”

“...”

“Of course it isn’t your fault for gathering such people and establishing a club on your own, only crazy idiots would think that, but... It still won’t change the fact that there are a lot of things going on...”

Sullivan swept her hair before continuing.

“The Upper Nobles Association, Her Imperial Majesty’s subordinates, the nobles on my side... There’s a strong friction among us, that’s for sure, but you see, we could at least coexist with each other before all this. And now, the hostility among us is slowly resurfacing. I’m not blaming you, but, your existence is like a hot potato that accidentally lit up a fuse...”

“...”

“...While her Imperial Majesty probably came here half jokingly, I came here for a good reason. We don’t know who would try to play tricks on you and how they’d do it.”

But, the number one person you need to look out for is definitely Count Nicholas.

She added as such, but by that point, I was already in a daze.

As I kept listening to her, I finally understood...

< system="" log="">

[ How the upcoming Main Quest - Chapter 5, ‘The Empire’s Great Turmoil’ will progress depends on how you run the Club! ]

...I finally knew the reason why such a message popped up before my eyes.

...Caliban.

[I'm all ears.]

Caliban replied in a rather unfriendly tone, but I still continued in a daze.

...They tried to tone it down by a lot, but...

[Mhm?]

They...

I continued with a dumbfounded tone.

...They are trying to say that a war could happen just because I established the club?

[Mhm.]

Because some fucker misunderstood my intentions?

[That sounds about right.]

...

Seriously?

Fuck.