CH 139

Mayer persistently tried to get rid of Tragula, keeping at it all the way until the end. The man was tenacious and obstinate. After barely fending him off, I left his office mentally exhausted. Still, thanks to my pockets faring better than when I had entered his office, my footsteps were lighter on the way back to my room.

* * *

The decisive day had arrived. I prepared to set out early in the morning. Mary said, worried, “Be careful.”

“Don’t worry. Even if I get a bit hurt, Reverend August will heal me.”

I had meant to ease Mary’s worries, but her face darkened instead. She sighed and shook her head. “…That’s your problem, Vice-captain. That consequentialist part of you that doesn’t mind injury so long as the result is good. I can empathize with His Excellency worrying.”

“Haha…”

I laughed awkwardly. I honestly didn’t know what I did wrong. Even if I was all about the results, it wasn’t like I was doing anything that went against ethics in the process… I was just sacrificing myself. It was the most efficient way. Not that I could say that in front of Mary, whose concern seemed genuine. Only after repeatedly promising I’d never get myself hurt did Mary see me off with a smile. She warned, “I’ll be checking in with His Excellency later on.”

“Haha…” After bidding a light farewell, I put on the artifacts gifted by Mayer on top of my vice-captain uniform and left the room.

In the lobby, all the members of the corps gathered to give a send-off, not just the ones setting out on an expedition. Everyone seemed to be taking extra care seeing as Mayer and the entire elite squad were going out. Robur and Tragula were giving farewells to the members of the squads they were leaving behind. They made obvious the difference in the nature of the squads. The Star Squad members were laughing and chatting heartily. Meanwhile, the Yellow Lightning members were glancing around and whispering. And as for the special unit… they looked like little ones going on a picnic. Watching the three kids chattering together put a smile on my lips without my knowing.

At that moment, Sevi noticed me entering the lobby first and called out in greeting. “Vice-captain!”

“We should start getting ready to go out now.” As soon as I spoke, the messy crowd of expedition members went to their places.

“Please return safely, Squad Leader!”

“Haha, I’m Robur the Oaken Fortress! It’s still a hundred years too early to worry for me!”

After saying goodbye to the Star Squad, Robur came over to me in a good mood. Tragula also followed behind her wearing a bright smile. His smile, though, was only a facade to look good in front of me.

“The special unit has assembled. Now, these are the members that will be raiding the Furka dungeon together.”

Everyone excluding Tragula seemed to have grown quite closer after the previous after-party. They exchanged friendly looks among each other. Tragula was the only one who didn’t quite mix in. Not only with the special unit, but also with the existing elite members. Even so, I wasn’t particularly worried as I was certain of their abilities, at least. Robur and Tragula, who usually would have led their own squads, came to stand behind me. Including August, I had three elite members, and the special unit members were also three. I couldn’t tell whether this was the elite or special unit… Mayer’s forced decision had ruined my plan. Even though I did plan for the special unit to join the elite squad anyway, the timing was too early.

I sighed. In that instant, the only elite member who didn’t join the special unit, Axion, came sauntering over to me. “Geez, for some reason I feel like my place should be here instead of being with the Red Wolves.”