Chapter 17: A Former Boss Like My Sister

Translated by Hikaru

Edited by Mel

“Long time no see, Tweight.”

Chris smiled and said to me as I passed through the school gate.

“Because of Chris, I’m called a suspicious guy.”

“What do you mean?”

It was not a statement expected to be answered, it was just a silly complaint, so I didn’t answer Chris’s question.

“So, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I’m not supposed to come here unless I have something to do?”

“No, that’s not the case…”

I was a little embarrassed to hear her say that since we had really only seen each other for business purposes. I was not used to having pointless conversations with her. I was confused, and Chris let out a small sigh.

“I was just checking on you. I just wanted to make sure you were enjoying your time at school.”

“…You’re a worrywart.”

“I feel responsible for you. I was the one who introduced you to this school, but it looks like I had nothing to worry about. I saw you there. You were walking around with a very pretty girl just now. Have you got a girlfriend yet?”

Chris put her hand over his mouth and laughed teasingly. Chris always tried to annoy me with these kinds of topics. Her bad taste hasn’t changed.

“You don’t change huh? Still have that old-woman thinking.”

“O-old woman!? I, I’m still in my twenties you know!!”

“I wonder if that’s so.”

I didn’t know Chris’s correct age, though it was rumored in the agency that she was in her early twenties, but personal information was easy to fake for us institution people. There was no guarantee that Chris hadn’t lied about her age.

“The school life is fine. I’m in the regular course as planned, and I’m leading a comfortable and peaceful life.”

“Well… that’s good. Have you made any friends?”

“Yeah. Just the other day, I picked up a girl with her friend.”

“Picking up girls!? What are you doing at school?”

“Chris. Looking like this, I seem to have a surprising talent for picking up girls.”

“Wait, wait! I can’t catch up! Are you that kind of guy!?”

I’ve never been conscious of my character in my life, so I did not know what my character used to be… but I realized I was changing. One of the changes was the disheveled collar that Elysia pointed out earlier.

“Well, when the environment changes, people change. As for me, I’m enjoying the change.”

“Woo…so complicated. Uhh, if possible, could you please stop picking up girls? Otherwise, I’m going to regret recommending this school to you.”

The truth was, I was not going to pick up any more girls because of the Mize incident, but it would be troublesome to explain, so I replied “I will do my best” for the time being.

“If there’s a problem, it’s not so much with me personally, but with the discriminatory attitude of the Hero Department towards the Regular Department.”

“Ah… after all, that’s the case.”

Chris had expected this discrimination even before entering school. She put her hand on her forehead and let out a sigh.

“Some students are spreading rumors that ‘in return for their cooperation in the War of Heroes, tickets to the Hero Department are being distributed to the children of noble families’, is this true?”

“…It’s true. I’ve only recently found out about it. A child who is already tainted with a sense of privilege is now a member of the Hero Department of the prestigious Bildarz Academy, so it’s inevitable that he will grow up and cause discrimination. Even if the entrance exam was only a formality, they may not be interested in… or even be informed about it.”

“…The world is still not peaceful.”

“No, it’s not. I feel it more and more every day,” Chris talked about how tired she was.

Speaking of which, what is she doing now?

“Are you okay?”

I asked, and Chris answered with a beaming face as if she was happy that I was worried about her.

“It’s okay for now. Sure enough, I’ve been assigned a similar job. I can’t tell you where I belong now, though.”

It was as if she was implying that she belonged to a “secret” organization, but I had an idea of what that organization was.

“It’s probably a bureau.”

“…Well, yeah.” Chris averted her gaze and affirmed in a small voice.

The True Soldier Special Service Agency, which we used to be a part of, has a parent organization ― The Royal Defense Intelligence Bureau.

To put it simply, it was an organization that protects the kingdom from conflicts between humans. Obviously, a person’s world is always filled with conflicts, even without the Demon King. The Royal Defense Intelligence Bureau was an intelligence agency that deals with such conflicts. Its main activity was espionage, but if necessary, it would assassinate even the most important figures of other countries without mercy. It also dealt with the internal problems of its own country in private.

Originally, the True Soldier Special Service Agency was established as a subsidiary organization. The reason goes without saying. This was because the Royal Defense Intelligence Bureau had the background as a “behind-the-scenes” organization that undertakes dirty work. The institution inherited the expertise to capture, tortured, and eliminate anyone who got in the way of the heroes, just as the bureau had done so far.

I was picked up just after the institution was established, so I belonged to the institution, but I remembered that most of the agency’s members were transferred from the bureau.

“After the Demon King, we’re dealing with humans? It’s going to be depressing.”

“Yeah, it’s really… disgusting work. Every day I’m constantly doubting people.”

Chris quickly looked up and spoke about another topic, as if her mood was getting darker because of her remarks.

“Oh, by the way, Tweight has taken on a few jobs for the Bureau, hasn’t he? You’re pretty famous over there too, aren’t you?”

“Famous? Sure, I’ve taken on jobs when they’ve been short-staffed or something, but I haven’t done many.”

“It must be a hell of a job each time, no? Your beloved『sniper staff』is now under the control of the Bureau.”

“Well… Who took over that staff?”

“No one has inherited it yet. To be honest, no one can use it except you. It was originally created as a weapon specifically for you.”

When Chris told me this, I decided to ask her something that had been bothering me.

“Chris… answer me honestly. After the decision to dismantle the institution was made, I was originally going to be part of the Bureau, wasn’t I?”

Chris paused for a moment and then answered with a complicated expression.

“Yeah, you’re right. But I refused to do it. I’ve already told you why.”

“Because I haven’t had a life of my own yet, huh?”

Chris nodded her head.

I had expected this. I was originally a person who was still living in the ‘underground’ world. Maybe I was the kind of person who was bound to the ‘underground’ until the day I died, but Chris was the one who forced me to widen that narrow path. I don’t know what’s waiting for me at the end of that road, but I was sure that no matter what ending awaited me, I was glad I went to school.

“Thank you… I really appreciate it, Chris.”

“You’re welcome”

“If we were closer in age, I might have proposed to you.”

“We are pretty close in age you know!! You, how old do you think I’m huh!?”

Chris was indignant. At that moment, Chris suddenly returned back to her normal self and pulled out a strip of paper from her pocket. It was a『communication paper』. Chris immediately passed her magic power through it and talked to someone. Eventually, Chris finished the call and looked at me with a serious look.

“I’m sorry, I got out during my break. I should probably get back to work.”

“What kind of work are you doing now? If you can’t answer, you don’t have to…”

“Hmmm… Well, I have no problem telling you. In the near future, Robert Telgande, the second son of the Duke of Telgande, will be coming to the royal capital with the Knights of Orthodox. We’re going to be his escort. Well, even though it’s an escort, it’s not dirty work this time, and we’ll mimic the “official”.

“Escort… aren’t the Knights for that?”

“Robert is worried. I’m sure you can understand why, since the world is still unstable right after the war. The escort is only on the way. When Robert arrives at the royal capital, we’ll be relieved of our duties,” Chris said in a troubled tone.

“But why are the Knights of Orthodox in the royal capital?”

“I’ll keep it a secret. I think there will be a big event soon, so please look forward to it. I’m sure the Bildarz Academy will be heavily involved.”

Then Chris turned on her heel.

What is the big event that the Bildarz Academy will be deeply involved in?

I was making various predictions while I headed for the cafeteria.