Chapter 42

It had been a while since I had a rest worth its weight in gold. Right after the meeting, a few board members requested allocation of divine investigation duties. But as the head of the Divine Investigation Division, I didn’t approve any tasks.

It was a manpower issue.

To avoid unexpected incidents like with Demedes, we needed at least two board members or one board member and myself…

Two board members going on an outing?

Etna City still has much to organize. We can’t just pull high-ranking individuals like that.

Neuro or Demedes’ main jobs were close to combat, so their absence from Etna City wouldn’t cause too many problems. But if Chairman Bertrand or Arabel were away for a few days, it would create a significant impact.

“Reckless Kreton is almost king of construction now…”

Since he’s banned from thievery and human trafficking, he seems restless. However, I have no intention of letting him loose.

If he gets involved in slave trading again and draws attention from external forces, things will get complicated. Until the protagonist arrives and clashes with the Ten Towers, Hydra Corp must remain under the surface.

Drug-addicted Mecoonion currently has nothing to do within the city, but the problem is she’s not suitable for deployment outside.

‘The reason being, her strength doesn’t come from personal power but from commanding followers.’

To minimize the impact of losing a board member, my best option is to personally handle the divine investigation. The second-best choice would be to go with one board member.

I wanted to somehow pass off the fieldwork to other board members. I picked up a piece of paper and started scribbling down whatever came to mind.

“Blasphemia Ruins risk assessment based on board members’ combat capabilities? You’re writing this right after the meeting?”

Huh?

“Chairman?”

“The door was open, so I decided to come in.”

‘Hello there-’ waving casually, Carisia appeared as usual—or rather, her usual self when she’s around me.

She’d momentarily taken off her usual suit jacket and combat gauntlets, dressed casually for everyday life.

“This is invasion of privacy. You shouldn’t enter during non-work hours.”

Carisia chuckled lightly.

“Then should I chase the chairman out?”

I sighed and tidied up the papers I had been scribbling on. Carisia wouldn’t visit without a good reason.

Last time, she unexpectedly barged in to listen to a report about the board members and ended up falling asleep, but I assumed she had her own valid reasons.

“What brings you here?”

Carisia paused for a moment before speaking.

“Shouldn’t Kine’s sacred power be erased or hidden before entering Museion?”

“Yes. If faith is lost, residual sacred power won’t recharge, so it’s better to deplete it entirely.”

***

At that moment, Kine was praying to Bacchus. Although Bacchus was the god who failed to save her betrayed family, she knew no other deity to pray to.

She knew the names of other gods, but the one she and her family had always believed in was Bacchus.

Since her prayers weren’t solely for herself, Bacchus was the only one she could turn to.

“Please protect our family’s souls from his clutches and ensure my will remains unbroken…”

With reunion and departure mortgaged, Kine felt powerless to resist the one-eyed man. However, if he intended to use her as a tool for evil machinations, she vowed not to forget the guilt of such wickedness.

Kine prayed fervently, hoping her will wouldn’t be completely tainted by the one-eyed man’s malice.

***

“I have a slightly different opinion though…”

Ortes questioned Carisia’s muttering. She shook her head and replied it was nothing.

‘Really, did she say that without thinking? Ugh.’

No matter how often Ortes saw it, Carisia occasionally showed an utterly naive side, leaving him confused whether it was an act or genuine.

“If we want Kine to pass the Museion entrance exam, magical skills are crucial. None of the board members are particularly suitable as teachers, right?”

“Yes. If we expand the scope beyond the company, Geryon or Caike might be appropriate for teaching fundamentals.”

“The basics? I’ll teach them. Since I’ve got free time lately.”

“Chairman yourself?”

Ortes, stroking his chin, nodded. Without considering her position as the ultimate decision-maker of Hydra Corp, Carisia was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate for magical education.

Firstly, she was the best in Etna City. Though her responsibilities as chairman were problematic, her claim of “having free time” genuinely meant she was available.

After confirming Ortes’ approval, Carisia brushed off her clothes and stood up.

“Regarding the divine investigation mission…”

“Yes?”

“If dispatching board members proves difficult due to their importance in Etna City, hire mercenaries or troubleshooters. Submit a plan, and I’ll allocate the budget immediately.”

“Why save money?” Carisia added with a faint smile.

***

I want to save money!

…But I couldn’t possibly say that even if a sword was at my throat. Carisia shoots beams, not swords.

My goal is to retire luxuriously by saving money, but…

After she left, I reviewed the stack of papers I’d been working on. Indeed, hiring mercenaries or troubleshooters instead of board members could save time and resources.

“The issue is confidentiality.”

We need to trust these mercenaries. Based on my experience in the troubleshooter industry, they’re generally unreliable.

Most of my career was spent in that industry until I met Carisia. It wasn’t short-lived; it was normal to endure countless betrayals despite years of service.

Employers and colleagues alike betrayed me. When I heard phrases like “I’ll betray you first before you betray me,” I was utterly flabbergasted.

Even the job where I met Carisia involved employer betrayal.

Perhaps my lack of reputation made me seem like an easy target. Most of my troubleshooter career was filled with high-risk interdimensional and rural requests, offering no opportunities to build a name.

“…Let’s focus on work since there are no good memories.”

The general distinction between troubleshooters and mercenaries lies in scale. A solo operator is a troubleshooter, while those who move organizationally under mercenary firms are mercenaries.

As ancient mercenary groups grew into firms dominating the market, the term “mercenary” itself evolved to refer to companies and their employees.

Thus, the term “troubleshooter” emerged to describe independent operators akin to old-school mercenaries.

In reality, many troubleshooters emphasize the difference by insisting, “We’re not ordinary mercenaries!”

Though, reviewing troubleshooters’ backgrounds reveals most left mercenary firms to avoid exorbitant intermediary fees.

Recalling the lists of troubleshooters and mercenary firms I memorized during my active troubleshooter days:

First filter by trustworthiness, then skill. Names began disappearing.

Searching the Ethereal Network for remaining names. In this industry, establishments frequently close overnight due to owner deaths.

Eventually…

“Not a single one left?”

Damn. Mercenary firms fail the reliability test. There’s only one way.

“Maybe that guy who set up a magic tower won’t treat me badly if I visit.”

His name was on the list of magic towers applying for recent accreditation: Lampades Magic Tower.

He was the only colleague who didn’t betray me during a job where everyone else did. His personality—no, his elven nature—certainly surpassed industry averages.

I should ask if he plans to send his mages.

Since there’s no sacred investigation work for the next month, I’ll take some rest until then.

“Today’s work ends here!”

I lay down on the bed. Maybe it was the frequent trips, but sleep quickly overtook me.

『Hey! Sacred Investigation Division Head! Hey!』

…where did it all vanish?

What woke me from my rare thought-free slumber was Divius’ communication. I had entrusted the dissection of Demedes and Sikton to him.

“What is it?”

『Something strange came out of that Sikton guy’s head, so come check it out quick.』

Damn it.

I clicked my tongue and changed clothes. They never leave me alone.

***

Divius looked at Demedes’ corpse and thought.

‘That guy’s name sounded similar to mine, giving me urges to join him sometimes. He’s dead now, good riddance.’

About five minutes after sending the message, Ortes’ footsteps echoed in Divius’ lab.

“What did you find?”

As usual, his face wore a gentle smile. Whether he woke up or waited awake, his expression remained consistent.

Divius suspected the latter. Ortes, given his character, wouldn’t rest knowing potential dangers related to Carisia.

‘Ah, lucky. Contacting him at dawn was indeed the right move.’

Ortes, despite fatigue, would prioritize matters concerning Hydra Corp, especially anything involving Carisia!

Divius guided Ortes towards Sikton’s skull.

‘Why am I watching a human anatomy exhibition at dawn…’

Waking up abruptly, Ortes developed a headache.