NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42 - Episode 42: Boss Was Suddenly Presented With a Major Project
Episode 42: Boss Was Suddenly Presented With a Major Project
“Because it’s dangerous, isn’t it?”
“Bursa… Are you saying I’m powerless?”
“…Yeah, what I mean is, what works in the slums won’t cut it in the palace!”
Boss grabbed Bursa by the collar.
“Do you want to be hit?!”
“I acknowledge Dugga’s physical prowess, but no matter how strong he is there, it won’t be enough!! Even that damn impressive brother Forblin is just a low-ranking knight in the knights’ order. It’s frustrating, but what I’m saying is, you don’t need to get involved in such a losing bet!!”
The two, with their good builds and scary faces, were grappling fiercely. But yeah, he’s right… Even I feel like I’m being deceived by the king, like I’m just paying lip service. I’m the flag, Boss is the basic foundation… and how many magic users gather there is what matters. Maybe the king plans to use me to gather people and make them their shield. So, it’s possible that the good treatment I received was just a ploy from that perspective. From that, I can deduce that――before the bet, I might just be being deceived.
“What?!”
“You don’t need to bring me up too… That’s for sure”
It’s on the verge of exploding. It’s better if there are no children around adults’ fights. I just want to disappear. Or become a clam.
…Forblin isn’t trying to stop the two, he’s just scratching his cheek. Is he used to this? Is this what old friends who are men are like?
“I don’t want Dugga doing anything dangerous! Do you understand?!”
“…Tch, I’ll think about it. Go back to the gambling den or something.”
Boss lightly pushed Bursa aside. It’s a matter of life and death for Boss too. He must have a lot to think about.
“I think it’s a good idea that won’t come twice… I’ll leave it to you to decide.”
“…Just because you become a noble doesn’t mean everything’s good, you know? Think it through.”
“…”
Boss waves his hand, indicating Bursa to go. I also leave the room with them―――
“Frim, stay.”
“Yes.”
I had to stay. I wanted to naturally leave the room after Forblin and Bursa… but I’m the main topic of discussion here, so it can’t be helped.
“Frim, what do you think?”
“I don’t know!”
“Wha―?!”
Boss let out a loud voice when I deliberately answered cheerfully. Honestly, it’s scary.
“I really don’t know! So, I’m relying on you, Boss, who seems like you know!”
In modern times, you can gather information from various sources, research, speculate. With just a smartphone, you can find out quite a bit of public information. Furthermore, by researching books and papers, you can learn about expert research. And if you want to delve even deeper, you need to go to a research institute and examine cutting-edge data.
My job of researching economic information involves gathering information like this, analyzing various data to make it understandable even to politicians.
“I don’t know about nobles.”
However, here, information can’t be gathered with a smartphone, and I can’t read books properly. Even summarized books have outdated information.
So, what do you believe and gather information on? I think it’s important to look people in the eye.
“I don’t know about this country, the world, or magic.”
The boss looks suspicious, but I have to convey my thoughts clearly. It’s a common story in life to involve someone else when you can’t make a decision alone. At such times, you must never lie. Especially when it concerns my life, the boss’ life, and the lives of those who work here. There might even be lives of people I don’t know, can’t even imagine, at stake.
“So I’ll try to trust the eyes of someone who understands,” I said.
“――――…!”
I’m saying it nicely, but ultimately it depends on the boss. Whether there’s a chance of winning or none at all. Even Forblin and Bursa have conflicting opinions. If everyone thinks it’s absolutely impossible, I’ll consider running away. But… Bursa, while opposing, hasn’t attacked me since I came here. And he’s opposing in a way that seems to persuade the boss. So maybe it’s not completely impossible. I’m prepared to be kicked out by the boss… but when I think about it, I believe this is the most correct path for me to take in my life. If I want to live properly without causing trouble to anyone, maybe it’s good to live alone somewhere, fearing assassins who might come, even if I don’t know if they will. If I only think about “just living,” it might be good to go to Lord Riaum’s side and pledge loyalty because it might be the largest faction in this country even after the political struggle is over. But that would be a terrible path. I don’t want to be an enemy of the king, the very person who helped me and was friendly with my parents… and surely be ordered to do something by those people who have become associated with me.
Politics, war, nobility… there are many things I don’t understand.―――――So, I rely on the eyes of those who know more about the situation than I do.
In Japan, too, teachers who are older are often reliable. The words of doctors and experts are persuasive. Well, just living longer than someone who knows nothing seems to imply some kind of experience, and if they’re experts, they seem to know the situation well. Of course, there are all kinds of people, and there are those who say irrelevant things and those who say only good things for the organization or country they belong to. Still, since they’re speaking out, their opinions become material for judgment. Frim-chan can analyze based on memories from her past life, but I can only make judgments based on my common sense. I have no experience in this world. I spent time politely at the castle, but I didn’t understand the common sense of the nobility at all. I’ve seen various people in this world, but Boss, who climbed up from the slums, has achievements. From what I’ve seen up close, he seems calculating and thoughtful. He’s not the type to kill people for fun just because he’s violent. Boss is a mafia boss, and I sometimes think he should be judged a little, but maybe that’s common sense here… If I could be Boss’ superior, I might be able to reduce the misfortune that will happen here in the future… maybe.
“If you’re really good at getting me on board… But you have to think hard about this one. Tell me everything you know. And then decide.”
“Got it.”
I conveyed everything from the king’s condition to everything else.
I was given a document that said I could speak freely if I was having trouble knowing what to say to the king. I showed the document, which had a signature from the king and something that looked like my name, from my belongings. Even though I can’t understand what it says because the wording is too difficult for the language knowledge of the original Frim-chan, I want to believe that it has some effect. And when I left the castle, I also received a knife with the family crest. It’s the same mark I often saw at the castle, so I think it’s probably the national flag or the royal family’s crest. It’s a bit unsettling to make it a knife rather than a seal. I wondered if there were no gun laws or anything, but maybe it’s the custom here. It’s small, but when I gave Boss a knife that looked like a national treasure with decorations… Boss took it with a little tension in both hands.
“Huh… It’s the real deal.”
“What do you think, Boss? I want to hear your thoughts too.”
“I think… it’s a bad bet.”
“So, are we going to run away?”
“That’s true, water.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t really care what happens to the head of this country, but this country is in serious danger right now. Whether it’s Chaltoru or Riaum, or another country that wins. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but this gambling den is doing well thanks to the power of Bursa and brother Forblin. If the current king were to fall, Druggen in the royal capital would be eliminated, and by then brother Forblin would probably be dead too. Assuming they both survive. Regardless of what happens, we’ve been gathering money to protect ourselves at the gambling den, but what about this assassination incident? This country is in serious trouble. If you could pull the power of the water nobility away, Riaum’s influence would definitely decrease. But if I go that far, I’ll be completely antagonizing Riaum… but hasn’t that already been decided since Bursa took you to the castle? Why did this happen… No, was it because I used you as a cleaner? Water.”
“Yes.”
Boss started muttering while looking up at the ceiling, but he seems to be thinking deeply.
“Even so, Chaltoru’s influence is weak. He’s just taken the royal authority and seized control of the knights, but looking at the overall picture, Riaum is winning over the incorporation of the other forces that have died out. But if we do nothing, won’t brother Forblin and Bursa be sent to the front lines when the war starts? Damn it… no, not yet, but…”
I poured water into the cup Boss had just finished drinking from and then went to replenish the water in the corner jug in the room. Depending on the boss’ calculations, we might be attacked. …It’s a bit scary, but he’s not the kind of person to act rashly after being showed evidence from the king.
“Wait, I’ll wash it.”
“Yes.”
Boss lifts the large jug and washes it by the window. It seems he hasn’t washed it once while I was gone, as the water is a bit murky.
“Geez…”
Boss washes the jug vigorously, just like he always does. He seems to be thinking, but… has he made up his mind on what to do?