Chapter 27

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Translated By Arcane Translations

Translator: FusionX

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The law of thorn-in-the-side.

First, if you’re told to do it, just do it.

In any company, that’s probably the case.

Especially for a thorn-in-the-side, even a single word of objection to the boss’s words was not forgiven.

At least large corporations pretended to listen.

There were many cases where they applied military-style hierarchy because they had done military service.

And I was planning to properly use that in a way suitable for the current situation of the Royal Knights.

I first assigned the three of them to the largest room.

Not giving them each a separate room.

The three of them were sharing a room.

Like a military barracks.

Naturally, there was strong opposition.

“You want me to share a room with this dwarf poop sack?!”

“Sharing a room with Kanf makes my insides want to explode!”

“I want to share a room with Teacher.”

In a way, it was natural.

Not only was their privacy limited, but even the elf and dwarf, whose races didn’t get along well, were being pushed into the same room.

The stress would be considerable.

But…

More dangerous than that was loneliness.

Because you never knew when the memory of losing your comrades would suddenly make you make an extreme choice.

I had a duty to prevent that.

“Didn’t I say before? Once we’re in the same boat, we’re family.”

“…”

“Is it that difficult for family to share the same room?”

Here comes the second law of thorn-in-the-side.

Second, we’re family, aren’t we!

I think one of my legendary experiences to this day is when I asked for an employment contract and was told that family doesn’t write such things.

Anyway, everything was about family.

Family doesn’t get overtime pay.

Family doesn’t write contracts.

In my opinion, if they were really family, they wouldn’t do that.

But if you’re being tormented by this for the first time, it’s surprisingly effective.

Honestly, what does a new employee know?

They just fall for such plausible words.

Although Clara and Ruby gave me dissatisfied looks at the word ‘family’, I ignored it.

Originally, there were more laws of thorn-in-the-side.

But for now, that’s enough.

If I did more here, they might really desert.

After that, I immediately conducted interviews with the members.

“But why are we doing the interview in the confessional?”

“It feels good and nice. Even though I’m not a priest.”

“What the hell is that?”

I said it grandly as an interview, but in reality, it was just a squad leader interview like in the military.

Still, it was better than not doing it now.

The first interviewee was Clara.

Lionheart Fortress had a confessional built for confession.

Thanks to that, I was able to take off my helmet.

It was too hot to keep wearing the helmet.

“So?

What do I need to do for the interview?”

“Just answer a few questions.”

“That’s simple.”

“Where did you come from and what were you doing?”

“I was working as a guardian in the forest. Oh, a guardian is the role of elves who protect the forest. Not just anyone can do it, you know?”

Just having someone listen to your story gave an immense sense of reassurance beyond imagination.

Of course, I wasn’t a counselor or anything.

But it was okay.

Even someone like me could at least sit face to face and listen to their story.

Clara said she had worked as a guardian in the forest.

And at the young age of 100 years old.

An elf taking on the role of guardian at the age of 100 was similar to becoming a knight at the age of 10 in human years.

As expected of the Royal Knights, their talent was truly amazing.

“What did you work so hard for?”

“I wanted to be acknowledged by my mother. My mother was always looking forward.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, so I thought if I ran forward too, then maybe my mother would look at me and acknowledge me.”

“Is that why you applied to the Royal Knights? You’re an excellent talent.”

They say praise can make even a whale dance.

It’s a simple saying that everyone knows, but its effect is much greater than you think.

But at my words, Clara answered coldly.

“No, that’s not it.”

“Hmm?”

“I was just a clueless rookie.

Like an idiot, I felt superior just because of that… I was a frog in a well.”

Her voice sounded like it was sinking into ink.

What?

Wasn’t the atmosphere good just 5 seconds ago?

Did I accidentally push a trigger button?

Then I was really doomed.

“My mother would click her tongue in disgust if she saw me like this. This isn’t why I ran out of the forest, I…!!”

“That’s not true.”

“How can you be so sure? You don’t know anything. You’ve never even met my mother directly!!”

I tried to somehow smooth things over before it went further downhill.

But her reaction was more intense than I thought.

I tried to somehow pass it off with a few words of praise, but that was too naive of me.

“Yeah, I haven’t met her directly.”

“Then what are you blabbering about?”

“Because the heart of every parent thinking about their child is the same.”

“…”

“Didn’t I say? We’re family.”

Even I thought it was a disgusting thing to say.

I had heard the word ‘family’ so many times in that damn company.

But thanks to that, a surprisingly plausible answer came out.

I continued.

“I’m sure your mother is thinking the same thing.”

“Could that be…?”

“Without a doubt.”

“…Thanks, I feel a bit better thanks to you.”

The interviews that followed had nothing special.

But if the voice that had been crawling on the ground seemed to have risen a little with just that…

Was it just my imagination?

No, it wouldn’t be just my imagination.

* * *

The same words can be an insult or the highest praise depending on the other person.

So, here we need to take a brief look at Hans’ past life.

He was an office worker who got a job at a thorn-in-the-side company.

Of course, not all small and medium-sized businesses are like that.

But the thorn-in-the-side company where Hans got a job was literally the worst company among the worst.

They overused the word ‘family’ when they needed it.

But when you became useless, they cut you off mercilessly with selfishness.

Hans suffered much longer than he thought in that place.

So Hans shuddered at the mere mention of the word ‘family’.

That’s why he emphasized family so much.

Because he thought others would feel like shit when they heard the word ‘family’ too.

“The commander is really strange too. Suddenly emphasizing family all the time.”

“What nonsense are you talking about alone?”

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it? We are completely different races.”

“…”

“Moreover, a human commander is saying such things.”

However, it was rather refreshing to Clara and Ruby, who were of different races.

Elves and dwarves had the worst relationship with each other, but they didn’t have a very good relationship with other races either.

Especially humans were notorious for discriminating against and looking down on all races.

But for such a human to directly declare that they were one family…

It was the first time they had experienced it.

Even the commander who had saved them declared that they were comrades on the same boat.

They didn’t declare them as family.

After a moment of silence, Ruby sighed and said,

“Don’t fall for it so easily. The commander is human after all, he may have some ulterior motive.”

“I thought so at first too. But I’m starting to think it might not be the case.”

“Huh? Are you infatuated with the face under the commander’s helmet?”

“Not a half-elf, but a human? You’re talking nonsense.”

Clara snorted and replied.

Unless he was a half-elf, there was no way she could have feelings for another race.

Ruby also passed over that remark, perhaps half-jokingly.

“Then why is he suddenly saying such things?”

“…I just had that thought.”

[Because the heart of every parent thinking about their child is the same.]

Although his face was not visible, that voice was definitely one enduring pain.

The commander must have had a family too.

But enduring pain meant…

Clara shook her head side to side to shake off that thought.

It was just her own arbitrary thinking.

Guesswork was not good.

For herself, and for the other person.

“That’s right, Teacher is that kind of person.”

“Come to think of it, Helia, you said you were the commander’s disciple, right?”

“How did you end up becoming the commander’s disciple?”

“Teacher saved me.”

Just by being together, people have conversations with each other, and as those conversations continue, they build relationships.

Especially if they share the same pain, that relationship becomes even stronger.

Moreover, before Hans arrived, Clara and Ruby were already knowingly or unknowingly relying on each other.

Despite being the elf and dwarf with the worst relationship…

Of course, wounds do not heal easily.

But just by gathering together like this, laughing, chatting, and having trivial conversations…

Little by little, very little by little, those wounds will heal.

“Then, Ms. Ruby and Ms. Clara have no interest in Teacher at all, right?”

“Of course not.”

“I don’t have abnormal sexual desires lusting after other races.”

Helia carefully observed Clara and Ruby, especially Clara, who had been interviewed today.

No emotion could be found in their expressions.

Only then did Helia feel relieved.

“Thank goodness.”

Thank goodness indeed.

I won’t have to kill them later.

[T/N: lmaoooooooooooo]

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