Chapter 61 – Accident (5)

Aylen Vale, who returned carrying the unbelievable news of becoming the chief.

At the same time, among prominent competitors such as Leona Melville, he brought to the embers the glorious status of the embers that produced this year’s chief.

“I cannot understand it at all. It is hard to believe he became a magic engineer, but what on earth is this chief business…?”

The leadership office.

It was Yan Casellos, sitting face-to-face with Nikolai, agonizing over how to accept this bizarre situation.

This was a huge variable… no, an accident.

Under normal circumstances, they should have utilized the Wayne brothers, who would have returned after becoming magic engineers to be crowned as heroes.

But Aylen, who returned after becoming the Chief Magic Engineer, was monopolizing all the attention.

Already, an atmosphere of looking at Aylen in a different light was forming among the citizens, saying that a tiger does not breed a dog.

Tap, tap—

Yan, flicking his cigarette into the ashtray, let out a deep sigh and spoke.

“They say a rolling stone displaces a settled one. The magic engineering department must be delighted.”

Moreover, even if he had cut ties with his father, he was still the son of the Director of the Magic Engineering Department.

That was also why negative perceptions of the magic engineering department arose when Aylen committed delinquent acts.

A relationship bound by blood was that difficult to sever.

But now, that held back Yan and the leadership.

Signs were showing that voices supporting Demian and the magic engineering department were growing, claiming that Aylen’s genius ultimately originated from Demian.

“Nikolai, what should we do about this? For the first time, I cannot see the answer.”

At this rate, won’t there be a setback in the plan to destroy the magic engineering department from within?

Crackle—

The longer his agony stretched, the faster the cigarette Yan was smoking burned down in an instant.

At that moment, Nikolai, who was staring blankly at the cigarette ash falling into the ashtray, slowly opened his mouth.

“What are you agonizing over, Leader? Why are you worried?”

“What…?”

“I said that because it pains me to see you minding things that are neither to be agonized over nor worried about.”

There was no way that clever Nikolai had failed to read the atmosphere brewing among the citizens at the northern ice wall.

Yan adjusted his posture, telling him to continue.

“The Wayne brothers are like the cigarette you are smoking, Lord Yan. Something that can easily give satisfaction but is far too short.”

“Nikolai, do not beat around the bush. What do you mean?”

“The Wayne brothers were certainly the core plan to destroy the magic engineering department. However, that was only the core when destroying them easily. It was a short-term plan that did not fit our long-term plan of seizing control of the embers.”

Having said that, Nikolai suddenly approached Yan.

Politely receiving the cigarette that was burned down to the filter between Yan’s fingers, he placed the butt in the ashtray and continued.

“Now the easy path has vanished, and what remains for us is only the difficult path and an even more difficult path… Have we prepared poorly?”

“…?”

“I believe that you and I, Lord Yan, have completed all preparations to walk any path.”

“…!”

Yan’s eyes widened.

It was true that the end of the sluggish fight had recently seemed in sight with the Wayne brothers who would return as magic engineers.

Because once they, who would become insiders, exposed the failure of the magic engineering department, the entire embers would turn their backs on them.

How easy and fast that path was.

However, that path failed.

Because Aylen returned as the chief.

But as Nikolai said, the leadership and the magic engineering department had fought for twenty years.

To win that long-term fight, the leadership had seized control of the propaganda department, the hunting squad, and had even embraced civic groups and the labor coalition.

Since they had prepared every hand they could play in preparation for failure, why was there a need to agonize and worry?

They only had to make a choice.

“Nevertheless, the fact that Aylen returned as the Chief Magic Engineer is important.”

“…Didn’t you say just a moment ago that there was no need to care about such trash?”

Yan asked back at the words contradicting the logic presented so far, and Nikolai, wearing a fishy smile, replied.

“Because he took the leadership’s side in front of everyone. I guarantee he will come to the leadership.”

“Why?”

“Why else would he have taken our side unless he intends to turn his back on his father?”

“Isn’t the basis too weak?”

“The bastard becoming a magic engineer, and the chief at that, is certainly a great change. However, a person’s essence does not change. Do you think that scoundrel, that loafer fellow who clearly knows the fate of the magic engineering department, would share his downfall with them? I do not think so.”

“…”

Nikolai’s words were an undeniable fact in itself.

Aylen had wasted the past ten years on alcohol, gambling, and chasing women.

That, as it turned out, was all a conspiracy and deception with the magic engineering department?

A person with that much talent spent ten years disguising himself as a scoundrel for this day that might arise?

It made no sense.

That had to be viewed as his natural disposition.

Just as the flame of suspicion was slowly dying out in Yan’s eyes, Nikolai spoke.

This time, pulling out a new cigarette from the pack and offering it to Yan.

“If you have finished smoking one cigarette, you only need to pull out a new one and smoke it. It would be good if we could utilize it before its usefulness disappears this time.”

“Aylen Vale is my new card…?”

“A card that is short-lived but can easily give satisfaction.”

“Hmm…”

“What will you do? Will you trust me and put it in your mouth once?”

A single cigarette offered by Nikolai.

Staring at it, which easily gave satisfaction but had a faint toxicity, Yan made a choice.

“I understand. I will do as you say.”

“A wise choice. Leader, you have certainly made the correct choice.”

Yan, receiving the cigarette, put it in his mouth immediately, and Nikolai brought the lighter sitting next to the ashtray to light it.

“Phew…”

It was around the time the office, left only with the satisfaction of resolved anxiety, was filled with thick cigarette smoke.

Knock, knock.

“Leader, Lord Aylen Vale… has arrived. Shall I let him in?”

The expected guest arrived.

Yan looked at Nikolai with admiration, and he, nodding his head, buttoned his coat and spoke.

“I will take my leave now. Please have a conversation between the two of you.”

“Why? Isn’t it a plan you drew up?”

“Drawing up the cards is what I am good at, but using the cards is what you are good at, Lord Yan. Moreover, drawing them is the job of a subject, and using them is the job of a monarch. I will keep my position.”

Yan curled his eyes in satisfaction at Nikolai’s reply.

He even stood up and opened the door himself.

Before leaving the office, Nikolai turned his head and casually spat out some words.

“And I do not smoke.”

“What…? Hahaha!”

Hearing that, Yan burst into roaring laughter.

To think he did not smoke what he had recommended to his lord.

However, that was not unpleasant in the slightest.

Such a wise man even said words he did not necessarily have to convey.

In a roundabout way, it meant he had nothing to hide from him.

“Right, let me know if you do smoke.”

“Yes, I will take my leave now.”

As Nikolai left, the one entering through the gap was:

Aylen Vale.

A new cigarette held in his mouth burned up sweet smoke.

* * *

After changing into light clothes, I left the house immediately.

Perhaps because the snowstorm was not far off, the temperature was low, but since it was near the Eternal Embers, it was not cold, and my steps were light.

The leadership office located right next to the magic engineering department was not far.

In the first place, my house was right next to the magic engineering department.

The leadership office I entered for the first time was very quiet.

It was not because there were no people.

There ‘were’ many people.

“…”

“…”

“…”

An outsider, even the son of the Director of the Magic Engineering Department, had entered, yet there was no restraint or hindrance.

Only countless gazes pierced me.

They looked at me as if they were seeing a sacred beast like a snowfield stallion born once in a century.

It was all because of the symbol of the Chief Magic Engineer hanging on my chest.

‘The gazes are not good…’

Still, there were far more hostile gazes.

Because I was none other than the son of Demian Vale.

Moreover, since a formidable person like the Chief Magic Engineer had become an enemy, their wariness had no choice but to reach its peak.

It was when I was wandering around looking for Yan’s office, ignoring their gazes.

“What did you come here for… no, what did you come for?”

There was someone blocking the path.

He looked as if he couldn’t figure out how to treat me.

However, I had already decided my direction before entering the embers.

This year’s Chief Magic Engineer standing above prominent competitors; that was my direction.

“I came to meet the leader.”

“…?”

“I said I came to meet Yan Casellos. Can’t you hear me?”

The expression of the nameless leadership member went beyond embarrassed to downright stupid.

His mind went blank at my informal speech, not to mention my attitude of speaking lightly of the leader Yan Casellos’s name.

Of course, I was not spitting out informal speech without thought.

Even putting aside my magic engineering skills, I must not forget my duty as a scoundrel.

Since changing even my essence could arouse Yan’s suspicion, it was all planned.

“U-uh, that end side…”

“Then move. Don’t block the way.”

“…Yeah. No, yes.”

I moved while thinking of the days when I was a scoundrel in the past.

Though it was partly to avoid Yan’s suspicion, I must not forget that my actions would ultimately be reported to the Immortal Embers.

Probably, Heimdall’s brothers and sisters would still be watching me.

It was uncomfortable because it was not what I normally did.

Since I had to do it while being conscious of everything from my gait to my words and actions.

However.

“What are you doing?”

“Pardon?”

“Did I or did I not say that I came to meet Yan Casellos from a moment ago?”

As I did it, I understood why Aylen lived like this.

Being a scoundrel was indeed comfortable.

Since I only had to babble and act as it came out.

‘And it’s secretly refreshing?’

In that way, the leadership member, intimidated by the Chief Magic Engineer badge, knocked on the door while even attaching “Lord” before my name.

I made eye contact with a rat-faced, spectacled middle-aged man coming out of the office.

“…”

“…”

In the brief moment our steps crossed, there was a movement of pupils scanning me.

His gaze was unusual, making him look like a formidable person.

Of course, I also examined everything about him.

‘Is this guy the one called Nikolai?’

Thomas had said that Yan had a strategist named Nikolai.

He said his political strategy was truly terrifying, so even Demian Vale was often left completely helpless.

It was Nikolai who won the visitation rights to the Immortal Embers laboratory, and it was also his work that passed the golem development agenda item.

‘He is a person who does not fit the scale of these embers. Can I make him my person?’

Even though he was an enemy, I had such a thought.

Because I lacked talent, and a leader ought to know how to embrace yesterday’s enemy today.

However, before my thoughts could continue, someone welcomed me.

“Welcome, Aylen Vale. I sincerely congratulate you on becoming the Chief Magic Engineer.”

The leader, Yan Casellos.

As I faced him for the first time, he welcomed me with a bright face in the thick smoke, but…

“I’m tired of congratulations now. Anyway, since I am also the chief, I will speak informally. In hindsight, I am at a higher rank, aren’t I?”

“…!”

“Wasn’t this a world where value determines status?”

His face contorted in an instant.