Ch#163
The next day.
Trebaga—no, Agavert's second base.
"Good mooorning~!"
Tese tan's eyes snapped open at the lively voice echoing through the mansion.
He rose from the hard chair and opened the door with a skeptical face.
Standing quietly at the railing, he peered down at the scene below.
"Aigoo, it's really a mess. What a disaster!"
An unfamiliar middle-aged woman was entering his mansion.
Behind her were five or six people with their noses and mouths covered in cloth.
"Should we start with the kitchen~? Thank goodness Miss Selina lent us some workers. If it were just me, it'd take all day."
A bright voice came from right below the railing at the middle-aged woman's words.
"Auntie Marshal, should Tie help too?"
"Oh my, no need. Our leader should go eat breakfast~?"
"Eeeeng, but......"
The Necromancer King's gaze flicked toward the second floor for a moment.
Tese tan hurriedly pressed his back against the wall.
"Ha."
A short sigh escaped him.
'Right.'
He had agreed to merge the mercenary group with the Necromancer King yesterday.
He'd slept so deeply last night that he'd almost forgotten.
But still.
'From the morning......'
"Okay, okay! Everyone to the kitchen first~!"
A loud shout soon scattered his thoughts.
* * *
"Did they clean well? Kim Astie."
The moment Tie entered the base, Veil approached.
Tie rolled her eyes to avoid him and dashed to the kitchen.
"Yeah, Vice Leader Uncle's house was super dirty."
"......What kind of karma did that bastard accumulate in his past life? Not contributing anything to Agavert, yet snatching the Vice Leader spot for free. And now the great Necromancer King herself goes to clean his house."
"Hey, Brother Veil! Don't call him bastard, Tie told you!"
"What? Tie likes Uncle so just wants to be on the same side~?"
Veil mimicked what Tie had said yesterday.
Tie startled and tried to cover his mouth.
But Veil annoyingly kept talking.
"Likes Uncle so just wants to be on the same side? Aha, so the existing comrades weren't to your liking all this time? Needed a new one, huh, our little Necromancer King?!"
"Not that, told youuu......!"
"What do you mean not. Tese tan Veronios, that damn jerk—no, kid!"
Tie puffed out her cheeks.
Veil shook his head and sat in the chair opposite her.
"What about sieges from now on? Gonna let the next-door guys keep living there?"
Tie pondered deeply.
The child stared out the kitchen window at her dad's house.
'Gonna let them keep living there?'
Actually, Tie could have called her dad and his subordinates to this base.
There were still empty rooms since the new members shared in pairs.
But would Dad like moving?
'He'd probably hate it a lot......'
Tie looked up.
"Tie thinks it's best to just leave Vice Leader Uncle be."
"Just leave him?"
"Yeah! Just like kids need time to adjust when changing kindergartens, Vice Leader Uncle needs the same."
Veil's mouth fell open.
He sighed and replied.
"......Do whatever you want. When have I not? Hurry and eat breakfast."
"Aren't you eating, Brother Veil?"
Veil ruffled Tie's hair with a sulky face.
"We already ate. While you were off cleaning that house first thing in the morning."
He grumbled and left the dining room.
Tie froze in bewilderment before quickly picking up her utensils.
Then she grinned widely.
"Wow, eggies!"
Today's breakfast was hot soup with egg and mashed potatoes.
Tie scooped up a nicely cut potato chunk and popped it into her mouth.
"Mmm, yummy. So refreshiiing."
As Tie lifted the bowl to drink the soup straight.
Enzo and Raoul entered from outside.
"Leader. Why's Mr. Veil acting like that?"
"Why's Brother Veil?"
"He's pulling weeds in the garden. Muttering stuff like 'Leader's taking care of others' household, so I gotta take care of mine at least.'"
Raoul tapped Enzo's shoulder as if to say enough.
Then he smiled awkwardly.
"There've been a lot of things lately. Probably just complicated feelings."
Tie fell silent.
Her spoon slowed as she continued eating, but the twins kept chattering in front of her.
"Is Mr. Basto feeling complicated too?"
"Yeah. Hasn't said a word since yesterday."
"Right. He talks when it's just us two......"
Enzo hesitated and looked at Tie.
"But nothing in front of Leader."
Tie finally let out an 'ehwoo' and shook her head.
Then she seriously explained why.
"Why Brother Veil and Uncle Basto are like that is 'cause they're sulking at Tie."
But Raoul and Enzo showed no surprise.
As if they already knew Veil and Basto were sulking.
Instead, the twins leaned toward Tie as if sharing a huge secret.
"Actually, they have reason to. Because......"
"Hmm?"
"Until the day before yesterday, the two were in a little contest."
"Contest?"
"Yes. Staring each other down, like an eye fight."
"Gasp."
Basto and Veil had an eye fight? Tie had no idea!
"They were giving off tense vibes even in front of the new members."
Come to think of it.
She vaguely remembered seeing them glaring sharply at each other a few times.
But,
"Why though......?"
The two didn't get along perfectly, but they rarely fought big.
Enzo chuckled.
"A few weeks ago, they made a bet. Both claiming they'd be the ones to get Vice Leader."
Tie's eyes widened.
"Vice Leader bet?"
"Yes. Mr. Veil said Leader would definitely give him the spot,"
"And Mr. Basto seemed to expect he'd get it."
Enzo finished with a laughing face.
"But Leader recruited Tese tan Veronios as Vice Leader. They probably didn't see that coming."
Tie gasped and set down her spoon.
No wonder.
Thinking back, Basto hadn't said a word to her since yesterday.
Normally he'd ask if she slept well, if she ate okay.
This morning while helping her into her outerwear, he'd had a sulky face the whole time!
"N-No wayyy."
The saying 'both sister-in-law and brother-in-law can be good' was all lies.
'Can't have both good......!'
Having grasped a new truth of life, Tie remained shocked for a while.
* * *
"Number one! Number one-!"
The reward office central branch was in an uproar from early morning.
With a fed-up face, Remi watched Ornel running around the office.
"I told you! Agavert would overtake Trebaga in three weeks! Come on, everyone! One gold each, quick!"
Ornel collected gold coins from the staff with an excited face.
The staff muttered regretfully.
"Sigh, I really thought Trebaga would hold first. Who knew they'd merge with Agavert."
"Hahaha, didn't you see the notice from the association?! The leaders dueled swords. I knew the Necromancer King would win!"
"But why does the chief like the Necromancer King so much?"
Ornel froze in place.
He let out an 'er, um......' before bursting into hearty laughter.
"Where'd they slack off even a little? Sieging five times a week, no less. At first I was scared, but thinking about it, no other group worked that hard."
Ornel scratched his head.
"Came to my senses and now I'm rooting for Agavert to take first too. Anyway. Remi! Why aren't you paying one gold."
Remi looked up tiredly at the hand held out before her.
"......Chief. I didn't bet."
"Oh, oh. You didn't?"
Ornel asked flustered.
Remi nodded firmly with pursed lips.
Then she rummaged through the desk piled with mountains of documents and pulled out a paper instead of gold.
"More importantly, this national request."
