Due to the Empire's wicked conspiracy, key personnel from their own countries had been placed under the surveillance of a sinister imperial official. That was the suspicion the Three Kingdoms currently harbored.
'What a load of crap.'
For the sinister official who'd become the target of their suspicion, it was nothing but a frustrating misunderstanding. If anything, I wanted to turn the question back on those Three Kingdoms bastards. Could you really manipulate the actions of influential figures like royalty or a Saint Candidate that easily? If I were capable of that, I'd be working for the Special Affairs Ministry, not the Ministry of Finance.
Of course, I could understand the Three Kingdoms' burning anxiety and suspicion. Logically speaking, the possibility of this being the Empire's machinations was marginally higher than the possibility of someone joining a club because they were smitten with a girl. The problem was that both possibilities were crawling along rock bottom. And yet, one of them had actually happened.
"Please tell them to come to the club room tomorrow morning."
After a moment's consideration, I spoke to the Vice Principal. Leaving this kind of misunderstanding to fester would only make it grow in strange directions. Right now they merely thought it was a ploy to place key personnel under surveillance, but before long they might start thinking we were using those personnel as bait to commit atrocities against the Three Kingdoms.
The Vice Principal also understood the importance of quick contact with the Three Kingdoms and agreed without resistance. In truth, even if he had complaints, he couldn't refuse my words given his position. I felt a bit sorry for continuously using him as a messenger, but if I approached ordinary faculty members, they'd probably faint from shock.
"Yes, I'll relay that immediately."
"Thank you. I appreciate your help."
I sent the Vice Principal off with a hint of apology and re-entered the club room to find Luize still suffering at the center of attention. Though I had to wonder—even if she was the original story's protagonist, how was a mere baron's daughter holding up so well among that group?
Still, the longer Luize kept those five occupied by herself, the easier things were for me, so it wasn't a bad thing. Maybe Luize actually had a talent for being a tank?
"Ah, Elder Brother!"
The moment that thought crossed my mind, the aggro shifted. At Luize's attention-diverting gaze, all five pairs of eyes locked onto me. Hey, isn't that stare a bit too intense? Reacting to the words 'Elder Brother' is going too far. What am I supposed to do about being born before you guys?
Luize, who'd been surrounded, somehow managed to break through the human wall and looked up at me.
"Where did you go? I didn't even notice you'd left."
"Someone was looking for me. It's nothing important."
I couldn't bring myself to say, 'A few countries have been turned upside down because the men you've charmed gathered in one place.' Luize nodded at my answer, smiled brightly, and walked toward the shelf.
"I was just about to share the leftover cookies from yesterday. As a celebration since we have new club members!"
Luize opened the cookie jar on the shelf and tilted her head.
"Huh? Was this all that was left?"
I snagged a few of those today. After getting hit with that triple combo, my mind was in a fog and I desperately needed sugar. Sorry, but I figured I'd be the only one eating them anyway.
I watched Luize's back with an awkward expression as she distributed what remained to the club members.
The day after the three new members proved themselves to be spoiled brats with expensive tastes:
"Villar Ganelli of the Kingdom of Armein Royal Knights."
A representative from the Three Kingdoms had visited the club room. A man with a stern expression who, when silent, resembled a firmly shut castle gate. He was a knight belonging to Armein Kingdom's Royal Knights, and among the Three Kingdoms forces stationed at the academy, he was considered fairly high-ranking. He probably ranked around fourth or fifth within the entire Royal Knights order.
"A pleasure to meet you, Sir Villar. Thank you for coming in person."
"We were the ones who requested an audience with the Inspector first, so it's only proper."
After exchanging brief greetings and a handshake, I seated Villar. Exactly one person representing the Three Kingdoms...
'The Three Kingdoms have already settled on cooperation.'
I'd suspected as much since only one letter had been delivered through the vice principal, but seeing that only one person came confirmed that the Three Kingdoms had already agreed to work together in unison. Well, it made sense—in a 1:1:1:1 free-for-all on Imperial territory, a 1:3 arrangement would be slightly more advantageous. That's why a representative from Armein, which led the Three Kingdoms in national power, had come.
If the person representing the Three Kingdoms going forward ranked around fourth or fifth in the Royal Knights, that was sufficient for me to handle at my level. The fact that they'd thrown me, a department director, into the academy as an inspector also carried the implicit message to crush most foreign dignitaries with sheer rank. As I thought, the position of Inspection Department Director really didn't suit my fate. What kind of suffering was this, all for the crime of being Inspection Department Director?
"We'll be neighbors of sorts for a while, but things have been so hectic that this is the first time we're meeting face to face. Without Sir Villar's letter, who knows when we would have met."
- You crawled into the academy and it's been nothing but chaos and headaches. Honestly, I would've preferred never meeting, but since you asked, here we are.
"As guests, it's only proper that we request the meeting first. Until now, we dared not ask for fear of interfering with the Inspector's duties."
- We also regret having to come this far. But you seem to be doing something suspicious with that inspector badge, don't you?
I'd probed lightly and received a reasonable response. While they were wary of key personnel gathering in a club advised by an Imperial inspector, they seemed to have no other complaints. Moreover, they appeared to view their own stationing at the academy as problematic.
'A typical knight.'
From the Three Kingdoms' perspective, the enrollment of key personnel had been a sudden decision, and dispatching guard forces had been a hard-won achievement after fierce negotiations. Consequently, they'd had to hastily assemble their guard forces, making it difficult to send someone who possessed all four qualities: 'martial prowess,' 'rank,' 'eloquence,' and 'negotiation skills.' The result was the rough-hewn knight before me. As a conversation partner, he was comfortable.
Of course, I wasn't someone who possessed all four qualities either. The difference was simply that the combination of department director and inspector gave me broad authority, and I was fully prepared to toss things up to the minister at the first sign of trouble. In any case, this was fortunate. The Three Kingdoms representative I'd likely be seeing often was someone easy to deal with.
I immediately put on a smile and opened my mouth. Good, let's stick together for life.
"I appreciate the consideration. As you said, I've been quite busy lately. Especially with club matters—I've never done this before, so it feels rather awkward."
A flicker of interest crossed Villar's eyes. Though the club was his business here, he seemed surprised by my direct mention of it. After a brief silence, Villar appeared to decide on directness himself and replied. Yes, you'd be comfortable with this kind of talk too. I could tell just by looking at you.
"I heard the news. An Imperial lady created a baking club, yes? To make snacks for fellow students. I haven't seen the lady myself, but I can tell she has a warm heart. His Highness the Prince of our kingdom seemed to think so as well, as he joined."
"Yes, and there were also members from the Yuben United Kingdom and the Holy Church State who joined. It caught me a bit off guard, I must say."
"I heard that as well. You must have your hands full."
"Well, it's a club open to everyone, so it's not strange for anyone to join, is it? I just need to stay a bit on edge myself—I wouldn't call it a hardship."
I'd just stated that the enrollment of personnel from the Three Kingdoms was a simple coincidence I hadn't anticipated either. Villar noticed that I'd chosen to speak frankly rather than dance around the issue. But he seemed caught in deliberation—should he truly believe it at face value, or should he be suspicious?
In that case, I should help him decide.
"Those distinguished individuals showed such enthusiasm for the club that even I was astonished."
If anyone tried to withdraw their club membership belatedly or dismantle the club itself, who knows what reaction those creatures smitten with Luize might show.
"I'm also rather anxious that some incident might occur."
When problems arise with personnel from the Three Kingdoms, I'd be in serious trouble too. In fact, since I also hold the title of advisor, I might be the first to take the fall.
"If I had my way, I'd hand this off to someone else, but... haha. Since that's impossible, I'm somehow managing it myself."
If I give this up, one of you might end up taking it on. Ever been the leader of a group project?
When I gave the conflicted Villar's back a gentle push, he squeezed his eyes shut.
'That went smoothly.'
Villar eventually accepted it reasonably and left. He was already overwhelmed—getting chewed out from above via long-distance communication orb, while also managing his subordinates stationed at the academy. He'd even become the Three Kingdoms representative rather than just Armein's. He'd probably spend his days ahead getting grief from the other two nations: 'Why can't you do better than this? Is this really your best?'
And as I'd mentioned, withdrawing club membership or shutting down the club was impossible. The machinations of underlings destroying the hobbies of high-ranking officials—or rather, their romantic playground disguised as a hobby? The fury would be beyond imagination.
Ultimately, to remove the Empire's eyes from the club while preserving it, I'd have to step down as advisor—but what then? The faculty would grit their teeth and dodge it, and there was a strong probability the Three Kingdoms would have to take it on as punishment for forcing out a perfectly fine Imperial advisor.
Right, if a successor were to appear, there was a high probability it would be Villar. Already running himself ragged, he'd also have to perform as leader of this hellish group project.
For those reasons, Villar raised no particular objections to this club catastrophe and left. He still seemed unable to grasp why key personnel had flocked to the club, but he appeared to accept that the situation couldn't be reversed. That was enough.
Honestly, I still didn't understand why five of them had been captivated by Luize and swarmed the club either. If I weren't a possessor, I would've thought some other scheme was unfolding in the Empire, excluding me. Key personnel like that, simply bewitched by a woman? Give me a break.
"Life, seriously."
I popped one of the cookies Luize had made yesterday into my mouth. Of course, it was Luize's handmade cookie—the five club members had essentially just watched.
Multiple footsteps echoed from the distance. Club time must have arrived.
Did those bastards even know how much I was suffering behind the scenes?