LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 31
“What did you just say?”
After the battle had been handled and things had calmed down, Roberto had returned.
“I said I want you to lead us,” he replied.
The gazes of the twenty people present were all focused on me. Their eyes were serious, yet they looked as though they were desperately clinging to me.
“I’m sorry, but… I’m not really one for group leadership,” I said.
I understood how Roberto and the others felt. After experiencing that level of fear, it was only natural that their spirits had been broken. Even if they wanted to regroup now, they were lacking in almost every way.
But that wasn’t my concern. The reason I had helped them earlier was simply because I didn’t want to face Rex and Miranda after the exam if I had just let them die. That would have been too difficult.
“Please, I beg you. I promise that I will repay you for this favor later,” Roberto insisted.
“Even so…” I hesitated.
Despite my refusal, Roberto and the others didn’t seem like they were going to back down. They were out of recovery potions, they hadn’t rested properly, and they didn’t have enough food…
It seemed like they were willing to tough it out for the next two days, no matter the danger.
I didn’t want to abandon them, but I was stuck on how to proceed.
As I was thinking this, Eve spoke up:
“Master?”
(What is it? Now of all times?)
I was supposed to be making a decision, but I was lacking enough information to do so. I tried to push the thought aside, but…
“I have something to report…” Eve said, sending me new information.
With that information in hand, I was able to make a decision.
“Alright. I’ll accept the leadership, but only if you agree to three conditions.”
I met Roberto’s gaze and held up three fingers, presenting the conditions.
“Conditions?” Roberto asked, his expression one of slight confusion, yet curiosity.
“First, I have no experience giving orders. So, I would like you, Roberto, to support me in that role. Can you do that?”
“Of course. If you’re fine with it, I’ll support you in any way I can,” he replied without hesitation.
“Second, I ask that you don’t inquire about my abilities or powers. Not only during the exam period but also after it’s over. And if anyone else asks, please keep quiet about it, including any actions I’ve taken.”
“Understood. I swear it by my family, the Cabero House. I’ll make sure everyone here keeps quiet as well.”
That was fine; I didn’t need it to be anything too formal. I just didn’t want to be bothered by questions right now. If I happened to meet royalty or someone of high status later, I wouldn’t mind revealing more.
Power isn’t useful just by having it—it’s best used when cooperating with larger forces to make things more efficient.
“And the third condition?” Roberto asked.
“Third, I want everyone to rest. You’ve all been through a battle and haven’t had any real time to recover. I’ll take care of keeping watch around the area.”
Everyone was in a bad state from the battle. Their armor was covered in blood, sweat, and dirt, making them look ragged. In their current condition, moving would be difficult.
As I considered our next move, I started to step away from the group…
“Wait! Just a second!”
“What is it? Is there something wrong?”
I tilted my head, and Roberto looked unsure.
“Well… I just thought, if you’re helping us, there should be something in it for you. I figured you’d ask for something in return, something that would put us at a disadvantage.”
“That’s not my style.”
“Why not? If we went against you, there’s no way we could win.”
Roberto looked at me with suspicion, but I smiled as gently as I could. Seeing that smile, the tension in the group seemed to ease, as if the poison had been drawn from the air.
“When you’re in trouble, you help each other out. If you see someone else in need later on, you should lend a hand. If you think of this as a debt, just repay it when you can.”
I was just returning a kindness I had received. If Roberto and the others helped others later on, it would make the world a kinder place.
I left them to think about that as I spoke with Eve about the future.
“Alright, I think this is enough for now.”
Afterward, I moved back to the beach where we had earlier had a barbecue. I set up a tent that hadn’t been used yet and harvested two days’ worth of food from the “field.”
While cutting wood and moving around, I also found some fruits, so the variety of food had increased significantly.
“Master, you really are kind, aren’t you?” Eve commented as she looked at the scene.
“That’s rich coming from you. If I hadn’t heard those screams earlier, I might’ve left. Why did you bother sending me that info?” I asked.
The information Eve had sent me was about D-rank monsters still being in the area. If they encountered them, it would be impossible to avoid a total wipeout.
Now that I knew, I had no choice but to step in.
“Well, it’s probably because…” Eve seemed to think for a moment before continuing.
“If you had just left, and someone had died, you would have been troubled, right? My job is to ensure your peace, and I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Is that all?”
“Also, I thought you might shut yourself off from others. I know you’ve had bad experiences in the past. But sometimes, you need to reach out to others.”
Eve spoke in a serious tone, as if reading my past memories. In my previous life, I had often avoided close contact with others, having been hurt before.
Though I was willing to help, I didn’t want anyone to get too close, and I didn’t want to get too close to anyone either. Eve, however, insisted that I couldn’t keep living that way.
“I see. You’re really a meddling one.”
I answered bluntly, unable to express my gratitude directly, to which Eve replied:
“I’m your administrator, after all.”
It seemed like Eve understood my feelings, and with that, she answered.
“Alright, I’ve prepared everything, so let’s move out. It would be unfair to keep Kaiser on watch for too long.”
I had already given Kaiser instructions to guard Roberto and his group. With his speed alone, Kaiser was S-rank, and overall, he had B-rank or higher capabilities. As long as no dangerous enemies appeared, we should be safe.
As I went to call Roberto and the others, I kept thinking about what would come next.