Memoirs of the Returnee
chapter-330

Zia sat on a bench in the garden, gazing up at the stars in the night sky, her mind a labyrinth of worries questioning each other.

Worries about what had been done and what could be done in the future.

Zia trusts Shion AscaL She does now, and she will in the future.

The problem was greed.

She could hide it, control it, endure it, but when it came to people, it wasn't so easy.

Couldn't she have both?

Belingham Kantar said, 'A princess can't have two knights/ but why?

Why can't there be two?

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

A voice carried over like the wind. Zia looked up. It was Johanna.

She walked heavily over and sat down beside her, then silently Looked up at the stars.

The Aerial Garden touched the sky, making the stars seem Larger and brighter. What were the ancestors of Libra thinking when they created this island?

“…Sister.”

Zia called her softly. Johanna Looked down.

Meeting her eyes, Zia asked,

“Do you Like Shion…?”

Johanna closed her mouth. Instead, she cast a spell to create a thin barrier around them.

“…Someone might hear. Crazy sister.”

Johanna's harsh words meant they were true. Her expression was as distorted as a bulldog's, surprisingly vivid for a sociopath who usually showed no emotion.

Zia had thought it was merely possessiveness, but clearly, it was not.

“SO… you wanted to have Shion…”

Not just because she wanted to possess him, but because Johanna herself was aware of her feelings.

Johanna smirked.

“I tried, but there were practical issues.”

She continued in a somewhat bitter tone.

“Besides, he wants to serve only you. Just you. I think it's a foolish reason.”

He wants to serve only me.

Johanna's words pierced Zia's heart like a needle.

“The reason is… Shion's father…?”

“Yes. His father told him to serve you. He revered it as his father's Last wish.”

“…Yes.”

Johanna raised her eyebrows, sighed, and Lifted her face. Suddenly, the Milky Way streamed beside her profile.

“lts really simple. So simple.”

Johanna seemed to be recalling something.

Shion's father, a loyal knight for Libra. Yet, a person sacrificed for Libra.

It was a button wrongly done from the start.

“lf you become the successor… then I'll speak well of Shion to you…ask him to be with you often…”

Suddenly, Johannars gaze softened. She Looked intently at Zia's face.

Had she read something in her?

“…You know, Zia.”

Johanna laughed as if she found something amusing.

“I never had the desire to become something. I only ever wanted to possess.”

Then she asked her,

“And what about you? What do you want?”

What I want.

Zia pondered quietly. There was only one answer that came to mind.

“I… I want to Live.”

Johanna's face showed a hint of surprise, but she soon nodded quietly.

That made sense to her.

“Of course. I almost forgot.”

Ever since she first came to Libra, the three siblings had been trying to kill her.

“You're a miracle just for being alive.”

Impossible things are many. Things that cannot happen are numerous. But the fact that my memory was never supposed to exist, that it was 'not there/ is quite hard to accept.

“…lt's dizzying.”

In my mind, it still feels Like Tei is swimming around. Those memories are incredibly vivid.

Even though I was told they were fake, they were hard to erase.

As these thoughts lingered, dawn broke.

“…Sigh.”

I didn't have time to collapse. Perhaps now was just the beginning.

I must continuously prove my abilities.

There's a dilemma known to small and medium-sized enterprises.

As a small business grows and develops, the required abilities increase. The qualifications of new employees who join are infinitely higher than when it was a smaller company. The talents scouted through headhunting are quite impressive.

At that point, the 'founding employee1 faces a dilemma.

Ultimately, there are only three choices.

Leave on their own, be outpaced and drop out, or endlessly prove themselves.

“Grawl.”

I contacted Grawl.

—Yes!

“The arrangement?”

Tt's done!

The task Zia gave me was to grill Senators for the defense industry.

I had already planted a Senator named Ludeniel as a loyalist, and had prepared a few others for the next election, but to secure the defense contract, I ultimately needed the cooperation of senior members.

“l'll go right away.”

I know the scandals of the Senators well. The underworld's garbage dump constantly Leaks information about them.

Using that information appropriately, the negotiation should be easy.

“…lt's not usually allowed.”

The Senator's secretary said, trying to impress, as I, dressed in a suit, approached the office of the senior Senator.

“Senator Redondo, a guest.”

—…Let him in.

Senator Redondo's indifferent voice called me in. As soon as I entered, I bowed deeply.

“Nice to meet you, Senator Redondo.”

Redondo. A three-term senior senator.

He scanned me up and down with a Look of dissatisfaction.

“l'm Enek from Morpheus. First, here are the documents I've prepared.”

Like any bureaucrat, I presented the numbers first.

“The efficiency of extreme mana stones and the weapons utilizing them—”

“What do you want to say? Get to the point.”

Redondo cut me off immediately.

Forcing a smile, I placed my briefcase on the desk. It was significantly heavy.

“The main point is, choosing us will become a feather in Senator Redondo's cap.”

“A feather in my cap?”

He scoffed. His expression was quite insolent.

I knew his weakness, but I had no intention of revealing it directly to him. I couldn't afford to. This senator was known for his pride.

Even before my regression, he was famous for many anecdotes.

“How dare you bring this to me.”

Redondo opened the briefcase. Inside, it was filled with gold, worth dozens of times more than cash.

“1”

Redondo seemed startled, thinking it was cash, but quickly pointed his finger at me again.

“What, what do you think this will accomplish… Not even half a penny's worth.”

I kept my smile firm.

“Ah, perhaps there was a misunderstanding in communication. This is merely a gift. A gift for allowing this meeting. What we are trying to appeal with are these documents.”

I extended another envelope of documents.

“Would you please take another look?”

“…”

Redondo quietly closed the briefcase. Next, he opened the envelope and examined its contents.

“Hmm?”

Inside would be the scandals of Senator Berryon, the very rival Redondo found most troublesome.

“This… This is that bastard Berion?”

He Looked at me, lifting one corner of his mouth, and I raised an eyebrow.

…

“Yes. These documents are about Senator Redondo's scandals.”

I had made the same offer to Berion. To Berion, I offered Redondo's scandals, and to Redondo, Berion's.

“Hmm.”

If one of them trusts me, I'll pull one along.

If both trust me, I can cut one off.

If neither trusts me?

Even better.

I'll see how things unfold, but either way, it was a beneficial proposal for me.

“Leave it here for now. I'll think about it positively.”

“Yes, Senator Berion. Thank you.”

I rose from my seat and bowed deeply again.

“Ha ha ha.”

Today, Derek's visiting room was decorated quite luxuriously.

A carpet on the floor, a chandelier on the ceiling, and a Long table filled with all kinds of delicacies and fine wines.

Derek and the Legal team were gathered together to celebrate their victory.

“The Theia Esil trial? It's a Lost cause. It'll either be the death penalty or life imprisonm ent.”

“Thats Likely.”

Derek sliced his steak with great satisfaction. It wasn't as good as Shion Ascal's Lunchbox, but it was decent enough.

“Also, the commercial district and industry are still robust. It seems the directors who were considering selling their shares have changed their minds. Miss Zia has managed quite well.”

It was 'Zeke' from the legal team. He brushed back his blonde hair and took a sip of wine.

“…Zia?”

Abruptly, Derek's hand, which was cutting the steak, stiffened.

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

His complexion darkened as if deep in thought.

“…Shares. We need to recover them quickly. Til have to speak about it tomorrow.”

A sudden suspicion had arisen. No matter how capable Zia was, entrusting her with so much was not without its risks.

“Ah, Lord Derek. That might be premature.”

Zeke from the Legal team interjected. Derek furrowed his brow.

Zeke cleared his throat and continued.

“I say this with caution, but while your Deferred Force is definitive, the liability for damages is still uncertain. It might be wise to keep the shares with someone reliable until that risk is fully resoIved…”

“…Damages. Right. I had forgotten about the damages. Thats unavoidable, isn't it?”

“Yes… I apologize. Its a Legal issue. If you're uncomfortable with Miss Zia, perhaps another balancer among”

“Enough. Don't talk nonsense.”

What kind of nonsense is it to entrust shares to a balancer?

No matter how Loyal they are to him, they are ultimately strangers. Loyalty cannot be quantified, and they are not of his blood.

Even Vito, a distant relative, is betraying him.

“Keep it with Zia. But, make sure to monitor her more closely. The trial has

Loosened up anyway.”

After all, even if Zia has those two corporations, she can't utilize them. Its Like hiding a handgun in a baby's crib.

“Yes! I will do that.”

Zeke grinned broadly as he sliced his steak.

…

I created a fishing spot.

A magical space made by Grawl himself to avoid tracking and surveillance. Its inaccessible by ordinary means, and entry requires a special crystal, my own hideout.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Today, the person who came to see me in that place was 'Zeke' from Derek's legal team.

He seemed a bit nervous as he fiddled with his blonde hair.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Here. Take this.”

I gestured towards the suitcase near the Lake. It was a bag full of cash.

“The money's been cleanly Laundered. You can use it without any trouble.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Zeke quickly picked up the bag and held it close. Wiping sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, he said,

“Derek continues to entrust the corporations to Miss Zia. He seemed to have little suspicion.”

Before and after the regression, there were many who bore ill will towards Derek. Zeke was one of those 'many'.

“That's fortunate.”

Even with continued success, if the rewards are not fitting, people turn away.

I heard that Derek has been delaying bonus payments to the legal team? The victory in court is certain, but the company is in a tough spot, so he'll pay later…

Typical of his petty tactics.

Of course, I'm still checking if Zeke might double-cross us, but as of now, he's 99% cooperative with us.

Once again, the Intelligence Agency is now in my grasp.

“Um… if this job is over. Is there a spot for me in the legal team?”

Zeke asked cautiously.

“Hm? You want to keep working?”

I looked at Zeke as if surprised.

“After this is over, you'll have more wealth than you could spend in a lifetime.”

“Ha ha…”

Zeke scratched the back of his neck and continued cautiously.

“Still, how can a person not work at all? If you say you can't trust a Lawyer who has betrayed once, I can't help it, but if you could trust me just this once… I'm not without skills.”

“…”

I looked at Zeke. His eyes and expression were servile, but sincerity was evident.

“Let's see what you achieve in the future.”

At my words, Zeke visibly shuddered.

“I believe in results, not people. Everything else is a secondary issue.”

“Yes! I will keep reporting. Please trust me!”

Zeke exclaimed energetically, bowing deeply to me.

Not to Derek, not to Zia, but to me.

He was a human who had assisted Zia before the regression. In a way, a 'named' character.

“…Yes. You may go now.”

It was a moment I could never have imagined in my past.

Perhaps, it was an addictive thrill.