''Yeah........?''

　I can't contain my confusion at the fact that Satome has revealed it.

"Satome...?　Then the one who persuaded that idiot in Gandomilaf to recommend our Gran to the heroic selection committee is also...?
It was me. I've gained the trust of the Chamber of Commerce in my own way, so I've been entrusted with the important task of pretending to be complicit with the Chancellor's son and turning him into a puppet.

　Did you say something as important as that?

"I could say that using Gran-chan was my own special trick.　No matter how tough the Chamber of Commerce is, it would be difficult to investigate the village chief's private life in detail.

　Yeah, that's right.

　I have a couple of my own people in charge of espionage, including Selmet and his people. It's less likely that I breached their counter-intelligence and stole my family's information than it is that it leaked to my people.

　Isn't it?

So you joined the Chamber of Commerce wholeheartedly in an attempt to bring us down?　Not just me, but Gran...?

　If Arantziel over there finds out about that, you're dead.
　I wouldn't forgive you either.

　If you go after my wife and children to get rid of me in any way, shape or form, you deserve to die.

Gandmeerff is dead. You can't have that going for you, can you?
'No, it's not. My purpose has been perfectly accomplished. That's exactly what I want, ideally.
?
'The Chamber of Commerce will be different, though. He replaced the current chairman of the board with his idiot son on the board, manipulated him from behind the scenes, and, to top it all off, took over the village of Lux. I'm sure they're gnashing their teeth at the first sign of such a plan.
And you're not?

　In other words, he said, Satome is currently a member of the Chamber of Commerce, but has separate purposes from the Chamber of Commerce.

''Naturally. My purpose is always and always Lady Radie.
"Radey,

　I don't know where he is now.

I don't know where he is, but he's alive. I don't know where he is, but he's still alive, training himself to defeat the Demon King. Master Reedy will return. That's why we must be ready for Master Radhi's return at any moment.

　Preparation.........?

''Especially when Lady Redi is still alive and well, choosing a new hero is out of the question. Lady Redi's fight is not over yet. We can't let that man's battle end on its own...!

　The election of a new brave man is exactly what signals the end of the previous brave man.
　That was unforgivable to Satome, who adored the brave Radey with all her heart.

''Is that why you said you called Gran........?
''I know from my stay in Lux village that the boy is substandard in everything. There is a very high possibility that if she rampages, she will destroy the heroic selection committee, and that's what happened.

　Indeed.........?

　Gran can't become a hero thanks to not being able to leave his parents yet, and the other candidates for heroes were reamed by Gran.

　Thanks to this, the Center Guild Board of Directors is baffled, to the point of postponing its conclusion.

''I'm sure they won't come to a conclusion anytime soon. ''I'm sure we won't be able to reach a conclusion anytime soon,'' he said, ''Most high and mighty people do. It's all the more difficult to reach a conclusion when the crucial Center Guild President is out sick.

　As it is, the human race continues to return without a brave man....
　The newest and bravest will be Radie.

　Is that what Satome had in mind?

I'm sorry that I used the inexperienced Gran-kun as a ruse. I can't say it was a smart move.

　In the meantime, he had a word of remorse for using Gran.
　If it wasn't for that, even if it was Satome, I would have smashed it to bits.


'There is nothing else. I........we were not able to accompany Lady Radey at a crucial time. We are no longer qualified to call ourselves adventurers. But I'd like to at least help that person in some other way.

　Everyone in the brave party was heartbroken after being shown the Demon King's overwhelming full power.
　That's why they couldn't accompany Radie on his way to the Demon King's castle.

　The fear of fighting the Demon King had taken over their minds and they were unable to proceed.

　That's why Radey challenged the Demon King alone, and now he's not bringing it back.

　Sesha has lost her confidence in this one and is now a recluse, while Satome is also walking a different path than the adventurer.

'You still believe in Radey, don't you...?
'Of course. 'You don't believe in Chief Dariel?'

　I was asked about it sharply.

　Of course, I don't even think for a minute that Radie is dead.

　I'm sure he's alive somewhere, making some kind of effort to achieve his goal of defeating the demon king.

　The answer to that question is the same as it was in front of Sesha-san, and it will never change.

''Then please cooperate with us, Dariel village chief. I won't let you set up any new brave men until the day that Lady Radie will one day defeat the Demon King and return in triumph. As an ally, the influence of Dariel-san, who is the son of Aranziel-sama and now holds Misuris Distribution in his hands, is reassuring...!

　I'm not.
　It's not that I'm not willing to do anything for Radie, but...?

''Of course, I have some advantages for the village chief. If you join forces with me, the information about the Chamber of Commerce will come to you as much as possible. Isn't the Chamber of Commerce the one you should be most wary of now?
That's all very true, but...

　Five years later, Satome is too full of vitality and scary.
　You're completely divvying up your own conspiracy numbers.

　Would she have been this kind of woman to begin with?
　Isn't she the one who has changed the most in five years?

You're undercover to exploit the Chamber of Commerce?
Do you think there's another reason?

　Now Satome was far too bewitching to be trusted casually, but the past that they fought together was still the same.

'All right, I'll trust you. If there's anything I can do to help, just say the word. .... but...

　Taking advantage of children is a golden opportunity for you to take advantage of them.
　I reminded him of this.

'Of course I understand. 'Of course I know, but I'm more concerned about living a normal life with my family than unlocking the truth about the world. That's what you are, isn't it, Chief Dariel?

　It was a look from Satome that seemed to see through something.

''Well then, since we've established a cooperative relationship, please be careful, village chief, right away. Gandomirahu isn't the only demon hand that the Chamber of Commerce extends to you.
I know.

　In the hall, Aranzir-san is still playing with his grandson Gran.

　Since the nature of the game is said to be a bumping match of the 'Great Emperor Splitting Sky', the onlookers are crowding around him.
　Are the adventurers who have dropped out of the Brave Selection Society in a god-worshipping posture?

''Hahaha, Gran-kun, you've become quite adept at firing 'Super Emperor Splitting Sky' in rapid succession!　Grandpa's a Toshi and he's going to be out of breath!
'Wow!　Let's push through!

　It's the bitterness of the secret talks we have as we watch over the peaceful landscape.

The new Center Guild Director who joins in anticipation of the Chancellor's retirement, and the Chamber of Commerce still has three more candidates to breathe his life away. That means Gandomirahu and others are just one of the spares.
''Through these guys, are you trying to spread the trend of 'Rax Village is an outrageous place to be if you don't join the Chamber of Commerce' within the Center Guild?
The Center Guild itself is hostile to the Chamber of Commerce, so they'll probably play the puppet, but we must not let our guard down.

　According to Satome, they have a number of other plans to take over Lax Village.
　None of them were a straightforward attack. It was a roundabout way to get in.

That's what the Chamber of Commerce is all about. They don't have a word for clash. They bypass it, deflect it, coax it, entangle it, and take the opponent into themselves.
We'll take care not to let the village of Luxe get captured.
In the meantime, I'd like to see a new member of the Board of Directors from our side as well. We need a perfect ally who will be a staunch defender of the village of Lax.
Yeah.

　Satome is right.

　If there is no one fight that can be won by being passive, then the only way to win is to always take the initiative and stay in the lead.

　The irony of this rule is the same whether it's a head-on struggle or a dark fight behind the scenes.

As for me, who wants to live a peaceful life, that's what bothers me.
'If you stay quiet, you'll have to take a back seat,'

　When Gran has had enough of playing with his grandfather and returns to Lax Village, we should immediately look for a serious candidate for the new board of directors.

　I don't want to have a Chamber of Commerce in the village in order to protect the healthy environment for Gran and the other children to grow up in.